Paladin 5e Guide: Mastering the Divine Warrior

Whether you’re drawn to the classic holy knight or a more unconventional oath, the paladin stands as one of D&D 5e’s most versatile and powerful classes. This divine warrior combines devastating burst damage with unmatched party support, heavy armor tanking with strategic spellcasting. If you want to be the backbone of your party while smiting evil into oblivion, you’re in the right place.

This guide covers everything from core mechanics and optimal builds to combat tactics and multiclassing strategies. We’ll address the paladin’s notorious Multiple Ability Dependency (MAD), explore every Sacred Oath, and show you how to maximize your impact at every level.

What is a Paladin? Sacred Oath & Divine Power

At its heart, the paladin is a holy warrior bound by a Sacred Oath—a set of tenets that grants divine power in exchange for unwavering conviction. Unlike clerics who channel the will of a deity, paladins draw power from the strength of their convictions themselves. Your oath shapes not just your abilities, but your entire character identity.

The archetypal paladin is the lawful good knight in shining armor—Oath of Devotion personified. But 5e’s design embraces far more than this classic fantasy. Oath of Vengeance paladins are relentless hunters who blur moral lines to destroy greater evils. Oath of the Ancients champions protect nature and joy. Oath of Conquest paladins rule through fear and domination. Your oath is both mechanical choice and roleplay foundation.

The Paladin’s Core Identity: More Than a Tank

Paladins fill multiple roles simultaneously, making them exceptional in nearly any party composition:

Role	Key Feature	Playstyle
Tank	Heavy Armor + d10 Hit Die	Frontline absorber
Burst Damage	Divine Smite	Nova damage against priority targets
Support	Aura of Protection	Always-on team buff to saves

This hybrid nature makes paladins strategic and resource-heavy. You’ll constantly balance offensive smites against defensive healing, positioning yourself to maximize aura coverage while staying in melee range. Master this balance and you’ll be indispensable.

Paladin 5e Class Features & How to Use Them

Understanding paladin features goes beyond reading the class table. Here’s how to actually use your abilities effectively:

Unleashing Divine Wrath: The Master Guide to Divine Smite

Divine Smite is the paladin’s signature ability and the reason “paladin” and “nova damage” are practically synonymous in 5e. After hitting with a melee weapon attack, you can expend a spell slot to deal extra radiant damage—2d8 for a 1st-level slot, plus 1d8 for each slot level above 1st, up to a maximum of 5d8. Against undead or fiends, add another 1d8 (max 6d8).

Advanced Smite Tactics:

• Crit Fishing: Divine Smite damage dice double on critical hits. A 5th-level smite (5d8) becomes 10d8 on a crit. Always save your highest-level slots for confirmed criticals when possible.
• Declare After the Hit: You decide whether to smite after you know the attack hits, never before. This prevents wasted spell slots on misses.
• Resource Management: Don’t blow all your slots in one fight. A 5th-level paladin with 4 first-level slots and 2 second-level slots can smite 6 times maximum. Plan for multiple encounters per long rest.
• Target Priority: Smite high-value targets—enemy spellcasters, dangerous monsters, or undead/fiends where you get the bonus d8. Don’t waste big smites on minions.

Aura of Protection: The Paladin’s Most Powerful Team Buff

Gained at 6th level, Aura of Protection adds your Charisma modifier to all saving throws for you and allies within 10 feet (30 feet at 18th level). This is not concentration, has no activation cost, and works constantly.

With even a +3 Charisma modifier, you’re giving your entire party a significant boost against every save-or-suck effect in the game—Hold Person, Fireball, Hypnotic Pattern, Mind Flayer mind blasts, dragon breath weapons. The value is staggering. Many consider Aura of Protection the single best class feature in 5e.

Tactical Positioning:

• Stay Central: Position yourself where the most allies benefit from your 10-foot radius. Don’t chase enemies away from your party.
• Protect Squishies: Wizards and sorcerers with low Constitution saves desperately need your aura. Prioritize protecting them over melee fighters with better saves.
• Communication: Tell your party about the aura and remind them to stay close during dangerous fights. Coordination wins battles.

Lay on Hands: Emergency Healing & Condition Removal

You have a pool of healing power equal to 5 × your paladin level. As an action, you can touch a creature to restore any number of hit points from this pool (replenishes on long rest). Alternatively, you can spend 5 points to cure one disease or neutralize one poison.

Smart Usage:

• Yo-Yo Healing: Use just 1 hit point to revive unconscious allies. Getting someone back into the fight is more important than topping them off. Save the bulk of your pool for emergencies.
• Disease & Poison: These conditions can cripple a party. Don’t forget you can cure them—it’s often more valuable than healing damage.
• Self-Sufficiency: You can heal yourself. After combat, use Lay on Hands to patch up before relying on the party’s limited healing resources.

Building Your Perfect Paladin: Races, Stats & Feats

Paladins face a notorious challenge: Multiple Ability Dependency (MAD). You need Strength for attacks, Constitution for survivability, and Charisma for spellcasting, Channel Divinity, and Aura of Protection. Unlike single-stat classes, you can’t just max one ability and coast.

Solving Ability Score Dependency (MAD): STR vs. CHA Focus

You have three main build paths, each with different stat priorities:

1. Standard Strength Build (Most Common)

Priority: Strength 16+ → Charisma 14+ → Constitution 14+

This traditional approach maximizes melee effectiveness. You’ll hit harder and more often, making your smites count. Charisma stays respectable for saving throw auras and spellcasting. Works with heavy armor (Strength 15 required for plate).

2. Dexterity Build (Rare but Viable)

Priority: Dexterity 16+ → Charisma 14+ → Constitution 14+

Use a rapier or other finesse weapon. You sacrifice damage output for better initiative, Dexterity saves, and medium armor flexibility. Generally inferior to Strength builds unless you have a specific character concept.

3. Hexblade Multiclass (Optimization Peak)

Priority: Charisma 16+ → Constitution 14+ → Strength 13 (multiclass minimum)

Take one level of Hexblade Warlock. Your Hex Warrior feature lets you use Charisma for attack and damage rolls with one weapon, solving MAD entirely. You can max Charisma and use it for everything—attacks, spells, auras, and saving throws. This is widely considered the most powerful paladin build, though it delays Extra Attack until character level 6. Short rest spell slots also give you extra smites.

Top Race Picks for Every Paladin Build

With Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything allowing ability score customization, nearly any race works. Here are the standouts:

Best Overall: Half-Elf

Charisma +2 and two +1s to other abilities (Strength and Constitution) give you the perfect stat spread. Darkvision and Fey Ancestry are useful bonuses. The default recommendation for new players.

Best for Feats: Variant Human or Custom Lineage

Starting with a feat at level 1 is powerful. Take Polearm Master early to maximize attacks per round, or Great Weapon Master for damage spikes. Custom Lineage grants darkvision, making it slightly better than Variant Human in most cases.

Thematic Excellence: Aasimar or Dragonborn

Aasimar gain healing, radiant damage abilities, and flight (depending on subrace), perfectly fitting the divine warrior theme. Dragonborn get breath weapons and damage resistance, working brilliantly for Conquest or Vengeance paladins. Both are Charisma-focused and mechanically solid.

Essential Paladin Feats for 5e

Feats compete with Ability Score Improvements (ASI), making choices tough. Prioritize maxing your primary stat (Strength or Charisma) before taking feats, unless a feat solves a critical problem.

Tier 1 (Take These First):

• Polearm Master: Extra bonus action attack with a polearm (glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, spear). More attacks mean more smite opportunities. Synergizes with Sentinel and Great Weapon Master. This is the most popular paladin feat for good reason.
• Great Weapon Master: Trade -5 to hit for +10 damage. Devastating when combined with Bless or advantage, and every hit can carry a Divine Smite. Best with heavy two-handed weapons.

Tier 2 (Strong Situational Picks):

• Sentinel: Lock down enemies with opportunity attacks. When you hit with an opportunity attack, the target’s speed becomes 0. Excellent for protecting allies and battlefield control.
• Resilient (Constitution): Proficiency in Constitution saves protects concentration on spells like Bless and Shield of Faith. Critical for paladins who wade into melee.
• War Caster: Advantage on concentration saves and opportunity attacks with spells. Less essential for paladins than full casters, but valuable if you use concentration spells frequently.

Choosing Your Sacred Oath: A Subclass Breakdown

Your Sacred Oath defines your paladin’s identity, granting unique spells, Channel Divinity options, and auras. Choose based on your desired playstyle and roleplay concept.

Subclass Quick-Reference Table

Oath	Playstyle	Best For	Key Feature
Devotion	Classic Defender	New Players	Sacred Weapon (bonus to hit)
Vengeance	Relentless Striker	High Damage	Vow of Enmity (advantage on attacks)
Ancients	Magical Resistor	Party Support	Aura of Warding (spell resist)
Conquest	Crowd Controller	Fear-Based Control	Conquering Presence (frighten)
Redemption	Damage Redirector	Pacifist RP	Rebuke the Violent (reflect damage)
Glory	Athletic Hero	Mobility	Peerless Athlete (enhanced movement)
Watchers	Vigilant Protector	Initiative Boost	Vigilant Rebuke (reaction damage)
Oathbreaker	Dark Champion	Villain Campaigns	Aura of Hate (damage to allies)

For new players, Oath of Devotion provides straightforward mechanics and clear roleplay direction. Experienced players seeking power often gravitate toward Oath of Vengeance for its offensive capabilities or Oath of the Ancients for its incredible defensive aura.

Advanced Tactics: Multiclassing & Combat Strategy

The Hexblade Dip: Solving MAD

Taking one or two levels of Hexblade Warlock is the most popular paladin multiclass for good reason. At level 1, Hex Warrior lets you use Charisma for attack and damage with one weapon, eliminating the need for high Strength. You also gain:

• Two Warlock spell slots that recharge on short rests—extra smites between long rests
• Hexblade’s Curse—bonus damage and expanded crit range (19-20) against one target
• Eldritch Blast cantrip—gives you a strong ranged option, addressing a core paladin weakness

The cost: You delay Extra Attack by one level (it comes at character level 6 instead of 5) and miss high-level paladin features if you multiclass late. Most optimizers take Hexblade 1 at character level 2 or 7, depending on whether they want early-game power or smoother progression.

The Sorcadin: Maximum Nova Potential

Paladin 6-7 / Sorcerer X multiclasses (nicknamed “Sorcadin”) combine paladin burst damage with sorcerer spell slots and Metamagic. The build comes online late but delivers devastating results:

• Convert sorcery points into more spell slots for additional Divine Smites
• Quicken Spell metamagic lets you cast a bonus action spell and still attack
• Access to powerful sorcerer spells like Haste and Shield

Stop at Paladin 6 for Aura of Protection, then go full Sorcerer. You’ll be weaker in early levels but become a spellcasting juggernaut in later tiers.

Combat Strategy: Making Every Turn Count

Paladins have limited resources compared to full martials, so every decision matters:

Pre-Combat Buffs

If you anticipate combat, cast concentration buffs before initiative. Bless adds 1d4 to attack rolls and saves for three allies—exceptional value. Shield of Faith grants +2 AC. Both last 10 minutes, so you can cast them during short rests or when danger is near.

Action Economy Optimization

Your action is usually an attack (two attacks with Extra Attack). Your bonus action is often open unless you have Polearm Master or cast a bonus action spell. Consider taking the Dodge action if you’re low on resources and need to survive—your party benefits more from your aura than from mediocre attacks.

When to Smite

Not every hit deserves a smite. Ask yourself: Is this enemy a major threat? Am I likely to crit this fight? Do I have enough slots for the rest of the adventuring day? Save your highest-level slots for critical hits or boss fights. Use lower-level slots to finish off wounded priority targets.

Paladin 5e FAQ: Your Top Questions Answered

What is the best oath for a beginner paladin in 5e?

Oath of Devotion. It’s mechanically straightforward with strong, versatile abilities. Sacred Weapon gives you a reliable accuracy boost, and the tenets are clear-cut for roleplay. Perfect for learning paladin fundamentals.

Can you use Divine Smite with a ranged weapon or on a critical hit?

No to ranged weapons—Divine Smite requires a melee weapon attack. Yes to critical hits—and you absolutely should. All smite damage dice double on a crit, making it one of the most devastating abilities in the game. A 5th-level smite (5d8) becomes 10d8 radiant damage on a crit.

What is the best race for a paladin in 5e?

Half-Elf for versatility (Charisma +2, plus two +1s for Strength and Constitution). Variant Human or Custom Lineage if you want an early feat. Aasimar for thematic synergy and strong racial abilities. With Tasha’s rules, you can make almost any race work by moving ability score increases.

How does a paladin’s Aura of Protection work?

You and all allies within 10 feet (30 feet at 18th level) add your Charisma modifier to all saving throws. This is an always-on, non-concentration effect. With +3 Charisma, everyone in range gets +3 to every save—death saves, Wisdom saves against charm, Dexterity saves against fireballs, everything. It’s widely considered the best class feature in 5e.

What happens if a paladin breaks their oath?

This is primarily a roleplay decision governed by your DM. Breaking tenets might lead to quests for absolution, penance, or atonement. Some DMs allow switching to the Oathbreaker subclass (typically reserved for evil campaigns). Others might let you change to a different oath that better fits your character’s evolution. Discuss with your DM before intentionally violating your oath’s principles.

Is multiclassing a paladin worth it?

Often yes, particularly the Hexblade 1-2 dip. It solves MAD by letting you use Charisma for attacks, gives you short-rest spell slots for extra smites, and provides Eldritch Blast for ranged combat. The Sorcadin build (Paladin 6-7 / Sorcerer X) is also powerful for higher levels. Pure paladin is completely viable too—you’re not gimping yourself by staying single-class.

Can paladins use ranged weapons effectively?

Not really. Divine Smite only works with melee weapon attacks, and paladins lack features that support ranged combat. You can carry a javelin or handaxe for occasional ranged attacks, but you won’t be effective at distance. The Hexblade dip solves this by giving you Eldritch Blast, turning you into a competent ranged attacker when needed.

What’s the best paladin Fighting Style?

Depends on your weapon choice. Defense (+1 AC) is the safest, universally good option. Dueling (+2 damage with one-handed weapons) works great with sword-and-shield builds. Great Weapon Fighting (reroll 1s and 2s on damage dice) pairs with two-handed weapons, though the damage increase is marginal. If using Polearm Master, Great Weapon Fighting affects all your attacks.

Final Thoughts: Playing Your Paladin

The paladin is a class of meaningful choices. Every combat asks you to balance burst damage against healing, offensive positioning against party support. Every long rest requires careful spell preparation. Every session tests your commitment to your oath’s tenets.

Master these fundamentals and you’ll become indispensable to your party. Your Aura of Protection will save lives. Your Divine Smites will end fights. Your conviction will inspire the table.

Whether you’re a Devotion paladin standing as a beacon of hope, a Vengeance paladin hunting your sworn enemy, or an Ancients paladin protecting the light in a dark world, embrace your oath fully. The power is in your hands—and in your heart.