How to Build a Paladin in D&D 5e
Paladins pull off something tricky: they’re equally comfortable smashing enemies and keeping allies alive, all while casting spells and enforcing their personal code. You could play a zealous crusader, a mercenary with standards, or someone clawing back from genuine villainy—the class handles all of it. This guide walks through the actual decisions you’ll make building a paladin from level 1 to 20.
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Core Paladin Mechanics
Paladins are half-casters using Charisma as their spellcasting ability, which means they gain spell slots more slowly than full casters but make up for it with exceptional melee capabilities and class features. Your spell slots fuel both your spells and your signature Divine Smite ability, which converts spell slots into radiant damage on weapon attacks. This resource management creates interesting tactical decisions throughout every adventuring day.
At second level, you choose a Fighting Style. Defense (+1 AC) remains the safest choice for most builds, while Dueling (+2 damage with one-handed weapons) suits sword-and-board styles. Great Weapon Fighting works mathematically but underperforms compared to its alternatives—you’re better off with Defense even when wielding a greatsword.
Divine Smite doesn’t require an action or bonus action, just a melee weapon hit. This flexibility means you can decide after seeing your attack roll whether to spend the resource, making it exceptionally efficient. Against fiends and undead, smite damage increases by 1d8, creating natural synergies with certain campaign types.
Sacred Oath Selection
Your Sacred Oath at third level defines your paladin’s mechanical identity more than any other choice. Each oath grants Channel Divinity options, oath spells, and capstone abilities that dramatically shift playstyle.
Oath of Devotion
The classic “knight in shining armor” option provides Sacred Weapon (add Charisma modifier to attack rolls for one minute) and Turn the Unholy. Devotion paladins gain immunity to charm at seventh level, making them exceptional against enchanters and fey. The spell list includes protection from evil and good and lesser restoration, giving strong defensive utility. This oath works best for players who want straightforward, reliable tools without complex decision trees.
Oath of Vengeance
Vengeance trades defense for offense, gaining Vow of Enmity for advantage on all attacks against one creature for one minute. Combined with Divine Smite and extra attack, this creates devastating single-target damage. The spell list adds hunter’s mark and haste, further amplifying damage output. Vengeance paladins excel in campaigns with identifiable major villains where focusing damage matters more than protecting allies.
Oath of the Ancients
Ancients paladins function as anti-caster specialists, with Channel Divinity that restrains fey and fiends, and spell resistance for you and nearby allies starting at seventh level. This aura makes your entire party substantially harder to kill against dragons, liches, and other spell-slinging threats. The nature-themed spell list grants speak with animals and moonbeam, supporting exploration and crowd control. Choose Ancients if your campaign features heavy magical threats.
Oath of Conquest
Conquest paladins weaponize the frightened condition through their Conquering Presence Channel Divinity and seventh-level aura that reduces frightened creatures’ speed to zero. Spiritual weapon and armor of Agathys on the spell list provide additional combat options. This oath requires tactical positioning and works best in campaigns where intimidation and fear mechanics see regular use.
Ability Score Priority for Paladins
Strength or Dexterity forms your primary attack stat, with Strength being traditional. Most paladins want Strength 15-16 at first level, Constitution 14-16 for survivability, and Charisma 14-16 for spellcasting and aura strength. Intelligence and Wisdom can remain at 8-10, though Wisdom saves come up frequently enough that 10 is safer than 8.
Dexterity-based paladins using finesse weapons (rapiers) remain viable but require higher ability score optimization since you need Dex, Con, and Cha all at respectable levels. Standard array makes this challenging; point buy works better for Dex paladins.
At fourth and eighth level, prioritize maxing your primary attack stat (Strength or Dex) before increasing Charisma. Your aura bonus matters, but hitting attacks matters more. At 12th level and beyond, boosting Charisma to 18-20 becomes worthwhile since your aura affects every saving throw your party makes.
Best Races for Paladin Builds
Half-elves bring +2 Charisma and two +1s you can place in Strength and Constitution, making them mechanically optimal. Fey Ancestry grants advantage against charm, stacking nicely with Devotion paladins. The flexibility makes half-elves work for any oath.
Dragonborn gain +2 Strength and +1 Charisma with a damage resistance matching their draconic ancestry. The breath weapon rarely sees use past early levels, but the resistance proves valuable throughout tier 2 and 3 play. Dragonborn work particularly well for Conquest and Vengeance paladins focused on damage.
Variant humans remain competitive by taking Polearm Master or Great Weapon Master at first level, though you sacrifice the satisfaction of racial flavor for pure optimization. Standard human’s +1 to all stats creates exceptionally balanced paladins who never have a bad score.
Aasimar (any subrace) provide natural thematic synergy with Charisma bonuses and resistance to necrotic and radiant damage. Protector aasimar’s flight and radiant damage boost works for any oath; scourge aasimar’s self-damage aura suits Conquest; fallen aasimar’s fear effect pairs with Conquest’s frightened-focused mechanics.
Essential Feats for Paladins
Polearm Master transforms paladins using quarterstaff, spear, glaive, or halberd by granting a bonus action attack and opportunity attacks when creatures enter your reach. Each extra attack represents another chance to land Divine Smite. Combine with Sentinel for battlefield control that rivals dedicated tanks.
Great Weapon Master’s -5 to hit for +10 damage works mathematically once you have advantage (Vengeance paladins) or high accuracy. The bonus action attack on crits or kills provides extra smite opportunities. This feat demands 18+ Strength and benefits from Bless to offset the penalty.
Resilient (Constitution) provides proficiency in Constitution saves, protecting your concentration on spells like bless and shield of faith. Paladins start with Constitution save proficiency, making this less critical than for other half-casters, but it’s still valuable at higher levels against powerful effects.
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Fey Touched grants +1 Charisma, misty step (solving paladin mobility issues), and one first-level divination or enchantment spell. Bless is optimal if your DM allows it; otherwise, hex or command work. The ability score increase and consistent utility make this feat excellent for any paladin build path.
Recommended Backgrounds and Starting Equipment
Noble background grants proficiency in History and Persuasion (both Charisma skills paladins want) plus a Position of Privilege feature that eases social encounters in civilized areas. The retainers provide roleplay opportunities without mechanical benefits.
Soldier provides Athletics and Intimidation proficiency with a military rank feature that helps when interacting with guards and soldiers. This background suits Vengeance and Conquest paladins mechanically and thematically.
Folk Hero grants Animal Handling and Survival (less optimal skills) but provides Rustic Hospitality, which creates social advantages in rural and common-folk areas. The background works thematically for Ancients paladins or redemption-focused characters.
For starting equipment, choose chain mail, a martial weapon and shield, five javelins, and a priest’s pack. The shield plus Defense fighting style gives 19 AC at first level, exceptional survivability for a damage dealer. At fifth level when you can afford it, upgrade to plate armor for 20 AC.
Paladin Spell Selection
Paladins prepare spells equal to Charisma modifier plus half paladin level, giving you 4-6 prepared spells through most of your career. Your oath spells don’t count against this total, effectively increasing your options.
Bless remains the best first-level spell in the game for paladins, adding 1d4 to attack rolls and saves for three creatures. When you’re making multiple attacks with Divine Smite available, improving accuracy outweighs almost everything else. Maintain concentration on bless during most combats.
Shield of Faith grants +2 AC as a bonus action with concentration, excellent for protecting yourself or a squishy caster. Command and wrathful smite provide alternatives at first level, though neither matches bless’s consistency.
At second level, find steed grants a controlled mount with intelligent communication, improving your mobility without concentration. Lesser restoration and aid provide utility, while branding smite adds reliable damage for concentration-heavy fights where bless isn’t optimal.
Revivify at third level is campaign-dependent—some groups need paladin resurrection, others have clerics handling it. Aura of vitality provides incredible out-of-combat healing (2d6 per round for one minute totals 20d6 healing from one spell slot), but concentration in combat makes it risky.
Multiclassing Considerations
Paladin 2/Warlock X (hexblade) creates the infamous “hexadin,” gaining warlock spell slots that regenerate on short rest to fuel Divine Smite. Hexblade’s Curse and Hex Warrior allow Charisma-based attacks, solving multiple action dependency. This build sacrifices paladin aura progression but creates exceptional sustained damage.
Paladin 6/Sorcerer 14 or Paladin 7/Sorcerer 13 keeps your aura while gaining sorcerer spell slots and metamagic. Quickened spell allows bonus action spell + melee attack combinations. Divine Soul sorcerer provides cleric spells including spiritual weapon and spirit guardians, creating incredible action economy.
Pure paladin remains competitive with multiclass options. Your sixth-level aura providing Charisma modifier to all saves for nearby allies represents one of the game’s strongest defensive abilities, and improving it by staying in paladin through 18th level creates unmatched party support.
Tactical Combat Applications
Position yourself within 10 feet of as many allies as possible (30 feet at 18th level) to maximize aura coverage. This often means being slightly behind the frontline rather than charging ahead, supporting the entire party rather than maximizing personal damage.
Save Divine Smite for critical hits when possible, doubling all smite dice. Against regular enemies, first-level smites provide efficient damage; save higher-level slots for confirmed crits or low-HP priority targets you need dead immediately.
Use Lay on Hands primarily for stabilizing unconscious allies rather than in-combat healing. Five hit points means nothing during combat but stabilizes a dying character without spending actions or spell slots. Save larger healing for after combat or true emergencies.
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The paladin’s appeal comes partly from how it rewards different priorities without forcing you into one playstyle. Pick Vengeance and Great Weapon Master if you want raw damage output. Choose Ancients if you’re building a defensive wall. Go Devotion if you want something in the middle. Every path works, and every one still feels like an oath-bound warrior with actual convictions.
Looking for more builds, subclasses, and tactics? Explore our complete D&D 5e Paladin Guide.