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Half-Orc Paladin for Exploration Campaigns (2014 Rules)

Legacy Half-Orc and 2014 Paladin, backgrounds, feats, and exploration rules. Does not use revised 2024 character options.

From the Ceramic Dice editorial team. Rules references, corrections, and our use of assisted drafting are explained in our editorial standards.

Rules edition: This exploration guide uses the legacy Half-Orc and 2014 Paladin rules. It does not use the revised 2024 character options.

A Half-Orc Paladin can help an expedition withstand danger, but no species or class feature makes a party immune to ambushes, hunger, or bad decisions. Use the character’s endurance, skills, and magic to support the group’s plan for travel, scouting, and retreat.

Build for the kind of expedition you expect

The 2014 Half-Orc has +2 Strength, +1 Constitution, Relentless Endurance, and Savage Attacks. Strength helps with weapon attacks and Athletics; Constitution supports hit points and concentration. Paladin spellcasting and Aura of Protection use Charisma. A legal standard-array assignment is Strength 15, Dexterity 10, Constitution 13, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 12, Charisma 14. After legacy Half-Orc increases, Strength is 17 and Constitution is 14.

Paladins are proficient in two skills chosen from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion. They do not automatically gain Perception or Survival. A background can cover a gap; if it grants a skill you already have, use the 2014 duplicate-proficiency rule to choose another skill allowed by the background.

Choose an oath that fits the campaign

  • Oath of the Ancients: Its protection-focused features and nature themes can suit travel through dangerous wilderness. Its oath spells arrive at specific Paladin levels; do not assume Misty Step or Moonbeam is available at the start of the campaign.
  • Oath of Vengeance: Vow of Enmity is useful when the expedition has a clear priority target. It focuses on one creature, so it is less useful for repeated encounters where resources must be conserved.
  • Oath of Glory: Peerless Athlete grants advantage on Strength (Athletics) and Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks, lets you carry, push, drag, and lift twice as much, and increases jump distance for 10 minutes. The 7th-level aura increases nearby allies’ walking speed by 10 feet.

Check which sourcebooks the DM allows. Each oath has different feature levels and spell lists, and its theme is a roleplaying choice rather than a required personality.

Backgrounds and travel resources

Outlander grants Athletics and Survival. Its Wanderer feature helps you recall terrain and find food and fresh water for yourself and up to five other people each day when suitable resources are present. It does not create supplies where none exist. If the party already has those skills, Soldier, Folk Hero, Sailor, or a customized 2014 background may fit better.

Discuss how your table handles pace, navigation, foraging, weather, encumbrance, and rests. Under the standard carrying-capacity rule, a character can carry weight up to 15 times their Strength score. The stricter encumbrance penalties are an optional rule. Pack weight, armor, and equipment can matter on a long trip, but a DM may handle these details differently.

Expedition tactics

At Paladin 2, Divine Smite lets you spend a spell slot after a melee weapon hit. Sacred Oath arrives at 3, Extra Attack at 5, Aura of Protection at 6, and Improved Divine Smite at 11. These are useful planning points if the campaign has a known level range. Aura of Protection has a 10-foot range until level 18, so coordinate where the party stands before a dangerous save or hazard.

Use spell slots for more than damage. A prepared spell that prevents a hazard or helps the group withdraw can be more valuable than saving every slot for a critical hit. Lay on Hands can restore hit points or remove one disease or poison by spending 5 points. Relentless Endurance works once per long rest if you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright; it is a last chance, not a substitute for scouting or a retreat plan.

Before leaving safety, agree on who watches, who navigates, what the group does when it loses the trail, and when it turns back. Paladin magic can support those decisions, but does not replace the party’s exploration skills or the DM’s rulings.

Official rules sources

For the complete class and character build guide, see How to Build a Half-Orc Paladin in D&D 5e.