24 May The Righteous Glory of Paladin Spells

Paladins have the potential to be the most steadfastly lawful good characters in all of Dungeons and Dragons. Their quest to uphold justice and spread light amongst the darkness makes them a truly righteous class to play.

Their magical attacks make them a radiant foe to the undead, and their tanky knightness gives them a close combat advantage that parties will lean on time and time again in an all-out battle.

Can a Paladin be evil?

For old school editions? No. 5th edition? Absolutely!

The classical Paladin walks through their lives with a single-minded focus on upholding justice, smiting evil, and protecting the innocent. To be evil would mean being something that is inherently not a paladin.

Being a paladin involves taking vows and making oaths, binding you to the cause of righteousness, actively fighting against wickedness.

Oaths are what grant Paladins their powers and without them they lose the favour of their gods.

They would never stray from their vows, unless you can give your DM a very compelling reason why they might 😉

However this has changed in 5th edition.

The Paladin is no longer required to embody the virtues of good and justice, just embody the virtues of their dedicated cause, be that for the forces of good or evil.

The path to evil usually involves breaking one’s oath!

Breaking Bad

An Oathbreaker is a paladin who breaks his or her sacred oaths to pursue some dark ambition or serve an evil power.

Evil gods or patrons grant Oath Breakers evil abilities,  like raising and controlling undead or bestowing curses and illnesses on their foes.

If you prefer to maintain the older system of defining a Paladin, then perhaps you can rename these evil Paladins to a more appropriate title like a Blackguard.

As the DM you have the final say but an evil Paladin type character does sound badass.

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What is the best race for a Paladin?

For the roleplayer any race can be a paladin. The call to uphold justice crosses all boundaries and borders, and to put limits on this kind of pure-hearted motivation would be foolhardy.

Once you feel the call in your heart to help those in need and to fight evil and injustice, nothing will be able to stop you, least of all the color of your skin, the pointedness of your ears, or the size of your stature.

They are content to get in at close range and be the tank, or hang back and use their magical attacks for healing or harming effect.

It doesn’t matter the foe and it doesn’t matter the race of the paladin; creatures who are evil will find the paladin to be a source of great challenge to their ability to continue living.

AKA “Haha, evil monster go brr”

For the power gamer? The beauty of the Paladin is that it synergies very well with most races as well.  Paladin is a great class for those that love the Game as much as Roleplay.

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Can a Paladin use Cantrips?

In D&D 5e, paladin spells do not include cantrips.

What is the difference between a paladin and a knight?

Is a paladin just a knight? Sort of yes, but with magical attacks and weapons. Traditionally, knights take oaths and, at least in western narrative lore, strive to uphold justice, and help the innocent.

Paladins have some sweet magic ability that sets them apart from a normal knight, and takes them beyond what a mundane muggle might be able to do.

What is a paladin in real life?

The closest thing to a paladin in real life might come from medieval times, when knights swore oaths and roamed around on horses wearing armour.

The closest analogue to paladins in modern real life is an interesting exploration. In current times it could be anyone who holds strong convictions to fight evil-doing, such as a judge or a prosecuting attorney.

It could be someone who heals the hurt and wounded, like an ER doctor or an army medic. It could be someone who strives for wider justice and protecting the innocent, like a peacekeeper or a diplomat.

In real life these people don’t have spells, but their hearts can beat with the same righteous fire that shows them clearly the path of their convictions, guiding their life choices to try and be a beacon of light in a difficult world. It’s not enough to hold the beliefs; to be a paladin means taking action to back it up.

Remember, a paladin can look like anything; it’s their heart and soul that makes them a paladin. If you keep your eyes out for them, you will see them in real life.

The Half-Blood Prince(ss).

A paladin has access to some mega powerful magics but are what is called half casters.

They are limited and capped at 5th circle spells unlike full casters that can reach the 9th.

Even so Paladins are not lacking for tools to smite the wicked. With every spell level (different from your character level remember) you are going to be flush for choice when it comes time to pick your next magical weapons and tools.

Whether it’s to attack a foe or heal a friend, paladin spells have got you covered. Add to your list of spells to check out when you level up and get more slots!

Paladin Spells

1st level

2nd level

3rd level

4th level

5th level

Playing a paladin is fun as heck. Read up on your oath and take it seriously. Be clear in your roleplay and make character decisions in line with your righteous alignment. Heal your friends, smite the wicked, and you’ll have a rockin’ good time.

Stavros