Baldur's Gate 3: BEST Paladin Build [Full Gear] - VeryAli Gaming (2024)

Among the various classes available, the Paladin stands out as a formidable warrior with divine powers. In this extensive guide, I will delve into the intricacies of building the Best Paladin Build in Baldur’s Gate 3and selecting the ideal race to ensure an unforgettable experience in the world of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Best Race For Paladin Build

Best Oath of Vengeance Paladin Build.

I went with the Human race, just because I like having the flexibility of the race, but all of these races combined with the Paladin can prove to be successful, give any of these a try and see which one suits you best.

With plenty of races to choose from, I’ve narrowed down the best races for a paladin build in Baldurs Gate 3 focusing on its two primary skills: Strength and Charisma. Given this, the following are some of the top races for a Paladin:

Half-Elf

Half-Elves have a bonus to Charisma, making them effective spellcasters and persuasive negotiators. They also gain additional skills, allowing for more diverse character development. Here I’ll go with the High-Elf subrace because they’ll make you a master of all weaponry in the game.

Paladins are already proficient with all melee weapons and armor as it is, and with the proficiency with ranged weapons that comes with the Elven races, an Elven Paladin is the way to go if you want to be a master of all weapons.

Gold Dwarf

One of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 subraces is the Gold Dwarf, which grants characters an additional HP point at the start of the game and with each level up. This totals merely 5 HP, which might not seem like much, but a Gold Dwarf will find that their HP is far greater than the next strongest Race by the end of the game.

The icing on the cake is their resistance to Poison and Darkvision, which come with the Dwarven racial background.

Half-Orc

In my opinion, Half-Orc is the ideal choice for a Paladin who values anoffensive approach. Critical hits can deliver triple damage thanks to the Orc-only racial trait Savage Attacks. You can dispatch practically any foe quickly using your Smite spells.

Human

Humans are highly versatile, gaining a bonus to all ability scores. This flexibility allows you to customize your Paladin to fit any desired build, whether you prefer a tanky, offensive, or supportive character. Humans’ adaptable nature makes them natural leaders and negotiators.

Their bonus to Charisma complements the Paladin’s spellcasting abilities and persuasive interactions.

Choosing the Right Divine Oath

At the heart of every best Paladin build in Baldurs Gate 3 is their Divine Oath, a sacred commitment that defines their beliefs and principles. Players can choose from three distinct oaths, each offering unique abilities and spells.

Breaking your oath will unlock a 4^th hidden Subclass known as the Oathbreaker, not only that but players will lose access to their unique abilities upon breaking their oath.

These oaths impose limitations on dialogue choices, combat moves, and quest outcomes. In my opinion, the Oath of Vengeance is the way to go with the Paladin. Not only does this allow players to openly strike down and hunt the many enemies in the story, but it also, grants the most freedom and flexibility in elements other than just the combat side of things.

The Oath of Vengeance is all about retribution against evil. Paladins who take this oath receive offensive abilities and spells that focus on dealing devastating damage to enemies. Being too merciful breaks the Oath and grants the Oathbreaker subclass.

NOTE: Set up a night camp to reestablish the Sacred Oath. Speak with and pay the Oathbreaker Knight NPC. The price is 2000 gold when the journey first begins.

Unique Subclass Features In Oath Of Vengeance

Oath of Vengeance for our Paladin build, as it has some unique features that enhance combat, allowing the player to focus on one target, here’s what they can learn

1. Vow of Enmity

You can use one of your oath charges to establish a Vow of Enmity. This extra action also targets a creature that you can see that is within 10 feet of you.

On attack rolls made against the creature, you will have anadvantage. But this only lasts for a minute, or until the monster loses all of its hit points or passes out.

2. Abjure Enemy

At 3rd level, Paladins who follow the Oath of Vengeance gain the ability to channel their divine energy to inspire fear in their enemies. The Channel Divinity: Abjure Enemy feature enables the Paladin to select a single enemy and use their Channel Divinity action to force that foe to make a Wisdom saving throw.

On a failed save, the enemy becomes frightened and has a disadvantage in attacks against the Paladin. This feature is particularly useful for crowd control and protecting allies by incapacitating a dangerous opponent.

3. Relentless Avenger

Starting at the 7th level, the Relentless Avenger feature empowers the Paladin’s combat agility. When an enemy hits an ally within 10 feet of the Paladin, the Paladin can use their reaction to move up to half their speed towards the attacker. This allows the Paladin to swiftly engage foes who threaten their companions, reinforcing the Oath of Vengeance’s focus on swift justice.

4. Soul of Vengeance

At the 15th level, Paladins who have upheld the Oath of Vengeance gain the Soul of Vengeance feature. This ability grants them resistance to damage from spells cast by enemies they can see, reflecting the Paladin’s honed ability to anticipate and resist magical assaults.

5. Avenging Angel

Upon reaching the pinnacle of their oath at the 20th level, Paladins gain the Avenging Angel feature. This extraordinary ability transforms the Paladin into an embodiment of divine wrath.

Once per long rest, the Paladin can summon wings of radiant energy, gaining flying speed, resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and the ability to deal extra radiant damage with melee attacks.

My Background Recommendations

The ideal background for your character should be The Soldier. This is because it will grant you proficiency in Athletics and Intimidation, two essential skills for this class.

As a secondary choice, The Outlander is also a good option as it gives proficiencies in Athletics and Survival.

Best Paladin Spells

While Paladins have a limited spell list, their divine magic can be potent and versatile. Some spells to consider adding to your repertoire include:

• Bless – The Bless spell provides a small bonus to attack rolls and saving throws for you and your allies, making it invaluable in combat.
• Cure Wounds – Paladins can serve as effective healers. The Cure Wounds spell allows you to mend wounded party members during or after battles.
• Shield of Faith – This spell grants a bonus to your or an ally’s Armor Class, improving their chances of avoiding enemy attacks.
• Wrathful Smite – Ideal for Oath of Vengeance Paladins, this spell inflicts extra damage and has

Building Attributes & Abilities

Players must allocate attribute points wisely. The key attributes for Paladins are Strength, Charisma, and Constitution while Dexterity, Wisdom, and Intelligence are less so.

These skills also have an impact on your social, spellcasting, and combat abilities. For my playthrough, I went with the following ability scores:

Ability Points Table.

Paladin Class Progression

• Level 1-Lay on Hands(Action)
• Level 1-Divine Sense(Bonus Action)
• Level 1 –Channel Oath Charges(Class Feature)
• Level 1 – Pick aPaladinOath (Oath of the Ancients,Oath of Devotion,Oath of Vengeance)
• Level 2 –Divine Smite(Action)
• Level 2 –Fighting Style– Choose aFighting StylefromDefence,Duelling,Great Weapon Fighting, andProtection
• Level 3 –Divine Health(Class Feature)
• Level 4 –Lay on Hands Charge(Class Feature)
• Level 4 –Feat– Choose one from theFeatslist
• Level 5 –Extra Attack(Class Feature)
• Level 6 –Aura of Protection(Class Feature)
• Level8 –Feat– Choose one from theFeatslist
• Level 10 –Lay on Hands Charge(Class Feature)
• Level 10 –Aura of Courage(Class Feature)
• Level 11 –Improved Divine Smite(Class Feature)
• Level 12 –Feat– Choose one from theFeatslist

Essential Skills And Feats

In addition to their combat prowess, Paladins can be valuable outside of battles with their skills and feats. Consider investing in the following skills and feats to enhance your Paladin’s abilities:

• Persuasion – Paladins are charismatic leaders, making Persuasion a valuable skill for resolving conflicts and convincing others.
• Athletics – With a focus on physical strength, Athletics helps Paladins perform impressive feats of strength and agility.
• Tough – The Tough feat grants additional hit points, increasing a Paladin’s survivability on the front lines.
• Great Weapon Master – For Paladins wielding two-handed weapons, the Great Weapon Master feat offers a damage boost, rewarding skilled and strategic combat.
• Heavy Armor Master – The Heavy Armor Master feat reduces incoming damage while wearing heavy armor, making Paladins even more resilient.

My Recommendations & Tips

While staying true to the Paladin class can be rewarding, I would also recommend multiclassing, which offers opportunities for unique character combinations. However, multiclassing also comes with trade-offs, so it’s essential to weigh the benefits and drawbacks before making this decision. This is all optional of course.

Multiclassing allows Paladins to dip into other classes, gaining access to different abilities and playstyles. For example, combining a few levels of Fighter with Paladin can grant additional weapon and fighting style options, enhancing the Paladin’s martial prowess.

Multiclassing can slow down a Paladin’s progression within their primary class. Delayed access to higher-level Paladin abilities and spells might impact their overall effectiveness. Additionally, multiclassing can require careful planning and understanding of character mechanics to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

As I conclude this guide, the Paladin’s journey in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a harmonious blend of combat prowess, ethical choices, and immersive storytelling. Whether you channel divine energy as a protector, embrace nature’s call, or seek retribution against evil, your path is marked by the power of your chosen Divine Oath.

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