D&D: Building the Oathbreaker Paladin
D&D: Building the Oathbreaker Paladin
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- The Best Species Options For An Oathbreaker Paladin
- The Best Ability Scores For An Oathbreaker Paladin
- The Best Feats For An Oathbreaker Paladin
- The Best Spells And Smites An Oathbreaker Paladin Can Use
- The Best Subclass Abilities Available To An Oathbreaker Paladin
In the world of Dungeons & Dragons, Paladins are known for their unwavering commitment to their oaths, upholding righteousness, protecting the weak, and fighting for justice. But what happens when a Paladin breaks their oath and embraces the darkness? That’s when an Oathbreaker Paladin is born, and things get interesting.
The Best Species Options For An Oathbreaker Paladin
Choosing the right species for your Oathbreaker Paladin is important, and thankfully, there are some fantastic options to consider. Chromatic Dragonborn, Aasimar, Half-Elf, Eladrin, Orc, Githyanki, Tiefling, and Shadar-Kai all have a dark side that suits the story of a fallen Paladin.
| Species | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Chromatic Dragonborn | – Area of effect breath weapon that takes the place of one of your attacks. – Damage resistance tied to your ancestry. Choose among acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. – Temporary immunity to the damage type tied to your ancestry. |
| Aasimar | – Resistance to necrotic or radiant damage. – Darkvision. – Healing hands bonus action. – Light cantrip. – Necrotic shroud celestial revelation for an additional way to frighten enemies. |
| Half-Elf | – Darkvision. – Two skill proficiencies of your choice. – Advantage on saving throws against being charmed and can’t be put to sleep. – Additional ability score point to put where you choose. |
| Eladrin | – Darkvision. – Bonus action teleport with additional effects based on Eladrin ancestry. – Advantage on saving throws against charmed condition. – Perception proficiency. – Trance: 4-hour long rests. |
| Orc | – Darkvision. – Dash action as a bonus action. Gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. – Carrying capacity of a Large size creature. – When reduced to 0 hit points, you drop to 1 hit point instead. |
| Githyanki | – Constantly variable skill and tool proficiency every long rest. – Resistance to psychic damage. – Mage Hand cantrip, Jump spell, and Misty Step spell. |
| Shadar-Kai | – Darkvision. – Bonus action teleport that provides resistance to all damage until your next turn. – Advantage on saves against the charmed condition. – Perception proficiency. – Resistance to necrotic damage. – Trance: 4-hour long rests. |
| Tiefling | – Darkvision. – Resistance to fire damage. – Thaumaturgy cantrip, Hellish Rebuke spell, and Darkness spell. |
The Best Ability Scores For An Oathbreaker Paladin
You may think that Strength is the most important ability score for a Paladin, but in reality, it’s Charisma that shines. While Paladins use Strength for attack rolls, their best feature, Aura of Protection, grants a bonus to saving throws based on their Charisma modifier. Plus, Charisma is also the Paladin’s spellcasting ability score.
Of course, Strength is still important, but it’s essential to prioritize Charisma. Aim for a Constitution score of 14 for a deeper hit point pool. As for Wisdom or Dexterity, both are viable options. Wisdom is more aligned with the Paladin’s abilities, but choosing Dexterity for better initiative is perfectly fine. Intelligence, on the other hand, can be your dump stat.
The Best Feats For An Oathbreaker Paladin
As an Oathbreaker Paladin, it’s crucial to choose the right feats to complement your abilities. The top pick is Great Weapon Master, which allows you to deal massive damage with heavy weapons. Its requirement to forego a shield aligns perfectly with the theme of an Oathbreaker.
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Since maintaining concentration on spells is less critical for Paladins thanks to Aura of Protection, you don’t need to worry about feats like War Caster or Resilient (Constitution). However, if your ability scores allow for more feat selections, consider options such as Aberrant Dragonmark, Alert, Athlete, Crusher, Eldritch Adept, Fey Touched, Heavy Armor Master, Inspiring Leader, Mobile, Polearm Master, and Sentinel.
The Best Spells And Smites An Oathbreaker Paladin Can Use
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Though Paladins focus on divine smites, their spell selection shouldn’t be overlooked. Certain spells are essential for an Oathbreaker Paladin, including Bless, Command, Heroism, Wrathful Smite, Thunderous Smite, Find Steed, Magic Weapon, Zone of Truth, Crusader’s Mantle, Spirit Shroud, Dispel Magic, Revivify, Banishment, Find Greater Steed, Holy Weapon, and Raise Dead.
In addition to these spells, Oathbreaker Paladins gain unique spells like Hellish Rebuke, Darkness, Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Confusion, and Dominate Person. These spells enhance their dark powers and further solidify their role as an agent of chaos.
The Best Subclass Abilities Available To An Oathbreaker Paladin
The Oathbreaker subclass is packed with flavorful abilities that make for an exciting gameplay experience. Control Dead, one of your Channel Divinity options, allows you to control undead creatures, turning them into your loyal followers. Dreadful Aspect, another Channel Divinity option, strikes fear into the hearts of enemies. Aura of Hate, your subclass feature, not only empowers your own damage but also boosts the damage of fiends and undead allies within your aura.
With these powerful and thematic subclass abilities, playing an Oathbreaker Paladin promises an immersive and rewarding experience. Just remember that even with the best of intentions, things don’t typically end well for bad guys.
Disclaimer: The content in this guide is purely for entertainment purposes. Always refer to the official Dungeons & Dragons rulebooks for precise rules and guidelines.
NEXT: Dungeons & Dragons: Best Magic Items For Paladins
