How To Build An Oathbreaker Paladin In D&D

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The Best �🀅�Species Options For An Oathbreaker Paladin

The Best Ability Sc🌠ores For An Oathbreaker Paladin

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Best F𝓡eats For An Oath♈breaker Paladin

The Best Spells A💟nd Smites An Oathbreaker Paladin Can Use

The Best Subclass Abilities Availabꦜle To ♔An Oathbreaker Paladin

The 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons Paladin's defining class feature is the oath they swear to uphold no matter what kind of challenges or evils they face. While these oaths may differ in the tenets they value most, all Paladin oaths support the cause of righteousness, the protection of the weak, and the pursuit of justice.

However, these oaths sometimes prove too lofty or cumbersome for certain Paladins to champion. In cases where a Paladin not only breaks their oath but chooses to forsake it instead of seeking forgiveness, an Oathbreaker is born, and the light that Paladin once brought to thꦉe world turns to the service of darkness.

The Best Species Options For An Oathbreaker Paladin

A montage with two Paladins, an undead warrior and an angelic figure, from Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)

As always, the feat you get at level 1 from both Variant Human and Tasha's Custom Lineage makes these species stronger than any other benefit you might receive from choosing another species. Thankfully, many dungeon masters run games with a homebrew rule that provides all species with a free feat at level 1.

If you are lucky enough to play in such a game, the species to consider as your frontrunners are Chromatic Dragonborn, Aasimar, Half-Elf, Eladrin, Orc, Githyanki, Tiefling, and Shadar-Kai. As it just so happens, 𒆙each of these species lends itself to roleplaying inspiration for an Oathbreaker.

They all have a dark side that ca🥀n serve as a seed in the story of ꦡwhy your Paladin broke their oath.

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. As an action, one minute of 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 legacy Tiefling species, including the Mephistophel♈es Tiefling and the Zariel Tiefling, are incredibly good choices if your dungeon master allows them.

The Best Ability Scores For An Oathbreaker Paladin

nadaar the dragonborn paladin in d&d — Nadaar, Selfless Paladin by Aaron Miller

While popular opinion might convince you that Strength is the most important ability score for a Paladin, it's actually Charisma. A Paladin's attack rolls may be based on their Strength modifier, but the Paladin's best feature is the 6th level ability Aura of Protection.

This aura provides all allies within 10 feet as well as the Paladin themselves with a bonus to saving throws equal to their Charisma modifier.

A +5 bonus to all saving𓆏 throws for your entire party is much more impactful than increasing your chance to hit and damage. Gr𓆉anted, your party does need to stay within 10 feet of you to receive this boon.

Additionally, Charisma is the Paladin's spellcasting ability score, so it's not like you aren't receiving other benefits from prioritizing this ability score over Strength. All of that being said, Strength is your next most important ability score.

Ideally, you'll be able to maximize your Charisma and Strength scores at some point in your character's career. However, this won't be possible for all character builds.

There's also a way to build a Dexterity-based Paladin instead of a Strength one. If that's your goal, swap instances of Strength in this guide with those of Dexterity and vice versa.

Constitution is your third most important ability score, and you should aim to acquire a Constitution score of 14 pretty early on. Paladins are melee cha🌼racters and benefit greatly from a deeper hit point pool.

The Paladin is one of the most demanding classes when it comes to raw stats. If you're rolling for stats, don't play a Paladin unless you roll well in three stats.

Whether you want to value Wisdom or Dexterity more as your next stat is debatable, but either choice is ultimately fine. 🦄A higher Wisdom score will help you with ability checks and resisting enemy saves.

Meanwhile, a higher Dexterity will better your initiative. Wisdom resonates more with the Paladin's abilities, but choosing Dexterity is totally fine as well.

Intelligence is your dump stat.

The Best Feats For An Oathbreaker Paladin

A collage of a Leonin and a Paladin in Dungeons & Dragons.

On top of juggling three ability scores, Paladins also want to grab at least a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:couple of feats. The most important among them is Great Weapon Master. This feat will allow you to deal many times more damage than you could otherwise.

It does require that you forgo a shield and wield a heavy weapon, but that's rather thematically on point for an Oathbreaker anyways.

You can offset 𝕴the -5 penalty Great Weapon Master gives to your attack rolls with the 1st level concentration spell Bless.

While maintaining concentration on your spells is usually important for spellcasters, the Paladin's Aura of Protection 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:makes maintaining concentration easy enough. Consequently, you don't need to worry about picking up War Caster or Resilient (Constitution).

However, sꦉome other feats are worth considering if our ability scores allow another feat selection.

Feat	Benefits
Aberrant Dragonmark	+1 Constitution. Learn a cantrip and 1st level spell from the Sorcerer spell list. When you cast the 1st level spell, gain temporary hit points or inflict damage equal to proficiency.
Alert	+5 bonus to initiative. Can't be surprised. Creatures don't gain advantage on attacks against you as a result of not being seen.
Athlete	+1 Strength or Dexterity. Spend 5 movement speed to get up from prone. Climbing speed equal to movement speed.
Crusher	+1 Strength or Constitution. When you hit with a weapon that deals bludgeoning damage, move the target 5 feet. When you critically hit with a weapon that deals bludgeoning damage, all attacks against the target have advantage until the start of your next turn.
Eldritch Adept	Choose an eldritch invocation from the Warlock invocation list (Devil's Sight is very good alongside the Darkness spell).
Fey Touched	+1 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. 1st level spell of your choice from enchantment or divination schools. 2nd level spell Misty Step.
Heavy Armor Master	+1 Strength. While in heavy armor, reduce bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage received by 3.
Inspiring Leader	Give up to six creatures temporary hit points equal to your level + your Charisma modifier at the end of every short or long rest.
Mobile	+10 movement speed. Difficult terrain doesn't cost you extra movement while dashing. You don't provoke opportunity attacks from creatures you've already attacked on your turn.
Polearm Master	When you attack with a glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, or spear, you can make a bonus action attack that deals a d4 bludgeoning damage + your Strength modifier. While wielding these weapons, creatures who enter your 10 ft. reach provoke an opportunity attack from you.
Sentinel	Creatures hit by your opportunity attacks have their speed reduced to zero. Creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action. When a creature within 5 feet of you attacks a target other than you, you can make an attack of opportunity against that creature.

There are some feats with species restrictions that also serve an Oathbreakܫer well. They include Dragon Fear (Dragonborn), Fey Teleportation (Elf), Elven Accuracy (Elf or Half-Elf), and Infernal Cons♛titution (Tiefling).

The Best Spells And Smites An Oathbreaker Paladin Can Use

Xenk, The Paladin. Featured in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Paladins may be half-casters that use a lot of their spell slots on divine smites, but that doesn't mean that 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:their spell selection isn't important. In fact, there are some key spells that you'll absolutely want to have for ▨your Oathbreaker. Below is a table of the most crucial ones.

Spell Name	Spell Level	Concentration?
Bless	1st	Yes
Command	1st	No
Heroism	1st	Yes
Wrathful Smite	1st	Yes
Thunderous Smite	1st	Yes
Find Steed	2nd	No
Magic Weapon	2nd	Yes
Zone of Truth	2nd	No
Crusader's Mantle	3rd	Yes
Spirit Shroud	3rd	Yes
Dispel Magic	3rd	No
Revivify	3rd	No
Banishment	4th	No
Find Greater Steed	4th	No
Holy Weapon	5th	Yes
Raise Dead	5th	No

The combination of Bless with the Paladin's Aura of Protection makes it ne💎arly impossible for your party to fail their saving throws.

In addition to these spells, you also receive some unique Oathbreaker spells. The ones worth using include Hellish Rebuke, Darkness, Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Confusion, and Dominate Person.

The Best Subclass Abilities Available To An Oathbreaker Paladin

sepulcher ghoul — Sepulcher Ghoul by Jason Engel

The Oathbreaker's subclass abilities are some of the coolest and most flavorful among all subclasses. That being said, some of them can be a bit situational. Your channel divinity provides you with two new options, both of which are incredib🍷ly powerful.

Control Dead

The first is control undead which allows you to, as an action, force an undead within 30 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw. If the undead fails that saving throw, it becomes your puppet for the next 24 hours and obeys your commands. This ability only works on undead whose challenge rating is equal to or less than your Paladin's total level, though, so 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:choose your targets wisely.

Dreadful Aspect

The second is dreadful aspect, which allows you to inflict the frightened condition on all enemies within 30 feet that can see you as long as they fail a Wisdom saving throw. While this ability is also very powerful, many enemies have complete 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:immunity to the frightened condition. Therefore, you need to be smart in choosing your spots with this ability.

Aura Of Hate

Lastly, Aura of Hate increases your damage rolls by your Charisma modifier. This is yet another reason why we should maximize Charisma over Strength, especially in the case of an Oathbreaker. However, the real kicker here is that it increases the damage rolls of all fiends and undead within 10 feet of you by your Charisma modifier.

While the Aura of Hate is mean🍎t to increase the damage of your allied fiends and undead, it also applies to enemy fiends and undead.

This empowers the undead you manage to mind control with your control undead ability and those you summon using the Animate Dead spell. Consequently, you'll want to keep a small army of undead at your beck and call at all times to make the most of your Aura of Hate. Don't forget that these creatures benefit from your Aura of Protection too!

If you really want your undead army to slap, try casting Crusader's Mantle.

Found only in the Dungeon Master's Guide, the Oathbreaker Paladin subclass is one of the most narratively rewarding subclasses in all of Dungeons & Dragons. A Paladin's fall from grace makes for an incredible character arc, and it's one that any lover of fantasy will enjoy playing.

Beware, though: things don't typically end well for bad guys—even the ones with the best of intentions.

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