Tabletop role-playing is incredibly complex and layered with the potential to create campaigns that go on for years. Not only is this due to the number of dedicated players and game masters, but their sheer commitment to character. Though there are plenty of games to choose from, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons remains the most popular with people taking characters and stories very seriousl𝓀y.

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There are many types of races, classes, qualities, backgrounds, and more that you can arrange in various combinations to craft someone unique. Of all these classes, the Paladin has a reputation for being a powerful, but difficult-to-work with class. It's easy to stumble into the pitfalls of the paladin guidelines, and that's why there are things you should avoid.

10 Don't Force Your Beliefs On The Party

Forsworn Paladin by Lorenzo Mastroianni
Forsworn Paladin by Lorenzo Mastroianni

There's a strong idea that Paladins are religious zealots whose main purpose is to spread or enforce their beliefs on everyone they come across. Out of all the classes, Paladins are widely considered to be the most committed and faithful, but this can translate negatively into player behavior.

What makes D&D fun is having a diverse party of races, classes, and beliefs that contribute to the overall experience and make for dynamic interactions. Players need to be free to decide what they what to do and how they want to act, so they don't need a pushy Paladin telling them that they should act like them.

9 Don't Limit Yourself To The Paladin Archetype

Locthwain Paladin by Zack Stella
Locthwain Paladin by Zack Stella

Historically speaking, Paladins were associated with the high courts and tasked with waging Holy Wars against those whose beliefs differed from their own. This led to the idea that Paladins are extremely attached to beliefs, willing to both kill and die for th🙈em.

However, in terms of D&D, this can lead to a very limited personality with little to offer outside their beliefs. As a result, players may feel forced to behave in a way that is strict and stubborn. Although this can make for a valid character, it's not one that would fit well in a team.

8 Don't Create Friction Within Your Team

Silverblade Paladin By Jason Chan
Silverblade Paladin by Jason Chan

A primary challenge of playing D&D is getting enough people together to play it consistently. When you do find people who are able to make time for such sessions, it's crucial that they all get along well with each other. When there's chemistry between all the players then you'll have fun sessions that everyone is invested in and wants to continue.

Unfortunately, based on how Paladins are presented, it can be very easy for players to play them in a way that goes against one or multiple players in the team. This will create friction that can result in difficult and tense sessioꦛns.

7 Don't Be A One-Note Attacker

Ardenvale Paladin by Volkan Baga
Ardenvale Paladin by Volkan Baǵa

There are many jokes about the D&D classes and how some of them are broken while others have powers that seem too strong. When it comes to the Paladin, this class has a lot of strengths and acces🌠s to a variety of abilities that can make them quite adaptable.

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However, because of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:their trademark Smite ability, it's very tempting to default your Paladin character to be a heavy-hitter. This would be a waste of their potential since based on what they have access to, Paladins can be made to cover a variety of roles from attacking to tanking and even support.

6 Don't Make Your Oath Overly Simplistic

Embereth Paladin by Randy Vargas
Embereth Paladin by Randy Vargas

In addition♓ to the powerful Smite ability, the other defining characteristic of the Paladin is their oath. At some point in their lives, Paladins decide to pledge themselves to a cause which they promise to uphold until death. This can be as simple as fighting in the 💎name of your deity to as complex as vowing to eliminate anyone who once posed a threat to your family.

Since the oath is what really makes a Paladin and defines their life, you should take time to pick an oath that will 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:enrich your character and add flavor tꦰo the story.

5 Don't Rely Heavily On Alignment

Nadaar the Dragonborn Paladin in D&D wields a sword and shield.
Nadaar, Selfless Paladin by Aaron Miller

Being traditionally associated with religion, it's normal to think that Paladins would be very dependent on alignment. Whether you're playing a holy or damned soul, you could feel that it's necessary to make your Paladin as strictly good or evil as possible.

Unfortunately, this can be another trap for your character to fall into when it comes to playing the game and interacting with other players. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Alignment can be very helpful in helping you create a foundation for your Paladin, but yo🔯u should keep in mind that as long as your oath is upheld, you can✅ act as you see fit.

4 DON'T. MAKE. RULES.

cover for the book "Empire Paladin" by M.S.Valdez
Empire Paladin cover by M.S. Valdez

Taking an oath can convince you that Paladins follow a strict code of conduct. This is due to the preset idea that they're holy warriors and religion tends to come with a lot of rules that need to be followed. While this can definitely help drive home the point that your Paladin is truly dedicated to their cause, it can also lead to problems with how they play the game.

The beauty of 💟D&D stories is that they caღn be fluid and change with the players so having a player that follows a strict set of rules can throw a giant wrench into the gears.

3 Don't Make An Overly Detailed Backstory

Split image of a human man in armor, Seelah, and the Angel Mythic Path art from Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous

Considering all the commitments that go with being a Paladin, it can be tempting to come up with an epic origin story of how they got there. Creating characters is a lot of fun, and it's very easy to get carried away with details and background.

It's common for players to want their characters to be heroes in their own right, but the point of D&D is to turn them into heroes. The backstory is simply meant to act as a template for their personality, behavior, and aspirations. Paladins are very serious about their causes, but you shouldn't bog down the ongoing story and your teammates with how they came to be.

2 Don't Save Your Oath For Later

Paladin Split Image Feature

Even though Paladins can't become so without first taking an oath, the leveling up system can cause some confusion. The oath is what determines what kind of Paladin you will become and the powers you'll ultimately get. The trademark Sacred Oath isn't activated until you reach level 3 meaning that mechanically speaking, your character isn't a Paladin until that point.

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That's why you should take this into consideration, read up 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:on the different power paths, and establi✅sh an oath well before you star𝄹t playing the game.

1 Don't Be A Gnome

heroic intervention paladin mtg d&d Randy Vargas
Heroic Intervention by Randy Vargas

D&D gives you total freedom to do what you want to do and be who you want to be. There are tons of different races and classes that you can combine however you want. Still, looking through all the race traits and class stats, it's clear that some combinations will have a harder time than others.

When it comes to creating a serious Paladin, you shouldn't make them a Gnome. This race 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:can be very effective in so many ways, but their traits don't complement standard Paladin builds, and they'll need to rely on the buffs simply to keep up.

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