Thread by @CaseAiken

I stated in my last rant about Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition and it's 2024 update that I am always a fan of underdogs. As a result I am traditionally a huge fan of Paladins. My first character was a 3.5 Paladin for Heironeous's sake! But the 5e Paladin has always been good...

...so while I entered 5th edition with a great deal of enthusiasm, I was quickly satisfied that the class was fundamentally sound and moved on to championing classes that received love later on in the decade since the 2014 PHB was published.

So the fascinating challenge about talking about the subclasses both from the 2024 Players Handbook and those published in the decade prior is that the base Paladin is really good. Full stop. Even without a subclass it would still be a high tier character.

The conversation here has to be about which ones successfully gild the lily.

Paladins are all driven character, sworn to uphold some kind of oath. This may be a broader oath to an order, a sacred one to a god, or it may be a private one to the memory of a loved one.

This is a class that is traditionally built on a compromise of high roleplaying cost in exchange for high gameplay mechanics in the 5th edition version really delivers. You are playing a character who knows what their priorities are in any given situation and that will mold games

It can be powerful and moving to play a Paladin. Your values and philosophies can be challenged by a competent DM, but the reward is a gameplay loop that ideally is always fun but dominates in specific challenges that are regularly presented.

And the 5e Paladin does all that and more! Part of its strength has been the reining in of numerical bonuses by way of "bounded accuracy". The traditional Paladin features count for more in 5e than they did in, say, 3.5.

Those traditional Paladin class features being heavy armor proficiency, martial weapons, good saves, and healing and damage options outside of limited spell casting. Heavy armor proficiency is harder to come by 5th edition...

They not only get martial weapons but they also get fighting styles, and in 2024 that gets opened up to more options then and bolstered with weapon mastery options to use with those martial weapons!

Good at saves? Paladins are so good at saves that their allies are good at saves when they're close to the Paladin!

Circumstantial damage? Well the circumstance is "you feel like it", but the limit is a pretty restricted ammo in that it burns spell slots.

In 2024, you get a free use of that smite ability by the way.

Spellcasting is at an all time high in 5e, even more so in 2024. You get the staples from the Cleric list plus an assortment of custom tailored spells. In 2024 that list is even stronger!

Next up, we have the Paladin's ability to heal, the iconic Lay on Hands. While I may have preferred the Pathfinder version as a pool of healing dice, I can't deny that this works pretty well in 5E and works even better in 2024 with it being moved from an action to a bonus action!

So the base frame of the Paladin is doing everything we think of for a traditional Paladin. It is the strongest martial, requiring the least effort to optimize, and martial classes got buffs in 2024! Especially melee centric ones like Paladins!

While a Paladin can be in archer, the majority of its class features are built around melee and that has become much better tactic in 2024.

So we're looking good with the base Paladin but what about it subclasses?

In both the 2014 rule set and in 2024, Paladin some classes come on at 3rd level, 7th, 15th, and wildly 20th! The third level is always a way to use your Channel Divinity feature, which in 5E was once per short rest, but in 2024 you get a handful more uses per day.

7th level was typically an aura feature, providing a passive benefit to the party, but not always.

15th could be just about anything.

20th level, being both the capstone for the base class as well as the subclass, usually was some form of transformation into a combat form.

This rigidity means that the Paladin subclasses of 2024 do not massively look different than the Paladin subclasses of 2014; it's really more quality of life improvements.

I should also note before we get into things that all subclasses since the 2014 Players Handbook give a list of bonus spells prepared, 2 per level a Paladin can cast. These are important to defining the flavor of the subclass since so many of their features come on so late.

But now take the Oath of Devotion for example, the archetypal White Knight. Its features were always pretty good but had terrible action economy. In 2024 their subclass features have all been reduced in action cost, making this a lean and effective option.

3rd level's Channel Divinity option which allows you to add charisma to your attack rolls got buffed from an action to being part of the attack action itself which is amazing action economy improvement! It also got moved from one minute to 10 minutes in duration!

I mean, they've lost Turn the Unholy, but that's just been rolled into the general Paladin feature of Abjure Enemies. Some version of this will be true of all the 2024 options by the way.

Their 7th level aura is mostly the same.

15th level used to be a perpetual protection from good and evil effect, but now it is bonus protection via providing half cover to your allies for one round when you smite.

20th level is still Holy Nimbus, providing a host of benefits, but now the cost is a bonus action and the duration is also bumped from a minute to 10 minutes, letting it potentially go multiple combats.

The Oath of Devotion was always the iconic Paladin archetype, and in 2024 it's much easier to get the benefits of the subclass to see regular use in combat, where before it was best when it got to buff for a round before kicking down the door and starting combat.

I mean, I guess you could dip two levels of fighter to get action surge, but that feels like a bandaid for a design issue that was mercifully fixed here.

Oh and it's spell list is in pretty similar shape to where it was in 2014. A good list... that gets goddamn flame strike at stupid high levels to really convey the breadth of your power.

So the Devotion Paladin comes off really goddamn well in 2024. A mighty frame now gets nothing but substantial buffs rather than tricky decisions or a need for prep time.

First appearing in Mythic Odyssey of Theros, its no surprise that the Oath of Glory Paladin hasnt been heavily revised since it made its second appearance in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. This is a subclass that attempts to recontextualize the Paladin as a Grecian Epic Hero.

As for bonus spells, they're all on theme if not too flashy. Haste is the real stand out here.

They retain both Channel Divinity options since neither was a "Turn X Creature" ability...

Inspiring Smite lets you hand out some temporary points as part of making a Divine Smite. This can be distributed to allies or concentrated on yourself.

Meanwhile Peerless Athlete allows you to give bonuses to physical efforts like athletics or jumping.

These are just ok.

Their 7th level feature will see a lot of use, since it's an always on aura that boosts the Paladins speed and now is more liberal with the criteria for your allies to benefit as well. This is a nice buff in 2024.

Their 15th level feature is a nice little defensive feature, granting a bonus to AC as a reaction equal to your charisma modifier a number of times a day equal to said charisma modifier. If this causes an attack to miss they get to attack as part of that reaction.

20th level is a bonus action to transform into a figure of magnificence with unerring aim and a razor sharp wit. Standard stuff.

So we end up with a pretty simple Paladin that can keep up with the Barbarians and Fighters. It's almost an alternate default option to Devotion!

When it was first introduced in 2014, the Oath of the Ancients was an attempt to fit the 4e Warden into the framework of classes and subclasses that 5e was built on. This is a Paladin that favors "good" over "lawful" with more of a nature vibe to blur the lines with Druids.

Their 3rd level Channel Divinity option got massively improved to be an entangle effect in an area of effect. Super useful and very Druidic.

Their spell list has solid options, but the real stand out is Misty Step for boosted mobility, though Plant Growth is deceptively powerful

7th level is an aura that would be considered amazing if wasnt being compared to the 2014 version. It provides resistance to a number of damage types.

15th level lets you continue functioning after being dropped to 0 HP once per long rest

20th level is a one minute combat form

Ancients has always been a subclass that felt weird being keyed off charisma. I wish it could change all Paladin class features to use Wisdom, but that's not the 5e way. Still, it does a great job at making a nature themed defender style class.

When it was first introduced in the 2014 Players Handbook, the Oath of Vengeance was extremely popular what with its banger spell list and good action economy powers. Moreover a knight sworn to avenge an injustice is such a great roleplay hook! It's no wonder it was popular!

In 2014 the Oath of Vengeance was intended to be an update to the 4e Avenger, much as the Oath of the Ancients is to the Warden. To that end its an aggressive subclass!

In 2024 this theme still persists, with several mechanical buffs, but not as much as other subclasses.

As with the Devotion Paladin, the 3rd level feature now can be freely engaged when taking the attack action, but it was already a bonus action...

And advantage on attacks against a single target, even if you can reassign said target, is just not as good as charisma to all attacks and that used to be offset by the difference in cost of action economy. I mean, this is a buff, but it's not as big a buff as what Devotion got.

The spell list is full of bangers! Hunters Mark! Misty Step! Haste! Dimension Door! Hold Person! Great stuff!

7th level used to be the exception to that rule about Auras, as Vengeance gets a pursuit ability instead. Now you can reduce enemies speed to 0 with opportunity attacks

15th level is a reaction attack to targets of your oath of enmity whenever they attack anyone. Good for extra damage!

20th level is another augmented form but one that didn't get as big ab upgrade as the Devotion Paladin, since it already was a bonus action.

Oath of Vengeance remains a good subclass in 2024. Hell, it's only received upgrades! But it's counterpart, the Devotion Paladin, received bigger upgrades, so it's hard not to feel like Vengeance is missing out. Still, it has that banger spell list to fall back on!

So looking at the Paladin 2024, we're looking at a class that has always been great in this edition that has been generally buffed. Sure, the birth potential of Divine Smite has been reduced, but the rest of the class is doing great and better than ever!

Burst* potential of Divine Smite... Sigh

Subclasses in 2024 are all known quantities that have generally been improved, so how do the subclasses that came out in the decades since the 2014 Players Handbook fare?

We begin with the Oath of Conquest, a Paladin that provides an answer for those looking for a Lawful Evil Paladin option. This is a Paladin that rules by fear and boy does it ever reign!

The 3rd level Channel Divinity options are an area of effect fear attack, which we will circle back to when we get to level 7, and then the same guided strikes feature that they War Domain Cleric gets. Both of these are pretty decent!

They get a decent spell list, though the old stand out for me of spiritual weapon has been nerfed in 2024, now requiring concentration. But they still have things like Armor of Agathys, which is great on a melee type, or Fear, which again will matter at 7th level, to round it out

7th level is an incredible aura which causes anything experiencing fear to have there movement speed reduced to 0 while in your aura of effect! It also causes damage if they start their turn within your aura. This is a great feature that is very powerful and thematic!

So starting at 7th level, all those fear effects that the class gets can now be used to lock down movement and cause damage. This is incredible design synergy!

Jumping to 15 level, the class deals psychic damage to anyone who hits them. This is also fantastic!

They're 20th level is another combat form, and this one costs an action to activate and only goes for 1 minute, which was more of the style of the time when it was released.

It would be easy to house rule the activation to be a bonus action and hopefully that will be the update that Wizards of the Coast gives it if this is ever ported to the 2024 revision. The lackluster activation time on the 20th level capstone, this is still a great subclass!

It isn't much of a stretch to say that this is my favorite of all the subclasses introduced in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. All of the class features work together to create a character that is more than the sum of its parts and spins the iconic paladin archetype on its head!

In 2024 it is still not just viable but a very strong entry in the Paladin quiver of subclasses. I would love to see updates, but aside from the capstone, it doesn't really need much.

Next up is the Oath of the Crown, which weirdly is the Paladin subclass that I've spent the most time playing. This comes from the Sword Coast Adventurers Guide and is often maligned as one of the weakest of the Paladin subclasses.

This is a Paladin that emphasizes the lawful part of Lawful Good. Their oath is all about serving a Lord and Authority.

Practically, this is a subclass meant to absorb damage that would otherwise afflict other party members.

For 3rd level Channel Divinity options, they can force enemies within 30 feet to not be able to move farther away, or they can heal allies in an area a small amount of HP.

I will say, the healing option is not strong, and it's frustrating that it requires allies to be below half health, but it is comparable to mass healing word and that's a 3rd level spell! If a Channel Divinity was just "cast fireball" I think people would be fine with it!

The standout spell on their list is Spirit Guardians!

Their 7th level feature lets them take damage meant for an ally within 5 feet of them.

15th level is advantage against stuns or paralysis. Not too exciting at 15th level and just the Paladin.

20th is another combat form but this one lasts an hour! I think you can expect such a long duration to cost an action, so that's fine here.

This is not a flashy subclass, but it still benefits from the solid core Paladin and functions ok as a lockdown tank.

I'd expect the healing channel divinity to lose the restriction on allies with less than half HP. The movement lockdown is actually pretty good since it's already a bonus action.

7th level aura needs to be a bigger area, presumably the Paladin Aura.

The 15th level benefit should be another add on to the Paladin Aura, or be scrapped and rebuilt. It's aggressively too weak for the level.

20th is pretty good! 1 hour duration is fantastic.

I think the Oath of the Crown is an underappreciated subclass, but that said does it need some love to be used in 2024. Even one book later in Xanathar's we got a better lockdown Paladin in the Conquest Paladin. In the 2024 PHB, any of the subclasses will do fine here instead.

Next up, we have the Oath of Redemption, a nominally more peaceful example of a Knight out of Xanathar's Guide to Everything. This is the Oath you take if you want violence to always be a last resort.

Spell list is... exactly what you would expect. Pacification, not violence, is the theme here, so you have spells like Sleep and Hypnotic Pattern, but it does have bangers like Hold Person and Counterspell!

Their 3rd level Channel Divinity options are pretty good, though limited in use. You can either get a bonus to charisma checks for 10 minutes or you can punitively blast anyone who strikes an ally with radiant energy. Neither is anything to write home about, but nice to have.

7th level is literally just a better version of the Oath of the Crown's ability to take the damage instead of an ally. In this case the range is bound to your Paladin aura, starting at 10 feet (instead of the Crown's 5) and eventually extending to 30 feet.

15th level is a healing factor when the Redemption Paladin is below half health. This is similar to the Champion Fighter's ability, but slightly stronger.

20th level is a weird take on a powered form, that instead is negated if you are violent. It's an interesting mechanic.

This does OK compared to the 2024 offerings, maybe even beating out the Oath of Glory. It has nice features that come off as a more mature designed version of the Oath of the Crown, which you will recall I said was underrated.

If this were to be updated, I'd love them to revisit how in the playtests before the class was officially released it had an unarmored defense like the Monk. Maybe pair that with knowing shillelagh automatically so you can be an ascetic with a staff more easily.

I think if you take this subclass, you have a VERY specific idea of what you want to do with your Paladin and this lives up to that concept pretty well. I'll wonder why not just go with a Cleric (maybe with a Monk dip), but I won't be able to fault a player mechanically here.

Now, the Oath of the Watchers shouldn't be... overlooked (dad jokes!). Great for anyone who wanted to assist a young vampire slayer or to be found by Indiana Jones in a temple somewhere, the last Paladin subclass released in 5e is a solid entry!

The spell list is probably the least exciting thing about the class, though there are some cool options like Counterspell and utility ones like See Invisibility (a must when dealing with certain DMs).

3rd level brings "Abjure the Extraplanar" which is another Turn ability...

...in this case repelling outsiders of all types.

They also get the ability as an action to give them and their allies advantage on all mental saving throws for 1 minute, which would be nicer if either the duration was longer or the activation was quicker, or both.

7th is an amazing bonus to you and your allies' initiative equal to your proficiency bonus!

15th is a damage effect as a reaction when an ally fails a mental save (which they will have advantage on), punishing anyone who targets the party with mental magic.

20th is another combat form that IS a bonus action BUT lasts only 1 minute.

So what we have here is a lot of really nice boosts to the base Paladin frame! I'd love a more exciting spell list, but it is on theme. The class features, at least from 7th on, are all VERY nice!

It should be no surprise that the latest subclass bears some of the lessons learned in the decade since the 2014 PHB was published. Hell, the 20th level capstone is the only one of its kind to have the ability to burn spell slots to reuse, a feature that is standard in 2024.

The Oath of the Watchers easily would fit into any game using 2024 rules. It probably works better than any other older subclass. The only thing that is of older design is its Turn ability, but by the time those kinds of enemies are regularly appearing Abjure Foes would be online

So in that sense, this feels like a very modern Paladin subclass. It's all tight features with a strong roleplaying hook!

Finally, we have the Oath breaker, aka the only subclass in the game that expects you to take another subclass first and then change later. I mean, you can't very well break an oath you never swore!

This is generally meant for NPC big bad evil guys, but there are mechanics for Players to adopt it too. This is the subclass if you want to play Darth Vader, a fallen knight, brimming with dark power.

It's more the chaotic evil counterpart to the Oath of Conquest lawful evil.

Like the Paladin of conquest, one of their Channel Divinity options is a burst fear effect with identical features. The other is a single target way to control an undead enemy.

Both are pretty on brand for a fallen holy knight.

As you would expect, their spell list is pretty different from the rest of Paladins. It's loaded with warlock like spells, such as Hellish Rebuke and Contagion. The spells would be better on a full caster base, but they're great on a villain who presumably will be a higher level.

7th level is the divisive one, because it's a bit of a double-edged sword. Any undead in your aura get to add your charisma modifier to damage, but the downside is that's any undead, not just your undead. Obviously, this is an easier situation to control if you're the DM.

15th level is a dope feature for PCs, granting the Oathbreaker resistance to mundane damage. This is oddly less useful on an NPC Oathbreaker since PCs will presumably all have magic weapons unless the level disparity is huge.

I guess it defangs player summons? Possibly literally

The 20th level feature is an Aura of Gloom that dims lights and inflicts psychic damage on enemies that are frightened of the Oathbreaker. This is unfortunately an action to activate and, yep, only a minute in duration.

The Oathbreaker is the only subclass that I really need to explore who's playing it when discussing it.

For DMs, it's one of the few class options really well suited for a big villain of the piece, but for players, they need to know what kind of game they're playing or that 7th level is super dangerous.

If this subclass sees an update in the 2024 Dungeon Masters Guide, I hope it gets the quality of life improvements we've seen in other Paladin subclasses in terms of action economy. It would make for a fearsome foe or a terrifying evil protagonist!

And that's it for the Paladin. They have an incredibly strong bass class, so any subclass is going to be viable, but there are certainly some better ones like the Oath of Conquest or Watchers that would play nicer with the 2024 options.

The 2024 update to the base Paladin is rife with goodies, and most of their sub classes got some nice quality of life improvements as well. The options that existed beforehand generally stack up ok but you can see less maturity in their design.

I will be excited to see what future updates to existing subclasses look like, as well as what new offerings will be produced, since the Paladin by its very definition has a focus and drive unlike other classes.

However, next time I want to talk about the class that bargains for their power when we discuss the Warlock!

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