One D&D Playtest 6: Paladin

July 20, 2023

Here follow my notes on the Playtest 6 Paladin class.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Base Class

Time for everyone’s favorite pal, the Paladin!

As with the updated Cleric, the Multiclassing rules specify that each class’s Channel Divinity uses can only be used on that class’s Channel Divinity options. Gotta keep ’em separated!
Lay on Hands (level 1) now uses a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Niiiiiiiiiice.
Spellcasting (level 1, level 1 in UA, level 2 in PHB) loses cantrips (because Paladins get Weapon Mastery now), no longer ties spell prep to spell slots (good), and allows changing out only one prepared spell after a long rest (in the PHB version you could change out the entire list). This seems fair to me, and it helps keep Paladins and Clerics from stepping on each other’s toes.
Weapon Mastery (level 1) lets Paladins have Mastery on two weapons, and both can be changed after a long rest. Cool.
Paladin’s Smite (level 2) is the new Divine Smite, and provides a list of Paladin-exclusive smite spells that are always prepared. This is aligned with feedback I gave in the prior UA for Paladins, so I’m good here.
Fighting Style (level 2) drops the bit from the last UA that allowed non-Warrior access to Fighting Style feats at future Feat levels. It looks like this is because the Fighting Style feat prerequisites dropped the Warrior class group restriction.
Channel Divinity (level 3) is unchanged from the prior UA. It grants Divine Sense (level 1 PHB). It’s certainly written much better in the UAs than it was in the PHB, so that’s a win for readability.
Subclass (level 3): Same as it was before, and just like all other classes now.
Ability Score Improvement (level 4): Or another Feat.
Extra Attack (level 5): As it was before. If it ain’t broke…
Faithful Steed (level 5): Curiously, this newest iteration drops the text that says having Find Steed always prepared doesn’t count against the number of spells that can be prepared. Instead, there’s a blanket mention back in the Spellcasting text that addresses this and any other feature-added spells. Still, it’s a strange inconsistency. Sloppy editing? It’s otherwise unchanged from the prior UA.
Aura of Protection (level 6, level 7 in UA, level 6 in PHB) returns to level 6. It otherwise maintains the same wording as the prior UA, which was much clearer than in the PHB version.
Subclass Feature (level 7, level 6 in UA, level 7 in PHB): This is back to where it was in the PHB class progression.
Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or another Feat.
Abjure Foes (level 9, dead level in PHB) has been lightly nerfed; it now does nothing on a successful save.
Aura of Courage (level 10, level 13 in UA, level 10 in PHB) just moves back to where it was in the PHB. It retains some clarifying language from the prior UA. Good.
Radiant Strikes (level 11) now adds Radiant damage to melee weapons and unarmed strikes. I like this; unarmed strikes make good sense, and the switch to melee weapons (instead of all Martial and Simple weapons) means that we aren’t stepping on the Ranger’s toes here.
Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or another Feat.
Dead Level (level 13): This was a dead level in the PHB. In the prior UA, this is where Aura of Courage was. Now it’s just where you get your first level 4 spell slot.
Restoring Touch (level 14, level 15 in UA) is identical to the version in the prior UA, but comes online one level sooner. In the PHB, this was Cleansing Touch, whose uses were based on your Charisma modifier, and which removed a spell’s effects from the recipient, rather than using the Lay on Hands pool to remove conditions from a creature. I prefer this version as it ties into the overall conditions system.
Subclass Feature (level 15, level 14 in UA, level 15 in PHB): Just moved back to where it was before.
Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or another Feat.
Dead Level (level 17): In the prior UA, this was where Aura Expansion arrived. Now it’s back to the PHB version, where it’s where Paladins get their first level 5 spell slot.
Aura Expansion (level 18, level 17 in UA, level 18 in PHB) is basically identical to the PHB version, and just moves back to where it started in the PHB. This replaces Divine Conduit from the previous UA.
Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or another Feat.
Subclass Feature (level 20): As it was in the PHB. This replaces the Epic Boon from the previous UA.

Oath of Devotion

Oath Spells (level 3) has an updated spell list. The smites are out (granted by the base class), as is Aura of Vitality from the prior UA, and the PHB pairings of Beacon of Hope and Dispel Magic, and Freedom of Movement and Guardian of Faith are back in. Shield of Faith has replaced the PHB version’s Sanctuary.
Sacred Weapon (level 3) is unchanged from the prior UA, which lets you choose to deal Radiant damage, and which can be turned off with a Bonus Action. Good, this should stay as-is.
Aura of Devotion (level 7, level 10 in UA, level 7 in PHB) retains the wording from the prior UA, but returns to its original PHB level. This is fine.
Smite of Protection (level 15, level 6 in UA) has been redesigned to provide half cover to allies within your aura (it formerly provided temporary HP). This replaces Purity of Spirit from the PHB, and I think that’s fine.
Holy Nimbus (level 20, level 14 in UA, level 20 in PHB) restores the PHB version’s grant of advantage on saving throws and expands it to all saving throws forced by a Fiend or Undead. It retains the prior UA’s tweak to Radiant damage done to enemies in the aura as well as the clarification that the light it creates is actually sunlight (look out, vampires!). The PHB required a long rest to recharge this feature; the previous UA required a long rest or trading in a level 4 spell slot; this version requires a long rest or the use of a level 5 spell slot.

Oath of Glory

Oath Spells (level 3) is unchanged from the Tasha version. The spell list remains the same.
Inspiring Smite (level 3) no longer requires a Bonus Action; you can just do it. Nice!
Peerless Athlete (level 3) is unchanged from the Tasha version.
Aura of Alacrity (level 7) is based on the Aura of Protection, increasing its range. Good, makes sense.
Glorious Defense (level 15) is unchanged from the Tasha version.
Living Legend (level 20) is reformatted for easier reading, but is otherwise identical to the Tasha version.

Oath of the Ancients

Oath Spells (level 3) is unchanged from the PHB version.
Nature’s Wrath (level 3) can now affect multiple foes in a wider radius, moving this ability into area control territory. Nice!
Aura of Warding (level 7) now gets its area from your Aura of Protection. Instead of providing resistance to damage from all spells, it provides resistance to Necrotic, Psychic, and Radiant damage, regardless of their source. So, about that Fireball/Cone of Cold… This change is a bit of a toss-up for me.
Undying Sentinel (level 15) now heals you (between 45 and 60 HP, scaling with Paladin level) in addition to keeping you from dropping to zero HP. It also protects you from the drawbacks of old age (does that include, y’know, dying?!), and you can’t be aged magically. Good changes here, thank you!
Elder Champion (level 20) loses the flavor text about your appearance changing, but it extends its benefits to all spells (not just Paladin spells, important because of how spell lists work now), and the whole thing can be invoked using a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Good stuff.
Turn the Faithless (PHB level 3) has been removed in favor of Abjure Foes in the base class.

Oath of Vengeance

Oath Spells (level 3) replaces Hunter’s Mark with Compelled Duel – because Hunter’s Mark is now a Ranger exclusive.
Vow of Enmity (level 3) now lets the vow be moved to a different creature if the previous creature is taken out before the vow ends (much like Hunter’s Mark), without needing to spend any action economy on doing so. Good.
Relentless Avenger (level 7) optionally reduces the target’s speed to zero, which I like. But it doesn’t say for how long, which seems… hastily written.
Soul of Vengeance (level 15) is basically unchanged from the PHB version but clarifies that it happens after the affected creature hits or misses with an attack – meaning the attack gets fully processed before the OoV Paladin’s reaction kicks in.
Avenging Angel (level 20) is now invoked with a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Its duration has been reduced from 60 minutes to 10 minutes. Its fly speed has been (probably) reduced as it now matches your speed; however, you can now officially hover. The Frightful Aura now takes its area from your Aura of Protection (good) but is otherwise unchanged. Finally, it can now be recharged using a level 5 spell slot in addition to a long rest. I’m sure the internet will be mad about the time and speed changes, but realistically none of us will ever play at this level, so these changes seem fine to me as the original version was probably way too overpowered to begin with.

Hot Takes

The Paladin Base Class seems to have mostly gotten some fine-tuning that’s worked out pretty well. A couple of things are weird though, and might be editing mistakes. I’ll call them out when it’s survey time and see if WotC notices.
Oath of Devotion is definitely a return to form and fine-tuning of an already solid subclass. It’s not super glamorous, but that wasn’t its deal in the first place.
Oath of Glory doesn’t have big, splashy changes, but I didn’t expect that for a Tasha subclass. What changes are here are good, common sense tweaks.
Oath of the Ancients gets a couple of very nice changes but is otherwise pretty consistent with its original presentation. I think Aura of Warding will probably be a lot less useful though. Its best changes are unfortunately at levels most games will never reach, which is a bummer. This subclass has always felt to me like it overlaps too much with Druids, and I think that’s still the case.
Oath of Vengeance gets just really small and unexciting tweaks, plus a (needed) nerf at level 20, and really feels like not much work got put into it. That’s fine, because I’ve never really wanted to play one, and I probably still don’t.

I really like Paladins, but I haven’t played one in 5E because the subclasses have never excited me very much. Of these options, I’d probably pick Oath of Devotion if I was playing it straight, or Oath of Glory if I wanted to basically riff on The Tick.

Lukewarm Takes

I haven’t seen much drama about Paladins lately, so… Yeah. I stand by the hot takes from when this packet first dropped.

(Oh – smites as spells? I got over that a while ago. It’s probably fine. Whatever. Paladins still get to do cool smacky-smack stuff.)