D&D 5E Mike Mearls: Ranged Paladin doesn't break anything

[Irda Ranger]

I was curious about why the Paladin class doesn't have the Archery fighting style, and why Smite only works with melee weapons, so I posed the question to Mike Mearls on Twitter whether that was flavor or game balance. And he answered!

I have a couple thoughts--

1. First, it is so cool that Mike answers questions on Twitter. What a mensch.

2. Ranged paladins, ho! (For home games of course. Not AL) What character concepts immediately jump to mind? I have some--

Elven Paladin of the Ancients, defending the Forest Realm with longbow in hand.

Tiefling Paladin with Crossbow Expert and a Hand Crossbow. He files his horns down to fit in with human society better.

Some kind of Heavy Crossbow using Vengeance Paladin sniper?

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[TwoSix]

Perhaps the only thing worse than dealing with the Paladin's smugness up close, is dealing with it at a distance.

I hate to see them go, but I love to watch them leave.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Look, if you want to use a paladin as a ranged weapon, say...in a catapult or ballista, then I don't see any reason why it couldn't use smite when it hits.

 

[CapnZapp]

Mike Mearls: Ranged Paladin doesn't break anything

Do note he puts the value of "range" at close to zero, which is gamebreakingly off the mark.

The ability to do what you do, yet at range, is NOT a flavor/ribbon ability.

Correctly applied, it means a party will significantly less often have to soak the considerable melee damage of monsters, and it means a character will significantly less often have to abstain from attacking for want of a target within reach.

 

[Inchoroi]

I was curious about why the Paladin class doesn't have the Archery fighting style, and why Smite only works with melee weapons, so I posed the question to Mike Mearls on Twitter whether that was flavor or game balance. And he answered!

I have a couple thoughts--

1. First, it is so cool that Mike answers questions on Twitter. What a mensch.

2. Ranged paladins, ho! (For home games of course. Not AL) What character concepts immediately jump to mind? I have some--

Elven Paladin of the Ancients, defending the Forest Realm with longbow in hand.

Tiefling Paladin with Crossbow Expert and a Hand Crossbow. He files his horns down to fit in with human society better.

Some kind of Heavy Crossbow using Vengeance Paladin sniper?

My wife wants to make Nicolas Wolfwood from Trigun as a ranged vengeance paladin. I got to say, though, that I dislike the idea. I'd rather a divine rogue archetype for something like that.

 

[AmerginLiath]

Adapting a paladin's abilities and smite spells for use at range would be like adapting a ranger's abilities and arrow spells for use in melee; neither break the system, they just tweak the assumptions of style built into it to differentiate classes.

 

[Irda Ranger]

Do note he puts the value of "range" at close to zero, which is gamebreakingly off the mark.

I take what he's saying as "It's equivalent to being a Great Weapon Fighter or Sword & Board Paladin", which is not off the mark. Is ranged combat good? Sure. But to be a good archer you have to build the character around DEX instead of STR, and you lose Athletics, encumbrance (if you track that, and you should), and the AC benefits of heavy armor and shields.

...it means a party will significantly less often have to soak the considerable melee damage of monsters...

No, it doesn't mean that. It means a different player will have to soak the considerable melee damage of monsters.

...and it means a character will significantly less often have to abstain from attacking for want of a target within reach.

You mean like DEX-build Fighters and Rangers, or EB-spamming Warlocks, already do?

 

[Irda Ranger]

Adapting a paladin's abilities and smite spells for use at range would be like adapting a ranger's abilities and arrow spells for use in melee; neither break the system, they just tweak the assumptions of style built into it to differentiate classes.

That's what I thought too, I just was concerned that I was missing something. So it's cool to have Mearls confirm.

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

Are we talking 'at range.. instead of in melee' or 'both ranged and melee'?

Because there's a fairly big difference between the two! I know a paladin or three that'd enjoy throwing the odd javelin for some smitey goodness, even though they're using S&D/Great weapons...


..and with Crossbow expert, even the, '..at range instead of melee' becomes a moot point.