D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook Reveal #3: "New Paladin"

"the paladin who, if they were in a movie, would ... have impossibly white teeth".


New Paladin preview: here are some notes, focusing on what's new and changes from the playtest materials. Last time we saw the Paladin was in Playtest 6 [=PT6 below].
See also this comparison at D&D Beyond (by someone who saw the video before it was streamed!)

OVERVIEW

• spellcasting starts at level 1, specifically called out as an advantage for multiclassing. (Same for Rangers).
• Lay on Hands and Weapon mastery at 1
• Paladin's smite at 2, along with fighting style.
• NEW: Paladin fighting style restriction is removed (all are available). You may forego fighting style to learn cantrips. [The option to get cantrips was given in Tasha's. They're letting us have it, but it's not called a "fighting style". I suspect this ties to the decision that fighting styles are feats now, and this would be weaker than magic initiate (which also gives a level 1 spell).]
• Paladin's smite gives you the spell Divine smite, with one free casting.
• channel divinity [CD]: uses increase: start with 2, plus 1 on a short rest.
• divine sense in CD option (as in PT6). duration lasts 10 minutes.
• Find steed spell at level 5, cast 1/day with no slot. Redesigned so that spell can be upcast, with a unique steed statblock. [This strongly implies that it's a class-specific spell, not on others' lists. Awesome. (Will a Lore Bard be able to select it? I hope so, and the discussion of spell lists (see below) makes me think they might, since identifying class-specific spells is harder.)]
• Abjure Foes a CD option (given at 9 in PT6)
• Auras are single things, with a single radius, that gain abilities/functionality (not separate auras as in 2014).

SUBCLASSES

Oath of Devotion.

• NEW: Sacred Weapon is part of the attack action. (PT required a Bonus action).
• Smite of Protection (level 15 in PT6)
• Holy Nimbus (level 20) is a bonus action (as in PT6).

Oath of Glory ("...this for me is the paladin who, if they were in a movie, would look at the camera, have impossibly white teeth, with a little sparkle on them as they smile")

• Peerless athlete lasts an hour (as in PT6)
• NEW: Aura of Alacrity affects allies if they enter your aura on their turn (they no longer need to start there)
• Oath of Glory has a new spell at level 17: Yolan's Regal Presence. Created by the Queen of the Elves, and makes others kneel before you and take psychic damage. [It's said that others can cast this spell too -- if right, then it's a 5th level spell and Clerics (likely) will be getting this at level 9. Perhaps he misspoke, and it's a class-specific spell.]

Oath of the Ancients

• Nature's wrath range "has been extended"
• Aura of Warding as in PT6 (resistance to Necrotic, Psychic, and Radiant)
• Undying Sentinel at 15 as in PT6 (you don't return with 1hp, but [?] 3x class level.

Oath of Vengeance

• NEW: Vow of Enmity part of attack action (not Bonus action); can transfer (as in PT6)
• NEW: Level 20 Avenging Angel activated as a Bonus Action, and lasts an hour (not 10 min as in PT6)

NEW RULES

• new area of effect: it's been there since 2014, but hasn't been named. It's for AOE that emanate from a character or monster -- the Emanation.
• new approach to spell lists. Spell list is part of the class description (as we saw with the Artificer). Entries give the school, whether it needs concentration, and required components. [I presume spell descriptions will still be at the back of the book: this is referring to the lists currently on PHB 207-11.]
• oath spell lists, patron spell lists, etc. have all been vetted and updated throughout.

 

[Remathilis]

Same. And tbh, I thought the last UA was actually a solid version ... assuming they also rewrite more spells to actually be legal options for Twin Spell.

Yeah, that's where the proof of the pudding is going to lie. And it should remind everyone we are looking at this through a glass darkly; we don't know what else has changed along with these class features.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

So, hey, hiw cool is the Paladin Class art??

So, we get an Orc woman gor the main example laying a Smite down, an older Human woman for Oath of Devotion, a Tiefling man for Oath of Glory, an Elf man fir Oath of the Ancients, and a Dragonborn for Oath of Vengeance:

View attachment 368279

Looks like Granny Goodness made the jump from the DC universe to D&D, guess she no longer works for Darkseid...

 

[pukunui]

I don't know if this has been established or not - but something I was hoping to see with the new paladin was a revision to the aura improvements. I have long thought it was silly that it starts at 10 feet and then jumps to 30 feet at 18th level. They should add an intermediary 20-foot point partway through. If this isn't in the revision, I might just house rule it in.

 

[Stalker0]

At the end of the day, the paladin has always been one of the best defensive classes. Big armor, can heal themselves, and that save aura....jesus it COMPLETELY CHANGES a DMs use of spellcasting monsters.

The fact they also got an outrageous amount of offense was just too much. They basically had it all. I do think some nerfs were warranted.

 

[tglassy]

I am a huge fan of these changes. The Paladin was the Mary Sue of classes. All armor, all weapons, fighting style, spells, spell-less healing, Burst Damage like crazy, a huge boost to not only their own saves but the entire party's saves, Auras that make them immune to so much...like, people say "Oh they can't do ranged", but they can just grab a darn bow and shoot. Big woop.

I even like the Bonus Action cost. Because a Divine Smite was NEVER 1d8+1d8 per spell level. It was 2d8+2d8 per spell level. Because you ALWAYS used it on a Crit. Seriously. 12d8 with a 5th lvl spell slot. And you could do that up to three times a round. I've literally had one of my players, playing a paladin, crit three times in a row on the second round of combat with a Balor. Killed the thing all by himself. AND LOOKED GOOD DOING IT.

Now, it costs a Bonus Action. Used up your bonus action already and critted? Oh well. Maybe next time.

Besides, the Paladin is now more efficient than ever! So many of their skills are quicker, easier to use or more useful. So yes, you will stil outshine all the other players and have perfect teeth while doing it. You just can't do 200+HP worth of damage in a single round. I'm sorry. I'll cry you a river after I get over weeping if they wind up taking away the Warlock's 3rd attack.

Like seriously. The Warlock already has Eldritch Blast, which is BETTER than a Fighter with a Bow. IT GETS 4 ATTACKS BEFORE THE FIGHTER DOES. Why would adding a third attack on a melee weapon really be that bad? it's not like the Warlock gets Heavy Armor. Or even a half compliment of spell slots. Or random auras that increase saving throw and make you immune to just about every kind of danger out there. Or a free steed that now scales with spell slot. Sorry. Talking about the Paladin again. Though, I guess the Celestial Warlock gets a pseudo Lay on Hands, and Eldritch Smite lets them Smite...if they had the spell slots for it! Like, seriously. They only GET two. They'd have to be REALLY lucky to both Crit AND have a Spell Slot AND have a Bonus Action available to really take advantage of it.

Give Warlocks more love. If you had, maybe they wouldn't have sold their souls to begin with.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I'm curious if Find Steed will once again be straight up better in the Bards hands then the Paladins?

And what does the changes for Find Steed mean for Find Greater Steed?

 

[tglassy]

I'm curious if Find Steed will once again be straight up better in the Bards hands then the Paladins?

And what does the changes for Find Steed mean for Find Greater Steed?

I would assume there is no Find Greater Steed, because it looks like the new Find Steed gets better when you upcast it.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I'm curious if Find Steed will once again be straight up better in the Bards hands then the Paladins?

And what does the changes for Find Steed mean for Find Greater Steed?

I thought that it is pally only now.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I thought that it is pally only now.

If Bards still get magical secrets then they can take a spell from the Paladin's list.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

If Bards still get magical secrets then they can take a spell from the Paladin's list.

May be, in UA 6 the spell were still organised in to general lists (Arcane, Divine and Primal) and Find Steed was a paladin exclusive spell. It could not be picked as a magical secret. Perhaps there will be similar restrictions.