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.

 

[Nadan]

I think you massively over-estimate how much that matters for Bard. Further, nobody said this tactic was more powerful than what they could already do. It just makes them more versatile, by being able to be better at it than a Paladin could ever try to be.

Do you see a lot bard/pal multiclass past 10 year? Based on my experience and online surfing it is quite a rare multiclass build compare with sorcerer, then why you think they will be better smiter when divine smite have more requirements now? And the bard subclasses can utilize it need wait til Lv.10 to poach it (don't count MI, which as I said it kinda likely don't allow half caster list) plus there are better poach target than divine smite.

Bladesinger again without MI it need
multiclass to access smites, and since it only 1 smite a round having more slot don't really make them a better smiter in general, it's like just one or two d8 more per round if you use higher slot (which is a bad trade).

EDIT: And now other spell smites has same trigger condition as divine smite, a lot less concentration heavy and generally got buffed, for paladins it is more viable to consider using other smites when tactics required than spamming DS which only has damage. (DS is still viable when against fiend and undead, or use by a high level devotion pal)

 

[Minigiant]

Really I only see the smite changes being a problem if you do short days.

Like <15 combat rounds.

And that's not how the game is intended to be played.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Do you see a lot bard/pal multiclass past 10 year? Based on my experience and online surfing it is quite a rare multiclass build compare with sorcerer, then why you think they will be better smiter when divine smite have more requirements now? And the bard subclasses can utilize it need wait til Lv.10 to poach it (don't count MI, which as I said it kinda likely don't allow half caster list) plus there are better poach target than divine smite.

The Bard doesn't need to multiclass, but frankly, taking Paladin 1/Bard 19 is not at all a bad choice now that Paladins get spells at 1st level--which was a big part of why Bards didn't MC Paladin.

You can even get a "Hexblade Dip" with a feat now: Eldritch Adept for Blade Pact as your background feat, and you're attacking with Cha, smiting with Cha, spellcasting with Cha, etc. (Which, yes, this now means that you can have a Pact without a Patron!) Paladin 1 gives you good starting HP, and heavy armor+shields so you don't even need to pump Dex except for Initiative bonuses. All you pay is your first level (boo hoo, Bards have a crap capstone anyway; even the PT6 capstone was lackluster), a largely-wasted Str 13, and your background feat.

Most of Valor's bonuses would be wasted, so Lore is probably the best choice--more versatility. You'd have to actually Warlock dip for the EB+AB combo, which would be less than preferable, but would fully round out the kit.

Bladesinger again without MI it need
multiclass to access smites, and since it only 1 smite a round having more slot don't really make them a better smiter in general, its like just one or two d8 more per round if you use higher slot (which is a bad trade).

And with MI? Which is what I was arguing about?

And, again, I'm not saying this is BETTER than existing Bladesinger. I'm saying Bladesinger is better at it than a Paladin is. Which, given the sheer number and level of spell slots a Wizard would have, is demonstrably true. And Bladesingers get EA.

EDIT: And now other spell smites has same trigger condition as divine smite, a lot less concentration heavy and generally got buffed, for paladins it is more viable to consider using other smites when tactics required than spamming DS which only has damage. (DS is still viable when against fiend and undead, or use by a high level devotion pal)

I doubt condition smites will have any significant increase in use. The "Dead" condition is by far the most effective CC. The increase in versatility is good, but in practice I don't think it's going to make much of a difference.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Really I only see the smite changes being a problem if you do short days.

Like <15 combat rounds.

And that's not how the game is intended to be played.

I have long said that one of the biggest problems with 5e is that it was designed for a playstyle that people don't actually do in practice.

 

[Minigiant]

I have long said that one of the biggest problems with 5e is that it was designed for a playstyle that people don't actually do in practice.

Its not that no one plays that way.

Long days are common in dungeons and old school play.

The problem is that the game was designed solely for dungeons with no consideration for anything else like wilderness, urban, rural, survival or scenario adventure.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Its not that no one plays that way.

Long days are common in dungeons and old school play.

The problem is that the game was designed solely for dungeons with no consideration for anything else like wilderness, urban, rural, survival or scenario adventure.

I mean...if that's the case, then the designers hecked up pretty badly, considering how much they spoke about the "three pillars" and embracing all styles of play...

I wouldn't say this is an improvement over "designed in a way most people don't do."

 

[Not a Decepticon]

Its not that no one plays that way.

Long days are common in dungeons and old school play.

The problem is that the game was designed solely for dungeons with no consideration for anything else like wilderness, urban, rural, survival or scenario adventure.

I blame the certain people who were consulting on the 5e books and who tend to harass anyone talking about them online.

 

[Minigiant]

I mean...if that's the case, then the designers hecked up pretty badly, considering how much they spoke about the "three pillars" and embracing all styles of play...

I wouldn't say this is an improvement over "designed in a way most people don't do."

Well they did. But..

I blame the certain people who were consulting on the 5e books and who tend to harass anyone talking about them online.

that was the problem.

5e's playtest was heavily skewed to grognards. And I have to guess most of the D&D experts with clout in 2014 were 45 years old or older, old school gamers.

But by 2024, those were the vast minority of 5e players.

 

[Nadan]

I doubt condition smites will have any significant increase in use. The "Dead" condition is by far the most effective CC. The increase in versatility is good, but in practice I don't think it's going to make much of a difference.

The 6.5 dmg less for unsavable Faerie Fire on a stick isn't good? The concentrationless guarantee 2d6 fire dot (and it got better when upper cast) isn't good? The chance to stun for 8.5 less dmg isn't good? The 2 dmg less for push AND prone chance isn't good? By PT6 the only few bad smite is banishing and wrathful, others are really good.

The Bard doesn't need to multiclass, but frankly, taking Paladin 1/Bard 19 is not at all a bad choice now that Paladins get spells at 1st level--which was a big part of why Bards didn't MC Paladin.

Paladin didnt have spell at Lv.1 didn't stop people doing sorcerer/pal build. Why you think that was the main reason people generally don't do bard/Pal build?

You can even get a "Hexblade Dip" with a feat now: Eldritch Adept for Blade Pact as your background feat, and you're attacking with Cha, smiting with Cha, spellcasting with Cha, etc. (Which, yes, this now means that you can have a Pact without a Patron!) Paladin 1 gives you good starting HP, and heavy armor+shields so you don't even need to pump Dex except for Initiative bonuses. All you pay is your first level (boo hoo, Bards have a crap capstone anyway; even the PT6 capstone was lackluster), a largely-wasted Str 13, and your background feat.

Most of Valor's bonuses would be wasted, so Lore is probably the best choice--more versatility. You'd have to actually Warlock dip for the EB+AB combo, which would be less than preferable, but would fully round out the kit.

Good luck landing your one and only hit cause you miss you waste your whole action.

 

[Nikosandros]

I blame the certain people who were consulting on the 5e books and who tend to harass anyone talking about them online.

That might have been partially true 10 years ago (and I believe that Pundit has vastly overstated his influence on the development of 5e), but it hasn't been a factor in a long time.