D&D 5E [GUIDE] My Word Is My Sword: The Paladin Guide

[FrogReaver]

Expeditious Retreat work nicely with Find Steed.

Conjure Volley, while not gotten until 17th, is a DEX save vs. your CHR-based DC, it does not need DEX or attack rolls.



To me the fact that this can happen every round you meet the conditions with no per-rest limit, and is affecting CHR creatures, so probably 3-4 when you get it up to 5 later on. That's pretty amazing. Paladins don't have a lot to deal with hordes, but the benefit off a horde is that you can drop someone every turn. So this helps them shine in what is traditionally a place they are only so-so. And it's useful to some degree the rest of the time.

Plus it has synergy with the CD for an extended crit range.

I agree. Mighty Deed is much better than it was rated. Paladins are the kings at killing things early in fights. This allows you to go KO a minion, buff the party and then charge onto the next minion to repeat.

 

[Gladius Legis]

Well, I see your points about killing minions for the buff or debuff. That is quite good in a battle against a group of multiple moderate to weak enemies. In a battle against a boss it's a bit less reliable. Even a Polearm Master or dual-wielder with 3 attacks/round, Legendary Strike and advantage from somewhere will "only" have a 47% chance of landing a crit in any given round. And less than that in the first round (34% with advantage) because Legendary Strike takes a bonus action to activate (and thus no PM/off-hand attack).

I could see bumping Mighty Deed to blue because of minion battles. Doubt I'd bump it to sky blue.

EDIT: Elven Accuracy DEX dual-wielder with advantage + Legendary Strike has 47% to crit round 1 and 61% rounds 2+. Better, but still a significant chance you won't crit.

 

[FrogReaver]

Well, I see your points about killing minions for the buff or debuff. That is quite good in a battle against a group of multiple moderate to weak enemies. In a battle against a boss it's a bit less reliable. Even a Polearm Master or dual-wielder with 3 attacks/round, Legendary Strike and advantage from somewhere will "only" have a 47% chance of landing a crit in any given round. And less than that in the first round (34% with advantage) because Legendary Strike takes a bonus action to activate (and thus no PM/off-hand attack).

I could see bumping Mighty Deed to blue because of minion battles. Doubt I'd bump it to sky blue.

EDIT: Elven Accuracy DEX dual-wielder with advantage + Legendary Strike has 47% to crit round 1 and 61% rounds 2+. Better, but still a significant chance you won't crit.

Maybe, I still feel like it's one of the better ones.

 

[FrogReaver]

Guided Strike: Lv. 3, Channel Divinity (1 total/short rest). Stolen from the War Cleric, +10 to a single attack roll. Mostly there for when you REALLY need to hit with an active Wrathful Smite on the first attack of combat, which can be a big deal in a few levels.

I don't see where you have considered what this feature does to NOVA potential during the early turns of a fight. To me that makes it pretty impactful.

 

[delph]

From the official Sage Advice:



Also from the Sage Advice:



(So what's in the official SA is, in fact, considered official for the game, not just guiding.)

but it's still possible make it between attack, if you have more attack, isn't it? when you take on 4th lvl shield master, you wil get extra attack in 5th lvl... no big lack in this. And if you are one of first after enemy's turn you can attack, shove, attack and then everyone after you and before him.

 

[FrogReaver]

but it's still possible make it between attack, if you have more attack, isn't it? when you take on 4th lvl shield master, you wil get extra attack in 5th lvl... no big lack in this. And if you are one of first after enemy's turn you can attack, shove, attack and then everyone after you and before him.

Best to avoid the shield master debate no? You do know there’s a good number that based on the latest information and sage advice disagree with that assessment?

 

[Blue]

but it's still possible make it between attack, if you have more attack, isn't it? when you take on 4th lvl shield master, you wil get extra attack in 5th lvl... no big lack in this. And if you are one of first after enemy's turn you can attack, shove, attack and then everyone after you and before him.

The wording from SA is "During your turn, you do get to decide when to take the bonus action after you’ve taken the Attack action. This sort of if-then setup appears in many of the game’s rules. The “if” must be satisfied before the “then” comes into play."

There's debate on this, nothing clearly lined out that I am aware. (And I'd be glad to be proven wrong.) Is "after you have taken" and "must be satisfied" mean started or finished?

The argument for is along the lines that if a character has taken at least one attack, then they have taken the Attack action and can use the Shield Master bonus attack.

The argument against is that the wording implies it must be satisfied, completed.

The other argument against is that the only thing that can interrupt an Action is a Reaction. A Bonus Action can not do it. This is why the Attack action needs a special exemption to allow movement between extra attack.

That last one I find telling, and would explain why there isn't more clarification - it's already covered by other rules and may not of even occurred as a possible case to address.

 

[Ivresse]

Was just wondering with regards to the shield mastery feat and the conversation that has been going on here, would shield mastery still not be a worthwhile feat to an Oath of Conquest paladin, to be able to shove an enemy using a bonus action rather than one of your attacks and thus get full use of all of your available attacks while emitting the aura of conquest and keeping him prone?

 

[FrogReaver]

Was just wondering with regards to the shield mastery feat and the conversation that has been going on here, would shield mastery still not be a worthwhile feat to an Oath of Conquest paladin, to be able to shove an enemy using a bonus action rather than one of your attacks and thus get full use of all of your available attacks while emitting the aura of conquest and keeping him prone?

Useful sure - compared to other options - purely inferior.

Consider polearm master and a spear - You can use your first attack to attempt to prone - granting you advantage on your other attacks. You get an extra attack against already prone enemies or against enemies that are too large to prone.

 

[Gladius Legis]

Snap judgments from the new UA: Class Features article. While Paladins didn't get as much as many classes did, what they did get is, uh, pretty damn good:

Fighting Styles:

Blessed Warrior - easily a top pick for Fighting Style. Sacred Flame (or Toll the Dead if you're feeling less holy and more necromantic) to cover for the Paladin's ranged combat weakness? Yes, please. Guidance on a Paladin? Hell yeah. Word of Radiance might also be worth considering for some at-will AoE, though IMO ranged damage + Guidance is the better deal. (And keep in mind initiative rolls are an ability check, so Guidance is in effect an initiative boost too!)

Blind Fighting - EXTREMELY BROKEN as currently written. Spellcaster with Darkness or Fog Cloud + this = All the advantage you could ever want. Now factor GWM in the mix. This one needs to be nerfed, if not omitted entirely in an official release.

Interception - at least better for your action economy and is more consistent than Protection, since you only use your reaction if your ally actually got hit, though Protection can nullify an attack entirely, so hard to say which is better.

Thrown Weapon Fighting - can actually be useful as a more martially-based alternative to Blessed Warrior in giving a STR-Paladin viable ranged combat capability.

Unarmed Fighting - obviously niche, but looks pretty good in that niche and would fit the Oath of Heroism from the earlier UA like a glove.

Additional Spells:

Spirit Guardians - Obviously all Paladins will be keeping this prepared at all times once they hit Lv. 9. Some may say this is too much, but IMO it's fine, after all the Paladin doesn't get it until four levels after the Cleric does. Many campaigns are wrapping up at Lv. 9, so AFAIC it's nice to see all Paladins get at least something good to deal with hordes before Lv. 17. Giving this spell to all Paladins does make Oath of the Crown look rather underwhelming, though, as having Spirit Guardians as an Oath spell was basically the only real reason to play that Oath.

Most of the other spells added to the list are pretty decent, though nothing else too impressive.

Channel Divinity:

Harness Divine Power - Your CD for another 1st-level slot per short rest you can use to Smite? That's amazing, especially at early levels.