D&D 5E Much ado about a little something?

[Warpiglet-7]

A couple more differences to consider.

Paladins have the bonus action lay on hands, their auras, and the fighting style defense with extra AC or bodyguard with a shield.

Clerics have their spells, with some domains or feats they can get heavy armor to match the paladin, and their variable domain stuff.

Tanking role can be done by both, as can a role as a support healer who can fight.

I would go with Tales' advice above about being wary of big gun offense (smites and spirit guardians and such) as a DM PC, it can be spotlight stealing from the kid players where it seems you want to be supportive instead. There can be plenty of focus and actions as a support role, just saving spells for buffing and healing can go a long way.

Points all well taken.

I am able to change playstyle to accommodate purpose. I am the dm that sometimes forgets what the npc can do as I am focused on players and monsters!

I also have a weird quirk about starting higher than level 1. It’s almost an ocd thing. So let’s say I have an npc and I let him get experience. I would later feel fine dropping him in a game with friends at higher level.

In THAT game we will smite and wreck house.

As an npc with the kids, I will bless, cure and support. Nothing worse than a pet npc that disgusts the players!

 

[Benjamin Olson]

What I find extraordinary is that people can fixate on hit-die size or Con score for a "tank" and yet ignore the Tough feat. I mean, I'm not saying it's necessarily a great choice, but if someone feels they simply must have a minimum d10 hit-die to tank because they get an average of 1 more hit point per level, or are making Con their highest stat to get 1 or 2 more per level, you'd think they'd be beelining for the feat that gives two per level and I almost never seem to see that.

How much moderate differences in hit points really matter depends on how typically your encounters bring PCs (or DMPCs) right to the edge hit point-wise. I think that varies too much from table to table for there to be a firm answer on whether the focus is overblown.

All that said, if the character is a DMPC who is also the primary healer for a party of PCs run by children I would err on the side of caution and HP. It's more important they not go down than that they do anything glorious. For that sort of character a War Cleric with a con bonus 1 higher is just as good as a Paladin, and if they have to have a middling weapon attack stat to get there that probably doesn't much matter.

 

[Shiroiken]

It matters, but not as much as some think. It's actually 2 HP/Lv, assuming you spend your HD each day.