Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Vengeance Build Guide

Unleash divine justice in Baldur’s Gate 3 with our comprehensive Paladin guide, where we delve into the intricacies of the Oath of Vengeance subclass. Master the art of combat with powerful melee attacks and the devastating Divine Smite ability, while also wielding the charisma to influence dialogue and navigate the game’s rich narrative. Whether you seek to punish evildoers or protect your allies, this guide equips you with essential tips on character builds, spell choices, and gameplay strategies to dominate every encounter in Faerun. Prepare to become a beacon of hope—or a harbinger of vengeance—on your epic quest!

To get the most out of your Paladin in BG3, you need to choose the adequate background and race. This is just the first step – for the Paladin to be as powerful as possible you must assign Ability points correctly and choose the best Spells and Actions for the character – we will help with that. We also explain the idea behind and how to use Divine Smite and help in choosing a sub-class from 4 available. Finally, in the bottom part of the page, you can find some of the best and recommended Paladin builds.

Best origin for a Paladin

For players looking to create the best Paladin in Baldur’s Gate 3, choosing the right origin is crucial. The Zariel Tiefling stands out as an excellent choice due to its unique racial abilities that enhance the Paladin’s combat capabilities. At level 3, Zariel Tieflings gain access to Legacy of Avernus, which provides powerful spells like Searing Smite and Branding Smite without consuming spell slots, effectively giving them additional damage options in combat. This racial synergy complements the Paladin’s natural strengths in Strength and Charisma, allowing for a more versatile and powerful character build. Additionally, the Soldier background is recommended for its boosts to Athletics and Intimidation, further enhancing both combat effectiveness and dialogue options throughout the game.

When choosing an origin story for Paladin, try to choose one that reinforces Skills that you will use as a representative of this class. In the case of the Paladin, we recommend the following:

1. Outlander – bonus to Athletics and Survival.
2. Guild Artisan – bonus to Intuition and Persuasion.
3. Folk Hero – bonus to Animal Handling and Survival.

Best race for a Paladin

For players looking to create the most effective Paladin in Baldur’s Gate 3, the Zariel Tiefling race stands out as the best choice. This race not only provides a boost to critical abilities like Strength and Charisma but also grants unique racial features that enhance combat effectiveness. Specifically, Zariel Tieflings gain access to Legacy of Avernus, which includes powerful spells like Searing Smite and Branding Smite that can be used without expending spell slots, allowing for greater versatility in battle. Additionally, their innate abilities synergize well with the Paladin’s role as a frontline combatant and support character, making them a formidable presence in any adventuring party.

Paladins are characterized by great strength, high constitution, and charisma, therefore the best races for this class are:

1. Half-elves – 2 to Charisma and 2 to chosen Abilities (you can only add one point to one attribute, and only to Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution)
2. Dwarves – Shield Dwarf is especially recommended, which receives 2 to Constitution and 2 to Strength.
3. Tieflings receive 1 to Strength and 2 to Charisma as a racial bonus.
4. Githyanki receive 2 to Strength and 1 to Intelligence.
5. Humans receive 1 to all Abilities.

Paladin’s ability points

Paladins in Baldur’s Gate 3 primarily focus on Strength and Charisma as their key ability points, making them formidable melee combatants with significant spellcasting capabilities. Strength enhances their physical attacks and damage output, while Charisma boosts their spellcasting effectiveness and social interactions, allowing them to excel in dialogue and persuasion. Additionally, a solid Constitution score is beneficial for survivability, as Paladins often serve as frontline tanks in battles. This combination of abilities enables Paladins to deal substantial damage while also providing support to their party through healing and buffs, making them versatile members of any adventuring group.

1. The basic attribute describing a Paladin is Strength, which allows for more powerful melee attacks. When choosing a race like Half-elf and Dwarf, you’ll begin with 16-17 Strength, receiving 3 modifiers of this attribute. High Charisma enables the Paladin to successfully cast spells. Paladin’s most powerful magic skills require you to land a melee attack first, so these two Attributes should be developed as much as possible.
2. Additionally, extra points to Constitution will improve the durability of the character, and a higher modifier of this Ability will make your Paladin sustain Concentration spells better.
3. When it comes to Wisdom, make sure you have at least 10 of it, as this Attribute plays a role during defense rolls.

Best spells and actions for Paladin

Paladins in Baldur’s Gate 3 are versatile characters that blend melee combat prowess with potent spellcasting, making them invaluable in various scenarios. Best spells and actions for Paladins include the iconic Divine Smite, which allows them to expend spell slots for additional radiant damage on melee attacks, enhancing their burst damage potential significantly. Spells such as Lay on Hands provide crucial healing support, while Shield of Faith and Bless bolster defenses and improve allies’ attack rolls. Depending on their subclass—be it Oath of Devotion, Oath of Vengeance, or Oath of the Ancients—Paladins can tailor their spell choices to emphasize healing, damage, or crowd control, ensuring they can adapt to the needs of their party in any encounter.

1. Lay on Hands – an Action available from level 1 of the character that replenishes health and removes diseases and poisons.
2. Bless – a level 1 Concentration spell that applies a Blessing to up to 3 allies. With Blessed status, the affected characters receive a 1d4 bonus to attack and defense rolls. The spell lasts for 10 turns.
3. Heroism – a level 1 Concentration spell reinforcing either the Paladin or an ally of another class. With Heroism, the affected hero cannot become Terrified and receives a bonus to base health points ( 5) with each turn. The spell lasts for 10 turns.
4. Shield of Faith – a Concentration spell available from level 1 that surrounds an ally with a protective magic barrier adding 2 to armor class.
5. Thunderous Smite – a level 1 Concentration spell. After an attack with an imbued weapon, the enemy is pushed 3 meters and receives 2d6 thunder damage. Additionally, the enemy may be knocked down.
6. Divine Favour – a level 1 Concentration spell that when applied, adds extra damage to melee attacks (additional 1d4 damage from light) – the effect lasts 10 turns.
7. Aid – a level 2 spell that reinforces allies and increases their base Constitution up to the time of longer rest.
8. Branding Smite – a level 2 Concentration spell that imbues the Paladin’s weapon with astral glow that marks the target with light once struck and prevents them from becoming Invisible. The effect lasts for 10 turns.
9. Magic Weapon – a level 2 Concentration spell that imbues the weapon with magic energy. This results with a 1 bonus to attack and defense rolls.

Best subclass for Paladin

The Oath of Vengeance is widely regarded as the best subclass for Paladins in Baldur’s Gate 3 due to its exceptional focus on damage output and combat prowess. This subclass empowers players to track down foes and deliver punishing strikes, making it ideal for those who prefer a more aggressive playstyle. With abilities that enhance damage against enemies and provide powerful debuffs, the Oath of Vengeance excels in both single-target and area damage situations. Additionally, its unique features allow for greater survivability in battles, ensuring that Paladins can withstand the heat of combat while dealing significant damage to their adversaries.

InBaldur’s Gate 3, a Paladin can pursue one of two specializations:

1. Oath of Devotion – unlocks Holy Rebuke skill. This spell creates an aura around an ally which deals 1d4 light damage to every being that attacks them in melee range. The effect lasts for 2 turns. At level 3 of this specialization, the Paladin receives a spell called Sacred Weapon which counts his Charisma modifier to attack rolls with held weapon and Turn the Unholy spell that can be cast on monster or undead groups. If Turn the Unholy hits its target, the enemies will be pushed to a certain distance and won’t be able to perform any attacks or reactions for 3 turns. Aside from the above, you also receive access to two spells – Protection from Evil and Good and Sanctuary. Sanctuary protects an ally from damage up to 10 turns provided they don’t perform any attacks on their own. A perfect spell for protecting weak party members or NPCs.

1. Oath of the Ancients – this specialization unlocks Healing Radiance, a spell that heals all allies in a 3-meter radius. At level 3 of the specialization, the Paladin receivesNature’s Wrath, a spell that immobilizes an enemy for 10 turns and reduces their attack and defense, and Turn the Faithless, a spell useful against tieflings and fairies. If Turn the Faithless reaches its target, it will make enemies stand at a certain distance and make them unable to perform any moves for 3 turns.

Best fighting style for Paladin

For a Paladin in Baldur’s Gate 3, the best fighting style generally revolves around maximizing melee damage while maintaining durability. The Dueling fighting style is highly recommended, as it grants a +2 bonus to damage rolls when using a one-handed weapon, which synergizes well with the Paladin’s natural inclination towards melee combat. This style allows Paladins to wield a weapon in one hand while using a shield in the other, enhancing their defensive capabilities without sacrificing offensive power. Additionally, focusing on Strength and Charisma as primary abilities enables Paladins to deal significant damage through their attacks and spells, particularly with their Divine Smite ability, which can further amplify damage output against enemies. Overall, combining the Dueling style with heavy armor and effective use of spell slots creates a formidable frontline combatant capable of both dealing and absorbing damage effectively.

Upon reaching level 2, Paladin can choose 1 fighting style from 4 available:

1. Defense – the Paladin receives a 1 bonus to armor class while wearing an armor.
2. Dueling – when equipped with a melee weapon and a shield, the hero receives 2 bonus to attack rolls with the held weapon, increasing the chances of dealing heavy damage.
3. Great Weapon Fighting – when Paladin lands 1 or 2 on the dice when attacking with a two-handed weapon, he can reroll the dice.
4. Protection – when a monster in a 1.5-meter radius from the Paladin starts attacking a different target, he can impose Disadvantage on this enemy.

Paladins are great with heavy armor and two-handed weapons, which makes Great Weapon Fighting a really viable choice. Rerolling the dice in case of a bad throw will surely prove to be useful in critical situations.

Oathbreaker

The Oathbreaker subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 represents a significant departure from the traditional Paladin archetype, embodying themes of darkness and betrayal. Players who choose this path can harness powerful abilities that focus on aggression and crowd control, making them formidable opponents on the battlefield. The Oathbreaker gains access to unique skills such as Dreadful Aspect, which instills fear in enemies, and Hellish Rebuke, allowing for devastating counterattacks. This subclass not only emphasizes high damage output but also offers a narrative depth, as players can explore the complexities of a fallen hero seeking redemption or embracing their darker nature. Transitioning to an Oathbreaker requires breaking one’s oath, often through morally ambiguous choices, adding an intriguing layer to character development and gameplay strategy.

Oathbreaker is the third Subclass available for Paladin. If Paladin kills an innocent NPC or lies too often in dialogues, he will break his oath, and lose all spells and abilities of his Subclass.

If you break your oath, the next time you visit the camp you will meet a Paladin who will offer you to reclaim your oath for 2000 gold. You can either accept this offer or enter the Oathbreaker path.

At level 5, Oathbreaker Paladin receives 3 spells:

1. Spiteful Suffering – deals 1d4 3 necrotic damage to a single target for 3 turns, additionally weakening his defense.
2. Control Undead – all undead on a lower level than your Paladin will start following the hero and attack his enemies. Additionally, these beings will remain with him up to a long rest.
3. Dreadful Aspect – casts an aura with a radius of 9 meters. All struck entities that fail the Wisdom roll will be Frigthened for 10 turns making them immobilized. Additonally, their attack and skill rolls will be weakened.

Divine Smite

Divine Smite is a hallmark ability of the Paladin class in Baldur’s Gate 3, allowing players to channel their divine power into devastating melee attacks. When a Paladin hits a target with a melee weapon, they can expend a spell slot to deal additional radiant damage, significantly enhancing their damage output. This feature not only makes Paladins formidable in combat but also emphasizes their role as divine warriors, punishing foes with holy retribution. As players progress, the potency of Divine Smite increases, especially when combined with other abilities and spells, making it a critical component of any Paladin’s strategy in battle.

Upon reaching level 2, the Paladin receives Divine Smite, an active spell that deals light damage after each performed melee attack. At level 5, this may mean even up to 3d8 additional damage.

Divine Smite is always prepared. You can set up an automatic casting of this spell after a melee attack or only for critical strikes. You can also set up a pop-up questions before using an automatic Divine Smite.

Best Paladin build

The Best Paladin build in Baldur’s Gate 3 centers around the Oath of Vengeance subclass, which excels in dealing high damage while also providing utility through its unique abilities. This build emphasizes Strength and Charisma as primary attributes, allowing for powerful melee attacks combined with effective spellcasting. Players should focus on acquiring heavy armor and a two-handed weapon to maximize damage output and survivability. Utilizing the Divine Smite ability enables Paladins to unleash devastating radiant damage on enemies, making them formidable opponents in combat. Additionally, the Oath of Vengeance grants access to abilities that enhance mobility and debilitate foes, ensuring that this build remains effective both in battle and during exploration.

If you want your Paladin to use two-handed weapons, choose the following:

1. Race: Zariel Tiefling
2. Subclass: Oath of the Ancients
3. Abilities: Strength and Charisma minimum 16, Constitution 13, Dexterity 12, Wisdom 10, Intelligence 8
4. Fighting style: Great Weapon Fighting
5. Weapon: Sussar Greatsword
6. Armor: Chain Mail Armour

If you would like a Paladin that uses sword and shield in battle, choose:

1. Race: Shield Dwarf
2. Subclass: Oath of Devotion
3. Abilities: Strength 17, Charisma 14, Constitution 14, Dexterity 13, Wisdom 10, Intelligence 8
4. Fighting style: Duelling
5. Weapon: Faithbreaker
6. Armor: Slippery Chain Shirt
7. Shield: Absolute’s Warboard

What are the key differences between the Oath of Vengeance and Oath of the Ancients

The Oath of Vengeance and Oath of the Ancients are two distinct subclasses for Paladins in Baldur’s Gate 3, each embodying unique philosophies and gameplay mechanics.

Oath of Vengeance

• Focus: This oath is centered on punishing evildoers and exacting justice. Paladins who take this oath are driven by a personal vendetta or a broader mission to confront and eliminate evil.
• Tenets:
  • Fight the Greater Evil: Prioritize confronting the most significant threats.
  • No Mercy for the Wicked: Show no leniency to those who commit evil acts.
  • By Any Means Necessary: Moral purity is secondary to achieving justice.
  • Restitution: Aid the victims of evil as a personal responsibility.
• Gameplay Mechanics: Oath of Vengeance Paladins gain access to spells like Hunter’s Mark and Bane, enhancing their combat effectiveness. They also possess abilities that allow them to deal additional radiant damage and gain advantages in combat scenarios, making them formidable hunters of evil2.

Oath of the Ancients

• Focus: This oath emphasizes the preservation of life and light, embodying a more nature-oriented philosophy. It seeks to protect the natural world from encroaching darkness.
• Tenets:
  • Kindle the Light: Promote goodness and light in the world.
  • Shelter the Light: Protect those who cannot protect themselves.
  • Preserve Life: Value life and resist corruption.
• Gameplay Mechanics: The Oath of the Ancients grants access to spells that reflect its themes, such as Entangle and Healing Spirit. This subclass excels at support roles, offering healing and crowd control while also being capable in combat.

Key Differences

• Moral Approach: The Oath of Vengeance is more aggressive and willing to step outside moral boundaries for justice, while the Oath of the Ancients focuses on protection and nurturing life.
• Combat Style: Vengeance Paladins are often more offensive, prioritizing damage output against specific foes, whereas Ancients Paladins balance offense with support capabilities, making them versatile in both combat and healing roles.

These differences not only shape how players approach combat but also influence their character’s narrative journey within the game.

Which oath is more effective in combat, Oath of Vengeance or Oath of the Ancients

When comparing the Oath of Vengeance and the Oath of the Ancients in Baldur’s Gate 3, both subclasses offer unique advantages in combat, but their effectiveness varies based on playstyle and party composition.

Oath of Vengeance

• Damage Focus: The Oath of Vengeance is primarily designed for high damage output, especially against single targets. Its abilities, such as Vow of Enmity, grant advantage on attack rolls against a chosen enemy, significantly increasing hit probability and damage potential.
• Combat Mechanics: This subclass excels in offensive capabilities with spells like Hunter’s Mark and Hold Person, allowing for effective crowd control and additional radiant damage through Divine Smite. The Inquisitor’s Might ability further enhances melee attacks, making Vengeance Paladins formidable hunters of evil.
• Mobility and Pursuit: Vengeance Paladins are particularly adept at closing gaps to engage enemies, benefiting from abilities that enhance movement after successfully hitting foes4.

Oath of the Ancients

• Balanced Approach: The Oath of the Ancients provides a balance between offense and support. While it can deal significant damage through spells like Moonbeam, it also offers powerful healing and crowd control options, making it versatile in various combat scenarios4.
• Defensive Features: One of the standout features is the Aura of Warding, which reduces spell damage taken by the Paladin and allies, enhancing survivability in encounters with spellcasting foes5. This defensive capability can shift the tide of battle by protecting party members.
• Healing Abilities: The subclass includes healing spells that allow for sustained combat effectiveness, enabling the Paladin to support allies while still being a competent front-line fighter.

Conclusion

In terms of pure combat effectiveness:

• Choose Oath of Vengeance if your goal is to maximize damage output against specific targets and play a more aggressive role.
• Opt for Oath of the Ancients if you prefer a more balanced character who can both deal damage and provide support through healing and defensive abilities.

Ultimately, the choice between these oaths should align with your desired playstyle and the needs of your party.