Player's Handbook
Paladin
A warrior class.
Requirements
Ability minimumsStrength 12, Constitution 9, Wisdom 13, Charisma 17
Prime requisitesStrength, Charisma
AlignmentLawful Good
RacesHuman, Saurial, Finhead
Level limitsSaurial, Finhead 12Passing a limit warns; the level still stands, and your DM decides.
Advancement
Paladin experience levels
Experience needed for each level, and the hit dice that come with it.| Level | Experience | Hit dice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1d10 |
| 2 | 2,250 | 2d10 |
| 3 | 4,500 | 3d10 |
| 4 | 9,000 | 4d10 |
| 5 | 18,000 | 5d10 |
| 6 | 36,000 | 6d10 |
| 7 | 75,000 | 7d10 |
| 8 | 150,000 | 8d10 |
| 9 | 300,000 | 9d10 |
| 10 | 600,000 | 9d10+3 |
| 11 | 900,000 | 9d10+6 |
| 12 | 1,200,000 | 9d10+9 |
| 13 | 1,500,000 | 9d10+12 |
| 14 | 1,800,000 | 9d10+15 |
| 15 | 2,100,000 | 9d10+18 |
| 16 | 2,400,000 | 9d10+21 |
| 17 | 2,700,000 | 9d10+24 |
| 18 | 3,000,000 | 9d10+27 |
| 19 | 3,300,000 | 9d10+30 |
| 20 | 3,600,000 | 9d10+33 |
Combat
Weaponsany
Armourany
SpecializationMay not specialize in a weapon.
Paladin THAC0
The number you need to roll to hit Armour Class 0, by level.| Level | THAC0 |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20 |
| 2 | 19 |
| 3 | 18 |
| 4 | 17 |
| 5 | 16 |
| 6 | 15 |
| 7 | 14 |
| 8 | 13 |
| 9 | 12 |
| 10 | 11 |
| 11 | 10 |
| 12 | 9 |
| 13 | 8 |
| 14 | 7 |
| 15 | 6 |
| 16 | 5 |
| 17 | 4 |
| 18 | 3 |
| 19 | 2 |
| 20 | 1 |
Paladin saving throws
Target numbers by level. Lower is better; roll this or higher to save.| Level | Paralyzation, Poison, Death | Rod, Staff, Wand | Petrification, Polymorph | Breath Weapon | Spell |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 |
| 2 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 |
| 3 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| 4 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| 5 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 6 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 7 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 8 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 |
| 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 |
| 11 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 12 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 13 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 |
| 14 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 |
| 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 |
| 16 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 |
| 17 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| 18 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| 19 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| 20 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
Magic
CastsPriest spells
Paladin spell slots
Spells castable per day at each level, before any bonus from a high score.| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 10 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 11 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 12 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 13 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 14 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 15 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 17 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Class abilities
Turn undeadTurns undead as a priest 2 levels lower. No attempt before level 3.
Kits
True Paladin
The classic paladin, unmodified — the baseline holy warrior.
Weapons recommendedsword, lance
Benefits
- The standard paladin with no modifications — the full, unaltered paladin .
Hindrances
- None beyond the normal paladin code and restrictions.
Chevalier
An aristocratic knightly paladin embedded in a strict feudal order.
Bonus proficienciesRiding (Land-Based), Etiquette
Weapons recommendedlance, sword
Benefits
- Chain of Command: any higher- Chevalier of the same kingdom can give orders to lower-level Chevaliers, who must obey as if from their liege.
Hindrances
- Bound rigidly to that chain of command and the orders of superiors.
Divinate
A paladin of unusually deep divine connection, with broader priestly magic.
Weapons recommendedmace, sword
Benefits
- Extra : may learn spells from an additional sphere beyond the normal paladin spheres (Combat/Divination/Healing/Protective).
Hindrances
- Intensely devoted to divine service; heavy religious obligations.
Envoy
A diplomat-paladin, an emissary who wins with words as well as the sword.
Bonus proficienciesEtiquette, Diplomacy/Languages
Weapons recommendedsword
Benefits
- Reaction Bonus: a master of persuasion, the Envoy receives a reaction bonus in diplomatic encounters per the source.
Hindrances
- A diplomat bound by protocol and his mission's constraints.
Equerry
A paladin master of mounts — breeder, judge, and rider of warhorses and stranger steeds.
Bonus proficienciesAnimal Handling, Riding (Land-Based)
Weapons recommendedlance, sword
Benefits
- Inspection: by spending 5 inspecting a mount and making a check, can judge its quality (low/average/high value by ).
Hindrances
- Devoted to mounts and stables; responsibilities tie her to her animals.
Errant
A free-lance paladin-for-hire, selling his sword and honor by contract.
Weapons recommendedsword, lance
Benefits
- A mercenary paladin: works by contract, earning ~30-50 gp per quarter, furnishing his own equipment, fighting within an agreed theater of operations.
Hindrances
- Without church/government backing, commands lower pay; spoils of war go to the employer.
Expatriate
A paladin in exile, cut off from his order but still a hero to the folk.
Weapons recommendedsword
Benefits
- Self-Reliance: answers to no one but his deity and his own principles.
- Reaction Bonus: remains a hero to the peasants and oppressed of his homeland (favorable reaction from them).
Hindrances
- An exile or fugitive from his homeland's authority; cannot rely on official support.
Ghosthunter
A paladin specialized in destroying undead and evil spirits, warded against their powers.
Weapons recommendedsword, mace
Benefits
- Dispel Evil 1/day at 5th (as the 5th-level priest spell, no components), increasing with level.
- 95% immunity to paralysis caused by undead, plus innate remove paralysis.
Hindrances
- Drawn to confront undead and evil spirits; his calling pulls him into danger.
Inquisitor
A paladin who roots out evil magic and heresy, a relentless holy investigator.
Weapons recommendedsword, mace
Benefits
- Detect Evil Magic at will: can detect magic radiating from anything enchanted by an evil being, and gauge its intensity.
Hindrances
- Feared and resented as a witch-hunter; his zeal can alienate allies.
Medician
A paladin-physician devoted to healing, the finest battlefield medic.
Bonus proficienciesHealing, Diagnostics
Weapons recommendedsword
Benefits
- +1 to all Diagnostics (+4 total if she also has Herbalism); a superb battlefield healer.
Hindrances
- Compelled to aid the wounded and sick; may put healing before tactics.
Militarist
A military-officer paladin, devastating in mounted formation warfare.
Bonus proficienciesRiding (Land-Based)
Weapons recommendedlance, sword
Benefits
- Mounted Combat Bonus: when mounted, attacks as if one higher (two levels higher on his bonded mount); at 19th level, +1 level regardless of mount.
Hindrances
- A career soldier bound to military discipline and the chain of command.
Skyrider
A paladin who rides a flying mount into battle, master of aerial combat.
Bonus proficienciesAirborne Riding
Weapons recommendedlance, bow
Benefits
- When airborne, all non-missile attacks by the Skyrider or his bonded flying mount get +1 to hit; special aerial missile-fire modifiers (Table 21).
Hindrances
- Bonded to a flying mount; loss of the mount grounds his special role.
Squire
A humble servant-paladin of low station — hardworking, loyal, and overlooked.
Weapons recommendedsword
Benefits
- A paladin-in-service who performs chores and support; a tireless, supportive companion (roleplay-focused, low mechanical benefit).
Hindrances
- Lacks the stature of other paladins: rarely honored, never high-ranking, often assumed deficient; commoners respect but rarely admire him.
Votary
A paladin of fervent religious devotion, granted greater divine magic.
Weapons recommendedmace, sword
Benefits
- More Spells: due to intense devotion, has more spells than other paladins and begins casting at 6th (Table 22 progression).
Hindrances
- Bound by exceptionally strict religious devotion and the demands of her deity.
Wyrmslayer
A paladin dedicated to slaying evil dragons, fearless before their terror.
Weapons recommendedlance, sword
Benefits
- Can speak and understand the languages of all evil dragons.
- Immune to the fear aura of dragons.
Hindrances
- Sworn to hunt dragons; his obsession draws him to deadly confrontations.
Saurial Paladin
A finhead saurial sworn to the paladin's code, holy sword in hand and voice forever silent.
RacesSaurial, Finhead
AlsoMust meet every PHB Paladin requirement. is mandatory for the — see the RequiresKit linkage.
WeaponsWeapon choice is otherwise unrestricted, but a sword is required at 1st . The saurial non-saurial-weapon penalty (-1 attack) still applies.
Proficiencies recommendedDirection Sense, Etiquette, Heraldry, Riding (land-based), Ancient History, Healing, Reading/Writing, Religion
Proficiencies barredWild Fighting
ProficienciesEvery warrior-group except Wild Fighting is recommended. Wild Fighting is barred and NEVER learnable.
ArmourAny armor or equipment; must acquire a holy symbol before play begins.
Starting money4d4 x 5 gp
Benefits
- +2 to all .
- Immune to all diseases.
- Lay on hands: 2 hp per per day.
- Cure disease: once per 5 per week.
- Wields holy swords with full paladin benefits.
- Know (innate), up to 3 times per day, in place of detect evil.
Hindrances
- No protection-from-evil radiance, and cannot .
- No clerical spells.
- Every PHB paladin stricture still applies. Mute, as every saurial.
Notes
- Must remain Lawful Good; tithe 10% of all income to a LG institution.
- Lay on hands: heal 2 HP per day per .
- Cure disease 1×/week per 5 ; immune to all forms of disease.
- Aura of protection: summoned and specifically evil creatures within 10 ft. suffer −1 to their attack rolls.
- Detect evil intent at 60 ft. at will; +2 bonus to all .
- Receives a warhorse (bonded mount) from 4th .
- Max 10 magic items (≤1 armor, 1 shield, 4 weapons, 4 other).
- Casts priest spells from 9 ( Combat, Divination, Healing, Protective; no Wis bonus).