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

This guide focuses on the best Paladin build in Baldur’s Gate 3, the Oath of Devotion subclass, and includes all components to build a powerful character.

This build page has been updated for the patch 6 version of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Paladin Class Introduction

The Oath of Devotion Paladin is a Paladin subclass that embodies an unwavering commitment to ideals of honor, justice, and duty. Paladins who follow the Oath of Devotion dedicate themselves to a higher code of conduct and strive to exemplify the highest standards of virtue and goodness. This is a subclass you want to pick if you want pure holy warrior.

From a gameplay perspective, this Paladin build will focus on the prototypical gameplay. Heavy armor, two-handed melee build with extra utility, healing, and buffs. That’s what the subclass brings the same raw damage and flashy Divine Smite spells with extra healing and buffs that your team may need. Consider this build a fun aggressive playstyle with group utility added.

Pros of Paladin Build	Cons of Paladin Build
Crowd Control	Spell Slot Starved
High Burst Damage	Limited Spells
Heavy Armour	Complex

Oath of the Devotion Paladin Class Features & Mechanics

The following list presents all the essential Paladin Class Mechanics and Features in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Primary Ability: Charisma
• Saving Throw: Wisdom and Charisma
• Subclass: Oath of Devotion
• Armor Proficiency: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Heavy Armor, Shields
• Weapon Proficiency: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
• Preferred Weapon: Two-hand Greatsword
• Preferred Armor: Heavy Armour
• Divine Smite: Spend spell slots to deal additional radiant damage on a successful melee attack.
• Holy Rebuke: Grant an ally a vengeful aura that deals 1d4 Radiant damage to anyone who hits them with a melee attack.
• Sacred Weapon: Turn your weapon into a Sacred Weapon. It has a higher chance of hitting and emits a bright light.
• Turn the Unholy: Turn nearby fey and fiends. They are forced to flee and cannot come close to you.

Paladin Spell Mechanics

• Cantrips: are like spells, but you can cast them infinitely, and they don’t take your spell slots. For Paladin, you won’t have access to these unless from a race choice.
• Spell Slots: will use your spell slots, which are a limited resource during combat and will require a long rest in order to refill.
• Prepared Spells: a Paladin mechanic that allows you to swap in and out spells prior to combat.
• Concentration: is a spell mechanic in Baldur’s Gate 3 that some Spells require to maintain and keep their magic active. 

Paladin spell casting in general, is limited compared to other classes and builds. But the Divine Smite additional damage mechanic consuming spell slots is the real reason you can do an insane amount of damage. In general, save the spell slots for this usage unless needing a buff, heal, or crowd control.

Paladin Class and Best Subclasses

The Oath of Devotion subclass is the great Paladin subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 because it offers powerful damage abilities, group buffs, and healing while maintaining high offensive damage.

Here are all the Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin subclasses:

• Oathbreaker: damage-focused, crowd control, and control undead. Available at level two or higher after you break your Oath by killing an innocent. Pick Devotion to start and switch to this later.
• Oath of the Ancients: nature-based spell-focused, natural world Paladin.
• Oath of Devotion: healing focused, radiant damage, “good” Paladin.
• Oath of Vengeance: Seeks revenge and extra damage when tracking down enemies.

Oath of Devotion Subclass Features

Here’s what the Oath of Devotion Subclass will unlock for you at various levels in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Holy Rebuke (Level 1): Grant an ally a vengeful aura that deals 1d4 Radiant damage to anyone who hits them with a melee attack (cost Channel Oath Charge).
• Sacred Weapon (Level 3): Turn your weapon into a Sacred Weapon. It has a higher chance of hitting, and emits a bright light (cost Channel Oath Charge).
• Turn the Unholy (Level 3): Turn nearby fey and fiends. They are forced to flee and cannot come close to you (cost Channel Oath Charge).
• Protection from Evil and Good (Level 3): Protect an ally against the attacks and powers of aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. The target can’t be Charmed, Frightened, or possessed by them, and when these creatures attack it, they do so with a disadvantage.
• Sanctuary (Level 3): You or an ally cannot be target until you attack or harm a creature. You can still take damage from area spells. Until the affected entity attacks or harms another creature, it cannot be targeted by enemy attacks. However, it can still take damage from spells that influence a large area.
• Lesser Restoration (Level 5): Cure a creature from disease, poison, paralysis or blindness.
• Silence (Level 5): Create a sound-proof sphere. All within are Silenced and Immune to Thunder damage.
• Aura of Devotion (Level 7): You and any nearby allies can’t be Charmed. The aura disappears if you fall Unconscious.
• Beacon of Hope (Level 9): Your allies will regain the maximum hit points possible when healed. They also gain Advantage on Wisdom Saving Throws and Death Saving Throws.
• Remove Curse (Level 9): Touch a creature or object to remove all Curses and Hexes affecting it.

Paladin Divine Smite Explained

Divine Smite is a signature ability of the Paladin class in Baldur’s Gate 3. It allows a Paladin to expend a spell slot to deal additional radiant damage to a creature they have hit with a melee weapon attack. The amount of extra damage is equal to 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or a fiend.

Divine Smite can be toggled on or off in the reactions menu under the user interface. This allows you to make a decision if you want to use it or not. This is very important because the Paladin can run out of Spell Slots quickly, limiting damage. The last thing you want is to expend a spell slot needlessly on a weak creature.

Here are some tips for using the Best Paladin Build to use Divine Smite effectively in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Save your higher-level spell slots for tougher enemies.
• Use Divine Smite against enemies that are vulnerable to radiant damage.
• Consider using Divine Smite on a critical hit, as this will maximize the amount of damage you deal.
• Don’t be afraid to use Divine Smite multiple times per turn, especially if you are facing a group of enemies.

Recommended Backgrounds

Noble is the Best Background for the Best Paladin Build in Baldur’s Gate 3 because you gain proficiency in Persuasion which scales in effectiveness based on your Charisma ability score. This choice mostly influences roleplaying and dialogue options aspects and allows you to create unique characters. Here’s a list of the best backgrounds for a Paladin:

1. Noble: Proficiency in History and Persuasion. You were raised in a family among the social elite, accustomed to power and privilege.
2. Guild Artisan: Your skill in a particular craft has earned you membership in a mercantile guild, offering privileges and protection while engaging in your art. Repairing and discovering rare crafts will bring new inspiration.
3. Charlatan: You’re an expert in manipulation, prone to exaggeration, and more than happy to profit from it. Bending the truth and turning allies against each other will bring you success down the road.

Best Race Choice Paladin Build

The Half-Orc is the best race choice for Oath of Devotion Paladin in Baldur’s Gate 3 because the Relentless Endurance racial feature can save you from death dropping to 0 hit points you stay at 1 for a turn.  The Half-Orc’s savage attack allows for extra damage and Darkvision is vital playing in the Underdark. A secondary choice is Zariel Tiefling because of fire resistance and two free smite spells, Searing and Branding.

Here’s the best Race choice for an Oath of Devotion Paladin Build:

1. Half-Orc
2. Zariel Tiefling
3. Duergar Dwarf

The Paladin’s racial choice will not influence ability score, but everyone should get a +2 and +1 to spend regardless. This frees your race choice up to not completely hinder yourself based on ability score, but race features. Each of these races offers unique advantages that can enhance your combat prowess, survivability, or utility. Additionally, consider the roleplaying opportunities and character concepts that resonate with you when playing the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build Guide.

Recommended Skills for Paladin Oath of Devotion

Persuasion and Insight are the best skills for the Paladin Oath of Devotion in Baldur’s Gate 3 because they complement your class abilities and enhance your effectiveness in various situations. In Baldur’s Gate 3, skills represent the abilities and proficiencies of your character that allow them to perform various actions and interact with the game world. Skills are associated with specific attributes and are used to determine the success or effectiveness of certain actions or abilities. They can be edited during character creation or with companions, during respec or reroll screen.

Here are the best skills for Paladin Oath of Vengeance in Baldur’s Gate 3:

1. Persuasion is a Charisma Skill used entirely for dialogue Ability Checks.
2. Insight is a Wisdom skill used in dialogue and exploration.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, each skill is related to a specific ability score and its effectiveness scales with the level of that score. You want to choose skills for your character that they already have a high ability score in. For example, if you want to have high Persuasion (which is used to influence dialogue choices), you need to have correspondingly high Charisma. Ideally, you want a party composition that includes a variety of high-ability scores that can give you success in different skills for the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build Guide.

Best Paladin Ability Score

Below is the best ability score to unlock the full potential of a Paladin in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Ability	Points Goal
Strength	16
Dexterity	10
Constitution	14
Intelligence	8
Wisdom	10
Charisma	16

The Best Ability Score for the Paladin is Strength of 16 and Charisma of 16 that way your melee abilities will do a lot of damage in combination with spells specifically Divine Smite. The next priority is Constitution to 14 so you have a larger enough health pool to survive. Hitting Strength and Charisma at 16 is critical for the optimal damage setup for the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build Guide.

After you choose the class, subclass, race, and background, the game will automatically distribute your abilities in the character creation abilities tab. You will need to reprioritize the stats for the chart for an optimal Paladin build. Simply use the plus-minus in the character creator and make sure you have the suggested race, or the numbers will be off. If you don’t reach these numbers due to racial choice, drop your Wisdom lower.

You can increase your ability score via a quest in Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. Make sure to check out our Permanent bonus guide on how you can boost your ability score through quests.

Paladin Spell Slots

Below is a list and chart that shows the levels and spell slots unlocked for the Paladin class in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Paladin Level	1st	2nd	3rd
Level 1	0	0	0
Level 2	2	0	0
Level 3	3	0	0
Level 4	3	0	0
Level 5	4	2	0
Level 6	4	2	0
Level 7	4	3	0
Level 8	4	3	0
Level 9	4	3	2
Level 10	4	3	2
Level 11	4	3	3
Level 12	4	3	3

Paladin Illithid Powers

Illithid Powers are unlocked later in the game when you learn more about the Mind Flayers and tadpoles.  You can gain jars of Mind Flayer Parasite Specimens, and consume them to gain one point.  This is essentially another skill tree advancement with some very strong powers.  If you decide to advance this skill line, these are the choices we suggest.

Here are the best Illithid Powers for the Oath of Devotion Paladin Build:

• Luck of the Far Realms: When you make a successful Attack Roll against a foe, you can change that hit into a Critical Hit.
• Cull of the Weak: When you bring a creature down to fewer hit points than your number of evolved Illithid powers, it dies and all nearby creatures take 1-4 Psychic damage.
• Psionic Backlash: When an enemy within 9m casts a spell, you can use your reaction to inflict ld4 Psychic damage to the caster per the spell’s level. T
• Blackhole: Area-based suck-in that slows targets.
• Repulsor: Massive area knockback that can hit friendlies.

Keep in mind, that you make an important decision in Act 3 of the game to advance these powers or not. For the sake of not spoiling things, realize there will be consequences when taking these powers with the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build Guide.

Paladin Level Progression

Level 1

Level one follow our character creator to pick all correct background, race, skills, and ability distribution focusing on Strength and Charisma. You also can pick your subclass, and for this build, we want to select Oath of the Devotion. Level two will give you the bulk of your spells, in the early game just rely on weapon damage. Your goal is to find some heavy armor and a two-handed weapon. You can grab medium armor from Lae’zel in the introduction if you don’t plan on using her. Simply attack for now and get to level two where things get interesting!

Level 1 Paladin Spell Selections

Here’s a breakdown of what you get as a level 1 Paladin:

• Channeled Oath Charges: Paladin-specific resource that allows the casting of spells and abilities.
  • Usage: used for three oath skills, can be recovered via short rest.
• Lay on Hands: Use your blessed touch to heal a creature or cure it of all diseases and poisons.
  • Usage: Single target melee heal using action or cure disease. This consumes Oath Charges but is an effective heal.
• Divine Sense: Gain Advantage on Attack Rolls against celestials, fiends, and undead.
  • Usage: This uses bonus action which can be used with an attack costing an action.
• Holy Rebuke: Grant an ally a vengeful aura that deals 1d4 Radiant damage to anyone who hits them with a melee attack (cost Channel Oath Charge).
  • Usage: This is a Channeled Oath skill that can add damage when you expect incoming damage.
• Oath of the Devotion Tenets: Courage. Stride dauntlessly into action. Compassion. Show clemency when prudent, and lend your arm to those in need.
  • Usage: this isn’t a mechanic portion, just an oath you need to maintain. If you break the oath, you can unlock a new subclass, Oathbreaker.

At this level move along quickly to level 2 for spell unlocks. Use Lay on Hands and Healing Radiance for healing and damage comes from the main weapon attack.

Oath of Devotion Paladin Gameplay & Priorities

In the early levels of BG3, the Oath of Devotion Paladin will have dreadful mobility. Thus, you need to find and locate a back-bar ranged weapon like a Heavy Crossbow from Lae’zel or traders. This gives you some type of upfront damage before you can close the distance. However, at level 5, you will unlock Misty Step and dramatically improve your power and mobility. Moreover, look to acquire Elixir of Hill Giant Strength, Potion of Speed, and Oil of Accuracy consumables. These three consumables “stack” allowing for massive damage

Your overall priority with this build is the following:

• Complete Prologue
• Recruit Companions
• Unlock Withers, respec companions to proper class/ability score
• Collect the Necromancy of Thay (important in Act 3)
• Reached Hollowed City/Druid Grove
• Sell, Stock up, complete quests
• Unlock summons, Scratch, Shovel
• Progress to level 5
• Reach Underdark and Grymforge
• Check all Permanent Bonuses in Act 1 and the best Gear
• Act 1 Checklist for step-by-step completion

Following these steps ensures a strong foundation, especially if you plan on playing solo or on Honour Mode difficulty.

Level 2

At level two the Paladin gains access to five prepared spells, choose a fighting style, and Divine Smite. Here is a list of what to do as a level two Oath of the Devotion Paladin:

Divine Smite: uses spell slot and hits in conjunction with weapon strike. Can be automatically applied, only during critical hits or have a popup box via the reactions menu. Be cautious at first about using this too often. You will burn through your spell slots quickly at this low level, and either have to rest or just use melee attacks only.

Great Weapon Fighting: passive feature when you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack with a Two-Handed melee weapon, that die is rerolled once. This minimizes low-damage rolls and keeps your damage high especially using a Two-Handed weapon like a Greatsword.

Level 2 Paladin Spells Selection

• Searing Smite: Your Weapon deals an extra 1d6 Fire damage and marks the target with Searing Smite. A target with Searing Smite takes 1d6 Fire damage every turn until it succeeds on a Constitution saving throw. This is your hard-hitting single-target spell that also gives a damage-over-time fire effect. However, try to avoid its usage because it consumes a bonus action in addition to an action.
• Thunderous Smite: Your weapon rings with thunder as you strike, pushing your target 3m away and possibly knocking it Prone. This attack can act like Crowd Control when you need a stun. You want to use this when needing a stun on a hard-hitting enemy. The best usage is from stealth to initiate combat.
• Shield of Faith: Surround a creature with a shimmering field of magic that increases its Armour Class by 2. This uses a bonus action and requires concentration and should be used before fights where you expect to take the majority of the damage.
• Divine Favor: Your weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4 Radiant Damage. This adds damage to our weapon attacks but consumes a spell slot which can be exhausted early in the game.
• Cure Wounds: Touch a creature to heal it. Typically avoid using this spell unless you cannot use Lay on Hands.

Paladin Gameplay Changes

With all of these spells, it’s important to not use them liberally. Divine Smite can proc (consuming an extra spell slot) and deliver extra damage in COMBINATION with Searing Smite. So if you Critical Strike with Searing Smite, you can use the reaction Divine Smite for additional damage. This will consume two spell slots, but deal a lot of damage. Early in the game, this is an issue due to the lack of spell slots. So be careful, don’t waste these spell slots on a target with 8 health, just melee attack them.

Additionally, the Paladin makes great use of their bonus action early in the game. Using Shield of Faith or Divine Favor before a fight can be helpful. Shield of Faith can be helpful to allies as well. Use healing sparingly, you should be focused on damage and bring a support class along for healing and buffs.

Paladin level 2 Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds.

Level 3

Level three the Oath of the Devotion Paladin will unlock another level 1 spell slot, Divine Health, and subclass features. Here’s a list of what happens as a level 3 Paladin:

• Gain Divine Health: Prevents the disease from affecting you.
• Sacred Weapon (subclass): Turn your weapon into a Sacred Weapon. It has a higher chance of hitting and emits a bright light. This is a good use of Channeled Oath charges if your percentage to land is low.
• Turn the Unholy (subclass): Turn nearby fey and fiends. They are forced to flee and cannot come close to you (cost Channel Oath Charge). The easiest way is to right-click and examine the enemy, then use it when the percentage is high, around 60% or so with 3 monsters for best usage.
• Protection from Evil and Good (subclass): Protect an ally against the attacks and powers of aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. The target can’t be Charmed, Frightened, or possessed by them, and when these creatures attack it, they do so with a disadvantage.
• Sanctuary (subclass): You or an ally cannot be a target until you attack or harm a creature. You can still take damage from area spells. Until the affected entity attacks or harms another creature, it cannot be targeted by enemy attacks. This is a useful spell if you are in low health and trying to avoid incoming damage entirely.
• Command: Command a creature to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop their weapon. This is your crowd control ability that can be used at range.

Oath of Devotion Subclass Gameplay

You now have a lot of versatility in spells, skills, and actions. The premise here is to use bonus action and actions effectively per turn. At this level, I rarely use Thunderous or Searing Smite. It consumes both action and bonus action which is very costly. The first turn, I usually buff with Divine Favour or Shield of Faith, then attack in melee. The following turn, I make a decision on priority. If we need a stun, Command is a great option. On the other hand, if I just have to kill a target, I’ll use my spell slots for Searing Smite. Or if we need high damage and a single target stun, Thunderous Smite. Don’t be afraid to use your turn to chain both Healing Radiance in Cure Wounds. One is action, one bonus action so you can put them together for a big burst heal when in need.

Even at level 3, the Paladin can be complex. Buff turn one, and use burst damage turn two. Turn three and evaluate what your group needs, crowd control, burst, healing, etc. Rinse and repeat that model until later in the game. It will get easier and more effective as you unlock spell slots. Also, check if you have a bonus action spent before ending your turn.

Paladin level 3 Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command.

Level 4

Level four gives you a very important decision between increasing your ability score like Strength or taking a feat. Feats give you a big benefit but doing so will have you miss out on Ability Improvements. Simply increasing your main stat strength to 18 is the simplest and easiest way to advance your character. You can do this by selecting Ability Improvement rather than +2 to strength.

At level 8 we will take Great Weapon Master and at level 12 (max level in Baldur’s Gate 3) we will take another +2 to strength. This will keep our build simple at the moment, and hitting hard with a better percentage chance with a melee weapon.

You get one additional spell to slot and I recommend Blessed.

• Blessed: Bless up to 3 creatures. They gain a +1d4 bonus to Attack Rolls and Saving Throws.
  • Usage: a very useful spell to help land attacks. Typically, I have a full healer or support cast this on me after getting the Great Weapon Master feat at level 8. You can use this pre-fight as well. The issue with us using it, is we have so many concentration spells and you can only have one active. Thus, you can consider this a flex skill.

Gameplay: remains unchanged at this level. Expect more damage and better chances to land an attack. Keep leveling to get more spells and more spell slots.

Level 4 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Blessed.

Level 5

At level 5, the Paladin and Oath of Devotion subclass unlocks a lot. Extra attack, more spell slots, and two subclass spells. Here’s a list of what to expect as a level 5 Paladin in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Level 1 Spell Slot Unlocked
• Level 2 Spell Slot Unlocked
• 1 Extra Prepared Spell (take Branding Smite & Magic Weapon, drop Blessed)
• Extra Attack: Beginning at level, you can attack twice, by the Attack action on your turn. This combined with Divine Smite and the added spell slots allows you to mega single target damage pure turn.
• Subclass Spells:
  • Lesser Restoration (subclass): Cure a creature from disease, poison, paralysis, or blindness.
  • Silence (subclass): Create a sound-proof sphere. All within are Silenced and Immune to Thunder damage.

Spells

• Magic Weapon: Infuse a weapon with arcane energy. The weapon becomes magical, receiving a +1 bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls.
  • Usage: this is a decent buff to damage, but it comes at the cost of a high-level spell slot and concentration. Another decent spell to add to our arsenal.
• Branding Smite: deals 2d6 radiant damage and Possibly marks your target with light, preventing it from turning Invisible.
  • Usage: another hard-hitting Smite with 2d6 radiant this makes it perfect against specific targets. Don’t sleep on the preventing from turning invisible. Beyond level 5, many enemies, and bosses will attempt to slip away invisible with a potion or a spell. Shut them down with this smite.

Oath of Devotion Level 5 Gameplay

Gameplay at level 5 with the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build Guide gives a big boost in power. You unlock a lot of offensive and defensive potential for the Paladin. Extra Attack gives you two attacks in one with a chance to proc Divine Smite on each. You can also combo this with a Potion of Speed or the Haste spell for two actions per turn. Your bonus action can be used for debuffs, and at level 8, another attack. You have two free spells courtesy of the Oath of the Devotion subclass. The best is Silence which helps shut down casters and forces them to move out of the area. The downside is you lack any movement ability. At this point, look for Misty Step scrolls which help with mobility at the cost of a bonus action.

At this level and beyond, you should feel very powerful. You can buff and debuff with a bonus action, crowd control an entire room of Fey or Silence a huge area. The issue with the build at this point is spell slots and using your big damage Divine Smite reaction appropriately. You will also need to long rest constantly. Do not go off wandering into the unknown without your spell slots full.

Level 5 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Magic Weapon, Branding Smite.

Level 6

At level 6 the Paladin unlocks 1 more prepared spell bringing the total to 9.  You also get Aura of Protection.

• Aura of Protection: You and nearby allies gain a bonus to Saving Throws equal to your Charisma modifier.

Spell

• Protection from Poison: Touch a creature to neutralize all poisons affecting it, and grant it protection against poisonous influences. Grants an Advantage on Saving Throws against being Poisoned, and grants it Resistance to Poison damage.
  • Usage: a limited usage spell meant for encounters with, well obviously poison. You can also use this to jump into pits of poison during some quests.

Once you unlock Aura of Protection you need to activate it for its effect. Gameplay not much changes at this level.

Ending Act 1 with Oath of Devotion Paladin

At this level, you should be close to finishing Act 1. Make sure to check merchants and stock up on camp and alchemy supplies. Moreover, look over the best Act 1 items. There are also permanent bonuses you can acquire in Act 1. Lastly, Grymforge has powerful armor and weapons (Adamantine) that can aid you well into Act 3. Consider taking the time to collect the Mithral, Mould, and Craft items before transitioning to Act 2, where you won’t be able to return (Moonrise Tower).

Paladin Prepared Level 6 Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Poison, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon.

Level 7

Reaching Level 7 Paladin Unlocks:

• Additional Level 2 spell slot.
• Aura of Devotion: You and any nearby allies can’t be Charmed. The aura disappears if you fall Unconscious.

Spell

• Compelled Duel: Compel an enemy to attack only you. It cannot attack other creatures.
  • Usage: we have other better CC, but this can work if you must soak up damage for a turn.

Gameplay: not much changes and we are about to level 8 for a BIG boost in power with one of my favorite feats in the game.

Paladin Level 7 Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Poison, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon, Compelled Duel.

Level 8

At level 8 the Paladin gets to pick a Feat or Ability Improvement, we suggest taking Great Weapon Master.

Great Weapon Master feat which does the following: When a melee attack scores a critical hit or kills a creature, you can make another melee attack as a bonus action. When attacking with Heavy Weapons you are proficient with, attack rolls take a -5 penalty, but their damage increases by 10.

The Great Weapon Master feat does two things for you. One, it has a high-risk high reward ability to add 10 damage BUT -5 attack roll penalty. As shown in the picture above, this simply reduces your percentage chance to hit significantly. You can turn this off in the Passive section on your toolbar, which will give you the normal percentage.

Secondly, this feat gives you another chance to hit on a kill or critical hit using a bonus action. This is the real reason the feat is so strong, multiple attacks in a turn, and with this build, you will be getting a lot of critical hits and kills. Combat should therefore be initiated using your action first, saving your bonus action for a Great Weapons Master attack.

• Aid: Heal your allies and increase their hit point maximum by 5 hit points.
  • Usage: another niche spell that can help heal allies.

Great Weapon Master Usage

At level 8 you now have the god-tier Great Weapon Master and enough Strength to take advantage of it. Here’s how you want your turn to go after you are buffed:

• Action One Attack (proc Divine Smite) goal kill target or critical strike
• Action Two Attack (proc Divine Smite) goal kill target or critical strike
• Proc Great Weapon Master from kill or critical hit, then use bonus action for another attack (proc Divine Smite).

That is a lot of attacks without using a specific Smite because the bonus action can proc Great Weapon Master. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use Branding, Thunderous, or Searing Smite, it’s just now you have options considering your bonus action is so valuable.

You can take this a step further by using a Potion of Speed or have someone cast Haste on you. This will give you an additional action, two more attacks and possibly two more divine strikes. In one turn, if things go well, the Paladin is an absolute force with this setup. Buff with bonus action on the first turn, and use primary melee attacks on the second with the goal of proc Great Weapon Master. Use your Smites and spell slots when you need a big damage attack. Heal rarely, and Misty Step for mobility.

Level 8 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon, Protection from Poison, Aid, Compelled Duel.

Levels 9

The level 9 Oath of the Devotion Paladin unlocks the following in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• 2 Level 3 Spell Slots
• Remove Curse (subclass): Touch a creature or object to remove all Curses and Hexes affecting it.
  • Usage: this can be very helpful if a target is rebuffed or cursed. If not using another support class this can save an ally.
• Beacon of Hope (subclass): Your allies will regain the maximum hit points possible when healed. They also gain Advantage on Wisdom Saving Throws and Death Saving Throws.
  • Usage: this spell can be useful if you plan on taking the healer role specifically. For this build, we focus on damage, so a niche skill.
• Blinding Smite: +3d8 radiant damage and possibly Blind your target.
  • Usage: this spell is your big nuke using Smite along with Blind it makes it a must-have and our primary usage of level 3 spells.
• Elemental Weapon: Imbue a weapon with elemental power. It receives a +1 bonus to Attack Rolls and deals an additional 1d4 damage of your choice.
  • Usage: consider this an enhanced Divine Favour adding +1 to attack rolls as well. The downside is it costs an action and a level 3 spell slot. However, if you can pre-buff using this before a fight expect even more damage.
• Revivify (drop Compelled Duel for this): Revive a companion. They return to life with 1 hit point.
  • Usage: typically you can throw potions or use the help function but this can be useful for long-range to bring someone back.

Oath of Devotion Level 9 Gameplay

At this level, you have even more in your arsenal.  Most of the added spells will be used in niche situations. Your bread and butter remains the same, Smite damage. With Blinding Smite you have a hard counter against fellow martial weapon users. Giving the Blind debuff alongside 3d8 radiant damage is massive. Keep things simple and use your off-healing, crowd control, and utility only when needed.

Note on prepared spells, make sure to drop Compelled Duel so you can pick up two level 3 spells.

Level 9 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil and Good, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon, Lessor Restoration, Blinding Smite, Elemental Weapon.

Levels 10

The level 10 Oath of the Devotion Paladin unlocks the following in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Lay on Hands Charge
• Aura of Courage: You and any nearby allies can’t be Frightened. The aura disappears if you fall Unconscious.
• 1 Spell (take Revivify)
• Warden of Vitality: While this aura lasts, you can cast Restore Vitality as a bonus action to heal yourself or nearby allies.
  • Usage: this skill can be useful if paired with bonus action heal, but more for pure healing build.

Gameplay remains unchanged at this level with more utility.

Level 10 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil and Good, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon, Lessor Restoration, Blinding Smite, Elemental Weapon, Revive.

Level 11

At level 11 the Paladin doesn’t get much beyond an extra spell and another level 3 spell slot.  I recommend spending the last two levels multi-classing this class. Investing two levels into Fighter will give you a passive +1 Armour Class (AC) for using armor and a god-tier skill, action surge.  If you want to stick with Paladin, you can choose another spell at this level, and at level 12 pick +2 strength Ability Improvement feat. However, I suggest taking two levels into Fighter to increase your action potential, which increases your damage significantly.

Having 20 Strength with another Ability Improvement is great. However, you get even more with potions of Hill Giant, 21 and 27 depending on the usage.  I typically do not recommend multi-classing, but the Paladin can benefit from another action once per fight.

• Defence Fighting Style: While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.  This is a passive benefit at level 1 Fighter and will help with survival. 
• Second Wind: this skill is unlocked at level one Fighter and is a mediocre heal that is useful during the start of the game. You can use a bonus action, though most potions outperform it.

If you multi-class, this level will feel uneventful, but trust me it’ll be worth it. Prepared Spells remain unchanged from here on out. 

Level 12

With two levels into Fighter, you get access to the awe-inspiring Action Surge. You get an extra action, but the biggest strength is, that it doesn’t require any resources to use it. Action Surge is a once-per-fight usage, but it allows you to cast another spell, attack, dash, etc. It gives you that extra oomph that no other class has.

You take your Paladin with Extra Attack and give it Action Surge for 2x more attacks. You can take this a step further by using either a Potion of Haste or casting Haste on yourself. Then you get another action! If you did the math on that:

• Attack one + extra attack = 2
• Attack two (via Action Surge) + extra attack = 4
• Attack three (via Haste) + extra attack = 6
• Great Weapon Master via critical strike or kill = 7 (if you have a bonus action)

The Paladin at level 12 with this setup has so much firepower it’s remarkable. Again, if you wanted a traditional Paladin for all 12 levels, take Ability Improvement +2 Strength or the Alert feat which helps with going early. We hope you enjoyed this build and check out the gear section for more on the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build Guide.

Best Companions for Paladin Oath of Devotion in Baldur’s Gate 3

Companions for the Best Paladin Build, we recommend range and support characters. The idea is, that your character charges in melee range with support, range damage, or even stealth attacks.  If you have multiple melee characters, 2-3, it can be troublesome in close-quarters combat. 

• Shadowheart (Cleric): buffs, healing, and crowd control.
• Gale (Wizard): range magic damage, area damage, and crowd control.
• Astarion (Rogue): burst damage, lockpicking, and range if needed.

It’s important to note that party composition and synergy play a significant role in determining the effectiveness of your companions. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of each companion and how they align with your main character’s abilities and playstyle. You can go more range with Wyll or a double melee setup with Lae’zel.  Also, feel free to swap out and explore different options when playing the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build Guide.

Best Gear for Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build

In Games like Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll explore the world, loot chests and your enemies’ dead bodies, and complete quests and all those activities can reward you with useful items, potions, armor, weapons, scrolls, and much more. There are three Acts in BG3, and the below section includes suggested sets and alternatives for Act 1 and Act 3.

Beginner: Starting the Game

Here’s the best beginner gear for Paladin Oath of Devotion Build in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Gear Slot	Best Gear Item	Effect
Head	Helmet of Smiting	Smite gives HP
Cape	–
Chest	Adamantine Splint Armour	18 AC
Gloves	Gloves of the Growling Underdog	Advantage on Melee
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	Free Misty Step
Necklace	Moondrop Pendant	No Opportunity Attacks
Ring	Crusher’s Ring	Increase Movement
Ring	Caustic Band	Poison Damage
Weapon 1 Main Hand	Sword of Justice	2d6 Slashing
Weapon 2 Ranged	Titanstring Bow	Add STR modifier

List of best Oath of Devotion Paladin Equipment in Act 1:

• Helmet of Smiting: Located in Underdark Selûnite Outpost X: 163 Y: -248 (Alternatives Haste Helm, Cap of Wrath, or Grymskull Helm).
• Adamantine Splint Armour:  Crafted in Adamantine Forge (Alternatives Chain Mail +1, or Githyanki Half Plate).
• Gloves of the Growling Underdog: Chest behind Razglin’s throne room. (X:295 Y:69) (Alternatives Gloves of Heroism, Gloves of Dexterity, or Gloves of Missile Snaring).
• Disintegrating Night Walkers: Obtained in Gyrmforge as part of Free True Soul Nere questline (Alternatives Boots of Striding, Boots of Genial Striding, or Boots of Speed).
• Moondrop Pendant: Sealed chest inside the Owlbear Nest (Alternatives Amulet of Branding, Amulet of Misty Step, or Amulet of Restoration).
• Crusher’s Ring: Can be looted or stolen from Crusher in the Goblin camp (Alternatives Strange Conduit Ring, or Ring of Absolute Force).
• Caustic Band: Obtained from merchant Derryth Bonecloak in the Myconid Colony (Alternatives Fetish of Callarduran Smoothhands, or The Sparkswall).
• Sword of Justice: Looted from Anders near Karlach (Alternatives Silver Sword of the Astral Plane, or Everburn Blade).
• Titanstring Bow: Brem in Zhentarim Hideout (Alternatives Bow of Banshee, Spellthief, or Giantbreaker).

Advanced: End-Game

The following table presents the best advanced and end-game gear for Paladin Oath of Devotion Build in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Gear Slot	Best Gear Item	Effect
Head	Helm of Balduran	Self-healing
Cape	Fleshmelter	Return Damage
Chest	Helldusk Armour	21 AC
Gloves	Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength	23 Strength
Boots	Helldusk Boots	Mobility
Necklace	Amulet of Greater Health	23 Constitution
Ring	Killer’s Sweetheart	Auto Critical
Ring	Ring Of Regeneration	Self-healing
Weapon 1 Main Hand	Balduran’s Giantslayer	Best Greatsword
Weapon 2 Ranged	Darkfire Shortbow	Gives Haste

List of the best Act 3 Equipment for the Oath of Devotion Paladin Build:

• Helm of Balduran: Obtained in Dragon’s Sanctum (Alternatives Helldusk Helmet, Sarevok’s Horned Helmet, or Mask of Soul Perception).
• Fleshmelter: Found in Chest in House of Healing Morgue (Alternative Cloak of Protection).
• Helldusk Armour: Dropped by Raphael in the House of Hope (Alternatives Armour of Devotion, Armour of Persistence, Bhaalist Armour).
• Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength: Obtained in Archive of the House of Hope (Alternatives Helldusk Gloves, Legacy of the Masters, or Gloves of Soul Catching).
• Helldusk Boots: In a locked chest, Wyrm’s Rock Fortress (Alternative Disintegrating Night Walkers).
• Amulet of Greater Health: Found in the House of Hope in Baldur’s Gate City (Alternative Surgeon’s Subjugation Amulet, or Periapt of Wound Closure).
• Killer’s Sweetheart: Obtained from the Gauntlet of Shar in Act 2 (Alternative Ring of Protection, Risky Ring).
• Ring Of Regeneration: Sold by Rolan at Sorcerous Sundries (Alternative Ring of Free Action, Shifting Corpus Ring).
• Balduran’s Giantslayer: Obtained as a reward for completing the Wyrmway trials (Alternatives Sword of Chaos, or Silver Sword of the Astral Plane).
• Darkfire Shortbow: Sold by trader Damon Act 2 Last Light Inn (Alternative Fabricated Arbalest).

Best Paladin Consumables, Potions, and Items

The following list represents the best individual use consumable items that will aid in our Paladin Build:

• Elixir of Hill Giant Strength: Increases Strength ability score to 21 until Long Rest.
• Potion of Speed: Gain extra action, +2 AC, Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws, and double movement speed.
• Drow Poison: Weapon poison that adds Constitution Saving Throw or becomes Poisoned and falls Asleep.
• Potion of Flying: Drink to gain a flying speed of 60ft for one hour.
• Elixir of Heroism: Gain 10 temp HP and become Blessed until a long rest.
• Potion of Greater Healing: 4d4 + 4 hit points restored.
• Oil of Accuracy: Coat Weapon. Bonus of +2 in Attack Rolls.
• Elixir of Vigilance: Drink to gain a +5 bonus to Initiative and you can’t be Surprised.
• Elixir of Darkvision: (only non-Darkvision race): Drink to gain the ability to see in the dark up to 12m.

Paladin Combat, Gameplay, and Tips

Here are 10 gameplay tips specifically for playing a Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build Guide:

1. Spell Slots: use your spell slots wisely, especially for Divine Smite and Healing
2. Divine Smite: use this extra damage source on the hardest to defeat enemies and save your spell slots for when you really need it.
3. Healing: Use potions that consume bonus actions or Lay on Hands for yourself or an ally.
4. Heavy Armor: Find and equip this early for needed AC.
5. Crowd Control: Make sure to CC enemies with Thunderous Smite or a Companion ability to limit damage.
6. Pre-Buff: Cast blessed prior to combat to get a roll Advantage.
7. Range: Don’t forget to equip a ranged weapon to ensure you can do damage on nearly every turn.
8. Long Rest: Use the rest at camp function to regain spell slots and don’t go into a fight with zero.
9. Great Weapon Master: focus on low-health targets with your first action to strike a kill and another attack with Great Weapon Master.
10. Toggle Reactions: make sure both Divine Smite and Great Weapon Master are toggled on or off when you need them.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Devotion Build Summary Guide

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