Aasimar Oath of Glory Paladin Build Guide
By combining the Aasimar's Celestial Revelation with Peerless Athlete, the Oath of Glory Paladin becomes a hyper-mobile striker that buries enemies under radiant damage.
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Why Oath of Glory?
The Aasimar Oath of Glory Paladin is an aggressive, momentum-based Striker that dominates the action economy. While traditional Paladins focus on static defensive auras, this specific build leans into a highly active playstyle. By leveraging your Aura of Alacrity to boost your party's initiative by your Charisma modifier, you guarantee that your team dictates the terms of engagement. Your defining combat loop revolves around churning out temporary hit points through Peerless Athlete and Inspiring Smite, turning you into a frontline juggernaut.
Mechanically, the Aasimar species traits perfectly patch the vulnerabilities of this aggressive stat spread (STR 15, DEX 10, CON 13, INT 8, WIS 12, CHA 14). Because your Constitution sits at a modest 13, you rely heavily on the constant influx of temporary HP from your subclass features. Celestial Resistance makes those temporary hit points incredibly efficient against necrotic and radiant damage, while Healing Hands provides a pocket heal when you burn through your Lay on Hands pool.
This build thrives on speed and overwhelming initial force. When you pop Celestial Revelation and combine it with the bonus movement from Peerless Athlete, you transform into a radiant missile capable of crossing the battlefield, delivering massive burst damage, and shielding your allies with reactive temporary hit points.
Oath of Glory Features
Inspiring Smite
Level 3Immediately after you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack using Divine Smite, you can spend 1 sorcery point to grant yourself or a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your Paladin level. The temporary hit points increase to 1d8 when you reach 6th level, 1d10 at 14th level, and 1d12 at 18th level.
Oath of Glory Spells
Level 3You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of Glory Spells table. [Oath of Glory Spells: 1st - Guiding Bolt, Heroism; 2nd - Enhance Ability, Magic Weapon; 3rd - Haste, Spirit Shroud; 4th - Dominate Beast, Stoneskin; 5th - Cone of Cold, Hold Monster]
Peerless Athlete
Level 3As a Bonus Action, you can gain temporary hit points equal to your Paladin level. Additionally, your Speed increases by 10 feet, and your Armor Class is increased by 1 until the start of your next turn.
Aura of Alacrity
Level 7You emanate an aura of quick action while you aren't Incapacitated. When an ally within 10 feet of you that you can see rolls initiative, that creature gains a bonus to its roll equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1).
Glorious Defense
Level 15When a creature within 10 feet of you takes damage while you're conscious, you can use your Reaction to grant that creature temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your Charisma modifier.
Living Legend
Level 20As an action, you can take the Dodge action and gain temporary hit points equal to your Paladin level + your Charisma modifier. Until the end of your next turn, whenever a creature within 10 feet of you takes damage, you can use your Reaction to reduce that damage by half (round down) using your Lay on Hands. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Recommended Ability Scores
Aasimar Traits That Benefit Oath of Glory Paladin
Celestial Resistance
Built-in damage resistance reduces incoming damage, keeping your Paladin alive longer in combat.
Healing Hands
Additional healing ability supplements the Paladin's support capabilities.
Celestial Revelation
Aasimar celestial heritage thematically and mechanically synergizes with the Paladin's divine power.
Darkvision
Aasimar Darkvision helps Paladins scout ahead and fight in darkness without needing a torch.
Combat Effectiveness
| Level | HP | Melee DPR | Spell DPR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 | 39 | 7.8 | 0 |
| Level 11 | 81 | 7.15 | 0 |
| Level 17 | 123 | 7.15 | 0 |
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Build Path (Levels 1-20)
Levels 1-4
Start with your optimal array: 15 STR and 14 CHA. Your first two levels play like a standard Paladin, but at level 3, your entire game plan shifts with the Oath of Glory. Peerless Athlete gives you a phenomenal Bonus Action setup: temporary hit points equal to your Paladin level, +10 feet of Speed, and +1 AC. You also unlock Inspiring Smite, allowing you to weaponize your Divine Smites to hand out 1d6 + Paladin level temporary HP to allies. At level 4, take the Polearm Master feat. The bonus action attack gives you a third chance each turn to crit and trigger Inspiring Smite.
Levels 5-10
Level 5 brings Extra Attack and second-level spell slots for bigger Divine Smites. Level 7 is a game-changer: Aura of Alacrity comes online. Unlike standard defensive auras, this adds your Charisma modifier to the initiative rolls of allies within 10 feet. Keep your party clustered before kicking down a door. At level 8, take the Resilient (Constitution) feat to bump your 13 CON to 14 and gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws. You will desperately need this at level 9 when you unlock Haste from your Oath of Glory Spells list.
Levels 11-16
Level 11 grants Improved Divine Smite, adding 1d8 radiant damage to all your polearm strikes. Combine this with the bonus damage from your Aasimar Celestial Revelation, and your sustained DPR skyrockets. At level 12, take your ASI to bump Strength to 18. Level 15 introduces Glorious Defense, a massive boost to your reaction economy. When an ally within 10 feet takes damage, you can immediately grant them 1d6 + Charisma modifier temporary HP, keeping your frontline partners alive through heavy area-of-effect spells.
Levels 17-20
Level 17 unlocks fifth-level spells; Hold Monster from your Oath Spells is a premier setup for guaranteed critical Divine Smites. At level 19, cap your Strength at 20. Finally, level 20 grants Living Legend. This ultimate feature lets you take the Dodge action to flood yourself with temporary HP (Paladin level + CHA) while granting you a permanent reaction to reduce incoming damage for nearby allies, cementing your role as an unkillable legendary champion.
Recommended Spells
Cantrips
If you choose the Blessed Warrior fighting style over Defense, pick up Guidance to support your party out of combat, and Toll the Dead for a ranged damage option when your 10-foot base Aasimar movement isn't enough to close the gap.
Level 1-2 Spells
Guiding Bolt is a fantastic Oath Spell for tier 1 play, giving you a ranged nuke that grants advantage to your Rogue. Heroism is another Oath Spell that stacks fear immunity on top of your Paladin aura. Always prepare Find Steed; the mount benefits from your Aura of Alacrity initiative boost.
Level 3-5 Spells
Haste is the absolute cornerstone of your tier 3 strategy. Cast it on yourself to double your movement speed (which stacks with Peerless Athlete), gain +2 AC, and secure an extra attack. Spirit Shroud is your alternative Oath Spell when facing enemies that prevent healing, stacking beautifully with your Improved Divine Smite.
High-Level Spells
Hold Monster (Oath Spell) is your boss-killer. Paralyzing a target means your Polearm Master attacks automatically critically hit, allowing you to dump maximum-level Divine Smites for apocalyptic radiant damage.
Recommended Feats
Polearm Master
Take this at level 4. Because Inspiring Smite triggers immediately after you hit with a Divine Smite, having three attacks per turn (two from Extra Attack, one from the PAM bonus action) dramatically increases your chances of landing a critical hit to maximize your smite damage before triggering the temporary HP burst.
Resilient (Constitution)
Take this at level 8. It rounds your awkward 13 Constitution up to a 14, granting you more maximum hit points. More importantly, it gives you proficiency in Constitution saving throws, which is mathematically required to maintain concentration on your Oath of Glory Haste spell while standing on the frontline.
Great Weapon Master
Take this at level 16 once your Strength is at least 18. When combined with the advantage generated by your Oath Spell Guiding Bolt or the sheer volume of attacks from Haste, the -5 penalty is easily offset, allowing you to add +10 damage to your heavy halberd strikes.
Gear Progression
Tier 1 (Levels 1-4)
Secure Splint Armor as soon as possible to pair with your 10 Dexterity. Wield a Halberd to prepare for your Polearm Master feat. Carry a few Javelins for ranged combat until your movement speed buffs come online.
Tier 2 (Levels 5-10)
Seek out a +1 Halberd to bypass non-magical bludgeoning/piercing/slashing resistance. A Cloak of Protection is vital here; combining its +1 AC with the +1 AC from Peerless Athlete keeps your relatively low-CON chassis safe from heavy multi-attacks.
Tier 3 (Levels 11-16)
Look for a Belt of Fire Giant Strength to instantly jump your attack and damage modifiers. Boots of Speed are hilarious on this build; when activated alongside Haste and Peerless Athlete, your Aasimar becomes a blur capable of crossing entire battlemaps in a single turn.
Tier 4 (Levels 17-20)
The Holy Avenger (Halberd variant if your DM allows) is the ultimate prize, stacking its magic resistance aura with your Aasimar Celestial Resistance. A Blood Fury Tattoo synergizes perfectly with your striker role, offering free counter-attacks when your Glorious Defense reaction isn't needed.
Party Composition
The Oath of Glory Aasimar is a Striker that inadvertently acts as a force multiplier for aggressive party compositions. Because your Aura of Alacrity adds your Charisma modifier to initiative rolls, you should pair this build with classes that rely on going first. An Assassin Rogue is your best friend, as your aura practically guarantees they will out-speed the enemy to trigger their Assassinate feature.
You also pair exceptionally well with control-focused spellcasters like Bards or Wizards. If they win initiative thanks to your aura, they can drop a Hypnotic Pattern or Wall of Force before the enemy takes a single turn. Meanwhile, your Inspiring Smite and Glorious Defense provide just enough temporary hit points to keep these squishy casters alive if an enemy manages to slip through the frontline.
Multiclass Options
Divine Soul Sorcerer 1 Dip
Taking a single level of Divine Soul Sorcerer is incredibly potent for this specific build. Because your unique Inspiring Smite feature specifically requires you to spend a sorcery point to activate, gaining actual Sorcery Points gives you more fuel for your subclass engine. Furthermore, it grants you the Shield and Absorb Elements spells, which perfectly cover the defensive gaps left by your 13 Constitution.
Hexblade Warlock 1 Dip
While standard Paladins take Hexblade to become Charisma-dependent, you already have 15 Strength for heavy armor. Instead, you take this dip solely for Hexblade's Curse. Expanding your critical hit range to 19-20 doubles your chances of landing a devastating Divine Smite, which in turn triggers a massive Inspiring Smite temp HP shield for your party.
Common Pitfalls
- Bonus Action Clog: Both your Aasimar Celestial Revelation and your Oath of Glory Peerless Athlete require a Bonus Action to activate. Do not try to pop both on the first turn of combat; prioritize Peerless Athlete for the immediate AC and speed boost, then trigger Celestial Revelation on turn two.
- Mispositioning Aura of Alacrity: Unlike Aura of Protection, your Aura of Alacrity only triggers when allies roll initiative. If your party isn't standing within 10 feet of you exactly when combat starts, they lose the Charisma bonus entirely.
- Hoarding Inspiring Smite: Temporary hit points do not stack. Waiting for the perfect critical hit to use Inspiring Smite is a mistake. Fire it early to buffer your frontline, then overwrite it later if you roll higher.
- Casting Haste Carelessly: Your 13 Constitution makes concentration checks dangerous. If you cast your Oath Spell Haste without the Resilient (CON) feat or Aura of Protection active, you risk losing concentration and wasting your entire next turn to lethargy.
More Questions
Does Peerless Athlete stack with the Haste spell?
Can I use Inspiring Smite on myself?
How does Glorious Defense interact with Celestial Resistance?
Should I use Lay on Hands or Healing Hands in combat?
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- ♦ Oath of Glory grants Inspiring Smite at level 3
- ♦ High hit points for frontline durability
- ♦ Strong species-class synergy enhances core abilities
- ♦ Darkvision for dungeon exploration
- ♦ Strong melee damage output
Weaknesses
- ♦ May require careful feat selection to optimize
Pro Tips
Activate Peerless Athlete before kicking down a door to enter combat with a fresh buffer of temporary hit points.
Position yourself directly next to your Rogue before combat to ensure they benefit from Aura of Alacrity's initiative boost.
Use your Polearm Master bonus attack to fish for critical hits before committing your highest spell slot to a Divine Smite.
Save your Living Legend feature for boss fights where the enemy utilizes heavy area-of-effect damage you need to reduce.
Cast Guiding Bolt on flying enemies that are out of reach, granting your ranged party members advantage on their next attack.
Other Paladin Subclasses for Aasimar
Other Races for Oath of Glory Paladin
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oath of Glory a good subclass for Aasimar Paladin?
What makes Oath of Glory different from other Paladin subclasses?
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