Gnome Oath of Devotion Paladin Build Guide
A Gnome Oath of Devotion Paladin combines pint-sized resilience with unwavering holy light to create an unbreakable, spell-resistant shield for their allies.
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Why Oath of Devotion?
Combining the resilient nature of a Gnome with the holy defender archetype of the Oath of Devotion Paladin creates an incredibly tough tank. As a defender, your primary job is to draw enemy attention and protect your friends. This build shines because your innate species trait, Gnomish Cunning, gives you advantage on saving throws (extra dice rolls to resist effects) against magic targeting your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, covering your usual mental weaknesses.
At 7th level, this mental defense becomes a team-wide shield. Your Aura of Devotion subclass feature prevents you and nearby allies from being charmed, a common mind-control effect. Combined with your Gnomish Cunning, you become almost completely immune to mental manipulation, ensuring you always remain in control on the battlefield to shield your party.
When it is time to strike, you can channel your holy power using Sacred Weapon to add your Charisma modifier to your attack rolls. Since Paladins need to balance Strength for physical attacks and Charisma for spellcasting, this ability ensures that your smaller stature never holds you back from hitting your targets hard in the name of justice.
Oath of Devotion Features
Oath of Devotion Spells
Level 3You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of Devotion Spells table. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work. [Oath of Devotion Spells: 1st - Command, Sanctuary; 2nd - Lesser Restoration, Zone of Truth; 3rd - Beacon of Hope, Dispel Magic; 4th - Freedom of Movement, Guardian of Faith; 5th - Commune, Flame Strike]
Sacred Weapon
Level 3As a Bonus Action, you can imbue one weapon that you're holding with positive energy. For 10 minutes, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (in addition to your Strength or Dexterity modifier). The weapon emits bright light in a 20-foot Radius and dim light 20 feet beyond that. If the weapon is not magical, it becomes magical for the Duration of the effect.
Aura of Devotion
Level 7You emanate an aura of dedication while you aren't Incapacitated. You and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have Advantage on saving throws against being Charmed. If a friendly creature in the aura is Charmed, that condition ends on it.
Smite of Protection
Level 15When a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see takes damage, you can use your Reaction to reduce the damage by half (round down) using your Lay on Hands. If a creature has taken more damage than its hit point maximum from the triggering damage, the creature is Incapacitated until the end of its next turn.
Holy Nimbus
Level 20As an action, you can imbue your presence with holy power, causing bright light to surge out from you. You emit bright light in a 30-foot Radius and dim light 30 feet beyond that. Creatures of your choice that you can see in that light gain Advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects until the end of your next turn.
Recommended Ability Scores
Gnome Traits That Benefit Oath of Devotion Paladin
Gnomish Cunning
Extra saving throw advantages protect against debilitating spells and effects.
Darkvision
Gnome 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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Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- ♦ Oath of Devotion grants Oath of Devotion Spells at level 3
- ♦ High hit points for frontline durability
- ♦ Darkvision for dungeon exploration
- ♦ Strong melee damage output
- ♦ Divine Smite provides burst damage
Weaknesses
- ♦ Small size limits heavy weapon usage
- ♦ May require careful feat selection to optimize
Pro Tips
Use your Darkvision to lead the party through dark dungeons, keeping your Sacred Weapon ready to light up the area when combat begins.
Position yourself close to fragile spellcasters; your Aura of Devotion and Gnomish Cunning will make your immediate area a safe zone against mental spells.
When facing elusive enemies, activate Sacred Weapon immediately to convert your Charisma stat into a massive bonus to your weapon attack accuracy.
Do not fear enemy spellcasters; your natural Gnomish Cunning protects your mind while you march forward to deliver devastating, high-damage Smite attacks.
Other Paladin Subclasses for Gnome
Other Races for Oath of Devotion Paladin
Frequently Asked Questions
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