Goliath Oath of Devotion Paladin Build Guide
Stand as an unbreakable, giant-kin shield for your allies with a Goliath Oath of Devotion Paladin, the ultimate frontline defender of justice.
Free — no signup needed for the free tier.
Why Oath of Devotion?
The Goliath Oath of Devotion Paladin is the quintessential "Defender" of the party, combining mountain-born physical might with holy magic. Your high Strength (15) and Charisma (14) allow you to strike hard while inspiring your allies. Goliaths naturally excel on the front lines, and your Powerful Build ensures you can physically dominate the battlefield and carry the heaviest armor to protect your team.
When danger closes in, your Goliath Large Form allows you to grow in size, physically blocking choke points. This synergy is incredibly potent when paired with your subclass's Aura of Devotion at level 7, which prevents you and nearby allies from being charmed. By physically occupying more space on the grid, you make it much easier for your companions to stay within your protective aura.
Additionally, your Giant Ancestry provides supernatural resilience to shrug off incoming damage. This keeps you standing tall while you channel your Sacred Weapon channel divinity feature, which adds your Charisma modifier to your attack rolls to ensure your holy strikes always land true.
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
Goliath Traits That Benefit Oath of Devotion Paladin
Giant Ancestry
Giant Ancestry grants a supernatural ability that enhances the Paladin's combat or utility.
Powerful Build
Enhanced size and carrying capacity complement the Paladin's physical combat style.
Large Form
Enhanced size and carrying capacity complement the Paladin's physical combat style.
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
- ♦ Strong species-class synergy enhances core abilities
- ♦ Strong melee damage output
- ♦ Divine Smite provides burst damage
Weaknesses
- ♦ No Darkvision — may need light sources in dungeons
- ♦ May require careful feat selection to optimize
Pro Tips
Activate Large Form alongside your Aura of Devotion to expand your physical presence, making it easier for allies to shelter within your protective radius.
Use your Sacred Weapon channel divinity before a major fight starts to boost your 15 Strength attacks with your 14 Charisma modifier.
Rely on Giant Ancestry to shrug off heavy hits, saving your spell slots for Devotion spells or divine smites instead of self-healing.
Position yourself at narrow choke points using your Powerful Build to block enemies, forcing them to target your high-defense frame.
Other Paladin Subclasses for Goliath
Other Races for Oath of Devotion Paladin
Frequently Asked Questions
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