Human Oath of Devotion Paladin Build Guide
Combining the Human's adaptable nature with the Oath of Devotion's holy shield makes you the ultimate frontline protector who never lets their allies down.
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Why Oath of Devotion?
Choosing a Human for your Oath of Devotion Paladin creates a highly adaptable frontline defender. As a holy knight sworn to justice and order, your primary goal is to protect your party. The Human's Versatile trait is an incredible asset here, allowing you to select a powerful bonus feat at level 1 to immediately bolster your defensive capabilities and control the battlefield.
On the battlefield, your high Strength (15) and Charisma (14) synergize perfectly with your subclass abilities. At level 3, you gain Sacred Weapon, a feature that lets you channel holy energy to add your Charisma modifier to your attack rolls. This ensures that even with a starting Strength of 15, you will rarely miss your targets, allowing you to consistently draw enemy attention away from weaker allies.
Furthermore, the Human's Resourceful trait grants you free Heroic Inspiration every day, giving you a crucial reroll when you absolutely must land a critical hit or pass a saving throw to protect your friends.
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
Human Traits That Benefit Oath of Devotion Paladin
Versatile
A free Origin feat provides a meaningful boost to any Paladin build right from level 1.
Resourceful
Free Heroic Inspiration each long rest gives a reliable reroll for critical moments.
Skillful
An extra skill proficiency expands the Paladin's out-of-combat versatility.
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 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
Use Sacred Weapon before a major fight starts to boost your accuracy using your 14 Charisma, ensuring you never miss a vital strike.
Leverage the Human Versatile trait to grab a defensive feat, keeping your 15 Strength defender alive longer on the frontline.
Position yourself close to allies at level 7 so your Aura of Devotion shields them from dangerous charm effects.
Save your Resourceful Heroic Inspiration for crucial saving throws, keeping your defender active to protect the backline.
Other Paladin Subclasses for Human
Other Races for Oath of Devotion Paladin
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oath of Devotion a good subclass for Human Paladin?
What makes Oath of Devotion different from other Paladin subclasses?
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