Human Oath of the Ancients Paladin Build Guide
Combining human adaptability with nature's enduring power, the Human Oath of the Ancients Paladin is the ultimate ward against supernatural threats.
Free — no signup needed for the free tier.
Why Oath of the Ancients?
The Oath of the Ancients Paladin is a legendary defender of light and nature, specializing in locking down foes and shielding allies from magical harm. By choosing the Human species, you gain exceptional early-game flexibility. Thanks to the Human's Versatile trait, you can select an Origin feat at level 1 to bolster your defenses or enhance your spellcasting long before you swear your sacred oath at level 3.
As a frontline defender, your job is to draw enemy attention and survive the onslaught. The Resourceful trait gives you a daily dose of Heroic Inspiration, letting you reroll crucial saving throws or missed attacks when the pressure is on. This perfectly complements your level 7 feature, Aura of Warding, which grants you and nearby allies incredible resistance to spell damage. Together, these traits ensure you remain standing to protect your party.
Lastly, the Skillful trait grants you an extra skill proficiency, helping you contribute outside of combat where Paladins sometimes struggle. Whether you're tracking enemies through the wild or negotiating with local lords, your Human adaptability ensures you are more than just a heavily armored shield.
Oath of the Ancients Features
Nature's Wrath
Level 3When a creature within 10 feet of you that you can see hits a target with an attack roll, you can use your Reaction to add your Charisma modifier to the attack roll or saving throw DC. In addition, when you cast a spell that deals damage, you can spend 1 spell slot to increase the damage by 1d6 per spell slot spent.
Oath of the Ancients Spells
Level 3You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of the Ancients Spells table. [Oath of the Ancients Spells: 1st - Entangle, Goodberry; 2nd - Barkskin, Spike Growth; 3rd - Call Lightning, Plant Growth; 4th - Grasping Vine, Guardian of Nature; 5th - Maelstrom, Wrath of Nature]
Aura of Warding
Level 7Ancient magic still lingers in your aura, shielding you and your allies from fey and undead creatures. You and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have Resistance to damage from spells. In addition, creatures within 10 feet of you have Advantage on saving throws against being Charmed or Frightened.
Undying Sentinel
Level 15You gain the ability to sense the presence of undead within 1 mile of you. If you sense undead this way, you know their general direction. When you sense undead this way, you can use your Reaction to gain Advantage on attack rolls against that creature until the end of your next turn.
Elder Champion
Level 20When you reach 20th level, you can use your action to gain temporary hit points equal to your Paladin level + your Charisma modifier. Additionally, for 1 minute, whenever a friendly creature within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your Reaction to reduce that damage by half.
Recommended Ability Scores
Human Traits That Benefit Oath of the Ancients 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 the Ancients grants Nature's Wrath 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 your Human Resourceful inspiration on your Nature's Wrath channel divinity to ensure you successfully restrain high-threat targets.
Position yourself within 10 feet of squishy spellcasters so your Aura of Warding can halve the incoming spell damage they take.
Choose a defensive Origin feat like Tough with your Human Versatile trait to boost your hit points as a frontline defender.
When reduced to 0 hit points, Undying Sentinel keeps you standing, allowing you to use your next turn to heal or strike back.
Other Paladin Subclasses for Human
Other Races for Oath of the Ancients Paladin
Frequently Asked Questions
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What makes Oath of the Ancients different from other Paladin subclasses?
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