D&D 5e Paladin: A Look at the Class

In the party I am currently playing with, I am running two characters. We have 3 players but our DM was fairly certain that we wouldn’t survive without a fourth. So in addition to the Goliath Ranger that I am running, I also created a Dragonborn Paladin. (You can read about the Goliath Ranger here.)

D&D 5e Paladin: A Look at the Class

So, first, why Dragonborn when rolling up a paladin? I mean, let’s be honest, at the end of the day, I want to be able to say “I spit fire” and burn things. (Here’s a look at a fire-breathing Dragonborn barbarian.)

Plus, at some point, this guy is totally going to win a hip-hop battle. I just feel it.

The added strength and charisma score that come from being a part of the Dragonborn seem to guide naturally into making him a Paladin. While the other types of the Dragonborn race and their spit weapons were intriguing, I kept it simple and stuck with being a Red Fire Breathing Dragonborn.

And I went with the Paladin class for a few party specific reasons:

• We needed someone who could armor up. Our party had a decided lack of a tank, so the Paladin option seemed to be a mix of two things: a warrior and a healer. I felt like that we needed both in our party and that has proven to be a smart move based upon our early adventures.
• I could make his backstory mesh with the Goliath Ranger, as they could be two hermit-like members of a monastery being sent out into the world together. I tend to play them as a buddy cop duo and it is fun.
• A holy warrior is an idea that I like and think plays well in the world of D&D, and with our party in particular.

In terms of statistics, I put the focus on the characteristics that serve a Paladin best, so he has extremely high strength and charisma, but has a losing statistic in wisdom. Thus far, that liability hasn’t hurt him too badly.

As he has advanced in levels (current level 3), it has let him take on some new abilities.

• I choose the Defense fighting style. The others were all real possibilities and it was a tough choice. But, as he serves as our mini-Tank, the +1 to armor class was too hard to say no to. (Current AC is 17 and by far the best in our party right now.)
• His current spells include Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, as well as a couple of healing spells. Again, he is a mix between a bruiser and a healer, which in our small party has been needed. I need him to be able to do big damage and, at times, absorb big damage, while healing others.

D&D 5e Paladin: Character Backstory

In terms of character, he was sent out alongside his Goliath friend by their monastery’s master after the master had a dream of them in the world. While the Goliath has much more certainty in that call, this Dragonborn character is unsure and is really only confident in that call when he is in battle and cutting things to pieces. (His dual wielding weapons has proven really helpful in close in, hand to hand combat. He is carrying basically no ranged attack at all, so that may need to be rectified fairly quickly.)

While he thrives in violence, he also has a deep sense that power is to be used to add the disadvantaged. I use that principal to guide him along in what he would choose to do.