My Dexterity-based Paladin in 5e Dungeons & Dragons is one of my favorite characters for my favorite class, so I recreated this character for my first playthrough of BG3. That said, I tweaked and respeced a few things to make my Paladin build more optimal.
Best Paladin Build BG3
Paladins are the holy knights of Baldur's Gate 3, excelling at melee combat but packing support spells and healing for versatility. That said, you'll most often find your Paladin doing burst damage through Divine Smite. Let's explore the best Paladin build in Baldur's Gate 3.
Best Stats and Race for Paladin in Baldur's Gate 3
The most important stats for Paladins are Constitution, Charisma, and Strength or Dexterity. Strength is the most common focus, but I prefer Dex-based Paladins myself. A high Constitution will ensure you have large pools of health, while increasing Charisma makes your spells more effective.
For race, I recommend either Half-Orc, Zariel Tiefling, or Githyanki. Half-Orcs gain Relentless Endurance, which allows you to shake off death and stay in the fight longer. On the other hand, Zariel Tieflings get smites through their racial abilities, allowing you to free up your spells. Finally, Githyanki gain powerful mobility options as they level up, which can alleviate the Paladin's lack of mobility somewhat.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3 Karlach Build Guide – Best Stats and Subclass
- Race - Half-Orc, Tiefling (Zariel), Githyanki
- Strength - 16 - 17
- Dexterity - 10
- Constitution - 14 - 16
- Intelligence - 8
- Wisdom - 10
- Charisma - 14 -16
Best Subclass for Paladin Baldur's Gate 3
Oath of the Ancients is by far the best subclass for Paladin—their level seven Aura of Warding alone makes this choice obvious. Providing you and any ally within the aura with resistance to spells, it effectively halves any damage you take from spells, essentially nullifying some of the most powerful spellcasters.
While the other perks gained from Oath of the Ancient aren't as good as its aura, this doesn't detract from how powerful it is; the subclass' tankiness and ability to deal massive amounts of damage with instant spell damage resistance make it a force to be reckoned with.
Best Skills for Paladin in Baldur's Gate 3
When it comes to Paladin skills, you'll want proficiency in Athletics for certain, as it ensures your Paladin can hang in the front lines. Outside of this, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Perception, Medicine, and Religion all fit the theme of a holy knight and come in handy. Whether you choose to be a charming Paladin or a wrathful one is up to you.
Best Paladin Features and Feats - Baldur's Gate 3
Paladins benefit from feats like Ability Score Improvement, Alert, Sentinel, Tough, and Mobile. They are naturally somewhat slow, making Mobile great for increasing your movement speed, and Alert excellent for increasing your initiative roll. Meanwhile, Ability Score Improvement and Tough are perfect for rounding out your stats or getting more health, and Sentinel allows you to lock down the battlefield by making more attacks and preventing creatures from fleeing your melee range.
| Level | Class Feature |
| Level 1 | Lay on Hands Divine Sense Channel Oath Charges Subclass Choice |
| Level 2 | Divine Smite Fighting Style |
| Level 3 | Divine Health |
| Level 4 | Lay on Hands Improvement Feat/ASI |
| Level 5 | Extra Attack |
| Level 6-8 | Oath Aura |
| Level 8 | Feat/ASI |
| Level 10 | Lay on Hands Improvement |
| Level 11 | Improved Divine Smite |
| Level 12 | Feat/ASI |
For more information on Baldur's Gate 3, check out Baldur’s Gate 3 Bard Build Guide – Best Stats and Subclass and Best Eldritch Invocations in BG3 on Pro Game Guides.
Justin has been diving into fantasy worlds since he can remember. He is a certified nerd who has a deep love of reading, writing, and hiking. He has been writing since his college days, but specifically in gaming for two years. His favorite games are The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Banjo Kazooie.