System Reference Document 5.2.1
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BrEakinG your oatH
A Paladin tries to hold to the highest standards of 
conduct, but even the most dedicated are fallible. 
Sometimes a Paladin transgresses their oath.
 A Paladin who has broken a vow typically seeks 
absolution, spending an all-night vigil as a sign of pen -
itence or undertaking a fast. After a rite of forgive -
ness, the Paladin starts fresh.
 If your Paladin unrepentantly violates their oath, 
talk to your GM. Your Paladin should probably take a 
more appropriate subclass or even abandon the class 
and adopt another one.
 As a Bonus Action, you can touch a creature 
(which could be yourself) and draw power from the 
pool of healing to restore a number of Hit Points to 
that creature, up to the maximum amount remain -
ing in the pool.
 You can also expend 5 Hit Points from the pool of 
healing power to remove the Poisoned condition 
from the creature; those points don’t also restore 
Hit Points to the creature.
Level 1: Spellcasting
You have learned to cast spells through prayer and 
meditation. See “Spells” for the rules on spellcast -
ing. The information below details how you use 
those rules with Paladin spells, which appear in the 
Paladin spell list later in the class’s description.
 Spell Slots. The Paladin Features table shows 
how many spell slots you have to cast your level 1+ 
spells. You regain all expended slots when you fin -
ish a Long Rest.
 Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the 
list of level 1+ spells that are available for you to 
cast with this feature. To start, choose two level 
1 Paladin spells. Heroism  and Searing Smite are 
recommended.
 The number of spells on your list increases as 
you gain Paladin levels, as shown in the Prepared 
Spells column of the Paladin Features table. When -
ever that number increases, choose additional 
Paladin spells until the number of spells on your 
list matches the number in the Paladin Features 
table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which 
you have spell slots. For example, if you’re a level 5 
Paladin, your list of prepared spells can include six 
Paladin spells of level 1 or 2 in any combination.
 If another Paladin feature gives you spells that 
you always have prepared, those spells don’t count 
against the number of spells you can prepare with 
this feature, but those spells otherwise count as 
Paladin spells for you.
 Changing Your Prepared Spells. Whenever you 
finish a Long Rest, you can replace one spell on your 
list with another Paladin spell for which you have 
spell slots.
 Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcast -
ing ability for your Paladin spells.
 Spellcasting Focus. You can use a Holy Symbol as 
a Spellcasting Focus for your Paladin spells.
Level 1: Weapon Mastery
Your training with weapons allows you to use the 
mastery properties of two kinds of weapons of your 
choice with which you have proficiency, such as 
Longswords and Javelins.
 Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can change 
the kinds of weapons you chose. For example, you 
could switch to using the mastery properties of Hal -
berds and Flails.
Level 2: Fighting Style
You gain a Fighting Style feat of your choice (see 
“Feats” for feats). Instead of choosing one of those 
feats, you can choose the option below.
 Blessed Warrior. You learn two Cleric cantrips of 
your choice (see the Cleric class’s section for a list 
of Cleric spells). Guidance and Sacred Flame are rec-
ommended. The chosen cantrips count as Paladin 
spells for you, and Charisma is your spellcasting 
ability for them. Whenever you gain a Paladin level, 
you can replace one of these cantrips with another 
Cleric cantrip.
Level 2: Paladin’s Smite
You always have the Divine Smite spell prepared. In 
addition, you can cast it without expending a spell 
slot, but you must finish a Long Rest before you can 
cast it in this way again.
Level 3: Channel Divinity
You can channel divine energy directly from the 
Outer Planes, using it to fuel magical effects. You 
start with one such effect: Divine Sense, which is 
described below. Other Paladin features give addi -
tional Channel Divinity effect options. Each time 
you use this class’s Channel Divinity, you choose 
which effect from this class to create.
 You can use this class’s Channel Divinity twice. 
You regain one of its expended uses when you finish 
a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when 
you finish a Long Rest. You gain an additional use 
when you reach Paladin level 11.