Choosing a Paladin subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 shapes how you fight, who you protect, and how NPCs react. I’m a long-time player and I’ll say plainly: some oaths suit certain party roles far better than others. I’ll explain why I prefer some, where others fall short, and what you should expect (as of 25 November 2025).
Oath of Devotion — The steady guardian ⚔️
Devotion is the “classic” Paladin. I’ve noticed it holds the line. It boosts attacks, offers defensive spells, and helps control undead encounters. Short sentence. Reliable.
Why pick it? Because it gives consistent support and fewer roleplay headaches. Devotion keeps you useful from early acts through Act 2 where undead are common. There are exceptions: if you want big burst damage, Devotion won’t out-damage a Vengeance build.
- Sacred Weapon-like boosts (adds to hit), useful when you need to land hits.
- Turn-the-unholy effects work against undead and fiends.
- Protection spells help fragile allies survive big hits.
Honestly, it’s sometimes a little plain. But plain can win fights and keep your party alive.
Oath of the Ancients — Nature and utility 🌿
Ancients mixes healing and field control. I’ve played one that carried a whole adventure when our party lacked a healer. It restrains, heals, and adds mobility options—very handy in drawn-out fights.
| Level | Example Spells/Effects |
|---|---|
| 3 | area control, minor support |
| 5 | mobility & zone damage |
| 9 | strong battlefield control |
Why this over Devotion? Because Ancients fills gaps. If your team lacks CC or heals, Ancients gives you both. Caveat: spell selection depends on your patch and mods (this can change), so check the build on 25 Nov 2025 before committing.
Oath of Vengeance — Single-target monster ⚡
Vengeance turns a Paladin into a hunter. We found it demolishes single priority targets. It gains advantage mechanics and burst combos that let you drop bosses quickly. Short, punchy, violent.
- Mark target (bonus action)
- Use Vow-like advantage (channel)
- Smite with advantage = high burst
Why choose Vengeance? Because it converts your role into a damage engine without losing Paladin durability. Counterintuitive note: playing too selfishly can ruin party synergy, but if you coordinate, it’s unmatched for focused takedowns.
Oathbreaker — Dark power, messy tradeoffs 💀
Oathbreaker is controversial. Some players call it overpowered; others say it ruins the story. I’ll be blunt: mechanically it can outscale other oaths in fights that let you abuse undead synergies, but you’ll pay socially (NPCs, quests).
“Oathbreaker feels like trading a suit of armor for a crown of thorns—powerful, but costly.”
Why and how it works: you get necrotic tools and an aura that boosts undead allies, turning summons into real damage engines. This is great in evil-aligned runs or when you recruit necromantic allies. But don’t assume every campaign allows it. There are exceptions and roleplay locks.
Quick comparison (short)
| Trait | Devotion | Ancients | Vengeance | Oathbreaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damage | Good | Moderate | High | High |
| Survivability | High | Very high | Moderate | High |
| Utility | Moderate | High | Low | Situational |
Multiclass tips (practical)
Multiclassing changes everything. I’ve used Sorcerer levels to fuel extra smites; it works. Hexblade Warlock gives Charisma weapon scaling, which is neat. To be fair, there are limits: Extra Attack from different classes doesn’t stack (remember that).
// simple Sorcadin idea
Paladin 6 / Sorcerer 6
- strong auras
- more spell slots for smites
- defensive utility
Roleplay and hard choices
Which oath fits you? It depends on your party, your story goals, and how you like to play. Do you want to protect, control, hunt, or dominate? I ask that because players often pick what’s flashy and then regret it later. Ask yourself: will I roleplay consequences?
Controversial point: I believe Oathbreaker is mechanically the most interesting, even if it’s narratively toxic for many campaigns. Some will disagree—and loudly. Also controversial: Devotion can be boring for players who crave spectacle; again, depends on your group.
Final, quick advice
- If you want dependable support: pick Devotion.
- If you need CC and self-healing: Ancients.
- To burst single targets: Vengeance.
- For necromantic power (and roleplay cost): Oathbreaker.
One analogy: choosing an oath is like picking a car—Devotion is a reliable sedan, Ancients an off-road SUV, Vengeance a sports car, and Oathbreaker a modified racecar that may get you banned from some roads. Surprising? Maybe.
Between us: test a few builds on 25 November 2025, tweak, and don’t be afraid to respec if it won’t work the way you expect. There are exceptions, and yes—sometimes I change my mind mid-campaign. Life of a Paladin, right?
