The Paladin is one of Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Editions‘s best classes and one of its most beloved. Its power and versatility see it played at many tables. Sometimes, however, players want to push things even further.
It’s tough to make a bad Paladin build in D&D 5e, regardless of their lineage. You’re not going to shame your ancestors by picking Goblin (which isn’t even a bad choice).
Nonetheless, some D&D 5e Paladin races go far above par. Whether they bolster the class’s combat potential, magic, or versatility, they push the already powerful class past its limits.
Note: All lists of the best D&D 5e races assume the use of Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse or Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything rules where ability score boosts are open-ended. If your table limits them, all of the advice might not apply.
Variant Human and Custom Lineage Provide Obscene Value
Let’s say the thing. Let’s get the obvious, obligatory choice out of the way. D&D 5e has many races and lineages, and almost none match the Variant Human in any build. The Custom Lineage option reaches the same heights by basically being the same thing.
The free feat. Dear god, . This is utterly invaluable for any character in the game. You can start with a powerful, synergistic choice that doesn’t tax your later Ability Score Improvements.
Does your D&D 5e Paladin build wield a polearm? Variant Human or Custom Lineage can give them Polearm Master from the off. Do they like their spells? How about free War Caster? If they’re any sort of Paladin at all, D&D 5e‘s Fey Touched at first level is obscene.
This is even better for the Paladin than for many other D&D 5e classes. Due to the many ability scores they have to juggle (Strength, Constitution, and Charisma are typical), they can get a feat without falling behind.
The difference between the two is minimal. A Variant Human Paladin build in D&D 5e offers a wider potential spread of ability score bonuses. Custom Lineage lets you trade out your skill for Darkvision. Custom Lineage also opens the doors for some weird aesthetic choices.
Either way, your D&D 5e Paladin build will be off to a great start.
Orcs Allow For Aggressive Mobility
D&D 5e‘s Orcs have been an ever-evolving and contentious topic. Their first printing in Volo’s Guide to Monsters was underwhelming statistically and sparked plenty of contentious discourse.
They’ve gotten much better since then, especially as a race for D&D 5e Paladin builds.
Paladins in D&D 5e struggle with mobility (outside of certain subclasses) and ranged damage. They’re melee warriors, first and foremost, and want to get into a fight straight away.
The D&D 5e Orc makes for such a good Paladin because of this. Their Adrenaline Rush is a bonus action Dash on a class that doesn’t often use its bonus action. On top of that, it provides some modest temporary hit points to an already-durable frontline.
Relentless Endurance is another top-tier durability feature for a D&D 5e Paladin build (shared with Half-Orcs). Paladins take a lot of damage. Being able to flat-out not drop is ideal. In addition, a Paladin at one hit point has plenty of tools, such as Lay on Hands, to remedy that.
Orc is one of the best races for a D&D 5e Paladin due to its mobility and durability. Powerful Build letting you carry a golf bag of weapons around is nice as well. And, thank Gruumsh, they no longer have a horrendous Intelligence penalty.
Aasimar Fit Mechanically and Aesthetically
Creating an Aasimar Paladin in D&D 5e isn’t some act of creative mad genius. The part-celestial lineage and holy warrior are a natural fit on every storytelling level. Fortunately, they’re an excellent mechanical pairing as well.
The D&D 5e Aasimar’s racial abilities revolve around healing and damage. These are the things Paladins do best, assuming you don’t count buffing, social interaction, saving throws, and winning the game.
There are two different versions of the D&D 5e Aasimar to choose from. Which one you go for might depend on your table’s rules or the very books you own. The Volo’s Guide to Monsters option is probably superior, but Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse‘s Aasimar isn’t exactly a wimp.
Resistance to Necrotic and Radiant damage, although situational, is invaluable in the sorts of fights most D&D 5e Paladins get into. Healing Hands provides yet another way Paladins can touch creatures and restore their hit points. Hands-on care, huh?
In both versions of the D&D 5e Aasimar, a Paladin chooses from one of three, once-per-day transformations that make them even better in a fight. The Volo’s Guide versions typically deal much more damage at the cost of being an action to trigger.
The Protector Aasimar (or Mordenkainen‘s Radiant Soul Celestial Revelation) provides wings, a fly speed (with the wings), and Radiant damage on attacks or spells. It also looks awesome.
The Fallen Aasimar (or Necrotic Shroud Celestial Revelation) gives flightless wings, bonus Necrotic damage, and a chance to inflict the Frightened condition on nearby enemies. This is excellent for Charisma-heavy Paladins like Oath of Ancients, Devotion, or Conquest.
The Scourge Aasimar inflicts damage to all nearby creatures as well as more focused damage with their attacks or spells. The Volo’s Guide version deals much more damage at the cost of also damaging the D&D 5e Paladin, who can take it.
Shadar-Kai Are Grim, Mobile, and Hard to Kill
Shadar-Kai are a little more gothic in their aesthetic than many D&D 5e Paladin races. However, they also have closer ties to a god than many, being sworn to the Raven Queen. If you fancy a particularly grim Paladin, they’re an excellent choice.
This extends to their mechanics. They have another way of solving the D&D 5e Paladin’s mobility and range woes. Blessing of the Raven Queen is a bonus action teleport they can use proficiency bonus times per long rest.
This is even better than a Dash. The Paladin can appear next to any enemy within 30 feet, regardless of terrain and obstacles. Even better, this gives resistance to all damage for a turn after, making retaliation futile.
Necrotic damage resistance remains situational but invaluable against undead, necromancers, and other things that hate D&D 5e Paladins. Keen Senses casually provides proficiency .
Your Shadar-Kai Paladin build in D&D 5e won’t be the life of the party, but they might be the death of the party’s enemies.
Autognomes Fit Specific Paladin Builds Well
From grim to goofy. Spelljammer is an unusual D&D 5e setting. Why not include a tiny robotic Paladin out to make Wildspace that bit more moral?
The Autognome’s Built for Success makes them an excellent lineage for D&D 5e Paladins. An extra d4 on a crucial attack to Divine Smite or added to an already ridiculous saving throw is always welcome, and the Autognome can do that several times per day.
The saving throw advantages against the Paralyzed condition, particularly with Aura of Protection (and, hey, that extra d4) basically make it not worth your DM’s time to bother trying.
Healing Machine is a wash for D&D 5e Paladin builds. They can heal off a Mending spell, but can’t use their own Lay on Hands for themselves. As a result, there’s no net downside. Look at it that way, it’s nicer.
However, the D&D 5e Autognome Paladin build comes with a strong caveat. As small creatures, they have disadvantage with Heavy weapons. The highest-damage Paladin builds in D&D 5e use things like halberds or greatswords.
Instead, the Autognome suits an unconventional Dexterity Paladin well. They can use a rapier and shield to keep up their baseline damage. With Armored Casing, they maintain top-tier Armor Class.
Dhampir Opens Up A Very Unusual Paladin Build
And we’re back to gothic. Dhampir is one of my favourite lineages in D&D 5e. A Dhampir Paladin sounds like the sort of character you find in questionable fanfic, but I promise there’s no obligation to dial up the edge.
Dhampir gives many side features that are great for D&D 5e Paladins. Its base movement of 35 feet provides a consistent movement speed bonus ideal for a melee class. On top of that, Spider Climb lets Paladins reach many far-away nuisance enemies and utterly ruin their day.
Two free skills (or bonuses from a pre-existing race) helps a Paladin focus even more on providing Face duties. Because dominating D&D 5e combat wasn’t quite enough. Not needing to breathe is just neat.
However, Dhampir makes for an interesting D&D 5e Paladin because it opens up a brand new way to play. Their Vampiric Bite is a weapon attack that uses Constitution instead of Strength. Because it’s a weapon attack, Paladin can Divine Smite with it.
Your D&D 5e Dhampir Paladin build can be incredibly metal by fighting all of their foes teeth-first, not a conventional weapon in sight. This does miss out on damage, but lets the player build an incredibly durable Paladin with 20 Constitution and self-healing.
Plus, Dhampir is just cool.
Warforged Are Nearly Unbreakable
One spooky, one robot. D&D 5e‘s Warforged race isn’t at home in every setting or at every table. Where it fits, however, it makes for a very hard-to-kill Paladin.
Integrated Protection is a significant part of this. A single +1 to Armor Class doesn’t sound like much (and isn’t, next to the eye-watering AC of the first Warforged draft). However, it stacks with anything else a D&D 5e Paladin build can throw on top.
Heavy armour, the Defence Fighting Style, magical bonuses, the Shield of Faith spell, and more can make a Warforged D&D 5e Paladin build almost impossible to scratch with attacks. And then there’s saving throws, something the class also excels at.
Honestly, a Warforged Paladin build is effective and uncomplicated. The other features, such as Sentry’s Rest, Constructed Resilience, and a free skill, are all welcome.
However, the main thrust is getting your Armor Class as high as possible, finding a way to keep enemies near you, and laughing off attacks. This is all it takes for the Warforged to be one of the best Paladin races in D&D 5e.
Eladrin Put A Brighter, Magical Spin on Mobile Elves
Eladrin is the scene kid cousin to the Shadar-Kai’s goth in D&D 5e. Due to the mechanical similarities, they’re also a top-tier race for Paladins, for largely similar reasons.
Like Shadar-Kai, Eladrin can give the D&D 5e Paladin a much-needed teleport proficiency bonus times per day. This helps with closing on enemies, crossing obstacles, and appearing dramatically to aid a vulnerable companion.
However, the Eladrin’s teleportation comes with additional magical rider effects instead of resistance to damage. They can Charm or Frighten enemies, teleport allies, or set fire to their enemies.
Teleporting allies and setting fire to enemies don’t require any ability scores (and the first is an excellent move for a tank). However, the Charm and Frighten effects need a saving throw based on a mental stat.
Hint: Choose Charisma.
D&D 5e Eladrin Paladin (say that five times fast) builds that want to make use of this should make their Charisma at least as high a priority as Strength. This goes well with D&D 5e Paladin subclasses that focus on spells, saving throw abilities, or other uses for Charisma.
While it might not be the best race for every D&D 5e Paladin build, Eladrin is excellent for an Oath of Ancients or Oath of Conquest Paladin, as well as potentially being useful for an Oath of Devotion or Oath of the Watchers build.
Satyrs Are Fun for Everyone Except the Enemy
Satyr is infamous as . They’re good for everyone, and thoroughly excellent for any Paladin build.
Their higher movement speed is excellent for making sure a Paladin can close with the enemy. Mirthful Leaps isn’t as reliable as climbing, flying, or teleporting, but it beats having nothing.
Reveler is another excellent feature for any D&D 5e Paladin build. Paladins have high Charisma by their nature. Even if Performance is a situational skill, free Persuasion proficiency is more than worth it. This lets them emphasise their social skills or branch out with the Paladin’s innate proficiencies.
Even Ram is theoretically useful if the party get disarmed, imprisoned, or pick a fight somewhere they’re not allowed weapons.
However, these all pale next to Magic Resistance. Advantage on saving throws against all magical effects is simply the best race or lineage ability in D&D 5e. This is especially true for the Paladin, who already has insane saving throw bonuses thanks to Aura of Protection.
Magic Resistance on a Paladin is a powerful D&D 5e build in its own right. The Satyr’s other features make it the clear best choice for anyone who can tolerate having goat legs.
This has been a (somewhat wordy) experiment in more freeform content for Artificial Twenty, discussing the upsides and potential pitfalls of D&D 5e‘s best Paladin races..
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