The new Unearthed Arcana article for Dungeons & Dragons showcased a test version of the paladin class in preparation for it to be updated in the next hotfix. Player’s Handbook which will be released in 2024. This new version of paladin has seen some balance tweaks, with some of its overpowered features toned down and new abilities added to bolster the class.

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Divine Smite can be used with unarmed attacks and ranged weapons

Divine Smite allows the D&D Paladin class to unleash Holy Power against their opponents, but it was limited to melee weapon attacks. This will no longer be the case, as the new version of Divine Smite can be used with unarmed attacks, allowing Paladins to infuse their fists with radiant energy and use it with ranged weapons to inflict their wrath. from a distance.

The new version of Divine Smite has some limitations, as it can no longer be combined with Smite spells used by Paladins in battle, which previously could be used to unleash a ton of damage in a single attack. Additionally, Divine Smite can only be used once per turn, so new Paladins won’t be able to unleash all of its powers in one destructive turn.

Smite Magic and Paladin spell slots have been revised.

Paladins have exclusive access to Smite spells, which allow them to infuse their weapon with different elements and effects at the cost of one spell slot. Unearthed Arcana changed most of these spells, as all but Searing Smite and Wrathful Smite removed the concentration requirement. This means that Paladins don’t have to worry about their powerful combat spells shutting down after receiving a single hit.

Additionally, Paladins now gain spell slots at level one, allowing them to use these powerful magic attacks early on. The rest of the paladin’s spell slot progression remains the same, so he doesn’t get more slots overall than he had in the Player’s Handbookbut start by accessing it.

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Lay on Hands, Auras and Channel Divinity Get New Features

The paladin’s healing-focused Lay on Hands ability has received some tweaks, as it can no longer heal ailments at level one and won’t be able to do so until level fifteen. On the plus side, Lay on Hands now has more utility, as it can now be used on undead and constructs, allowing it to heal some of the more unusual races in D&D 5E.

A minor change is that the Paladin’s Aura powers now stack. in 2014 Player’s HandbookPaladins had separate stats for Aura Protection and Aura Courage, but they now work as part of the same ability.

Image via Wizards of the Coast

Some of the paladin aspects have been changed as they still gain Channel Divinity, but it has an additional use as they gain Abjure Enemies at level nine, allowing them to stun and fear enemies with their holy magic. The Divine Sense ability is also part of Channel Divinity and is now received at level three, not level one. Some Paladin stats have also been shuffled and tweaked, as Divine Health has been removed, but they get Epic Boon Feat at level twenty, with Divine Conduit dropping to level eighteen.

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Special paladin mounts are (sort of) back

Back in D&D, paladins could summon unique mounts from distant planes, giving them a nice mount they could use in battle. This power was reduced in D&D 5E, as it was transferred to the Seek Courier spell, which only summoned a frail creature for the paladin to ride.

In Unearthed Arcana, the Find steed spell has been improved, and paladins still have it on their spell list at level five, and can cast it for free once per day. The new version of Find Steed can be used to summon a Celestial, Fey, or Fiend mount with additional powers, while using a higher level spell slot will give them higher stats.

Oath of Devotion subclass characteristics have been shuffled

The Oath of Devotion subclass was the only one to appear in Unearthed Arcana, and it has undergone some changes, especially with its magical powers. This means the Oath of Devotion spell list has changed, with Sanctuary, Minor Restoration, Beacon of Hope, Dispel Magic and Freedom of Movement replaced by Shield of Faith, Aid, Aura of Vitality, Blinding Strike and Stunning Strike .

The characteristics of the Oath of Devotion subclass have also been changed, as Sacred Weapon can now be used as a bonus action, Aura of Devotion is gained at level ten, and Holy Nimbus is received at level fourteen. They also gain the Shielding Strike ability at level six, allowing them to grant temporary hit points to an ally when performing a divine strike. At the same time, they lost the Turn Undead and Purity of Spirit abilities.

The new paladin is more balanced than before.

In D&D 5E, the paladin could deal ridiculous damage in one turn if the player was willing to burn most of their resources in a single flurry of hits. This often led to situations where the campaign villain was OHKOed with a critical hit infused with Divine Smite, followed by Smite spell attacks. The new paladin in Unearthed Arcana isn’t as different as the new D&D Druid version, but many of the changes make sense and it feels like his abilities have been spread out more than loaded. previous levels.

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