D&D (2024) UA 6 Paladin Analysis from Treantmonk

[Clint_L]

Pretty positive!

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Listening to it.

 

[Clint_L]

TLDR: very impressed by most features, though a few need tweaking. Baseline damage is a bit behind pure melee classes but competitive.

There's a separate video just for the changes to smite, but overall he likes them.

 

[mellored]

There's a separate video just for the changes to smite, but overall he likes them.

The fact that you can chose your smite effect, instead of just damage, is very good.

 

[Stalker0]

I will disagree with TMs damage assumptions on this one. Great Weapon Mastery I feel is a bad feat for paladins, who now have so many bonus action pulls on the class.

I also think smites should be more frequent at those levels. I would expect most paladins to just smite every round, regardless of crit.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

TLDR: very impressed by most features, though a few need tweaking. Baseline damage is a bit behind pure melee classes but competitive.

Maybe that is intentional?

Utility vs. Damage?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I will disagree with TMs damage assumptions on this one. Great Weapon Mastery I feel is a bad feat for paladins, who now have so many bonus action pulls on the class.

Tbh I didn’t see it that much when Paladins didn’t have a ton of bonus action stuff. Now? I can’t see it being done much at all.

I also think smites should be more frequent at those levels. I would expect most paladins to just smite every round, regardless of crit.

Given the “DPR over all” mindset of CharOp analysis, sure. In most actual games, though, I doubt it.

 

[Horwath]

Maybe that is intentional?

Utility vs. Damage?

maybe some people want a simple paladin.
Then burning all slots on smite worked just fine.

Here is my variant for a spell-less paladin.
No spell slots.
Pool of healing for lay on hands has been increased.
5 Points of Lay on hands can be spend per +1d8 smite damage.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

maybe some people want a simple paladin.
Then burning all slots on smite worked just fine.

Here is my variant for a spell-less paladin.
No spell slots.
Pool of healing for lay on hands has been increased.
5 Points of Lay on hands can be spend per +1d8 smite damage.
View attachment 291587

How does this compare with a cleric pumping all their spell slots into Cure Wounds spells?

 

[Horwath]

How does this compare with a cleric pumping all their spell slots into Cure Wounds spells?

pretty much the same, just for the half-caster part.
also with added 5HP per level of default LoH.

That way, paladin only has two "magic" options. Smite and Heal. And both are from one resource pool.
If Smite would be too much burst power in this variant, there is always option to limit it to once per turn, as sneak attack.