Forget Honor Mode \u2013 Baldur\u2019s Gate 3\u2019s Paladin class is the real hard mode Larian StudiosBaldur\u2019s Gate 3\u2019s most popular class is Paladin, but a core mechanic of these characters makes them even harder to play \u2013 yet so rewarding. Since Baldur\u2019s Gate 3 released, the Paladin has topped Larian Studios\u2019 lists of the most played classes. The Paladin also sits at or near the top of various best-class lists, including Dexerto\u2019s own tier list. Still, for some players, the idea of playing as a duty-bound warrior who has taken an oath and drawn power from that bond isn\u2019t particularly compelling. In a way, your choices matter more as a Paladin than when playing as other classes, since breaking the tenets of your Oath comes with consequences. The Paladin\u2019s nature may turn off some Baldur\u2019s Gate 3 players, but the concept introduces a different kind of challenge to the game that goes beyond the punishing difficulty increase of Honor Mode. Baldur\u2019s Gate 3\u2019s Paladins are a powerful challenge There are good reasons for the Paladin\u2019s popularity. These characters excel in battle, having access to both melee might and magical abilities. Add onto that some fantastic smites and Charisma, and you can create a strong Paladin build that can hold their own in combat while still serving as a great face for the party. Of course, not every class will appeal to all players for various reasons. Still, one comment sticks out on a Reddit post discussing which classes players tried but didn\u2019t enjoy; as one user shared, they disliked the Paladin because \u201cMy morally relativistic interpretations of their oaths wildly differ from the game\u2019s.\u201d Others shared a similar sentiment, with a commenter saying they picked Oath of Vengence because Ancients or Devotion were \u201ctoo clean.\u201d The Paladin Oath mechanic in itself provides a disconnect for players. Most fantasy settings like Baldur\u2019s Gate 3 draw heavily from Medieval Europe, resulting in characters with different values from our own. Ideas like chivalry and (pun intended) absolutism inform aspects of fantasy characters but are increasingly unpopular among modern audiences. The game also implements consequences for Paladins who stray from the \u201ccorrect\u201d path. Making a choice that goes against your Oath\u2019s values leads to a visit from the Oathbreaker Knight, preventing you from using your Channel Oath abilities until you either restore your Oath or become an Oathbreaker. Paladin Oaths are hard to follow \u2013 and that\u2019s the point Adhering to a Paladin Oath can be simple or difficult depending on your playstyle. The tenets are mostly straightforward \u2013 Oath of the Ancient Paladins value nature and light, Devotion cares about duty and defending the weak, and Vengeance is dedicated to punishing the wicked and fighting for the oppressed \u2013 so you can usually make your choices based on what the class wants you to do. That approach can make it hard for those who like to make their video game characters reflect themselves as much as possible. But while the Paladin mindset might not be super relatable, it does present a challenge for those who are interested. Playing as a Paladin and trying to keep your Oath for the entire game is a great roleplaying test that allows you to think differently about your character\u2019s story. Playing this way lets you really make your character your own as you consider where their values come from. Even breaking your Oath in that context contributes to the narrative, forcing you to consider if there are any limits to what your character would do to uphold their Oath. Of course, you can play as an Oathbreaker and enjoy new abilities, but equally interesting are stories about characters who have their beliefs tested but find new, better reasons to keep the faith. Baldur\u2019s Gate 3 is full of complex, three-dimensional characters that follow and transcend fantasy tropes in a way that balances the traditional and the modern. This can make a class like the Paladin feel dated and restrictive with its strict tenets \u2013 but that doesn\u2019t have to be a limit. Creativity \u2013 and memorable RPG experiences \u2013 often come from using what seem like limitations to your favor, and Baldur\u2019s Gate 3\u2019s Paladin Oaths are a perfect way to get you thinking about the game and character development in a new way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Forget Honor Mode \u2013 Baldur\u2019s Gate 3\u2019s Paladin class is the real hard mode Larian StudiosBaldur\u2019s Gate 3\u2019s most popular class is Paladin, but a core mechanic of these characters makes them even harder to play \u2013 yet so rewarding. Since Baldur\u2019s Gate 3 released, the Paladin has topped Larian Studios\u2019 lists of the most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21018\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}