Baldur's Gate 3: Best Oath Of The Crown Paladin Build

One of the biggest decisions you will need to make when making a character in Baldur’s Gate 3 is picking a class that most suits your playstyle. Whether you’re a fearless player who likes to charge headfirst into battle or a methodical strategist who likes to tackle situations with perfect balance, the classes you pick will help shape the type of approach you’ll be taking in your different encounters.

Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Oathbreaker Paladin Build

Break an oath, then break your foes.

The paladin is an interesting class wherein the player takes an oath, dictating their different choices throughout their journey. There are different paladin subclasses, and each type explores a certain type of oath. One such subclass is the oath of the crown.

Oath of the Crown Paladin Overview

This paladin subclass is dedicated to upholding laws to maintain an orderly society. Keeping their oath requires them to keep their promises or to abide by rules. Certain actions will cause them to break their oath and turn into an oathbreaker.

To keep your oath as an oath of the crown paladin, you'll need to keep track of the pacts you've made with people and what can be considered as obedience to civil law.

How To Keep Your Oath Of The Crown Paladin Oath

Act One:

• Do not attack Damays and Nymessa when saving Lae'zel.
• Do not sever Gale's hand as the Dark Urge.
• Do not let Arka execute Sazza.
• Do not allow Sazza to escape the Emerald Grove.
• Come clean about the murder of Alfira as the Dark Urge.
• Do not break your promise to either defend the tieflings or support Minthara.
• Do not let Auntie Ethel go.
• Keep your promise to Sovereign Spaw.
• Accept Florrick’s request to rescue Ravengard.
• Do not steal the githyanki egg. You may ask the scientist for it instead.
• Do not torture Liam in the goblin camp.

Act Two:

• Do not let Madeline plunge the blade into herself
• Refusing to side with Marcus in Last Light Inn.
• Refusing to help Z'rell kidnap Isobel.
• Do not use your authority to command the goblins to kill themselves in Moonrise Towers.
• Do not turn the mechanism of the moonlantern when speaking to Dolly.
• Do not kill or free the Nightsong if you've already agreed to deliver her to Ketheric.

Act Three:

• Keep your promise to Gortash by refusing Orin.
• Keep your promise to Orin by refusing Gortash.
• Keep your promise to Jaheira not to kill Minsc.
• Refuse to make a pact with the hag.
• Refuse to become an Unholy Assassin.
• Do not activate the kill switch on the workers’ collars in the Steelwatch Foundry
• Do not betray Allandra Grey.
• Keep your word to the Strange Ox by bringing him along when you first enter Baldur's Gate.
• Do not give into Arfur's pleas after you find out his secret.

When it comes to combat, the oath of the crown paladin enjoys several spells that will draw the enemy’s attention away from their allies and shoulder the damage that their companions should be taking.

The Best Starting Stats, Species, And Spells For An Oath of the Crown Paladin

The foundation of your oath of the crown paladin begins with the type of species you pick and the skills and stats you prioritize. When deciding, it’s important to take note that the oath of the crown paladin works best as a tank that will absorb damage for the team.

Species

While you can make any species work for this subclass, there are two that will give you useful features: half-orc and gold dwarf.

Species

Description

Half-Orc

While Savage Attacks is useful thanks to the additional dice of damage when you land a critical hit with a melee weapon, the most attractive feature of this species is Relentless Endurance. With this, once every long rest a half-orc will retain one point of health if an attack supposedly downs them.

Gold Dwarf

Dwarves enjoy Dwarven Resilience which allows them to have advantage against being poisoned and they also have a resistance to poison damage. What makes the gold dwarf an attractive choice however is their Dwarven Toughness which grants them an extra one point in their maximum health every time they gain a level.

Background

Picking a background won’t influence your class much. That said, you can pick a background based on a skill proficiency that’s most useful to this subclass.

Backgrounds are primarily for gaining inspiration which will allow you to re-roll a die upon failure.

Proficiency in athletics is quite useful in combat because it’ll give you resistance to being shoved and an increased likelihood in successfully shoving others. This skill is something those of the outlander and soldier backgrounds enjoy, so those are great choices for an oath of the crown paladin.

Stats

Your most important stats will be Constitution and Charisma. A higher Constitution score will increase your hit points and will also help you succeed concentration saving throws. You'll also need a high level of Charisma to ensure that your spellcasting is effective.

While your starting ability scores are important, there are items you can find that can set your abilities to a higher score.

Stat

Recommended Score

STR

14

DEX

10

CON

17

INT

8

WIS

8

CHA

16

Tips To Best Play An Oath of the Crown Paladin

When it comes to decision-making, you should always keep your word when playing as an oath of the crown paladin, regardless if it means making an evil or a good choice. Also, you’ll need to abide by laws by generally being morally upright, unless it goes against a promise you’ve made.

In combat, it’s important to be the one with the best defense as well as the highest hit points on the battlefield. You will be drawing attention to yourself while taking damage for your companions. A good ally to defend would be your support units who may have lower armour class and hit points.

Your healers are often the most essential to keep alive, so it's best to use your abilities as an oath of the crown paladin to protect them.

You won’t necessarily be the one dealing the biggest numbers damage-wise, but you should take every opportunity to punish those who choose to attack you. Certain equipment, spells, and setups will help you do this.

Best Level By Level Build For An Oath of the Crown Paladin

As you increase your level as an oath of the crown paladin, you'll need to select certain feats and a fighting style. You'll also get more spells in your spellbook as you become stronger, allowing you to pick from more options when you set your prepared spells.

The number of prepared spells you can choose at certain levels will be the sum of your level and your charisma modifier.

Level

Change

Description

1

Subclass

Pick the oath of the crown subclass.

Gain

Righteous Clarity.

Gain

Three Lay on Hands charges.

Gain

One Channel Oath charge.

Gain

Divine Sense.

2

Fighting Style

Select Protection to give enemies who attack your allies disadvantage while you are within 1.5m.

Gain

Divine Smite.

Gain

Two level one spell slots.

Prepared Spells

Shield of Faith, Thunderous Smite, Heroism, and Divine Favour.

3

Subclass features

• Champion Challenge - compel enemies within nine meters to attack you. Attacks made against your allies have disadvantage.
• Turn the Tide - heal allies within a nine meter radius.

Oath Spells

Command and Compelled Duel.

Gain

Divine Health.

Gain

An additional level one spell slot for a total of three.

Prepared Spells

Add Bless.

4

Feat

Pick durable.

Gain

+1 Lay on Hands charge for a total of four.

Prepared Spells

Add Wrathful Smite.

5

Gain

Extra Attack.

Gain

An additional level one spell slot for a total of four.

Gain

Two level two spell slots.

Prepared Spells

Add Magic Weapon and Aid.

Oath Spells

Warding Bond and Spiritual Weapon.

6

Gain

Aura of Protection.

Prepared Spells

Add Protection from Poison.

7

Gain

An additional level two spell slot for a total of three.

Prepared Spells

Add Branding Smite.

Subclass Feature

Divine Allegiance - when an ally within 1.5m takes damage, use your reaction to substitute your health for your ally's. They will regain hitpoints at the cost of radiant damage to yourself.

8

Feat

Pick alert.

Prepared Spells

Add Protection from Evil and Good.

9

Gain

Two level three spell slots.

Prepared Spells

Remove Divine Favour and replace it with Warden of Vitality. Add Blinding Smite.

Oath Spells

Spirit Guardians and Crusader's Mantle.

10

Gain

+1 Lay on Hands charge for a total of five.

Gain

Aura of Courage which grants you and nearby allies immunity from being frightened.

Prepared Spells

Add Revivify.

11

Gain

Improved Divine Smite.

Gain

An additional level three spell slot for a total of three.

Prepared Spells

Add Remove Curse.

12

Feat

Pick tough.

Prepared Spells

Add Elemental Weapon.

The Best Equipment For An Oath of the Crown Paladin

The best equipment for this subclass would be heavy armour and other pieces that will increase their stats or give them the ability to deal extra damage to enemies.

Equipment

Item

Description

Location

Weapon

Sword of Life Stealing

On a critical hit, you gain ten temporary hit points and the target takes an extra ten necrotic damage if it isn't a construct or undead.

Can be purchased from Dammon in Last Light Inn in act two.

or Hoppy

Revitalising Strike - deal additional necrotic damage equal to your proficiency bonus and heal 1d6 hit points.

Can be purchased from Lady Esther in Rosymorn Monastery Trail in act one.

Shield

Adamantine Shield

• Attackers can't land critical hits on the wearer.
• When you're hit with a melee attack, you can use a reaction to knock the attacker prone.
• When a melee attack misses you, the attecker is sent reeling for two turns.

Can be forged in Grymforge in act one.

or Viconia's Walking Fortress

• Bulwark Rebuke - melee attackers receive 2d4 force damage and are possibly knocked prone.
• Reflective Shell - one every short rest, you can reflect projectiles targeting you back to their origin.
• Warding Bond
• Spellguard - gain advantage on saving throws against spells and spell attack rolls targeting you have disadvantage.

Can be looted from Viconia DeVir in act three.

Helm

Helldusk Helmet

• Attackers can't land Critical Hits on the wearer.
• Immolating Gaze - frighten a target and deal 2d8 fire damage.
• Infernal Sight - see out of darkness to a rance of 12m and you cannot be blinded.
• Magical Durability - +2 bonus to saving throws against spells.

Can be looted from Raphael's Vault in the House of Hope in act three.

Cape

Cloak of Protection

• Armour Class +1
• Saving Throw +1

Can be purchased from Quartermaster Talli in Last Light Inn in act two.

Armor

Helldusk Armour

• Fly
• Infernal Retribution - when you succeed a saving throw, the caster is inflicted with burning for three turns.
• Prime Aegis of Fire - gain resistance to fire damage and immunity to burning. Damage from all sources is also reduced by three.

Can be looted from Raphael in the House of Hope in act three.

or Plate Armour +2

Reduces incoming slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage by two.

Can be purchased from traders at level 11.

Amulet

Amulet of Greater Health

Sets the wearer's constitution to 23 and grants advantage on constitution saving throws.

Can be looted from a pedestal in the archive room in the House of Hope in act three.

Gloves

Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength

• Strength saving throws +1
• Sets wearer's strength to 23.

Can be looted from a pedestal in the archive room in the House of Hope in act three.

or Gloves of Belligerent Skies

Thunderous Conversion - inflict two turns of reverbation on a target when you hit them with thunder, lightning, or radiant damage.

Can be looted from a chest in the Inquisitor's Chamber in Crèche Y'llek in act one.

Ring 1

Ring of Regeneration

Heal for 1d4 hit points at the beginning of your turn.

Can be purchased from the Sorcerous Sundries in act three.

Ring 2

Crusher's Ring

Movement speed increases by three meters.

Can be looted from Crusher in the Goblin Camp in act one.

Boots

Disintegrating Night Walkers

• Misty Step
• Night Walker - you cannot be enwebbed, entangled, or ensnared, and you cannot slip on grease or ice.

Can be looted from Nere in Grymforge in act one.

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