Master Oath of Watchers Paladin: 5e Guide

So, you aspire to be a Paladin, a protector against cosmic horrors as an Oath of the Watchers Paladin? This guide is your complete resource, breaking down mechanics and strategies to dominate extraplanar threats. Whether a D&D veteran or a newcomer, prepare to defend the innocent from otherworldly dangers and become a true guardian! We’ll cover everything from planar defense to divine smiting. For more Paladin subclass options, check out this guide on other oaths like the Oath of Glory.

Table of Contents

Oath of the Watchers: Mastering the Extra-Planar Paladin

The Oath of the Watchers Paladin is a subclass focused on battling creatures from other planes, such as demons, devils, and fey. But how do you become epic? Let’s explore the interdimensional combat prowess of this subclass.

Understanding Your Strengths: Plane-Hopping Powerhouse

The Oath of the Watchers Paladin excels against extraplanar creatures such as aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, and fiends. Your abilities disrupt and defeat these foes. However, against mundane enemies like goblins, you may not be as powerful; knowing these strengths and weaknesses is key. How can spell selection enhance your capabilities?

Your Arsenal: The Watcher’s Toolkit

Let’s explore your abilities:

Aura of the Sentinel: This aura boosts your allies’ initiative, improving your chances of striking first, granting a tactical advantage. How will you use this initiative bonus to control the battlefield?
Watcher’s Will: You can use your Channel Divinity to invest your presence with the warding power of your faith. As an action, you can choose a number of creatures you can see within 30 feet of you, up to a number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). For 1 minute, you and the chosen creatures have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws. In combat, this increased saving throw bonus is a lifesaver. What go-to defensive strategy will you employ?
Vigilant Rebuke: This ability lets you chastise anyone who dares wield beguilements against you and your wards. Whenever you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you succeeds on an Intelligence, a Wisdom, or a Charisma saving throw, you can use your reaction to deal 2d8 + your Charisma modifier force damage to the creature that forced the saving throw. Notably, Vigilant Rebuke can alter the flow of battle.
Mortal Bulwark: This ability manifests a spark of divine power in defense of the mortal realms. As a bonus action, you gain the following benefits for 1 minute: You gain truesight with a range of 120 feet. You have advantage on attack rolls against aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, and fiends. When you hit a creature with an attack roll and deal damage to it, you can also force it to make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature is magically banished to its native plane of existence if it’s currently not there. How will you demonstrate this protective power, shielding your allies?
Abjure the Extraplanar: You can use your Channel Divinity to castigate unworldly beings. As an action, you present your holy symbol and each aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, or fiend within 30 feet of you that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage. This fantastic crowd control tool is invaluable for disrupting enemy plans. Which enemy will you target first?

Spell Selection: Choosing Your Magical Weapons

Choosing spells that synergize with your abilities and target your favored extraplanar foes is crucial. Spells like Banishment, Hold Person, and Dispel Magic enhance your ability to take down otherworldly adversaries. As any good Paladin knows, well-chosen spells make all the difference in magical combat.

Building Your Character: Optimizing the Watcher

Your Charisma score is essential for attack rolls, spellcasting, and saving throw DCs. Maximize that Charisma! Feats like Alert or Sentinel amplify your defensive capabilities and reaction abilities, giving you an edge in combat. Experts recommend prioritizing Charisma to maximize your spellcasting ability. A suggested stat array could be Strength 15, Dexterity 8, Constitution 13, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 12, and Charisma 15. Consider races like Yuan-Ti or Half-Elf.

Mixing It Up: Multiclassing Options

If you’re feeling adventurous, dipping into Sorcerer or Warlock can boost your spellcasting prowess, adding versatility to your arsenal. Consider spells that synergize with your Paladin abilities. According to Tabletop Builds, careful multiclassing can significantly enhance a Paladin’s spellcasting potential. A Hexblade Warlock offers martial prowess and spellcasting, while Divine Soul Sorcerer provides additional spell slots and metamagic options.

Playing the Oath of the Watchers: Practical Tips

Strategic Positioning: Control the battlefield with your abilities. Your positioning dictates the fight’s flow.
Target Prioritization: Focus on the toughest, most dangerous extraplanar foes first.
Party Synergy: Coordinate your actions with teammates for a powerful team.
Adaptability is Key: Be flexible, adapting your strategies to different battles.

Oath of the Watchers: Strengths & Weaknesses Summarized

Strength	Weakness
Amazing against extraplanar creatures	Less effective against mundane enemies
Powerful control and disruptive powers	Heavily reliant on a high Charisma score
Excellent defensive abilities	Some abilities require a reaction

According to rpgbot.net, the Oath of the Watchers Paladin requires careful planning and strategy to maximize potential.

The Oath of the Watchers Paladin is a unique subclass. Mastering it means planning ahead, thinking strategically, and understanding its potential and limits. Embrace the challenge and become the guardian against the forces threatening our world!

How to Optimize a D&D 5e Oath of Watchers Paladin for Mundane Combat

Oath of Watchers Paladins excel against extraplanar foes, but strategic optimization unlocks their potential in everyday fights. High Charisma remains crucial, while Strength is key for melee combat. Balancing these stats and understanding subclass features are vital.

Key Takeaways:

Oath of Watchers Paladins shine against extraplanar foes, but strategic optimization unlocks their potential in everyday fights.
High Charisma remains crucial for spellcasting and ability effectiveness.
Careful feat selection enhances combat prowess, depending on your playstyle.

Understanding Your Strengths and Weaknesses

The Oath of the Watchers is potent against extraplanar threats. But what about goblins and bandits? Optimize your Paladin for mundane combat. Your core strength lies in your versatile spell list and combat capabilities. Consider how versatility in combat can change the tide of any ordinary encounter.

Maximizing Your Charisma and Strength

Charisma fuels spells and divine abilities, making a high score non-negotiable. Strength is important for melee attacks. Aim for balance, starting with 16 in both stats. How will stat distribution affect your combat style? A split of 16 Strength and 16 Charisma at level 1 allows for both potent spellcasting and effective melee combat.

Essential Feats for Mundane Battles

Feats refine combat abilities. Select feats that grant added utility in fights when extraplanar foes are not present.

Polearm Master: Shines if you favor polearms, adding extra attacks.
Great Weapon Master: Grants massive damage potential for two-handed weapons but requires careful positioning.
Sentinel: Controls the battlefield and enhances survivability against melee attackers.
War Caster: Excellent for maintaining spell concentration.

Choose wisely based on your Paladin build, focusing on enhancing your combat prowess and battlefield control.

Tactical Combat Strategies

How you use your abilities matters.

Aura of the Sentinel: Provides an initiative bonus valuable in any combat scenario. Strike first!
Vigilant Rebuke: Disrupts enemy spellcasters. Don’t think of it just for high-level mages.
Spell Selection: You need diverse spell choices beyond Counterspell, such as Bless or Spiritual Weapon.

Optimizing Your Spells

Bless, Healing Word, Guiding Bolt, and Divine Favor are useful spells to cover all combat situations. Higher Charisma increases these spells’ potency. How does a diverse spell selection enhance your combat options?

Bless: Enhances attack rolls and saving throws for you and your allies.
Healing Word: Provides a quick burst of healing to keep allies in the fight.
Guiding Bolt: Offers ranged damage and advantage on the next attack roll against the target.
Divine Favor: Adds extra damage to your weapon attacks.

Multiclassing Considerations

A pure Oath of Watcher Paladin can be effective, but limited multiclassing can enhance your capabilities. Levels in Sorcerer or Warlock could boost spellcasting abilities and versatility. A one or two-level dip into Hexblade Warlock can be particularly effective, allowing you to use Charisma

Author
Recent Posts

Yaride Tsuga

Yaride Tsuga, known widely by his gaming pseudonym, is a passionate gamer and aspiring technical guide writer with a mission to simplify gaming for enthusiasts worldwide. From a young age, Yaride immersed himself in the digital realms of consoles, PCs, and mobile games, cultivating a deep understanding of both mainstream and niche titles. Over the years, his curiosity evolved beyond gameplay into solving technical challenges—whether fixing bugs, optimizing performance, or troubleshooting glitches—that often hinder the gaming experience.