Is the war truly over? Is my Oath what I truly believe, or is it what I was designed to think? There’s no time for questions like that. There are still people to protect, wrongs to be righted and darkness to be kept at bay. No, my war isn’t over, it’s just taken on a different name. I have a duty to fulfill, for that is my purpose.

How to Make a Warforged Paladin

The first thing to decide when creating a paladin of any kind is to decide what you want the role they play to be. Most paladin subclasses are a flavorful choice that helps gain access to more spells, but what can set a Warforged apart from the rest is the Fighting Style.

If you want to focus on attacking with weapons, your priority will probably be your Strength or Dexterity, depending on what type of weapon you see your character wielding, adding the +1 to your choice as well from the Warforged starting stats.

If you wish to maximize your Spell capabilities, then you’ll want to put your best number into Charisma and add the +1 there instead. This pairs nicely with the +2 Warforged get to Constitution, as it will help maintain concentration in combat on the spells that require it.

At 2nd level when you get to choose your fighting style, there are several good options for a Warforged. 

One of the best suited is Defense, giving you a +1 Armor Class just for wearing armor, as well as a +1 from the Warforged Integrated Protection feature. This gives you the benefit of being able to use two handed weapons and have the same Armor Class as characters wearing the same armor and carrying a shield. It can also be used with a shield for even higher than normal Armor Class.

How to Play a Warforged Paladin

Paladins are versatile warriors and thus have many great options. As a Warforged, their natural Armor Class and likely higher than normal Hit Points, one of the roles they fill very easily is the defensive member. Almost always in the front, the Interception fighting style is a great way to reduce damage to nearby members.

Protection fighting style can impose disadvantage on an enemy attacking an ally, though it requires a shield. To optimize your defense though, a Warforged carrying a shield is hard to hit. An obscure build could be to give yourself high Dexterity and use Finesse weapons with a shield, despite wearing heavy armor. It’ll make it easier to dodge area effects and spells and when adding on the Shield Master feat, you make those chances even higher, with the potential to avoid damage altogether from Fireball spells and a dragon’s Breath Weapon. A perfect tool to keep everyone in the party safe.

If you wish to take advantage of Paladin spells, some essential Concentration spells like Bless and Magic Weapon will benefit from the natural Constitution of a Warforged. Taking the War Caster feat can maximize the efficiency of these spells as well, giving advantage on any saving throws to maintain the spell, as well as being able to take Opportunity Attacks with spells like Sacred Flame if you take the Blessed Warrior fighting style.

How to Roleplay as a Warforged Paladin

As a Warforged, roleplaying a paladin can be very unique. The confusion or concern that their Oath may not be something they believe in, but something they were programmed to think. Or playing a Warforged who embraces their Oath and calling, either to avoid the turmoil of feeling their purpose is already complete, or because they truly believe they can still do good with their former goals. Others still could regret their part in a war and be seeking redemption either in the people’s eyes or their own. There is so much potential for a deep and complex character in a Warforged Paladin.

Several Oaths fit well with what the Warforged are, such as Conquest, Crown, Devotion, and Redemption.