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Fusing the martial prowess of Fighters with the healing of Clerics, Paladins are the holy knights of Baldur’s Gate 3. This unique mix of powers arguably makes Paladin the best class for beginners. No matter the player’s skill level, however, Paladins are a force to be reckoned with. Learning to wield this class’s potent magic is one of the first things players should do. After that, the player will be ready for every challenge BG3 has to throw at them. Here are the best Paladin spells in the game, ranked from useful to game-changing.
8. Lesser Restoration
Paladins are some of the best healers in Baldur’s Gate 3, so it makes sense that their best spells would reflect that. Lesser Restoration cures a target of disease, poison, paralysis, or blindness. It’s a little painful using a Level 2 spell slot for that, but given how detrimental those effects can be, the expenditure is worth it. Though there are potions and other means of achieving the same effect, its hard to argue with the convenience of clearing up these conditions at will.
7. Command
Command forces the chosen target to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop its weapon. The variety of options gives the Paladin flexibility in a variety of combat situations. As a hybrid role character, Paladins are all about adapting to the needs of the present moment, and Command is a distillation of that stance. Outright DPS spells typically outperform delay spells, but effectively robbing an enemy of its damage-dealing potential or entire turn is too good to pass up. It might be underrated, but Command is one of the best Paladin spells.
6. Shield of Faith
Shield of Faith plays into the stereotype of Paladins as protectors of the weak. It grants a target +2 AC, making it significantly harder for enemies to hit. The player can use that to buff a Fighter or other tank to maximize their survivability and keep them drawing aggro as long as possible. Alternatively, the player can shore up the defenses of a Sorcerer or other vulnerable spellcaster. The spell’s Concentration requirement is admittedly a drawback, but that’s a fair price to pay for one of the Paladin’s most useful defensive buffs.
5. Wrathful Smite
Wrathful Smite deals 1d6 Psychic damage, which isn’t great but can be enough to finish off weak foes or those that have already taken extensive damage. The spell’s more valuable effect is its ability to Frighten targets who fail their WIS Save against it. Frightened enemies cannot move and suffer Disadvantage on attacks and Ability Checks. That combination is great for locking dangerous enemies in place long enough for the Paladin or one of their companions to finish the job.
4. Thunderous Smite
2d6 Thunder damage is a modest improvement over Wrathful Smite, which already makes Thunderous Smite pretty good. Rather than Frighten a foe, Thunderous Smite instead pushes them back 1m and knocks them prone if they fail a Strength Save. The Thunder damage may be enough to kill the enemy outright, but even if it’s not, the small push can still be enough to send them sailing off a cliff. Even if they survive both of those effects, knocking them Prone leaves the enemy extremely vulnerable to followup attacks. This combination of effects makes Thunderous Smite one of the best Paladin spells.
3. Cure Wounds
A character can’t be much of a healer without any healing abilities. Cure Wounds is relatively strong for a Level 1 Evoation, healing 3-10 damage. Needing to touch the wounded creature in order to heal them is a large drawback for vulnerable Clerics but much less of a concern for an armored Paladin. The major flaw of Cure Wounds is therefore only a minor nuisance in the hands of this class. Though it doesn’t work on undead and constructs, Cure Wounds provides swift and reliable healing to everything else, making it a go-to curative spell in the early game.
2. Aid
Aid heals allies 5 HP and also increases their maximum HP by 5. Healing is at its most useful mid-battle when unexpected emergencies occur. That said, being able to patch party members up between conflicts is also useful. Because Aid offers the unusual benefit of raising the HP limit as well as restoring HP, the player can buff their entire party’s health between battles. Going into battle with a grand total of 20 HP more than you would otherwise is nothing to sneer at, and its flexibility as both healing spell and buff makes Aid one of the best Paladin spells.
1. Speak with Animals
Some will object to naming anything other than a powerful healing or combat ability as the Paladin’s best spell. Yet there is a strong argument in favor of Speak with Animals. Yes, Speak with Animals has combat utility, allowing the player to recruit animals to their side and even avoid battle with powerful beasts. More importantly, talking to the vast number of animals in Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the best ways to advance the plot and learn more about the world and its lore. Speak with Animals lets the player see Larian Studios’s masterpiece in a whole new way. It’s hard to put greater value on that.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is available now for PC and will be available for PlayStation 6 on September 6.
