Oath of Devotion 5e paladin subclass

The knight in shining armor: a paladin sworn to honesty and courage, with a glowing weapon and an aura no charm can pass.

Jump to: Features by level · Playing the Oath of Devotion · 2014 features · What changed in 2024 · 2024 features · Common questions

Oath of Devotion at a glance

Class: Paladin
Subclass type: Sacred Oath, chosen at 3rd level
2024 rules: Same name, revised in the SRD 5.2
Key abilities: Strength and Charisma, then Constitution
Spells: 2014: Oath Spells; 2024: Oath of Devotion Spells
Source: System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2 (Player’s Handbook 2014 and 2024)

The paladin class page has the class features this subclass builds on, and the paladin spell list the rest of your spells come from.

Oath of Devotion features by level

The paladin subclass features you gain at each paladin level, in the 2014 rules and the 2024 rules. Each one links to its full text below.

Level	2014 rules (SRD 5.1)	2024 rules (SRD 5.2)
3	Oath Spells, Channel Divinity	Oath of Devotion Spells, Sacred Weapon
5	Oath Spells	Oath of Devotion Spells
7	Aura of Devotion	Aura of Devotion
9	Oath Spells	Oath of Devotion Spells
13	Oath Spells	Oath of Devotion Spells
15	Purity of Spirit	Smite of Protection
17	Oath Spells	Oath of Devotion Spells
20	Holy Nimbus	Holy Nimbus

Who the Oath of Devotion suits

The Oath of Devotion is the classic paladin: honest, brave and devoted to doing good. It suits players who want to play a hero in the traditional sense, and who enjoy protecting the party as much as dealing damage.

Its features are simple and always useful. Sacred Weapon makes you more accurate, Aura of Devotion protects everyone near you from being charmed, and the oath spells add solid support. Its tenets (honesty, courage, compassion, honor and duty in 2014) give a clear guide for roleplaying.

How the Oath of Devotion plays

2014 rules. At 3rd level you gain two Channel Divinity options, one use per short or long rest. Sacred Weapon takes your action and, for 1 minute, adds your Charisma modifier (at least +1) to attack rolls with one weapon, makes it shed light and makes it magical. Turn the Unholy takes your action to turn fiends and undead within 30 feet that fail a Wisdom save. Aura of Devotion (7th) means you and friendly creatures within 10 feet (30 feet from 18th level) can’t be charmed while you’re conscious. Purity of Spirit (15th) keeps you permanently under Protection from Evil and Good, and Holy Nimbus (20th) surrounds you with sunlight that deals 10 radiant damage to each enemy starting its turn in it.

2024 rules. Sacred Weapon now happens as part of the Attack action, so it costs no action at all, lasts 10 minutes and can turn your weapon’s damage radiant. Paladins have two Channel Divinity uses from level 3 and regain one on a short rest. Turn the Unholy and Purity of Spirit are gone; Aura of Devotion becomes immunity to the Charmed condition inside your Aura of Protection, and Smite of Protection (level 15) gives you and your allies Half Cover in that aura whenever you cast Divine Smite. Holy Nimbus becomes a bonus action with radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier plus your Proficiency Bonus.

Ability scores for a Devotion paladin

Strength first for your weapon attacks, Charisma second for Sacred Weapon, your spells and Aura of Protection, and Constitution third. In heavy armor you can leave Dexterity low. Sacred Weapon adds Charisma to your attack rolls, so a Devotion paladin gets more from Charisma than most.

With the standard array: Strength 15, Charisma 14, Constitution 13, Wisdom 12, Dexterity 10, Intelligence 8. Plate armor needs Strength 15 to avoid losing speed.

Spells and feats to pair with it

Your oath spells start with Protection from Evil and Good and, in 2024, Shield of Faith, then add Zone of Truth, Dispel Magic and more. From the paladin list, Bless, Find Steed and Aid are strong choices, and Divine Smite is best kept for critical hits.

For feats, Great Weapon Master or Polearm Master adds damage for a two-handed paladin; with a shield, Sentinel holds enemies in place. In 2024 the SRD’s fighting style feats, Defense and Great Weapon Fighting, are open to paladins through the Fighting Style feature, and War Caster protects concentration on Bless.

Oath of Devotion features (2014 rules, SRD 5.1)

The Oath of Devotion binds a paladin to the loftiest ideals of justice, virtue, and order. Sometimes called cavaliers, white knights, or holy warriors, these paladins meet the ideal of the knight in shining armor, acting with honor in pursuit of justice and the greater good. They hold themselves to the highest standards of conduct, and some, for better or worse, hold the rest of the world to the same standards. Many who swear this oath are devoted to gods of law and good and use their gods' tenets as the measure of their devotion. They hold angels—the perfect servants of good—as their ideals, and incorporate images of angelic wings into their helmets or coats of arms.

Tenets of Devotion

Though the exact words and strictures of the Oath of Devotion vary, paladins of this oath share these tenets.

Honesty. Don't lie or cheat. Let your word be your promise.

Courage. Never fear to act, though caution is wise.

Compassion. Aid others, protect the weak, and punish those who threaten them. Show mercy to your foes, but temper it with wisdom.

Honor. Treat others with fairness, and let your honorable deeds be an example to them. Do as much good as possible while causing the least amount of harm.

Duty. Be responsible for your actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care, and obey those who have just authority over you.

Oath Spells

3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th level

How it works: Oath Spells on the paladin page.

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Oath of Devotion Spells

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	Protection from Evil and Good, Sanctuary
5th	Lesser Restoration, Zone of Truth
9th	Beacon of Hope, Dispel Magic
13th	Freedom of Movement, Guardian of Faith
17th	Commune, Flame Strike

Channel Divinity

3rd level

How it works: Channel Divinity on the paladin page.

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Sacred Weapon

As an action, you can imbue one weapon that you are holding with positive energy, using your Channel Divinity. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minimum bonus of +1). The weapon also emits bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light 20 feet beyond that. If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration.

You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.

Turn the Unholy

As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring fiends and undead, using your Channel Divinity. Each fiend or undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage.

A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.

Aura of Devotion

7th level

Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be charmed while you are conscious.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Purity of Spirit

15th level

Beginning at 15th level, you are always under the effects of a protection from evil and good spell.

Holy Nimbus

20th level

At 20th level, as an action, you can emanate an aura of sunlight. For 1 minute, bright light shines from you in a 30-foot radius, and dim light shines 30 feet beyond that.

Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn in the bright light, the creature takes 10 radiant damage.

In addition, for the duration, you have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by fiends or undead.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

What changed in 2024

The 2024 Player’s Handbook revised the Oath of Devotion, and the System Reference Document 5.2 has the new version. The biggest differences in play:

Sacred Weapon no longer costs an action: you use it when you take the Attack action, it lasts 10 minutes, and it can deal radiant damage.
Turn the Unholy and Purity of Spirit are gone; Smite of Protection (level 15) gives Half Cover to you and your allies in your aura whenever you cast Divine Smite.
Aura of Devotion now uses your Aura of Protection’s range and grants immunity to the Charmed condition, and Holy Nimbus becomes a bonus action you can restore with a level 5 spell slot.

Feature by feature

New features: Smite of Protection (level 15).
Renamed: Oath Spells → Oath of Devotion Spells.
2014 features with no 2024 feature of the same name (some were reworked into others): Turn the Unholy and Purity of Spirit.
Spells added to the list: Shield of Faith and Aid.
Spells no longer on it: Sanctuary and Lesser Restoration.

Oath of Devotion features in the 2024 rules (SRD 5.2)

Uphold the Ideals of Justice and Order

The Oath of Devotion binds Paladins to the ideals of justice and order. These Paladins meet the archetype of the knight in shining armor. They hold themselves to the highest standards of conduct, and some—for better or worse—hold the rest of the world to the same standards.

Many who swear this oath are devoted to gods of law and good and use their gods' tenets as the measure of personal devotion. Others hold angels as their ideals and incorporate images of angelic wings into their helmets or coats of arms.

These paladins share the following tenets:

Let your word be your promise.
Protect the weak and never fear to act.
Let your honorable deeds be an example.

Level 3: Oath of Devotion Spells

The magic of your oath ensures you always have certain spells ready; when you reach a Paladin level specified in the Oath of Devotion Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared.

Oath of Devotion Spells

Paladin Level	Spells
3	Protection from Evil and Good, Shield of Faith
5	Aid, Zone of Truth
9	Beacon of Hope, Dispel Magic
13	Freedom of Movement, Guardian of Faith
17	Commune, Flame Strike

Level 3: Sacred Weapon

When you take the Attack action, you can expend one use of your Channel Divinity to imbue one Melee weapon that you are holding with positive energy. For 10 minutes or until you use this feature again, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls you make with that weapon (minimum bonus of +1), and each time you hit with it, you cause it to deal its normal damage type or Radiant damage.

The weapon also emits Bright Light in a 20-foot radius and Dim Light 20 feet beyond that.

You can end this effect early (no action required). This effect also ends if you aren't carrying the weapon.

Level 7: Aura of Devotion

You and your allies have Immunity to the Charmed condition while in your Aura of Protection. If a Charmed ally enters the aura, that condition has no effect on that ally while there.

Level 15: Smite of Protection

Your magical smite now radiates protective energy. Whenever you cast Divine Smite, you and your allies have Half Cover while in your Aura of Protection.

The aura has this benefit until the start of your next turn.

Level 20: Holy Nimbus

As a Bonus Action, you can imbue your Aura of Protection with holy power, granting the benefits below for 10 minutes or until you end them (no action required). Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending a level 5 spell slot (no action required).

Holy Ward. You have Advantage on any saving throw you are forced to make by a Fiend or an Undead.

Radiant Damage. Whenever an enemy starts its turn in the aura, that creature takes Radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier plus your Proficiency Bonus.

Sunlight. The aura is filled with Bright Light that is sunlight.

Common questions

How does Sacred Weapon work?

In 2014, as an action you spend your Channel Divinity to add your Charisma modifier (minimum +1) to attack rolls with one weapon for 1 minute; the weapon sheds bright light and becomes magical. In 2024 you use it as part of the Attack action, it lasts 10 minutes, and your hits can deal radiant damage.

What are the Oath of Devotion tenets?

In the 2014 SRD: Honesty, Courage, Compassion, Honor and Duty. The 2024 text sums them up as three: let your word be your promise; protect the weak and never fear to act; let your honorable deeds be an example.

Does Aura of Devotion stop existing charm effects?

In the 2024 rules, yes: a charmed ally who enters the aura is unaffected by the condition while there. In 2014, you and friendly creatures within range can’t be charmed while you’re conscious.

How many times can a Devotion paladin use Channel Divinity?

In 2014, once per short or long rest. In 2024, twice, regaining one use on a short rest and all on a long rest, with a third use from level 11.

When does a paladin swear the Oath of Devotion?

At 3rd level in both editions, with more features at levels 7, 15 and 20.

The Oath of Devotion compared with other options

Page	How it compares
Paladin class	Divine Smite, Lay on Hands and Aura of Protection, the core every oath builds on.
Life Domain	The divine caster who heals more and fights less.
Path of the Berserker	A front-liner who hits hard but offers the party no protection.
Protection from Evil and Good	The oath spell a 2014 Devotion paladin is permanently under from 15th level.

How to build a paladin with the Oath of Devotion

Open the builder, choose the 2014 or 2024 rules on the first step, pick Paladin as your class, and choose the Oath of Devotion as your sacred oath once your character is 3rd level. The builder works out everything the rules can: hit points, Armor Class, attack bonuses, spell save DC and the subclass’s spells.

Other SRD subclasses

Back to the Paladin class or all classes.