Forget Honor Mode – Baldur’s Gate 3’s Paladin class is the real hard mode

Baldur’s Gate 3’s most popular class is Paladin, but a core mechanic of these characters makes them even harder to play – yet so rewarding.

Since Baldur’s Gate 3 released, the Paladin has topped Larian Studios’ lists of the most played classes. The Paladin also sits at or near the top of various best-class lists, including Dexerto’s own tier list.

Still, for some players, the idea of playing as a duty-bound warrior who has taken an oath and drawn power from that bond isn’t particularly compelling. In a way, your choices matter more as a Paladin than when playing as other classes, since breaking the tenets of your Oath comes with consequences.

The Paladin’s nature may turn off some Baldur’s Gate 3 players, but the concept introduces a different kind of challenge to the game that goes beyond the punishing difficulty increase of Honor Mode.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Paladins are a powerful challenge

Larian Studios

There are good reasons for the Paladin’s popularity. These characters excel in battle, having access to both melee might and magical abilities. Add onto that some fantastic smites and Charisma, and you can create a strong Paladin build that can hold their own in combat while still serving as a great face for the party.

Of course, not every class will appeal to all players for various reasons. Still, one comment sticks out on a Reddit post discussing which classes players tried but didn’t enjoy; as one user shared, they disliked the Paladin because “My morally relativistic interpretations of their oaths wildly differ from the game’s.”

Others shared a similar sentiment, with a commenter saying they picked Oath of Vengence because Ancients or Devotion were “too clean.”

The Paladin Oath mechanic in itself provides a disconnect for players. Most fantasy settings like Baldur’s Gate 3 draw heavily from Medieval Europe, resulting in characters with different values from our own. Ideas like chivalry and (pun intended) absolutism inform aspects of fantasy characters but are increasingly unpopular among modern audiences.

The game also implements consequences for Paladins who stray from the “correct” path. Making a choice that goes against your Oath’s values leads to a visit from the Oathbreaker Knight, preventing you from using your Channel Oath abilities until you either restore your Oath or become an Oathbreaker.

Paladin Oaths are hard to follow – and that’s the point

Larian Studios

Adhering to a Paladin Oath can be simple or difficult depending on your playstyle. The tenets are mostly straightforward – Oath of the Ancient Paladins value nature and light, Devotion cares about duty and defending the weak, and Vengeance is dedicated to punishing the wicked and fighting for the oppressed – so you can usually make your choices based on what the class wants you to do.

That approach can make it hard for those who like to make their video game characters reflect themselves as much as possible.

But while the Paladin mindset might not be super relatable, it does present a challenge for those who are interested. Playing as a Paladin and trying to keep your Oath for the entire game is a great roleplaying test that allows you to think differently about your character’s story.

Playing this way lets you really make your character your own as you consider where their values come from. Even breaking your Oath in that context contributes to the narrative, forcing you to consider if there are any limits to what your character would do to uphold their Oath.

Of course, you can play as an Oathbreaker and enjoy new abilities, but equally interesting are stories about characters who have their beliefs tested but find new, better reasons to keep the faith.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is full of complex, three-dimensional characters that follow and transcend fantasy tropes in a way that balances the traditional and the modern. This can make a class like the Paladin feel dated and restrictive with its strict tenets – but that doesn’t have to be a limit.

Creativity – and memorable RPG experiences – often come from using what seem like limitations to your favor, and Baldur’s Gate 3’s Paladin Oaths are a perfect way to get you thinking about the game and character development in a new way.