Summary
When creating a paladin build, it’s easy to get stuck when it comes to selecting a deity to worship inDungeons & Dragons. If you’re a high-level, expert player who’s been around the block a few times, this can prove even more challenging, as you might be tired of always seeing the same 5e gods pop up at your table.
That’s why we’ve created this list. For this list, we’ve broken down some great gods for expert-level players to worship in Dungeons & Dragons. All of these options are either great for roleplay or optimization at your table, and are sure to help flesh out your paladin.
Paladin Oath
Devotion, Ancients
Zivilyn comes from the Krynn campaign setting in the Dragonlance campaign book. Zivilyn is the holy embodiment of knowledge and calm. According to the Dragonlance campaign setting, he exists in all times and places and knows things frommultiple planes of existence.
For expert players looking to return to their roots in Dungeons & Dragons, Zivilyn makes for a great option for a straight-and-narrow devotion or an ancient oath paladin. This can be refreshing at times if, as a player, you’re tired of always playing against type and want to go back to a more classic character build.
Watchers
Celestian, the Far Wanderer, is a god known for understanding the secrets of extraplanar travel. He is mysterious and often elusive, making him a really fun choice for DMs to roleplay. However, the real boon to this selection is how well he synergizes with a certain paladin oath.
The watchers paladin oath is often underrated, and can prove to be a really unique subclass for high-level D&D players, especially those playing at tables where extraplanar travel is likely. Combining this oath with Celestian is a match madein the Astral Sea.
Redemption, Devotion
The gods of Eberron are often mysterious and can’t directly intervene in the world as much as the deities of the Forgotten Realms can. However, for those who know how to converse with them, they can prove to be some of the most powerful and interesting deities in any D&D pantheon.
Dol Arrah, the goddess of sun and sacrifice, is no exception. She is a classic paladin deity, insofar as she represents light, lawful good, and sunlight. This is perfect for a redemption or devotion paladin, and great if you’re playing at a high-level table that wants to dip their toes into the Eberron setting.
Cuthbert of the Cudgel is a deityfrom the Greyhawk settingwho technically serves as an intermediate deity. Previously known as St. Cuthbert, he is the enemy of deities like Iuz and Vecna. Cuthbert is characterized by simplicity and pure good.
What makes this deity so great for expert players is his unexpectedness. Everyone wants to reach for powerful gods like Pelor, but Cuthbert is almost unassuming in his manner, making him an excellent roleplay and story choice for players and DMs alike.
Vengeance, Oathbreaker
Every high-level Dungeons & Dragons player should play a vengeance or oathbreaker paladin at least once. For those who haven’t yet experimented with either of these subclasses, Sargonnas from the Krynn campaign setting makes for a great choice.
Sargonnas is known for being wily and unpredictable, and specifically, is the god of vengeance, making him perfect for this oath. He takes the form of a monstrous minotaur, which can make for great campaign flavor. He also schemes against his master, Takhisis, meaning he’s got a fun, Machiavellian side to him that’s fun for roleplay.
This next deity is another great option that actually can work well for both expert and beginner players alike. If your table is playing in the Forgotten Realms setting, Torm is technically not only the god of duty and loyalty, but of paladins themselves. If you want to play a true paladin, Torm is the only way to go.
One interesting element of Torm’s personality is his perception as a weak god compared to others in the pantheon. This can make for some interesting backstory decision-making for your paladin. Does your paladin worship Torm because they identify with being perceived as weak? Consider questions like these to create a unique and complex backstory for your paladin.
Oathbreaker, Vengeance, Conquest
Another mysterious religion from the Eberron setting, the Blood of Vol is a largely ambiguous church that ascribes to worshipping the divine power within all individuals rather than a single deity. For high-level paladins who would rather not worship a specific entity at all, the Blood of Vol can be a very unique and interesting choice.
One particularly interesting element of the Blood of Vol is that many worshippers, known as Seekers, use undead in their rites. In some ways, this can be a fun way to play against type as a paladin by dabbling in necromancy, and it is also great for evil-aligned parties.
Conquest, Glory
In the Forgotten Realms, Tempus is the god of war, and a powerful one of that. While you can technically use this god for a couple of different paladin oaths, using Tempus specifically with either an oath of conquest or oath of glory paladin is ideal.
The reason this is so great for expert players is that both of these subclasses are often not picked due to their roleplay challenge within the party, or because they’re so antithetical to typical ideas associated with paladins. This can make for a fun, subversive oath choice while also allowing high-level players to flex their combat prowess in battle.
Ancients, Devotion, Crown, Redemption
Paladine, as the name suggests, is a great deity for paladins to worship if they’re specifically playing in the Krynn campaign setting. Known as the Father of Good and the Master of Law, Paladine is the Dragonlance equivalent of the Platinum Dragon Bahamut.
One of the most interesting reasons to select Paladine, especially if you are actually playing in the Krynn setting, is that he often appears in human form as a wizard named Fizban. This makes for great roleplay opportunities for you and your DM, and allows the most flexibility when it comes to selecting a paladin oath.
Redemption
Eldath is a lesser deity from the Forgotten Realms setting. She is known for being an emissary of peace and goodness in the Material Plane. She is often worshipped by druids as well, in addition to paladins.
One of the more interesting reasons to select Eldath is due to her lesser deity status. Many beginner players will pick powerful and high-ranking deities in the pantheon, but in actuality, getting to roleplay with a lesser deity can prove more complex. Because of her association with nature, she’s also good for a druid-paladin multiclass, which can prove to be a unique combination.
