What are the main Paladin class features?

The 2014 Paladin develops from a durable martial healer into a powerful divine front-line support character. Its features are distributed across weapons, healing, spell slots, auras, and the Sacred Oath.

1st level: Divine Sense

Divine Sense detects specific creature types and certain consecrated or desecrated locations within the feature's restrictions.

It has limited uses tied to Charisma and returns after a long rest.

It should not be described as a universal detector for evil alignment.

1st level: Lay on Hands

The Paladin gains a healing pool equal to:

5 × Paladin level

The pool can restore hit points by touch.

A fixed amount can instead cure a disease or neutralise a poison according to the 2014 feature.

The pool returns after a long rest.

2nd level: Fighting Style

The Paladin selects a Fighting Style from the options available to the class.

The original 2014 list supports styles such as defense, dueling, great-weapon combat, and protecting allies.

The Style should match the Paladin's intended equipment.

2nd level: Spellcasting

Paladins are Charisma-based prepared half-casters.

They gain spell slots beginning at 2nd level and eventually gain 5th-level Paladin spell slots.

The class prepares spells after a long rest.

The spell list contains healing, protection, buffs, utility, control, and smite-themed options.

2nd level: Divine Smite

When the Paladin hits with a melee weapon attack, a spell slot can be spent for additional radiant damage.

A 1st-level slot begins at 2d8 extra radiant damage.

Higher-level slots increase the damage up to the feature's normal cap.

Undead and fiends take an additional d8 under the 2014 rule, also subject to the feature's maximum.

3rd level: Divine Health

Divine Health makes the Paladin immune to disease.

It is a passive defensive feature rather than a resource.

3rd level: Sacred Oath

The Paladin chooses a Sacred Oath.

The Oath grants:

Oath Spells;
Channel Divinity options;
features at 7th, 15th, and 20th level.

The exact Channel Divinity abilities depend on the chosen Oath.

5th level: Extra Attack

At 5th level, the Paladin can attack twice whenever taking the Attack action.

This substantially improves weapon output and creates more opportunities to land a hit that can be turned into Divine Smite.

6th level: Aura of Protection

The Paladin and friendly creatures within 10 feet add the Paladin's Charisma modifier to saving throws while the conscious Paladin's aura applies.

The range becomes 30 feet at 18th level.

This is one of the class's defining high-value support features.

10th level: Aura of Courage

The Paladin and nearby allies cannot be frightened while the conscious Paladin's aura applies.

Its range also expands at 18th level.

11th level: Improved Divine Smite

Every qualifying melee weapon hit deals an additional 1d8 radiant damage.

This does not consume spell slots.

It improves the Paladin's sustained damage rather than only burst damage.

14th level: Cleansing Touch

Cleansing Touch allows the Paladin to use an action to end a spell on themselves or a willing creature they touch.

The number of uses is based on Charisma and returns after a long rest.

This adds a direct anti-magic support tool to the class.

18th level: Aura Improvements

The ranges of Aura of Protection, Aura of Courage, and qualifying Oath aura features expand from 10 feet to 30 feet.

This makes the Paladin much easier to position as a defensive centre for the party.

How the features work together

Lay on Hands provides reliable healing.

Spellcasting provides flexible divine utility.

Divine Smite turns spell slots into burst damage.

Extra Attack provides repeatable martial pressure.

Aura of Protection turns Charisma into party-wide defense.

Aura of Courage blocks fear.

Cleansing Touch removes harmful spells.

The Sacred Oath then adds a specialised identity on top of that chassis.