Paladin

Learn about the Paladin class in Pillars of Eternity, including their Orders, abilities like Faith and Conviction, and recommended stats.

A Paladin PC must choose one of five Orders: Bleak Walkers, Darcozzi Paladini, Goldpact Knights, Kind Wayfarers, or Shieldbearers of St. Elcga. Your behavior matching your order's tenets increases the defensive power of your Faith and Conviction ability, while going against them diminishes its power. Each Order grants access to two unique talents.

Orders:

• Bleak Walkers: Favoured Dispositions: Aggressive, Cruel. Condemned Dispositions: Benevolent, Diplomatic. Talents: Remember Rakhan Field, The Black Path.
• Darcozzi Paladini: Favoured Dispositions: Clever, Passionate. Condemned Dispositions: Cruel, Stoic. Talents: Fires of Darcozzi Palace, Inspiring Liberation.
• Goldpact Knights: Favoured Dispositions: Rational, Stoic. Condemned Dispositions: Aggressive, Passionate. Talents: Enduring Flames, Bond of Duty.
• Kind Wayfarers: Favoured Dispositions: Benevolent, Passionate. Condemned Dispositions: Cruel, Deceptive. Talents: The Sword and the Shepherd, Strange Mercy.
• Shieldbearers of St. Elcga: Favoured Dispositions: Diplomatic, Honest. Condemned Dispositions: Aggressive, Cruel. Talents: Shielding Flames, Shielding Touch.

Paladins derive their powers from their zeal and adherence to their chosen order's ideals, not from a deity. Their abilities predispose them towards a support role, but they are also front-line combatants. Paladins can boost allies' Accuracy with abilities like Zealous Focus and Coordinated Attacks, but are less effective at boosting their own lethality. Talents that trigger on kill may not be very useful, though an early kill with Flames of Devotion and an arquebus shot is possible. Abilities like Liberating Exhortation and Aegis of Loyalty are good for suppressing harmful effects on allies. Reviving Exhortation is an excellent revive ability with great range that combos well with a Barbarian's Vengeful Defeat. Deprive the Unworthy is less effective as it is a per-rest rather than per-encounter effect. Sacred Immolation, especially when boosted by the Scion of Flame talent, makes the Paladin a powerhouse late game. Might is the most important attribute as it governs the Endurance restored by healing abilities. Average Intellect can suffice if you favor passive abilities or those with unlimited duration.

Paladin Abilities:

All Paladins gain the Faith and Conviction ability at level 1.

• Faith and Conviction: Passive ability acquired automatically at level 1. Grants +4 Deflection and +8 to all other defenses. The Deep Faith talent increases these bonuses. For each rank in a favoured disposition, gain a +20% bonus (maximum +60% per disposition). At 120% disposition bonus, gain +8 Deflection and +17 to all other defenses. For each point in a condemned disposition, take a -20% penalty. The Untroubled Faith talent negates disposition penalties. The NPC (non-player character — anyone the game controls, not you) companion, Pallegina, gains fixed bonuses: +2 to all defenses at levels 5, 10, and 15.
• Flames of Devotion: 2 / encounter. Instant speed. Target area of effect. Grants +20 Accuracy and +50% damage as Burn. Upgraded by Intense Flames and order-specific talents.
• Lay on Hands: 2 / encounter. Average speed. 3m range. Allied target area of effect. Restores 53.3 Endurance over 5s, increasing by +7 at levels 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16. Upgraded by Greater Lay on Hands and Shielding Touch.
• Zealous Charge: Modal ability, requires Level 3. 4m radius area of effect. Grants allies +2 Move Speed and +15 Deflection vs. disengagement attacks.
• Zealous Endurance: Modal ability, requires Level 3. 4m radius area of effect. Grants allies +3 Damage Reduction and +15% hit to graze conversion.
• Zealous Focus: Modal ability, requires Level 3. 4m radius area of effect. Grants allies +6 Accuracy and +15% graze to hit conversion. Upgraded by the Critical Focus talent.
• Inspiring Triumph: Passive ability, requires Level 5. 5m radius area of effect. Grants allies +7 to all defences for 10s when the Paladin kills an enemy. The timer resets if another enemy is killed while the effect is active.
• Liberating Exhortation: 2 / encounter. Fast speed. 10m range. Allied target area of effect. Suspends hostile effects on the target for 20s. Upgraded by Inspiring Liberation and Bond of Duty talents.
• Sworn Enemy: 1 / encounter. Average speed. 10m range. Target area of effect. Grants the Paladin +15 Accuracy and +20% damage against the target.

Stats:

• Roles: Support, Defender
• Primary attributes: Resolve, Might, Constitution, Intellect
• Endurance: 42 + 14 / level (High)
• Health: 5 x Endurance (High)
• Accuracy: 25 + 3 / level (High)
• Deflection: 20 + 3 / level (Medium)
• Fortitude / Reflex / Will: 20 + 3 / level
• Skill bonuses: +2 Athletics, +1 Lore