Oath of Vengeance Paladin Guide for Beginners: Mastering the Vengeance Paladin in D&D 5e

The Oath of Vengeance Paladin is the ultimate relentless warrior, driven by a singular purpose is to hunt down and destroy evil at all costs. Introduced in the Player’s Handbook, this subclass is perfect for players who want to play a Paladin with high mobility, devastating single-target damage, and an unwavering pursuit of justice (or revenge).

Unlike other Paladins who focus on defense and protection, Vengeance Paladins specialize in taking down priority targets, increasing their damage output, and using spells that enhance their mobility and offensive potential. If you love the idea of an avenger who never lets their prey escape, striking with divine fury and ruthless efficiency, this subclass is for you!

Why Play an Oath of Vengeance Paladin?

Key Benefits

• Best Paladin for High Single-Target Damage – Use Vow of Enmity and Hunter’s Mark to obliterate enemies.
• Incredible Mobility – Misty Step, Haste, and other movement-based abilities let you close the distance fast.
• Powerful Crowd Control – Use Hold Person and Banishment to neutralize threats.
• Excellent for Boss Battles – Consistently high damage output makes you deadly against big foes.
• Uncompromising Roleplay Potential – A Paladin who pursues justice without hesitation, often at the cost of morality.

Compared to other Paladins, Vengeance Paladins focus more on offense and mobility, making them one of the most aggressive melee combatants in the game.

Core Features

Key Mechanics and Abilities

Oath Spells (Gained at Levels 3, 5, 9, 13, and 17)

The Oath of Vengeance grants combat-focused spells that enhance mobility and control.

• Key Spells:

  • Hunter’s Mark (3rd Level) – Track enemies and deal bonus damage on every hit.
  • Misty Step (5th Level) – Teleport up to 30 feet as a bonus action.
  • Haste (9th Level) – Double your speed, gain an extra attack, and boost AC.
  • Banishment (13th Level) – Remove enemies from the fight for a short time.
  • Hold Monster (17th Level) – Completely paralyze creatures for an easy kill.

• Example: Activate Hunter’s Mark, teleport behind an enemy with Misty Step, and strike with Divine Smite for massive damage!

Channel Divinity: Vow of Enmity (Level 3)

• As a bonus action, gain advantage on attack rolls against one enemy for 1 minute.
• No concentration required—this is free advantage on every attack.
• Example: Use this against bosses to maximize damage output.

Channel Divinity: Abjure Enemy (Level 3)

• Force one enemy to make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened and immobilized.
• Great for dealing with melee-focused enemies.
• Example: Use this to stop an enemy from escaping or attacking weaker allies.

Relentless Avenger (Level 7)

• When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you can move up to half your speed without provoking attacks of opportunity.
• Example: Chase down fleeing enemies and reposition mid-battle with ease.

Soul of Vengeance (Level 15)

• When a creature you marked with Vow of Enmity attacks, you can make an attack against it as a reaction.
• Example: Get extra attacks against enemies who try to fight back, making you even deadlier in prolonged fights.

Avenging Angel (Level 20)

• Gain wings and a flying speed of 60 feet for 1 hour.
• Enemies within 30 feet who fail a Wisdom saving throw are frightened.
• Example: Take flight and rain divine judgment from above while enemies cower in fear!

These abilities make Oath of Vengeance Paladins the most relentless, damage-focused Paladins, capable of taking down powerful foes with brutal efficiency.

Suggested Ability Scores

• Primary: Strength OR Dexterity – Determines your melee damage and attack rolls. Choose Strength for heavy weapons or Dexterity for finesse weapons.
• Secondary: Charisma – Boosts spell saves, Divine Smite damage, and Paladin abilities.
• Tertiary: Constitution – Increases HP and concentration saves.

Recommended Races

Since Vengeance Paladins rely on Strength/Dexterity, Charisma, and mobility, the best races include:

• Variant Human – Gain a feat like Sentinel or Great Weapon Master at level 1.
• Half-Elf – Bonus to Charisma, plus Darkvision and two skill proficiencies.
• Aasimar (Scourge) – Radiant damage synergy with Divine Smite.
• Tiefling (Zariel) – Bonus Charisma and extra smite-style spells.

Playing as an Oath of Vengeance Paladin

Role in a Party

• Primary Damage Dealer – Use smites, advantage, and Hunter’s Mark for consistent high damage.
• Mobility Specialist – Misty Step and Haste let you move quickly in battle.
• Boss Hunter – Vow of Enmity and Soul of Vengeance make you devastating against single targets.

Compared to other Paladins, Vengeance Paladins sacrifice defensive abilities for maximum offensive power, making them the best choice for those who want to hit hard and fast.

Tips for New Players

• Always use Vow of Enmity before attacking big enemies – It lasts 1 minute and gives advantage on all attacks.
• Use Misty Step for repositioning – Great for reaching ranged enemies or escaping grapples.
• Haste is your best buff – More speed, AC, and an extra attack for even more damage.
• Hunter’s Mark stacks with Divine Smite – Use it to deal even more damage per hit.

Gear and Dice Recommendations

Suggested Equipment

Weapons

• Greatsword (Strength Build) – Best for maximizing damage with Great Weapon Master.
• Rapier + Shield (Dexterity Build) – Pairs well with mobility and defensive playstyles.

Armor

• Plate Armor – Best protection for Strength-based builds.
• Half-Plate or Breastplate – For Dexterity-based Paladins.

Magic Items

• Holy Avenger – The ultimate Paladin weapon, boosting saves and dealing radiant damage.
• Bracers of Defense – Helps Dexterity-based builds with AC.
• Cloak of Displacement – Gives disadvantage to attacks against you.

Dice Recommendations from Runic Dice

Enhance your character's persona with these thematic dice sets:

• Retribution Dice Set: For dark crimson and black hues symbolizing divine judgment, consider the Blood Red Glitter Liquid Core Resin DND Dice Set. This set features a dynamic liquid core with rich red tones, capturing the essence of retribution.
• Hunter’s Mark Dice Set: To embody the essence of tracking enemies with silver and green colors, the Green Fluorite Gemstone (Chlorophane) DND Dice Set is an excellent choice. Handcrafted from genuine green fluorite, these dice showcase natural green tones, reflecting the keen senses of a hunter.
• Avenger’s Fury Dice Set: For fiery red and gold hues representing unstoppable justice, the Red and Gold Glitter Liquid Core Resin DND Dice Set offers a dynamic liquid core with shimmering red and gold tones, symbolizing the fervor of an avenger.

Advanced Tips and Tricks

Optimization Strategies

Best Feats for an Oath of Vengeance Paladin

1. Great Weapon Master (For Strength Builds) – Maximizes damage output when combined with Vow of Enmity.
2. Sentinel – Prevents enemies from escaping you.
3. Polearm Master – Great for keeping enemies at bay and getting extra attacks.
4. Sharpshooter (For Ranged Dex Builds) – Deadly for ranged Paladins using bows.
5. War Caster – Helps maintain concentration on Hunter’s Mark and Haste.

Best Multiclass Options

1. Paladin 6 / Sorcerer (Divine Soul) 14 – Smite Caster

   • More spell slots = more Divine Smites.
   • Metamagic (Quickened Spell) lets you cast Haste as a bonus action.

2. Paladin 7 / Fighter (Battle Master) 13 – Crit & Maneuver King

   • Increased crit range and combat maneuvers for battlefield control.

3. Paladin 10 / Rogue (Swashbuckler) 10 – Sneaky Avenger

   • Sneak Attack + Divine Smite = Huge burst damage.

4. Paladin 9 / Warlock (Hexblade) 11 – Hexadin Slayer

   • Hexblade’s Curse increases crit range and healing on kills.

The Oath of Vengeance Paladin is one of the most aggressive and damage-focused subclasses in D&D 5e, excelling at single-target elimination, battlefield mobility, and relentless pursuit of enemies.

If you want to play as a Paladin who delivers divine justice with unstoppable force, this subclass is for you!