"Clad in plate armor that gleams in the sunlight despite
the dust and grime of long travel, a human lays down
her sword and shield and places her hands on a mortally
wounded man. Divine radiance shines from her hands,
the man’s wounds knit closed, and his eyes open wide
with amazement.
A dwarf crouches behind an outcrop, his black cloak
making him nearly invisible in the night, and watches
an orc war band celebrating its recent victory. Silently,
he stalks into their midst and whispers an oath, and two
orcs are dead before they even realize he is there.
Silver hair shining in a shaft of light that seems to
illuminate only him, an elf laughs with exultation. His
spear flashes like his eyes as he jabs again and again
at a twisted giant, until at last his light overcomes its
hideous darkness.
Whatever their origin and their mission, paladins are
united by their oaths to stand against the forces of evil.
Whether sworn before a god’s altar and the witness of
a priest, in a sacred glade before nature spirits and fey
beings, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the
dead as the only witness, a paladin’s oath is a powerful
bond. It is a source of power that turns a devout warrior
into a blessed champion." - Player's Handbook |