Oath of the Watcher Paladin Build

[Aiysha666]

I would like to request help for a build, like the title says I would like to build an oath of the watcher (I think it fits better in the theme of my character, but I am open to suggestions!). My character is kinda to represent the indomitable human spirit and protect humanity (not like the human race, but the feeling of benevolence and sympathy), so I would love if the build fits with the theme!

I'm using point buy, we can have a feat lv 1 (im going to go with v. human, so it does not really matter), multiclass is allowed :)
Meelee build with some damage dealing and protector stuff would be preferable (but im not against going full damage or full protector/controller)

Thks for reading! (And sorry about my broken english, it is not my first language)

[KorvinStarmast]

What I did with mine was go for Medium Armor Master feat,
vHuman,
Dex build. I explicitly pumped Charisma on ASIs to get to (in the end) 20. I wanted my aura and my spell save DCs to be the best I could.
Also ended up with Telekinetic feat, which ended up yielding misty step.
This allowed me to pursue some foes or reposition.

I ended up using counterspell quite a bit, rather than smite, once I hit level 9. But that had to do with our party composition, somewhat.

Character retired at 17. Greater Steed was a Griffon.

Never raised DEX above 16. (Didn't need to). I did boost CON to 16 later on.
With defensive fighting style I had 21 AC in half plate and shield. And, I was not a liability as regards stealth. I'll go and dig up the final build and post it here when I get to it.

If you get a free feet, and you are also vHuman, see if the DM will let you start with both. If not, go normal human and add the feat. you'll get a few more stat boosts that won't hurt.

Later in the game we earned a boon, which got me a feat: Metallic Dragon's gift.
Recommend it if you can get it. Might be worth getting at level 12 and letting Cha stay at 18; the defensive boost came in handy many times.

[Snowbluff]

I like Polearm Master as a feat with a little bit of damage (bonus action bonk), a little bit of control going (you can reaction attack people for moving to you). That or Sentinel, which would let you react to people attacking your friends.


Interception Fighting Style might be what you want as well, for reducing the damage your friends take.

[icedraikon]

Stats: Strength, Con, Charisma. With Vuman you can run 16Str, 14Con, 16Cha
Fighting Style: Dueling for damage, Defense for defense (duh), or Blind Fighting to lean more into the "watcher" idea (bonus points if you think your party will be utilizing darkness/heavy obscurement strats)
Feat options:
- Polearm Master: priority 1 here. Gives a good reaction usage, and bonus action usage to maximize smiting opportunities and Divine Favor damage if you use that.
- Resilient: Constitution: If the free feat you get at level 1 stacks with vuman, pick this up as well. Proficiency in Constitution saving throws with the plus 1 lets you finagle your stats (assuming Point Buy) to 16Str, 16Con, 16Cha at lvl1 with a whopping +9 Con save (autopass on DC10) at level 6.
- Inspiring Leader: Level + Charisma mod thp per person per short rest. Fantastic feat if you want a more supportive build
- Sentinel: Good for a protector build, as you can more heavily disincentivize running away from you and toward your backline

ASI preference: Strength -> Charisma -> Constitution (an argument can be made for increasing Charisma first and leaving Strength at a respectable 16)

Spells: Whatever you want, but probably Bless, Protection from Evil/Good, Divine Favor, Branding Smite (lean into Watchers) and the other regular pally spells.

Assuming the feats stack, allowing you two feats at level one, and you take Polearm Master, Resilient: Constitution, and +2 Str, you're looking at 18Str, 16Con, 16Cha at level 6 with +9 Con saves. Damage is decent with Dueling and Divine Favor at ~13 per hit for main attack and ~12 per hit for bonus action attack assuming hits. Assuming 3x hits, that's 38/round. Not bad. Realistically with 65% accuracy it won't be that high, but smites and crits can push it closeish.

If you can guarantee an early strength item (Gauntlets of Ogre Power or a Belt of x Giant Strength), you can put strength a little lower and not put ASIs into it, but that is unlikely for most people.

[stoutstien]

The oath of watchers is probably one of my favorite subclasses because you don't really need to think that much about optimization.

As long as you are semi regularly facing off against challenges that trigger your subclass abilities, you can safely rely on that and the general usefulness of paladin to cover the basics.

This means you can you look at the rest of the party decide what you want to do with your feats/ASIs.

[KorvinStarmast]

I just checked my character sheet.
I ended up taking two feats:
Fey Touched and Telekinetic (both boosted Charisma) which got my Cha up to 18.
I think my ASI 12 was a boost to Cha and my ASI 16 was to STR. The improved Mage Hand was handy, and the Misty Step (1/day) and Hex (1/day) usually got used.

My background was Criminal/Spy.
I had thieves tools proficiency and that's where the Telekinetic feat fit into the party: we had no Rogue and no bard (even though the original party concept was team stealth ... well, that didn't work out) so I became the lock picking ace. The Medium Armor Master allowed me to be quiet and stealthy.

Including my oath spells (o), here is what was prepared most often:

I Bless, Command, Detect Magic (o), Alarm (o)
II Lesser Restoration, Gentle Repose, Moonbeam(o), See Invisibility(o)
III Blinding Smite, Dispel Magic, Aura of Vitality, Remove Curse, Revivify, Counterspell (o), Non-detection (o)
IV Aura of Purity (o), Banishment (o), Death Ward, Find Greater Steed
V Dispel Evil and Good, Summon Celestial, Scrying (o), Hold Monster (o).


But that varied a bit depending on what we were facing.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

With a bonus feat at 1st and variant human, I'd go Polearm Master and Fey Touched (Gift of Alacrity). I'd also take the dueling style with that.

Either go Str 15+1, Dex 8, Con 13+1, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 15+1, or Str 15+1, Dex 8, Con 15+1, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 15+1. I'd prefer the latter due to your auras making up for those negatives.

[da newt]

Might as well tack on the Ruined or Rewarded background too and start w/ 3 feats at level 1.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Might as well tack on the Ruined or Rewarded background too and start w/ 3 feats at level 1.

Or one of the Strixhaven backgrounds!