Class Guide · Updated for patch 0.30 (Early Access) · September 2026
How to build, level and play a Paladin in Monsters and Memories — race and trait picks, the reworked holy-knight toolkit, threat, auras and consecrations, group and solo tactics, a leveling path and gear to chase.
01The Paladin at a Glance
The Paladin is the holy tank of Monsters and Memories — a plate-armored warrior of faith who holds enemies with Crusader Strike and Taunt, protects the group with auras and consecrated ground, and can pull a dying ally back from the edge with a touch. Against the undead, nobody hits harder at the front line.
The official class page describes a protector whose “divine power flows not through words or spells, but through their body, their weapon, and their will.” Where the Cleric heals through prayer, the Paladin works “through physical action, touch, and presence.” You tank first, heal in emergencies, and make everyone around you sturdier.
Strengths
Plate armor and a shield · strong threat from Crusader Strike, the Smites and Taunt · emergency heals, Lay on Hands and a full resurrection line · group auras and consecrated ground · Oaths that take damage for a groupmate · excellent against undead (fear, snare, damage, Exorcism) · interrupts, stuns, blind and a cone mesmerize.
Weaknesses
Lower raw damage than melee classes · your heals are fast but mana-hungry, not a replacement for a real healer · less threat-focused than a Fighter · slower to solo outside undead zones · needs WIS as well as STA and STR, so gear choices are harder.
02Is the Paladin Right for You?
You’ll love it if…
You want to tank but also help keep the group alive; you like a holy knight fantasy; you enjoy juggling a few more tools than a pure tank; you like hunting undead; you want to be the one who can resurrect the group after a wipe.
You might not if…
You want the simplest tank possible; you want to be the main healer; you mostly play alone; you'd rather not manage mana on a melee class; you want high damage numbers.
The Paladin is a good first class for new players who like being in the middle of the action. Plate armor forgives mistakes, and your emergency heals and Lay on Hands can save a pull that would otherwise fall apart. Expect to learn two jobs at once: holding threat, and knowing when to stop hitting and heal.
03Choosing Your Race
Five races can be Paladins at Early Access. Your class adds +2 STR, +4 STA and +2 WIS to your race's base stats, and you get 10 bonus points to spend at creation. Starting values before bonus points:
| Race | STR | STA | WIS | Starts in | Why pick it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human | 18 | 21 | 18 | Night Harbor, Underdocks | Even stats and the easiest start next to the Paladin trainers in Night Harbor. Tenacity resists mesmerize and incapacitate. |
| Dwarf | 19 | 21 | 18 | Night Harbor | The best STR among Paladin races, and Stone Form (−10% physical damage, +25% AC for 15s) is a superb tank emergency button. |
| Halfling | 17 | 21 | 22 | Faelindral, Night Harbor | The highest WIS for a bigger mana pool, plus Sneak and Forage. Eats more food than most. |
| Deep Elf | 16 | 19 | 19 | Underdocks, Ail’Vorith | Good WIS and Ultravision for dark caves. Evil-aligned, so surface guards are less friendly. |
| Gnome | 16 | 19 | 17 | Night Harbor, Underdocks | Slippery clears roots and snares so you can reach your target. The lowest STR and WIS of the options. |
Spending your 10 bonus points
Stamina keeps you alive while tanking, Strength drives your melee damage and threat, and Wisdom sets your mana pool for heals, cures and utility.
- Recommended for most players:+5 STA / +3 STR / +2 WIS. Tanking comes first; a little WIS helps your early heals.
- Halflings already have plenty of WIS — put everything into STA and STR.
- If you plan to off-heal a lot in small groups, shift a few points from STR to WIS.
- Skip INT, DEX and CHA — they do little for a Paladin.
Deep Dwarf and High Elf are listed as Paladin races on the official site but aren't playable at Early Access.
04Recommended Traits
You pick one trait from each of four categories at creation (see the New Player Guide for the full lists). For a Paladin:
| Category | Best pick | Why | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major Combat | Tough | +10 STA passive is more health on every pull. The active (+10% STA for 5s) is a small buffer in a crisis. | Wise (+10 WIS for mana), Strong (+10 STR for damage and threat), Magic Resistant (for caster-heavy dungeons) |
| Minor Combat | Shieldman | Block starts 10 higher and rises 25% faster, and you start with a Trainee's Buckler. Shield Slam and Shield Toss both need a shield. | Defender (Defense +5), Swordsman or Bludgeoner for a weapon skill head start, Deadeye (a longbow and arrows for pulling with Shoot) |
| Major Non-Combat | Infravision / Ultravision | You lead the group through tombs and crypts, so you need to see what you're pulling. Deep Elves should take Ultravision. | Fast Metabolism (+25% Endurance, but you eat faster) |
| Minor Non-Combat | Bookworm | A free extra spellbook. Paladins carry a lot of utility — cures, resistance buffs, undead spells — and a second book keeps it organized. | Medicine (First Aid and bandages to save mana), Blacksmith (make and repair your own plate) |
05Getting Started
Your starter quest
Every Paladin begins with a class starter quest that teaches the basics and hands out your first gear. For the full step-by-step walkthrough, with every NPC, location and reward, see our Paladin Starter Quest Guide. Individual quest pages: Paladin Starter Quest (Night Harbor).
Where to buy spells and abilities
- Class vendors sell every Paladin spell and ability as you reach its level. In Night Harbor, start at the Wayfarers Hospice and ask a guard for directions if you can’t find the trainer.
- Halfling Paladins starting in Faelindral and Deep Elves starting in the Underdocks or Ail’Vorith don’t have a Paladin starter quest listed yet. Many travel to Night Harbor early; see our Underdocks and Ail’Vorith pages for the local layout.
- Armor: buy the cheapest plate or chain you can afford from city merchants. AC matters more than stats at level 1.
06Your Toolkit
Paladin spells and abilities come in lines: you learn a version, then buy stronger ones as you level. Levels shown are when the first version (and some upgrades) becomes available; a dash means the level hasn't been published for a new ability.
| Line | Starts | Progression | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crusader Strike0.30 | 1 | Several tiers (replaces Slam) | Your basic attack: weapon damage plus Holy damage and scaling bonus threat. Small chance to grant Fervor, a short haste. |
| Taunt | 1 | Taunt | Forces your target to attack you. Triggers the cooldown of your Martial abilities. |
| Smites0.30 | 10 | Restorative Smite 10 · Vengeful Smite | Shared cooldown. Restorative Smite adds bonus threat and heals your group a little; Vengeful Smite trades the heal for more damage. Both get much stronger on consecrated ground. |
| Hammer of Light0.30 | — | Hammer of Light | Holy damage and a little threat on living or undead targets. Mostly a pulling tool. |
| Shield Slam line0.30 | 3 | Shield Slam 3 → Warding Slam | Interrupts a spell and locks the caster out of that school for 4s. Warding Slam adds damage from your shield's AC and a short Block bonus. |
| Shield Toss0.30 | 7 | Shield Toss | A bouncing shield that interrupts your target and up to two nearby enemies within 8 meters. Needs a shield. |
| Auras0.30 | 1 | Aura of Courage · Aura of Piety | Pick one. Courage: group AC, a chance to resist fear, and bonus threat for you. Piety: more healing received for your group. |
| Consecrations0.30 | — | Hallowed Ground · Blessing of Sanctuary 21 · Exorcism | Bless the ground for 30s. Hallowed Ground: corruption resist and stronger Smites. Sanctuary: less melee damage for anyone inside. Exorcism: snares, fears and damages undead. |
| Oaths0.30 | — | Oath of Vigilance · Oath of Sacrifice | Protect a groupmate. Vigilance absorbs 5% of their incoming damage (long duration); Sacrifice absorbs 75% for a short time. Half the absorbed damage comes to you. |
| Heals0.30 | 1 | Healing Touch (replaces the old heal line) · Lay on Hands 8 | Healing Touch is a fast, short-range heal on a moderate cooldown. Lay on Hands is a huge single heal — your emergency button. |
| Resurrection0.30 | 16 | Reanimation 16 → … → Revival 56 (75% XP) | A full resurrection line, one tier behind the Cleric's. |
| Self buffs0.30 | 2 | Conviction; Poison and Disease resistance (self, two tiers); Divine Spark | Conviction raises STR, WIS and STA plus minor mana regen (it absorbed Supplication). Divine Spark is a hit point buff that stacks with the Cleric's. |
| Undead line | 6 | Invis vs. Undead 6 · Fear the Dead 8 · Snare the Dead 14 · Ward the Dead damage line (Repel the Dead 12 → Beset 24 → Rebuff 36 → Beleaguer 48 → Assail 60) | Hunt and control undead: fear, snare, direct holy damage and invisibility for corpse runs. |
| Crowd control | 5 | Lull line (Placate 5 → Appease 19 → Conciliate 32) · Blind 9 · Unleash the Light 15 · Root 18 · Stun 24 | Lull shrinks one target's aggro radius. Unleash the Light mesmerizes up to 10 enemies in a cone for 6s. |
| Defensive | 16 | Mark of the Crusader 16 · Divine Aegis 20 | Mark heals allies who hit the marked enemy. Divine Aegis makes you invulnerable for 15s. |
| Cures | 3 | Cure Disease 3 · Cure Poison 10 · Cleanse Diseases/Poisons 20 · Abolish Magic 55 | Remove harmful effects from your group. |
07Spells to Prioritize, Levels 1–28
You won't be able to afford every spell as soon as it unlocks. This is the order that matters most for a new Paladin:
| Level | Key spells | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crusader Strike, Taunt, your aura, Poison Protection | Crusader Strike and Taunt are your threat from day one. |
| 2–4 | Conviction, Cure Disease, Shield Slam, Healing Touch | Keep Conviction up at all times. Shield Slam interrupts every enemy caster. |
| 5–7 | Placate, Invisibility versus Undead, Shield Toss | Placate splits pulls. Shield Toss interrupts up to three casters at once. |
| 8–9 | Lay on Hands, Fear the Dead, Blind | Meditation unlocks at 8 — sit to regain mana between pulls. Lay on Hands saves lives. |
| 10–12 | Restorative Smite, Cure Poison, Repel the Dead | Restorative Smite gives steady group healing while you tank. |
| 14–16 | Snare the Dead, Unleash the Light, Mark of the Crusader, Reanimation | Unleash the Light is an emergency cone mez. Your resurrection line starts at 16. |
| 18–21 | Root, Appease, Divine Aegis, Cleanse Diseases, Blessing of Sanctuary | Double Attack at 20. Divine Aegis and Sanctuary are your big defensive tools. |
| 24–28 | Stun, Beset the Dead | Stun interrupts what Shield Slam can't. Upgrade your Crusader Strike tier whenever a new one appears. |
The new rework abilities (Consecrations, Oaths, Vengeful Smite, Hammer of Light, Warding Slam) don't have published levels yet. Buy them as soon as your vendor offers them — Hallowed Ground and Vengeful or Restorative Smite together are a large part of your power.
08Playing in a Group
A Paladin can tank for a group, act as backup healer, or both. Your strength is making the group harder to kill.
Before the pull
- Pick your aura: Aura of Courage when you're the main tank (AC and extra threat), Aura of Piety when you're off-tanking or the group is short on healing.
- Keep Conviction on yourself and put Oath of Vigilance on the groupmate most likely to take hits, often the healer.
- Agree on who tanks and who pulls. If you're the tank, ask for a few seconds to build threat before anyone attacks.
- Check the group's mana and health. Your heals are for emergencies, not for topping everyone up.
During the fight
- Pull to a good spotPull with Hammer of Light or Shoot and bring the mobs back to your group. Plant a Consecration where you'll fight — the fight comes to you.
- Build threatCrusader Strike on cooldown, Restorative or Vengeful Smite, and Taunt anything that turns on a group member.
- Interrupt castersShield Slam the most dangerous caster; Shield Toss when several are casting. Enemy heals come first.
- Save the groupmate in troubleIf someone else is taking a beating, Oath of Sacrifice shifts most of it away from them. Lay on Hands anyone about to die.
- Stay on consecrated groundYour Smites heal and hit much harder while you stand in it, so drag mobs back into it rather than chasing them out.
09Soloing as a Paladin
Paladins find soloing slower than hybrids with pets or strong damage, but plate armor and self-healing make it safe.
- Hunt undead. Your Ward the Dead line, Fear the Dead, Snare the Dead and Exorcism make skeletons, ghosts and zombies your easiest targets.
- Fight on consecrated ground. Hallowed Ground with Vengeful Smite turns your holy damage up considerably.
- Heal between hits, not after. Restorative Smite and Healing Touch keep you topped off; save Lay on Hands for real emergencies.
- Sit to meditate once you reach level 8 — it only boosts mana regeneration while you're sitting. Resting near a campfire also builds your Rested experience bonus (15%).
- Use Aura of Piety solo to make your own heals stronger.
- Pull one at a time. Lull (Placate) a nearby mob to keep it from joining.
10Leveling Path
A suggested route for a Paladin. Lean toward dungeons with undead whenever you can — you're at your best there, and every group wants a tank.
| Levels | Where | Why it’s good for Paladins |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Night Harbor newbie yards / Necropolis Front Yard | Do the starter quest. The Necropolis yard has skeletons — early practice against undead. Watch for the level 8 Night Terror after dark. |
| 1–5 | Evershade Weald / Underdocks starting grounds | For Halflings starting in Faelindral and Deep Elves in the Underdocks. |
| 3–11 | Tomb of the Last Wyrmsbane | The best early group dungeon, full of skeletal fighters. Perfect for a Paladin tank. |
| 2–13 | Ail’Vorith Outer Caves | Decayed skeletons and easy solo trash for Deep Elves. |
| 8–14 | Infested Crypt | Easy solo pulls near the entrance; spider swarms deeper in for group tanking practice. |
| 8–15 | Ail’Vorith patrol grounds | Spectral remnants and floating skulls — more undead to smite. |
| 10–16 | Tel Ekir Ashira Outskirts / Tomb deeper halls | Tel Ekir camps drop the Shield of the Protector. The Tomb's deeper halls are full of ghosts, zombies and ghouls, with High Marshal Fionna (~16) at the bottom. |
| 18–27 | Fallen Pass, Keeper's Bight | Dense camps for groups. Aidan Thrym in Fallen Pass drops Paladin-friendly plate like the Aegis of the Dragon Crusader. |
See Where to Level in the New Player Guide for more spots, and each zone page for maps and named mobs.
11Gear to Look For
Wear plate and stack Stamina first, then Strength and Wisdom, then hit points and mana. A shield is your default off hand: Shield Slam and Shield Toss need one. Keep a two-handed weapon in your bags for soloing if you like. Avoid gear with big CHA or HP penalties.
Early gear (roughly levels 1–16)
| Item | Slot | Stats | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilded Claw of the Gladiator | Primary | STR +7, STA +6, HP +15, DMG 11/30 | Jorvan Ironfist, Night Harbor |
| Twilight Gladiator Helm | Head | AC 32, STR +5, STA +1, DEX +2, HP +10 | Night Harbor |
| Thirstbound Grips | Hands | AC 37, STR +5, STA +4, AGI +1, HP +25 | Captain Caspian, Night Harbor |
| Hallowed Bone Amulet | Neck | AC 8, STR +3, STA +5, INT +3, HP +15, Mana +10 | A Pale Forman, Night Harbor |
| Ward of Wisdom | Secondary | AC 10, STR +2, STA +2, WIS +6, HP +10, Mana +10 | Aide Aida, Night Harbor |
| Giant Femur | Weapon | AC 6, STR/STA/AGI +4, HP +25, DMG 15/45 | Bone Construct, Tomb of the Last Wyrmsbane |
| Shield of the Protector | Secondary | AC 21, STR +3, STA +3, AGI +3, DEX +1, HP +15 | Ashir the Protector, Tel Ekir |
| Chitonstep Sabatons | Feet | AC 22, STA +2, WIS +6 | Animist Wafi, Tel Ekir |
| Ashira Kneecaps | Legs | AC 25, STA +3, WIS +3 | Najm the Mirage, Tel Ekir |
| Tanner's Mailshirt | Chest | AC 21, STA +3, WIS +3 | Tanner Daba, Tel Ekir |
Upgrades for later
| Item | Slot | Stats | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heartwood Buckler | Secondary | AC 28, STA +7, HP +35 | Bree Weatherstoll, Sungreet Strand |
| Heartwood Root | Primary | STR +6, STA +4, WIS +6, HP +5, DMG 12/29 | Bree Weatherstoll, Sungreet Strand |
| Vindicator Breastplate | Chest | AC 57, WIS +10 | Balindor Silvertrowel, Sungreet Strand |
| Vindicator Gauntlets | Hands | AC 36, STR +8, STA +6 | Balindor Silvertrowel, Sungreet Strand |
| Kroth's Warplate Girdle | Waist | AC 7, STR +5, STA +8 | Muggrah War-Ogre Kroth, Sungreet Strand |
| Onyx Breastplate | Chest | AC 77, STR +8, STA +6, AGI +5, HP +25 | Guillome The Accursed, Glass Flats |
| Scarred Crusader Shield | Secondary | AC 69, STR +7, STA +2 | High Wyrmseer Valthrun, Glass Flats |
| Aegis of the Dragon Crusader | Secondary | AC 33, STR +6, STA +5, WIS +4, HP +15, Mana +5 | Aidan Thrym, Fallen Pass |
| Greaves of Courage | Legs | AC 54, STA +7, WIS +4, HP +20, Mana +5 | Aidan Thrym, Fallen Pass |
| Helm of the Last Roar | Head | AC 50, STR +6, STA +4, WIS +4 | Dougal Brom, Fallen Pass |
| Kell's Hollow Standard | Primary | AC 8, STR +12, STA +14, HP +20, DMG 24/32 | Watch-Captain Dorian Kell, Fallen Watch |
| Heart of the Bloated Deep | Ring | AC 6, STA +8, WIS +8, HP +40, Mana +30 | Thalassor, Blacktide Bay sea caves |
Stats from our item database. Item levels aren't published, so "early" is based on where they drop. Browse the database for more STA/WIS plate.
12Threat, Auras and Consecrations
- Crusader Strike is your threat engine. Use it on cooldown and upgrade each tier as soon as you can.
- Aura of Courage for tanking. It adds a bonus to all the threat you generate, plus group AC.
- Taunt is a correction. Use it when something turns toward a groupmate, not as part of your rotation — it triggers your Martial cooldowns.
- Smites share a cooldown. Pick Restorative Smite when the group needs healing and Vengeful Smite when it doesn't. Both keep their bonus threat.
- Consecrate before the fight lands. Consecrations last 30 seconds where you cast them, so drop one where you'll hold the mobs. Exorcism is the pick for undead packs.
- Mind your mana. Healing Touch is fast but costly. Keep enough in reserve for a cure, a Stun or a Healing Touch in an emergency, and let the main healer do the steady work.
- Sit between pulls. Meditation (from level 8) only boosts mana regeneration while you're sitting.
13Common Paladin Mistakes
- Healing instead of tanking. A loose mob costs the group more than the heal saved.
- Fighting off your Consecration. Pull mobs back onto it; your Smites are much weaker away from it.
- Forgetting your Oaths. Oath of Vigilance should always be on someone.
- Wasting Shield Slam. Save it for enemy heals and dangerous spells.
- Using Fear the Dead in a dungeon. Feared undead run, and running mobs bring friends. Use Snare the Dead or Exorcism instead.
- Sitting on Lay on Hands. It's an emergency button — press it before someone dies, not after.
- Expecting Ancient Guardian. The Paladin pet was removed in the rework; older guides still mention it.
14Paladin FAQ
Is the Paladin good for new players?
Yes. Plate armor, self-healing and Lay on Hands make it forgiving, and tanks are always wanted. It has more buttons than a Fighter, so expect a little more to learn.
What’s the most important Paladin stat?
Stamina for health, then Strength for damage and threat, and Wisdom for mana. Tanking Paladins lean STA and STR; off-healing Paladins add more WIS.
Can a Paladin be the main healer?
Only in a pinch. The rework made Paladin heals fast, mana-intensive emergency saves rather than sustained healing. A Paladin works well as backup healer alongside a Cleric, Druid or Shaman.
Can a Paladin solo?
Yes, especially against undead. Use Hallowed Ground with Vengeful Smite, heal between hits, and sit to meditate. It's slower than a pet class, but safe.
What’s the best race for a Paladin?
Dwarf for the best STR and Stone Form, Human for an easy Night Harbor start, or Halfling for the highest WIS.
What happened to Ancient Guardian, Deflect and Holy Fortitude?
All three were removed in the Paladin rework, along with Weapon Shield, Focused Concentration, Supplication and the targeted Corruption Resistance buff. Supplication's STR and mana regen moved into Conviction.