The Paladins of Dungeons & Dragons take some of the best parts of the Fighter and Cleric classes and mix them together to make one pretty amazing class. A Paladin is a holy fighter on a path of righteousness, fighting for justice and in the name of their chosen deity who bestows them with holy powers and abilities. Paladin characters do get access to spells in a similar way to Clerics, but they also specialize in martial weapons, which include things like greatswords, lances, war hammers, whips, and more.
What weapon best suits a Paladin is entirely up to the player, but there are quite a few that would do well with just about any Paladin's crusade. With some changes to modern D&D, including homebrews and creative Dungeon Masters, there are few weapons that a Paladin can't wield.
Updated on March 24, 2023, by Kristy Ambrose: The Paladin continues to be one of the fantasy genre's most iconic classes, with a new interpretation of the righteous and honorable knight in shining armor in almost every adventure. Although the image of a shining suit of armor often comes with a sword and shield combination, these days a Paladin doesn't always have to take the role of defender and carry the usual gear. In fact, not all paladins have to be Lawful Good these days, depending on the backstory and subclass chosen, so you can give your Paladin a role as DPS or a Striker instead of the stereotypical goody-two-shoes. That means there are even more choices for the best Paladin weapons in D&D 5e.
18 Moon-Touched Sword
A Moon-Touched Sword is a common item that makes a perfect starting weapon for a Paladin. It's a two-handed greatsword that does 2d6 slashing damage. What makes this sword a great weapon for a Paladin isn't necessarily the damage it does but the abilities it possesses.
For one, it's considered a magic weapon, meaning that it will be effective against creatures that have resistance to damage from non-magical attacks. A Moon-Touched Sword can also cast Bright Light in a 15-foot radius when it's unsheathed, and dim light 15 feet past that, which makes it one of the best weapons against enemies who use darkness to their advantage.
17 Crownguard Lance
Why someone never thought of a lance for a Paladin before is anyone's guess, as it seems like one of the best choices for the class. It's possible it appeared in a random DM's homebrew. In the latest edition, we finally have an official one.
The Crownguard Lance is a magical weapon that gives you a +3 to your attacks and damage, and when used with your compelled duel spell or Champion Challenge, it allows you to use your Lay On Hands spell on a creature your target is attacking.
16 Blade Of Evil Smiting
There's still room in every adventure for an old-school paladin who smites evil in all its forms. This blade is typically blessed by a deity for the purpose of doing exactly that; plus, it can only be equipped by a character of good alignment and glows when a creature of an evil alignment is nearby, so the Paladin knows exactly who to smite.
A Blade of Evil Smiting of uncommon or rare quality has two additional abilities in addition to Detect Evil: Smite Evil and Purge Evil. Smite Evil gives the Paladin Advantage on any attack roll against an evil, dealing an additional 1d8 in radiant damage should their opponent fail it. Purge Evil grants the Paladin an AoE ability that damages any creature of evil alignment within a 30-foot radius.
15 Weapon Of Warning
Evil is always lurking, and with a Weapon of Warning, a Paladin can be even more prepared. It can be a number of variant weapons, that will suit the needs and style of any Paladin. As its name suggests, it warns its wielder of danger, preventing the wielder and any of their companions within 30 feet from being surprised unless they're incapacitated by anything other than nonmagical sleep.
The weapon magically awakens its wielder and their companions if they are naturally asleep when combat starts, and it gives its wielder Advantage on initiative rolls. This can surprisingly help to shift the battle in one's favor and is one of the best weapons for any character that's leading a party or taking on the role of defender.
14 Sword Of Sharpness
Swords of Sharpness are very rare, so if a Paladin happens to come across one, they shouldn't pass up the opportunity to claim it. It can be any sword that deals slashing damage and it maximizes the damage the dice roll deals to an enemy. If you roll a 20 on your attack roll, the Sword of Sharpness deals an extra 4d6 slashing damage.
Then, you get to roll another d20, and if you roll another 20, you get to lop off a limb from your target. That's not all this amazing weapon can do — the blade can also shed a ten-foot radius of bright light around its wielder when the sword's Command Word is uttered.
13 Sword Of Holy Devotion
A classic template gets some new life with the Sword of Holy Devotion. It gives you a +3 to both damage and attacks while also giving a bonus against losing Concentration when casting spells on party members. That means you can heal your friends while Tanking and taking damage, making this weapon one of the best options for those building your Paladin as a combo class.
You don't even have to use the sword to benefit from having it. Even when it's drawn, it creates an aura of ten feet around you that gives your party an extra saving throw when they fail a roll against fiends or undead creatures.
12 Saint Markovia’s Thighbone
A rare item that requires attunement, this is an item that's similar to the Mace of Disruption, a weapon typically associated with Paladins. It won't surprise anyone that Saint Markovia’s Thighbone, which is also a mace, is found in the Curse of Strahd module, in which any power against evil comes in handy.
Saint Markovia was one of the few local people to take a stand against Count Strahd and was one of the few of his enemies to make a stand against him in Castle Ravenloft. He managed to trap her in a crypt far beneath the castle, where she remains, and her holy power is infused in her bones. It's a great story for any righteous character seeking to defeat the undead of Curse of Strahd.
11 Moonblade
A Moonblade is a legendary item that can only be used by characters from elf or half-elf lineages. These powerful longswords are passed down from generation to generation, bonding with a wielder who it deems worthy. A Moonblade is a sentient Neutral Good weapon that wants to preserve and protect Elvenkind and will only serve someone who shares those ideals.
Along the blade is a rune for each master it has served. Its first rune grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, and each rune after that adds another property. Among those properties is the ability to increase attack and damage bonus, gain the finesse property, and add extra slashing damage.
10 Spear Of The Green
The Spear of the Greem sounds like it should be for a Ranger or a Druid, but it's a weapon for a Paladin only. This legendary, magical weapon gives +3 to attacks and damage, and buffs the party against poison as well their saving throws against poison attacks within a radius of ten feet if you have the weapon drawn.
If your character is level 17 or higher, the radius of the aura increases to 30 feet. It's one of the best weapons in D&D 5e for a healing role or a DPS Paladin.
9 Sword Of The Paruns
Paladins on their own can be a great force of good, but when a Paladin teams up with their friends, they can become an unstoppable force of good! In the hands of a Paladin, the Sword of Paruns is a great way to help out allies and let them help you out as well. It gives a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, and it allows you to use one of three properties once per turn.
After you attack with the sword, you can let one creature within 60 feet of you use its reaction to make a weapon attack. After you dash, you can let one creature use its reaction to move, or, after you dodge, you can let one creature use its reaction to dodge as well.
8 Defender
This legendary weapon is good for just about any class that can use martial weapons, which includes Paladins. A Defender can be one of five martial melee weapons: a shortsword, a rapier, a greatsword, a longsword, or a scimitar. A Defender allows you to gain a +3 to attack and damage rolls that are made using it.
What gives this magical sword its namesake is that you can apply its bonus to your Armor Class instead of attack and damage rolls during each of your turns. It doesn't even have to be the full bonus — you could give yourself a +1 boost to your AC and keep a +2 for your rolls.
7 Sun Blade
In Dungeons & Dragons, it's possible for individuals to harness the power of nature and greater cosmic forces, including the Sun. And for any Paladin that happens to fight under the banner of Pelor or any other sun deity, the Sun Blade just might be the best 5e weapon for them. The Sun Blade is a rare longsword that first appears to be just a hilt.
Once it is attuned, its wielder can summon a magic blade made of pure radiance. It deals radiant damage and gives a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls. Undead creatures take extra damage when hit with this sword, and the sword emits bright sunlight with a radius that you can control.
6 Oathsunder
How feasible is it to play a Barbarian-Paladin multiclass? Thanks to abilities like Rage and Zeal, and the general character of each class as a Tank or Melee DPS, it's actually a really good build, and wielding this weapon helps.
Oathsunder gives your Paladin a +3 to both damage and attack, does extra damage to celestials and humanoids, and buffs nearby party members within a ten-foot aura. As with other weapons that grant a Paladin and their party an aura, the range increases to 30 feet if your character is level 17 or higher.
5 Mace Of Disruption
Paladins are automatically proficient with maces due to their class feature, and one of the best maces for them is a Mace of Disruption. A rare magic weapon, it is especially good against fiends or undead creatures, giving them an extra 2d6 of radiant damage.
If the target of the attack has 25 hit points or lower after taking attack damage from this mace, it is automatically destroyed on a failed Wisdom saving throw. Even if it succeeds, it still becomes Frightened until the end of your next turn, and it's another weapon that casts bright light in a radius around its wielder.
4 The Vorpal Sword
It's often referred to as a "sword" but that doesn't necessarily mean a one-handed blade. The Vorpal Sword can be found in a variety of forms, including a scimitar or greatsword, and although it requires attunement the Paladin doesn't have to be of a good alignment in order to equip or wield it.
The +3 bonus to attacks and total disregard for any resistance to slashing damage is what makes this sword famous and sought after by many other classes besides the Paladin. Roll a 20 on an attack while holding this sword to cut your opponent's head off. It's typically one of the best weapons used by Rogues, Fighters, and other classes that prioritize melee DPS.
3 Holy Avenger
A Holy Avenger is literally a weapon made for a Paladin. This legendary weapon can be any sword, a greatsword, rapier, or others, and must be attuned by a Paladin. With a Holy Avenger, you gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls when using it, and it deals extra radiant damage to fiend and undead creatures.
Drawing out the sword and holding it creates a ten-foot radius aura around you that grants you and all friendly to you creatures within the radius advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. This helpful aura's radius can also be increased to 30 feet if you have 17 or more levels in the Paladin class.
2 Conquering Maul
A blunt and simple-looking armament, a maul is typically used by classes that can't use sharp weapons, like Monks or Clerics. Paladins are a similar class, so it makes sense that they would also have a similar weapon. The Conquering Maul gives a +3 to both attack and damage rolls and gives your party a bonus to critical hit when they are within ten feet of it.
An unusual but handy ability this weapon has is to charm an animal after it reaches half-health if it's afraid of you. However, an animal that's immune to that kind of intimidation won't be affected.
1 Sword Of Zariel
For anyone playing the Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus campaign, the following weapon is a bit of a spoiler so proceed with caution. In the fourth chapter of the campaign, you enter a place called the Bleeding Citadel in search of the Sword of Zariel. It's an important item that greatly determines how the campaign ends, but it also makes for a great weapon.
The longsword chooses who is worthy to wield it and it transforms them into a heavenly idealized version of themselves whose alignment becomes Lawful Good. They gain several angelic abilities and a new personality rolled from a set of four tables. It shines a holy light and gives fiends a disadvantage on attack rolls, and deals extra radiant damage to your foes.