Paladin: Fighting Style – Blessed Warrior: What Cantrip Should You Choose?
Paladins get to choose a fighting style when they reach 2nd-level. In the D&D 5e book Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, a new fighting style was introduced, the Blessed Warrior. This new style allows Paladins to choose two cantrips from the Cleric spell list. Cantrips can be very powerful and game-changing, especially at lower levels. You can also swap out any cantrip for another any time you level up as a Paladin.
Here are those options:
Guidance
Light
Mending
Resistance
Sacred Flame
Spare the Dying
Thaumaturgy
Toll the Dead
Word of Radiance
Although it is a fighting style, I think it is best to get one attack cantrip and one utility cantrip, because not all of D&D is played on a battlemap. Here is my tier list:
S Tier
Guidance adds a d4 to any ability check which is useful in any situation.
Sacred Flame ignores cover and causes radiant damage. The only drawback is that the target gets a saving throw.
Spare the Dying can be very useful for keeping your party alive. Since Paladins are usually on the frontlines, you’ll most likely get several opportunities to use it.
Thaumaturgy is a catchall cantrip that can find many uses during combat, exploration, and social interactions.
Toll the Dead from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is an attack cantrip that causes more damage to a target who is already hurt with a decent range if they fail their saving throw.
A Tier
Light is useful in different situations whether or not your character has darkvision.
Mending is a great utility spell that will find numerous uses during a campaign. The only drawback is the 1-minute casting time.
Resistance gives an additional d4 to add to a saving throw, which could be the difference between success and failure.
B Tier
Word of Radiance from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything only has a range of 5 feet but causes radiant damage to any creature within range who fail their saving throw.
A shorter list than what is available to Rangers with their Druidic Warrior, but there are some very good cantrips to choose from.
So, have you ever chosen Blessed Warrior? What cantrips did you choose? Let me know in the comments down below.