Much like in Dungeons & Dragons, picking a class in Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t just a matter of combat mechanics, but it also reflects the kind of character you want to roleplay. You can then narrow that down even further with your chosen subclass – especially if you’re playing as a paladin.
Unlike other classes, paladins have to follow certain tenets to keep their subclass abilities, and each subclass comes with different rules. In the base game, there are four subclasses to choose from, and if you make an in-game decision that goes against the spirit of the oath, then you lose your powers.
Now, anyone looking to get a unique paladin experience has another fan-made oath to choose from. Oath of Penitence – Paladin Subclass by Nexus Mods user Nevaty adapts the homebrew Dungeons & Dragons subclass of the same name, so it functions in Baldur’s Gate 3. Alongside its own oath to uphold, it has a completely fleshed-out list of abilities that are unlocked through levelling up, like with any other subclass.
Here’s How Oath Of Penitence Works In Baldur’s Gate 3
As the name suggests, the Oath of Penitence is about admitting your own sins and making amends, not shying away from your actions. The tenets, as per the mod page, are as follows:
- Mea Culpa: You do not excuse your sins, nor the sins of others. Name them clearly, without comfort or evasion. The weight of wrongdoing is sacred — to deny it is to deny your covenant.
- Cruor et Gloria: Every wound received in faithful service draws you closer to the divine. You do not seek suffering for its own sake, but you do not turn from it when it comes. The scar is proof of the prayer.
- Via Solitaria: The path of penance is often walked without companions. Others will call you broken, or lost, or beyond saving. Walk on. Your god chose you precisely because you will not stop.
In terms of what will break your paladin oath, it will be similar to the Oath of Vengeance in the base game. This is because failing to uphold justice or vengeance is letting a guilty person walk free, which isn’t in keeping with the oath you made.
There’s a breakdown of all of the new abilities you’ll get as part of this oath on the mod page, with some accessible as soon as you pick the subclass. For instance, Mortified Flesh is a passive that, if you take a hit, means that your next melee attack will do bonus damage, calculated by “1d4 + Charisma modifier bonus radiant damage”. Alternatively, Mea Culpa is an action you can make once per short rest. The damage works out at “1d4 + Charisma modifier bonus slashing damage”, and also gives the enemy two turns of the bleeding status effect.
If you want to give it a go, you can download it on Nexus now. As we’ve covered before, there are a bunch of other custom paladin oaths, too, so there’s a lot to play around with.
- Released
-
August 3, 2023
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Engine
-
Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
-
Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
-
Full cross-platform play.
