Valkyrie AKA Female paladin build help

[Aleister VII]

Okay... so I'm trying to make a PC that's a Valkyrie, a divine female warrior send by the Gods (Odin in this case) to save the braves and bring punishment to the evil doers, so far I know that the class to pick is Paladin, it's fits the divine warrior thing but I'm not quite sure about what else...

I usually use Polearms or two handed weapons but I would like to give this Valkyrie a shield, so she'll go sword and board, as for race I'm not sure if V. Human (if I need a feat), half elf (good stuffs all around) or Aasimar (the subraces confuses me a little but fits the envoy of the gods theme).

I neither know what oath take, devotion seems fair enough to me but vengeance is like divine punishment and also works, what one is better?

any thoughts?

[Sigreid]

Protector Asimar. Shield master. I would do devotion for your concept as punishment doesn't seem to be the main focus.

[Man_Over_Game]

Valkyrie were more guides for the souls of fallen heroes rather than warriors themselves. They'd gather Einherjar (dead heroes) and bring them to heaven to serve as immortal soldiers.

Thematically, a Grave Cleric (You die, but I bring you back! Also, I help you kill things), a War Cleric (I kill you myself!), or a Life Cleric (I make sure you never reach the afterlife!) would fit more if you're trying to be as accurate as possible.

But if you're set on Paladin, most of them work just fine.

Valkyrie were heartless beings, TBH. You died of illness, you don't go to heaven. You died of old age, you don't go to heaven. You died of an accident, and you don't go to heaven. They are ruthless and their orders are more important than the plights of common mortals. They are servants of gods, and you are nothing to them.

They value heroes for the worth they'll provide for the armies of heaven.

Mechanically and thematically, I'd go with a slightly reflavored Oath of the Crown. Their abilities to demand obedience over weaker beings, combined with their powers to protect others nearby with an emphasis on protecting those in melee combat (protecting only heroes who deserve it), you wouldn't just act like a badass Valkyrie but you'd feel like one too.

[Man_Over_Game]

As for the race options, I'd definitely recommend Aasimar.

To put the subraces briefly: Protector is the kind saint, improves wisdom, and gets wings. Scourge is divine wrath, improves constitution, and gets a damaging aura. Fallen is the betrayer, improves strength, and uses fear based off of Charisma.

Scourge is probably the most thematically fitting option, but that's your call.

As a Half Elf, you can look into picking one of the Variants from the Sword Coast Adventuring Guide. You basically sell your extra Half Elf skills for a different ability, and one of them is to get the weapon/cantrip ability from the High Elf (which can include Booming Blade or Greenflame Blade).

What Sigreid said about getting Shield Master is also a good option, too. Paladins *generally* don't need much with their bonus actions, so knocking someone prone could definitely help fill in that gap. Magic Initiate can also get you some of those delicious Cantrips that will help you, such as Lightning Lure, Sword Burst or Word of Radiance.

[Foxhound438]

I have to agree with protector aasimar. Particularly seeing how often Valkyrie are depicted to be winged, and the protector gives you that at least once a day. The stat boosts aren't perfect, but they're workable none the less.

for your oath, I think they're pretty much all okay depending on precisely what interpretation of "valkyrie" you want to follow. The most traditional would probably be redemption paladin, since valkyrie aren't usually the ones doing direct fighting. However, seeing how you want to be a divine warrior dealing out justice to evil doers, redemption is probably less fitting to what you have in mind. Vengeance sounds good for you, as does conquest if you interpret the tenents of that oath loosely, and as someone else said crown goes pretty well with protecting the braves (in this case I'd probably find a multiclass after maybe 11 in paladin). If you're looking for just the best mechanical fit to your sword and shield setup, conquest offers spiritual weapon to give you some extra damage on your bonus actions, and as I said it certainly can be interpreted to fit thematically.

[Palfatreos]

Personally i see valkyrie more like vengefull warrior rather protecting angels so i see them more offensive oriented then defensive.

race: Scourge Aasimar
class: Paladin (oath of vengeance)

STR>CHA>CON

paladin has acces to steed and find greater steed which alow you to summon horse and pegasus respectifly.
Oath of vengenace has alot non paladin spell that are very usefull + i feel they more into killing the enemy rather then healing/protecting the weak.
As for scourge aasimar for the con stat + Glowing while edaling radiant damage sound pretty funny.

Protector Aasimar pretty good to although it wisdom stat having wings could be nice in air battle or until you have acces to mount (horse/pegasus).

Weapons: sword and board + javeling for ranged option early stage. + lance if you riding your summoned mount.

[Man_Over_Game]

Heh. Be on horse, activate Scourge aura, accidentally set horse on fire.

[Palfatreos]

lol rereaded the scourge assimar skill so apperently it hit anything around you + yourself not only the enemy whoops XD.

[Man_Over_Game]

Key thing about the self damage is that you have resistance to radiant damage, and damage is rounded down, so at level 1, it doesn't actually hurt you, but it will start dealing damage to you at level 3.

[Corran]

Paladin is a good fit, but so is a cleric (probably war domain, though someone mentioned grave and that is probably a good fit too). Think of spirit guardians as calling the spirits of fallen warriors to aid you in a fight. Crown paladins do get spirit guardians of course. But it's not only spirit guardians, there is a lot of flavor to be found in many other spells.

Don't know much about Valkyrie lore or Norse mythology, so running the risk of saying something that is amiss, I would aim to replicate a lot of the deva/planetar/solar flavor with such a character.

Race? Definitely aasimar IMO. Much more fitting than a human, at least thematically. Never cared much for the scourge and fallen aasimar subraces, though scourge might be a bit more appropriate (if you take wings out of the equation) and its stats are better than the ones of the dmg aasimar (assuming you are going with a paladin build).

Wings. You need o aim for wings. Whether they come from your race (protector aasimar), or from your class (vengeance paly 20/ divine soul 14/ etc), or from a template if there is one fitting and allowed by the DM.

Finally, spells. You can squeeze a lot of flavor from your spells and from some class features. Have a look at the spoiler if you don't mind a long-ish read, as it might give you some ideas. (I was going for a son-of-a-good-diety theme rather than a Valkyrie theme, but there is some overlap regarding the supernatural-esque fluff).
An angel is a celestial agent sent forth into the planes to further its god's agenda for weal or woe. Its sublime beauty and presence can drive awestruck onlookers to their knees. Yet angels are destroyers too, and their appearance portends doom as often as it signals hope.
- Monster Manual, page 15


Do you like your characters to be the most special snowflakes they can be? Did you ever think that your favourite paladin character was not important enough? Did you ever want to play that Mary-Sue character that is the son/daughter of Pelor, instead of just settling playing with just another devout worshiper?

If the answer to the any of the above is ''yes'', then here is a build that can act as a base, or at least spark some inspiration, so that you can create the character you'll love, and whom everyone else at the table will hate (and rightfully so). From a gleaming holy sword, the ability to sense evil, conjuring a celestial mount, smiting, calling forth angelic spirits to fight for you, and so on and so forth, all the way up to getting access to spells like wish and true resurrection, you will have all the tools at your hands that will set this character apart from any cleric, paladin or sorcerer, from a flavor perspective. Let's take a look.


Race
Aasimar for obvious reasons, as they are the closest thing to a deva/ planetar/ solar that we have at our disposal. Went with the DMG version cause it seems the most thematic to me, but scourge would probably do just as well too.

Aasimars get you necrotic and radiant resistance (appropriate), and they also provide you with some very thematic spells (light, lesser rrestoration, daylight) that ease our spell selection, considering how limited it is.


Class [Paladin, Devotion 3]
I went with 3 levels in devotion, cause that gets us most of the important fluff-related things we would want from the paladin class, at a very low cost (ie allowing as to take 17 levels in sorcerer for wish -which is terribly important to adding some final touches on the build, and a very powerful spell too -more on that later).

Three levels of paladin get you most of the paladin's trademark features, from a fluff perspective.
Lay on hands and divine sense, the ability to smite, some very thematic spells in bless, protection from evil, sanctuary, etc... , immunity to diseases (extremelly important if you want to pretend your character is more than a mere mortal), and of course the very flavorfull sacred weapon channel divinity.

The only things really missing are fear immunity (ie aura of courage) but you can replicate the effects with heroism at lower levels, the paladin's mount but you will get conjure celestial to cover for that. Losing aura of protection is more of a mechanical loss rather than a flavour loss, but you will get holly aura at the later levels to make up for this.


Class [Sorcerer, Favored Soul 17]
Need I explain this?
Very briefly, just the wings (EAT YOUR HEART OUR DEVOTION PALY'S WITH YOUR UNDERWHELMING CAPSTONE!) and the access to the cleric's spell list for some very thematical picks, along with access to sorcerer spells and metamagic, for eventually picking wish (which you can combine with subtle for a fine adjustment to hit the flavour you really want -see spell section below), are the most important reasons for this, from a mechanics' point of view. Plus, the whole theme has written ''Mary-Sue'' all over it and it fits our goals.

-----------------------

Spells
I tried to pick spells that fit the theme of a holy warrior with a strong divine spark in them and perhaps even with a direct connection to the divine (enter diety), while also managing my selection in an effort to replicate some of the flavor of devas/ planetars/ solars and empyreans. Lets have a look.

Wish: Since the number of spells known to use is very limited (despite the helpful additions from a couple levels of paladin ad from being an aasimar), I though wish was a necessary pick, so that we can get access to all those very thematic spells that didnt make it into our spell list (and besides, if used optimally, wish is a powerhouse). Some examples include replicating the effects of earhquake or tsunami (because angels are destroyers too), control weather (to mimic some empyrean lore: An empyrean can experience deity-like fits of serenity or rage. It can affect the environment around it by its mood. When an empyrean is unhappy, the clouds might cry tears of salt water, the wildflowers in surrounding meadows might wilt, dead fish might wash ashore in lakes or rivers, or a nearby forest might lose the leaves from its trees. When an empyrean is jubilant, sunlight follows it everywhere, small animals frolic in its footsteps, and birds fill the sky with their pleasing songs. -MM, p130), plane shift, and lots of other spells that didnt make it into our list, like sunbeam, sunburst, etc.
Coupled with the subtle metamagic can be important flavour wise, since you will want to use the effects of most of such spells without doing all the hocus-pocus that casters do, but instead have them play out as manifestations of your will, or at the very least, as a boon that came true through Daddy. EAT YOUR HEART OUT DIVINE INTERVENTION!

Conjure Celestial: Summon a unicorn or even better, a pegasus, and go to battle on it. Not the best use of concentration (especially considering you will have your own wings by then), but is it something more thematic than going into battle on a pegasus for this character? Admittedly, a very special mount, for a very special character... EAT YOUR HEART OUT FIND STEED.

Holy Aura: Perhaps your strongest use of concentration, but that's why it is such a high level spell. Need I explain why it's so fitting? Just go ahead and read its description (PHB, page 251).

Spirit Guardians: You most frequent use of concentration. Not as strong as holy aura above, but definitely no less impressive. I'll just quote a line from the spell's description. You call angelic spirits to protect you. Need I say more? A strong spell too, that you might want to upcast from time to time.

Mass suggestion & command: Because mortals need to heed you. Fits with the favored soul fluff, and with the flavour of the character. Plus, a very very strong spell, both in combat and out of it.

Zone of truth: It pained me to include this spell as a sorcerer (fs) pick, but I kind of have to. Planetars and Solars can always spot a lie, and we are better and more special than them, so (unfortunately) we have to pick this spell. A real shame it is not a 1st level paladin spell though...

Divine Word & Banishment: These two along with turn the unholy channel divinity from your oath, guarantee you have the best options when fighting supernatural threats (and kick ass when fighting monsters that think they have the right to try to be as special as you are). Protection from evil and good can complement your strategy when up against such posers...

Flame strike: Worse than fireball, but more thematic. The empowered spell metamagic might be a good pick to boost the power of such a lackluster yet very thematic pick. Besides, all those inferior planetars and solars get this spell, so why shouldn't you?
To the same end, I included the very suboptimal searing smite as one of our prepared paladin spells (ie it matches the theme).

True Seeing: Because everyone from the MM that tries to copy how special you are, has it. Complements good your divine sense from being a paladin.

Commune: To speak with Dad/ Mom every now and then. Or with the rest of your friends in the astral sea.

Mass cure wounds & Lay on hands: Restore hit points and cure diseases. This will earn you some respect among the table and the NPCs of the game world. Healing is the most classic manifestation of the divine in the dnd universe (or so I think), so you should have something in this department.

True Resurrection: Cause some things cannot be replicated by wish. You should aim to have such a powerful spell,as it's the closest thing to a miracle.

There are other spells and cantrips too, like bless, thaumaturgy (perfect cantrip for characters such as this one), sacred flame, etc etc, but you get the idea by now...


Feats
Well, warcatsre, resilient con, +1 CHA +1 STR, are purely for mechanical purposes, and quite necessary, but at least you get inspiring leader (angels signal hope), so that's that.

[Tesla Dragon]

Crown, Vengeance or even Conquest could all be fitting themes, depending on how ruthless and/or terrifying you'd like your Valkyrie to be.

I would also second the suggestions to pick Aasimar as the race for fluff reasons.

Finally, to combine the use of a shield and desire for a polearm, might I turn you towards the Lance? One handed while mounted and iconic of Valkyrie and Paladin both.

[Aleister VII]

Interesting... Aasimar (the winged one), vengeance paladin seems like the way to go, I'm not sure about adding so much sorcerer levels as suggested.

Something that picked my interest was War cleric, what build can I make out of it? Do I need magic initiate to grab Booming blade? Or GWM with guided attack?

[KorvinStarmast]

Personally i see valkyrie more like vengefull warrior rather protecting angels . Bruhnilde just called, and would like a word with you (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkyrie). :smallcool:

But that's not a bad way to play the idea in 5e. (Vengeance Paladin)

[Man_Over_Game]

Interesting... Aasimar (the winged one), vengeance paladin seems like the way to go, I'm not sure about adding so much sorcerer levels as suggested.

Something that picked my interest was War cleric, what build can I make out of it? Do I need magic initiate to grab Booming blade? Or GWM with guided attack?

War Cleric is generally better with a heavy weapon, since you can spam the hell out of it with your ability as a bonus action. Not much can out-damage a Two-Hander War Cleric.

Tack on Great Weapon Master, and it'll start getting ugly real quick.

If you really want Booming Blade/Greenflame Blade, there's 4 ways you can get it without multiclassing.

Go Human Variant, grabbing Magic Initiate
Go Human Variant, grabbing Spell Sniper
Go High Elf, picking the Blade spell of your choice.
Go Half Elf, using the variant rules in SCAG to be a High Half-Elf, picking the Blade spell of your choice.

[Aleister VII]

If GWM works that well I guess that there's no need for Blade cantrips but anyways, returning to the paladin I'll go vengeance for now, maybe I'll throw in some sorcerer levels if the campaign reach high levels but I doubt it x.x