FTD dragonborn are pretty nuts for Conquest paladins

[Greywander]

Everyone knows that fear is the Conquest paladin's bread and butter. With that in mind, it's certainly not a bad option to choose a race that gets their own fear ability, so that you're not reliant purely on spells to create fear effects. Leonin and fallen aasimar both make good options here, but dragonborn offers some stiff competition. Not because of a racial trait, but because of a racial feat: Dragon Fear. Unlike the leonin or fallen aasimar, where the fear effect has a range of 10 feet and lasts for only one round, Dragon Fear has a range of 30 feet and lasts for an entire minute. Now, it's not perfect; Dragon Fear offers a save any time the target takes damage, and Aura of Conquest deals psychic damage to any frightened enemy within the aura. But honestly 1 minute of fear with no saves after the first would be too powerful, so even if Dragon Fear only lasts a couple rounds before it breaks, it's still extremely powerful. Did I mention that Dragon Fear is a half feat?

Even before Fizban's, dragonborn was already a decent option for a Conquest paladin, but FTD introduced a new, upgraded dragonborn. Most notable are the changes made to the breath weapon. Now, the breath weapon is already a good idea for a paladin, as AoE is typically their weak point (though Conquest has ways of dealing with hordes, notably Armor of Agathys and Scornful Rebuke (combos nicely with HAM and Sentinel)). FTD made the breath weapon much better than the PHB dragonborn (which was, admittedly, somewhat lackluster): Instead of using an action, it now replaces one of your attacks from the Attack action, allowing you to use it and still get an attack in (this might also allow you to use your breath weapon twice after Extra Attack). It also had its damage increased. But it is the last change that makes this so ridiculous; instead of being usable once per short rest, it's now usable prof. bonus times per long rest. Yes, you're losing out on the short rest recharge, but unless you're short resting more than 2 to 5 times between long rests, this ends up better.

Okay, that's great, but what does that have to do with Dragon Fear? Well, simply put, Dragon Fear isn't it's own action or resource, rather it runs like an alternate use for your breath weapon. This means you can now replace an attack with Dragon Fear, instead of needing an entire action to use it, and you get prof. bonus uses per long rest. On anyone that would already be pretty strong, but on a Conquest paladin that's just ridiculous.

By the way, I cross-referenced which enemies were immune to the frightened condition with which damage types those enemies were immune or resistant to. If you want your breath weapon as an option for dealing with fear-immune foes, then force is your best bet, with thunder a close second (I didn't check radiant, but it's probably good, too). For the concept I was looking at, necrotic or psychic would have fit the theme better, but those are comparable to things like lightning or cold. I don't know that this is something you really need to worry about, though, so you'll probably be fine just picking whatever suits your character best, or picking your type for the resistance it provides, rather than the damage.

[Citadel97501]

That was a great chunk of information, and I think might add that into my next build as I was already looking for some cool add ons with a Dragon Born Creation Bard.

Maybe some weird Conquest Bard-adin who is more of a caster than the normal Conquest Paladin. Maybe 1 Paladin, then 6 Bard, before going back to paladin for 6 more, then finishing off with Bard.

7 Paladin / 13 Bard
8th level spell slots, but with 7th level spells including some tricky ones.

[Gtdead]

The problem is that the damage from Aura of Conquest is applied at the start of the creature's turn which is a clear antisynergy, because if it saves it gains back it's speed and loses the disadvantage before he gets to act.

So I would argue that the feat is stronger on every other Paladin (that prioritizes CHA at least) because a 4-10 damage is inferior to the frightened condition and you can't turn the Aura off.

[Citadel97501]

The problem is that the damage from Aura of Conquest is applied at the start of the creature's turn which is a clear antisynergy, because if it saves it gains back it's speed and loses the disadvantage before he gets to act.

So I would argue that the feat is stronger on every other Paladin (that prioritizes CHA at least) because a 4-10 damage is inferior to the fear and you can't turn the Aura off.

The timing is a bit annoying, however the extra fear effect that doesn't interrupt your normal attacks, and still drops their speed to 0 is great.

[Quietus]

This is a great callout! I was thinking about doing this for a FTD Dragonborn ancestral guardian barbarian recently, didn't even think about how good it would be for conquest paladin!

[Gtdead]

The timing is a bit annoying, however the extra fear effect that doesn't interrupt your normal attacks, and still drops their speed to 0 is great.

I believe that if they save they regain their speed back. The wording is that "if the creature is frightened, it's speed is reduced to 0", but if it takes the damage tick and saves, it's not frightened anymore so it's speed is no longer reduced. Perhaps I'm wrong on this one though.

[Greywander]

The problem is that the damage from Aura of Conquest is applied at the start of the creature's turn which is a clear antisynergy, because if it saves it gains back it's speed and loses the disadvantage before he gets to act.

So I would argue that the feat is stronger on every other Paladin (that prioritizes CHA at least) because a 4-10 damage is inferior to the frightened condition and you can't turn the Aura off.
That's true, but there's still the possibility of the effect lasting more than one round, and even if they pass the save, they still take the damage from your aura. The damage is less than just hitting them with your breath weapon, but the chance of it lasting longer is still worth it. Also, the save type and damage type would be different (unless you have psychic breath), which might also be helpful if your breath weapon is a bad match up against that enemy. The range is also wider, so even though the damage is lower, you might end up dealing more damage overall.

Basically, even if all enemies pass their save after taking the damage, it still acts as a pretty large (albeit weak) AoE effect. But it does put things into perspective a bit. At least with the leonin or fallen aasimar, a failed save means the enemy is frightened for one round, but with Dragon Fear, the fear might break at the start of their turn when they take damage, so it might not even last one round. Or it might last more than one round. It's a gamble.

[Thunderous Mojo]

I believe that if they save they regain their speed back. The wording is that "if the creature is frightened, it's speed is reduced to 0", but if it takes the damage tick and saves, it's not frightened anymore so it's speed is no longer reduced. Perhaps I'm wrong on this one though.

You are not wrong.

A Paladin's Aura doesn't expand to 30' until around 18th level, before that point, a Conquest Paladin's Aura is only 10'.

The fear effect itself is 30'....so Freeze-TAG!! Is possible.🃏

[Quietus]

That's true, but there's still the possibility of the effect lasting more than one round, and even if they pass the save, they still take the damage from your aura. The damage is less than just hitting them with your breath weapon, but the chance of it lasting longer is still worth it. Also, the save type and damage type would be different (unless you have psychic breath), which might also be helpful if your breath weapon is a bad match up against that enemy. The range is also wider, so even though the damage is lower, you might end up dealing more damage overall.

Basically, even if all enemies pass their save after taking the damage, it still acts as a pretty large (albeit weak) AoE effect. But it does put things into perspective a bit. At least with the leonin or fallen aasimar, a failed save means the enemy is frightened for one round, but with Dragon Fear, the fear might break at the start of their turn when they take damage, so it might not even last one round. Or it might last more than one round. It's a gamble.

It is a gamble, yes - but it's a gamble that only cost you a single attack. That's a pretty good cost-risk ratio.

[Greywander]

You are not wrong.

A Paladin's Aura doesn't expand to 30' until around 18th level, before that point, a Conquest Paladin's Aura is only 10'.

The fear effect itself is 30'....so Freeze-TAG!! Is possible.🃏
If they're outside the aura, their speed doesn't drop to zero. But the frightened condition can be pretty strong by itself, and it will at least keep a few enemies away for a couple rounds, which should be enough to clean up the ones who stay behind. Also, every round they spend running away is a round they'll have to spend running back, essentially doubling the effect in terms of how long you can keep the enemy out of combat.


It is a gamble, yes - but it's a gamble that only cost you a single attack. That's a pretty good cost-risk ratio.
You also get up to 6 uses per day, rather than one. It's not perfect, but I do think it comes out a lot better as a fear ability than leonin or aasimar. Aasimar also get the damage boost, which is definitely worth something, and potentially an answer to fear-immune enemies, so it's not like any one option is strictly superior in every way. Each has trade-offs. The aasimar ability also has friendly fire, but that stops being an issue after 10th level when you get Aura of Courage (which is only three levels after you get Aura of Conquest).

[Naanomi]

I like it, if only because I like the visuals more than the super edgelord Fallen Aasimar alternative

[Greywander]

I like it, if only because I like the visuals more than the super edgelord Fallen Aasimar alternative
Either way, my character concept was for an evil overlord, a former BBEG who was defeated and lost most of their power. Race would probably be ambiguously humanoid, perhaps once human but changed into something else by their evil power. A lot of potential for their character arc as they learn about friendship or whatever. It could actually be really interesting to try to have the character grow and develop into a friendly and likable person while still staying true to their Lawful Evil code (or at least, to the tenets of Conquest). The character might stray into edgelord territory, but I think that's just part of the evil overlord concept, and anyway the biggest issue with edgelords is the lack of character development; they're annoying and unlikable from the moment they're introduced to the moment the other players and/or DM kill them off for being so unlikable and annoying.

I'd also like to try an edgelord character at some point, but played for laughs. For example, an edgelord rogue who comes from a family of chefs famous for their skill with knives. So, actual edge lords. Or the weredog who thinks they turn into a werewolf every full moon and go on a murderous rampage, but they actually just turn into a friendly (if confused) golden retriever.

[Amechra]

I'd also like to try an edgelord character at some point, but played for laughs. For example, an edgelord rogue who comes from a family of chefs famous for their skill with knives. So, actual edge lords. Or the weredog who thinks they turn into a werewolf every full moon and go on a murderous rampage, but they actually just turn into a friendly (if confused) golden retriever.

Or they're a Noble... because they used to be a marquess (the lord of a border region — a literal edgelord).

[T.G. Oskar]

Everyone knows that fear is the Conquest paladin's bread and butter. With that in mind, it's certainly not a bad option to choose a race that gets their own fear ability, so that you're not reliant purely on spells to create fear effects. Leonin and fallen aasimar both make good options here, but dragonborn offers some stiff competition. Not because of a racial trait, but because of a racial feat: Dragon Fear. Unlike the leonin or fallen aasimar, where the fear effect has a range of 10 feet and lasts for only one round, Dragon Fear has a range of 30 feet and lasts for an entire minute. Now, it's not perfect; Dragon Fear offers a save any time the target takes damage, and Aura of Conquest deals psychic damage to any frightened enemy within the aura. But honestly 1 minute of fear with no saves after the first would be too powerful, so even if Dragon Fear only lasts a couple rounds before it breaks, it's still extremely powerful. Did I mention that Dragon Fear is a half feat?

Even before Fizban's, dragonborn was already a decent option for a Conquest paladin, but FTD introduced a new, upgraded dragonborn. Most notable are the changes made to the breath weapon. Now, the breath weapon is already a good idea for a paladin, as AoE is typically their weak point (though Conquest has ways of dealing with hordes, notably Armor of Agathys and Scornful Rebuke (combos nicely with HAM and Sentinel)). FTD made the breath weapon much better than the PHB dragonborn (which was, admittedly, somewhat lackluster): Instead of using an action, it now replaces one of your attacks from the Attack action, allowing you to use it and still get an attack in (this might also allow you to use your breath weapon twice after Extra Attack). It also had its damage increased. But it is the last change that makes this so ridiculous; instead of being usable once per short rest, it's now usable prof. bonus times per long rest. Yes, you're losing out on the short rest recharge, but unless you're short resting more than 2 to 5 times between long rests, this ends up better.

Okay, that's great, but what does that have to do with Dragon Fear? Well, simply put, Dragon Fear isn't it's own action or resource, rather it runs like an alternate use for your breath weapon. This means you can now replace an attack with Dragon Fear, instead of needing an entire action to use it, and you get prof. bonus uses per long rest. On anyone that would already be pretty strong, but on a Conquest paladin that's just ridiculous.

Well, yeah. Anything that provides the frightened condition on an area does wonders for the Conquest Paladin.

However, FToD offers an even better alternative, though one that requires the DM being very generous and you killing an Adult Dragon - the Frightful Presence Draconic Gift. Triggers as a BA, offers a save at the end of each turn (the only negative), and has a range of 120 ft. Use it when you're surrounded, and the enemy won't be able to attack or move, all while taking psychic damage from you, and if some pass their save, you can then attempt to re-frighten them with a smite or similar move.

And it doesn't require being a Dragonborn. (Honestly; another reason why I appreciate digging in for FToD.)