Human Paladin
Boss killer. Vow of Enmity, Divine Smite, aura support, and front-line pressure.
⚔️ D&D combat board
Level 14 Party Tactics
A fast reference for choosing the right concentration plan, protecting the party, and turning the Paladin into the boss-delete button while the Bard, Cleric, and Sorcerer control the fight.
🛡️ Human Paladin
🎵 Half-Orc Bard
🔨 Dwarf Cleric
🔥 Human Sorcerer
Simple Party Roles
The Sorcerer is less flexible than a Wizard, but stronger for burst damage, metamagic, and clutch Counterspell or Dispel Magic plays.
Dwarf Cleric
Main healer. Condition fixing, Bless, Death Ward, Spirit Guardians, and emergency recovery.
Half-Orc Bard
Control and buffs. Inspiration, Hypnotic Pattern, Greater Invisibility, and backup healing.
Human Sorcerer
AoE and burst magic. Counterspell, Dispel Magic, metamagic, Haste, and big damage turns.
Core Battle Plans
Choose the fight pattern, then keep concentration spells from competing with each other.
Boss Fight
Stack buffs, protect concentration, and let the Paladin spend smites when attacks land.
| Character | Action |
|---|---|
| Paladin | Vow of Enmity + Divine Smite |
| Cleric | Bless or Death Ward |
| Bard | Greater Invisibility on Paladin / Inspiration |
| Sorcerer | Haste on Paladin, or Counterspell enemy magic |
Best combo: Bless + Haste + Greater Invisibility + Paladin smites. If the boss is a caster, Sorcerer often saves reaction for Counterspell.
Horde Fight
Control the crowd, grind them down, and punish clumps with big AoE.
| Character | Action |
|---|---|
| Paladin | Hold choke point |
| Cleric | Spirit Guardians |
| Bard | Hypnotic Pattern / Fear |
| Sorcerer | Fireball / Cone of Cold / Chain Lightning |
Rule: Bard controls, Cleric grinds, Sorcerer nukes, Paladin blocks.
Enemy Caster Fight
Pressure the caster, break concentration, and win the reaction war.
| Character | Action |
|---|---|
| Paladin | Rush caster / Misty Step if Vengeance |
| Cleric | Silence / Dispel Magic |
| Bard | Counterspell if known / Dispel Magic |
| Sorcerer | Counterspell, ideally Subtle Spell Counterspell |
Sorcerer note: Subtle Spell Counterspell is excellent because enemy casters may not be able to Counterspell it back.
Response Matrices
Fast lookups for damage types, enemy control effects, and dangerous environments.
Damage Type Matrix
Each damage type is split into a threat card, then each role gets a highlighted response block.
Elemental Damage
Fire
Resistance, save bonuses, and reaction defenses matter most.
🛡️ Paladin
Aura of Protection
🔨 Cleric
Heal / Protection from Energy
🔥 Sorcerer
Absorb Elements / Protection from Energy
Elemental Damage
Cold
Prevent failed saves from becoming a healing race.
🛡️ Paladin
Aura
🔨 Cleric
Heal
🔥 Sorcerer
Absorb Elements
Elemental Damage
Lightning
Spread out when possible and let the Sorcerer blunt the spike.
🛡️ Paladin
Aura
🔨 Cleric
Heal
🔥 Sorcerer
Absorb Elements
Elemental Damage
Acid
Keep saves high, avoid pools, and patch damage quickly.
🛡️ Paladin
Aura
🔨 Cleric
Heal
🔥 Sorcerer
Absorb Elements
Body Threat
Poison
Cleanse the condition, leave the cloud, and keep squishies back.
🛡️ Paladin
Lay on Hands
🔨 Cleric
Lesser Restoration / Protection from Poison
🔥 Sorcerer
Avoid / ranged damage
Life-Drain Threat
Necrotic
Prevent death spirals and burst down undead or curse sources.
🛡️ Paladin
Smite undead
🔨 Cleric
Death Ward / Protection from Evil and Good
🔥 Sorcerer
Counterspell / burst target
Mind Threat
Psychic
Protect saves, stabilize emotions, and stop spell-based sources.
🛡️ Paladin
Aura
🔨 Cleric
Heroes' Feast / Calm Emotions
🔥 Sorcerer
Counterspell / Dispel Magic
Arcane Impact
Force
Spread out and Counterspell if the source is spell-based.
🛡️ Paladin
Aura / spread out
🔨 Cleric
Heal
🔥 Sorcerer
Counterspell if spell-based
Divine Burn
Radiant
Heal through it unless the radiant source is a spell you can stop.
🛡️ Paladin
Aura / heal through
🔨 Cleric
Heal
🔥 Sorcerer
Counterspell if spell-based
Control Effect Matrix
Control counters are grouped by what they take away: judgment, spell safety, or positioning.
Mind and Morale
Morale Lock
Fear
Keep the party near the Paladin when fear is likely.
Best responsePaladin Aura of Courage, Cleric Calm Emotions
Influence
Charm
Prevent the effect if possible, then remove it fast.
Best responseCleric Protection from Evil and Good, Bard Countercharm, Dispel Magic
Command Magic
Dominate Person
Treat this as an emergency because it turns party damage inward.
Best responseDispel Magic immediately
Action Denial
Stunned
There usually is not a clean fix during the same round.
Best responseProtect the stunned character and keep enemies off them
Spell Locks and Removal
Hold Effect
Paralysis / Hold Person
Stop the spell up front, or remove it before melee enemies punish it.
Best responseSorcerer Counterspell, Cleric Lesser Restoration, Dispel Magic
Planar Removal
Banishment
Win the reaction check or break the caster's concentration.
Best responseSorcerer/Bard Counterspell or Dispel Magic
Sight Break
Blindness
Restore sight before attacks and spell targeting fall apart.
Best responseCleric Lesser Restoration
Position and Casting Zones
Movement Lock
Restrained / Web
Free the target or teleport out before the enemy focuses fire.
Best responseDispel Magic, Misty Step, Freedom of Movement
Casting Zone
Silence
Move the caster, break concentration, or use nonverbal options.
Best responseMove out, break caster concentration, nonverbal abilities
Environmental Matrix
| Situation | Best Responses |
|---|---|
| Darkness | Cleric Daylight, Bard Faerie Fire, Sorcerer Dispel Magic |
| Flying enemy | Sorcerer Fly / damage, Bard Polymorph, Paladin ready attack |
| Underwater | Water Breathing if anyone has it, Cleric Freedom of Movement |
| Difficult terrain | Freedom of Movement, Dimension Door, Fly |
| Extreme heat/cold | Protection from Energy, Tiny Hut if Bard has it |
| Poison gas | Protection from Poison, Lesser Restoration, move fast |
| Choke point | Paladin blocks, Cleric Spirit Guardians behind/near him |
| Ambush | Stack near Paladin, Cleric Spirit Guardians, Bard control, Sorcerer AoE |
Key Spell Loadout
Ask each player which of these are prepared, known, or reliably available before a dangerous adventuring day.
🛡️ Paladin
- Bless
- Shield of Faith
- Misty Step if Vengeance
- Aura of Protection
- Aura of Courage
- Lay on Hands
- Divine Smite
🔨 Cleric
- Bless
- Spirit Guardians
- Lesser Restoration
- Dispel Magic
- Death Ward
- Freedom of Movement
- Heroes' Feast
- Heal
🎵 Bard
- Bardic Inspiration
- Hypnotic Pattern
- Greater Invisibility
- Dimension Door
- Dispel Magic
- Polymorph
- Counterspell if learned through Magical Secrets
🔥 Sorcerer
- Counterspell
- Dispel Magic
- Haste
- Fireball
- Cone of Cold / Chain Lightning
- Fly
- Greater Invisibility if known
- Absorb Elements
- Shield
🎯 One rule to share
Start every combat with one decision.
Are we buffing the Paladin, controlling the battlefield, or nuking a swarm? That one call prevents everyone from wasting concentration on competing plans.