Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Break All Paladin Oaths in BG3

The Paladin is a unique class in Baldur’s Gate 3. At the start of the game, you choose from three subclasses that determine what type of Paladin your character is and the type of oaths they vow to take; however, these oaths are sacred to a Paladin, and if they’re broken, they become an Oathbreaker.

The Oathbreaker is another, secret subclass that a Paladin can become if they ever break a vow. An Oathbreaker is still considered to be a Paladin, but more of a dark one that doesn’t heal as much as it causes damage. Here’s what you need to know about how to break all Paladin Oaths in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: Every Class Ranked By Spells & Skills in BG3

How to Break Your Paladin’s Oaths in Baldur’s Gate 3

The way you break your Paladin’s oath varies on the type of Paladin you pick at the start of your Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough. You can pick three Paladin subclasses: the Oath of The Ancients, Oath of Vengeance, and the Oath of Devotion. Each of these Oaths has a different way that you can break them by initiating specific actions in Baldur’s Gate 3, and knowing the differences is important, but the end result will remain the same, where your character’s Paladin subclass becomes an Oathbreaker.

SPOILER WARNING: going over the specific actions you can take to break a Paladin oath means revealing plenty of key moments in Baldur’s Gate 3, especially for those playing as a Dark Urge origin character. Read on at your own risk.

How to Break the Oath of The Ancients Vow in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Oath of Ancients is one of the easier ones to break in Baldur’s Gate 3. A Paladin who has taken this oath is bound to promote kindness, pushing hope onto those who have lost it in Faerun. You’ll also want to protect others from darkness, going out of your way to ensure they are safe and promote small acts of kindness.

A good way to break this oath is by taking out the Owlbear mother and the cub in the Owlbear cave. By killing both, you’ll break your oath. But you’ll have plenty of other opportunities throughout the game.

Here’s are some of the actions you can take that will break the Oath of the Ancients in BG3:

• Kill a non-hostile NPC.
• Shove an NPC to their death, even if they’re evil.
• Attack the Tieflings that caged Lae’zel at the start of the game after persuading them to lower the cage.
• Prod the wing of the wounded bird being treated by Nettie in the Druid Grove.
• Kill the Owlbear Cub and its mother at the Owlbear Cave.
• Accept Auntie Ethel’s deal after she surrenders during your fight with her in Act 1.
• Use Auntie Ethel’s wand, Bitter Divorce, to raise Mayrina’s husband from the dead.
• Torture the Goblin Camp prisoner.
• Side with Sovereign Glut to overthrow Sovereign Spaw in the Underdark.
• Torture Dolly Dolly Dolly after receiving the Moon Lantern from Kar’niss.
• Toward the end of the Punish the Wicked quest, call Madeline a coward.
• Form an alliance with Gortash.
• Free the vampire spawns in Cazador’s Dungeon.

Dark Urge Paladin: Oath of the Ancient

If you’re playing as a Dark Urge Paladin, you’ll have a unique additional opportunity to break your Oath of the Ancient vow by breaking Pandirna’s legs. Pandirna is the paralyzed Tiefling refugee guarding the supplies in the Druid Grove’s storage hut. Breaking Pandirna’s legs will kill her on the spot, breaking your Oath of the Ancient vow.

How to Break the Oath of Vengeance Vow in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Oath of Vengeance is the more aggressive Paladin subclass that you can pick in Baldur’s Gate 3. You primarily focus on protecting the weak, ensuring those who are not strong enough to protect themselves are taken care of, and justice is seen through.

One of the easiest ways you can break this oath is by preventing Akra from killing Sazza, the caged goblin, and then setting Sazza free. It’s not enough to make sure she survives, but to make sure she escapes back to the goblin camp. Allowing anyone evil to continue to do horrible things in Baldur’s Gate 3 is the quickest way to break this oath.

Here’s are some of the actions you can take that will break the Oath of Vengeance in BG3:

• Kill Scratch.
• Attack the Tieflings that caged Lae’zel at the start of the game.
• Open the caged door of Sazza’s prison in the Druid Grove.
• Prod the wing of the wounded bird being treated by Nettie in the Druid Grove.
• Stop Arabella’s mother from killing Kagha if Arabella dies during her trial.
• Allow Auntie Ethel to escape alive during your fight with her in Act 1.
• Torture the Goblin Camp prisoner.
• Agree to help Minthara attack the Emerald Grove.
• Side with Sovereign Glut and kill Sovereign Spaw in the Underdark.
• Side with True Soul Nere after you free him in Grymforge.
• Support Mol’s goal to become the leader of the Thieve’s Guild.
• Let the torturers erase Minthara at Moonrise Towers.
• Toward the end of the Punish the Wicked quest, forgive Madeline or stop her when she’s stabbing herself.
• Side with Flaming Fist Marcus at the Last Light Inn.
• Kill Steelclaw, the hairless cat found found a Moonrise Towers.
• Help Linsella control her gnoll, Barnabus, in the Moonrise Towers kitchen.
• Help feed the Newborn Mind Flayer in Rivington’s Abandoned Windmill.
• Accept Gortash’s proposal during his coronation ceremony.
• When talking to Aradin in front of Sorcerous Sundries, tell him that the Nightsong is at your camp.
• Let Viconia live after the fight in the House of Grief.
• Let Astarion complete the ritual and become a Vampire Ascendant in Cazador’s dungeon.
• Leave the vampire spawn in their cages after defeating Cazador in his dungeon.

Dark Urge Paladin: Oath of Vengeance

The Dark Urge has several unique actions they can take that will break the Oath of Vengeance when playing as a Paladin:

• Fantasize about chopping off Gale’s hand when you first meet him at the rune.
• Embrace Alfira / Quil’s murder after they rest at your camp.
• Break Pandirna’s legs at the Druid Grove.
• Show the Strange Ox your thoughts at the Last Light Inn in Act 2.
• Wonder if you ever buried some alive when talking to Bugthimble at Kurwin’s grave in the Lower City Graveyard.

How to Break the Oath of Devotion Vow in Baldur’s Gate 3

With the Oath of Devotion, it’s all about keeping your word to others in Baldur’s Gate 3. If you promise to do something for someone else, you need to see this through to the end, and not betray them. The moment you backstab a character after making a promise to them, your oath will be broken.

Another good example of this early in the game is when Akra, a tiefling, is about to kill Sazza, a caged goblin. If you allow it to happen, your oath is broken. Another example is betraying the goblins in the Blighted Village, even if they are enemies to you and the tieflings, or killing Pandirna in the tiefling camp.

Oathbreaker Paladin Features in BG3

As a subclass of the Paladin, an Oathbreaker Paladin has access to all of the Paladin base stats and features but can also learn a slew of dark features unique to the subclass. The unique features that an Oathbreaker can learn are as follows:

• Spiteful Suffering: 1d4 Necrotic damage each turn for three turns.
• Control Undead: gain control over an undead creature. The undead will follow you around and attack your enemies.
• Dreadful Aspect: let your darkest emotions burst forth as a menacing pulse to Frighten nearby enemies for 2 turns.
• Hellish Rebuke: React to your next attacker with flames that deal 2d10 Fire damage.
• Inflict Wounds: 3d10 Necrotic Damage.
• Crown of Madness: Instill madness in a humanoid enemy, making them attack the creature closest to them (other than you), even if it’s allied. Lasts for three turns.
• Darkness: Create a dark shroud that Heavily Obscures and Blinds creatures within. Creatures cannot make ranged attacks into or out of it. Lasts for 10 turns.
• Aura of Hate: You and any nearby fiends (and undead) gain an additional damage dealt with melee weapons equal to your charisma modifier. The aura disappears if you fall Unconscious.
• Bestow Curse: Curse a creature with your touch. The curse either bestows Disadvantage on checks and Saving Throws or attacks, lets you deal additional damage to the target, or robs it of its actions. Lasts for 10 turns.
• Animate Dead: Create an undead servant from a corpse.