Why do Paladins start with a subclass

[AncientsLegacy]

For some reason they made paladins pick subclasses at level one instead of level three and they have also added new level one abilities for each subclass as a "channel oath charge". No idea if the channel oath is a renamed channel divinity or if they are adding another resource for paladins. I don't see the need for more homebrew without a clear reason. My only guess for getting subclasses at level one would be to let people break their oaths sooner but it seems unnecessary. Has anyone played far enough to see if channel divinity and channel oath are the same or have any guesses why they added more abilities?

edit: Tracking oaths from the start makes sense, still not sure about the added abilities

[KingOfFriedChicken]

Probably because of a special Paladinfeature they showed off in the panel but I wont spoil it would be my guess why you get to pick 1 at the start.

[Hobocop]

It did seem strange from a roleplaying perspective for you to have powers that require you to have taken a divine oath yet not have any tenets or anything to do with said oath before 3rd level.

[AncientsLegacy]

Publicado originalmente por KingOfFriedChicken:

Probably because of a special Paladinfeature they showed off in the panel but I wont spoil it would be my guess why you get to pick 1 at the start.

Are you referring to what I mentioned about them breaking their oaths? That's the only thing from the panel I can remember that could be considered something to spoil.

[ExcaliburV]

Yeah, I assume it's so that the game recognizes their oath and can hold the player accountable for it from the start.

[AncientsLegacy]

Publicado originalmente por Hobocop:

It did seem strange from a roleplaying perspective for you to have powers that require you to have taken a divine oath yet not have any tenets or anything to do with said oath before 3rd level.

In 5e everything the paladin gets before level three they still have even if they become an oath breaker so technically none of those powers require an oath.

[KingOfFriedChicken]

Publicado originalmente por AncientsLegacy:

Publicado originalmente por Hobocop:

It did seem strange from a roleplaying perspective for you to have powers that require you to have taken a divine oath yet not have any tenets or anything to do with said oath before 3rd level.

In 5e everything the paladin gets before level three they still have even if they become an oath breaker so technically none of those powers require an oath.

Yes oath breaking, I imagine it was easier for coding purposes, for the game to know your oath from the start

[Dome]

Moving paladins away from gods in 5e was one of my least favorite changes, Paladins are supposed to draw their powers from their oath and sense of justice, even though they dont technically take an oath til level 3. They have access to the weave purely by believing in something a lot, its silly.

[Dragon Master]

Likely coding reasons because Oathbreaker being a hidden subclass that you can unlock by breaking an oath.