Open world games are best known for thesense of scaleand freedom they offer players. The best open world games don’t just give players a lot to do, but let them shape their character and build in such a way that everything they do has a more personal meaning. This is especially true in fantasy open world titles, or else open world games with aspects of magic and combat.
Tackling open worlds can bequite a challenge, and it might help players to have the power of spirits, the sun, or the gods themselves on their side. Whether bringing down righteous fury or using holy powers for their own purposes, these open world games let players experience the glory of a paladin or paladin-like class with an incredible level of detail.
Dragon Age: Inquisitionis a sprawling semi-open world title that allows the player to reshape the titular Inquisitor character into any form they want. A brooding mage? Happy-go-lucky rogue? A necromancer prone to bouts of intense emotion? Gay? It’s all on the table. Part of the Inquisitor’s quest to seal the rift threatening to destroy Thedas is dealing with the many eldritch horrors that are spilling out from the Fade, and it is to this end that having a Templar, a paladin-like class that rebukes magic and dazes otherworldly beings, can be essential to combat.
WithVeilguardfast approaching, players looking to familiarize themselves with the three preceding games in this series should ensure to look at the Templar specialization not just in this game, but the other two titles as well. In each installment, this paladin-like class can trivialize some of the harder-hitting magic-users that threaten to bring an end to Thedas.
Players looking for anexpansive, detailed open-worldroguelike would be hard-pressed to find something as good as the iconic gem,Tales of Maj’Eyal. This game has sword-and-shield warriors with more depth than most game’s most esoteric spellcasters, and each run is peppered with rewards that make future runs all the more enjoyable. (And prepare for many runs. You will die.) One particular class of note is, of course, the Sun Paladin, who uses radiant light to dispel unholy enemies.
The Sun Paladin is unlocked only once players have reached a more advanced part of the game, completing the questEight Legs of Wonder. Beyond this celestial warrior and their radiant abilities, anti-mages are quite prevalent in Maj’Eyal, and they often style themselves as Paladins, clad in heavy armor and claiming to have the righteous force of justice on their side.
Dragon’s Dogma 2has revived a love for Capcom’s unique open world fantasy,Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen.Dragon’s Dogma 2lets the player fill a variety of specializations, such as the cunning trickster or thekeen-eyed Magick Archer. One vocation from the original game that unfortunately did not make the cut into the sequel is the paladin-inspired hybrid vocation, Mystic Knight. Mystic Knights carry large shields, heavy armor, typically blunt weapons, and use magic to augment their strength - everything a paladin fan could ask for.
The Mystic Knight shines with their shield skills that counter or reflect elemental attacks. Pawns are also unable to learn this vocation, as with all hybrid vocations, and so players will have to take it upon themselves to master the skills of this magic-using sentinel on the battlefield.
Elden Ringhosts a plethora of incantations the player can cast, provided they have the necessary level of faith. Incantations are holy prayers that, while requiring investment into faith, can be balanced with investment into more warrior-oriented stats like strength and endurance to give players a powerful paladin build. The sheer variety of incantations and armor available to the player means that the specifics of that paladin build are up to personal choice.
Become a dragon-worshiping knight, and use their breath attacks. Cast powerful prayers from the Erdtree itself to stay alive longer or bring down radiant fury on your enemies.Among themany overpowered buildsinElden Ring, the synthesis of faith and strength makes for a great combination.
Oblivionstands today as a fantastic open world title, albeit in the shadow of its smash-hit successor,Skyrim. One area that Oblivion almost universally succeeds its follow-up title in, however, is the use of magic, and how this changes the overall variety of builds. Magic doesn’t occupy a hand inOblivion, and so players are free to make a heavy armor wearing, sword-and-shield using warrior, that also casts holy spells of their own design from afar.
Restore damaged attributes, rebuke the undead, or resist attacks of any element while still fighting like a warrior charged with the fury of the Nine Divines. There aresome things to work aroundin a title this old, but for those who can push through,Oblivionprovides a fantastic paladin experience on an open-world scale.
