Paladins is Hi-Rez Studios' free-to-play team hero shooter, out of beta since May 2018, and it is no longer being developed. Hi-Rez halted active work on Paladins and the original SMITE on 6 February 2025 during a restructuring that cut a large share of its staff, and the game has been in maintenance mode since. Servers are still up: Steam concurrents in August 2026 average roughly 900 over a rolling 30 days with 24-hour peaks near 1,500, against an all-time high of 60,712. Balance is frozen, so any tier list from 2025 onward is still accurate.
Combat in Paladins rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. Five-card loadouts capped at 15 points
Each champion equips exactly five cards, and each card can be set from rank one to rank five, with the total ranks in a loadout capped at 15. Cards come in Armor, Weapon and Ability types, so a loadout is a choice about which three of your abilities you are actually committing to.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Talents chosen before the match starts
Every champion has three Talents, picked alongside your loadout at the start of a match. Talents change an ability's behaviour rather than nudging a number, which is why the same champion plays like two different characters depending on the pick.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. The in-match credit shop
You earn credits during the match and spend them on items across four categories: Defense, Utility, Healing and Damage. Each item has three ranks. Cauterize, which cuts enemy healing, is the item most matches are decided by and the one new players skip.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. Four champion classes
Damage champions handle sustained output and shield breaking, Flanks dive the back line, Front Line champions hold the objective and soak, and Supports heal and debuff. A team without a Front Line loses the point, and a team without a Support loses the fight after the first trade.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. Siege point-and-payload rounds
Siege runs in two phases. Both teams fight over a central capture point, then the winner escorts a payload toward the loser's spawn while the loser tries to stop it. First team to four points takes the match.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
Five-card loadouts capped at 15 points + Talents chosen before the match starts
Each champion equips exactly five cards, and each card can be set from rank one to rank five, with the total ranks in a loadout capped at 15. When combined with Talents chosen before the match starts, every champion has three talents, picked alongside your loadout at the start of a match. This combination is the core of every effective build.
The in-match credit shop + Four champion classes
You earn credits during the match and spend them on items across four categories: Defense, Utility, Healing and Damage. Paired with Four champion classes, damage champions handle sustained output and shield breaking, flanks dive the back line, front line champions hold the objective and soak, and supports heal and debuff. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
Siege point-and-payload rounds as a Multiplier
Siege runs in two phases. Both teams fight over a central capture point, then the winner escorts a payload toward the loser's spawn while the loser tries to stop it. First team to four points takes the match. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Siege point-and-payload rounds optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Role
Each role approaches combat differently:
Damage: hitscan poke (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Cassie's Crossbow Primary mechanic: Five-card loadouts capped at 15 points
Damage: hitscan poke offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Damage: projectile burst (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Viktor's Assault Rifle Primary mechanic: Talents chosen before the match starts
Damage: projectile burst offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Flank: dive assassin (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Maeve's Daggers Primary mechanic: The in-match credit shop
Flank: dive assassin offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Front Line: shield anchor (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Barik's Blunderbuss Primary mechanic: Four champion classes
Front Line: shield anchor offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Support: main healer (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Grover's Throwing Axe Primary mechanic: Siege point-and-payload rounds
Support: main healer offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your weapons to your role's stat priorities
- Exploit Five-card loadouts capped at 15 points for maximum damage windows
- Chain Talents chosen before the match starts and The in-match credit shop for combo damage
- Use Four champion classes to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Buy Cauterize by the second team fight in every single match. Anti-healing is the item that decides whether your damage sticks, and a team that skips it will out-damage the enemy all game and still lose the point.
- Position using Five-card loadouts capped at 15 points to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and weapons for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Talents chosen before the match starts: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong weapons for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Frog Isle but will get you killed in Magistrate's Archives.
More Paladins Guides
- Paladins Paladins Overview
- Paladins Best Builds
- Paladins Tier List
- Paladins Walkthrough
- Paladins Beginner's Guide
- Paladins Tips & Tricks
- Paladins Weapons Guide
- Paladins Boss Guide
- Paladins Maps & Locations
- Paladins Crafting Guide
- Paladins Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Paladins, check out these related guides:
- Counter-Strike 2 Combat Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Apex Legends Combat Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Rainbow Six Siege Combat Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
