5e lay on hands self refers to the Paladin class feature that lets you use your own Hit Dice to fuel Lay on Hands on yourself. This option is common in solo play, high lethality campaigns, or when you want to manage your healing budget without relying on party support.
Below you will find a quick reference table, focused builds, synergy opportunities, and answers to frequent questions about using lay on hands on yourself in D\u0026D 5e.
| Feature | Usage | Healing Dice | Scaling Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lay on Hands | Self or ally | 1d8 + Cha mod per use | Spend 1 pool point per use; pool refreshes on short rest |
| Improved Divine Smish | Melee spell attack | 2d8 radiant | At 11, 2d8; at 20, 4d8 |
| Divine Health | Passive | N/A | Immune to disease; advantage vs poisoned at 10+ CHA |
| Pact of the Chain | Summon familiar | N/A | Use eldritch invocations to boost survivability |
| Aura of Protection | Ongoing | +1 to saves per tier | Activates at 15th level; stacks with other auras |
Optimizing Your Build for Self Healing
When you plan to rely on lay on hands self, prioritize Charisma for healing potency and Constitution for survivability. Starting stats often favor CHA and CON, with a secondary focus on AC through shields or heavy armor proficiency.
Choose a fighting style such as defense or shield for better durability. Take feats like Resilient (CON) or Actor if you value survivability and occasional utility rather than pure damage. Consider multiclassing into Cleric for access to heavier armor and additional healing spells while maintaining your Paladin spell slot progression.
Support Features and Party Role
Channel Divinity Options
Use Turn Undead or your chosen Channel Divinity to control the battlefield, allowing you to stay in the fight longer. Defense fighting style and a shield enhance your ability to draw attacks while you manage lay on hands self.
Aura of Protection and Team Utility
Aura of Protection improves saving throws for allies, which is valuable even when you focus on self healing. In parties with multiple damage dealers, this aura remains a strong synergy that complements your durability and healing uptime.
Scaling and Long Term Progression
As you gain levels, your lay on hands self becomes more efficient due to higher Hit Dice and better armor choices. At higher tiers, you can afford to spend more pool points per healing instance while maintaining enough resources to contribute offensively with improved divine smite.
Plan for key ability score improvements at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19 to keep pace with enemy damage. Investing in heavy armor, shields, and radiant damage boosts ensures you remain relevant from early game through endgame content.
Key Takeaways for Using 5e Lay On Hands Self
- Prioritize CHA and CON for healing power and durability.
- Use short rests to fully refresh your lay on hands pool.
- Equip shields or heavy armor to improve survivability.
- Leverage Aura of Protection to boost party saves.
- Coordinate healing decisions with your party’s resource plan.
FAQ
Reader questions
Can I use lay on hands self even if I am not the tank?
Yes, you can target yourself whenever you have pool points available, regardless of your primary role. This flexibility lets you manage damage spikes without requiring a dedicated tank in the party.
How often does my lay on hands pool refresh?
Your pool refreshes after a short rest, so plan your healing usage around expected downtime and the campaign’s encounter density.
Does using lay on hands self count as casting a spell?
No, lay on hands is not a spell and cannot be countered by spell resistance or effects that target spellcasting. It functions as a class feature with its own resource mechanics.
What happens if I take levels in another healer class?
You gain additional pool points if the feature explicitly grants them, but you do not combine healing dice with other classes for lay on hands unless a specific rule states otherwise. Discuss multiclass plans with your table to avoid ambiguity.