Words have real power, and the paladin understands this better than anyone. By swearing a sacred oath, you are able to channel your conviction into strength. But what kind of oath have you made? Do you seek to protect the weak and heal the sick? Do you judge the guilty and punish the wicked? Or do you destroy your enemies without mercy and salt their land?
Choose a Sacred Oath to describe the change you want to create in the world.
Choose Your Oath
Choose your oath from one of the following options:
- Devotion: You have sworn to protect those who can't protect themselves. You fight those who would prey on the weak, and with conviction you heal the sick.
Creating an Oath
To create your own Sacred Oath (or to convert an existing oath from other sources), follow these steps:
- Add 3 Tenets: Add 3 tenets from your sacred oath. Tenets should be relatively open-ended and act as a guide for players when roleplaying.
- Create a Lay on Hands Ability: At 1st-level, a paladin gains a unique ability that activates by touch. This ability increases in power at 5th and 9th-level.
- Add 1 Smite: At 1st-level, a sacred oath expands the list of paladin smite options with a unique smite.
- Add Oath Spells: Sacred oaths expand the paladin spell list with 6 unique spell options. Add 2 spell options to be gained at 3rd, 5th, and 9th-levels.
- Add 1 Aura: At 6th-level, sacred oaths expand the list of sacred auras with 1 unique aura choice.
- Create 3rd and 7th-level Features: Sacred oaths grant features at 3rd and 7th-level.
- Create a 9th-level Capstone: At 9th-level, sacred oaths grant a unique capstone feature that is the pinnacle of your oath's theming.
And that's it, your oath is complete!
Oath of Devotion
In swearing an oath of devotion, you hold yourself to the highest ideals of justice, virtue, and order.
1Tenets of Devotion
You have sworn a vow to uphold these sacred tenets:
- I will protect those who can't protect themselves: Protect the weak and punish those who threaten them.
- I will never be cruel or cowardly: Treat others with fairness. Do as much good as possible while causing the least amount of harm. Show mercy to your foes, but temper it with wisdom.
- I will take responsibility for my words and actions: Own the things you say and do. Honor your promises, put order before chaos, and obey those who have just authority over you.
1Lay on Hands
You gain the following Lay on Hands ability:
Healing Touch
When you touch a creature, you may cast Cure Wounds as a 1st-level spell without first needing to prepare the spell or spend any conviction points.
You may use this feature once, and you regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Greater Healing Touch: Starting at 5th-level, you may use this feature twice. Each time, you cast Cure Wounds as a 2nd-level spell.
Superior Healing Touch: Starting at 9th-level, you may use this feature three times. Each time, you cast Cure Wounds as a 3rd-level spell.
1Oath Smite and Aura
Add the following to your list of smite and aura options.
Protection
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend two conviction points to deal an additional 1d8 radiant damage. In addition, a creature of your choice that is within 30 ft gains a number of temporary hit points equal to 2d4 + your Charisma modifier.
Greater Protection: (5th-level, +1 conviction) The base damage increases to 2d8 and the temporary hit points gained increases to 2d6 + your Charisma modifier.
Superior Protection: (9th-level, +3 conviction) The base damage increases to 3d8 and the temporary hit points gained increases to 2d8 + your Charisma modifier.
Aura of Clarity
You and friendly creatures within 10 ft of you can't be charmed.
1Oath Spells
You gain the following oath spells.
Oath of Devotion Spells
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Protection from Evil and Good, Sanctuary |
| 5th | Lesser Restoration, Zone of Truth |
| 9th | Beacon of Hope, Dispel Magic |
3Protect the Fallen
When an ally within 15 feet of you would be reduced to 0 hit points from a weapon attack, you spend your reaction to move up to half your speed adjacent to your ally—that ally then drops to 1 hit point instead.
You can use this feature once, and you regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.
3Judge the Wicked
As an action, you can imbue one weapon that you are holding with positive energy. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minimum bonus of +1). The weapon also emits bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light 20 feet beyond that. If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration.
This effect lasts for up to one minute. You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, and you regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.
7Constancy
Choose one of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency.
9Sacred Vow
When a creature within 60 ft of you makes an explicit promise to you, you can spend a reaction to turn that promise into a sacred vow. You and the creature must both be able to hear and understand each other.
The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, the creature is magically bound to honor the spirit of its promise to you. The creature takes 5d10 psychic damage each time it acts in a manner which contradicts its promise—but no more than once per day. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this effect dies immediately, and you regain 1d8 expended conviction points.
This effect ends when (a) the creature fulfills its promise, (b) the promise is rendered impossible to achieve, or (c) you finish a long rest.
You can use this feature once and you regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.