Paladin
Paladins are not connected to gods (unless they choose to be). The Oath is not made to a god; it may be made calling a god to witness. Or not. The empowering thing is the absolute conviction that following the tenets is Right. And that absolute conviction lets them, under limited circumstances, tell the universe to get bent and it will obey. One distinguishing factor of the vast majority of paladins is stubbornness, at least when it comes to something connected to their Oath.
Paladins are not necessarily knightly. Many paladins take their Oaths (which may be formally sworn in ceremony or simply locked in the heart in a moment of supreme need) progressively, growing into their path. Others take them in a moment out of sheer desperation or agony, kneeling at the burning ruins containing their former lives and families and then take time to learn how to wield this power.
Presented here is one Oath, that of Sin’s Weight.
Oath of Sin’s Weight
Those who swear the Oath of Sin’s Weight (the Sinners, as they’re often called) are those who have felt the pain that their betrayals, murders, and other “sinful” actions have caused themselves and others. Many of them believe themselves beyond any hope of redemption and have dedicated the remainder of lives to taking on the hard jobs, the dirty jobs, the necessary jobs so that others do not have to pay the price, do not have to lose their innocence. Many Sinners have lost their faith in the gods and ascendant powers. They still believe in their existence, but no longer consider themselves worthy of being worshippers. When they do worship, it tends to be the Redeeming Blades, demigods who accept everyone as long as they are willing to sacrifice their past for redemption. Not out of hope for redemption for themselves, but as models in helping others.
Sinners are generally pragmatic and often cynical, but not uncaring. In fact, they often care too much about everyone else but themselves. The cynicism and rough manners are a defense. As an archetype, they are the Knight in Sour Armor, the Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
Tenets of Sin’s Weigh.
- Sin is Painful, but Pain is Unavoidable. No Sinner wants to sin, least of all me. I do not glory in it; I prefer if it can be avoided. But sometimes, sin must happen that righteousness may prevail.
- An Imperfect World Demands People Do Hard Things. Despite not wanting to sin, Sinners know that sometimes sin and other hard things must be done. The demon cult must be suppressed, the oppressive taskmaster, although he does not violate the law, must be stopped. The raiding tribes cannot be allowed free rein to plunder, even if they’re not evil.
- Better the Sinner Suffer than the Innocent Shed a Teare Sinners are already damned. My soul is already blackened by sin. Better I be the ones to carry more weight. Heavy is the weight of sin; strong is my back for having carried it this fare Let me carry more, so that others are unburdened by its weight.
- The Meaning of Sin is Personal. Most Sinners agree that demons and undead are evil. But each of us has their own personal crusade, the thing that he or she considers particularly sinful, that they are willing to stain their souls to fight. Choose something (in coordination with your GM) that fits your character.
Oath Spells
As a Sinner, your fervent devotion to your Oath grants you certain spells.
Once you gain access to a oath spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn’t appear on the paladin spell list, the spell is nonetheless an paladin spell for you.
Oath Spells
| Paladin Level | Oath Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | disguise self, protection from evil and good |
| 5th | calm emotions, suggestion |
| 9th | fear, speak with dead |
| 13th | banishment, compulsion |
| 17th | geas, planar binding |
Channel Divinity
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Once you use either one, you cannot use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
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Unveil. As an action, you unveil the weight of your accumulated sins, which causes those who witness it to cower and quail. All creatures of your choice within 30 ft that can see and hear you must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, they are frightened of you for one minutes While frightened, their speed is reduced to zero. Frightened creatures can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. Creatures who succeed on the initial saving throw are instead shaken until the end of your next turn. This has no effect on demons, the undead, or constructs.
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Drive Home the Blade. When you hit with a weapon attack but do not score a critical hit, you can expend your Channel Divinity to convert the hit into a critical hit. Alternatively, you can use it when you miss to turn the miss into a hit.
Bear Another’s Burden
Starting at 3rd level, you can expend 10 hit points of your Lay on Hands pool as a bonus action to remove the charmed, frightened, or stunned conditions from a creature you touch. Alternatively, you can expend 5 points to remove the condition in question, but become afflicted with it instead, using the remaining duration, saving throw, and any other effects.
Aura of Weight
Starting at 7th level, you can expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher as a bonus action to impose burdens on enemies within the area of your Aura of Protection. Enemies in the area must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, their speed is reduced to half and they deal half damage with attacks for one minutes On a success, they are shaken until the end of your next turn. Enemies that fail their saving throw can attempt the saving throw again at the end of each of their turns that they are not inside your Aura of Protection (including the effects of total cover), ending the effect on themselves on a success.
Penance Stare
Starting at 15th level, you can use your action and expend a spell slot of 3nd level or higher to target one creature you can see within 60 ft and magically force it to relive its mistakes and sins. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the target takes 8d6 psychic damage and is incapacitated for one minutes On a success, the target takes half as much damage and is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. Incapacitated targets can attempt the saving throw again at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success.
Inner Demon
At 20th level, as an action you can become what others think you, at least outwardly: a ravening fiend. You gain the following benefits for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated. Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
- You grow shadowy wings, gaining a flight speed of 60 ft for the duration
- Your attacks deal extra fire or necrotic (your choice) damage equal to one roll of the weapon’s base damage die. Damage dealt by Divine Smite or Improved Divine Smite becomes that same damage type
- You gain 20 temporary hit points whenever a creature is reduced to zero hit points within your Aura of Protection
- The area within your Aura of Protection cannot be brighter than dim light, regardless of sources of illumination. If it already would be dimly illuminated, it becomes complete darkness.