The Oathless Paladin
Paladins are mighty warriors who draw their power from strong personal convictions in the form of an oath. An oath drives a paladin to a particular goal and it guides how they interact with other creatures. But what happens when a paladin fulfills that goal or when a paladin no longer feels a particular oath is no longer appropriate for them?
This particular subclass is meant for paladins who abandon their oath but not necessarily for selfish reasons. These paladins are no longer driven by an external force but instead by their own unshakable will to survive.
You maintain each feature common to all paladins but you replace any sacred oath features with features from the following list:
Oathless Paladin Features
| Paladin Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Latent Divinity, Channel Divinity Options |
| 7th | Guidance from Within |
| 15th | Empowered Magic |
| 20th | Champion of Freedom |
Tenets of the Oathless
While most paladins follow a strict set of guidelines for their sacred oaths, there are no such restrictions for the oathless. There are however, a few shared characteristics among these paladins:
Individualism. You rely on no one but yourself and stay true to your beliefs.
Outcast. You are unafraid to make unpopular decisions and abandon others in pursuit of your goals.
Incorruptible. You won't allow yourself to be influenced by any authority and refuse to fall victim to corruption.
Malleable. You understand that there is no permanent state of being and allow yourself the opportunity to change.
Latent Divinity
You gain access to a limited number of spells at each level indicated. For you, they are paladin spells and they are always prepared.
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Bane, Bless |
| 5th | Lesser Restoration, Silence |
| 9th | Counterspell |
| 13th | Freedom of Movement |
| 17th | Dispel Evil and Good |
You can cast each of these spells once without expending a spell slot. Once you cast a spell in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Channel Divinity: Shield from Harm
You can use your Channel Divinity to temporarily bolster your party's defenses. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and you and each creature of your choice within 15 feet of you is surrounded with a protective aura. Until the end of your next turn, each creature gains a +2 AC bonus and resistance to necrotic and radiant damage.
Channel Divinity: Even the Odds
You can use your Channel Divinity to alter the fate of creatures around you. As a bonus action, you present your holy symbol, and for the next minute no creatures within 30 feet of you (including yourself) can benefit from advantage or disadvantage.
Guidance from Within
Starting at 7th level, you can draw upon the power contained within your soul. Once per turn, you can add your Charisma modifier to any unsuccessful attack roll or skill check, potentially turning a failure into a success. You can also use your reaction to bestow this benefit upon any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. You can use this feature a total of three times and you regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Empowered Magic
At 15th level, your magic has grown stronger than usual. Whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that is only capable of targeting one creature, you can cause another creature of choice within 10 feet of the original target to also be affected by that spell.
Champion of Freedom
By 20th level, you have become a symbol of freedom and inner strength, granting you the following benefits:
- You can no longer be charmed, paralyzed, or possessed by another creature.
- Once per round, whenever you fail a saving throw, you can reroll the save and choose which result to take.
- Your speed increases by 10 feet and you ignore the effects of all difficult terrain.
- You and each creature of your choice within the radius of your Aura of Courage gains temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier at the start of each of your turns.