Oath of Austerity
Commitment to Simplicity
The Oath of Austerity calls to paladins who see nobility in self-denial. They take a vow of poverty, forgoing all the material trappings of a normal life. They are itinerant teachers and philosophers, day-laborers and adventurers who find self-worth and fulfillment in providing for the needs of others, even at the cost of their own. They travel lightly, with few possessions beyond simple clothes and their holy symbols being worth keeping. Paladins who take this Oath may have many varying motivations for doing so, whether a harmony of self, devotion to a deity, an understanding of the worlds, or just the good of others, but they all take the same path to get there.
Tenets of Austerity:
The tenets of the Oath of Austerity instill a focus on the paladin's goals and what must be given up to reach them.
- Simplicity. Possessions distract. Only with a light load can you attain your goals.
- Generosity. Through simplicity, our needs are met, but not all are so lucky. What you give up, give to those who need it.
- Harmony. Whatever your goal, you must be at peace to reach it. Peace with others, peace with the world, and peace with yourself.
- Sacrifice. Many denials of the self are trivial, easy. Others will be much harder and we must be prepared to make them.
Subclass Features
Oath of Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of Austerity Spells table. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | shield, zephyr strike |
| 5th | knock, ray of enfeeblement |
| 9th | beacon of hope, life transference |
| 13th | dimension door, greater invisibility |
| 17th | antilife shell, enervation |
Channel Divinity
You gain the following two Channel Divinity options when you take this Oath at 3rd level. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how Channel Divinity works.
Inspire Abstention. You can use your Channel Divinity to invoke in others a desire to give up their possessions. As an action, you force each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature must drop whatever they are holding and spend their following turns doffing their armor for a period of time according to their armor type, as described in the Player's Handbook. A creature affected by this feature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Unfettered. You can use your Channel Divinity to find strength in eschewing material things. As a bonus action, you can throw down your weapons, and a shield (if you are carrying one) and for 1 minute or until you pick these items back up, your movement increases by 10 feet, you have two reactions per turn, creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach, and your unarmed strikes do radiant damage equal to 1d10 + your Strength modifier.
Aura of Alleviation
Starting at 7th level, you constantly emanate an ameliorating aura that unburdens your allies while you're not incapacitated. The aura extends 10 feet from you in every direction, but not through total cover.
You and any ally who starts their turn within this aura have advantage on dexterity saving throws and on any rolls to avoid or end the restrained or grappled conditions on themselves. No creature affected by this aura can suffer from being encumbered.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Burden of Property
Starting at 15th level, others in your presence are acutely aware of being weighed down by material possessions. When a creature that is carrying, holding, or wearing anything enters the area of your paladin's aura for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, you can use your reaction to force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is encumbered, and has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws or any rolls to avoid or end the restrained or grappled conditions on itself.
Divestiture
At 20th level, you gain greater benefits from your own sacrifice and can more powerfully rebuke those who cling to material things. When you are not wearing armor or wielding a weapon or shield, you gain the following benefits:
- Your base AC is 15 + your Charisma modifier.
- You are resistant to all damage from spells or magical effects.
- Your unarmed strikes do psychic damage equal to 2d6 + your Charisma modifier and are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
- When a creature that is carrying, holding, or wearing anything enters the area of your paladin's aura for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. The creature takes psychic damage equal to twice your Charisma modifier on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
If you don armor, or wield a weapon or shield after receiving these benefits, none of these benefits work for you until you finish a long rest.