Oath of Plague (5e Subclass)
Oath of Plague[edit]
Paladin Subclass
The Oath of Plague demands that a paladin spread pestilence and death. They seek out locations they deem worthy of purge, and wield powers of plague to destroy their foes. Many fear them as mass murderers and executioners. While the Oath of Vengeance calls paladins to counter outright dark acts, the Oath of Plague requires stamping out dark ideals and people. Paladins of this oath are not inherently evil, but most often devote themselves to gods of death, destruction, and disease, and see those gods' values as a measure of everyone else's.
- Tenets of Plague
Though the exact words and strictures of the Oath of Plague vary, paladins of this oath share these tenets.
Mercilessness. When called to kill, kill. Let no relationships, biases, or bigotry stand in your way.
Discipline. Death on its own is pointless. Murder is a punishment, and must be used as part of a lesson.
Extremism. Always use the most potent form of action.
Punishment. The truly wicked must be purged. Let them suffer, but let the more innocent simply die.
Control. Impurity must not be let spread. Stamp out all ideals contrary to your own, and let yourself be an example of them.
- Oath Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Inflict Wounds, Ray of Sickness |
| 5th | Blindness/Deafness, Detect Thoughts |
| 9th | Stinking Cloud, Vampiric Touch |
| 13th | Blight, Giant Insect |
| 17th | Contagion, Insect Plague |
- Channel Divinity
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Spread the Plague. Whenever a creature within 30 ft. of you has a condition that isn't the grappled condition, you can use your reaction to present your holy symbol and command the negativity to spread. Choose up to two other creatures within 30 ft. of you that aren't immune to the condition. They must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. A creature can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. On a failure, they are affected with the same condition, for the same duration, and with the same additional effects.
Infection. As an action, you can present your holy symbol and speak a prayer of ill omen. Choose 1 creature within 30 ft. of you. That creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, roll a d6. The creature suffers one of these effects for 1 minute:
| d6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | The creature is blinded. |
| 2 | The creature is deafened, and has disadvantage on Wisdom checks while deafened in this way. |
| 3 | The creature is poisoned, and cannot regain hit points while poisoned in this way. |
| 4 | The creature is stunned. |
| 5 | The creature is poisoned, and takes 1d8 poison damage at the start of each of its turns while poisoned in this way. |
| 6 | The creature is frightened of you. While frightened in this way, the creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action. |
An affected creature can repeat the saving throws at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. This feature is not eligible for your Spread the Plague channel divinity.
- Aura of Pestilence
Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 ft. of you ignore condition immunities when affecting creatures with conditions, as long as those creatures are within the range of this aura. You are also resistant to poison and necrotic damage. If you were already resistant to either type, you become immune.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 ft., and friendly creatures now share your resistance to poison and necrotic damage, but can't be immune as a result of being resistant beforehand.
- Epidemic
Starting at 15th level, whenever you make a successful attack with Divine Smite (but not Improved Divine Smite's default damage), you can choose 1 creature within 60 ft. of you; that creature takes the radiant damage inflicted by Divine Smite as well. You can activate this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, regaining expended uses once you complete a long rest.
- Plague Avatar
Starting at 20th level, you can assume the form of a nightmarish, insect-like creature, formed of pure illness and destruction. As a bonus action, you can transform into your Plague Avatar. For 1 hour, you gain the following benefits:
- Insectoid wings sprout from your back, giving you a flying speed of 60 ft.
- Your weapon attacks deal an extra 1d8 necrotic damage on a hit.
- Every hostile creature that starts its turn while within 10 ft. of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or suffer the effects of your Infection channel divinity. If a create is already affected, it doesn't have to make this saving throw. Whenever the affliction ends, they must make it again, if they are still within 10 ft. of you.
Once you activate this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.
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