Oath of the Crimson Legionnaire (5e Subclass)

Oath of the Crimson Legionnaire

Paladin Subclass

Design Note: This is a Paladin subclass based on the faction from 4e. Due to lore reasons, it is recommended that only Tieflings be allowed to take this subclass, though this rule can be waved at the DM's discretion.

Created by the ancient ancestors of many Tieflings, the Crimson Legion are an order of elite warriors who stand among a select few who have done what many would considered immoral and outright impossible; blending the sacred and the profane.

In the early days of the order, they served Asmodeus until the almighty God of Sin abandoned them and attempted to scour their ancient empire from the world. Many lives were lost in those bloody days, and many believed the Crimson Legion was destroyed along with their empire, those a select and vindictive few survived the cull, fallen into obscurity, but through them the order lived on, its ire turned towards a new foe. Though few know of them in the modern era, save through legends that blend fact and fiction in varying amounts, but in the shadows, the Legion is slowly growing in power once more. Seeking out their fellow Tieflings who have resisted the urge to follow their diabolic and demonic ways (though it is not unheard of for the order to take in those of other races who have been cast out by society, often used as representatives to other pseudo-underground organizations and spies in places where Tieflings are not welcome) and take them in, giving them a sanctuary in a world that wants nothing to do with them, and a cause in combating the greater evil.

Their oaths, pragmatic to a fault and reworked to better suit their battle against Aesmodeus, bind them to both gods and devils that are bound only by their hatred of the God of Sin, and allow them to call upon both divine and profane magics in battle; the Legion, for their part, serve as emissaries between these allies of convenience, aided by both yet trusted completely by neither. To those who know of their presence in the modern world, opinions vary; some view them as twisted madmen and heathens whose supposedly noble cause is nothing more than a facade, others view them as misguided penitents who wish to atone for the sins that run in their blood in the only way they know how, and yet others view them as unsung heroes, protectors of those who have been discarded by greater society. The list goes on and on, though only time will tell which interpretation will ring true.

Tenets of the Legion

Subjugate the Darkness. Better that the power of darkness be in my hands than in those who would harm the weak.

Let the Enemy Consume Itself. There can be no more just way to destroy the wicked than with their own power.

Power Corrupts. Be ever wary that you do not become what you seek to destroy.

Fight the Greater Evil. Faced with a choice of fighting my sworn foes or combating a lesser evil. I choose the greater evil.

Oath of the Crimson Legionnaire Spells

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	hellish rebuke, burning hands
5th	scorching ray, ray of enfeeblement
9th	fireball, vampiric touch
13th	fire shield, sickening radiance
17th	immolation, enervation

Sorcerous Knight of the Profane

Due to the split nature of your devotion, your abilities manifest in many different ways from the standard Paladin. You lose access to your Channel Divinity feature. Instead, you gain access to two invocations from the Warlock's list of invocations.

Whenever you gain a new Ability Score Improvement, you can replace your old invocation for a new one. You are considered a warlock of a level equal to half your Paladin level (rounded down) for the purposes of selecting your invocation.

Aura of Flame

Starting at 7th level, you are constantly surrounded by an aura of flames. Any creature that start its turn within 10 feet of you, or move inside the aura for the first time, must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC, or take fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier. You can choose to activate or suppress this aura as a bonus action on your turn.

At 18th level, the size of the aura increases to 30 feet.

Hurl Through Hell

Starting at 15th level, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can use this feature to instantly transport the target through the lower planes. The creature disappears and hurtles through a nightmare landscape.

At the end of your next turn, the target returns to the space it previously occupied, or the nearest unoccupied space. If the target is not a fiend, it takes 10d10 psychic damage as it reels from its horrific experience.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Mystic Arcanum

At 20th level, your oath allows you to call on greater magical power than other paladins can hope to wield. Choose one 6th-level spell from the Warlock spell list as this arcanum.

You can cast your arcanum spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a Long Rest before you can do so again.

Optional Rule (Fighting Styles)

When you choose this oath, you gain access to two new Fighting Styles, that can replace your old one:

Cursed Warrior. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. They count as paladin spells for you, and Charisma is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the warlock spell list.

Eldritch Blessing. You learn one additional Eldritch Invocation option of your choice from the warlock class. If the invocation has a prerequisite, you can choose that invocation only if you’re a warlock and only if you meet the prerequisite.

Whenever you gain a level, you can replace the invocation with another one from the warlock class.

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