Oath of the Dagger (5e Subclass)
Oath of the Dagger[edit]
Paladin Subclass
Justice and fate need not only be dealt by the swing of a sword or the hack of a halberd. Some paladins view the dealings of life and death as personal things, close-up things. Such emotional and unconventional knights are called to the Oath of the Dagger. This order knows that a swift and quiet battle is as final as a flagrant, clanging spectacle, yet one preserves the peace of the rest of the world far more comfortably than the other.
Unique to the Order of the Dagger is their shared desire to remain anonymous. No one need know there even is an Oath of the Dagger until they are bleeding across one of their hilts. Paladins of the Dagger (sometimes called "Silent Knights" by the few who recognize their existence) often claim to belong to other orders or of no order at all. They can be known only by their methods, which among paladins, are unmistakeable.
Small races -- halflings, gnomes, kobalds, etc. -- are often drawn to this oath as it fits their demeanor better than a polearm or greatsword.
Tenets of the Dagger[edit]
- Death Is Personal. Two creatures can share no more profound connection than one killing another. The larger the weapon that deals the blow, the less personal the connection. Death delivered should be as personal as possible.
- Surprise Is Justice. Not every combat need be announced if the foe deserves his fate. It is often safer for innocents to end conflict before the enemy can engage.
- Mystery Is Safety. It is enough that you know your oath. Others -- allies and enemies alike -- need not understand your motives or loyalties before their very last breath.
- Life Is Precious. The power to take a life is not in itself permission. The killing blade is reserved for those vile enough to have earned it, and none other.
- Hesitation Is Weakness. Be ready to act, and do so without hesitation. If you make a mistake, make it one that you can atone for after.
Oath Spells[edit]
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | ice knife, zephyr strike |
| 5th | cloud of daggers, Shadow Blade |
| 9th | conjure barrage, slow |
| 13th | freedom of movement, stoneskin |
| 17th | conjure volley, steel wind strike |
Channel Divinity[edit]
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
- Divine Blades. As a bonus action, you present your holy symbol and utter a prayer of duty to summon a number of daggers equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) to your empty hand. These daggers are +1 to strike and damage, each dealing 2d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier in radiant damage. If thrown, their range is 30/80. You may deliver a divine smite anytime you deal damage with these daggers, even if thrown. Each dagger disappears once it has delivered damage or after 1 minute.
- Unseen Chevaliar. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer of fidelity. For the next 10 minutes or until you lose your concentration (as if concentrating on a spell), you are invisible, as is anything you are wearing or carrying. The invisibility ends if you attack or cast a spell.
Aura of Reach[edit]
At 7th level, your prowess with light melee weapons allows you to strike just beyond your actual reach as if the weapon were in your grasp, even when it isn't. Light, finesse weapons have the reach property when you attack an enemy within your 10 foot aura. The contingency is that when you make such an attack (an attack beyond 5 feet), the weapon will no longer be in your hand, whether you hit or miss. In all other ways, this is a melee attack.
At 18th level, this aura increases to 15 feet, expanding the reach property to that range.
Always Vigilant[edit]
At 15th level, you may draw or sheath light weapons without using any action or interaction. Also, whenever you cast a spell with your action, you can use your bonus action to make an attack with a light weapon.
Blade Incarnate[edit]
At 20th level, you can transform into a being of sharp edges and blades. Using your bonus action, you show your holy symbol and shout a prayer of fidelity. You become surrounded by a swarm of ethereal blades. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
- At the beginning of each of your turns, you gain 1d4 + your Charisma modifier temporary hit points.
- A creature takes 4d4 slashing damage when it starts its turn within 5 feet of you. If you grapple a creature, it also takes this damage when you succeed your first contested athletics check.
- Divine Blades (as described in the channel divinity) appear in your hands at will (no action required). You attack with these blades with advantage. Smites delivered with these blades do additional damage equal to your Charisma modifier for each level of the spell slot expended for the smite.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
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