Oath of the Despot (5e Subclass)
Oath of the Despot[edit]
Paladin Subclass
The despot can be a local thug who demands protection money from struggling businesses, or she can be the tyrannical ruler of an oppressed nation. In both cases, she profits and thrives from the oppression of those under her net of cruelty and domination. Yet for all her inability to empathize with the hurts and distress of those she stands upon for her own personal empowerment, the despot is not without a rigid form of law and warped honor. She and her minions protect those she rules from other forces. Indeed, in a region besieged with armies of goblinoids, rampaging giants, or ravenous hordes of undead, he local inhabitants might find the rule of a Despot preferable.
The despot is always lawful evil, and strives to build an organization of thugs and police to enforce her laws and ideals. Deities of tyranny and oppression often have enforcer followers. Although rare, it is not unheard of for enforcers to serve despots as police, especially in regions where the despot's rule is less destructive than the threats to her domain. More often, despots are served by lower level despots who strive to serve their master as best they can until they find a chance or method to depose and replace their ruler.
This is an adaptation from a 3.5e homebrew. For the 3.5e version, look at [1]
- Tenets of the Despot
- Uphold Order. A despot's power comes from the structures of power in existence. Thus, a despot must always strive to uphold order in its forms, being following the laws, honoring accords and vows, and using its power to stop chaos.
- Conquer and Expand. You must at all times work to expand and grow your domain, either by virtue of your leadership or by strong-arming those less fortunate and powerful than yourself.
- Protect your Subjects. You are allowed to abuse your sovereignty in any way you see fit to further your own personal strength and glory, but you must protect and defend your subjects and allies from harm from other forces. Likewise, you must not overburden your subjects so that they can no longer support you.
- Oath Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | charm person, command |
| 5th | hold person, suggestion |
| 9th | bestow curse, fear |
| 13th | compulsion, private sanctum |
| 17th | dominate person, geas |
- Channel Divinity
Starting at 3rd level, you gain the following channel divinity options:
- Oppression. As an action, you can spend your Channel Divinity to oppress other living creatures by speaking to them and channeling energy into the power of your voice. All creatures of your choice able to hear you and of understand a language, within 30 feet must make a Charisma saving throw, or they are oppressed.
- An oppressed target becomes sickened with guilt and depression for 1 minute. This works as the poisoned condition, but affect creatures immune to this condition. Creatures immune to the charmed condition are immune to the oppression.
- If the creature has a CR equal to half your Paladin level or lower, the creature is instead stunned on a failed save, for the duration. A creature can make a saving throw at the start of each turn to end its effect.
- Mark of Justice. As an action, you can place a mark of justice on a creature you can see within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or it is affected by it for 1 minute. For the duration, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw at the start of each of its turns. If it fails, it wastes its action that turn doing nothing. On a success, the mark vanishes.
- Indomitable Will
At 7th level, your mind has become an unassailable fortress of ego. You, and all creatures within 10 feet are immune to the charmed condition.
At 18th level, this range increases to 30 feet.
- Slippery Mind
At 15th level, you have a powerful sense of self and free will, and your mind fights much harder against magical control than most other minds. You have advantage on Wisdom saving throws and on saving throws against effects from the enchantment school.
- Aura of Leadership
Beginning at 20th level, you exude an aura of majesty that oppress your enemies. You gain the following benefits while the aura is active:
- All hostile creatures within 30 feet have disadvantage on saving throws against the frightened condition.
- As a bonus action on your turn, you can attempt to command a creature within 30 feet, as the command spell. The target have disadvantage to resist this effect.
- At the beginning of each of your turns, all creatures of your choice that can see you within 30 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, or be either charmed or frightened for the duration.
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