Oath of the Grave

"I have seen what awaits... Crossed the threshold at the end of the long, dark tunnel... Take heart in the fact that my blade is the last physical pain this world will inflict on you. Pray that what awaits in the afterlife holds more mercy for scum than I do..." - Emil Vasiliu of the Grand Cascaudian Army

Tenets of the Grave

The tenets that guide these vicious warriors of divine purpose appear to lead to a path of true darkness, declaring that one should take no mercy on their enemies nor abide weakness in their allies. The Oath of the Grave is not one to be taken lightly, and as one would expect they can be a bit difficult to work along side.

Merciless Judgement. A paladin taking the Oath of the Grave is expected to take no prisoners. Any the paladin deems worthy of fighting must be a being they are willing to kill. Those who follow the Grave do not accept surrender.

Willing Martyr. Those who utter the Oath of the Grave are no strangers to facing death, and are expected to be willing to die for their allies or their cause.

Honorable Reaper. Despite their apparent willingness- if not compulsion- to slay their enemies, the paladins that follow the Grave are forbidden from initiating combat with defenseless enemies. This does not include surrendering.

Respect the Damned. Followers of the Grave are to treat those who have fallen with utmost respect, no matter their relationship with or opinion of the dead. A paladin that takes the Oath of the Dead takes only what they need from those they might slay, and do not take part in grave robbery.

Oath Spells This paladin oath grants the following spells at the listed level: 3rd Level. Inflict Wounds, Speak with Dead 5th Level. Ray of Enfeeblement, Web 9th Level. Vampiric Touch, Fear 13th Level. Blight, Confusion 17th Level. Contagion, Antilife Shell

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Dead Man's Gaze. As an action, you can embrace the inevitable fate of all living things and imbues this thought with the power within. When the built up energy releases, any enemy caught within a 20 foot cone in front of you must make Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the enemy is struck blind for 1 minute. This saving throw can be repeated at the beginning of the afflicted target's turn until passed or until the effect fades. On a passed save, the enemy is unaffected.

As an action, you can embrace the inevitable fate of all living things and imbues this thought with the power within. When the built up energy releases, any enemy caught within a 20 foot cone in front of you must make Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the enemy is struck blind for 1 minute. This saving throw can be repeated at the beginning of the afflicted target's turn until passed or until the effect fades. On a passed save, the enemy is unaffected. Cemetery Mists. As an action, you can summon a mist that clings to the ground, swirling in a 10 foot radius beneath your feet, the mist moves around corners and through walls. If you move, the mist follows you. Any hostile creature that that enter the radius of the ability for the first time or start their turn inside the radius must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature is unable to speak or vocalize any sound for 1 minute. On a success the creature is unaffected by the ability. An affected creature can make an additional save at the start of their turn. The ability ends if you lose consciousness or take a free action to end the ability.

Aura of the Reaper

Starting at 7th level, the paladin, as well any allies within 10 feet of the paladin, gains a bonus to melee weapon damage rolls equal to the paladin's Charisma modifier (minimum of +1). This additional damage is necrotic in nature, and a creature can benefit from this feature from only one paladin at a time.

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

Embalmer's Resistence

At 15th level, the paladin gains resistance to necrotic and poison damage. This trait also gives the paladin advantage in saves against poison effects.

Avatar of Grim Fate

At 20th level, as an action, the paladin undergoes a slight transformation as they take on the form of an avatar of death. The paladin's entire form becomes hidden beneath a hooded cloak of black, ever shifting mist. This ability lasts 10 minutes, and grants the following abilities for the duration of the transformation. Avatar of Grim Fate cannot be activated more than once per 7 days.