Oath of Destruction

The Oath of Destruction is only sworn by nihilistic madmen or madwomen seeking to exterminate everything. They are sometimes called reapers, slaughter knights, or crimson knights. A paladin who swears this oath either swears it to a god that seeks to annihilate the world or the concept of obliteration itself. Needless to say, those who do are very twisted individuals. They often have ties to the Shadowfell and can be known to lead armies of undead across worlds.

Tenets of Destruction The tenets of the Oath of Destruction vary by paladin, but all the tenets involve around destroying as much as possible. Paladins who uphold these evil tenets have no limits on how far they will purse their goals and are virtually always evil, most often neutral evil or chaotic evil. Violence is the Answer. If a challenge can be overcome by violence, it must be. Total Destruction. I must be direct and indiscriminate with my devastation, and deliver it fast and completely. Make the Slaughter Personal. I must kill my enemies (everyone) as directly as I can. I can't just send armies to ravage the land, I must lead them. For those that defy my mission, I will kill them myself. Revel in Carnage. What's the point in endless slaughter if I don't enjoy it?

Oath spells You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. Oath of Destruction Spells Paladin Level Spells 3rd Burning hands, Inflict wounds 5th Aganazzar's Scorcher,* Spiritual weapon 9th Animate Dead, Haste 13th Blight, Withering smite** 17th Destructive Wave, Steel Wind Strike* *found in Xanathar's guide to everything **detailed at the end of this document

Channel Divinity When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Power From Death. As an action, you can present your holy symbol and gain the ability to benefit from your slaughter. Starting on your next turn, for one minute, whenever you kill your first creature that turn, all attacks made until the end of your next turn deal additional necrotic damage equal to your paladin level. Impending Doom. As an action, you can present your holy symbol and choose a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier within 30ft. of of you. A target must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails, it is overwhelmed by being reminded of its own mortality and is paralyzed for 1 minute. It can make a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of it's turns, ending the effect on a success. This ability has no affect on constructs, undead, or creatures with intelligence 2 or lower.

Aura of Decay Beginning at 7th level, the destructive power you channel has become so suffused in your being that it now radiates off you. Any number of creatures, objects not being worn or carried, and structures you choose within 10ft. of you take 1d4 + your Charisma modifier of necrotic damage at the start of your turn if you are not incapacitated. You can activate or deactivate this aura as a bonus action. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30ft.

Reverberant pain Starting at 15th level, the pain you feel can now hurt others. Whenever you take damage, each creature within 5ft of you takes 1d10 necrotic damage as long as you are not incapacitated.

Avatar of Death At 20th level, you can transform in to a skeletal herald of doom. As an action, any flesh that you have withers away to the bone. This transformation lasts for 1 minute, and you gain the following benefits: Damage you deal ignores resistances and necrotic damage ignores immunity

You deal double damage to objects and structures

You gain advantage on attack rolls against creatures with half or less their maximum hit points and those whose hit point maximum has been reduced

Your Divine Smite feature and Improved Divine Smite feature deal necrotic damage instead of radiant damage

You gain resistance to necrotic and poison damage as well as advantage on saves against being poisoned and your maximum hitpoints can't be reduced Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. Roleplaying the Oath of Destruction The Oath of Destruction isn't for the heroes, it's for the villains, whether or not they are the characters. It's virtually impossible to follow the tenets of the Oath and not have an evil alignment.