Oath of the Underworld (5e Subclass)
Taking the Oath of Undeath is a declaration that you are favored by your deity, championed to a degree lofty enough to warrant your chosen deity to wrest you back from the depths of the underworld to serve them once more. Due to the nature of this oath, it is often also referred to as the Oath of the Underworld. A paladin belonging to the Oath of Undeath strives to bring glory to the deity they worship. Many are said to embody darkness and death itself, going to unimaginable lengths to further the goals and machinations of their god. They hold themselves to a dubious moral standard, dependent on the deity they follow. Their armor and weapons are usually all black depicting undeath and sometimes contain traces of scarlet depicting the fires of the underworld from which they have been summoned.
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This page is incomplete and/or lacking flavor. Reason: The levels of this subclass don't line up with the levels that paladins gain subclass features.
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Oath of Undeath
- Underworld's Revelations
Though the exact words and strictures of the Oath of the Underworld vary, paladins of this oath share these revelations.
Know your enemy: Collect information about your enemies when possible.
Detachment: Never allow personal affairs to get in the way of your goal.
Balance: When aware of a disturbance in the natural order, you must takes steps to correct the problem..
Power: Assert your superiority through unwavering confidence and domination.
Composure: Kill with no emotion. Pity is for mortals, you are not one.
Self-Assurance: Your actions are justified, and you need not answer for them. However you treat others, that is what they deserve.
Determination: When you choose your path, you do not slow; you do not deviate, and you never stop.
Oath of the Underworld Spells
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | hellish rebuke, find familiar |
| 3rd | shield, flaming sphere, hunter's mark |
| 5th | darkness, circle of death, revivify, misty step |
| 7th | death ward, dimension door, chill touch |
| 9th | counterspell, animate dead, speak with dead |
| 13th | create undead, banishment, blight |
| 17th | dominate person, banishing smite, dispel evil and good |
Oath of Undeath
At 1st level, you have taken an oath to a deity to grant you undeath as you progress. You can continue gaining levels in this class as long as you maintain your oath with the deity. If you break the oath, your body is destroyed by divine retribution and cannot be resurrected by any means.
Bonus Proficiencies
Starting at 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and heavy and medium armour.
Denizen of Darkness
Also starting at 1st level, you gain resistance to necrotic damage. Also, you have advantage instead of disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made in dim light.
Darkvision
You have a Darkvision of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, increase its range by 60 feet. You can also see through magical darkness.
Shadow Smite
When you choose this oath, you may choose to deal necrotic damage instead of radiant damage with your Divine Smite.
Channel Divinity
When you take this Oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options, and another at 6th level.
Channel Divinity: Hellfire Surge
Starting at 3rd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to call upon dark energies to imbue you with dread power. As a bonus action, you present your holy symbol, and you are encased in fire of a colour of your choice. You gain a +4 as bonus to AC for 1 minute, and all light within 20 feet of you changes to dim light.
Channel Divinity: Invoke Fealty
You can use your Channel Divinity to compel a foe to kneel before you. As an action, you point to a creature within 10 feet of you, filling it with fear and awe. The creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or fall prone, groveling. While groveling, the creature’s speed is reduced to 0 and it cannot take actions or reactions. The target has advantage on its saving throw if it has more hit points than you. The creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success, the effect ends.
Channel Divinity: Ghastly Terrain
Starting at 6th level, you can use a charge of your Channel Divinity and an action to cause the land within 90 feet of you to become a barren wasteland. Creatures within that area that are hostile to you have disadvantage on Wisdom and Constitution saving throws. Also, that area counts as difficult terrain for creatures. All plants and beasts have disadvantage on all saving throws while within this area.
Rejuvenation
At 3rd level, your sacred oath with a deity has come in to effect. Your body can now rejuvenate after death. Upon reaching zero hit points, the deity you made your sacred oath has the option to give your life back to you in another place in their domain. As long as you have kept your oath to the deity granting you undeath, you are resurrected in *3d10* days as if having had the Resurrection spell cast upon you.
Marked * (Up to DM discretion)
Becoming Undeath
At 6th level, you are now treated as undead. You no longer require air, food, drink, or sleep, though you must still rest to restore your energy. In addition, you have resistance to cold and lightning damage; immunity to necrotic and poison damage; and immunity to the poisoned condition. However you will now slowly become more susceptible to fire and radiant damage.
Lasting Undeath
At 9th level, you have become more comfortable in your undeath. You are now resistant to nonmagical slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage. However, Radiant damage received due to spell or spell-like abilities is doubled.
Potent Spellcasting
Starting at 9th level, you may add your Wisdom modifer to the damage of cantrips.
Deathly Aura
Starting at 11th level, creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you take 1d4 necrotic damage at the start of your turn. This damage may not be reduced in any way. At 13th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet and the damage increases to 1d6.
Dread Zenith
Starting at 13th level, when Divine/Shadow Smite is active and you are within the area of effect for Ghastly Terrain, you deal 4d4 Necrotic damage to all creatures of your choice within the ghastly terrain. This damage ignores resistance and immunity.
True Undeath
At 13th level, you have fully become undead furthering your prowess. You are now resistant to the following conditions: charmed, exhaustion, frightened and paralyzed. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. However, Fire damage received from spells and spell like abilities is doubled. Additionally, while outdoors in direct sunlight (Bright Light) your vision is decreased by 30 feet.
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