Fighter

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Overview & Creation

A human in clanging plate armor holds her shield before her as she runs toward the massed goblins. An elf behind her, clad in studded leather armor, peppers the goblins with arrows loosed from his exquisite bow. The half-orc nearby shouts orders, helping the two combatants coordinate their assault to the best advantage.   A dwarf in chain mail interposes his shield between the ogre’s club and his companion, knocking the deadly blow aside. His companion, a half-elf in scale armor, swings two scimitars in a blinding whirl as she circles the ogre, looking for a blind spot in its defenses.   A gladiator fights for sport in an arena, a master with his trident and net, skilled at toppling foes and moving them around for the crowd’s delight—and his own tactical advantage. His opponent’s sword flares with blue light an instant before she sends lightning flashing forth to smite him.   All of these heroes are fighters, perhaps the most diverse class of characters in the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons. Questing knights, conquering overlords, royal champions, elite foot soldiers, hardened mercenaries, and bandit kings—as fighters, they all share an unparalleled mastery with weapons and armor, and a thorough knowledge of the skills of combat. And they are well acquainted with death, both meting it out and staring it defiantly in the face.  

Well-Rounded Specialists

Fighters learn the basics of all combat styles. Every fighter can swing an axe, fence with a rapier, wield a longsword or a greatsword, use a bow, and even trap foes in a net with some degree of skill. Likewise, a fighter is adept with shields and every form of armor. Beyond that basic degree of familiarity, each fighter specializes in a certain style of combat. Some concentrate on archery, some on fighting with two weapons at once, and some on augmenting their martial skills with magic. This combination of broad general ability and extensive specialization makes fighters superior combatants on battlefields and in dungeons alike.  

Trained for Danger

Not every member of the city watch, the village militia, or the queen’s army is a fighter. Most of these troops are relatively untrained soldiers with only the most basic combat knowledge. Veteran soldiers, military officers, trained bodyguards, dedicated knights, and similar figures are fighters.   Some fighters feel drawn to use their training as adventurers. The dungeon delving, monster slaying, and other dangerous work common among adventurers is second nature for a fighter, not all that different from the life he or she left behind. There are greater risks, perhaps, but also much greater rewards—few fighters in the city watch have the opportunity to discover a magic flame tongue sword, for example.  

Creating a Fighter

As you build your fighter, think about two related elements of your character’s background: Where did you get your combat training, and what set you apart from the mundane warriors around you? Were you particularly ruthless? Did you get extra help from a mentor, perhaps because of your exceptional dedication? What drove you to this training in the first place? A threat to your homeland, a thirst for revenge, or a need to prove yourself might all have been factors.   You might have enjoyed formal training in a noble’s army or in a local militia. Perhaps you trained in a war academy, learning strategy, tactics, and military history. Or you might be self-taught—unpolished but well tested. Did you take up the sword as a way to escape the limits of life on a farm, or are you following a proud family tradition? Where did you acquire your weapons and armor? They might have been military issue or family heirlooms, or perhaps you scrimped and saved for years to buy them. Your armaments are now among your most important possessions—the only things that stand between you and death’s embrace.  

QUICK BUILD

You can make a fighter quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, depending on whether you want to focus on melee weapons or on archery (or finesse weapons). Your next-highest score should be Constitution, or Intelligence if you plan to adopt the Eldritch Knight martial archetype. Second, choose the soldier background.

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Fighting Style, Second Wind
2nd	+2	Action Surge (one use)
3rd	+2	Martial Archetype
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Extra Attack
6th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
7th	+3	Martial Archetype Feature
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Indomitable (one use)
10th	+4	Martial Archetype Feature
11th	+4	Extra Attack (2)
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Indomitable (two uses)
14th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
15th	+5	Martial Archetype Feature
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Action Surge (two uses), Indomitable (three uses)
18th	+6	Martial Archetype Feature
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Extra Attack (3)

 

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Class Features

Fighting Style

You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.   Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.   Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.   Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.   Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.   Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.   Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.  

Second Wind

You have a limited well of stamina that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your fighter level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.  

Action Surge

Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action.   Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once on the same turn.  

Martial Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate in your combat styles and techniques. Choose Champion, Battle Master, or Eldritch Knight, all detailed at the end of the class description. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.  

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.   Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.  

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.   The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th level in this class.  

Indomitable

Beginning at 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.   You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level.  

Extra Attack

Beginning at 11th level, you can attack three times, instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.   The number of attacks increases to four when you reach 20th level in this class.  

Extra Attack

At 20th level, you can attack four times, instead of three, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

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Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:  

• (a) chain mail or (b) leather armor, longbow, and 20 arrows
• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

 

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Subclass Options

Martial Archetypes

 

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Different fighters choose different approaches to perfecting their fighting prowess. The martial archetype you choose to emulate reflects your approach.  

Rune Knight

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You discovered how to enhance your martial prowess using the supernatural power of runes. The ancient practice of rune magic originated with giants. Skiltgravr (“rune cutters”) can be found among any type of giants, and you likely learned your methods first or second hand from such a mystical artisan. Whether you found the giant’s work carved into a hill or cave, learned of the runes from a traveling sage, or met the giant in person, you studied the giant’s craft. In time, you learned how to carve and apply runes to your equipment and how to invoke their magic, ultimately becoming a Rune Knight.      

Fighter Level	Feature
3rd	Rune Magic, Giant Might
7th	Defensive Runes
10th	Great Stature
15th	Rune Magic Mastery
18th	Blessing of the All Father

 

Rune Magic

You learn how to use runes to enhance your gear. When you gain this feature, you learn how to inscribe two runes of your choice on weapons, armor, or shields (see “Rune Options”). Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a number of objects equal to the number of runes you know, and you inscribe a different rune onto each of the objects. To be eligible, an object must be a weapon, a suit of armor, or a shield.   Your rune remains on an object until you finish a long rest, and an object can bear only one of your runes.   Each time you gain a level in this class, you can replace one rune you know with a different one.   Rune Options Here are rune options for the Rune Magic feature. They are all magical effects. If a rune requires a saving throw, your Rune Magic save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.   Haug (Hill Rune) This rune’s magic bestows a resilience reminiscent of a hill giant. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance against poison damage.   In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action, gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage for 1 minute. Once you invoke the rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.   Ild (Fire Rune) This rune’s magic channels the masterful craftsmanship of fire giant smiths. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses your proficiency with a tool.   In addition, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can invoke the rune to summon fiery shackles: the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute. While restrained by the shackles, the target takes 2d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, banishing the shackles on a success. Once you invoke the rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.   Ise (Frost Rune) This rune’s magic evokes a frost giant’s stoic calm. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks and Charisma (Intimidation) checks.   In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action to increase your Strength score by 2 for 10 minutes. This increase can cause your score to exceed 20, but not 30. Once you invoke the rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.   Skye (Cloud Rune) This rune’s magic emulates the deceptiveness of a cloud giant. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks and Charisma (Deception) checks.   In addition, when you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to invoke the rune and cause that attack to target a different creature within 30 feet of you (other than the attacker), using the same roll. This magic can transfer the attack regardless of the attack’s range. Once you invoke the rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.   Stein (Stone Rune) This rune’s magic channels the insightfulness of a stone giant. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks, and you have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet.   In addition, when a creature you can see ends its turn within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to invoke the rune and force the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw. Unless the save succeeds, the creature is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature has a speed of 0 and is incapacitated, descending into a dreamy stupor. The effect ends if the charmed creature takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake the creature out of its haze. Once you invoke the rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.   Uvar (Storm Rune) Using this rune, you can glimpse the future like a storm giant. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks, and you can’t be surprised as long as you are not incapacitated.   In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action to enter a prophetic state for 1 minute or until you’re incapacitated. Until the state ends, when you or another creature you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, you can use your reaction to cause the roll to have advantage or disadvantage. Once you invoke the rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Giant Might

3rd-level Rune Knight feature You can imbue yourself with the might of giants. As a bonus action, you magically gain the following benefits, which last for 1 minute:   If you are smaller than Large, you become Large, along with anything you are wearing. If you lack the room to become Large, your size doesn’t change. You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. Your weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 damage. You can use this feature twice, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.  

Defensive Runes

  7th-level Rune Knight feature You learn to invoke your rune magic to protect your allies. When another creature you can see within 60 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to grant a bonus to the creature’s AC against that attack. The bonus equals 1 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +2).   In addition, you learn one new rune of your choice from the Rune Magic feature (for a total of three).  

Great Stature

10th-level Rune Knight feature The magic of your runes permanently alters you. When you gain this feature, roll 3d4. You grow a number of inches in height equal to the roll. Moreover, the extra damage you deal with your Giant Might feature increases to 1d8.   In addition, you learn one new rune of your choice from your Rune Magic feature (for a total of four). Rune Magic Mastery 15th-level Rune Knight feature You can invoke each rune you know from your Rune Magic feature twice, rather than once, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.   In addition, you learn one new rune of your choice from the Rune Magic feature (for a total of five).  

Blessing of the All-Father

18th-level Rune Knight feature You learn how to share your rune magic with your allies. When you use your Giant Might feature, you can choose one willing creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The chosen creature also gains the benefits of your Giant Might feature.
 

Paladin

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Overview & Creation

Clad in plate arm or that gleams in the sunlight despite the dust and grim e of long travel, a human lays down her sword and shield and places her hands on a mortally wounded man. Divine radiance shines from her hands, the man’s wounds knit closed, and his eyes open wide with amazement. A dwarf crouches behind an outcrop, his black cloak making him nearly invisible in the night, and watches an orc war band celebrating its recent victory. Silently, he stalks into their midst and whispers an oath, and two ores are dead before they even realize he is there. Silver hair shining in a shaft of light that seems to illuminate only him, an elf laughs with exultation. His spear flashes like his eyes as he jabs again and again at a twisted giant, until at last his light overcomes its hideous darkness. Whatever their origin and their mission, paladins are united by their oaths to stand against the forces of evil. Whether sworn before a god’s altar and the witness of a priest, in a sacred glade before nature spirits and fey beings, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the dead as the only witness, a paladin’s oath is a powerful bond. It is a source of pow er that turns a devout warrior into a blessed champion.  

The Cause of Righteousness

A paladin swears to uphold justice and righteousness, to stand with the good things of the world against the encroaching darkness, and to hunt the forces of evil wherever they lurk. Different paladins focus on various aspects of the cause of righteousness, but all are bound by the oaths that grant them pow er to do their sacred work. Although many paladins are devoted to gods of good, a paladin’s pow er com es as much from a commitment to justice itself as it does from a god. Paladins train for years to learn the skills of combat, mastering a variety of weapons and armor. Even so, their martial skills are secondary to the magical pow er they wield: pow er to heal the sick and injured, to smite the wicked and the undead, and to protect the innocent and those who join them in the fight for justice.  

Beyond the Mundane Life

Almost by definition, the life of a paladin is an adventuring life. Unless a lasting injury has taken him or her away from adventuring for a time, every paladin lives on the front lines of the cosmic struggle against evil. Fighters are rare enough among the ranks of the militias and armies of the world, but even fewer people can claim the true calling of a paladin. W hen they do receive the call, these warriors turn from their former occupations and take up arms to fight evil. Sometimes their oaths lead them into the service of the crow n as leaders of elite groups of knights, but even then their loyalty is first to the cause of righteousness, not to crown and country. Adventuring paladins take their work seriously. A delve into an ancient ruin or dusty crypt can be a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests, and even the smallest victory against it can tilt the cosmic balance away from oblivion.
 

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Class Features

Divine Sense

The presence of strong evil registers on your senses like a noxious odor, and powerful good rings like heavenly music in your ears. As an action, you can open your awareness to detect such forces. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the type (celestial, fiend, or undead) of any being w hose presence you sense, but not its identity (the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich, for instance). Within the same radius, you also detect the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated, as with the Hallow spell. You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. W hen you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.  

Lay on Hands

Your blessed touch can heal wounds. You have a pool of healing pow er that replenishes when you take a long rest. With that pool, you can restore a total number of hit points equal to your paladin level x 5. As an action, you can touch a creature and draw power from the pool to restore a number of hit points to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining in your pool. Alternatively, you can expend 5 hit points from your pool of healing to cure the target of one disease or neutralize one poison affecting it. You can cure multiple diseases and neutralize multiple poisons with a single use o f Lay on Hands, expending hit points separately for each one. This feature has no effect on undead and constructs.  

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option m ore than once, even if you later get to choose again.  

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.  

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.  

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.  

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.  

Divine Smite

Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one paladin spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or a fiend.  

Divine Health

By 3rd level, the divine magic flowing through you makes you immune to disease.  

Sacred Oath

When you reach 3rd level, you swear the oath that binds you as a paladin forever. Up to this time you have been in a preparatory stage, committed to the path but not yet sworn to it. Now you choose the Oath of Devotion, the Oath of the Ancients, or the Oath of Vengeance, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th level. Those features include oath spells and the Channel Divinity feature.  

Oath Spells

Each oath has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the oath description. Once you gain access to an oath spell, you always have it prepared. Oath spells don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain an oath spell that doesn’t appear on the paladin spell list, the spell is nonetheless a paladin spell for you.  

Channel Divinity

Your oath allows you to channel divine energy to fuel magical effects. Each Channel Divinity option provided by your oath explains how to use it. W hen you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which option to use. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Divinity again. Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. W hen you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your paladin spell save DC.  

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.  

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.  

Aura of Protection

Starting at 6th level, whenever you or a friendly creature within 10 feet of you must make a saving throw, the creature gains a bonus to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum bonus of +1). You must be conscious to grant this bonus. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.  

Aura of Courage

Starting at 10th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can’t be frightened while you are conscious. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.  

Improved Divine Smite

By 11th level, you are so suffused with righteous might that all your melee weapon strikes carry divine pow er with them. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage. If you also use your Divine Smite with an attack, you add this damage to the extra damage o f your Divine Smite.  

Cleansing Touch

Beginning at 14th level, you can use your action to end one spell on yourself or on one willing creature that you touch. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.  

Sacred Oaths

Becoming a paladin involves taking vows that commit the paladin to the cause of righteousness, an active path of fighting wickedness. The final oath, taken when he or she reaches 3rd level, is the culmination of all the paladin’s training. Some characters with this class don’t consider themselves true paladins until they have reached 3rd level and made this oath. For others, the actual swearing of the oath is a formality, an official stamp on what has always been true in the paladin’s heart.  

Oath of Devotion

The Oath of Devotion binds a paladin to the loftiest ideals of justice, virtue, and order. Sometimes called cavaliers, white knights, or holy warriors, these paladins meet the ideal of the knight in shining armor, acting with honor in pursuit of justice and the greater good. They hold themselves to the highest standards of conduct, and some, for better or worse, hold the rest of the world to the same standards. Many who swear this oath are devoted to gods of law and good and use their gods’ tenets as the measure of their devotion. They hold angels—the perfect servants of good—as their ideals, and incorporate images of angelic wings into their helmets or coats of arms.  

Tenets of Devotion

Though the exact words and strictures of the Oath of Devotion vary, paladins of this oath share these tenets.   Honesty. Don’t lie or cheat. Let your word be your promise.   Courage. Never fear to act, though caution is wise.   Compassion. Aid others, protect the weak, and punish those w ho threaten them. Show mercy to your foes, but temper it with wisdom .   Honor. Treat others with fairness, and let your honorable deeds be an example to them. Do as much good as possible while causing the least amount of harm.   Duty. Be responsible for your actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care, and obey those w ho have just authority over you.  

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.  

Oath of Devotion Spells

Spells for Paladin Levels
3rd Protection from Evil and Good, Sanctuary
5th Lesser Restoration, Zone of Truth
9th Beacon of Hope, Dispel Magic
13th Freedom of Movement, Guardian of Faith
17th Commune, Flame Strike  

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Sacred Weapon. As an action, you can imbue one weapon that you are holding with positive energy, using your Channel Divinity. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minim um bonus of +1). The weapon also emits bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light 20 feet beyond that. If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration. You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.
Turn the Unholy. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring fiends and undead, using your Channel Divinity. Each fiend or undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage. A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can’t willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can’t take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.  

Aura of Devotion

Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can’t be charmed while you are conscious. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.  

Purity of Spirit

Beginning at 15th level, you are always under the effects of a Protection from Evil and Good spell.  

Holy Nimbus

At 20th level, as an action, you can emanate an aura of sunlight. For 1 minute, bright light shines from you in a 30-foot radius, and dim light shines 30 feet beyond that. Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn in the bright light, the creature takes 10 radiant damage. In addition, for the duration, you have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by fiends or undead. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.  

Oath of the Ancients

The Oath of the Ancients is as old as the race of elves and the rituals of the druids. Sometimes called fey knights, green knights, or horned knights, paladins who swear this oath cast their lot with the side of the light in the cosmic struggle against darkness because they love the beautiful and life-giving things of the world, not necessarily because they believe in principles of honor, courage, and justice. They adorn their arm or and clothing with images of growing things—leaves, antlers, or flowers—to reflect their commitment to preserving life and light in the world.  

Tenets of the Ancients

The tenets of the Oath of the Ancients have been preserved for uncounted centuries. This oath emphasizes the principles of good above any concerns of law or chaos. Its four central principles are simple.
Kindle the Light. Through your acts of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness, kindle the light of hope in the world, beating back despair.
Shelter the Light. Where there is good, beauty, love, and laughter in the world, stand against the wickedness that would swallow it. Where life flourishes, stand against the forces that would render it barren.
Preserve Your Own Light. Delight in song and laughter, in beauty and art. If you allow the light to die in your own heart, you can’t preserve it in the world.
Be the Light. Be a glorious beacon for all who live in despair. Let the light of your joy and courage shine forth in all your deeds.  

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.  

Oath of the Ancients Spells

Spells for Paladin Levels
3rd Ensnaring Strike, Speak with Animals
5th Moonbeam, Misty Step
9th Plant Growth, Protection from Energy
13th Ice Storm, Stoneskin
17th Commune with Nature, Tree Stride  

Channel Divinity

W hen you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Nature’s Wrath. You can use your Channel Divinity to invoke primeval forces to ensnare a foe. As an action, you can cause spectral vines to spring up and reach for a creature within 10 feet of you that you can see. The creature must succeed on a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (its choice) or be restrained. While restrained by the vines, the creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success, it frees itself and the vines vanish.
Turn the Faithless. You can use your Channel Divinity to utter ancient words that are painful for fey and fiends to hear. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and each fey or fiend within 30 feet of you that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage. A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can’t willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can’t take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action. If the creature’s true form is concealed by an illusion, shapeshifting, or other effect, that form is revealed while it is turned.  

Aura of Warding

Beginning at 7th level, ancient magic lies so heavily upon you that it form s an eldritch ward. You and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to damage from spells. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.  

Undying Sentinel

Starting at 15th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points and are not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. Additionally, you suffer none of the drawbacks of old age, and you can’t be aged magically.  

Elder Champion

At 20th level, you can assume the form of an ancient force of nature, taking on an appearance you choose. For example, your skin might turn green or take on a bark-like texture, your hair might become leafy or mosslike, or you might sprout antlers or a lion-like mane. Using your action, you undergo a transformation. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:

• At the start of each of your turns, you regain 10 hit points.
• Whenever you cast a paladin spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can cast it using a bonus action instead.
• Enemy creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on saving throws against your paladin spells and Channel Divinity options.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.  

Oath of Vengeance

The Oath of Vengeance is a solemn commitment to punish those who have committed a grievous sin. When evil forces slaughter helpless villagers, when an entire people turns against the w ill of the gods, when a thieves’ guild grow s too violent and powerful, when a dragon rampages through the countryside—at times like these, paladins arise and swear an Oath of Vengeance to set right that which has gone wrong. To these paladins— sometimes called avengers or dark knights—their own purity is not as important as delivering justice.  

Tenets of Vengeance

The tenets of the Oath of Vengeance vary by paladin, but all the tenets revolve around punishing wrongdoers by any means necessary. Paladins who uphold these tenets are willing to sacrifice even their own righteousness to mete out justice upon those who do evil, so the paladins are often neutral or lawful neutral in alignment. The core principles of the tenets are brutally simple.
Fight the Greater Evil. Faced with a choice of fighting my sworn foes or com bating a lesser evil. I choose the greater evil.
No Mercy for the Wicked. Ordinary foes might win my mercy, but my sworn enemies do not. By Any Means Necessary. My qualms can’t get in the way of exterminating my foes. Restitution. If my foes wreak ruin on the world, it is because I failed to stop them. I must help those harmed by their misdeeds.  

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.  

Oath of Vengeance Spells

Spells for Paladin Levels
3rd Bane, Hunter's Mark
5th Hold Person, Misty Step
9th Haste, Protection from Energy
13th Banishment, Dimension Door
17th Weretiger, Scrying  

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Abjure Enemy. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer of denunciation, using your Channel Divinity. Choose one creature within 60 feet of you that you can see. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, unless it is immune to being frightened. Fiends and undead have disadvantage on this saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is frightened for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. While frightened, the creature’s speed is 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed. On a successful save, the creature’s speed is halved for 1 minute or until the creature takes any damage.
Vow of Enmity. As a bonus action, you can utter a vow of enmity against a creature you can see within 10 feet of you, using your Channel Divinity. You gain advantage on attack rolls against the creature for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 hit points or falls unconscious.  

Relentless Avenger

By 7th level, your supernatural focus helps you close off a foe’s retreat. W hen you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you can move up to half your speed immediately after the attack and as part of the same reaction. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.  

Soul of Vengeance

Starting at 15th level, the authority with which you speak your Vow of Enmity gives you greater pow er over your foe. W hen a creature under the effect o f your Vow o f Enmity makes an attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature if it is within range.  

Avenging Angel

At 20th level, you can assume the form of an angelic avenger. Using your action, you undergo a transformation. For 1 hour, you gain the following benefits:

• Wings sprout from your back and grant you a flying speed of 60 feet.


• You emanate an aura of menace in a 30-foot radius. The first time any enemy creature enters the aura or starts its turn there during a battle, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. Attack rolls against the frightened creature have advantage.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
 

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Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:  

• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) five javelins or (b) and simple melee weapon
• (a) a priest's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• Chain mail and a holy symbol

 

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Spellcasting

By 2nd level, you have learned to draw on divine magic through meditation and prayer to cast spells as a cleric does. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the paladin spell list.  

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Paladin table show s how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your paladin spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of paladin spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the paladin spell list. W hen you do so, choose a number of paladin spells equal to your Charisma modifier + half your paladin level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you are a 5th-level paladin, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list o f paladin spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.  

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your paladin spells, since their pow er derives from the strength of your convictions. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a paladin spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.   Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier   Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier  

Spellcasting Focus

You can use a holy symbol (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your paladin spells.

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