7 KiB
Paladins wishing to end immediate threats posed by evil creatures and who don’t mind the stains of close dealings with such creatures swear an oath of Anathema. These paladins use the tools of the enemy—typically guile and threats—against the enemy, preferring those over blades. However, they have no problem resorting to direct combat when necessary. Many argue these paladins are no better than the evils they purport to fight, but few can argue against the results of their efforts.
Tenets of Anathema
Paladins who swear the oath of Anathema are often quick to adapt to unexpected situations, and though this can take unexpected forms, depending on the individual, their actions all evolve from the same convictions.
- Evil Is a Viable Tool. Take advantage of evil creatures’ venal natures to gather information on their superiors or turn them against former allies.
- Forcing a Retreat Is a Victory. Weigh the benefits of removing an imminent threat at great cost and regrouping to deal with it permanently at a later time with collateral damage.
- Moral Flexibility. Your foes don’t care about the concepts of compassion, honesty, or honor, and sometimes, you must also eschew them for the greater good.
| Anathema Progression | |
|---|---|
| Paladin Level | Features |
| 3rd | Anathema Oath Spells, Channel Divinity: Reveal Deceivers, Channel Divinity: Turn the Profane, Expanded Proficiencies and Talent List |
| 7th | Aura of Fearsomeness |
| 11th | Direct Action |
| 15th | Divine Anathema |
Channel Divinity
3rd-Level Anathema Feature
You gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
-
Reveal Deceivers. As an action, you present your holy symbol and call out falsehoods in creatures within 30 feet of you. Each creature in the area that is using magic or a feature to disguise itself (such as the disguise self spell or a hag’s Illusory Appearance) or to take on a form other than its true form (such as the alter self spell or a werewolf’s Change Shape) is outlined in holy light of a color of your choice for 1 minute. While outlined in this light, a creature takes radiant damage equal to your CHA modifier at the start of each of its turns, can’t benefit from being invisible, and attack rolls against it have advantage. A creature outlined in light can make a CON save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
-
Turn the Profane As an action, you present your holy symbol and utter dire warnings of destruction to unholy creatures. Each Fiend and Undead of your choice within 30 feet of you and that can see or hear you must make a WIS save. If the creature fails its save, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage.
A turned creature must try to move as far away from you as it can, though it can’t first get closer to you to do it. On its turn, it can only use the Dash action or otherwise try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, it can use the Dodge action. It can’t take any reactions.
Anathema Oath Spells
3rd-Level Anathema Feature
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Anathema Oath Spells table. See the Paladin Subclass class feature in the Player’s Guide for how these spells work.
| Anathema Oath Spells | |
|---|---|
| Spell Circle | Spells |
| 3rd | protection from evil and good |
| 5th | silence |
| 9th | protection from energy |
| 13th | banishment |
| 17th | mislead |
Expanded Proficiencies and Talent List
3rd-Level Anathema Feature
When you gain a new talent, you can select it from the martial or technical talent list.
In addition, you gain proficiency in one of the following: Deception, Sleight of Hand, or thieves’ tools.
Aura of Fearsomeness
7th-Level Anathema Feature
While you aren’t incapacitated, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you gain a bonus to CHA (Intimidation) checks equal to your proficiency bonus.
In addition, such checks are made with advantage against Fiends and Undead. This aura is enhanced by the 17th-level Aura Improvements class feature (see Player’s Guide).
Direct Action
11th-Level Anathema Feature
You take a more proactive approach with Fiends and Undead, and your attacks reflect that approach. You gain the following benefits against Fiends and Undead:
- If you target a Fiend or Undead with a spell that specifically affects such creatures, the target has disadvantage on its save. If you target a Fiend or Undead with a spell that deals damage, the target is vulnerable to that damage. If the target is resistant to that damage type, it instead loses its resistance. This feature has no effect if the target is immune to that damage type.
- When you use your Divine Sense feature (see Player’s Guide), for any being whose presence you sense, you now know the specific kind of creature it is.
- You score a critical hit on a d20 roll of 19 or 20. If you score a critical hit and are using your Divine Smite feature or the Radiant Strikes boon (see Player’s Guide for both), you can add one extra d8 of damage to the attack. Alternatively, you can forgo the extra damage dealt to Fiends and Undead (from this feature and from Divine Smite or Radiant Strikes) to force the target to succeed on a CHA save or be affected as if it failed a save against the dismissal option of the dispel evil and good spell.
Divine Anathema
15th-Level Anathema Feature
As an action, you can draw on the full weight of your divine power to destroy evil. You gain the following benefits for 1 minute:
- When you deal damage to a Fiend or Undead, you treat all damage rolls of 1 or 2 as 3.
- You are resistant to all damage dealt by Fiends and Undead.
- You automatically detect the presence of Fiends and Undead within 10 feet of you, and they don’t benefit from invisibility against you.
- You have advantage on saves against all spells and effects from Fiends and Undead.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.