TEXT: ©2016	Wizards	of	the	Coast	LLC	
  1	
  Unearthed	Arcana:	Paladin	
  Sacred	Oaths	
  At	3rd	level,	a	paladin	gains	the	Sacred	Oath	
  feature.	Here	are	new	options	for	that	feature:	
  the	Oath	of	Conquest	and	the	Oath	of	Treachery.	
  Playtest	Material	
  The	material	here	is	presented	for	playtesting	and	to	
  spark	your	imagination.	These	game	mechanics	are	in	
  draft	form,	usable	in	your	campaign	but	not	refined	by	
  design	iterations	or	full	game	development.	They	are	
  not	officially	part	of	the	game.	For	these	reasons,	
  material	in	this	column	is	not	legal	in	D&D	Adventurers	
  League	events.	
  Oath	of	Conquest	
  The	Oath	of	Conquest	calls	to	paladins	who	seek	
  glory	in	battle	and	the	subjugation	of	their	
  enemies.	It	isn’t	enough	for	these	paladins	to	
  establish	order.	They	must	crush	the	forces	of	
  chaos.	
  	 Sometimes	called	knight	tyrants	or	iron	
  mongers,	those	who	swear	this	oath	gather	into	
  grim	orders	that	serve	gods	or	philosophies	of	
  war	and	well-ordered	might.	Some	of	these	
  paladins	go	so	far	as	to	consort	with	the	powers	
  of	the	Nine	Hells.	
  	 The	archdevil	Bel,	warlord	of	Avernus,	counts	
  many	of	these	paladins—called	hell	knights—as	
  his	most	ardent	supporters.	Hell	knights	cover	
  their	armor	with	trophies	taken	from	fallen	
  enemies,	a	grim	warning	to	any	who	dare	oppose	
  them	and	the	decrees	of	their	lords.	
  Tenets	of	Conquest	
  A	paladin	who	takes	this	oath	has	the	tenets	of	
  conquest	seared	on	the	upper	arm.	A	hell	
  knight’s	oath	appears	in	Infernal	runes,	a	brutal	
  reminder	of	vows	to	the	Lords	of	Hell.	
  	 Douse	the	Flame	of	Hope.	It	is	not	enough	to	
  merely	defeat	an	enemy	in	battle.	Your	victory	
  must	be	so	overwhelming	that	your	enemies’	
  will	to	fight	is	shattered	forever.	A	blade	can	end	
  a	life.	Fear	can	end	an	empire.	
  	 Rule	with	an	Iron	Fist.	Once	you	have	
  conquered,	tolerate	no	dissent.	Your	word	is	law.	
  Those	who	obey	it	shall	be	favored.	Those	who	
  defy	it	shall	be	punished	as	an	example	to	all	
  who	might	follow.	
  	 Strength	Above	All.	You	shall	rule	until	a	
  stronger	one	arises.	Then	you	must	grow	
  mightier	and	meet	the	challenge,	or	fall	to	your	
  own	ruin.	
  Oath	Spells	
  You	gain	oath	spells	at	the	paladin	levels	listed.	
  Oath	of	Conquest	Spells	
  Paladin	Level	
  Spells	
  3rd	
  armor	of	Agathys,	command	
  5th	
  hold	person,	spiritual	weapon	
  9th	
  bestow	curse,	fear	
  13th	
  blight,	dominate	beast	
  17th	
  dominate	person,	insect	plague	
  Channel	Divinity	
  When	you	take	this	oath	at	3rd	level,	you	gain	
  the	following	two	Channel	Divinity	options.	
  	 Conquering	Strike.	You	can	use	your	Channel	
  Divinity	to	break	a	foe’s	will.	When	you	hit	a	
  creature	with	a	melee	weapon	attack	as	part	of	
  the	Attack	action,	you	can	also	use	your	Channel	
  Divinity	to	force	the	target	to	make	a	Wisdom	
  saving	throw.	On	a	failed	save,	the	target	
  becomes	frightened	of	you	for	1	minute.	The	
  frightened	creature	can	repeat	this	saving	throw	
  at	the	end	of	each	of	its	turns,	ending	the	effect	
  on	itself	on	a	success.	
  	 Guided	Strike.	You	can	use	your	Channel	
  Divinity	to	strike	with	supernatural	accuracy.	
  When	you	make	an	attack	roll,	you	can	use	your	
  Channel	Divinity	to	gain	a	+10	bonus	to	the	roll.	
  You	make	this	choice	after	you	see	the	roll,	but	
  before	the	DM	says	whether	the	attack	hits	or	
  misses.	
  Aura	of	Conquest	
  Starting	at	7th	level,	you	emanate	a	menacing	
  aura	while	you’re	not	incapacitated.	The	aura	
  includes	your	space,	extends	10	feet	from	you	in	
  every	direction,	and	is	blocked	by	total	cover.	
  Any	enemy	in	the	aura	has	disadvantage	on	
  saving	throws	against	being	frightened.	
  	 At	18th	level,	the	range	of	this	aura	increases	
  to	30	feet.	
  Implacable	Spirit	
  Once	you	reach	15th	level,	you	can	no	longer	be	
  charmed.	
  
  ©2016	Wizards	of	the	Coast	LLC	
  2	
  Invincible	Conqueror	
  At	20th	level,	you	gain	the	ability	to	harness	
  extraordinary	martial	prowess.	As	an	action,	you	
  can	magically	become	an	avatar	of	conquest,	
  gaining	the	following	benefits	for	1	minute:	
  • You	have	resistance	to	all	damage.	
  • When	you	take	the	Attack	action	on	your	turn,	
  you	can	make	one	additional	attack	as	part	of	
  that	action.	
  • Your	melee	weapon	attacks	score	a	critical	hit	
  on	a	roll	of	19	or	20.	
  	 Once	you	use	this	feature,	you	can’t	use	it	again	
  until	you	finish	a	long	rest.	
  Oath	of	Treachery	
  The	Oath	of	Treachery	is	the	path	followed	by	
  paladins	who	have	forsworn	other	oaths	or	who	
  care	only	for	their	own	power	and	survival.	
  Commonly	known	as	blackguards,	these	profane	
  warriors	are	faithful	only	to	themselves.	Anyone	
  desperate	enough	to	follow	one	of	these	paladins	
  does	so	because,	while	deceitful,	these	paladins	
  command	great	power.	Those	who	follow	them	
  without	falling	prey	to	their	treachery	hope	to	
  indulge	in	wanton	violence	and	accumulate	great	
  treasure.	
  	 Many	of	these	paladins	pay	homage	to	demon	
  lords,	especially	Grazz’t	and	Orcus.	Even	the	
  Lords	of	Hell	are	loath	to	ally	with	these	
  champions	of	chaos,	but	sometimes	Baalzebul	
  and	Glasya	find	a	kindred	spirit	in	a	blackguard’s	
  penchant	for	double	dealing	and	treachery.	
  Fallen	Paladins	
  The	Oath	of	Treachery	is	an	option	for	the	paladin	who	
  has	strayed	from	another	Sacred	Oath	or	who	has	
  rejected	the	traditional	paladin	life.	This	option	exists	
  alongside	the	Oathbreaker	in	the	Dungeon	Master’s	
  Guide.	DMs	are	free	to	use	either	option	to	model	
  villainous	or	fallen	paladins.	
  	 If	you	switch	to	this	oath	from	another	one,	replace	
  all	of	the	previous	oath’s	features	with	the	features	of	
  this	one,	and	if	you	renounce	this	oath,	replace	its	
  features	with	the	features	of	the	new	one.	
  Tenets	of	Treachery	
  A	paladin	who	embraces	the	Oath	of	Treachery	
  owes	allegiance	to	no	one.	There	are	no	tenets	of	
  this	oath,	for	it	lacks	any	substance.	Those	who	
  are	unfortunate	enough	to	have	close	contact	
  with	blackguards	have	observed	that	a	
  blackguard’s	overwhelming	concern	is	power	
  and	safety,	especially	if	both	can	be	obtained	at	
  the	expense	of	others.	
  Oath	Spells	
  You	gain	oath	spells	at	the	paladin	levels	listed.	
  Oath	of	Treachery	Spells	
  Paladin	Level	
  Spells	
  3rd	
  charm	person,	expeditious	retreat	
  5th	
  invisibility,	mirror	image	
  9th	
  gaseous	form,	haste	
  13th	
  confusion,	greater	invisibility	
  17th	
  dominate	person,	passwall	
  Channel	Divinity	
  When	you	take	this	oath	at	3rd	level,	you	gain	
  the	following	two	Channel	Divinity	options.	
  	 Conjure	Duplicate.	As	an	action,	you	create	a	
  visual	illusion	of	yourself	that	lasts	for	1	minute,	
  or	until	you	lose	your	concentration	(as	if	you	
  were	concentrating	on	a	spell).	The	illusion	
  appears	in	an	unoccupied	space	of	your	choice	
  that	you	can	see	within	30	feet	of	you.	The	
  illusion	looks	exactly	like	you;	it	is	silent;	it	is	
  your	size,	is	insubstantial,	and	doesn’t	occupy	its	
  space;	and	it	is	unaffected	by	attacks	and	
  damage.	As	a	bonus	action	on	your	turn,	you	can	
  move	the	illusion	up	to	30	feet	to	a	space	you	can	
  see,	but	the	illusion	must	remain	within	120	feet	
  of	you.	
  	 For	the	duration,	you	can	cast	spells	as	though	
  you	were	in	the	illusion’s	space,	but	you	must	
  use	your	own	senses.	Additionally,	when	both	
  you	and	your	illusion	are	within	5	feet	of	a	
  creature	that	can	see	the	illusion,	you	have	
  advantage	on	attack	rolls	against	that	creature,	
  given	how	uncanny	the	illusion	is.	
  	 Poison	Strike.	You	can	use	your	Channel	
  Divinity	to	make	a	weapon	deadlier.	As	a	bonus	
  action,	you	touch	one	weapon	or	piece	of	
  ammunition	and	conjure	a	special	poison	on	it.	
  The	poison	lasts	for	1	minute.	The	next	time	you	
  hit	a	target	with	an	attack	using	that	weapon	or	
  ammunition,	the	target	takes	poison	damage	
  immediately	after	the	attack.	The	poison	damage	
  equals	2d10	+	your	paladin	level,	or	20	+	your	
  paladin	level	if	you	had	advantage	on	the	attack	
  roll.	
  Aura	of	Treachery	
  Starting	at	7th	level,	you	emanate	an	aura	of	
  discord,	which	gives	you	the	following	benefits.	
  
  ©2016	Wizards	of	the	Coast	LLC	
  3	
  	 Cull	the	Herd.	You	have	advantage	on	melee	
  attack	rolls	against	any	creature	that	has	one	or	
  more	of	its	allies	within	5	feet	of	it.	
  	 Treacherous	Strike.	If	a	creature	within	5	feet	
  of	you	misses	you	with	a	melee	attack,	you	can	
  use	your	reaction	to	force	the	attacker	to	reroll	
  that	attack	against	a	creature	of	your	choice	that	
  is	also	within	5	feet	of	the	attacker.	The	ability	
  fails	and	is	wasted	if	the	attacker	is	immune	to	
  being	charmed.	
  	 You	can	use	this	ability	three	times.	You	regain	
  expended	uses	of	it	when	you	finish	a	short	or	
  long	rest.	
  Blackguard’s	Escape	
  At	15th	level,	you	have	the	ability	to	slip	away	
  from	your	foes.	Immediately	after	you	are	hit	by	
  an	attack,	you	can	use	your	reaction	to	turn	
  invisible	and	teleport	up	to	60	feet	to	a	spot	you	
  can	see.	You	remain	invisible	until	the	end	of	
  your	next	turn	or	until	you	attack,	deal	damage,	
  or	force	a	creature	to	make	a	saving	throw.	Once	
  you	use	this	feature,	you	must	finish	a	short	or	
  long	rest	before	you	can	use	it	again.	
  Icon	of	Deceit	
  At	20th	level,	you	gain	the	ability	to	emanate	
  feelings	of	treachery.	As	an	action,	you	can	
  magically	become	an	avatar	of	deceit,	gaining	the	
  following	benefits	for	1	minute:	
  • You	are	invisible.	
  • If	a	creature	damages	you	on	its	turn,	it	must	
  succeed	on	a	Wisdom	saving	throw	(DC	equal	
  to	your	spell	save	DC)	or	you	control	its	next	
  action,	provided	that	you	aren’t	incapacitated	
  when	it	takes	the	action.	A	creature	
  automatically	succeeds	on	the	save	if	the	
  creature	is	immune	to	being	charmed.	
  • If	you	have	advantage	on	an	attack	roll,	you	
  gain	a	bonus	to	its	damage	roll	equal	to	your	
  paladin	level.	
  	 Once	you	use	this	feature,	you	can’t	use	it	again	
  until	you	finish	a	long	rest.	
  	
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Unearthed Arcana/UA26 - Paladin Sacred Oaths.pdf