Oath of the Grey Knight

" Dank fogs and foul mists from the poisoned deep

Thickened above strange pools, glimmer

With shapeless white moons elf-dismembered, dimmer

Than snakes that through the sombre brushwood creep.

Where grey breaths mingled in slow dance

The men of moor wield gleaming lance.

Wreathed that thee in silver vapor,

Vanquish foe, become fate’s shaper."

 

Adapted from "Camelot" By Benjamin Gilbert Brooks

 

 

An oath taken by the lost heroes of the Silver Moor. This once powerful and benevolent convent of knights is now only known through a series of obscure adventure stories entitled “The Grey Knights” that illustrate the meaning of knighthood through a chivalric code derived from stories about the good knight Acrasia, a silver dragon who sacrificed their draconic form in order to create the order of Grey Knights of the Silver Moor and imbue them with her power. It’s unclear if this covenant between dragon and knight ever truly existed and is the true source behind the power of the modern Grey Knight or whether the individual paladin who heeds this call simply derives it from within. The Oath of the Grey Knight calls to the storybook dreamers and those who seek honor above all else. It is unknown how many Grey Knights are currently in existence, pledged to an ancient code that few remember, but they can be identified by their self-sacrificial nature, fierce loyalty to their allies, and the silvery mist of a long-lost plane that accompanies their magic.

 

The Grey Knights uphold four main core tenants from a modified version of Gautier's 10 commandments of chivalry.

Thou shalt respect all weaknesses and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them. Be respectful of host, authority, and women. Assume honesty and good intent, until proven otherwise. Never harm an innocent. 

Thou shalt never lie, and shalt remain faithful to thy pledged word. Avoid deception and always keep your promises. Avoid cheating. 

Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil. Never attack an unarmed foe. Administer justice. Avenge the wronged and fight with honor. Exhibit courage in word and deed. Practice temperance and sagacity. Be a bastion of hope amidst the shadow of doubt.

Thou shalt pledge loyalty to thy chosen allies to defend and protect above all else. Your party is core to your oath. It is your sworn duty to protect them at all costs-- even at the expense of yourself. Never abandon friend, ally, or noble cause. 

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. 

Desperate Smite. The battle ahead looks grim. You are battered and bloody, and hope is dwindling. Then, you look to the weary faces of your allies and find the strength to push past your limitations. When using the Divine Smite feature while you have no more than half your hit points remaining, you can use Channel Divinity to add an extra 2d8 radiant damage to the target. At risk to yourself, you can choose to add an additional 2d8 radiant damage with a successful Constitution saving throw equal to your spell save DC. On a fail, you take half of all smite damage rounded down from this ability. 

The Martyr. You are sworn by duty and purpose to protect your comrades. Channel the bond between your allies and the power of your oath to summon mists that swap your places.- If an ally that you can see within 60 feet is the target of a melee, ranged attack, or spell effect you can use your reaction to teleport to your ally's space and cause your ally to teleport into your space. You reduce the damage to half.

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Oath of the Grey Knight Spells

Aura of Gallantry

Starting at 7th level, pure moonlight now perpetually casts from within you in a five-foot radius unless unconscious, leaving your skin a silvery hue that you can dim at will. Your aura exudes an inspiring and noble presence, granting advantage to charisma checks made by friendly creatures (including you) against good and neutral-aligned creatures within the aura. 

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Rise From the Moor

Starting at 15th level,  you can call upon the ancient mists of the moor to bring you from the brink of death and back into battle with renewed mettle for your sworn duty. When you are reduced to 0 hit points and are not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead with the spell effect ofhaste, however, when combat ends or 1-minute passes, you drop back down with one death save failed. Once you use this ability you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. 

Knight of the Mistwrought Vale

At 20th level, you have become a true herald of the Silver Moors and gain the ability to break the veil between this world and the realm where your oath was founded. Illusory terrain of twisting, moss-ridden trees and the dredges of an ancient bog surround you. As an action, you can emanate an aura of cold, silver light from the mists of the Moor. For 1 minute, bright light shines from you in a 30-foot radius, and dim light shines 30 feet beyond that. 

• The area becomes difficult terrain for hostile creatures and imposes disadvantage on any checks involving sight.
• Impose disadvantage on all rolls to hit allies or friendly creatures within the bright light of your aura. If the attack misses, you can redirect it to yourself, becoming the target instead.
• In addition, friendly creatures in the aura gain advantage on all saving throws against spells and magical effects.

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