Oath of Protection

The Oath of Protection binds a Paladin to the loftiest ideals of self-sacrifice, stoicism, and justice. Often called heroes, altruists, and sometimes martyrs, these paladins meet the ideal of the knight in shining armor, acting with honor in pursuit of justice and the greater good. They are most often kindly, gentle, and generous souls, who only use their skills in combat when necessary to defend the innocent. Unlike some paladins, if an act that would normally be considered dishonorable could be determined to save lives, a Paladin who swears an Oath of Protection may engage in that act regardless. This allows them to do such things as lie or steal, but only if it can demonstrably protect the lives of an innocent.

Those who swear this oath devote themselves to Tyr, the maimed god of protection and justice. They do all they can to adhere to the ideals of Tyr. They take mighty shields as their symbol, and are often adorned with symbols and images of shields on their armor or coat of arms.

Tenets of Protection

Though the exact words and strictures of the Oath of Protection vary, paladins of this oath share these tenets.

• Selflessness: Defend those deserving, and take the brunt of any punishment in place of those who cannot withstand it.
• Courage: Never fear to act, though caution is wise.
• Compassion: Aid others, show kindness to the meek, and punish those who threaten them. Show mercy to your foes, but temper it with Wisdom.
• Justice: Ensure that evil is defeated, so as to ensure that it may not do harm in the future.
• Duty: Be responsible for your actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care, and present yourself to those that need help.

Channel Divinity

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

Celestial Sheild. You can use your Channel Divinity to defend an ally. Immediately after an attacker within 30 feet of you deals damage with a single-target attack against a creature other than you, you can use your reaction to throw a shield of radiant light into the path of your foes attack. This prevents your ally from taking any damage, and it also forces the attacker to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker takes radiant damage equal to the half the damage it would have dealt. On a successful save, it takes no damage.

 

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.

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Oath of Protection Spells

Aura of the Guardian

Starting at 7th level, you can shield others from harm at the cost of your own health. When a creature within 10 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to magically take that damage, instead of that creature taking it. This feature doesn’t transfer any other effects that might accompany the damage, and this damage can’t be reduced in any way.

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.

Champion of Tyr

At 20th level, as an action, you gain resistance to all damage for 10 minutes.

You may also use your Aura of the Guardian feature twice per turn without using your reaction, and you gain resistance to the damage taken this way.

You also restore 5 hitpoints per turn when below half health.