Base Class: Paladin
The traditional paladin path is one seeking to embrace the high ideals and virtues of light in order to be both a beacon to others and a flame against the dark. But there are those who recognize that before the evils that plague the world can be fought, the shadow within must be conquered before one can know the true strength of their light.
For the paladins who face this truth, they become masters of their shadow, by facing and harmonizing with what they can to perfect themselves as paladins, and binding and controlling the more malign aspects of their shadow. They strengthen the beast at the tree of light, who protects and enriches the roots of of the soul internally, and strengthen the light externally. To be the divine beast is to make your darkness kindling for the flame imperishable.
Tenets
Master the heart, mind, and soul so the shadow within may never subvert the light without: To embrace the way of the divine beast is to embrace a disciplined and righteous will, not a reactive feral animal, quick to snap at any irritation. For all the passion that fuels them, the mind is focused upon righteous growth, not bestial want.
Balance is not submission to evil, and gilded purity that cannot sustain itself in jagged darkness is armor made of rigid glass: Always recognize that whatever evils you face are not reflections of you, but very real threats that must be challenged for the sake of those under your protection. Likewise, ensure your ideals are tested in the fire of action before you boast of them. For true virtue is made perfect through good works, not hollow repetition without challenge.
In the end, truth is the ultimate source of power, for neither darkness or light can obscure it forever, and revelation is the seed of true strength: Before you face the world as it is, never fear to face the world of darkness within and illuminate the truths it hides. For if you cannot unmask the lies you tell yourself, what hope have you to know the truth without?
Harnessed Might
You gain a +1 to melee damage rolls. This bonus increases by 1 at 11th and 18th level. You also have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. Your unarmed strikes can also inflict 1d6 damage, upgrading to 1d8 at level 11
Resilient Hide
You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with silver weapons. While you are not wearing heavy armor, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC.
Resilient Hide
You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with silver weapons. While you are not wearing heavy armor, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC.
Relentless Hunter
You gain advantage on all climbing related strength and athletic checks, and bonuses on your running and high jump equal to your combined strength and charisma modifiers
Channel Divinity
1. Disciplined Soul: To become capable of harnessing the power of the divine beast, one must have a razor sharp will and disciplined mind. Further, they can also project that discipline on others. With a bonus action, the Paladin can give themselves or another creature advantage on charisma, wisdom, and intelligence checks and saves for one minute.
2. Sacred Fury: Willing the inner rage of the beast into a purified weapon with your body as the conduit, the divine beast is unchained to its most lethal potential. As an action, the Paladin can for one minute use their divine grace as weapon, adding their charisma modifier to all attack rolls (with a +1 minimum). If they are using their unarmed strikes, they can exchange their d6 to d10 for the minute Sacred Fury is in effect. When they reach level 11, this upgrades the d8 damage die to d12 while Sacred Fury is in effect.
Aura of Rage
Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you begin projecting an aura of cold rage, leading to disadvantage to any wisdom saves for any hostile creature who attacks in that range while you are conscious
The Guardian Claw
At 15th level, you can further enhance your beast form into a night unstoppable physical threat, at the expense of losing the ability to cast spells for one minute when the effect ends. You must be in your beast form to trigger this effect.
You gain 50 temporary hit points. If any of these remain when the spell ends, they are lost.
You have advantage on attack rolls that you make with weapons and unarmed strikes.
When you hit a target with a physical attack, that target takes an extra 2d12 force damage.
Fenrir Ascendant
You unleash the purified extension of your divine fury, entering a purified berserker state worthy of legend for one hour.
1. Speed is doubled to 60ft per round, and all jumping actions gain an additional max of 20 feet of movement.
2. While in this state, having 0 hit points doesn’t knock you unconscious. You still must make death saving throws, and you suffer the normal effects of taking damage while at 0 hit points. However, if you would die due to failing death saving throws, you don’t die until your ascended state ends, and you only die if you have 0 hit points.
This form cannot be restored until after a long rest.
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