Oath of Retribution

The Oath of Retribution is a binding commitment to avenge a terrible deed, whether it was committed against the paladin who swears it, their friends, family or home. The oath of retribution is a solemn promise to bring justice through battle and bloodshed, unlike other oaths that project lofty values such as honesty or redemption paladins sworn to retribution know honour only lays in a nemesis smote. Paladins seeking to deliver divine judgment to an enemy or group that wronged them may temporarily take an Oath of Retribution until they have defeated their nemesis. However very few patrons will allow a paladin to disregard their previous oath and those who take up the mantle of retribution rarely find themselves able to return to their old life, the path of the oathbreaker instead proving to be their new fate.

 

TENETS OF RETRIBUTION

The tenets of the Oath of Retribution are unique in their single-mindedness, all the tenets reflect the oath of Retributions single purpose: to smite a nemesis or evil do-oer. Paladins upholding these tenants often blur the lines between light and dark often allowing hatred to cloud their judgment, some paladins might find themselves so changed by their pursuit of retribution that they fall from grace with their old patron. As such these paladins often shift in alignment over time beginning lawful good but finishing their quest as chaotic neutral or even evil.

Pursuit above all else. My quest for justice against my nemesis is all that is important, I have no time for vices or pleasure, only the pursuit of my foe.

Resolute in righteousness. Those who stand in the way of my enemy or try to convince me to abandon my quest for retribution are weak and ignorant and should thus be discarded. 

By Any Means Necessary. My qualms can’t get in the way of my avenging, I cannot hesitate and must not show mercy to my foe.

Apathetic. Those who are not useful to me in my quest are not deserving of my time or compassion, I seek no quest aside from my pursuit of retribution.

Nemesis

In order to select the Oath of retribution you must have a nemesis, it may be a single person, group of people, organisation or an entire kingdom. Upon taking the oath of retribution the paladin swears to never rest until divine justice has been delivered upon those who wronged them.

For the purposes of the nemesis system the leader of the organization or group you seek to destroy is your nemesis.

Channel Divinity

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

Compel Truth. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer of compulsion, using your Channel Divinity. Choose one creature within 10 feet of you that you can see. That creature must make a Charisma saving throw, unless it is immune to the effects of the  Zone of Truth spell.

The channel divinity has no Effect if the target is Undead, if it doesn't understand your language, or if communicating an answer is directly harmful to it (for example if the target is under the effects of the Geas spell or if speaking would alert a waiting monster).

On a failed save, the creature is compelled to answer any questions about your nemesis and their organization. The truth to your questions is torn out of the head of the victim and can only be resisted at great cost, unless the question is answered truthfully the victim takes 2d10 psychic damage. The truth is only compelled through questions directly about your nemesis and their organization. For example the truth would be compelled through a question about a thieves guild's treasury but not about the next door neighbour of the head of the guild (unless that neighbour was also in the thieves guild.)

This effect lasts until the character has taken 30 damage or for 1 minute.

Demand Recompense. As a reaction, you channel your divine enmity against a creature that has damaged you within 60 feet, using your Channel Divinity. That creature is engulfed in divine flames and takes damage equal to that dealt against you + your charisma modifier. If the creature is your nemesis the divine flames instead linger and engulf, The damage is halved and your nemesis is Blinded, Deafened and Stunned until the end of its next turn.

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Oath of Retribution Spells

Aura of Retribution

Starting at 7th level, you constantly emanate an aura of retribution while you’re not incapacitated. When a creature within 10 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to magically reflect a portion of damage dealt to the attacker, dealing 1d6 damage.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet and the damage increases to 1d10 damage.

Divine Reprisal

Starting at 15th level, your nemesis and members of their organisation are punished for the audacity of being in your presence. Whenever your nemesis or a member of their organisation ends their turn within your Aura of Retribution they suffer a Divine Reprisal taking 3d8 Radiant damage.

Aspect of Divine Judgment

Aspect of Divine Judgment

At 20th level, you can assume the form of the aspect of the aspect of divine judgment. Using your action, you undergo a transformation into the paragon of retribution. For 1 hour, you gain the following benefits:

• Two angelic appendages protrude from your back wielding divine weapons, these grant you two additional attacks when you take the attack action.
• For the duration, you have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by your Nemesis and members of their organization.
• You gain the effects of the Crusader’s Mantle spell for the duration.

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