Skullguard

The Shadowfell is a grim place with undead horrors and dark abominations, gloomy and dreary- but even it has its champions. The skullguards started out as a band of virtuous paladins who journeyed to the Shadowfell to dispel a great evil. They completed their quest, but were stranded with no way home in the process- and so they began a long journey to find a path out. Traveling through the Underdark and amidst the twilight world, their connection to their deities was not always immediate. So, they had to learn how to adapt, how to use the power of the Shadowfell itself. When a chance encounter with a lost soul finally gave them the exit they longed for, they emerged changed- for good.

Those that encountered them found them almost as terrifying as the monsters they fought. With a dark road still ahead of them, they forged onward and faced monsters no others dared to. They became known as Skullguards, those who took up darkness against darkness. Their order always stayed in the shadows, but in time it grew, attracting rugged and courageous champions who would go on to turn the tide against terror.

Fell Shadow

Gain Darkvision out to 60 ft., enemies treat your auras as darkness. Your Divine Smite deals necrotic damage.

Command Shadows

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you have learned how to marshal the darkness of the Shadowfell and gain the following two Command Shadows options:

Mounting Dread. As an action, you can focus the darkness around you into a baleful aura. For 1 minute, when a creature in your auras makes an attack that does not include you as a target, you can use your reaction to force it to make a Wisdom saving throw: on a failure, it takes 2+Charisma modifier Necrotic damage and it is Frightened of you for one round; on a success, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against you for one round.

Clutch of Darkness. As an action, you present your holy symbol and animate the shadows around you. For 1 minute, enemies that end or start their turn in your auras must make a Dexterity saving throw: on a failure, they cannot take reactions or use the Dash, Dodge, or Disengage options for one round.

Shadow Spells

You have learned how to shape the essence of the Shadowfell and gain spells at the paladin levels listed.

Skullguard Spells

Aura of Midnight

Starting at 7th level, a thick cloak of silence like a moonless night settles around you. You and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have advantage on Stealth checks in dim light and darkness. You also ignore penalties to Stealth checks from your armor and shields.

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

Shadow Shield

Beginning at 15th level, you have learned to use shadows to bind up your wounds and dispel efforts to terrify you, and are always under the effects of a heroism spell if you have no more than half of your hit points left. You don’t gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points.

Nightfall

At 20th level, as an action, you can emanate an aura of grim intent, the darkness of the Shadowfell being intensified by your resolve. For 1 minute, you ignore resistance to Necrotic damage, and you ignore immunity other creatures have to the Frightened condition and Necrotic damage, treating Necrotic immune creatures as resistant instead. In addition, for the duration, you have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by fiends or undead.

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