Base Class: Paladin
The Oath of Defiance binds a paladin to resist tyranny and oppression with all their might. Sometimes called knights of the shadows, liberators, or cloaked knights, these paladins are sworn to undermine unjust rulers. They preserve common folk from corrupt or tyrannical authority, working to overthrow such regimes however they can. There are quite a few adherents of this oath who serve gods of chaos and good, and express their deity’s teaching as organizes resistance. Because they must often work in secret, these paladins almost always wear cloaks or similar garments. The traditional symbols of freedom and justice—including the torch of liberty, the scales of justice, an eagle or other bird in flight, the gavel of a just judge or magistrate, blind justice—are also important signs they use to recognize their allies, and such heraldry is often worked into their arms or armor.
Tenets of Defiance
Clarity. The better future you fight for is more important than the difficulties of the present, and though you may not live to see it, keeping that vision at the forefront of your mind will
sustain you in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword. They can kill you, but no one can kill your vision.
Conviction. Do not entertain doubts about your cause, but devote yourself to freedom and justice for those around you. Never surrender to an unjust authority.
Discretion. The lives of those who fight alongside you are in your hands, and their silence preserves your life as well, earning your devotion and loyalty. You must tender their secrets as dearly as your own, and sacrifice when necessary to help your allies fight on.
Tradecraft. Your trade is as practical and specific as that of any artisan or guildmaster, but your vocations are spying and armed resistance. Never deviate from the procedures and protocols that keep you and your coconspirators alive.
Equivocation. Never speak words you know to be lies in your heart, but when your revelation could cause evil to occur, answer the real question behind your enemies’ interrogations. (See the Loyal Equivocation for more information)
Loyal Equivocation
As part of the protocols by which they protect themselves and their comrades, paladins of the Oath of Defiance practice a philosophy that they refer to as "Loyal Equivocation.” This system of belief requires them to speak only truth. However, it also assumes that when they are asked a question that could affect someone’s safety, there is a fundamentally different
question behind the words being posed to them. They respond to what the person is truly asking, rather than what the mere words of their question seem to say. An example of this might be if a loyal subject of a lord whose domain had been invaded by enemy soldiers were hiding that lord in her home, and those enemy soldiers came to her door, asking "Is your lord
here?" Under the philosophy of Loyal Equivocation, the sinister purpose of the soldiers makes their deceptively simple question a mask for what they really want to know. What they’re truly asking when they say "Is your lord here?" is "May we murder your houseguest?" Thus, it is both ethical and honest for the loyal subject to answer, "No."
-From the Ravenloft Players Compendium page 90 -92
Channel Divinity
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options:
- Hidden Purpose. Whenever a creature attempts to discern information about you, your plans, your location, or your thoughts (including effects that would read your thoughts or compel you to speak the truth), you can use your Channel Divinity as a reaction to pray silently for protection. For 1 minute, any creature that attempts to discern information of one of the triggering types must first make a Wisdom saving throw against your paladin spell DC. On a failed save, the creature takes psychic damage equal to your half your paladin level, and it must choose to either take some other action—one that would not attempt to discern such information—or waste the action second-guessing itself. An affected creature does not realize you are the source of this effect.
- Prayer of Liberation. You can use your Channel Divinity as an action, presenting your to liberate those around you from fear, hatred, and other effects that would enslave or entrap them. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and for 1 minute, each creature of your choice within 30 feet is immune to being charmed or frightened, and they gain advantage on saving throws against effects that would reduce their speed or cause them to be restrained or paralyzed. If a creature you target with this effect is already charmed or frightened, any effect causing them to be so is suppressed for the duration. When the duration ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime.
Aura of Escape
At 7th level, creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you have advantage on saving throws and ability checks to avoid being grappled, restrained, or charmed, and they gain a +5 bonus to their armor class against opportunity attacks.
At 18th level, the range of this effect increases to 30 feet.
Justice Unfettered
Beginning at 15th level, you are always under the effects of a freedom of movement spell.
Unbound
When you reach 20th level, your prayers for liberation are answered with the power to defy all tyranny and restraint. Using your action, you gain the following abilities for one minute:
- You gain all the benefits of the mind blank spell.
- Any creature within range of your weapon that makes an opportunity attack against you or an ally within 30 feet of you provokes an opportunity attack from you.
- You have advantage on all saving throws against divination and enchantment spells.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
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