Prophets and philosophers have debated the balance of darkness and light since there has been debate, but darkness and light have existed for far longer than that. It is within the darkness that paladins of the Umbral Sun derive their power and understanding of the world. Embracing the understanding that within the darkness there exists a spark of light, and recognizing this luminous darkness as the Umbral Sun, gives great power and responsibility not only to those threatened by the darkness but also to those that have been consumed by it.

Some that criticize the Umbral Sun fail to recognize that without darkness there can be no light, and without light, there can be no darkness. While most paladins take up the light to champion their faith in the world, Umbral Sun paladins utilize the darkness for the same goals. The opposites, though seemingly polarised and adversarial towards each other, are intimately correlated, as they contain each other and help to bring the other into awareness and into manifestation.

TENETS OF THE UMBRAL SUN

The Umbral Sun is a rare Oath, in that oftentimes Paladins do not even realise – at least at first – that they have embarked on its path. Every Paladin that doubts, that wonders, that fails, even for one moment, can embark on this road.

Spark of Darkness. Even in the brightest lights can you find darkness, a shadow. You yourself possess this spark of darkness; do not sit in judgement on the weak and wretched who would seek your help.

Darkness Recognizes Itself. You are flesh, and flesh is weak. A Paladin does not feel shame for their darker thoughts or leanings, and learns to embrace them and savour them, without letting them take over. Do not attempt to be free of darkness; rather, revel in it: to know your darkness is to know your light.

Light is Known Through Darkness. Shy not away from performing a dark duty if it will further strengthen the light. Remember, however, that your darkness is yours alone to bear, and should not be inflicted upon others, lest it be to remind them of the light, and bring them back into balance.

Finding the Light. Giving others the chance to find the light within them is paramount, but can only be done by making them face the darkness. Those that wish to gain true redemption can only do so with an understanding of the darkness within them and be guided through that experience. Some may fail, but all should be given that chance.

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of the Umbral Sun Spells table. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.

Oath of the Umbral Sun Spells

Channel Divinity

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

Darkness Within. Using Channel Divinity, you may force a creature to relive its darkest memory or most powerful source of guilt. This can only be used against creatures with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher within 30 feet that can see or hear you. In bringing this memory to the forefront of the target's mind they must make a Wisdom Saving throw or break down in repentance and become stunned for 1 minute. The target may make a Wisdom Saving throw at the end of each of their turns to end the effect.

Alternatively, you may call on this power to erase the pain and guilt of a target’s memory. Using this ability and touching another creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher, you can ask them to become dedicated to the Umbral Sun and recognize that there is light within the darkness. If they choose to do so, for the next 24 hours, whenever the target makes an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, it can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the save.

Blade of the Umbral Sun. Your weapon becomes imbued with the power of umbral darkness. As an action, you can use your Channel Divinity to add your Charisma modifier to the damage of your weapon for one minute. The base damage dealt by your weapon during this time is also changed to Psychic damage.

Aura of Twilight Shadow

Starting at 7th level, you bless those around you with an understanding of the Umbral darkness. All allies you choose within 10 feet gain Darkvision out to 60 feet and can see through magical darkness. In addition, you grant resistance to Psychic damage to those affected by this aura.

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

Umbral Armor

Starting at 15th level shadows flit about you, fortifying you against harm and lashing out at attackers as long as you are not incapacitated. You gain temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns equal to half of your paladin level, rounded down. For note; temporary hit points do not stack, whenever you gain temporary hit points any other temporary hit points totaling less than what you receive are lost. While you possess temporary hit points you also deal psychic damage equal to half your paladin level to any creature that strikes you with a melee attack and you aren’t incapacitated.

Master of the Umbra

At 20th level, you are able to embody the purest aspects of the deepest shadows. As a bonus action, you gain the following benefits for 1 minute:

• The shadows surrounding you cause creatures attacking you to have disadvantage on their attack rolls.
• Once during your turn, costing no action, you are able to channel the shadows around you and teleport to an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 feet.
• Whenever you hit a creature with an attack roll and deal damage to it, you can also force it to make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, umbral shadows cloud the creature's senses and they are blinded for 1 minute. They can roll a new save at the end of each of their turns to shake off the blindness. On a successful save, the creature can’t be blinded by this feature for 24 hours.

Once you use this bonus action, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a 5th-level spell slot to use it again.