Oath of the Raven Knight

While most Paladins focus on saving lives and being the hero, the Raven Knight takes on a far more solemn oath.   Few Paladins favor the undead, but for those who follow the path of the Raven Knight... their entire being is that undead must be destroyed, and to suffer not those who try to escape their final fate through rituals binding themselves to undeath and their master, Orcus.  

The Raven Knight is not a martial fighter, but does not falter in the face of melee combat.   Using withering shadow and cold, the Raven Knight weilds the power of the Shadowfell as their sword and shield, before casting withering spells to destroy their foes and send them to the afterlife.  While their abilities are powerful against the living, their primary concern are the undead, causing those that gain close to wither, but undead to decompose rapidly.

Tenets of the Raven Knight

Unlike most oaths, the Tenets of the Raven Knight are soft whispers, spoken to at a shadow crossing.  And taking the vow to the cold whispers that whisper back.

-Suffer not the undead in any form.  
-Those who would seek to escape death through undeath must be purged.
-Council those in despair from the loss of loved ones and friends, less they go to extremes to see them again.

Paladin Oath Spells
You gain the following Oath spells at the paladin listed level.
3rd           Frost Fingers, Inflict Wounds
5th           Rime's Binding Ice, Shadow Blade
9th           Vampiric Touch, Hunger of Hadar
13th        Blight, Death Ward
17th        Cone of Cold, Steel Wind Strike

Spell Smite
Starting at level three, when you choose this subclass, you may choose to Spell Smite.   When casting a spell of first level or higher, you may consume a spell of equal level or lower to deal an additional 2d8 necrotic damage per spell level consumed by Spell Smite.   If this is done against Undead, the damage is increased to 4d8 instead.  This damage is addition to the spell's normal damage.

Vestiges of the Raven Knight
Starting at level 3, you give off an aura of fear and cold, that makes others wary to be around you.  You gain proficiency at Intimidation, or Expertise if you were already proficient in it.  In addition, you gain the Toll the Dead cantrip, Charisma is your spell casting modifier for the spell.  

You gain a raven familiar, that whispers you the will of your chosen deity.  It has a hit point value equal to 1d6 (4) times paladin's level, and if killed cannot be summoned until the next dawn.  Expending a spell slot of first level or higher allows you to revive the raven familiar to full health.

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

Shadowfell Shield
You are able to channel the cold and dark into a protective shield around yourself.  As a bonus action, you may channel divinity to project an aura of bones about yourself and gain temporary hitpoints equal to your current Paladin Level.   If the temporary hitpoints would be consumed, you may use your reaction use a melee or ranged 60 feet spell attack at a creature you can see (Charisma is the casting modifier for the cast).  On a hit, you deal necrotic damage to the creature equal to your Paladin level, or twice this if the target of this spell attack is an Undead.  

Reaper's Toll
You channel the power of death, causing skeletal hands to reach out and grasp at both the living and death.  As an action, you may use your channel divinity to force all creatures of your choosing within 15 feet of you to make a Constitution saving throw (DC equals 8+Proficiency+Charisma modifier).  On a failure, the creature takes 2d8 necrotic damage (or 4d8 if undead).   If damage would exceed the target's current hit points, no save is made, instead the creature is instead dropped to 0 hit points.

Damage increases to 3d8 (6d8 vs undead) at level 8, and 4d8 (8d8 vs undead) at level 12, and 5d8 (10d8) at level 18.

Aura of Decay

Beginning at 7th level, death magic lies so heavily upon you that you seemingly cause flowers and grass to wither around you, while creatures feel cold in your presence.  Creatures of your choosing that enter or end their turn within 15 feet of you must make a Constitution save against your spell save DC (8+Proficiency+Charismia modifier).  On a failure, they suffer necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier, while Undead roll this save at Disadvantage.

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

In addition, your Raven familiar can detect undead up to 60 feet away from you, allowing you to see their auras as pitch black if they're inactive/asleep, or red if they're active/awake.

Hunger of the Cold and Dark

Starting at level 15, when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you may use a free action to gain one of the following effects.

-You regain a use of Channel Divinity.
-You may consume hit dice (Regaining no hit points), to regain the use of a spell of equal level to the spell regained.  (A level 1 spell requires 1 hit die, one a level 5 spell requires 5).

Once you use this trait, you may not use it again until a short or long rest.


In addition, you may choose to negate your Aura of Decay, and center it on your Raven familiar.  This lasts until as a free action you end this effect, or the Raven Familiar is reduced to 0 hit points.

Raven Knight Champion

Starting at level 20, you are marked as a deathless champion of a god of death.   You gain the following:
-You do not age, instead forever remaining the same age until your service ends, at which point your body turns to dust as your soul passes on.
-Your raven familiar can become a raven mount, using the stats of a Roc.  The raven mount is Large instead of Gargantuan, 150 hit points instead of 248, and a fly speed of 50 feet.
-You may use the spell Planeshift at will, but only may use it to pass into the Shadowfell and back to the prime material realm.