Oath of the Headless Rider

Bound by vengeance and cursed with an undying pursuit, paladins who swear the Oath of the Headless Rider become relentless hunters of the guilty. Whether a spectral knight doomed to roam forever or a vengeful warrior wielding supernatural terror, these paladins ensure that none escape the grasp of justice. Mounted or on foot, they are harbingers of dread, their presence a chilling omen that justice will be served—one way or another.

Tenets of the Headless Rider

Paladins who follow this oath uphold a terrifying yet rigid sense of justice.

• Relentless Pursuit. You never let the wicked escape. Once a hunt begins, you ride until the chase is finished.
• No Rest for the Damned. Mercy is for the repentant. Those who evade justice must be hunted until they can no longer run.
• Fear is a Weapon. Strike terror into the hearts of evildoers. Let your presence be a warning that their time is up.
• The Oath is Eternal. Death does not release you from duty. So long as injustice remains, your hunt continues.

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Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	Cause Fear, Hunter's Mark
5th	Phantasmal Force, Misty Step
9th	Fear, Phantom Steed
13th	Greater Invisibility, Shadow of Moil
17th	Cloudkill, Steel Wind Strike

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Channel Divinity

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

• Dread Rider. As an action, you summon a spectral steed (as Find Steed, but it takes the form of a fiery ghostly mount). For the next 10 minutes, your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks, and difficult terrain does not impede your mount.
• Headless Curse. As an action, you brand a creature within 30 feet with a spectral mark of doom. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. While frightened, they take extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) when hit by your melee attacks. They can repeat the save at the end of each of their turns.

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Aura of the Rider (7th Level)

Your spectral presence unnerves foes and empowers your pursuit. You emit an aura in a 10-foot radius (30 feet at 18th level):

• Enemies in the aura have disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened.
• You and allies in the aura gain a bonus of +10 feet to movement speed while mounted or on foot.

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Spectral Charge (15th Level)

You can move like an unstoppable wraith. Once per turn, when you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and hit it with a melee attack, you can force it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it is knocked prone and takes extra necrotic damage equal to your paladin level.

Additionally, you can move through creatures and nonmagical obstacles as if they were difficult terrain. If you end your turn inside an object, you are shunted to the nearest unoccupied space and take force damage equal to your level.

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Harbinger of the Headless (20th Level)

You fully embrace the legend of the Headless Rider, becoming a terrifying avatar of doom. As an action, you undergo a transformation for 1 minute, gaining the following benefits:

• Omen of Dread: A 30-foot radius aura of supernatural terror surrounds you. Creatures of your choice that start their turn in this aura must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. If a creature fails this save by 5 or more, it is paralyzed until the end of its next turn. A creature that succeeds is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
• Spectral Might: Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d10 necrotic damage, and you score a critical hit on a 19-20.
• Ethereal Rider: You and your mount (if applicable) can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. If you end your turn inside an object, you are shunted to the nearest unoccupied space and take force damage equal to twice your Paladin level.
• Executioner's Strike: Once per turn, when you hit a frightened creature with a melee weapon attack, it takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) and cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.

This transformation lasts for 1 minute, or until you fall unconscious or end it as a bonus action. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest unless you expend a 5th-level spell slot to use it again.

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Channel Divinity

Channel Divinity

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

Dread Rider. As an action, you can summon a spectral steed or transform your existing mount into a ghostly apparition for 1 hour. While mounted, your speed increases by 20 feet, and your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. Additionally, once per turn, when you move at least 20 feet before making a melee weapon attack, the target takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Headless Curse. As an action, you invoke the terror of the Headless Rider upon a creature within 30 feet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is frightened of you for 1 minute. While frightened, the creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) the first time you hit it with a melee attack each turn. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Oath of Devotion Spells

Aura of the Rider

Aura of the Rider 

At 7th level, your bond with the spectral forces of the Headless Rider empowers those around you and enhances your pursuit of justice. You emit an aura of supernatural terror that affects both allies and enemies within it, giving you an edge in battle.

Aura Range: You emit an aura in a 10-foot radius that extends to 30 feet at 18th level. The aura is always present unless you are incapacitated or fall unconscious.

Effects on Enemies:

• Frightful Presence: Enemies who start their turn within your aura must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equals your Paladin spell save DC). On a failed save, the creature is frightened until the start of its next turn. If a creature fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed for the duration.
• Creatures that succeed on the saving throw are immune to this effect for 24 hours.

Effects on Allies:

• Steed’s Grace: You and all allies within your aura gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened and resistance to necrotic damage.
• Unyielding Momentum: You and your allies in the aura can add your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1) to your movement speed while mounted or when on foot. This bonus lasts for as long as the creature remains within your aura and is not incapacitated.

Spectral Charge

Spectral Charge 

At 15th level, you gain the ability to channel the terrifying momentum of the Headless Rider into a crushing assault that leaves devastation in your wake. Your bond with the spectral realm grants you the ability to charge through the battlefield with an ethereal presence, knocking down those who dare stand before you.

Phantom Momentum:
Once per turn, when you move at least 20 feet in a straight line toward a creature, you can make a melee attack against that creature. If the attack hits, the target must make a Strength saving throw (DC equal to your Paladin spell save DC). On a failed save, the target is knocked prone and takes additional necrotic damage equal to your Paladin level. This damage represents the force of your charge as the spectral energies collide with the target.

This powerful strike also invokes a sense of dread and devastation, as the Headless Rider’s ethereal presence forces enemies to the ground.

Spectral Movement:
Your bond with the Headless Rider allows you to phase through physical obstacles with ease. You can move through creatures and nonmagical obstacles, such as walls and furniture, as though they were difficult terrain. You are not hindered by such obstacles, though you cannot pass through creatures if doing so would cause harm. This makes you an unpredictable and dangerous force on the battlefield, able to bypass barriers that would slow others down.

However, if you end your turn inside an object or creature, you are forcibly shunted to the nearest unoccupied space. This sudden movement causes force damage equal to your Paladin level, representing the strain of phasing through solid matter. This damage occurs as the barrier momentarily resists your passage before letting you through, emphasizing the ghostly nature of your charge.

Headless Rider’s Wrath

Headless Rider’s Wrath

At 20th level, you fully embody the terrifying essence of the Headless Rider, becoming a living manifestation of spectral vengeance. The power you wield strikes fear into your enemies and empowers you with unrelenting strength. This ultimate power grants you the ability to call forth the full might of the Headless Rider, overwhelming your foes with supernatural dread.

Ethereal Charge:
You can use your action to enter a state of pure ethereal momentum, charging through the battlefield like an unstoppable force of nature. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:

• You can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain, ignoring any physical obstacles in your path.
• When you make a melee attack, you can teleport up to 30 feet before the attack, as long as the target is within range. You can use this ability up to three times before needing to take a short or long rest to regain its uses.
• Your melee attacks deal extra necrotic damage equal to twice your Paladin level. Any creature that takes necrotic damage from you must make a Constitution saving throw (DC equals your Paladin spell save DC). On a failed save, the creature is blinded until the end of its next turn as the darkness of your attack overwhelms its senses.

Frightful Aura:
While Headless Rider's Wrath is active, the aura of terror surrounding you intensifies. All creatures within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equals your Paladin spell save DC). On a failed save, creatures become frightened of you for the duration. The fear effect ends if they can pass the saving throw at the end of their turns.

Additionally, any creature that ends its turn within your 30-foot aura must make another Wisdom saving throw. If they fail, they are also paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Spectral Reaper:
While in this state, your connection to the Headless Rider's power is so intense that you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against any creature that moves within 5 feet of you. This attack deals necrotic damage equal to your Paladin level and can trigger additional effects from your other features (such as Spectral Charge or Aura of the Rider).

You can maintain the Headless Rider's Wrath for 1 minute, and once it ends, you must take a long rest to regain the use of this ability.