Oath of The Forsaken Flame

"I was ash — and still, I rose." -Caelen Drest, the first flame-bearer

 

Paladins who swear the Oath of the Forsaken Flame have walked through the fire of failure, betrayal, or doubt — and emerged with a new purpose. This is not an oath taken lightly. These are paladins who have broken a previous oath — whether through necessity, weakness, or choice — and then, instead of falling into ruin, choose redemption through the very ashes of their past.

They are forged, not born. Tempered, not pure. They believe the power granted to an Oathbreaker can be reclaimed — not for dominance or vengeance, but for healing, justice, and transformation. The Forsaken Flame is not about perfection — it is about becoming.

Unlike other oaths, this path begins in darkness. To take it, one must first become an Oathbreaker — a paladin stripped of their original divine mandate. From there, the path of the Forsaken Flame requires guidance, often from another paladin of this oath or even from one who follows the Oath of Redemption, before reigniting their conviction with new tenets and vows uniquely forged in their own fire.

Tenets of the Forsaken Flame

The Oath of the Forsaken Flame contains two parts:
Universal Tenets — an umbrella that binds all who walk this path,
and Personal Vows — a hood, tailored by each paladin to their own journey.

Universal Tenets (apply to all Forsaken Flame paladins):

• Face the Ashes. Do not flee your past. Own the pain, the ruin, the choice that broke you. Let it temper you.

• Kindle the Flame. Seek the small good, even in darkness. One spark can become a beacon.

• Burn What Binds. Tear down injustice, cruelty, and lies — especially those you once upheld.

• Light the Way. Guide others through their own fires. Be the warmth you once lacked.

Personal Vows (crafted individually):

Each Forsaken Flame paladin must meditate and swear personal vows, forged from the lessons of their fall. These are unique to each individual and should reflect their failure, growth, and redemption.

Level 3: Channel Divinity

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

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Ignite the Brand

As an action, you can use your Channel Divinity to sear a mark of radiant fire onto a creature within 30 feet that you can see. The target must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, they take radiant damage equal to 2d10 + your paladin level, and are branded for 1 minute.

While branded, the creature:

• Cannot become invisible, and

• Sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius.

If the creature attempts to become invisible, it instead glows brightly until the end of its next turn. The brand ends early if the creature dies or you dismiss it as a bonus action.

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Burn Away the Lie

As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a divine truth. Choose a number of creatures within 30 feet equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). Each must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be unable to speak deliberate lies for 1 minute.

While affected, the creature:

• Is aware it is under this effect.

• Can communicate, but feels discomfort when lying.

• May repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Burn Away the Lie

As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a divine truth. Choose a number of creatures within 30 feet equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). Each must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be unable to speak deliberate lies for 1 minute.

While affected, the creature:

• Is aware it is under this effect.

• Can communicate, but feels discomfort when lying.

• May repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Ignite the Brand

As an action, you can use your Channel Divinity to sear a mark of radiant fire onto a creature within 30 feet that you can see. The target must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, they take radiant damage equal to 2d10 + your paladin level, and are branded for 1 minute.

While branded, the creature:

• Cannot become invisible.

• Sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius.

If the creature attempts to become invisible, it instead glows brightly until the end of its next turn. The brand ends early if the creature dies or you dismiss it as a bonus action.

Level 7: Aura of Resolve

Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can’t be charmed or frightened while you are conscious.

At 18th level, this aura extends to 30 feet.

Level 15: Reforged Soul

When you or an ally within 30 feet is reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can use your reaction to cause them to drop to 1 hit point instead.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain all uses after a long rest.

Level 20: Ember of the Phoenix

As an action, you ignite your soul with divine flame. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
• You emit bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for another 30 feet.
• You gain resistance to all damage.
• Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d8 fire damage.
• When an ally within 30 feet drops to 0 hit points, they instead regain hit points equal to 2d10 + your Charisma modifier.