Oath of the exorcist

You've trained in the ancient traditions of those who combat fiends, undead, and spirits through ritual, will, and knowledge. You diverge from traditional paladins, however, as they channel divine favor through faith, you've learned the mechanics of the sacred, the binding geometries, the liturgies of banishment, the true names that grant power over evil. Your weapons carry the weight of your conviction as your sigils ward allies against corruption, and your presence is anathema to beings of darkness.

Exorcists emerge from many traditions. Some study in temple archives to learn the cosmic law that binds fiends. While others inherit knowledge through bloodlines blessed generations ago. A few have made careful compacts with entities who oppose their quarry, as they will borrow power to fight power. What unites them despite the differences is methodology: evil can be understood, and what can be understood can be defeated.

The path is dangerous. The things you banish remember your name. Prolonged contact with fiendish essence leaves marks on the soul. But someone must stand between civilization and the forces that would corrupt it, armed with knowledge rather than ignorance.

Core tenets of the Exorcist

These tenants emphasize methodological opposition to supernatural evil in all of its forms.

Know your enemy. Study the nature of fiends, undead, and corrupting influences. Understanding precedes victory.

Protect the innocent. Those touched by supernatural evil are often victims, not villains. Defend them from corruption and, when possible, free them from it.

Endure the Darkness. This work requires contact with evil. Bear that contact without being consumed by it.

Sever the Root. Destroying a single fiend accomplishes nothing if the cult that summoned it remains. Pursue corruption to its source.

 

Level 3: Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. Once you gain access to an oath spell, you always have it prepared. Oath spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

Level 3: Channel Divinity

You gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Abjure the Profane. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a liturgy of banishment. Each fiend or undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage.

 A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, it can use the Dodge action.

If the creature's true form is concealed by an illusion, shapeshifting, or other effect, that form is revealed while it is turned.

If there are no fiends or undead within 30 feet of you that can see or hear you when you use this Channel Divinity, you can instead target one creature you can see within 30 feet. That creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

Discern Corruption. As an action, you focus your senses to pierce supernatural deception. For 1 minute, you know if there is a fiend, undead, aberration, or creature under the effects of possession, enchantment, or illusion within 60 feet of you. You know the type (fiend, undead, aberration, possessed, enchanted, or illusory) and the general direction, but not identity or exact location unless you can see the creature.

Additionally, you can use this feature to study one creature you can see within 30 feet. You learn whether it is bound by an infernal contract, cursed, or under any compulsion effect, though you don't learn the specific terms, source, or duration.

 

Abjure the Profane

As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a liturgy of banishment. Each fiend or undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage. A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, it can use the Dodge action. If the creature's true form is concealed by an illusion, shapeshifting, or other effect, that form is revealed while it is turned. If there are no fiends or undead within 30 feet of you that can see or hear you when you use this Channel Divinity, you can instead target one creature you can see within 30 feet. That creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

 

Discern Corruption

As an action, you focus your senses to pierce supernatural deception. For 1 minute, you know if there is a fiend, undead, aberration, or creature under the effects of possession, enchantment, or illusion within 60 feet of you. You know the type (fiend, undead, aberration, possessed, enchanted, or illusory) and the general direction, but not identity or exact location unless you can see the creature. Additionally, you can use this feature to study one creature you can see within 30 feet. You learn whether it is bound by an infernal contract, cursed, or under any compulsion effect, though you don't learn the specific terms, source, or duration.

 

Level 3: Sanctified Strikes

Your weapons become instruments of exorcist methodology.

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can have the attack deal radiant damage instead of its normal damage type. You choose each time you hit.

Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you deal an extra 1d8 radiant damage if the creature meets any of the following conditions:

• The creature is a fiend or undead.
• The creature is currently charmed, frightened, cursed, or possessed.
• The creature is affected by one of your paladin spells or one of your Channel Divinity options.

This extra damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level.

Level 7: Rites Of Protection

You now learn rites that ward allies against supernatural influence.

As an action, you can trace a protective sigil on yourself or a willing creature within 5 feet. The sigil lasts for 8 hours and provides the following benefit:

• The protected creature has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, frightened, or possessed.

Retributive Ward. Once per turn, when a creature hits a creature protected by one of your sigils with an attack, you can cause the attacker to take radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

Profane Backlash. If the attacker is a fiend or undead, it also has disadvantage on attack rolls against the protected creature until the start of its next turn.

You can maintain several sigils equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Creating a sigil beyond this limit causes the oldest sigil to fade.

Additionally, as a bonus action, you can trace a quick ward on yourself or a creature within 5 feet, granting the sigil's benefits until the end of your next turn. This temporary ward doesn't count against your maximum number of sigils.

Sanctified Presence. Also at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be possessed while you are conscious.

Level 15: Binding Liturgy

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend a spell slot to force the creature to make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC.

Fiends, celestials, elementals, fey, and undead: On a failed save, the creature is restrained for up to 1 minute as glowing chains of light bind it. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. While restrained in this way, the creature can't teleport or use any ability that would move it to another plane.

Other creatures: On a failed save, the creature is restrained until the end of your next turn as spectral chains bind it.

The effect ends early if you become incapacitated or die. The effect does not require concentration. 

 

Level 20: Words of banishment

As an action, you can speak a word of power that resonates with the authority of the Upper Planes. Choose any number of fiends and undead you can see within 30 feet. Each target must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC.

On a failed save, if the creature has 50 hit points or fewer, it is destroyed (if undead) or banished to its home plane (if a fiend). A banished fiend can't return to the Material Plane for 1 year. If the creature has more than 50 hit points, it takes 8d10 radiant damage and is stunned until the end of your next turn instead.

On a successful save, the creature takes 4d10 radiant damage.

Aura of Anathema. Additionally, for 1 minute after using this feature, you emit an aura of anathema in a 10-foot radius:

• Fiends and undead that start their turn in the aura or enter it for the first time on a turn take radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
• All enemies in the aura have disadvantage on saving throws against your paladin spells and Channel Divinity options.

Once you use Word of Banishment, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.