Oath Of Sins & Virtues

Unlike most sacred vows, the Oath of Sins & Virtues is not granted by a unified divine will. Instead, it exists in defiance of divine division.

Maltharion and Valtherion belong to separate pantheons, their philosophies clashing across realms and history. Maltharion teaches that sin must be confronted and punished before it festers into ruin. Valtherion believes that virtue is forged through redemption, and that even the fallen may rise if given the chance.

They are rivals. They do not agree.
Yet both recognize a greater truth: unchecked virtue becomes naïve weakness, and unchecked judgment becomes tyranny.

Paladins who swear this oath are not chosen by the gods—they choose the oath themselves. Through ancient rites, forbidden concords, or rare divine convergence, these paladins bind themselves to both powers, becoming living scales between sin and virtue.

Such paladins are often mistrusted by clergy. Temples of Valtherion see them as dangerously harsh. Cultures devoted to Maltharion view them as too forgiving. This isolation is not a flaw—it is the price of balance.

These paladins are sent where divine authority fractures: corrupt theocracies, fallen champions, false saints, and righteous monsters. They do not ask which god is right. They ask what the world can endure.

To walk this oath is to accept contradiction, doubt, and moral weight. To fail it is to fall entirely into one side—and become the very imbalance the oath was sworn to prevent.

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Tenets of Sins & Virtues

Paladins of this oath uphold principles that deliberately reject absolutes.

Balance Above Allegiance

You serve no single pantheon. When gods clash, you act for the balance they cannot maintain alone.

Sin Must Be Answered

Harmful actions demand consequence. To ignore sin is to permit decay.

Virtue Must Be Proven

Redemption is not spoken—it is demonstrated. Mercy without effort invites corruption.

Judge Actions, Not Faith

Devotion, titles, and doctrine do not define righteousness. Deeds do.

Stand Between Extremes

When mercy would damn the innocent, you judge.
When judgment would destroy hope, you stay your hand.

Channel Divinity

Channel Divinity

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

 

Channel Divinity: Beacon of Virtue

As a bonus action, you radiate divine resolve. Choose a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one) within 30 feet.

For 1 minute, chosen creatures gain:

• Advantage on their next saving throw

• Temporary hit points equal to your paladin level

A creature can benefit from this feature only once per use.

Channel Divinity: Mark Of Sin

 

As an action, you present your holy symbol and mark a creature you can see within 30 feet with the weight of its transgressions. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw.

On a failure, the creature is marked for 1 minute. While marked:

• The creature has disadvantage on the first saving throw it makes each round.

• The first time each turn the creature deals damage, it takes radiant or necrotic damage (your choice) equal to your Charisma modifier.

The mark ends early if the creature drops to 0 hit points or if you become incapacitated.

 

Aura Of Balance

7th-level  Oath of Sins & Virtues feature

You emanate an aura that tempers excess and steadies conviction. While you are conscious, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you gain the following benefits:

• When a creature would gain advantage or disadvantage on a roll, it may instead choose to roll normally.

• When a creature within the aura takes damage from a critical hit, the extra damage dice are halved (rounded down).

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

Burden of Judgement

15th-level Oath of Sins & Virtues feature

You can impose the weight of consequence or absolution in a moment of divine judgment.

When a creature you can see within 30 feet makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you may use your reaction to force the creature to reroll the die and use the new result.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Avatar of the Scale

20th-level Oath of Sins & Virtues feature

As an action, you assume a perfected state of judgment, embodying both sin and virtue for 1 minute. You gain the following benefits:

• You have resistance to radiant and necrotic damage.

• When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you may choose to deal radiant or necrotic damage instead of the weapon’s normal damage type.

• Once on each of your turns, when you deal damage to a creature, you may force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is either frightened of you or restrained by divine force (your choice) until the end of its next turn.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.