Oath of Chaos

There are horrors beyond life's edge that we do not suspect, and once in a while they pry just within our range.

Professor Clara Gooseberry

 

The Oath of Chaos calls to paladins who seek to prevent the unknowable horrors from rending their way into the world. They stand at the veil, ever watchful, staring right into the abyss. And as every such paladin comes to know, the abyss will stare back. The same chaos that underlies the order of creation twists her magic into its own churning image. Rare is this paladin dedicated enough to take on this transformation, but it will grant her great and unpredictable power.

Perhaps this oath was levied first as a curse — a responsibility bestowed by some patron or protective deity. Or perhaps it was simply the inevitable distortion of a more pure ambition. Whatever the origin, paladins that take up the mantle of an oath of chaos are forever marred.

TENETS OF CHAOS

A paladin who takes this oath has the tenets of chaos seared into the darkness only seen when they close their eyes.

No Quarter for the Eldritch. Ancient gods and shambling vassals alike gnash at the veil of orderly existence. Paladins who have taken the oath of chaos must stop at nothing to prevent them from unmaking the fabric of reality.

Embrace the Unknown. Orderly existence is but a thin veil atop an endless universe of unknowability, expanding forever into the void.

Chaos is a Burden. The umbral forces that drive your mission might also drive you to insanity. Only those that stay focused on the meditative cycles of reigning in the unreignable can maintain their tenuous connection to order.

 

Channel Divinity

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

Brand Enemy. As an action, you burn your holy symbol into your target, using your Channel Divinity. Choose one creature you can touch. You always know the direction to the branded creature, and each time the branded creature deals damage to you, the creature takes psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

Your brand lasts until you dismiss it, or you apply a brand to another creature.

Blink. At the start of your turn, if you aren’t incapacitated, you may choose to vanish from your current plane of existence and appear in the Ethereal Plane (this effect fails if you were already on that plane). You may remain there for a number of turns equal to your Charisma modifier. At the start of your next turn, if you are on the Ethereal Plane, you may return to an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of the space you vanished from.

If you are still in the Ethereal Plane at the end of the duration, you immediately reappear in the space you vanished from, provided it is unoccupied. If no unoccupied space is available within that range, you appear in the nearest unoccupied space (chosen at random if more than one space is equally near).

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	bane, inflict wounds
5th	hold person, misty step
9th	counterspell, fear
13th	banishment, black tentacles
17th	hold monster, dream

Wild Magic Surge

Starting when you choose this oath at 3rd level, your spellcasting can unleash surges of untamed magic. Whenever you use a spell slot of 1st level or higher, roll a d20 immediately after. If you roll a 1, roll on the Wild Magic Surge table to create a magical effect. If that effect is a spell, and if it normally requires concentration, it doesn’t require concentration in this case; the spell lasts for its full duration.

If you roll above a 1, the number you must roll above to avoid a Wild Magic Surge increases to 2, and increases by one every time you roll about the surge level. When this number reaches 20, tides of chaos overwhelm you, and you automatically surge. This number resets to 1 when you surge.

Wild Magic Surge

d100	Effect
01–02	Roll on this table at the start of each of your turns for the next minute, ignoring this result on subsequent rolls.
03–04	Your body shimmers incorporeally. For the next minute, you cannot be grappled or restrained.
05–06	A hook horror chosen and controlled by the DM appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, then disappears 1 minute later.
07–08	You cast Banishment as a 4th-level spell on yourself.
09–10	You cast phantasmal killer as a 4th-level spell.
11–12	Roll a d4. Your number of fingers changes by a number equal to the roll. If the roll is odd, you lose fingers. If the roll is even, you gain them.
13–14	You cast command on yourself. The DM rolls a d6 to determine the command. On a 6, the DM determines an unlisted command.
15–16	For the next minute, you give 5 temporary hit points to all creatures within 30ft at the start of each of your turns.
17–18	Your teeth become candy and immediately start to dissolve for the next minute. Once the last one has fully dissolved, your original teeth return.
19–20	You cast find steed underneath your nearest enemy. If the enemy is two size categories larger than the steed, the steed dies instantly. Otherwise, the enemy is now mounted on your steed.
21–22	Creatures have a -2 to AC against your attacks in the next minute.
23–24	All of your bodily fluids turn to blood. The DM determines what mechanical effect this has, or if it is purely cosmetic. A remove curse spell can end this effect.
25–26	Two muscular tentacles appear on your back for the next minute. During that time, you have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks that rely on arms.
27–28	For the next minute, all your spells with a casting time of 1 action have a casting time of 1 bonus action.
29–30	You teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see.
31–32	You are transported to the Astral Plane until the end of your next turn, after which time you return to the space you previously occupied or the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
33–34	Maximize the damage of the next divine smite you cast within the next minute.
35–36	Your appearance changes to that of another creature which you have a seen in the past year, as determined by the DM.
37–38	1d6 flumphs controlled by the DM appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet of you and are frightened of you. They vanish after 1 minute.
39–40	You regain 2d10 hit points.
41–42	You turn into a bubble at the start of your next turn. While a bubble, you immediately float upwards 30ft, and you are incapacitated, have vulnerability to all damage, and have 1 hit point. If you drop to 0 hit points, your bubble bursts, and your form reverts.
43–44	For the next minute, you can teleport up to 40 feet as a bonus action on each of your turns.
45–46	You cast revivify on the nearest creature that can be affected by it within 60 ft.
47–48	A sperm whale controlled by the DM appears in the nearest unoccupied space.
49–50	You can’t speak for the next minute. Whenever you try, pink bubbles float out of your mouth.
51–52	A spectral shield hovers near you for the next minute, granting you a +2 bonus to AC and immunity to magic missile.
53–54	You develop a compulsion for sugar for the next 5d6 days.
55–56	Your nails fall out but grow back within 24 hours.
57–58	For the next minute, any water you touch, that is within range of your Aura of Madness, and that isn’t on or being carried by another creature turns to ice. If you do not yet have Aura of Madness, the maximum range of this effect is 5 ft.
59–60	You regain your lowest-level expended spell slot.
61–62	For the next minute, your voice is much higher pitched.
63–64	You cast color spray.
65–66	Up to three creatures you choose within 30 feet of you take 4d10 lightning damage. If you do not choose any creatures, you take 4d10 lightning damage.
67–68	The nearest creature moves within 5 ft of you and triggers Aura of Madness. This effect occurs even if you do not yet have Aura of Madness. If the creature is already within 5 ft of you, they still take the effect.
69–70	Each creature within 30 feet of you becomes invisible for the next minute. The invisibility ends on a creature when it attacks or casts a spell.
71–72	You gain resistance to all damage for the next minute.
73–74	A random creature within 60 feet of you becomes poisoned for 1d4 hours.
75–76	Deep horror consumes a 30-foot radius until you move. Any creature that ends its turn within range of you is paralyzed until the end of its next turn.
77–78	You transform into the spirit you would summon with conjure celestial. This lasts until the spirit's hit points reach 0 or takes a short rest.
79–80	Illusory lightning bugs and rose petals flutter in the air within 10 feet of you for the next minute.
81–82	You can take one additional action or bonus action immediately.
83–84	Each creature within 30 feet of you takes 1d10 necrotic damage. You regain hit points equal to the sum of the necrotic damage dealt.
85–86	You cast crown of madness on a target within range.
87–88	You cast fly on a random creature within 60 feet of you.
89–90	You become invisible for the next minute. During that time, other creatures can’t hear you. The invisibility ends if you attack or cast a spell.
91–92	If you die within the next minute, you immediately come back to life as if by the reincarnate spell.
93–94	Your size decreases by one size category for the next minute.
95–96	You and all creatures within 30 feet of you gain vulnerability to piercing damage for the next minute.
97–98	You are surrounded by faint, haunting music for the next minute.
99–00	You cast dominate monster at 9th level.

Aura of Madness

Starting at 7th level, you emanate an aura while you’re not incapacitated. Any creature of your choice that can see or hear you, and begins its turn within 5 feet of you, must make a Wisdom saving throw, with a DC equal to your spell save DC. Regardless of success, they are immune to the aura until they enter it again.

If they fail, roll on the Aura of Madness table to create an effect. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier unless otherwise stated.

D8	EFFECT
1	The clambering scratches of rats rattle the victim's skull, causing them to lose their grip on language. Anything said by the victim comes out as an unintelligible mixture of every language they know and animal grunts. This language cannot be understood by anyone, even by magical means, but does not effect thoughts or verbal spell components.
2	The victim is enthralled by Azathoth's mindless flutes. For the duration, they are deafened and have disadvantage on Intelligence saving throws and ability checks.
3	Visions of crippling loneliness paralyze the victim. For the duration, they have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws and Charisma ability checks.
4	The victim perceives a river of spiders pouring from your mouth, striking them down with fear. They are frightened for the duration.
5	Stinging pain racks the victim's nerves as they hallucinate a crown of thorns. At the start of their turn, for the duration, they take 1d4 psychic damage.
6	Spiny metal thorns of yttrium spring up around the victim's feet in their mind. For the duration, all terrain is considered difficult for them, and they have disadvantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.
7	Sudden, collapsing fatigue overtakes the victim as they instantly believe to have not slept in a week. They take 1 level of exhaustion that lasts until reduced. This effect stacks with all other exhaustion effects, including itself.
8	The victim's will to live creeps toward oblivion, and renders them incapable of making death saving throws. Until the victim completes a long rest, if they reach 0 or fewer hit points while within your aura, they fully die, without making saving throws.

When you reach 18th level in this class, the range of the aura increases to 10 feet.

Discordant Relic

At 15th level, the void endows you with a wild magic item that is recharge (5-6) and may be triggered with an action. You gain one of these features of your choice:

Fractal Chaos

Pure chaos finds a home in your Relic, and it takes on the shape of a faceted gem, a perfect sphere of glass, an innocuous set of dice, or similar symbol of chance. When activated, chaos rips through it and you. Consequences may vary. Additionally, this item automatically activates when you reach 0 hit points.

2D6	EFFECT
02	Take disadvantage on your next 1d4 ability checks, attacks, and saving throws, including death saving throws.
03–04	When you next check your gold, you've lost this many gp, up to your maximum.
05–06	You regain this many hit points.
07	You cast control weather.
08-09	You automatically succeed on your next attack or ability check, though you cannot crit.
10-11	Record the two numbers rolled. For each of these numbers, you can add it to — or subtract it from — any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see. You may choose to do so after the roll, but before you know the outcome, and you can augment a roll in this way only once per turn.
12	You find something you've been looking for, at your DM's discretion.

Time Warp

Your Discordant Relic takes the form of a timepiece. This could be a pocket watch, a sundial, an hourglass or any other such symbolic object. When activated, it has the power to control the whims of time. Though beware; time travel is always fraught, so it's as likely as not to backfire. As an action, you may roll on the following wild magic table:

2D6	Effect
02	Roll on this table two more times, ignoring this result on subsequent rolls.
03–04	You freeze in place for 1d4 rounds. You cannot move or take any action or reaction, but you can speak.
05–06	Nothing happens. This counts as a bonus action.
07	You gain an extra bonus action, which must be used before the end of your next turn.
08-09	Time jumps forward 12 hours instantaneously. If it was night, it is now day, and vice versa.
10-11	Roll a d10. Your age changes by a number of years equal to the roll. If the roll is odd, you get younger (minimum 1 year old). If the roll is even, you get older.
12	You cast Time Stop.

Veil Mastery

Your Relic takes on the properties of a beacon, such as a torch, a gleaming standard, or a whistle. When activated, its signal pierces the veil and calls forth beings from beyond. If you're lucky.

2D6	EFFECT
02	Your relic backfires. You and any creature within a 5ft radius of you gains 1 level of exhaustion.
03–04	Summon a monster whose CR equals this roll. They are controlled by the DM and aggressive toward you.
05–06	Summon this number of cats, neutral toward you and controlled by the DM.
07	Without expending a spell slot, you cast any spell you know and have prepared, the name of which includes the words "conjure," "summon," or "plane."
08-09	Roll a d6. You immediately transform into a beast or abomination of that CR as per the polymorph spell.
10-11	You cast conjure volley at 5th level.
12	At the start of your next turn, you summon a kraken to an available space nearest to you. The kraken immediately uses one Tentacle action against a target of your choice. At the beginning of your next turn, the kraken uses its Fling action, then disappears.

Master of the Shifting Tides

At 20th level, as an action, you can shift the tides of causality with your Discordant Relic. The effect will depend on which relic you've chosen. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Deep Banishment

You attempt to send one creature that you can see within range to another plane of existence, as per the Banishment spell. This effect does not consume concentration or any spell slots, but is cast at a 4th level and requires concentration saves as per normal casting. If the spell does not end before 1 minute has passed, the creature is banished to a random plane of existence as it it were its home plane.

Temporal Rending

Time slips out of order and tears at the edges. Keeping to initiative order, you and a number of creatures, up to your Charisma modifier, you choose that you can see immediately take additional turns. Until each of the chosen creatures has taken a turn, no other creature can take any action, including reactions.

Wild Magic Chain

Wild Magic pops around you, causing a chain reaction surge. Choose one creature within 60 ft. of you that you can see. They roll a d20. If they roll a number under your Charisma modifier, they roll on your Wild Magic Surge table. If they roll a number higher, they must pick a creature within 60 ft. of them to do the same. This effect continues until one creature has surged. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.