top of page
Dan @StayOnYourCouch

The Oath of Shadows. A new paladin subclass for D&D 5E

One of the best parts of TTRPG is the customization we get in game through homebrew content. During last game of D&D 5E, I wanted to play as a paladin that was a religious assassin serving a god of death. However, none of the official subclasses really fit my character concept, so I made my own. Here is the Oath of Shadows, a paladin subclass for D&D 5th edition.


These Paladins swear an oath to a God of Death. Some of them serve as religious assassins, helping people make the transition from life to death. Others are blades for hire, selling their talents to the highest bidder.



Level Spells

3rd Hellish Rebuke, Disguise Self 5th Crown of Madness, Darkness 9th Animate Dead, Vampiric Touch 13th Blight, Confusion 17th Contagion, Dominate Person









Art: Whisper Agent by Deruchenko Alexander


3rd level – Unarmored Defense

If you are wearing no armor and carrying no shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma Modifier.


3rd level – Channel Divinity

Vow of Enmity

As a bonus action, you can utter a vow of enmity against a creature you can see within 10 feet of you, using your Channel Divinity. You gain advantage on attack rolls against the creature for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 hit points or falls unconscious.

Control Undead

As an action, you target one undead creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target must obey your commands for the next 24 hours, or until you use this Channel Divinity option again. An undead whose challenge rating is equal to or greater than your paladin level is immune to this effect.


5th level – Eyes of Darkness

You gain 60ft of Dark vision. If you cast the spell Darkness, you can see through the darkness as if there was normal light.


7th level – Shadow Step

When in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action, you teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness.


15th level – Resistance

you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical weapons.


20th level – Avatar of Death

As an action, you can surround yourself with an aura of gloom that lasts for 1 minute. The aura reduces any bright light in a 30-foot radius around you to dim light. You are cloaked in darkness and take on the ghostly form of a Grim Reaper. Creatures that rely on sight have disadvantage on attack rolls against you, and you have advantage on spell attacks against creatures in your aura.

While the aura lasts, you can use a bonus action on your turn to cause shadows in the aura to attack one creature. Make a melee spell attack against the target. If the attack hits, the target takes necrotic damage equal to 3d10 + your Charisma modifier. After activating the aura, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.


-Written by Dan @StayOnYouCouch





“The Oath of shadows is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.”

bottom of page