Paladin - Oath of Ash

## Oath of Ash

Paladins who vow the Oath of Ash seek to preserve the longevity of civilization, dedicating every resource at their disposal to securing future prosperity. Paladins sworn to this oath believe that progress is not automatic nor inevitable, but a journey where each step demands sacrifice, struggle, and suffering. To them, only those with unbreakable focus and determination can wield the brilliant torch of progress. These paladins achieve this by cauterizing the detrimental aspects of civilization with their calamitous power, purging it of its imperfections. The salvation they seek is the knowledge that their labors will help bring about a new dawn for civilization.

### Tenets of Ash
The tenets of the Oath of Ash represent the core principles of a philosophy intended to keep civilization in check. Paladins who take this oath tend to view the lives of others as a means to an end, subscribing to these rules as guidelines for growth.

***Don't Fear the Light.*** Fan the flames of progress that separate man from beast. Without the radiance of innovation, the halls of progress cannot be navigated.

***Fire Knows No Mercy.*** Know that sacrifice is a natural part of the cycle and cannot be avoided. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. If the greater good can only be achieved by feeding the flames the fuel of life, so be it.

***From Ashes Come Life.*** The most fertile lands were built by the fires of volcanoes. At times, destruction is necessary to spark the birth of life anew. Don't hesitate to become its actor.

### Oath Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

##### Oath of Ash Spells
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|:---:|:-----------:|
| 3rd | *burning hands*, *earth tremor* |
| 5th | *heat metal*, *maximilian’s earthen grasp* |
| 9th | *erupting earth*, *melf's minute meteors* |
| 13th | *stoneskin*, *wall of fire* |
| 17th | *transmute rock*, *wall of stone* |

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

***Pyroclastic Tide.*** You can use your Channel Divinity to erupt into a roaring flood of magma and ash, becoming an unstoppable force of nature. As an action, you can assume a pyroclastic form for the rest of your turn. While in this form, you ignore all difficult terrain, can enter and occupy the space of another creature, and are under the effect of the dash and disengage actions. You can also pass through small holes, narrow openings, and even mere cracks. When you move, you create 5-foot squares of difficult terrain under you and any creature in your path must make a Dexterity saving throw. If it fails, it is shoved and takes a number of d6 equal to your proficiency bonus in fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You ignore difficult terrain created by this effect.

Any creature killed by this feature becomes a statuesque cast of ashy, white stone, frozen in place with lifelike detail.

***Igneous Coliseum.*** You can use your Channel Divinity to manipulate the earth as if it were fluid. As a bonus action or a reaction to you or an ally being forced to make a saving throw, you can cause an up to 20-foot radius circle of ground centered around you or an ally within 30 feet to sink or rise (your choice) up to a height equal to 10 times your proficiency bonus in feet. This effect must be maintained with Concentration for up to 10 minutes. When it ends, the ground rumbles as it shifts into its original position, creating difficult terrain at the edge of the effect's radius. You ignore difficult terrain created by this effect.

If the radius cuts through a creature's space, the creature is shifted to one side of the radius (your choice). If a creature would be enclosed completely in the radius, that creature can make a Dexterity saving throw. On a success, it can use its reaction to move up to its speed so that it is no longer enclosed by the radius.

### Aura of the Epicenter
Starting at 7th level. the ground beneath you boils from your very presence. Hostile creatures within 10 feet of you treat the ground as difficult terrain and take fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) for every 10 feet they move within the range of your scorching aura. You can choose to suppress this aura at will.

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

### Mantle Crusher
Starting at 15th level, your being is infused with raw primordial energy, your heartbeat generating seismic waves that ripple throughout your body. Whenever a creature hits you with an attack, the ground shakes as you absorb the impact of the strike, and you can use your reaction to force creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you to make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. If it fails, it is knocked prone and takes bludgeoning damage equal to half your paladin level.

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### Tectonic Saint
At 20th level, you become attuned to the earth and its eternal rhythm. As an action, you can become fueled by the earth's ancient core, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:

* A veil of smoky ash cloaks you from hostile sight, creating an aura of soot that radiates 30 feet from you. The first time any hostile creature enters the smoke or starts its turn there during a battle, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or become blinded until the start of their next turn.
* You and allied creatures within the ashy aura gain resistance to fire damage and ignore the difficult terrain you create. Hostile creatures lose resistance to fire damage and those with immunity to fire damage are treated as if they had resistance to fire damage instead.
* Whenever you are to take fire damage, you instead gain temporary hit points equal to half of the damage.
* When you move 0 feet on your turn, the ground around you melts into lava, transmuting into a 15-foot square of difficult terrain. Each tile of lava deals damage equal to half your paladin level in fire damage to any creature that enters it for the first time or ends its turn there. The area cools down and returns to normal terrain after 1 minute.

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

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>## Credits
>Homebrew Designer - [Piggby](https://www.reddit.com/user/piggby) 
>#### Art Credits 
>Peak Eruption - [Adam Paquette](https://www.artstation.com/adampaquette) 
>Ash Knight - [Conor Burke](https://www.artstation.com/conorburke) 
>Rience - Unknown Artist from GWENT