Oath of
The Chain Warden
Art by Riot Games
Class Name
| Level | Spells | Oath Features |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Hex, Find Familiar | Channel Divinity |
| 5th | Crown of Madness, Phantasmal Force | |
| 7th | — | Damnation, Death Sentence |
| 9th | Speak with Dead, Fear | |
| 15th | — | Flay, Damnation Improvement |
| 13th | Summon Greater Demon, Banishment | |
| 17th | Commune, Enervation | |
| 18th | — | The Prison Improvement, Death Sentence Improvement |
| 20th | — | Avatar of the Chain Warden |
The Tenets of Chains
The tenets of the Oath of the Chain Warden reflect a paladin’s commitment to honoring the commands of their god.
Order above All. Dissent against a rightful ruler must not be tolerated. Those who obey the law shall be favored. Those who defy it shall be punished as an example to all who might follow.
Blessed be the Tyrant. Strong men are meant to rule those who would otherwise be left to the influence of ruinous gods.
Honesty amongst Equals. A paladin should be forthright with worthy and loyal citizens, as those who venerate their ruler are pious in the eyes of Thresh.
Spectral Chains
As an alternative Fighting Style you can summon as a bonus action Spectral Chains, which will disappear upon becoming incapacitated. They are a martial ranged weapon, 1d8, Heavy, Magical, (Range 30/60), but they use the paladin's Strength ability rather than Dexterity. After making a successful attack the paladin rolls a 1d10, agains that much temporary HP until their next turn. This effect can only occur once on a paladin's turn.
Additionally Hex, Enervation, and all other Oath Abilities do Psychic Damage instead of Necrotic.
Channel Divinity
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
The Prison
A circle with a 30 foot radius is created around you at the center. If any hostile creature passes through the circle and if they fail a Constitution saving throw they take 4d8 Necrotic Damage and gain one level of exhaustion. On a success they take half damage and are not exhausted.
The circle dissipates after one minute
At 18th Level the circle radius is increased to 60 feet, damage increased to 6d8. On a failed save the creature gains two levels of exhaustion, and on a success they only gain one level of exhaustion.
Dark Passage
Choose a willing creature within 30 feet, both of you are teleported away to a point 30 feet away from you. Your ally appears within 5 feet of you.
Oath Features
Damnation
7th - and 15th level Oath of the Chain Warden feature
You can store Souls equal to your paladin level, you capture a soul by taking an action to do so over a corpse which contains a soul that has died within the last hour. Your stored souls are kept in a magical lantern given to you upon making your Oath. You can only benefit from using the souls if the lantern is on your person.
Souls can be converted directly into Lay on Hands points, one to one. Additionally all stored souls are released when you fall to 0 HP.
Once per day if you have the maximum number of souls stored you can choose to benefit from one of the following: Ward of Souls: temporarily gain 1 AC; Aura of Damnation you and your allies within 30 feet after expending a spell slot of 3rd level or below, roll 1d6, on a 6 the spell slot is not lost; Haunted Chains you can add your Charisma modifier to the damage of Spectral Chains if you have that Fighting Style. After a long rest you may choose a different benefit.
At 18th level Damnation is improved. Ward of Souls: temporarily gain 2 AC; Aura of Damnation you and your allies within 30 feet after expending a spell slot of 5th level or below, roll 1d6, on a 5 or 6 the spell slot is not lost; Haunted Chains in addition to added damage weapon attacks with the Spectral chains now score critical hits on a roll of either 19 or 20.
Death Sentence
7th - and 18th level Oath of the Chain Warden feature
Make a spell attack against a target within 30 feet that you can see. The target takes 2d8 Slashing Damage and 1d8 Necrotic Damage. If the target fails a Strength saving throw the target is dragged within 5 feet of you. On a success the target takes half damage and is not dragged. Any creatures between you and the target must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. You can only use this ability if there is an unoccupied area in front of you in the direction of the target. This spell also can only target creatures of your size, or a size smaller.
You cannot target a creature within 5 feet of you, and the creature has advantage on their strength saving throw if they are 15 feet or less feet away from you.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma Modifier.
At 18th Level the range of Death Sentence is increased to 60 feet, damage is increased by 1d8 Slashing Damage. If the target fails their Strength saving throw, they must make a Constitution saving throw, if they fail they are restrained. They can make a save at the beginning of their next turn, and can continue to attempt to save. After one minute the target loses the condition. Additionally you may now target creatures one size greater than your own.
Flay
15th level Oath of the Chain Warden feature
Any hostile creatures within 10 feet must make a Strength saving throw. If they fail they are flung in the air and moved to a space 20 feet directly behind where they were previously and suffer 2d8 Necrotic Damage.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma Modifier.
Avatar of the Chain Warden
20th level Oath of the Chain Warden feature
Once per long rest you may as a bonus action become an Avatar of the Chain Warden. The spirit of Thresh intertwines with your soul for one minute, during this minute you gain the following:
All attacks against you have disadvantage, once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack and miss, you can cause that attack to hit instead; and you have advantage on all saving throws.
Additionally your size increases by one level.