Antipaladin
A dragonborn in blood-splattered golden plate looks down at the lifeless body of her mentor and pulls her sword from his back, her reptilian eyes cold and pitiless.
A pale, gaunt-faced human in black armor leans back in his skull-laden throne and raises a hand, summoning forth his skeletal servants to ravage lands he once protected.
A half-elf sits solemnly atop his burning steed and wonders grimly how it all went so wrong.
A paladin who fails to uphold the tenets of their oath out of moral weakness will lose the divine powers granted to them, and perhaps be cast out of their order, but a few paladins do not simply fail: they fall. Whether they are stricken with a crisis of faith or tempted by dark powers, these paladins dramatically turn from champions of justice to bringers of destruction and oppression. They become anathema to everything they had once held dear. They become antipaladins.
Fallen Champions
Though some of those who wield the powers of the antipaladin have always been corrupt to their core, antipaladins in their truest sense must be former heroes of righteousness or holy avengers. Those with the deepest conviction in their oath are said to fall the hardest, as the loss of such a fundamental aspect of their identity leads to deep psychic trauma that reshapes who they are.
Warriors of Evil
Paladins are known for their martial prowess and unshakable determination, and antipaladins retain these traits, twisted though they are. These warriors crave purpose, and with their former cause tainted and closed off to them in their eyes, they cling just as strongly to more craven causes. Some find themselves drawn to the embrace of dark powers, such as fiends or evil gods; others continue to believe themselves to be in the right, and pursue their own forms of twisted justice.
Creating an Antipaladin
The first step to creating an antipaladin is creating the paladin they once were. Consider the nature of your holy quest, what led you to take it up, and what calamity led you to break with it so completely. Were you a faithful devotee of a righteous order who saw corruption behind the ideals you believed in, and fell to corruption yourself as you tried to stamp it out? Did you go to such extremes in pursuit of the eradication of evil that when the dust settled and the blood haze cleared, your prayers no longer went answered? Did dark forces plant a kernel of doubt in your mind that festered and grew, driving you inexorably into their damning embrace?
What is the nature of the darkness you wield? Have you taken up the service of
The Antipaladin
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Unholy Sense, Touch of Corruption | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Spellcasting, Unholy Smite | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Unholy Resilience, Profane Corruption, Harness Unholy Power (Optional) | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility (Optional) | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Aura of Despair | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Profane Corruption feature | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | ─ | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Aura of Terror | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Improved Unholy Smite | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | ─ | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Purging Touch | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Profane Corruption feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | ─ | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Aura improvements | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Profane Corruption feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
dark gods or archfiends, by choice or through domination and coercion? Do you draw on foul necromancy to keep yourself strong, consorting with cursed spirits and raising undead hordes of your own? Or is your power innate and inexplicable, the result of a corruption that has always lurked inside you, or perhaps the result of the violent magical trauma of breaking your sacred oath?
Consider also your alignment: are you an imperious lawful evil, a destructive chaotic evil, or a self-centered neutral evil? Have you even truly embraced evil, or are you more neutral, a wanderer seeking after meaning to fill the gaping hole left by your former conviction? Does a spark of good still exist within you, perhaps longing for a chance for redemption, even if you fear it is far too late? Perhaps you are already on that path, but circumstances force you to call upon the dark power that damns your soul in order to protect others.
Quick Build
You can make an antipaladin quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score. Charisma should be your second-highest score. Second, choose the noble, criminal or haunted one background.
Class Features
As an antipaladin, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per antipaladin level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per paladin level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: All armor, shields
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
- Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
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- (a) five javelins or (b) any simple melee weapon
- (a) a priest's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- Chain mail and an unholy symbol
Unholy Sense
The presence of powerful good registers on your senses like an offensive odor, and strong evil registers like a familiar yet untrustworthy presence. As an action, you can open your awareness to detect such forces. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any fiend, celestial, or undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the type (fiend, celestial, or undead) of any being whose presence you sense, but not its identity (the tome archon Barachiel, for instance). Within the same radius, you also detect the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated, as with the hallow spell.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.
Touch of Corruption
Your cursed touch can inflict wounds. You have a pool of dark power that replenishes when you take a long rest. This pool is an number of d4s equal to your antipaladin level.
As an action, you can touch a creature and make a melee spell attack with which you are proficient, using Charisma as your spellcasting ability modifier. On a hit, you expend d4s from the pool to deal necrotic damage equal to the number rolled, and you regain a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt.
Alternatively, you can touch a creature and expend one d4 from your pool; instead of taking damage, the target must succeed at a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be poisoned. At the end of each of the target’s turns, it can make a Constitution saving throw against the effect. On a success, the effect ends.
This feature has no effect on constructs. You can instead expend d4s to heal one undead creature you are touching: the target has a number of hit points restored equal to twice the amount rolled, and you do not regain hit points. When used on fiends, you can choose whether to heal or harm.
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Cursed Warrior. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. They count as antipaladin spells for you, and Charisma is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the warlock spell list.
Blind Fighting. You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
Defense. While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting. When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Thrown Weapon Fighting. You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.
In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. You can draw a weapon that has the light property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.
Spellcasting
By 2nd level, you have empowered yourself through unholy rituals and evil pacts, gaining access to dark and forbidden spells.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The antipaladin table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your antipaladin spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of antipaladin spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the antipaladin spell list. When you do so, choose a number of antipaladin spells equal to your Charisma modifier + half your antipaladin level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level antipaladin, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell inflict wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of antipaladin spells requires time spent communing with a patron or drawing cursed runes: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your antipaladin spells. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an antipaladin spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an unholy symbol or arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your antipaladin spells.
Unholy Smite
Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal necrotic damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is a celestial or a fey, to a maximum of 6d8.
Unholy Resilience
By 3rd level, the dark power flowing through you makes you immune to diseases, though you can still carry and spread them.
Profane Corruption
When you reach 3rd level, you become cursed by a corrupting power that binds you as an antipaladin. Up to this time you have been in a preparatory stage, beginning down your path but not yet consumed by it. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th level. Those features include corruption spells and the Channel Wickedness feature.
Corruption Spells
Each corruption has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the corruption description. Once you gain access to an corruption spell, you always have it prepared. Corruption spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.
If you gain a corruption spell that doesn't appear on the antipaladin spell list, the spell is nonetheless an antipaladin spell for you.
Channel Wickedness
Your corruption allows you to channel unholy energy to fuel magical effects. Each Channel Wickedness option provided by your corruption explains how to use it.
When you use your Channel Wickedness, you choose which option to use. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Wickedness again.
Some Channel Wickedness effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your antipaladin spell save DC.
Harness Unholy Power
Optional 3rd-level antipaladin feature
Also at 3rd level, you can expend a use of your Channel Wickedness to fuel your spells. As a bonus action, you touch your unholy symbol or arcane focus, utter a profane word, and regain one expended spell slot, the level of which can be no higher than half your proficiency bonus (rounded up). The number of times you can use this feature is based on the level you've reached in this class: 3rd level, once; 7th level, twice; and 15th level, thrice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Martial Versatility
Optional 4th-level antipaladin feature
Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to antipaladins. This replacement represents a shift of focus in your martial practice.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Aura of Despair
Starting at 6th level, whenever a creature of your choice within 10 feet of you must make a saving throw, the creature takes a penalty to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum penalty of -1). You must be conscious to inflict this penalty.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Aura of Terror
Starting at 10th level, creatures of your choice that start their turn within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of their turn.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Improved Unholy Smite
By 11th level, you are so deeply corrupted that all your melee weapon strikes carry unholy power with them. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d8 necrotic damage.
Purging Touch
Beginning at 14th level, you can use your action to end one spell on yourself or on one creature that you touch; if the creature is hostile, you must first hit it with a melee spell attack.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Profane Corruptions
Antipaladins are no longer bound by oaths, but their corruption can take many forms. Some antipaladins retain similar abilities to those they wielded as a paladin, though turned toward darkness; others become unrecognizable abominations. What ties all antipaladins together is the inherent unholiness of their new power, whether it comes from external evils or from within the antipaladin themself.
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
Ability Score Minimum. You must have Strength or Dexterity (your choice) and Charisma scores of at least 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already an antipaladin.
Proficiencies Gained. If antipaladin isn't your initial class, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons.
Restriction. You cannot take any levels in paladin, and paladins may not take levels in antipaladin.
Dark Devotee
Those fallen paladins who had once dedicated their souls to a holy faith often find themselves directionless and desperate for purpose. These antipaladins find themselves turning to dark gods who do not reject them for their sins, but embrace them. A dark devotee is not bound by oaths, but their very soul is sworn to their evil deity, a god such as Shar, Lolth, Bhaal or Umberlee.
Corruption Spells
You gain corruption spells at the antipaladin levels listed.
Dark Devotee Spells
| Antipaladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | protection frm evil and good, cause fear |
| 5th | blindness/deafness, crown of madness |
| 9th | enemies abound, vampiric touch |
| 13th | phantasmal killer, shadow of moil |
| 17th | commune, immolation |
Channel Wickedness
When you embrace this corruption at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Wickedness options.
Profane Weapon. As an action, you can imbue one weapon that you are holding with negative energy, using your Channel Wickedness. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minimum bonus of +1). Bright light within 40 feet of the weapon becomes dim light. If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration.
You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.
Turn the Holy. As an action, you present your unholy symbol and speak a prayer repelling celestials, using your Channel Wickedness. Each celestial that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
Aura of Devotion
Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be charmed while you are conscious.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Purity of Spirit
Beginning at 15th level, you are always under the effects of a protection from evil and good spell.
Unholy Shroud
At 20th level, as an action, you can emanate an aura of darkness. For 1 minute, the area within a 30-foot radius of you becomes concealed by magical darkness, which you can see through perfectly, and bright light becomes dim light for an additional 30 feet beyond that.
Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn in the magical darkness, the creature takes 10 necrotic damage.
In addition, for the duration, you have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by celestials.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Oathbreaker
Many fallen paladins seek out evil powers to replace their lost divine magic, but there are those who fall so violently, so completely, that the divinity within them is corrupted into a dark power in itself. This may be caused by a traumatic loss of faith, or the choice to give oneself fully to dark ambition. Oathbreakers reject their oath so completely that they become the opposite and sworn adversary of those they once stood alongside, and many oathbreakers mark their point of no return by slaughtering their comrades in arms. An Oathbreaker is the most basic form of antipaladin, and in some ways the most horrifying: a paladin whose divine light has collapsed in on itself, like a dying star.
Corruption Spells
You gain corruption spells at the antipaladin levels listed.
Oathbreaker Spells
| Antipaladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | hellish rebuke, inflict wounds |
| 5th | crown of madness, darkness |
| 9th | animate dead, bestow curse |
| 13th | blight, confusion |
| 17th | contagion, dominate person |
Channel Wickedness
When you embrace this corruption at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Wickedness options.
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 Wickedness option again. An undead whose challenge rating is equal to or greater than your paladin level is immune to this effect.
Dreadful Aspect. As an action, you channel the darkest emotions and focus them into a burst of magical menace. Each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw if it can see you. On a failed save, the target is frightened of you for 1 minute. If a creature frightened by this effect ends its turn more than 30 feet away from you, it can attempt another Wisdom saving throw to end the effect on it.
Aura of Hate
Starting at 7th level you, as well any fiends and undead of your choice within 10 feet of you, gain a bonus to melee weapon damage rolls equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1), as long as you are not incapacitated. A creature can benefit from this feature from only one antipaladin at a time.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Supernatural Resistance
At 15th level, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons.
Dread Lord
At 20th level, you can, as an action, 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. Whenever an enemy that is frightened by you starts its turn in the aura, it takes 4d10 psychic damage. Additionally, you and any creatures of your choosing in the aura are draped in deeper shadow. Creatures that rely on sight have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures draped in this shadow.
While the aura lasts, you can use a bonus action on your turn to cause the 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.
Blackguard
Some antipaladins retain a sense of pride and honor, however twisted it may be; but those known as blackguards forsake all this. Having once betrayed all those who trusted and believed in them, they embrace treachery and deceit as a way of life. Blackguards ingratiate themselves into a group with honeyed words and charming enchantments, then take what they want and flee under cover of darkness and illusion. Blackguards are often a desperate lot, just trying to stay one step ahead of their ever-growing list of enemies, and easily fall into the debt of demon lords and other dark powers.
Corruption Spells
You gain corruption spells at the antipaladin levels listed.
Blackguard Spells
| Antipaladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | charm person, expeditious retreat |
| 5th | invisibility, mirror image |
| 9th | blink, gaseous form |
| 13th | confusion, greater invisibility |
| 17th | dominate person, passwall |
Channel Wickedness
When you embrace this corruption at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Wickedness options.
Conjure Duplicate. As an action, you create a visual illusion of yourself that lasts for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The illusion appears in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you. The illusion looks exactly like you; it is silent; it is your size, is insubstantial, and doesn’t occupy its space; and it is unaffected by attacks and damage. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the illusion up to 30 feet to a space you can see, but the illusion must remain within 120 feet of you.
For the duration, you can cast spells as though you were in the illusion’s space, but you must use your own senses. Additionally, when both you and your illusion are within 5 feet of a creature that can see the illusion, you have advantage on attack rolls against that creature, given how uncanny the illusion is.
Shadow Strike. As a bonus action, you can use your Channel Wickedness to fade into darkness. You become heavily obscured to all creatures for 1 minute, except for creatures with truesight. The next time you hit a creature with an attack, and you have advantage on the attack roll, you deal additional damage equal to 2d10 + your antipaladin level. After making this attack, you are no longer obscured.
Treacherous Strike
Your trickery can turn friends against each other. Starting at 7th level, if a creature within 5 feet of you misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to force the attacker to reroll that attack against a creature of your choice that is also within 5 feet of the attacker. The ability fails if the attacker is immune to being charmed.
Blackguard's Escape
At 15th level, you have the ability to slip away from your foes. Immediately after you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to turn invisible and teleport up to 60 feet to a spot you can see. You remain invisible until the end of your next turn or until you attack, deal damage, or force a creature to make a saving throw. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Icon of Deceit
At 20th level, you gain the ability to emanate feelings of treachery. As an action, you can magically become an avatar of deceit, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:
- You are invisible.
- If a creature damages you on its turn, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to your spell save DC) or you control its next action, provided that you aren’t incapacitated when it takes the action. A creature automatically succeeds on the save if the creature is immune to being charmed.
- If you have advantage on an attack roll, you gain a bonus to its damage roll equal to your antipaladin level.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Tyrant
All those who follow the Oath of Conquest walk a fine line between paladin and antipaladin, and a number of these embrace tyranny so completely that any trace of divinity leaves them forever. While a Tyrant antipaladin still basically follows the tenets of their original oath, they have abandoned all ideals and loyalties, and pursue power not even for the sake of power itself, but only for their own corrupt self-interest.
Corruption Spells
You gain corruption spells at the antipaladin levels listed.
Tyrant Spells
| Antipaladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | armor of agathys, command |
| 5th | hold person, spiritual weapon |
| 9th | bestow curse, fear |
| 13th | dominate beast, stoneskin |
| 17th | cloudkill, dominate person |
Channel Wickedness
When you embrace this corruption at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Wickedness options.
Conquering Presence. You can use your Channel Wickedness to exude a terrifying presence. As an action, you force each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature becomes frightened of you for 1 minute. The frightened creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Guided Strike. You can use your Channel Wickedness to strike with supernatural accuracy. When you make an attack roll, you can use your Channel Wickedness to gain a +10 bonus to the roll. You make this choice after you see the roll, but before the DM says whether the attack hits or misses.
Aura of Conquest
Starting at 7th level, you constantly emanate a menacing aura while you’re not incapacitated. The aura extends 10 feet from you in every direction, but not through total cover.
If a creature is frightened of you, its speed is reduced to 0 while in the aura, and that creature takes psychic damage equal to half your paladin level if it starts its turn there.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Scornful Rebuke
Starting at 15th level, those who dare to strike you are psychically punished for their audacity. Whenever a creature hits you with an attack, that creature takes psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) if you’re not incapacitated.
Invincible Conqueror
At 20th level, you gain the ability to harness extraordinary martial prowess. As an action, you can magically become an avatar of conquest, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:
- You have resistance to all damage.
- When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as part of that action.
- Your melee weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Nemesis
Those who devote themselves single-mindedly to the destruction of monsters may become the very monsters they swore to eliminate. When an avenger's pursuit of justice is corrupted by hatred, and they no longer care when innocents are caught in the crossfire of their vengeance, the divine power of their oath leaves them. Some paladins may see this as a wake-up call and return to the path of righteousness; those who become antipaladins, on the other hand, will turn to any dark power that will help them complete their all-consuming mission.
Corruption Spells
You gain corruption spells at the antipaladin levels listed.
Nemesis Spells
| Antipaladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | bane, hunter's mark |
| 5th | hold person, misty step |
| 9th | haste, protection from energy |
| 13th | banishment, dimension door |
| 17th | hold monster, scrying |
Channel Wickedness
When you embrace this corruption at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Wickedness options.
Abjure Enemy. As an action, you present your unholy symbol and speak a curse of denunciation. Choose one creature within 60 feet of you that you can see. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, unless it is immune to being frightened. Celestials and fey have disadvantage on this saving throw.
On a failed save, the creature is frightened for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. While frightened, the creature's speed is 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
On a successful save, the creature's speed is halved for 1 minute or until the creature takes any damage.
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 Wickedness. You gain advantage on attack rolls against the creature for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 hit points or falls unconscious.
Relentless Nemesis
By 7th level, your supernatural focus helps you close off a foe's retreat. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you can move up to half your speed immediately after the attack and as part of the same reaction. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Soul of Hatred
Starting at 15th level, the authority with which you speak your Vow of Enmity gives you greater power over your foe. When a creature under the effect of your Vow of Enmity makes an attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature if it is within range.
Spirit of Retribution
At 20th level, you can your action to undergo a transformation into the physical manifestation of the hideous monster you have become. For 1 hour, you gain the following benefits:
- Dark wings sprout from your back and grant you a flying speed of 60 feet.
- You have advantage on attack rolls against all frightened creatures within your Aura of Terror.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Hell Knight
Some paladins are guided to their fall by the trickery of devils. Entangled in twisted deals and hellish politics, they are turned against those they once sought to protect, and soon find that they no longer have any place to call home but the waiting arms of the Nine Hells. The strongest of these become fiends themselves, serving at the head of diabolic legions atop burning steeds as the fearsome narzugons.
Corruption Spells
You gain corruption spells at the antipaladin levels listed.
Hell Knight Spells
| Antipaladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | burning hands, command |
| 5th | find steed, scorching ray |
| 9th | fireball, fear |
| 13th | find greater steed, wall of fire |
| 17th | immolation, infernal calling |
Channel Wickedness
When you embrace this corruption at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Wickedness options.
Hellfire Weapon. As an action, you can imbue one weapon that you are holding with hellish flame. For 1 minute, you add 1d10 fire damage to damage rolls made with that weapon. The weapon also emits bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light 20 feet beyond that. If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration.
You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.
Infernal Command. As an action, you can speak imperious words to your allies, making sure they keep in line. Every creature that can hear you of your choice within 30 feet has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened for 1 minute.
Aura of Flame
Starting at 7th level, you project a burning aura of power. Fire damage dealt to creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you ignores resistance to fire damage, and treats immunity to fire damage as resistance.
All creatures of your choice must succeed at a Constitution saving throw or take fire damage equal to half your antipaladin level (rounded down) when they start their turn within 10 feet of you, as long as you are not incapacitated.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Terrifying Command
As an action, you speak words that bring even the strongest to their knees in terror. Any creature of your choice within 60 feet of you that can hear you must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute.
A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature that makes a successful saving throw is immune to your Terrifying Command for 24 hours.
You can use this action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all uses upon completing a long rest.
Diabolic Rebirth
At 20th level, you fully embrace your fiendish corruption. As an action, you can magically become a fully realized narzugon, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:
- Your creature type becomes fiend (devil).
- Your melee weapon attacks deal an additional 2d10 fire damage on a hit.
- You have resistance to acid and cold damage, and immunity to fire and poison damage. You cannot be charmed, frightened or poisoned.
- You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects cast by demons or celestials.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Death Knight
When a paladin that falls from grace dies without seeking atonement, dark powers can transform the once-mortal knight into a hateful undead creature. These fallen paragons can find no peace even in death, doomed to wander the world as skeletal abominations, with only the hollow pursuit of domination to distract them from the shadows of who they once were.
Restriction: Reborn Only
To truly embrace death, an antipaladin must die unredeemed. Only those of the Reborn lineage (as seen in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft) can become death knights.
Your DM can lift this restriction to better suit the campaign.
Corruption Spells
You gain corruption spells at the antipaladin levels listed.
Death Knight Spells
| Antipaladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | bane, ray of sickness |
| 5th | hold person, ray of enfeeblement |
| 9th | animate dead, fireball |
| 13th | banishment, staggering smite |
| 17th | destructive wave (necrotic), negative energy flood |
Channel Wickedness
When you embrace this corruption at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Wickedness options.
Drain Vitality. As an action, you can call upon additional necromantic energy to empower your Touch of Corruption. For one minute, your Touch of Corruption pool becomes an amount of d6s equal to your antipaladin level, instead of d4s.
Marshal Undead. As an action, you can grant all undead creatures of your choice within 60 feet of you advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead.
Aura of Enervation
Starting at 7th level, you suck the life force from the living to bolster you and your dark allies. Whenever you deal necrotic damage to a creature, you and all undead of your choice within 10 feet of you gain temporary hit points equal to half your antipaladin level (rounded down).
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Reaper of Souls
Starting at 15th level, whenever you kill a living creature (not an undead or construct) with 50 or more maximum hit points, you can regain an expended 1st or 2nd level spell slot.
Lord of Death
At 20th level, as an action, you can channel the dark power of death itself. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
- Your creature type becomes undead.
- You gain immunity to necrotic and poison damage and the charmed, frightened and poisoned conditions.
- All undead of your choice within 60 feet of you, including yourself, gain 20 additional maximum hit points, and add your proficiency bonus to their weapon damage rolls.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Abyss Knight
Of all antipaladins, the dread Abyss Knights have perhaps fallen the farthest. These thralls of demon lords, perhaps seeking to erase their pasts and forget their failures, lose themselves completely in the violence and madness of the Abyss’s intoxicating power.
Corruption Spells
You gain corruption spells at the antipaladin levels listed.
Abyss Knight Spells
| Antipaladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | cause fear, wrathful smite |
| 5th | alter self, crown of madness |
| 9th | fear, haste |
| 13th | summon greater demon, vitriolic sphere |
| 17th | banishing smite, contagion |
Channel Wickedness
When you embrace this corruption at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Wickedness options.
Maddening Gaze. An action, you can force each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target must make a melee attack against a random target within its reach on its next turn. If it has no targets within its reach even after moving, it loses its action on that turn.
Agonizing Weapon. As an action, you can imbue one weapon that you are holding with the mind-rending agony of the Abyss. For 1 minute, you add 1d10 psychic damage to damage rolls made with that weapon.
You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.
Aura of Blood
Prayers to holy powers fail in your presence. Starting at 7th level, creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you cannot regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Rage of Demons
Starting at 15th level, your body becomes fueled with the rage of the Abyss. You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and you gain a bonus to the damage of your melee weapon attacks equal to your Charisma modifier.
Abyssal Apotheosis
At 20th level, you fully embrace your fiendish corruption. As an action, you can take on a horrific demonic form, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:
- Your creature type becomes fiend (demon).
- You gain the effects of Agonizing Weapon, and you can use Maddening Gaze as a bonus action without expending a Channel Wickedness use.
- You have resistance to all damage except radiant, and cannot be poisoned.
- You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects cast by devils or celestials.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Antipaladin Spell List
1st Level
- Armor of Agathys
- Arms of Hadar
- Bane
- Cause Fear
- Command
- Compelled Duel
- Detect Evil and Good
- Detect Magic
- Detect Poison and Disease
- Expeditious Retreat
- Hellish Rebuke
- Inflict Wounds
- Profane Fervor*
- Protection from Evil and Good
- Searing Smite
- Thunderous Smite
- Wrathful Smite
2nd Level
- Blindness/Deafness
- Branding Smite
- Chilling Smite*
- Cloud of Daggers
- Crown of Madness
- Darkness
- Darkvision
- Hold Person
- Find Steed
- Locate Object
- Magic Weapon
- Ray of Enfeeblement
- Shadow Blade
- Silence
- Web
3rd Level
- Animate Dead
- Bestow Curse
- Blinding Smite
- Despoiler's Mantle
- Dispel Magic
- Elemental Weapon
- Fear
- Hunger of Hadar
- Incite Greed
- Nondetection
- Protection from Energy
- Summon Lesser Demons
- Summon Shadowspawn
- Summon Undead
- Vampiric Touch
4th Level
- Banishment
- Blight
- Find Greater Steed
- Locate Creature
- Phantasmal Killer
- Shadow of Moil
- Sickening Radiance
- Staggering Smite
- Summon Aberration
- Summon Greater Demon
5th Level
- Banishing Smite
- Circle of Power
- Contagion
- Destructive Wave
- Dispel Evil and Good
- Dominate Person
- Enervation
- Geas
- Infernal Calling
- Negative Energy Flood
- Unholy Weapon*
Spell Descriptions
Chilling Smite
2nd-level evocation
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, your weapon fills the creature with a bone-deep chill, and the attack deals an extra 2d6 cold damage.
At the start of each of its turns until the spell ends, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 1d6 cold damage and its speed is halved. On a successful save, the spell ends.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the initial extra damage dealt by the attack increases by 1d6 for each slot.
Despoiler's Mantle
3rd-level evocation
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self
- Components: V
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Dark power radiates from you in an aura with a 30-foot radius, awakening viciousness in allied creatures. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centered on you. While in the aura, each non-hostile creature in the aura (including you) deals an extra 1d4 necrotic damage when it hits with a weapon attack.
Profane Fervor
1st-level evocation
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You channel corrupt power through your weapons. Until the spell ends, your weapon attacks deal an extra 1d4 necrotic damage on a hit.
Unholy Weapon
5th-level evocation
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You imbue a weapon you touch with dark power. Until the spell ends, bright light within a 60 foot radius becomes dim light. In addition, weapon attacks made with it deal an extra 2d8 necrotic damage on a hit. If the weapon isn’t already a magic weapon, it becomes one for the duration.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can dismiss this spell and cause the weapon to emit a burst of dark energy. Each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of the weapon must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 4d8 necrotic damage, and it is frightened of the caster for 1 minute. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t frightened.
At the end of each of its turns, a frightened creature can make a Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
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Antipaladin Features as Optional Paladin Features
This document sets out to create a comprehensive antipaladin, a paladin that has given in thoroughly to corruption and lost all features related to healing, positive buffs and radiant damage. If you're playing a dark paladin of some kind, you may be interested in some of these features, such as Unholy Smite, while finding that features like Aura of Protection still fit with your conception of your character. Feel free to pick and choose, with your DM's permission!
In addition, any of the new or modified subclasses listed under Profane Corruptions can be easily repurposed as paladin subclasses.
Artist Credits
In order of use:
- drawsouls
- Conor Burke
- Yong Hui Ng
- Gavin Wynford
- Eugene Lizin
- Paizo Inc.
- robjenx
- zoppy
- applibot
- soft-h
- Marc Sasso
- nibelwolf
- River flow shore