Sacred Oath
Oath of Lore
Paladins who take this oath devote themselves to historical study as well as the collection and safekeeping of lost lore. Their quests often involve journeying into dangerous ruins to recover lost relics and restore forgotten history.
These paladins are well versed in military history, deploying martial techniques that have been passed down through generations. They can even call upon the spirits of heroes from bygone ages to aid them in times of need. Those who challenge this paladin don’t face one champion but the combined might of champions from generations past.
Tenets of Lore
The tenets of the Oath of Lore drive these paladins to draw from the wisdom of the past so they may secure a better future.
Illuminate History. The sands of time will bury the past if allowed to run their course. You must preserve history's knowledge and lessons.
Enthusiastic Study. History is filled with mighty figures and great deeds for you to learn from. Stand upon the shoulders of giants, and you will reach new heights.
Make Your Mark. History is an ongoing process we all contribute towards. Use your time wisely and pave the way for future generations.
Reduce to Memory. Do not flinch when studying the horrors of the past. History's most important lessons are cloaked in terror and tragedy. It is your duty to put an end to any who would repeat them.
Blade Historian
3rd-level Oath of Lore feature
Through studies of war and consultation with ancient warrior spirits, you've learned two maneuvers from among those available to the Battle Master archetype for the fighter class.
One of these maneuvers must be Tactical Assessment (described in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything), and the other may be any maneuver of your choice. If a maneuver from this class requires a saving throw, the save DC equals your spell save DC. You learn an additional maneuver at 7th, 15th, and 20 levels. Any time you gain a paladin level, you may replace one of the maneuvers you know, besides Tactical Assessment, with a different maneuver.
Other features in this subclass provide the superiority dice needed to perform these maneuvers, and these dice are d8s. When you reach 15th level, they become d10s, and at 20th level, they become d12s.
Oath Spells
3rd-level Oath of Lore feature
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of the Historian table. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.
Oath of The Historian Spells
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Identify, Comprehend Languages |
| 5th | Locate Object, Magic Mouth |
| 9th | Tiny Hut, Speak with Dead |
| 13th | Leomund's Secret Chest, Private Sanctum |
| 17th | Legend Lore, Commune |
Channel Divinity
3rd-level Oath of Lore feature
You gain the following Channel Divinity options. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how Channel Divinity works.
War Echoes. You can use your Channel Divinity to tap into ancient knowledge. As a bonus action, you call upon the experiences of long-gone warriors to provide you aid in combat. You are granted 2 superiority dice. Each die lasts 10 minutes, or until you use it to fuel a combat maneuver you know.
Spirit Summoning. You can use your Channel Divinity to summon a spirit or construct of the past to help with your endeavors. As a bonus action, you cast find familiar without any components. The familiar created this way has the following additional traits:
- Its creature type is changed to construct or undead (your choice).
- It is immune to poison and psychic damage and is also immune to the charmed, frightened, and poisoned conditions.
- While you are within 60 feet of it, you may ritual cast your paladin spells with the ritual tag.
A familiar created this way lasts an hour before vanishing.
Aura of Insight
7th-level Oath of Lore feature
You emanate an aura that grants you insight into the secrets of those around you. When you start your turn, you may choose a creature within 10 feet of you that you can see. The DM tells you one of the following characteristics of your choice about that creature:
- The creature's Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score. You also learn if the creature is proficient with saving throws for the chosen attribute.
- If the creature has resistance, immunity, or vulnerability to a given damage type.
- If the creature has immunity to a given condition.
- The creature's current hit points.
- The creature's armor class.
- If the creature is proficient in a given skill.
- The total class levels of the creature, if any.
A creature that is immune to divination magic or that can't be perceived through magical scrying sensors is immune to this effect.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Reconstruct History
15th-level Oath of Lore feature
You become a master of old relics and of understanding how they function. You gain the following benefits:
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You can attune to up to four magic items at once.
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You ignore all class, race, spell, and level requirements for attuning to or using magic items.
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When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can choose to consume a spell scroll of 5th level or lower that is on your person to use your Divine Smite feature as though you had expended a spell slot of an equivalent level spell to the scroll's spell level.
Ageless Guardian
20th-level Oath of Lore feature
You can channel aspects of heroic figures from the past to embody their legendary deeds. As a bonus action, you can gain the following benefits for the next minute:
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You immediately gain 3 superiority dice when you activate this feature, and if you start your turn with 3 or fewer superiority dice, you gain one superiority die. Superiority dice gained this way disappear after this feature's duration ends.
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Whenever you roll a superiority die, you may roll it twice and choose the higher result.
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If you would be forced to make a saving throw, you can expend a superiority die by rolling it and adding it to the result of the save. You can choose to wait until after you roll the d20 before deciding to use the superiority die but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.
Art Credit
- Combat Professor - Andrey Kuzinskiy, Wizards of the Coast.
- Blade Historian - Cristi Balanescu, Wizards of the Coast.
- Thrilling Discovery - Campbell White, Wizards of the Coast.
Oath of Lore NPCs
The following stat blocks can be used to describe non-player character paladins who have taken the oath of lore or have abilities similar to a paladin with that oath. You can choose the stat block that best aligns with the power level of the NPC.
To further customize your NPC, apply the racial traits of whichever humanoid race you’ve chosen for it. You can also replace any of its known spells with spells of an equivalent level from the paladin spell list.
Field Historian
Medium humanoid (any race)
- Armor Class 19 (scale mail, shield, defense)
- Hit Points 60 (8d10+16)
- Speed 30ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3)
- Saving Throws Wis +3, Cha +4
- Skills History +2, Perception +2, Religion +2
- Senses passive Perception 12.
- Languages - any two languages
- Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Smite (1/Turn). When the historian hits a creature with a weapon attack, it can expend a 1st level spell slot to deal 2d8 radiant damage to the target
Disarming Attack (3/Short Rest) When the historian hits a creature with a weapon attack, it can attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of the historian's choice that it's holding. The historian adds 4 (1d8) to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a DC 13 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the chosen object. The object lands at the target's feet.
Actions
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands.
Spellcasting. The historian is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following paladin spells prepared:
1st level (3 slots): identify, comprehend languages, heroism, cure wounds, detect evil and good
Combat Professor
Medium humanoid (any race)
- Armor Class 20 (splint, shield, defense)
- Hit Points 119 (14d10+42)
- Speed 30ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3)
- Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7
- Skills History +9, Investigation + 6, Perception +4, Religion +6
- Senses passive Perception 12.
- Languages - any two languages
- Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4
Smite (1/Turn). When the professor hits a creature with a weapon attack, it can expend a 1st level spell slot to deal 2d8 radiant damage to the target. If the professor expends a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the extra damage increases by 1d8 for each level above 1st. (maximum 5d8).
Disarming Attack (3/Short Rest) When the professor hits a creature with a weapon attack, it can attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of the professor's choice that it's holding.
The professor adds 4 (1d8) to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the chosen object. The object lands at the target's feet.
Actions
Multiattack. The professor makes two longsword attacks.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage if used with two hands.
Spellcasting. The professor is a 11th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +8 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following professor spells prepared:
1st level (4 slots): identify, comprehend languages, heroism, cure wounds, detect evil and good
2nd level (3 slots): lesser restoration, locate object, magic mouth
3nd level (3 slots): crusader's mantle, tiny hut, speak with dead
Reactions
Riposte. When a creature misses the professor with a melee attack, the professor can make a melee weapon attack against that creature.
Art Credit
- Combat Professor - Andrey Kuzinskiy, Wizards of the Coast.
- Blade Historian - Cristi Balanescu, Wizards of the Coast.
- Thrilling Discovery - Campbell White, Wizards of the Coast.
- Osgir, the Reconstructor - Victor Adame Minguez, Wizards of the Coast.
- Lorehold Excavation - Jinho Bae, Wizards of the Coast.
1.0.0 Changes
- Public Release
1.0.1 Changes
- Public Release
Referenced Documents
- Oath of Lore 1.0.0
- Oath of Lore: NPCs 1.0.0