Paladin Week: New Sacred Oaths
image credit: Michael Phillippi, from the Stormwrack D&D 3.5e supplement
A paladin that takes the oath of the seas is a protector of the ocean and all its inhabitants and visitors. In a broader sense, the paladin also believes in clarity, purity, and freedom: all aspects of the blessed water of the River Oceanus that runs through the good-aligned Outer Planes. Such paladins often worship sea deities and either work in service of their temples or go on quests over the seas and in coastal towns.
This knight of the waves has abilities that deal with water, ice, storms, and sea creatures. While suited for seaborne campaigns, they also can be an asset in less ocean-focused games. They have many ways to affect combat without even a drop of water in sight, and are actually quite versatile. That said, they can use their Channel Divinity abilities to bring the ocean to them if need be.
I am tranquil as the ocean and do not let my emotions interfere with my divine mission.
Those who threaten the freedoms granted by the sea, or the freedoms of others, must be stopped.
Travelers, especially those of the sea, deserve your kindness and protection.
Evil can and must be cleansed like water to a wound.
Channel Divinity: You gain the following two Channel Divinity options:
Call Storm: You cause wind, rain, hail, and fog to fill a 20 ft. radius area for 1 minute. Creatures in the area treat it as difficult terrain and take 1d6 bludgeoning damage when they start their turn in the area.
Call Water: You summon a mass of water equal to about 4 five-foot cubes or about a 8 spaces of waist-deep water, causing difficult terrain. At higher levels you can call more water. At level 9, you summon 9 five-foot cubes of water, or 18 spaces of waist-deep water. At level 16, you summon 16 five-foot cubes of water, or 32 spaces of waist-deep water.
Aspect of the Seas: At 7th level, you can call upon different aspects of the sea. You can change which aspect you invoke using an Action. The aspect remains active as long as you are conscious. Aspects that require saving throws have a DC equal to your spell save DC.
Crashing Wave Aspect: The force of your attacks have a chance to knock enemies backward. Creatures you hit with melee attacks must make a STR saving throw or be knocked backward 5 ft. Your attempts to Shove creatures away from you shove them 10 ft. away instead of 5 ft. while this aspect is active.
Dire Current Aspect: You cause a creature to feel a strong force pulling them towards you. At the start of each of your turns, choose a creature you can see within 60 ft. of you. That creature has their movement speed doubled when moving toward you and halved when moving away from you.
Whipping Winds Aspect: You gain the benefits of a Warding Wind spell (Elemental Evil) with a smaller radius encircling only your space.
Tempest Aspect: Your weapon becomes a +1 weapon crackling with electricity. Critical hits strike your foe with a bolt of lightning, dealing a bonus 1d8 lightning damage to the creature hit, as well as 1d8 thunder damage to all enemies within a 10 ft. radius of the creature hit. Such a lightning bolt can be heard for up to a 240 ft. radius.
Tide Master Aspect: You can breathe underwater, gain a swim speed equal to your movement speed +10, and do not have disadvantage on melee attacks when fighting underwater.
Seafriend: At 15th level, you can cast Animal Friendship and Speak with Animals on sea creatures at will. You also gain the ability to cast Find Familiar but only to summon a crab, fish, octopus, or sea horse familiar.
Wrath of the Ocean Gods: At 20th level, you can create magical tentacles that you can control. Eight tentacles erupt from the ground, walls, and/or ceiling at locations you designate, taking up about a five-foot space in diameter each. When you use this ability, each tentacle attempts to grapple a Large or smaller creature within 15 ft. of it that you designate the turn that they appear. The tentacles each have a grapple bonus equal to your proficiency bonus + your CHA modifier + 2. A grappled creature becomes restrained and can only end the effect with a successful grapple check on its turn. The tentacles remain for up to 1 minute using your concentration. You may use your bonus action to command up to three of the tentacles to either make a grapple attempt against a creature within 15 ft. or to constrict a grappled creature, dealing 4d6+your CHA modifier damage.
image credit: Dragonknight by notLeon
