Oath of the Ancients

Oath of the Ancients is one of the Subclasses of Paladin. These Paladins have a deep connection with the natural world and the light within it.

“

You fight on the side of light in the cosmic struggle against darkness to preserve the sanctity of life and the beauty of nature.

„

Subclass features

This subclass obtains all the features from its base class, Paladin, in addition to its unique features outlined below.

Level 1

 Oath of the Ancients Tenets

Here is the full text of the Oath of the Ancients. For more details, see Oaths and Oathbreaking.

“

Kindle the Light. Through your acts of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness, kindle the light of hope in the world, beating back despair.

Shelter the Light. Where there is good, beauty, love, and laughter in the world, stand against the wickedness that would swallow it. Where life flourishes, stand against the forces that would render it barren.

Preserve Your Own Light. Delight in song and laughter, in beauty and art. If you allow the light to die in your own heart, you can’t preserve it in the world.

Be the Light. Be a glorious beacon for all who live in despair. Let the light of your joy and courage shine forth in all your deeds.

„

 Healing Radiance

Channel Oath

Heal yourself and all nearby allies for Proficiency Bonus + Paladin Level + Charisma Modifierhit points hit points. Regain another Proficiency Bonus + Paladin Level + Charisma Modifierhit points hit points next turn.

Level 3

 Nature's Wrath

Channel Oath

Invoke primeval forces to restrain an enemy. Attacks on restrained enemies have Advantage

 Turn the Faithless

Channel Oath

Channel your Oath using ancient words to  Turn nearby Fey and Fiends.

Oath Spells

You gain additional spells from your oath. They are Always Prepared.

•  Speak with Animals 
•  Ensnaring Strike 

Level 5

Oath Spells

You gain additional spells from your oath. They are Always Prepared.

•  Misty Step
•  Moonbeam 

Level 7

 Aura of Warding

You and any nearby allies have Resistance to damage from spells. The aura disappears if you fall Unconscious.

Level 9

Oath Spells

You gain additional spells from your oath. They are Always Prepared.

•  Protection from Energy 
•  Plant Growth

Oathbreaking actions

This section details actions which cause Paladins to break the Oath of the Ancients.

Global

• Killing someone non-hostile, even by "accident" (e.g., an NPC steps into an area-of-effect spell, such as Moonbeam or Spike Growth, and dies). This includes the petrified drow in the underdark
• Actions that guards do not like, or add the Witness status, appear to cause a broken Oath; even attacking Duergar in Grymforge after offering to free the deep gnomes has caused this.
  • Starting combat via conversational choices rather than attacking directly often prevents this from breaking the oath
• Shoving someone to their death also counts as breaking the Oath. This sometimes also includes evil characters, such as Assassins of Bhaal in Orin's arena.

Act 1

Roadside Cliffs

• Attacking Damays and Nymessa (tieflings who guard trapped Lae'zel) by any means, including options that occur through the dialogue
• As The Dark Urge, chopping off Gale's hand at the point of his possible recruitment

Emerald Grove/The Hollow

• When the Shadow Druids reveal themselves, telling Kagha the player character won't stand in her way
• Prodding the wing of the Exhausted Bird. As The Dark Urge, this option runs as "Tear her wings off".
• As The Dark Urge, breaking Pandirna's legs

Forest

• Killing the Owlbear Cub after killing its mother.

Sunlit Wetlands/Putrid Bog

• Attacking Auntie Ethel in her house prior to starting an automated dialogue
• Succumbing to Auntie Ethel's will while wearing a Whispering Mask
• Trading an eye to Auntie Ethel in exchange for a cure
• Using the Bitter Divorce wand to resurrect Connor Vinderblad after defeating Auntie Ethel
• Making a deal with Auntie Ethel to let her escape

Goblin Camp

• Revealing the location of the Emerald Grove to Minthara, either showing her or allowing her to read the player character's thoughts
• In Worg Pens, choosing to attack Halsin while he is still in bear form, throwing a rock at him, or leaving him to the goblins' mercy

Risen Road

• Killing Anders (the false Paladin of Tyr at The Risen Road Toll House) without first talking with him, even if a fight began due to a failed pickpocket

Rosymorn Monastery/Creche Y'llek

• Killing Varrl, when he refuses to spar with the character. Failing the roll to stab him non-fatally will also break the Oath
• As The Dark Urge, kicking the Githyanki Egg off the cliffside when talking to Lady Esther

Underdark

• Allowing Nere kill the enslaved deep gnomes after he is freed from the cave-in
• Siding with Nere against Elder Brithvar and duergar rebels
• In Ebonlake Grotto, siding with Sovereign Glut and help it defeat Sovereign Spaw
• Killing a spore servant that created when Glut has joined the party during the Defeat the Duergar Intruders quest
• Killing any of the petrified drow near the Selunite Outpost while they are still encased in stone
• As The Dark Urge, throwing Baelen's bag in the midst of spores at the bibberbang field

Camp

• As The Dark Urge, after killing Alfira, choosing to "admire this beautiful death"

Act 2

Shadow-Cursed Lands

• During the Punish the Wicked quest, ordering Madeline, or calling her a coward and denying her forgiveness
• When first talking to Dolly Thrice, turning the mechanism of the Moonlantern, causing her pain
  • OR Choosing to leave the pixie inside the Moonlantern, ignoring her plea
  • OR, as The Dark Urge, releasing the pixie from the Moonlantern, then catching and crushing her

Last Light Inn

• Encouraging Mol to sign a contract with Raphael, or praising her ambitiousness also breaks the Oath
• Siding with Marcus when he attempts to kidnap Isobel
• As The Dark Urge, reveal the player character's depravity to the Strange Ox

Moonrise Towers

• Letting Questioners Jasin and Sumera wipe Minthara’s mind
  • OR Taking part in the execution and erasing her (as The Dark Urge, the "Make her NOTHING" option)
• Convincing Acolyte Marls to jump from the pier
• As The Dark Urge, speaking with Steelclaw and trying to remember what the player character did previously

Gauntlet of Shar

• In the Shadowfell, letting Balthazar take Aylin to deliver her to Ketheric Thorm
• Letting Shadowheart kill Aylin
  • OR Attacking and killing Aylin (if Shadowheart is not in the party)

Camp

• As The Dark Urge, killing the player character's partner instead of Isobel

Act 3

Rivington

• Trying to intimidate Ben Golewits and his family into leaving Arfur Gregorio's mansion (regardless of roll result)
• Providing the newborn mind flayer in the Abandoned Windmill basement with a dead body to feed
• As The Dark Urge, revealing the player character's depravity to the Strange Ox

Wyrm's Crossing/Wyrm's Rock Fortress

• Agreeing to take gold from Arfur Gregorio to 'forget' about rigged toys he donated for refugees
• Accepting Gortash's proposal of alliance at the ordaining ceremony
• Bringing Wulbren's head to Manip Falcäo
• Killing the jailers in Wyrm's Rock Prison ^{[Needs Verification]}

Lower City

• In front of Sorcerous Sundries, inviting Aradin to try and kidnap Aylin from the camp
• At the Abandoned Cistern, after defeating doppelgangers, agreeing with the Emperor when it insists on killing Minsc, OR attacking and killing him directly
• Letting Viconia DeVir live after defeating her in the Cloister of Sombre Embrace
• Letting Astarion to complete the Rite of Profane Ascension
  • OR, Convincing him not to ascend, but then deciding to set free the imprisoned spawn
• As The Dark Urge, at the Graveyard burying Bugthimble alive
• As The Dark Urge, accepting Bhaal's gift and blessings

External links

Oath of the Ancients on the Forgotten Realms Wiki