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Paladins in Dungeons & Dragons are holy warriors – champions devoted to upholding their Oaths, each uniquely aligning to values like justice, compassion, honor, and duty. 

However, even the most virtuous Paladins may fall from grace, abandoning their sacrosanct tenets to walk a sinister path. These fallen knights become Oathbreaker Paladins.

Oathbreaker Paladins offer players darkly unique options compared to heroic Paladin subclasses like Devotion or Ancients. By breaking faith with their guiding principles, they unlock taboo powers over death and undeath unavailable to other Paladins. From controlling undead thralls to sowing despair, Oathbreaker abilities encourage morally complex approaches to any campaign.

And that’s what is so fun about exploring the Oathbreaker Paladin’s character experience. For players seeking nuanced stories of corruption, atonement, or embracing the shadows, the Oathbreaker Paladin provides a satisfying narrative choice. 

To help you determine how best to build your Oathbreaker Paladin (or how to journey with a fellow fallen knight), let’s look at the key abilities and strategies of D&D’s darkened holy warriors.

Fallen Knights of Ruin

Unlike inherently sinister classes like necromancers or death clerics, Oathbreaker Paladins arise when typically virtuous, holy warriors turn from their righteous path. 

Perhaps an Oath of Devotion Paladin loses faith after tragedy befalls innocent lives they couldn't save. Or an Oath of Vengeance Paladin becomes obsessed with their target, justifying any depraved means to destroy their foe.

Whatever the reason, these fallen Paladins forsake their former order and guiding tenets. Their divine powers transform to reflect their new broken faith and desire for revenge. Rather than embodying grace and healing, the forsaken abilities of an Oathbreaker tap into darkness - channeling necrotic energy, controlling undead minions, and invoking despair.

This narrative descent into sinister powers makes the Oathbreaker different from other standard villainous classes. Players must navigate reconciling their character's former noble intentions with their newly embraced wickedness. Done well, this moral complexity creates fantastic roleplaying potential. 

But the darker transformation also risks dangerous megalomania without proper checks….

Signature Abilities of Broken Faith

The Oathbreaker Paladin's capabilities capture their shattered virtue and newfound shadow powers. Their key features include:

Aura of Hate: The Paladin projects a baleful aura empowering allies' attacks while weakening foes. This reflects the Oathbreaker radiating spite and malice.

Dread Lord: The Paladin gains the ability to effortlessly control and command undead servants. Amassing a retinue of skeletal and zombie thralls is a signature of the fallen Oathbreaker.

Supernatural Resistance: Dark blessings allow the Oathbreaker to shrug off charm and fright effects. This resilience channels their singular drive and willingness to employ any wicked means.

Dreadful Aspect: When unleashing their wrath, the Paladin transforms - with glowing eyes, an overpowering voice, and a necrotic miasma. This channels their righteous fury into a nightmarish visage.

These core abilities underscore the Oathbreaker's simmering rancor and mastery over darker magical forces. Used judiciously or in excess, they can enable completely unique Paladin playstyles for players willing to embrace shadowy powers.

Rules of the Fallen

While their grim powers seem tailored to evil, Oathbreaker Paladins need not be villainous characters. Their moral flexibility allows for nuanced approaches beyond straightforward heroism or villainy. Perhaps an Oathbreaker seeks to use their undead thralls for good ends. Or their dread powers could intimidate tyrants into relinquishing power for the greater good.

However, the subclass poses clear temptations towards wickedness without proper checks. If channeling necrotic energies, commanding undead legions, and invoking terror become too intoxicating, Oathbreaker Paladins risk becoming death-obsessed tyrants themselves.

Thankfully, the broad alignment definitions in fifth edition D&D accommodate complex approaches. Oathbreakers can retain honor, kindness and even love while utilizing darkness against greater evils. But players should still consider personal limitations that keep corruption at bay.

Ultimately, while their powers invite wickedness, Oathbreaker Paladins have no alignment restrictions. So players retain full freedom to decide what nobility or principles, if any, their fallen knight retains even as they embrace death's power. The path ahead is yours to define.

Tips for Mastering the Powers of the Fallen

Oathbreaker Paladins have access to unique abilities that enable them to employ deadly tactics on the battlefield. Here are some key tips to maximize their potential:

Build Your Undead Thrall Army

As a Dread Lord, aggressively utilize your Control Undead ability to amass a large force of undead servants. Skeletons and zombies make perfect cannon fodder to shield yourself and other fighters. Place them on the front lines to absorb damage. Larger undead like wights, mummies, and vampires can be positioned as elite guards to flank and ambush priority targets.

Weaponize Your Aura of Hate

The Oathbreaker's baleful aura weakens enemies while strengthening allies. Use this to soften up dangerous melee attackers before they reach your lines. The aura also reduces the accuracy of enemy archers and spellcasters by half - forcing them to waste attacks and spells. Meanwhile, your undead and other evil-aligned companions will hit harder within the aura's radius.

Channel Devastating Dread

When clusters of enemies form, unleash the Oathbreaker's Dreadful Aspect - complete with glowing eyes, booming voice, and an awful miasma. Follow up immediately with an explosive fireball or insect plague spells to maximize damage across their disoriented ranks. The few survivors will be highly demoralized.

Resist Manipulation

Rely on your Supernatural Resistance when confronting charming enemies like vampires, hags, and fey. Breaking their beguilement effects denies them potential pawns. This is key to retaining autonomy.

Set Ethical Limitations

While devoted to darkness, retain some empathy, principle, or emotional connection as an ethical North Star to avoid descending into evil megalomania, keeping your moral compass intact. Perhaps you fight on behalf of oppressed minorities or retain devotion for certain companions that represent some lingering goodness.

Lead Your Oathbreaker's Journey on Roll20

As we've seen, the Oathbreaker Paladin offers a uniquely complex character journey by embracing former heroes' falls from grace into shadow. Now it's time to guide your own aspiring dark champion's ascent (or descent) across your D&D campaigns.

Using Roll20's digital tabletop system and community, bringing an Oathbreaker Paladin and their unhallowed powers to life has never been more immersive. 

• Effortlessly manage their abilities like Control Undead or Dreadful Aspect with integrated character sheets.
• Populate gorgeous battle maps with legions of skeletal soldiers ready to do your fallen knight's bidding using intuitive tokens, guaranteed to strike dread in your gaming group.
• Select awesomely dark fantasy artwork for your personalized Oathbreaker from Roll20's image libraries. 
• And lean into rich roleplaying moments as your corrupted paladin walks the knife's edge between light and shadow across your epic adventures!

Whether newly forsaking your Oaths or long embracing wickedness, the time has come to lead a charismatically complex Oathbreaker Paladin onwards into darkness and ultimate destiny. So gather close your party and begin the journey ahead. Adventure and power await any brave enough to follow the call of the broken...now let's log onto Roll20 and play!

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