The Oath of the Ancients is as old as the race of elves and the rituals of the druids. Paladins who swear this oath cast their lot with the side of the light in the cosmic struggle against darkness because they love the beautiful and life-giving things of the world, not necessarily because they believe in principles of honor, courage, and justice. They adorn their armor and clothing with images of growing things-leaves, antlers, or flowers-to reflect their commitment to preserving life and light in the world.
The tenets of the Oath of the Ancients have been preserved for uncounted centuries. This oath emphasizes the principles of good above any concerns of law or chaos. Its four central principles are simple.
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.
At 3rd level, you gain the following spells. They do not count against your spells prepared, and count as paladin spells for you. You only gain the spells when you have spell slots for them. The spells are listed by their spell level.
1st Level: Ensnaring Strike, Speak with Animals
2nd Level: Moonbeam, Misty Step
3rd Level: Plant Growth, Protection from Energy
4th Level: Ice Storm, Stoneskin
5th Level: Commune with Nature, Tree Stride
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Nature's Wrath. You can use your Channel Divinity to invoke primeval forces to ensnare a foe. As an action, you can cause spectral vines to spring up and reach for each creature within 15 feet of you that you can see. The creatures must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute. While restrained by the vines, the creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success, it frees itself and the vines vanish.
Turn the Faithless. You can use your Channel Divinity to utter ancient words that are painful for fey and fiends to hear. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and each fey or fiend within 30 feet of you that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature 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.
If the creature's true form is concealed by an illusion, shapeshifting, or other effect, that form is revealed while it is turned.
At 7th level, you gain an additional option for your aura.
Aura of Warding. You and your allies within your aura have resistance to necrotic, psychic, and radiant damage.
Starting at 15th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points and are not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead, and regain a number of hit points equal to three times your paladin level. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Additionally, you suffer none of the drawbacks of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age.
At 20th level, you can imbue your aura with primal power, granting you the following benefits for 1 minute:
Enemies within your aura have disadvantage on saving throws against your spells and channel divinity options.
At the start of each of your turns, you regain 10 hit points.
Whenever you cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, you can cast it using a bonus action instead.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a 5th-level spell slot to use it again.