5e Corrupted Martyr (Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Conquest) - Edited

The idea of doing this came when a line I wrote in a fanfic sometime ago popped into my mind and I had to go look up the fanfic to see where I had used it.

"If she couldn't feel the light she could at least look at it from the darkness."

Edited: Mis-read the Paladin, thought they needed Wisdom for Spell save DCs, so altered the stats here a bit.

The inspiration for this theoretical is easily determined by the image to the side. Even if you are not a fan of the Fate/Stay-Night games, novels and anime, the image of a dark knight is pretty universal. The basic idea here is that the character was part of a group that destroyed (at least temporarily) a major artifact of evil. However, the character in question was up close to the artifact when it was ruptured and became flooded with the released essence of the evil within. 

Basically put, a layer of psychic and/or spiritual filth coats the character's mind and soul coloring everything that she perceives around her. Innocence is perceived as vapid blindness, caution as paranoid scrutiny and so forth. She isn't even capable of really remembering what positive emotions feel like, but she remembers that she used to know.

She has managed to find a work around, even if she can't directly experience positive emotions, she can logically conclude their existence by the negative emotions that she feels. When she feels shame and guilt over an act it is must obviously mean she cares about how the people that act would affect. As such, she tries to keep some semblance of honor and try to protect people as much as possible. She hopes to find that her effort will finish purifying the corruption from the artifact. Still, she can't help but operate from a certain level of brutality.

This is sort of my idea of a heroic or at least anti-heroic variation of the Oath of Conquest.

For this I am using my typical theoretical 30 pt array of 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10.

1st Level Fallen Aasimar Paladin

Str:15

Dex:10

Con: 13

Int:11

Wis: 12

Cha: 17

HP: 11

AC: 18
Save DC: 13

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +2

Darkvision 60 ft
Celestial Resistance
Healing Hands
Light Bearer
Necrotic Shroud

Angelic Guide: ???

Armor Proficiencies: All Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Celestial

Proficient Skills

Athletics (Soldier) +4
Insight (Paladin) +3
Intimidate (Soldier) +5
Medicine (Paladin) +3

Background: Soldier

Divine Sense
Lay on Hands (5)

Equipment
Heavy Mace (Warhammer stats)
Shield
Chain Mail
Five Javelins

Reasoning: Paladin has a lot of important Ability Scores, Strength and Charisma are very important, and Constitution is also important due to Hit Points. Fallen Aasimar gain +2 Charisma and +1 Strength, so I assigned the 14 to Strength, the 15 to Charisma and the 13 to Constitution. This gives me reasonably good stats in the three stats Paladins get the most use out of. Strength and Charisma will be the primary from this point. I have left her Angelic Guide a question since it might be that she was not an aasimar until after the event. It's possible she's only hearing a distorted version of her Angelic Guide's suggestions and advice.

2nd to 5th Level

2nd Level - Fighting Style: Dueling, Spellcasting, Divine Smite, +7 HP (18)

3rd Level - Sacred Oath: Conquest, Channel Divinity, +7 HP (25)

4th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +1 Str, +1 Con, +11 HP (36)

5th Level - Proficiency Bonus: +3, Extra Attack, +8 HP (44)

Reasoning: To be fair, I could easily do the same concept with an Oath of Vengeance, but one of the points here is to do a heroic version of Oath of Conquest. I went with the Dueling fighting style given the aggressive and brutal perspective that has been forced upon the character. This allows the heavy mace (warhammer stats) to deal on average close to the same amount of damage done by a two handed weapon while giving her the protection of shield.

5th Level Statistics

5th Level Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Conquest

Str:16

Dex:10

Con: 14

Int:11

Wis: 12

Cha: 17

HP: 44

AC: 18
Save DC: 14

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +3

Darkvision 60 ft
Celestial Resistance
Healing Hands
Light Bearer
Necrotic Shroud

Angelic Guide: ???

Armor Proficiencies: All Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Celestial

Proficient Skills

Athletics (Soldier) +6
Insight (Paladin) +4
Intimidate (Soldier) +6
Medicine (Paladin) +4

Background: Soldier

Divine Sense
Lay on Hands (25)
Fighting Style: Dueling
Spellcasting
Divine Smite
Sacred Oath: Oath of Conquest
Channel Divinity 1/Short or Long Rest
Conquering Strike
Guided Strike
Extra Attack

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 2 (2nd)

Spell Preparation: 5

1st Level Conquest Spells: Armor of Agathys, Command
2nd Level Conquest Spells: Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon

Equipment
Heavy Mace (Warhammer stats)
Shield
Chain Mail
Five Javelins

6th to 10th Level

6th Level - Aura of Protection, +8 HP (52)

7th Level - Aura of Conquest, +8 HP (60)

8th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Str, +8 HP (68)

9th Level - Proficiency Bonus +4, +8 HP (76)

10th Level - Aura of Courage, +8 HP (84)

Reasoning: There is only really one choice here, I considered as to whether to make it for Charisma or Strength but decided to go with Strength first. This sort of represents her still struggling with the vile aggression and cursed filth boiling within her.

 

 10th Level Statistics

10th Level Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Conquest

Str: 18

Dex:10

Con: 14

Int:11

Wis: 12

Cha: 17

HP: 84

AC: 18
Save DC: 15

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +4

Darkvision 60 ft
Celestial Resistance
Healing Hands
Light Bearer
Necrotic Shroud

Angelic Guide: ??? 

Armor Proficiencies: All Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Celestial

Proficient Skills

Athletics (Soldier) +8
Insight (Paladin) +5
Intimidate (Soldier) +7
Medicine (Paladin) +5

Background: Soldier

Divine Sense
Lay on Hands (50)
Fighting Style: Dueling
Spellcasting
Divine Smite
Sacred Oath: Oath of Conquest
Channel Divinity 1/Short or Long Rest
Conquering Strike
Guided Strike
Extra Attack
Aura of Protection
Aura of Conquest
Aura of Courage

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 2 (3rd)

Spell Preparation: 8

1st Level Conquest Spells: Armor of Agathys, Command
2nd Level Conquest Spells: Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon
3rd Level Conquest Spells: Bestow Curse, Fear

Equipment
Heavy Mace (Warhammer stats)
Shield
Chain Mail
Five Javelins

 

11th to 15th Level

11th Level - Improved Divine Strike, +8 HP (92)

12th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Cha, +8 HP (100)

13th Level - Proficiency Bonus +5, +8 HP (108)

14th Level - Cleansing Touch, +8 HP (116)

15th Level - Implacable Spirit, +8 HP (124)

Reasoning: Again, there's not much choice on the Paladin, but I decided to opt for increasing Charisma here to account her getting firmer control of herself and being able to focus her attention better externally.

15th Level Statistics

15th Level Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Conquest

Str: 18

Dex:10

Con: 14

Int:11

Wis: 12

Cha: 19

HP: 124

AC: 18
Save DC: 17

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +5

Darkvision 60 ft
Celestial Resistance
Healing Hands
Light Bearer
Necrotic Shroud

Angelic Guide: ??? 

Armor Proficiencies: All Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Celestial

Proficient Skills

Athletics (Soldier) +9
Insight (Paladin) +6
Intimidate (Soldier) +9
Medicine (Paladin) +6

Background: Soldier

Divine Sense
Lay on Hands (75)
Fighting Style: Dueling
Spellcasting
Improved Divine Smite
Sacred Oath: Oath of Conquest
Channel Divinity 1/Short or Long Rest
Conquering Strike
Guided Strike
Extra Attack
Aura of Protection
Aura of Conquest
Aura of Courage
Cleansing Touch
Implacable Spirit

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 3 (3rd) 2 (4th)

Spell Preparation: 11

1st Level Conquest Spells: Armor of Agathys, Command
2nd Level Conquest Spells: Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon
3rd Level Conquest Spells: Bestow Curse, Fear
4th Level Conquest Spells: Blight, Dominate Beast

Equipment
Heavy Mace (Warhammer stats)
Shield
Chain Mail
Five Javelins

16th to 20th Level

16th Level - Ability Score Improvement +2 Str, +8 HP (132)

17th Level - Proficiency Bonus +6, +8 HP (140)

18th Level - Aura Improvements, +8 HP (148)

19th Level - Ability Score Improvement: Tough, +46 HP (194)

20th Level - Invincible Conqueror, +10 HP (204)

Reasoning: I was vacillating between +2 Cha or Tough and eventually decided to go with Tough for the sheer number of hit points that it adds. I did make sure to get Strength to maximum however. Again, this theoretical is mostly fluff re-arrangement because there is very little choice involved in leveling a paladin. All the choice would come in the process of actually playing the character and what spells you regularly chose. In addition, the fact that Paladins are a bit MAD makes it really hard to tinker with a build coming off a 30 pt Ability Score selection.

20th Level Statistics

20th Level Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Conquest

Str: 20

Dex:10

Con: 14

Int:11

Wis: 12

Cha: 19

HP: 204

AC: 18
Save DC: 18

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +6

Darkvision 60 ft
Celestial Resistance
Healing Hands
Light Bearer
Necrotic Shroud

Angelic Guide: ??? 

Armor Proficiencies: All Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Celestial

Proficient Skills

Athletics (Soldier) +11
Insight (Paladin) +7
Intimidate (Soldier) +10
Medicine (Paladin) +7

Feat: Tough

Background: Soldier

Divine Sense
Lay on Hands (100)
Fighting Style: Dueling
Spellcasting
Improved Divine Smite
Sacred Oath: Oath of Conquest
Channel Divinity 1/Short or Long Rest
Conquering Strike
Guided Strike
Extra Attack
Improved Aura of Protection
Improved Aura of Conquest
Improved Aura of Courage
Cleansing Touch
Implacable Spirit
Invincible Conqueror

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 3 (3rd) 3 (4th) 2 (5th)

Spell Preparation: 14

1st Level Conquest Spells: Armor of Agathys, Command
2nd Level Conquest Spells: Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon
3rd Level Conquest Spells: Bestow Curse, Fear
4th Level Conquest Spells: Blight, Dominate Beast
5th Level Conquest Spells: Dominate Person, Insect Plague

Equipment
Heavy Mace (Warhammer stats)
Shield
Chain Mail
Five Javelins

Some 5e Builds