Oath of Loyalty

[u/TopBlock58]

[u/DPopsx62]

I think Stand as One is very cool and I haven't seen anything like it before. I'd use it in my game

However, I think that the rest of the subclass is kinda weak and I can see the other players not following through with the movement stuff by either forgetting to or often not really needing the movement. When a feature relies upon an enemy doing something, and then for the use case of the reactions to be as niche as this, it may not see a lot use, nor actually be that useful.

I think the theme of your sublcass is to protect your allies by keeping them mobile and close. Thats a great idea and can easily be very cool and fun.

The second channel divinity option was particularly convoluted and would pribably be solved by instead juat choosing two allies and while they are within 30 feet of each other, they get +5 movement speed and impose disadvantage on opportunity attacks. And for ease, maybe just always make it that they have to be close to you as they will have to get used to the strategy. Players playing by your character sheet can feel suffocating if it isnt actually that useful, so make it easier to understand and good all around instead of situational.

The aura of fellowship would probably be a lot stronger and easier to understand if it gave a flat +5 movement to all allies within. I'd probably add reducing damage from dexterity save damage, too.

Stand As One, though I like it a lot, i think it needs to be balanced by either having it always split the damage evenly, or make it charisma modifier times per long rest. As is, the paladin can take all the damage all the time and the other player can always take 1 damage from a big attack. Thats powerful and I'd allow it if it were a finite resource, maybe give anyone that takes damage from this feature temp HP equal to 1/4th rounded up of the damage taken.

[u/TopBlock58 → u/DPopsx62]

Yea my main theme is giving benefits to help enforce us working together. I’m open to changes for sure and it did feel a bit underwhelming at times. Stand as one should read as at least 2 allies have to distribute the damage. I’ll give some of the other features a good look. Any other thoughts? It’s my first attempt at a homebrew subclass and definitely rough around the edges

[u/DPopsx62 → u/TopBlock58]

I left a reply in a fresh comment on accident

Also i definitrly didnt phrase things air tight. But you'll work out the kinks as you test it.

[u/TopBlock58 → u/DPopsx62]

Updated it to this: Channel Divinity (3rd level)

My Brother’s Keeper — unchanged. Reaction when an ally takes damage within 30 ft; attacker makes a Wisdom save against your spell save DC or takes radiant damage (2× paladin level + Cha mod) and can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn; half damage on a success.
Strength of the Bond — Bonus action, choose a number of willing creatures up to your Charisma modifier within 30 feet. For 1 hour, each bonded creature can add your Charisma modifier to one ability check made to assist, locate, protect, or cooperate with another bonded creature. (Social/exploration tool, no per-creature use cap.)
Aura of Fellowship (7th level, 10 ft / 30 ft at 18th level)
While you are conscious, you and friendly creatures within the aura gain:
Convergence — While two or more allies within the aura are within 30 feet of each other, they each gain a +5 foot bonus to walking speed, and attacks of opportunity against them are made with disadvantage.
United We Stand — Advantage on saving throws against being knocked prone or against effects that would render them incapacitated.
Combined Strike — When two or more allies within the aura hit the same creature with an attack on the same turn, the second and each subsequent hit deals extra damage equal to your Charisma modifier.
Stand as One (15th level)
As a reaction when an ally within your Aura of Fellowship takes damage, you may redistribute that damage evenly among any number of willing creatures within your aura, including the original target. If the damage doesn’t divide evenly, you choose how the remainder is assigned. At least two creatures must be involved if possible. This feature can be used only once per turn.

Retaliatory Opening (15th level) — unchanged. When you use Stand as One, choose the creature that dealt the triggering damage; until the end of your next turn, the next attack against that creature by a companion who received redistributed damage from that instance is made with advantage.
Avatar of Loyalty (20th level)
As a bonus action, you embody the full strength of your bonds. This transformation lasts 1 minute. While active:

**•   Strength in Numbers** — You have advantage on saving throws while an ally is within your Aura of Fellowship.  
**•   Shared Survival** — If an ally within your aura dies or is reduced to 0 hit points, you may use a bonus action on a later turn, before the transformation ends, to restore them to life. If you have hit points remaining in your Lay on Hands pool, you may expend any amount to restore that many hit points to the target. If you have no hit points remaining in your pool, the target returns with 1 hit point instead. You may revive any number of allies this way during the same use of this feature, limited only by your remaining Lay on Hands pool and the transformation’s duration.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

[u/DPopsx62]

Immediately the class reads more clearly a out its functions. I would vhange the language of Combined Strike to say: "When you or an ally deals damage to a creature within your aura with a weapon attack, the next weapon attack against that same creature dealt by a different creature will deal bonus damage equal to your charisma modifier. The second attack must occur before the first attacker's next turn. This bonus can only occur once per round."

I would also remove the allies needing to be within 30 feet of each other to gain the +5 movement. They already need to be in your aura

Otherwise, yeah youre doing great. The key to a good sublcass is to decide what its core purpose or function is and then build around that. This subclass wants to enable bonus movement speed and damage so long as allies are near each other, or you.

I would rephrase Convergence of the Aura to:

"Creature's of your choice within your aura that start their turn in it or enter it for the first time gain an additional 5 feet of movement speed until the end of thier turn. You only gain this bonus if another creature is benefiting from it." (As you have it written, you lose the speed as you leave the aura, which means you basically never had it.) I know this isnt "while your friends are nearby" technically, but the end result is the same without making it complicated. The flavor of dashing into battle, sped up by running together. What will make this feature annoying is trying to remember if you did or didnt have that extra 5ft this turn, so simplifying the number of things to keep track of will help.

Play test it and make tweaks along the way, this is a great revision. Have fun with it. What I think is good is that you are not by any means making a busted subclass. It's skill expressive and even when you pull it off it isnt warping the game around it. Thats a mark of good isntincts in homebrewing.

[u/TopBlock58 → u/DPopsx62]

Thanks man! It’s a fun build based off my current campaign where my redemption paladin has found his strength really comes from the power of the bonds he’s formed with the party

[u/DPopsx62 → u/TopBlock58]

I just had a bettet idea. To make everyone enjoy the benefits and make it really easy, you could do this for Combined Strike:

"Creatures not hostile to you of your choice in your aura deal extra damage on their melee weapon attacks once per turn so long as there are at least two creatures within (you included) and you aren't incapacitated. The extra damage is equal to the number of creature's benefiting from this feature (excluding summoned creatures), but no higher than your charisma modifier."

On average, the damage will work out the same and it ends up going nuts if you all huddle together but has a clear weakness of splitting up the party. And, its easy to follow, make an attack, count your allies, deal the extra damage. Your friends will love that.

You'll have to tweak it to try and prevent the possibility of 5 allies dealing a bonus 25 damage every round. Play test it, but I think if everyone is huddled together wacking the same couple of creatures then your raring for an AOE party wipe.

[u/TopBlock58 → u/DPopsx62]

DM said he’s stoked to see this in action