Paragon
A human hums a carol in a language that soothes the air around him in spite of his raspy voice. His friends feel relieved and go to sleep wrapped in the warmth of the campfire. A tiefling lifts his arms up high, screaming a prayer from scripture, while her friends try to brave the searing winds. Her loud words of devotion strengthen them against the blaze. Through the arched marble gateway of the divine cathedral, a stranger walks in. As he approaches the altar surrounded by clerics, the temple abides his will and becomes his domain.
A human hums a carol in a language that soothes the air around him in spite of his raspy voice. His friends feel relieved and go to sleep wrapped in the warmth of the campfire.
A tiefling lifts his arms up high, screaming a prayer from scripture, while her friends try to brave the searing winds. Her loud words of devotion strengthen them against the blaze.
Through the arched marble gateway of the divine cathedral, a stranger walks in. As he approaches the altar surrounded by clerics, the temple abides his will and becomes his domain.
Paragons are those who dedicate their lives to the holy and the sacred. Although they are not spellcasters like clerics and paladins, they gain the power to wield the language of the gods themselves, and they become more and more like their deities as they become more powerful. Their devotion is unquestionable and their dedication, unbreakable.
Absolute Devotion
Clerics have access to their deities’ domains and can cast spells or create wonders through them. Paladins live by tenets and make oaths to their gods, empowering themselves through martial practices and faith. Paragons, on the other hand, are a result of an unnatural level of devotion.
Becoming a paragon requires years of training. They are not spellcasters, and they do not acquire magical powers easily. Throughout the challenging years of training, they have their faith alone to sustain and protect them.
In their training, they are tested over and over again. When said training is complete, they become paragons; the very best of their clergy. Only then are their bodies and souls ready to learn the mystic realities of godly powers. At this point, they start to learn Sacred Language; the language of all things holy, and gain the ability to transform into an Avatar, becoming a reflection of their deity.
As a paragon becomes their deity’s complete reflection, they are almost incorruptible, which makes them terrifying in the eyes of all evil. They carry the divine within. They are the very representation of those for whom only the most devoted can even dream to speak.
Methodology and Dedication
The paths, methods, and goals of paragons may vary greatly, but they all share one common aspect; intolerance against heretics. Whether they are greatsword-wielding paragons in their golden glistening armor, prophets who can bend the will of all with mere words, or mystics whose books can reveal the most hard-to-find, hidden secrets about the vilest of enemies, paragons live to root out all evil. This drive pushes them to wander the world in search of adventure and glory.
Creating a Paragon
While creating a paragon character, think about the character style you want to play. Unlike many other classes, paragons have a variety of Orders as opposed to archetypes. If you want to wield weapons and be a close combatant, you may enjoy playing a paragon of the Order of Valor. If you want to talk to the masses and affect your enemies with your voice, Order of the Voice is for you. Or, if you want to be an expert about your enemies’ weaknesses and powers, and be a scholar of religious knowledge, you would do well to choose the Order of Reason.
Paragons can have various goals in life that may or may not be related to their orders. No matter which order you choose for your paragon character, your unwavering will and devotion form the foundation of your powers. Being a paragon is merely a tool for your faith, the eternal and the perpetual.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Avatar Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Sacred Language (Carol), Avatar Form | 1 |
| 2nd | +2 | 2 | |
| 3rd | +2 | Divine Order, Sacred Language (Invective) | 3 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 |
| 5th | +3 | 3 | |
| 6th | +3 | 4 | |
| 7th | +3 | Sacred Language (Confession) | 4 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 |
| 9th | +4 | 5 | |
| 10th | +4 | 6 | |
| 11th | +4 | Sacred Haven | 6 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 |
| 13th | +5 | Sacred Language (Prayer) | 6 |
| 14th | +5 | 7 | |
| 15th | +5 | Sacred Haven Improvement | 7 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 |
| 17th | +6 | 8 | |
| 18th | +6 | Sacred Haven Improvement | 8 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 |
| 20th | +6 | The Prophet | 10 |
Quick Build
You can make a paragon quickly by following these suggestions. First, the DC of your avatar features is determined by your Charisma modifier, and it should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution depending on your Order and play style. Second, choose the Blessed Child background.
Class Features
As a paragon, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d10 per paragon level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per paragon level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a quarterstaff or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a priest’s pack or (b) a scholar’s pack
- Padded armor and a holy symbol
Sacred Language
You know Sacred Language, the secret language of paragons. You can speak and read the language but are prohibited from using it in writing. Only holy texts are written in Sacred Language, which you are free to read, but must never attempt to write. A paragon that writes in Sacred Language is forced to abandon this class, loses all of its connection to its deity and its ability to speak, understand, read, and write Sacred Language.
Sacred Language is a magical language that cannot be understood or deciphered by the use of magic. Uttering the tongue aloud has certain effects on reality, some of which paragons use. You gain the following features.
Carol. You sing a carol in Sacred Language for 1 minute at the beginning of a long rest. When you do so, all friendly creatures that can hear you can complete the long rest in 4 hours instead of 8.
Invective. Starting at 3rd level, you can harm your enemies by insulting them in Sacred Language. As an action, you choose a creature within 60 feet of you that can hear you and insult it. The target takes 1d4 + 1 thunder damage. This damage increases by 1d4 + 1 when you reach 6th level (2d4 + 2), 12th level (3d4 + 3), and 18th level (4d4 + 4) in this class.
Confession. At 7th level, you gain the ability to force the truth out of someone. As an action, you ask a creature within 10 feet of you a question that the creature can understand. The creature must answer the question truthfully or take 2d6 damage of the type that is the most harmful to the target at that moment; determined by the GM. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points by this damage, it dies. The target creature becomes aware of the dangers of this feature immediately after it is used. If the target is not able to answer the question or doesn’t know the answer, this feature has no effect. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Prayer. At 13th level, you learn how to protect your allies from harm with powerful prayers. As an action, you start praying. Your prayer can last up to 1 minute, which requires you to maintain concentration as if you are concentrating on a spell. For the duration of your prayer, your allies within 60 feet of you gain resistance to a damage type of your choosing.
Avatar Form
Starting when you choose this class at 1st level, you can tap into the energies granted by the deities of good that are channeled through you. Using these energies, you become what many believers wish for you to be. On your turn, you can take a bonus action to assume avatar form. You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
You can stay in your avatar form for 1 minute, then you automatically revert to your normal form. You can also refuse to revert to your original form and force yourself to sustain your avatar form, risking fatigue. If you do so, you can stay in your avatar form for an additional number of rounds equal to 4 plus your Constitution modifier, but when you revert to your normal form, you suffer a level of exhaustion. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action. You revert to your normal form automatically if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.
At 1st level, your avatar form has one feature of your choice from the avatar features list. You gain additional avatar features of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the avatar features column of the paragon table.
Avatar Features
At certain levels, you pick avatar features if you meet the prerequisites. Some of these features grant benefits that you gain only when you assume avatar form, while some of them grant permanent benefits. If you gain a benefit only when you assume avatar form, it says “Avatar Form Only” before the benefit. You can change one of your previously chosen avatar features with a new one when you gain a level in this class.
If any of the following features require a creature to make a saving throw against you, the DC is equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. Also, if a feature does not state that it requires any type of action to take effect, it automatically takes effect when you assume avatar form if you choose that the feature do so, and you continue to benefit from the feature so long as you remain in avatar form. If a feature lets you cast a spell, it does so in the casting time of the spell unless stated otherwise. There can be exceptions to these rules, and these exceptions are stated in specific features.
Avatar’s Invective
You shout an insult in Sacred Language filled with the anger of your deity. The Invective feature deals an additional 1 damage. This additional damage becomes 2 when you reach 12th level in this class.
Avatar Form Only. The Invective feature deals an additional 1d4 damage. This additional damage becomes 2d4 when you reach 12th level in this class.
Eyes of the Arcane
An arcane presence fills your mind and grants you magical insight. You can cast detect magic at will. Avatar Form Only. You gain the benefits of the detect magic spell (requiring no concentration).
Eyes of the Witness
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. If you have Darkvision, the range increases to 90 feet.
Avatar Form Only. Your eyes turn into mirrors. You can see through nonmagical materials within 60 feet of you that would normally block your vision. This feature allows you to see through up to 3 feet of material that light can’t pass through.
Hands of the Holy
Your hands glow with destructive energies. You gain a special ranged spell attack that deals 1d8 fire, lightning, or radiant damage. You choose the damage type when you take this feature. The range of the attack is 90 feet, and the spell attack modifier of the attack equals your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. The damage of the spell attack increases when you reach certain levels in this class; at 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), 17th level (4d8).
Avatar Form Only. Your weapon attacks deal an extra 1d4 f ire, lightning, or radiant damage. The damage type is the same as the one you chose above. This feature can be selected up to three times, selecting a different damage type each time.
Into the Fray
While you are moving towards a fiend or undead that you can see, your speed increases by 10 feet.
Avatar Form Only. You can use your bonus action to take the Dash action while there is a fiend or undead within 30 feet of you.
Rain of Molten Gold
As an action, you conjure a globe of molten gold in your hand and throw it in the air. It erupts into thousands of droplets and rains down on your enemies. Choose a target within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 1d4 fire plus 1d4 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The number of targets you can choose increases when you reach certain levels in this class; at 5th level (2), 11th level (3), 17th level (4).
Avatar Form Only. On each of your turns, you can use your bonus action to make molten gold rain upon the creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you. Each chosen creature takes 1 radiant damage for each avatar feature you have.
Weapon of the One Above
An aura of divine energies covers the weapons you hold. The melee weapons you wield gain the reach property, while the range of ranged weapons increases by 15 feet.
Avatar Form Only. As a bonus action, you can imbue your weapons and the weapons of your allies within 60 feet of you with the divine energies channeled through you. The weapons shine as the sun and deal 1 extra fire, lightning, or radiant damage (one of your choice) on a hit. The extra damage increases to 1d4 when you reach 5th level in this class, or to 1d8 if you have the Hands of the Holy feature and you are a paragon of 5th level or higher.
Haven of the Blessed
Prerequisite: 3rd level
As an action, you can touch a creature and the creature regains 1d8 hit points. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Avatar Form Only. At the beginning of each of your turns, the creatures of your choice within 15 feet of you regain 1 hit point.
Starting at 11th level, if you are within your domain when you assume avatar form, your deity blesses your allies with vitality. Your allies within the domain regain 1d4 hit point at the start of each of your turns as long as you stay in avatar form. The amount of hit points regained by this feature increases, to 1d8 when you reach 15th level, and to 2d4 when you reach 20th level in this class.
Skin of the Colossus
Prerequisite: 3rd level
Parts of your skin become semi-transparent white quartz. You have resistance to radiant damage. At 14th level, your skin completely transforms into semi-transparent white quartz and you gain immunity to radiant damage. The change of skin can vary according to the deity you worship, if the GM approves.
Avatar Form Only. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d4. When you reach certain levels in this class, this number increases; at 6th level (1d6), 9th level (1d8), 12th level (1d10), 15th level (1d12).
Avatar of the Divine
Prerequisite: 6th level
As a paragon, you were chosen by your deity and your avatar form is a blessing from the divine. As you walk your deity’s path and act as the epitome of their values, your avatar form becomes even more powerful. The DCs of your avatar features and Sacred Haven features (when you gain the Sacred Haven feature) increase by one.
Avatar Form Only. The DCs of your avatar features and Sacred Haven features increase by one more. You can acquire this feature twice. When you do so, the DCs increase by 2 instead of 1 but it still increases by 1 when you assume avatar form.
Hallowed Steps
Prerequisite: 6th level
You can have your footsteps leave a holy print on the ground, which can be seen with truesight, the detect evil and good spell and Divine Sense feature. The footprints remain for one month. Both your potential allies and enemies want to follow these steps and find you, whether it is to help you or to destroy you.
While a potential enemy traces your steps, they fear you more with each footprint, thinking that you are greater and more powerful than they are with each mark they see. After they spend 1 week tracing your steps, they have disadvantage against being charmed by you and being frightened of you.
While a potential ally is following your steps, they admire your deeds, devotion, and the purity of the path you walk. They yearn for the chance to find you more and more with every step they find. After 1 month of following, they have advantage on attack rolls and saving throws so long as they keep on your trail.
Avatar Form Only. The allies who follow your footsteps have advantage on attack rolls and saving throws so long as you assume Avatar form.
Chains of the Shadow Angel
Prerequisite: 7th level
As a bonus action, you point at a creature within 120 feet of you. Dark chains protrude from the shadows and try to capture the creature in their grasp. The creature must succeed on a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check (of its choice) against your Avatar feature DC, or be grappled. The target can repeat the check at the start of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful one.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain any expended uses after you finish a long rest.
Avatar Form Only. As a bonus action, you point at a creature within 120 feet of you. Dark chains protrude from the shadows and wrap around the creature, holding it until the start of its next turn. If the creature takes damage equal to or more than half of its hit point maximum while held by the chains in this way, the target is banished to its home plane. If the target is native to the plane of existence that it is on, nothing happens. While held by the chains, the target is not restrained. You can use this feature once, everytime you assume avatar form.
Wrath of the One Above Prerequisite:
9th level You can draw or stow one more weapon without requiring any type of action.
Avatar Form Only. You and your allies within 60 feet of you can conjure a weapon of pure faith, forged by the wrath of your deity, in each of your hands. A creature must be proficient with the weapon to be able to conjure it in this way, and the weapon deals one of the following damage types of your choice instead of its normal damage type: Fire, lightning, or radiant. Conjuring a weapon in this way does not require any action.
Halo of Golden Aegis
Prerequisite: 10th level
You gain resistance to one of the following damage types of your choice; acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, poison, thunder.
Avatar Form Only. A golden halo with divine engravings appears behind you, floating. This halo constantly emanates a protective aura. Every friendly creature within 30 feet of you has the same damage resistances and immunities you have.
Eyes of the Divine
Prerequisite: 12th level
You gain blindsight out to a range of 15 feet.
Avatar Form Only. Your eyes glow bright-blue, clearing your sight of all mundane distractions. You have truesight out to a range of 60 feet and you can’t be blinded by any means.
Pershing Gaze
Prerequisite: 12th level
You lock your gaze on the very soul of your enemy, which your deity sees through your eyes. Choose a creature within 10 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the target’s saving throw is successful, or the effect ends on it, the target is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Avatar Form Only. You can cast the disintegrate spell at will, originating from your eyes, and require no components to do so. You can use this feature twice every time you assume avatar form but if you use this feature a second time during a single avatar transformation, you are blinded when the avatar form ends, until you finish a short or long rest. This condition can’t be brought to an end until you transform back.
Angelic Halo
Prerequisite: 13th level
You can communicate telepathically with creatures that you are familiar with, as long as they are within 120 feet of you. A creature with an Intelligence score higher than 3 can understand you, but you can’t understand the creature if you don’t share a language that you speak.
Avatar Form Only. An angelic halo hovers over your head. You can communicate telepathically with creatures within 120 feet of you. Also, you have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks against a creature with which you communicated through telepathy.
Fury of the One Above
Prerequisite: 13th level
Lightning surges through you. As a bonus action, you can call lightning down upon a target that you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 8d8 lightning damage.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Avatar Form Only. When a creature within 5 feet of you makes a spell or weapon attack against you, you can strike the creature with a ray of lightning as a reaction. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, or take 4d8 lightning damage.
Epaulette of Stars
Prerequisite: 17th level
Avatar Form Only. Miniature galaxies with countless colorful stars inside hover over your shoulders. From within, you can call down a rain of stars to harm your enemies. As an action, choose a point within 90 feet of you. At the end of each of your turns, each creature within 15 feet of the point must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 8d6 radiant damage, or half as much on a successful one. The stars continue to rain down for three turns and you can’t call down a rain of stars to a different point until the previous one ends.
Restore the Soul
Prerequisite: 17th level
Avatar Form Only. You are your deity’s hand that delivers death upon its enemies, but that also shows compassion to those who are pure. You can restore the soul of your fallen allies. You can cast the raise dead spell at will, requiring no material components and with a casting time of 1 round.
Shine on Creation
Prerequisite: 20th level
Avatar Form Only. As an action, you shed your holy light upon heretics. As they look into the light of divine creation, you bless them with a painless death. Every hostile creature within 60 feet of you that can see you must make a Wisdom saving throw. A target takes 8d10 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it is swallowed by the light and it disintegrates. A swallowed creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, including magic items, disappear. A creature disintegrated in this way can’t be restored to life by any means.
You can use this feature only once every time you assume avatar form.
Sibling of the Sun
Prerequisite: 20th level
Avatar Form Only. As an action, you create a sun in the sky right above you for 1 minute. This sun, a sibling of the sun, is a smaller version of it. It sheds bright light in a 3-mile radius and dim light for additional 3 miles, centered on you. While in the light of this sun, you, your allies, worshippers of your deity, and worshippers of your deity’s allies have advantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. You (and they) also regain 1 hit point at the start of each of your turns.
Within radius, the darkness spell does not take effect and its effects are suppressed if cast beforehand.
You can use this feature only once every time you assume avatar form.
Divine Order
Starting at 3rd level, you choose your role in paragon society by joining a Divine Order, which will shape your standing with the temples. Your choice grants you additional avatar features that are only available to the members of your divine order. There are 3 different orders: Order of Valor, Order of the Voice, and Order of Reason.
Sacred Haven
At 11th level, you are granted the power to establish your own domain. Choose an enclosed space that has at least one entrance; it can have small openings, windows, or doors but it must be surrounded on all sides and secluded from the outside world. This enclosed space can’t be larger than 100 feet in any dimension. Once you choose a space that meets these requirements, you can claim it to make your domain, which requires an uninterrupted 10-minute ritual. The area remains your domain until you successfully claim another. If there are hostile creatures, permanent spells, or permanent magical effects within the area, you can’t claim the area as your domain.
Your domain has the following properties.
No Rest for the Wicked. Each creature that is hostile towards you or your allies must make a Charisma saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus) upon entering the domain or starting their turns within it. The creature can’t gain advantage on any of its rolls while within the domain on a failed save, or remains unaffected by this feature for one hour on a successful one.
Safe Place. You and your allies in the domain have advantage on saving throws against effects that would otherwise cause you to be charmed, frightened, and possessed.
Uninvited Guests. Nothing can teleport into or out of your domain, and planar travel is also blocked within the area.
Starting at 15th level, you are able to harness magic of a greater potential to empower your domain, granting it the following additional properties.
Holy Fire. Your enemies take 1 radiant and 1 fire damage whenever they end their turn in your domain.
Summoning Crystal. You place a large crystal, 5 feet wide and 10 feet tall, in an unoccupied space within your domain. The crystal has 30 hit points and AC 10. When you place the crystal, it summons angels in unoccupied spaces in a 30-foot radius. Choose one of the following options for what appears.
- One angel of Challenge rating 8 or lower
- Two angels of Challenge rating 4 or lower
- Four angels of Challenge rating 2 or lower
- Eight angels of Challenge rating 1 or lower
If all angels summoned by the crystal are slain, the crystal summons the same angels again after 24 hours. The angels summoned by the crystal are considered to be native to your domain and can’t be banished. You can dismiss a summoned angel and summon another one once per week.
Ward of Resistance. You and your allies within your domain have resistance to one type of damage that you choose while claiming your domain.
Starting at 18th level, you can claim a domain as an action instead of a 10-minute ritual, and hostile creatures, permanent spells, and permanent magical effects within the area do not prevent your ability to do so. However, to claim a domain in this way, you must succeed on a Charisma check contested by the Charisma check of the domain owner. Once you try and fail to claim a domain in this way, you can only try to do it again after a short or long rest. If there is no certain owner of the domain, the check is made against the most powerful creature in the domain (which is determined by the GM).
The domains of some creatures, for instance, certain places controlled or touched by deities, cannot be claimed in this way. Whether a particular location falls under this category or not is determined at the GM’s discretion.
Also at 18th level, your domain gains the following additional properties.
Absolute. Your domain’s appearance can’t be changed and its structure can’t be manipulated by any magical effect; although it can be damaged by normal means. For example, the mirage arcane spell has no effect within the boundaries of your domain, but a warhammer can still break the wooden doors within.
Greater Ward of Resistance. Your domain’s Ward of Resistance feature grants immunity instead of resistance.
One Domain, One Ruler. The creatures within your domain can’t use their special actions or features related to their lair.
Singular Faith. You and your allies can’t be targeted by spells cast by enemy clerics and paladins, and have advantage on saving throws against such spells while within your domain.
The Prophet
You become a prophet, a living, breathing physical representation of your faith, and a mortal reflection of your deity. You gain a new feature befitting your life’s dedication, which is determined by your chosen order. When you reach 20th level and finish a long rest, you receive a revelation from your deity through its angels and holy servants, affirming that you are a true believer and a paragon of your deity.
Eternal. If you are in the Order of Valor, you are an indispensable warrior whose heart burns with faith so strong that it could fuel your body, even after death. Once a month, if you died, your deity offers you the chance to start anew. If you choose to do so, you are restored to life within your domain, a temple of your deity, or your grave with all your hit points. This effect closes all wounds, neutralizes any poison, cures all diseases, and lifts any curses that affected you at the time of your death. The feature replaces damaged or missing organs, limbs, and can even provide a new body if the original is no longer available.
Sermon. If you are in the Order of the Voice, you have become a true oratorical master and your prowess allows you to reach your listeners’ souls with your words. Once a week, when you are giving a sermon in a public place, your words can be heard loud and clear within a 1-mile radius. At the end of the sermon, people who are willingly listening to your sermon regain 1 hit point and their hunger and thirst are satiated for the rest of the day.
Infinite. If you are in the Order of Reason, your mind is blessed to the extent that you can comprehend the mysteries of the universe, all destined to unravel before you. Once a month, you can perform a 1-hour ritual and travel within the strings of fate in a hypnotic state. As you do so, you think about one of your allies and see prophetic visions of an event that is going to happen to them or around them within 1 month.
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