There is usually a defining moment for a Dark Scourge where they suffer a great tragedy that is then compounded by local law givers who are either too corrupt or too weak to give them justice. These heralds commit themselves to terrorizing those who hide in the dark and operate through fear.
¶ Tenets of the Dark Scourge
All dark scourges hold similar tenets, regardless of the deity they serve.
- Beyond the Law. The protection of the law has failed or been corrupted and you must take justice into your own hands. You are entitled to act as judge and jury.
- Make Fearful the Fearmaker. Use the darkness to instill fear in those who would inflict fear.
- Protect the Innocent. Punish only the guilty and keep bystanders safe.
- Root Out Corruption. When those sworn to protect work with the guilty, they become the guilty.
Add the obscurement and shadow schools of magic to your list of herald spells.
At 3rd level when you choose this archetype, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Shadowed Strikes. As a bonus action, you can use your Channel Divinity to gather darkness into your weapons. For the next minute, any creature you hit with a melee weapon attack must make a Wisdom saving throw against your herald spell save DC or be blinded for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. Creatures that have truesight, cannot see, have blindsight, or rely on other nonvisual senses are unaffected.
On a successful save, the creature is affected as though they are in dim light for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. These penalties apply even if it has darkvision.
Visions of Damnation. Each creature in a 30-foot cone is assaulted with terrifying visions and makes a Charisma saving throw against your herald spell save DC. On a failure, it is overcome by visions of retributive punishment and is frightened for 1 minute unless it is immune to being frightened. A creature repeats the saving throw at the end of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. When it succeeds on a saving throw or the effect ends for it, it is immune to Visions of Damnation for 24 hours.
Also at 3rd level, your eyes change to resemble those of a cat and you gain darkvision 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from another source, its range increased by 30 feet. You gain proficiency in Stealth and you do not have disadvantage on Stealth checks when wearing medium armor. If you are already proficient in in Stealth, you instead gain an expertise die.
Beginning at 7th level, you gain an expertise die to saving throws to avoid becoming frightened or rattled. You can also cast darkness without expending a spell slot or any components. You and a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier within 30 feet that you designate can see through any magical darkness you create. While in this darkness, enemies make saving throws to avoid becoming frightened or rattled at disadvantage.
This spell is considered to be cast at the highest level herald slot you can use for the purposes of dispelling magical light or being dispelled. Its area is equal to your You gain an additional use of this feature at 15th level, and at 18th level, the area of this darkness is equal to the range your Sacred Aura. You regain all spent uses of this feature whenever you finish a short or long rest.
Starting at 15th level, you are able to move more swiftly through shadowed areas and surprise enemies with your sudden strikes. While you are in dim light or darkness your Speed increases by 20 feet, and if you move more than 20 feet through dim light or darkness towards an enemy on your turn, your attacks against it gain an expertise die.
At 20th level, you embody the shadows you walk in and they seem to always surround you. You are always considered to be in dim light and Perception checks to notice you are made with disadvantage. You also gain an expertise die on Intimidation checks.
When you are targeted by an attack, you can spend your reaction to have the shadows swirl and thicken, distracting attackers and shifting you out of phase. Until the start of your next turn, creatures make attack rolls against you with disadvantage and you gain resistance to all damage except psychic.
You can use this feature twice and regain all spent uses whenever you finish a long rest.