Death Knight

A pale dwarf, with skin cold as ice, raises his axe to meet the orc chieftan's own. The dwarf had single handedly carved a path through the orc's tribe, with a single goal on his mind. The orc hoped that the dwarf's energy would fade, and that the fight would be easy by the time he took the field, but the dwarf swung again and again, machinelike in his fury. Suddenly a blue rune lit above the dwarf's axe, and it swung with more force than ever, and the orc was unable to meet it.

A man clad in black plate armor strides through the disease ridden town. Flanked by undead bodygaurds, he fears no rebuttal from the meager townsfolk. Finding a corpse ridden with boils, he reaches down to inspect it. Satisfied with the speed at which his new plague rendered the town desecrated, he ordered his thralls to hunt down survivors. There will always be new diseases to test, and new victims to test them on.

Seeing her ally in danger, the elven warrior flung herself between them and the horde of goblins baring down on them. A whirling mass of bones moves to defend the pair, and tears the attacking horde asunder. Inspecting her ally's wounds, a red rune appears above her hand, and the wounds began to mend themselves. Satisfied with her work, she willed her weapon back to her. Suddenly her sword leapt from the ground, landed in her hand, and she sheathed it. It would be a long night, and there would be many more goblins ahead of them, and she'd be ready.

Sowers of Death

To say that a Death Knight is tied to death is to say a person is tied to food. They feel an unnatural drive to cause as much death and destruction as possible. Some fall to this desire, and become little more than monsters given mortal shell, but others focus this desire to further their goals. Be it razing the countryside, or leading a rebellion agaisnt a tyrant, death follows Death Knights wherever they go.

Credit: Keun-ju Kim

Users of Dark Magic

An edgy name and tendency to kill, are far from a Death Knights only characteristics. They channel their dark magic through runes, small symbols that appear on the Death Knights weapons, armor, or even on their skin. By expending the latent power in the runes, the Death Knights can cause a number of magical affects.

Creating a Death Knight

When creating a Death Knight, consider how you obtained your dark powers. Death Knights use ancient runic magic, little of which is known or understood. Some learn their magic from dark tomes found in a lich's lair, ancient scrolls found in some dragon's den, or some return to life with knowledge from beyond the grave. Sometimes even near death experiences can trigger memories to surface from deep within the psyche of mortal men. Regardless of their source, the dark runic magic leads to many powers that some might consider... unnatural.

Quick Build

You can make a Death Knight quickly by following these suggestions. First make Strength your highest ability score followed by Constitution. Second choose the Soldier or Criminal background.

Class Features

As a Death Knight, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d10 per Death Knight level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Your Constitution Modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Con Mod per Death Knight level past 1st level

Proficiencies

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• Armor: Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor and Shields
• Weapons: Simple and Martial Weapons
• Tools: None

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• Saving Throws: Strength and Constitution
• Skills: Choose 2 from Athletics, Arcana, Religion, Insight, Perception, and Intimidation

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) Two Martial Weapons or (b) any martial melee weapon and a shield
• (a) Five Javelins or (b) any simple melee weapon
• (a) Chainmail or (b) Scalemail

An explorer’s pack and a dagger

Rune Magic

Beginning at 1st level, you learn to use Runes to fuel your powers. These Runes allow you to use dark magic, and can have a variety of effects.

Undead Warrior

Also at 1st level, your connection to death gives you a few benefits:

• You may add your Proficiency bonus to Death Saving Throws (Natural 1’s still count as 2 failures).

• Proficiency in Intimidation. If you are already Proficient, you may add double your Proficiency bonus.

• You have Advantage on Arcana and Religion skill checks to gather knowledge about undead.

Fighting Style:

Beginning at 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty, Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Runic Power

Also at 2nd level, you learn to use the leftover remnants of your Runes as fuel for new attacks, called Runic Power.

You can store up to 10 Runic Power charges. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, your number of Runic Power charges resets to 0. You gain a charge of Runic Power whenever you spend a Rune on a Rune Empowered Ability or Death Knight Feature.

You start with two ways to use this feature. All Death Knights know Death Strike, as well as an effect determined by your Specialization. You also get another way to use it from your Specialization at 18th level.

Some Runic Power options require Saving Throws. When you use such an effect, the DC equals your Rune Empowered Attack DC.

Specialization

At 3rd level your powers begin to settle into a certain discipline. You learn to have a favor for one of your types of Runes, and begin to focus more into that type of magic. You choose either the Frost Specialization, Blood Specialization, or the Unholy Specialization. Depending on what archetype you choose you get different abilities at 3rd, 7th, 10th, and 15th levels, as well as certain allowing access to certain Rune Empowered Attacks.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Blood Tap

Starting at level 6, you learn to quickly convert your unharnessed power into Runes. Whenever you take a Short Rest, you regain up to 2 spent Runes.

Tireless Undead

One thing you have learned from the undead, is their unending fortitude. Starting at level 10, whenever you finish a Short Rest, your Exhaustion level, if any, is reduced by one.

Murderous Efficiency

At 11th level, you learn to feed on death. When you reduce a hostile creature to 0 Hit Points, you regain a spent Rune.

Lichborne

At 14th level, you have surpassed many of the frailties of life. You no longer need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. In addition, you don't need to eat, drink, or breathe, and are immune to disease.

Raise Ally

At 15th level you become more skilled at manipulating the dead and nearly dead. You can use this ability on a creature that is Unconscious or has died in the last minute. As an action, choose a creature within 30 ft of you, who’s level (or CR if the creature has one) is equal to or less than your level. The target loses the unconscious/dead condition for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution Modifier. If they were making Death Saving Throws they continue to do so, but they do not take automatic fails from being hit. The creature acts as if it had 1 HP for the duration. When the effect ends, the target returns to unconsciousness/dead. Once used, this ability can’t be used again until after a Long Rest.

Empower Rune Weapon

At level 20 you learn to empower your weapon to its maximum. As a bonus action you regain 3 spent Runes. At the beginning of your next 3 turns, you regain 1 spent Rune. After you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Specializations

There are two types of Death Knights, the ones that got strong, and the ones that die trying. The first category can be further divided up into 3 Specializations depending on which kind of runic magic they prefer. While all Death Knights have similar beginnings, they soon diverge into wildly different beasts once they hit 3rd level. Your choices are either Frost, Blood, or Unholy.

Frost Death Knight

Frost Death Knights focus on the icy chill of the grave, and fighting their enemies in melee combat.

Frost Strike

At 3rd level you learn Frost strike. When you declare the Attack action, you may expend a charge of Runic Power, to make an extra attack with one of your weapons as a part of that Attack. You must make this decision before actually making any attacks. This extra attack covers the weapon in a brittle layer of ice, and deals Cold damage rather than any other type of damage the attack would normally do.

Pillar of Frost

Also at 3rd level you learn to channel the chill of the grave to strengthen your body. As a Bonus Action, you become covered in a light frost and you gain the following benefits for one minute. You have Advantage on Strength Checks and Saving Throws, as well as dealing 1d6 extra cold damage on all melee weapon attacks. After you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Frost Presence

At 7th level you get Advantage on Saving Throws against Fear and Charm effects.

Frostscythe

At 10th level you learn to use your icy attacks against hordes of enemies. Whenever you land a melee weapon attack, if it did any Cold Damage, you may cause the attack to burst, causing another creature within 5ft of the target to take the same amount of Cold Damage.

Breath of Sindragosa

At 18th level you learn to channel the icy breath of Sindragosa. As an action you can spend a charge of your Runic Power to cause a torrent of icy wind to come forth from your lungs. You cause all creatures in a 15 ft cone in front of you to make a Dexterity Saving Throw. A target takes 4d8 Cold Damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. At the beginning of your next turn, you may choose to spend another charge of Runic Power to continue using this ability, but your next breath does not require an action, you merely choose to use it during some part of your turn. This continues until you run out of Runic Power, you choose not to spend it, or 1 minute passes. Once the ability ends, you cannot activate it again until the end of a Long Rest.

Credit: Eric Braddock

Blood Death Knight

Vampiric Blood

At 3rd level you learn Vampiric Blood. As a Bonus Action, you can expend a charge of Runic Power to heal an ally, within 30 ft, with a surge of bloody magic. The target heals for an amount of Hit Points 1d4 + your Constitution Modifier and gets temporary Hit Points equal to that same amount.

At Higher Levels: The amount of hit points increases to 2d4 at level 7, and 3d4 at level 13.

Dancing Rune Weapon

Also at 3rd level you learn a ritual to animate your weapon temporarily. The ritual can be cast on any melee weapon, and takes 1 hour to complete which can be done as part of a Short Rest. The magic remains within the weapon until you use the ritual on a different one. As a Bonus Action you can animate the weapon for one minute. You do not need to be touching the weapon, but you must be within 60 ft of it. Once activated the weapon takes the stats of the Dancing Rune Weapon in the stat blocks at the end of this document, and you add your Proficiency Bonus to the Dancing Rune Weapon’s attack and damage rolls.

Blood Presence

Starting at 7th level, you have Advantage on Constitution Checks to maintain concentration.

Gorefiend’s Grasp

Starting at 10th level you learn to manipulate large groups of enemies. As an action, choose a point within 40 ft, all creatures (Large or smaller) of your choice within 10 feet of that point, must make a Strength Saving Throw. Any creatures who fail their Saving Throws, are pulled to a space within 5 ft of you. This movement does not provoke Attack of Opportunity and cannot pull them through areas that would cause them direct harm (lava, spikes, etc) Once used you cannot use this ability again until you finish a Long Rest.

Bonestorm

At 18th level you learn to spend Runic Power to create a whirlwind of bone to protect you. As an action, you spend a charge of Runic Power to start the storm. It is centered on you, moves with you, and has a radius of 10 ft, lasting until the beginning of your next turn. All creatures within this radius must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or take 5d8 Necrotic damage, and you heal for the same amount (you may only heal from this ability once per Round). Any creature that enters or ends their turn there must also make a Dexterity Saving Throw or be affected. At the beginning of your next turn you may choose to spend another charge of Runic Power to continue using this ability. It does not require an action to continue, you merely choose to at the beginning of your turn. This continues until you run out of Runic Power, you choose not to spend Runic Power, or until 1 minute has passed. Once the storm ends, you cannot activate this again until the end of a Long Rest.

Credit: Breath-art on deviantart

Unholy Death Knight:

Death Coil

At 3rd level you learn Death Coil. As a Bonus Action you can spend a charge of Runic Power to unleash a necrotic orb at a creature within 30 ft. If the creature is not an undead, they must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or take 2d6 + your Constitution Modifier. Necrotic Damage. If the target is undead, they regain a number of Hit Points equal to 2d6 + your Constitution Modifier.

At Higher Levels: The damage / healing of this ability increases to 3d6 at level 7, then 4d6 at 13.

Raise Ghoul

Also at 3rd you learn to summon a ghoulish pet to fight alongside you. It’s stats are at the back of the document. Add your proficiency bonus to the ghoul's AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. It takes its turn on your initiative, though unless commanded the only action it will take is the Dodge action. On your turn, you can mentally command the ghoul where to move (no action required by you). You can use a Bonus Action to command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help action.

You can summon or dismiss the Ghoul as an action, but if you dismiss it, or it dies, you cannot summon it again until you finish a Long Rest. Unlike a traditional “Animate Dead” spell, you do not need a dead body to summon it, it is a construct of your unholy magics.

Unholy Presence

Starting at 7th level, you have Advantage on saving throws against being poisoned (condition) or diseased, and resistance to poison damage.

Dark Transformation

Starting at level 10 you can use an action to temporarily pump up your ghouls power. It grows to Large, deals an extra 1d6 on all weapon attacks, and has resistance to all damage. The transformation lasts for one minute. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until the end of a Long Rest.

Defile

Starting at level 18 you learn to corrupt the land you walk upon. As an action you may use a charge of Runic Power to create a 10 ft radius pool on the ground within 30 feet of you that lasts until the beginning of your next turn. All creatures (other than yourself) that begin their turn in this area, must make a Constitution Save. On a failed save, the creature becomes Poisoned (see condition), has their speed halved until the start of your next turn, and take 4d8 necrotic damage. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage, but no other effects.

At the beginning of your next turn, you may choose to spend another charge of Runic Power to keep the puddle active. It does not require an action to continue, you merely choose to at the beginning of your turn. If you do so, it’s radius increases by 10 ft. This continues every turn until you run out of Runic Power, choose not to spend Runic Power, or 1 minute passes. Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Rune Empowered Attacks

Frost Fever (1 Rune):

Prerequisite: (Level 3)

As an action you can expend a rune to unleash freezing disease upon a target within 30 ft. They must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Rune Save DC or become afflicted. The afflicted can make a new save at the end of each of their turns to end the effects early, otherwise the effects last 1 minute. While they are afflicted their Speed is lowered by 10, they take 1d10 cold damage at the beginning of each of their turns.

At Higher Levels: The damage of this ability increases to 2d10 at level 5, 3d10 at level 11, and 4d10 at level 17.

Horn of Winter (None):

Prerequisite: (Level 3)

As an action you may raise your allies. A loud horn sound is emitted, inspiring your allies, and granting you one charge of Runic Power. Up to 5 creatures deal an extra 1d6 of cold damage on weapon attacks. This effect requires concentration and can last up to 1 minute. Once you use this ability you cannot do so again until you finish a short rest.

Runeforging (none):

Prerequisite (Level 5):

You learn to enchant your weapons with your runic magic. Using a ritual that takes 1 hour to complete, you give a weapon a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. You may have 2 weapons enchanted this way at one time, but the enchantments wear off after 1 round if they are not in your possession.

Dark Succor (Passive):

Prerequisite (Level 5):

Whenever you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points, your next Death Strike (within an hour) grants you Temporary Hit Points equal to your Death Knight level.

Death Grip (1 Rune):

Prerequisite (Level 5):

As an Action you may expend a rune to create a large phantasmal hand that extends from you, targeting a creature within 30 feet of you that is Large or smaller. The target makes a Strength Saving Throw. On a failure, it is pulled to a space within 5 feet of you. This movement does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity and cannot pull them into/through a directly harmful space (lava, pit, spike, etc.)

Anti-Magic Shell (Any):

Prerequisite (Level 5):

As a reaction to taking cold, electric, fire, thunder, or poison damage, you may expend a rune to create a magical shield with 50 temporary hit points. These temporary hit points can only absorb cold, electric, fire, thunder or poison damage. In addition you have Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma Saving Throws against spells while the shield persists. The shield lasts until the start of your next turn.

When the shield expires, you gain 1 charge of Runic Power for every 10 damage the shield absorbed rounded down. (For example if you took 27 damage, you would get 2 charges of Runic Power)

Asphyxiate (1 Rune):

Prerequisite (Level 5):

As an action you can expend a rune to try to choke an enemy. This effect requires concentration, and can last up to one minute. Choose a creature within 30 feet, to make a Constitution Saving Throw. On a failed saving throw, they are silenced and take 2d6 Bludgeoning damage. The target can choose to make a new save at the end of each of their turns. On a failed save the effect continues and they take 2d6 bludgeoning damage

Path of Frost (1 Rune):

Prerequisite (Level 9):

As an action you can expend a rune to walk on water. It works as the spell Water Walking, but only works on water, and creatures affected by Path of Frost freeze the water they are walking on. The ice thaws after 30 seconds.

Icebound Fortitude (none):

Prerequisite (Level 9):

As an action you can pump the icy touch of death through your veins to push through obstacles. You gain the effects of the Freedom of Movement spell and resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution Modifier + 1. Once you use this ability you may not do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Mind Freeze (none):

Prerequisite (Level 9):

As a reaction to a creature casting a spell within 5 feet of you, you make an opportunity attack against that creature. If you hit, you may either do damage as normal, or forgo that damage to try to stop their casting. If the spell is 3rd level or lower, the spell fails and has no effect. If it is 4th level or higher, make an ability check using the same stat you used to make your weapon attack. The DC is 10 + the spells level. On a success the spell fails and has no effect. Regardless of the outcome, you cannot use this ability again until you finish a Short Rest.

Death Pact (Passive):

Prerequisite (Level 9):

When you take damage that would reduce you to 0 Hit Points, but not kill you outright, you can drop to 1 Hit Point instead. If you do, you also gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Constitution Modifier times your Death Knight level. These Temporary Hit Points last for one minute, and while it does you cannot receive magical healing. Once you use this ability you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

Death’s Caress (1 Rune):

Prerequisite (Blood Death Knight) (Level 9):

As an action you may expend a Rune to send out 3 bloody tendrils. They may target up to 3 creatures within 30 feet of you. The targets take 1d4 + 1 damage and must make a Wisdom Saving Throw. If they fail, they have disadvantage on all attack rolls against any target other than yourself until the end of your next turn. If you hit a creature with multiple tendrils, they have disadvantage on the save.

Raise Undead (1 Rune):

Prerequisite (Unholy Death Knight) (Level 9):

As an action you can expend a Rune to cast Animate Dead as a 3rd level spell.

Relentless Winter (1 Rune):

Prerequisite (Frost Death Knight) (Level 9):

As an action you can expend a rune and begin to produce an icy fog around you. The fog works as Fog Cloud, but with a few changes. The cloud is centered on you, and follows you as you move. You can see through the fog as if it was only lightly obscuring, and all creatures (large or smaller) in the fog other than you have their speed halved. This effect requires concentration, and can last up to 1 minute.

Control Undead (1 Rune):

Prerequisite (Level 13):

As an action you may expend a Rune to try to gain control over an undead creature. This ability can last up to 1 minute, and requires concentration. The creature makes a Charisma saving throw. Any undead that has Turn Resistance, has Advantage on this Saving Throw. On a failed save, the creature recognizes you as its new master, and listens to any commands you give it. The commands can be verbal or mental, and require no action.

The effect ends immediately if attacked by you or an ally, or if you command it to do something directly harmful to it, such as attacking itself, or jumping into lava.

At the end of each of its turns, it can repeat its saving throw to end the effect early.

Death Gate (None)

Prerequisite (Level 13):

You learn two rituals to open Death Gates, allowing you to quickly travel through the realm of the dead. The first ritual takes one hour to complete, and the second ritual takes one minute.

Finishing the first ritual, leaves a mark on the ground, a design of your choice, but nothing else. Once you complete the second ritual, a portal opens in front of you, leading to the location where you completed the first ritual. The portal lasts for 1 minute or until you use an action to dismiss it, and is large enough to fit a large creature through. You do not need to recast the first ritual, assuming you always want to return to the same place. Once you complete a ritual, you may not use the same ritual again until you finish a long rest.

Improved Runeforging (None)

Prerequisite (Level 13) (Runeforging):

Beginning at 13th level, when you Runeforge your weapon, you may also give each weapon a unique bonus while wielded. Choose one of the following for each weapon:

• Razorice: If you deal cold damage with the enchanted weapon, once per turn you may deal 1d4 more cold damage
• Fallen Crusader: If you critically strike with this weapon, it heals you for 1d8 health.
• Stoneskin Gargoyle: Grants you +1 to AC while wielded.

Army of the Dead (Any 2 Runes)

Prerequisite (Level 17):

As an action you can expend 2 Runes to summon an undead horde. The stat block for this horde is at the end of this document. They last for 1 minute or until they are killed. You do not need dead bodies to animate to use this feature as they are a construct of your runic magic. The swarm takes its turn directly after yours, and obeys commands as best as it’s able to. Once you use this feature, you cannot use this feature again until you finish a Long Rest.

Glacial Advance (None)

Prerequisite (Frost Death Knight) (Level 17):

As an Action, send out a cone of unnatural icy wind in front of you, that saps the energy from those it afflicts. Each creature in a 60-foot cone must make a Constitution Saving Throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d8 Cold damage and 3d8 Necrotic damage and is Incapacitated until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, they take half damage, but no other effects.

Soul Reaper (None)

Prerequisite (Unholy Death Knight) (Level 17):

As an Action, you attempt to steal the soul from someone’s body, and make it fight for you. This attack requires concentration, and can last up to one minute.

One creature of your choice, within 30 feet of you, must make a Wisdom Saving Throw. On a failed save, you rip out part (or all) of their soul, and it manifests as a Shadow (your DM has the statistics) under your control, for up to one minute. While it’s soul is manifested like this, the creature is Poisoned (condition).

At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom Saving Throw. On a successful save, after the Shadow dies, or after one minute, the soul returns to the creature’s body, ending the Poison effect.

Will of the Necropolis (None)

Prerequisite (Blood Death Knight) (Level 17):

As an action, you push your allies beyond what they would be able to normally do. This ability can last up to 1 minute, and requires concentration. You may choose up to 4 creatures within 30 feet of you, and they gain the effects of the Haste spell, for as long as you maintain concentration on this ability.

Monster Blocks

Army of the Dead

Huge Swarm of Medium Zombies, Chaotic Evil

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• Armor Class 8 (Natural Armor)
• Hit Points 150 (13d12 +65)
• Speed 20 feet

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
25 (+6)	6 (-2)	20 (+5)	3 (-4)	6 (-2)	5 (-3)

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• Saving Throws Wis +0
• Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
• Damage Immunities Poison
• Condition Immunities Poisoned, Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
• Senses Darkvision 60ft., Passive Perception 8
• Languages Understands all languages of its creator, but cannot speak.

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Swarm: The swarm can occupy another creatures’ space and can move through any opening that a medium creature could. Can’t regain HP or gain Temp HP.

Undead Fortitude: If damage reduces the swarm to 0, it makes a CON saving throw with the DC as the damage unless the damage was from a Critical Hit or Radiant. On a success drop to 1 HP instead.

Actions

Mob. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 0ft., one target in the swarms space. Hit: 2d6+6 bludgeoning damage. Creatures that are large or smaller are grappled. They can use their action to make a contested Athletics or Acrobatics to escape, DC 17.

DM Notes, Pls Ignore