Champions of Northrend

by Silverblade1234

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Champions of Northrend

Credits




  • Based on 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons by
    Wizards of the Coast

  • Based on the Warcraft franchise by
    Blizzard Entertainment

  • Inspired by the Warcraft 5E adaptation by
    Jihia, Tangerine, and many others (Reddit, Discord)

Last Updated: June 21, 2021

Disclaimer

The author is not responsible for injury from frostbite, hypothermia, avalanches, ritual sacrifice, or undead plague. If you see a big red button marked "DO NOT PUSH THIS BUTTON!"... well, who am I to stop you?

Contents

Introduction

This supplement to Champions of Azeroth introduces content from World of Warcraft's expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. It introduces several races you might find in Northrend, from the human citizens of Dalaran to the frost dwarves and ice trolls that call Northrend home. It also allows players and DMs to create undead versions of other races, expanding on the undead humans first presented in Champions of Azeroth.

Champions of Northrend also details the death knight class, fearsome warriors raised by the Lich King to wage war on the living. The death knight is a dark mirror of the paladin, yet has dread powers all their own. Their magic---from unleashing icy devastation to summoning hordes of shambling ghouls---is also detailed within.

Note that this death knight strongly resembles the one found in WC5E---that's because I was its primary writer! While some overlap is unavoidable, I've endeavored to remove content and ideas that solely belong to others.

Contact and Feedback

Submit Feedback


I welcome any and all feedback on any of my work. You can reach me via the above form, on Discord at Silverblade#9212, and on Reddit at u/Silverblade1234.

Acknowledgements

This project wouldn't be possible without the WC5E project. I have tremendous respect and gratitude for that project, as well as its creators, contributors, and community. My own Warcraft homebrew efforts began by helping out with that project, and its influence on my work is undoubtedly still apparent, even after many iterations. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend you do so!

A big thanks in particular to Auvreannia, who was a great source of inspiration, sounding board, and proofreader for my work. Thanks also to Lev and friends, who provided very detailed feedback on the final products. This project would have suffered greatly without their assistance and support.

Additional Resources

Character Creation

Champions of Northrend presents a number of new character options for the heroes of Azeroth---from human citizens of Dalaran, to the natives of icy Northrend, to the risen victims of the Scourge. Even the fearsome worgen of Grizzly Hills and beyond can be found in this section. It also includes rules for death knights, dark champions of death who have escaped the terrible will of the Lich King.

New Subraces

When the heroes of the Horde and Alliance journeyed to Northrend to wage war on the Scourge, new allies were ready to join their crusade. This section details new subraces for use with the races presented in Champions of Azeroth and other Champions supplements.

Dalaran Human

Dalaran is a small, magocratic nation founded originally as a city-state by Arathi magi near the coast of Lordamere Lake in Lordaeron. While the city proper was ruined during the Third War, it has since been rebuilt and made mboile through powerful magic. It is ruled by the Kirin Tor, an elite cadre of the most powerful wizards in the known world. While Dalaran was founded as a human kingdom, many members of other races have since come to reside in the magical city.

Dalaran Human Traits

The Dalaran Human subrace can be used with the human race found in Champions of Azeroth.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Learned. You gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion.

Elementary Spellcasting. You know the prestidigitation cantrip. You also choose two 1st-level mage spells with the ritual tag. You can cast these spells as rituals, or using any spell slots you have. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells

Frostborn

Despite its inhospitable nature, some races have managed to survive---even thrive---in the icy wastes of Northrend. The taunka are relatives to the tauren who have adapted to the harsh environment in Northrend, and forcibly bend nature and the elements to their will in order to survive. The frostborn dwarves reside in the Storm Peaks, having once served the titanic keeper Thorim, and have recently befriended members of the Explorers' League. And the Drakkari tribe of ice trolls have created a mighty civilization in Zul'Drak, though they now turn to desperate and dark measures to protect their home from the growing threat of the Scourge. The frostborn subrace can be used for these races, or any race especially adapted to the cold and ice.

Frostborn Traits

The frostborn subrace can be applied to any race that has a subrace, and replaces that race's existing subrace options.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1. If your race's Ability Score Increase trait gives you +2 to Constitution, you instead increase a different ability by 1.

Winter Lore. You gain proficiency with one of the following skills of your choice: Athletics, Nature, Perception, and Survival.

Tundra Walker. You have resistance to cold damage, and are naturally adapted to cold climates, as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. In addition, moving through difficult terrain related to ice, snow, or extreme cold costs you no extra movement.

Big Game Hunter. You are trained in fighting the colossal beasts and monsters of Northrend, When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature's size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Worgen

Worgen are large, lupine humanoids that walk upright, but hunt and howl as wolves, and lope on all fours to run. They primarily inhabit forests and are natural hunters. Being bitten by or drinking the blood of a worgen transmits the worgen curse and, in some cases, causes the afflicted to be transformed into one. After the transformation, those that are overcome by rage and guilt gradually lose all vestiges of their former lives and turn mindless. By controlling their emotions via medication, magic, and self-discipline, worgen may resist being overcome by their feral instincts.

Ability Score Increase. Your choice of Strength or Dexterity increases by 2.

Age. Worgen have the same lifespan as they did before their transformation.

Alignment. Worgen often retain their previous alignment (or close to it), though their barely-tamed feral instincts influence them towards chaos.

Size. While transformed, worgen are between 6 and 7 feet tall, average around 250 pounds, and are Medium size.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You can use Strength or Dexterity for determining how far you can jump.

Two Forms. As a bonus action, you can change between your native form and worgen form. While in worgen form, you gain several new traits, specified below.

Darkvision. While in worgen form, 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. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Natural Weapons. While in worgen form, you grow deadly claws and fangs. You have a climbing speed of 20 feet. In addition, your claws and bite are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. You can use Strength or Dexterity for attack and damage rolls when you make a weapon attack with them, and they deal piercing or slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your ability modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Darkflight. While in worgen form, when you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.

Subrace. Only human and night elf worgen are known to exist. Their traits are detailed below.

Human Worgen

The worgen were first unleashed upon the Eastern Kingdoms by Archmage Arugal during the Third War. Primarily used as a weapon against the Scourge, the beasts soon proved to be a burden greater than the humans of Lordaeron could bear. A mysterious curse began to spread among those who fought alongside the wolf-men, causing them to become worgen themselves. Since then, the worgen curse has spread in a few isolated pockets of humanity---from the isolated kingdom of Gilneas, to communities of settlers in the Grizzly Hills of Northrend. You are a survivor of this curse, freed from its feral madness, in search of a new fate.

Ability Score Increase. One ability score of your choice increases by 1. You can't increase an ability by more than 2 with any combination of Ability Score Increase racial traits.

Tradesman. You gain proficiency in one skill and one tool of your choice.

Cursed Blood. You have advantage on saving throws against poison and disease, and you have resistance to necrotic damage. If you die, you can't be raised as an undead creature except by exceptionally powerful methods, such as necromantic spells higher than 5th level.

Viciousness. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Extra Language. You can speak, read, and write one extra language of your choice.

Night Elf Worgen

Long ago, amid a brutal war between the night elves and the demonic satyrs in Kalimdor, a group of druids practiced a powerful yet unwieldy form that embodied the fury of the wolf Ancient, Goldrinn. Attempts to control the rage of this form transformed the druids into worgen: bestial humanoids enslaved by their own primal instincts. Blinded by all-consuming rage, the druids tore through friend and foe alike during battle with the satyrs, even spreading their condition through a virulent curse. Desperate to stanch the affliction's spread, the night elf worgen were banished to sleep within the Emerald Dream for all eternity. Now you have awaken---how did this happen, and what will you do now?

Ability Score Increase. Your choice of Wisdom or Charisma increases by 1.

Ultravision. You can see in dim light and darkness within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Ultravision is treated as darkvision for the purposes of other features and traits that refer to darkvision. While in worgen form, the range of your ultravision increases to 120 feet.

Shadowmeld. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.

Quickness. Your base walking speed increases by 5 feet.

Untamed Fury. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, frightened, or paralyzed.

Extra Language. You can speak, read, and write Darnassian.

Optional Rule: The Worgen Curse

When a human or night elf is damaged by a worgen's natural weapons, it must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature contracts the worgen curse, and will turn into a feral worgen within 1d4 hours. A cursed character can resist the transformation by making a successful Wisdom saving throw, which delays the transformation by another 1d4 hours. The DC begins at 10, and increases by 1 after each success. There is no known way to remove the worgen curse once contracted, though it can be treated with rare alchemy or magic.

Undead

When the Scourge marched across Azeroth, it added to its ranks by raising many of its victims to undeath. Many are mindless husks of their former selves, some possess intelligence but are bound to the Scourge, while others have managed to free themselves from the Lich King's will. The undead subrace can be used for any intelligent creature that has been raised to undeath, whether they were animated by the Scourge or by other necromantic means.

Undead Traits

The undead subrace can be applied to any race that has a subrace, and replaces that race's existing subrace options.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1. If your race's Ability Score Increase trait gives you +2 to Constitution, you instead increase a different ability by 1.

Extended Age. You remain at the age you originally died, sustained by the dark magic that raised you. If uncared for, however, your corpse will wither and decay over time.

Darkvision. 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. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you already have darkvision from your race, its range increases by 30 feet.

Undead Nature. Your type is both humanoid and undead, meaning you are affected by any features or abilities that affect either of those types. For example, you can be targeted by hold person or affected by shackle undead. You also gain the following benefits:

  • You have advantage on saving throws against disease and being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
  • You have advantage on death saving throws.
  • You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe.
  • You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in an inactive, motionless state, during which you retain consciousness.
Becoming Undead

The stories of many heroes do not end in death. No rules are provided for being raised as a sentient undead, to allow DMs the flexibility to tailor such a significant event to their own games. If you don't wish to increase character power, you can replace a character's subrace with the undead subrace. If you do wish to increase character power, you can add on the undead subrace to a character without replacing anything; in this case, the undead subrace (without its racial Ability Score Increase) is roughly equivalent to a feat in power. DMs and players should work together to determine the circumstances of the character's new unlife.
























Death Knight

Prerequisite: Undead

When the Lich King's control of his death knights was broken, his former champions sought revenge for the horrors committed under his command. After their vengeance was won, the death knights found themselves without a cause and without a home, searching for new purpose. Frost sharpens their strikes; blood fortifies their bodies; and undeath allows them to erupt in unholy rage in the heat of battle. A thousand atrocities are etched in the eyes of every death knight, and foes who gaze into them too long will feel the warmth pulled from their bodies, replaced with cold steel.

Class Features

As a death knight, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points


  • 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 Constitution modifier per death knight level after 1st

Proficiencies


  • Armor: All armor
  • Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
  • Tools: None

  • Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
  • Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, and Religion

Equipment

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

  • (a) a greatsword or (b) any martial melee weapon
  • (a) five javelins or (b) any simple melee weapon
  • (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
  • Chain mail
  • A trinket reminding you of your past life
Death Knight
Level
─Spell Slots per Spell Level─
Proficiency
Bonus
Features Runes Rune Damage Spells Known   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th  
1st +2 Rune Weapons, Runic Power 1 1d8
2nd +2 Fighting Style, Spellcasting 2 1d8 4 2
3rd +2 Undead Constitution, Death Knight Specialization 2 1d8 5 3
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 2 1d8 5 3
5th +3 Extra Attack 3 1d8 6 4 2
6th +3 Runeforging 3 1d8 6 4 2
7th +3 Specialization Feature 3 2d8 7 4 3
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 2d8 7 4 3
9th +4 4 2d8 8 4 3 2
10th +4 Will of the Grave 4 2d8 8 4 3 2
11th +4 Greater Runeforging 4 2d8 9 4 3 3
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 2d8 9 4 3 3
13th +5 5 2d8 10 4 3 3 1
14th +5 Command Undead 5 2d8 10 4 3 3 1
15th +5 Specialization Feature 5 3d8 11 4 3 3 2
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 3d8 11 4 3 3 2
17th +6 6 3d8 12 4 3 3 3 1
18th +6 Superior Runeforging 6 3d8 12 4 3 3 3 1
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 6 3d8 13 4 3 3 3 2
20th +6 Specialization Feature 6 3d8 13 4 3 3 3 2

Rune Weapons

You know how to inscribe dread runes on your melee weapons, empowering them and binding them to you. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. The weapons must be within your reach throughout the ritual. You can only have a single two-handed melee weapon bound to you, or two one-handed melee weapons. Bonding new weapons immediately breaks the bond with any previous rune weapons.

Your rune weapons are partially sentient and hunger to be used. While wielding a rune weapon, you gain the following benefits:

  • If you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren't incapacitated, you can still take reactions before the end of your first turn of combat.
  • If you would be disarmed of a rune weapon, you can use your reaction to not be disarmed.
  • You can use two-weapon fighting with two one-handed rune weapons, even if they aren't light.
  • If you are wielding a single rune weapon and no shield, you gain a +1 to your AC.

Runic Power

You can use the runes inscribed on your rune weapon to perform powerful necromantic techniques in battle. You begin with one rune, and gain more as you reach higher levels, as shown in the Runes column of the Death Knight table.

While wielding a rune weapon, you can spend runes to perform the Death Coil and Rune Strike techniques. These techniques, and other death knight class features, involve rolling the Rune Damage dice listed in the Death Knight table. Spent runes are unavailable until you finish a long rest, when all expended runes regain their power. You also regain the use of one expended rune when you finish a short rest.

Death Coil

As an action, you can spend a rune and send a bolt of necrotic energy towards a creature you can see within 120 feet. If the target is not undead, make a ranged spell attack using Charisma against it. On a hit, the creature takes necrotic damage equal to rolling your Rune Damage twice. If the target is undead, no attack roll is required, and the creature regains hit points equal to your Rune Damage.

Rune Strike

Once per turn when you hit a creature with a rune weapon, you can spend a rune to deal extra damage to the target equal to your Rune Damage.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a 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.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Versatile Weapon Fighting

When you are wielding a single versatile weapon and no other weapons, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with that weapon. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to AC if you are wielding that weapon with two hands.

Additional Fighting Styles

If you own Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, you can ask your DM if you can take any of the the additional fighting styles detailed within, in addition to the fighting styles listed here.

Spellcasting

Also at 2nd level, the dark power bestowed upon you by the forces of death have given you facility with spells. See Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting, and the Spells section later in this supplement for the death knight spell list and new spells.

Spell Slots

The death knight table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your death knight spells of 1st through 5th level. 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell ice knife and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast ice knife using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

At 2nd level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the death knight spell list.

The Spells Known column of the death knight table shows when you learn more death knight spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the death knight spells you know and replace it with another spell from the death knight spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your death knight spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a death knight spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +

your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +

your Charisma modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use a rune weapon as a spellcasting focus for your death knight spells.

Undead Constitution

By 3rd level, the necromantic energy empowering you makes you immune to disease and the poisoned condition.

Death Knight Specialization

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself fully to one aspect of death: Blood, Frost, or Unholy. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th level.

Specialization Spells

Each specialization has a list of associated spells. You learn these spells at the levels specified in the specialization description. Specialization spells don't count against the number of death knight spells you may know.

If you gain a specialization spell that doesn't appear on the death knight spell list, the spell is nonetheless a death knight spell for you.

Malefic Rites

Your specialization allows you to channel the power of death to fuel magical effects. Each Malefic Rites option provided by your specialization explains how to use it.

When you use your Malefic Rites, you choose which option to use. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Malefic Rites again.

Some Malefic Rites effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your death knight spell save DC.

Ability Score Improvement

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.

Runeforging

At 6th level, you can engrave your rune weapons with powerful enchantments. Your rune weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. In addition, choose one of the enchantments below. You gain the benefits of the chosen enchantment while wielding a rune weapon. You can choose a different enchantment from this list when you finish a long rest.

Nerubian Carapace

You increase your maximum hit points by your death knight level, and subtract your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) from any bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take.

Spellwarding

You add your Charisma modifier to your saving throws.

Unending Thirst

Your walking speed increases by 10 feet, and you gain a bonus to initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier.

Will of the Grave

Beginning at 10th level, you can't be charmed or frightened.

Greater Runeforging

When you reach 11th level, you learn to bestow even more powerful enchantments on your rune weapons. Choose one of the enchantments below, and whether the enchantment deals cold or necrotic damage. You gain the benefits of the chosen enchantment while wielding a rune weapon. You can choose a different enchantment from this list and damage type when you finish a long rest.

Cinderglacier

Once on your turn when you hit a creature with a rune weapon, you can deal an extra 1d8 damage and force the target to have disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.

Hysteria

Once on your turn when you hit a creature with a rune weapon, you can deal an extra 1d8 damage and force the target to have disadvantage on any attack roll that isn't against you, until the end of your next turn.

Razorice

Once on your turn when you hit a creature with a rune weapon, you can deal an extra 1d8 damage to your target and to another creature you can see within 5 feet of it.

Command Undead

Beginning at 14th level, you can more easily exert your will over undead. You learn the spell dominate undead (found later in this supplement). You can cast it once without expending a spell slot, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

In addition, any undead that targets you with an attack or a harmful spell must first make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell. This feature doesn't protect you from area effects, such as the explosion of a fireball. If you make an attack or cast a harmful spell that affects an undead, that creature is immune to this feature until you finish a long rest.

Superior Runeforging

At 18th level, you unlock the most powerful secrets of your rune weapons. Choose one of the enchantments below. You gain the benefits of the chosen enchantment while wielding a rune weapon. You can choose a different enchantment from this list when you finish a long rest.

Lichsworn

When you cast a death knight spell that deals damage, you can add your Charisma modifier to one of the spell's damage rolls. In addition, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you may replace one of the attacks with casting a death knight spell that has a casting time of 1 action.

Stoneskin Gargoyle

At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 1d6 + your Charisma modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left and aren't dead.

Wraith Walk

Once on each of your turns, you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. This does count against your movement for the turn. Each creature in between your starting and ending spaces takes necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

Death Knight Specializations

The blessings of the Lich King are many, from unleashing the frozen heart of Northrend, to harnessing the sanguine power of blood, to spreading terrible necromantic plagues. The specialization you choose reflects your approach.

Blood Death Knight

Blood death knights are dark guardians who use corrupted life energy to sustain themselves and their allies, and destroy their enemies.

Malefic Rites

When you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you gain the following two Malefic Rites options.

Blood Boil. As an action, you can use your Malefic Rites to unleash a wave of agony. Each creature within 15 feet, other than you, must make a Constitution saving throw. A target takes necrotic damage equal to your Rune Damage plus your death knight level on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A target that failshas disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of your next turn.

Mark of Blood. You can use your bonus action to mark a creature you can see within 60 feet with vampiric magic, using your Malefic Rites. Until the start of your next turn, whenever a creature deals damage to the marked target, the attacker gains hit points equal to your Rune Damage plus your death knight level. A creature can gain hit points from this feature only once per turn.

Blood Specialization Spells

Death Knight Level   Spells
3rd command, ✦ death grip
5th lesser restoration, warding bond
9th life transference, slow
13th aura of purity, locate creature
17th dominate person, greater
 restoration

spell found later in this supplement

Blood Shield

Beginning at 7th level, whenever you spend a rune, you gain temporary hit points equal to your death knight level plus your Charisma modifier.

Bloodworms

When you reach 15th level, you can use the life essence of your defeated enemies to harm or heal. When a Small or larger creature dies within 30 feet of you, spectral worms appear in the dead creature's space and remain there for 1 minute. When a creature you can see enters that space, you can use your reaction to cause the worms to burst with sanguine energy that either heals the creature or deals necrotic damage to it. The healing or damage equals your Rune Damage plus half your death knight level, and the worms are destroyed afterwards. Constructs cannot regain hit points from this feature.

You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Dancing Rune Weapon

At 20th level, you are able to summon a spectral copy of your rune weapon, which dances menacingly around you. For 1 minute, the reach of your rune weapons is increased by 5 feet, and you gain the benefits of half cover. Creatures of your choice also gain the benefits of half cover while within 10 feet of you. Finally, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as part of that action, as your dancing rune weapon attacks in tandem with you.

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

Frost Death Knight

Frost death knights are icy harbingers of doom, harnessing the strength of an avalanche and the fury of a blizzard to lay waste to their foes.

Malefic Rites

When you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you gain the following two Malefic Rites options.

Frozen Heart. When you roll cold damage, you can use your Malefic Rites to deal maximum damage, instead of rolling.

Remorseless Winter. As an action, you can use your Malefic Rites to unleash frozen energy that drains the life from nearby enemies. Each creature within 15 feet, other than you, must make a Constitution saving throw. A target takes cold damage equal to your Rune Damage plus your death knight level on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You gain temporary hit points equal to your death knight level, plus 5 for each creature that failed its saving throw.

Frost Specialization Spells

Death Knight Level   Spells
3rd armor of Agathys, ✦ chains of ice
5th  ✦ howling blast, ✦ icebound
 fortitude
9th sleet storm, water walk
13th fire shield (chill shield only), ice
 storm
17th cone of cold, ✦ deathwyrm's fury

spell found later in this supplement

Killing Machine

Beginning at 7th level, your melee weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you deal additional cold damage equal to half your death knight level.

Icy Talons

Starting at 15th level, once on each of your turns when you use your Rune Strike ability, you may make an additional melee weapon attack as part of the same action.

Empower Rune Weapon

At 20th level, you can use your action to empower your rune weapon with necrotic might. For 1 minute, you regain an expended rune at the beginning of each of your turns. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Unholy Death Knight

Unholy death knights are masters of death and decay, spreading necromantic disease and raising undead minions to do their bidding.

Malefic Rites

When you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you gain the following two Malefic Rites options.

Raise Minion. As an action, you can reanimate a Small or Medium humanoid corpse you can see within 30 feet of you, using your Malefic Rites. See the creature's game statistics in the undead minion stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places.

In combat, the undead minion acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the undead minion can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

After 1 minute, when it drops to 0 hit points, or when you use an action to dismiss it, the undead minion crumbles into dust and is destroyed.

Unholy Blight. As an action, you can use your Malefic Rites to summon a swarm of spectral, plague-ridden insects to overwhelm your foes. Each creature within 15 feet, other than you, must make a Constitution saving throw. A target takes necrotic damage equal to your Rune Damage plus your death knight level on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. In addition, choose one of the diseases detailed in the "Unholy Diseases" sidebar. Each target that fails its save suffers the effects of the chosen disease until the end of your next turn.

Undead Specialization Spells

Death Knight Level   Spells
3rd  ✦ corpse explosion, ray of sickness
5th  ✦ anti-magic shell,
blindness/deafness
9th haste, speak with dead
13th blight, ✦ death and decay
17th  ✦ army of the dead, contagion

spell found later in this supplement

Plaguebringer

At 7th level, you learn to spread plague and pestilence across the land with your own dark magic, or through a stronger undead minion. Choose one of the following features.

Master of Ghouls. When you use your Raise Minion Malefic Rite, the undead minion is not destroyed after 1 minute, and remains until it drops to 0 hit points, or you dismiss it. You can only have one minion at a time; raising a new one destroys an existing minion.

Unholy Diseases

Unholy death knights can use their class features to afflict creatures with the following diseases.


Blood Plague. The diseased creature can't regain hit points, and its weapon attacks deal half damage.


Crypt Blight. The diseased creature can use either an action or a bonus action on its turn, and it can't make more than one attack during its turn.


Frost Fever. The diseased creature's speed is halved, and it can't take reactions.

Outbreak. When you deal damage with a Runic Power technique, you can afflict your target with a terrible plague. You choose which of the diseases detailed in the "Unholy Diseases" sidebar to inflict on your target, which takes effect immediately. At the end of each of the creature's turns, it can make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, the creature takes necrotic damage equal to your Rune Damage and continues to suffer the effects of the disease. On a success, the creature takes half as much damage and suffers none of the disease's effects until the end of its next turn. The disease ends after 1 minute or when the creature has made three successful saving throws against it.

If a target is inflicted with a new unholy disease while already suffering from one, the original disease ends and the new one takes effect.

Plaguelord

Upon reaching 15th level, you have achieved mastery over your powers of pestilence and plague. You gain one of the following features, depending on your choice at 7th level.

Master of Ghouls: Unholy Pact. After you spend a rune, you add your Rune Damage to the damage of your undead minion's attacks until the end of the turn.

Outbreak: Bursting Sores. Whenever you make a successful attack with your rune weapon against a creature currently afflicted by an unholy disease, you also deal 1d8 damage to each other creature within 5 feet of it, other than yourself. This damage's type is the same as the additional damage of your Greater Runeforging enchantment.

Unholy Frenzy

At 20th level, you can use your action to incite yourself or another undead creature you can see within 60 feet into a killing frenzy. For 1 minute, the frenzied creature gains the following benefits:

  • It has advantage on saving throws.
  • Its movement speed is doubled.
  • Once on its turn when it makes a melee weapon attack, it can make one additional melee weapon attack as part of that action.

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


Undead Minion

Medium undead, neutral evil


  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 5 + five times your death knight level (the minion has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your death knight level)
  • Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 6 (-2) 10 (+2) 6 (-2)

  • Saving Throws DEX +2 plus PB, CON +2 plus PB
  • Damage Immunities poison
  • Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  • Languages understands the languages you speak
  • Challenge —          Proficiency Bonus equals your bonus

Shambling Rush. At the beginning of its turn, the minion may double its speed until the end of its turn. If it hits a Large or smaller creature on the same turn, the creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone. Once the minion uses this trait, it can't use it again until it moves 0 feet on one of its turns.

Diseased. When you summon an undead minion, choose one of the diseases detailed in the "Unholy Diseases" sidebar. When the minion makes a successful melee weapon attack, its target must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it is afflicted by the chosen disease for 1 minute. The diseased creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the disease on a success.

Actions

Putrid Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + PB necrotic damage.

Gnaw. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + PB piercing damage.

Character Options

With the introduction of the races of Northrend and the dread champions of the Scourge, players and DMs will need new options to support their epic adventures. This chapter details new languages and feats related to Champions of Northrend content.

Languages

In addition to the languages presented in Champions of Azeroth, adventurers may encounter the following new languages while traversing the frozen wastes of Northrend. A comprehensive list of Warcraft languages can be found on Wowpedia.

New Languages
Language Races
Nerubian Nerubians
Tuskarr Tuskarrs
Vrykul Vrykuls

Feats

As detailed in chapter 6 of the Player's Handbook, feats are an optional way of enhancing your character. The following feats relate to the content of Champions of Northrend, to add to the many feats found in Champions of Azeroth and other 5E sources.

Death Knight Adept

Prerequisites: Strength 13 and Charisma 13, not a death knight

You have been touched by the icy hand of death, and gain the following benefits:

  • You gain the Undead Nature racial trait of the Undead subrace. If you already have this trait, you gain immunity to disease and the poisoned condition.
  • When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell, you can cause the attack or spell to deal an additional 1d8 necrotic damage to the creature. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Death Knight Mastery

Prerequisite: Death Knight Adept feat

You have continued down the dark path of the death knight, and gain the following benefits:

  • The additional necrotic damage dealt by this feature increases to 2d8.
  • As a bonus action, you can gain the benefits of one of the 6th-level Runeforging enchantments listed in the death knight class description. The enchantment lasts for 10 minutes. Once you use this ability, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
Other Undead Feats

All characters with the undead subrace are also eligible to take the Touch of the Grave and Will of the Forsaken feats presented in Champions of Azeroth, regardless of their race.

Lifelike

Prerequisite: Undead

Whether from magic, excellent embalming, or a gentle death, your undead nature is less pronounced. Rolls made to discern your undead nature have disadvantage, and you have advantage on saving throws against effects that can affect you only because of your undead type.

In addition, choose one subrace for your race (likely your subrace before becoming undead). You gain that subrace's traits, except for its Ability Score Increase.

Scribe

You are an expert in the art of inscription, and are especially proficient with spell scrolls. You gain the following benefits:

  • Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
  • You gain proficiency with calligrapher's supplies. If you are already proficient with them, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with them.
  • When you craft a nonmagical item using calligrapher's supplies, it requires half the amount of materials and time to craft.
  • You can use a spell scroll even if its spell is not on your class's spell list, but otherwise using the normal rules for using a spell scroll. If your class doesn't allow you to cast spells, you can attempt to use a spell scroll anyway, using the normal rules for casting a spell from a scroll of a level higher than you can normally cast. In this case you choose whether to use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability.
  • When you cast a spell from a spell scroll, you can use your spell save DC and spell attack bonus, instead of those provided by the spell scroll.

Spells

Champions of Northrend adds the fearsome magic of the dread death knights to the new spells introduced in Champions of Azeroth. For simplicity, this project uses spells from the 5E Player's Handbook, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. It also uses spells from the core Champions of Azeroth supplement, which are reproduced here for convenience. DMs are welcome to add additional spells, or change these spell lists altogether, at their discretion.

Spell Sources

Spells without superscript can be found in the 5E Player's Handbook. Marked spells come from the following sources:

  • XGtE: Xanathar's Guide to Everything
  • TCoE: Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
  • CoA: Champions of Azeroth, reproduced here for convenience (source)
  • CoN: Champions of Northrend, detailed in this section

Death Knight Spells

1st Level

  • Absorb ElementsXGtE
  • Bane
  • Cause FearXGtE
  • Chains of IceCoN
  • Command
  • Compelled Duel
  • Corpse ExplosionCoN
  • Death GripCoN
  • Detect Evil and Good
  • Detect Magic
  • Detect Poison and Disease
  • Divine Favor (deals necrotic damage)
  • False Life
  • Fog Cloud
  • Heroism
  • Ice KnifeXGtE
  • Inflict Wounds
  • Protection from Evil and Good
  • Ray of Sickness
  • Thunderous Smite
  • Wrathful Smite
2nd Level

  • Anti-Magic ShellCoN
  • Augury
  • Blindness/Deafness

  • Calm Emotions
  • Darkness
  • Darkvision
  • Find Steed (steed is undead)
  • Gentle Repose
  • Hold Person
  • Howling BlastCoN
  • Icebound FortitudeCoN
  • Ray of Enfeeblement
  • Silence
  • Snilloc's Snowball SwarmXGtE
  • Zone of Truth
3rd Level

  • Animate Dead
  • Bestow Curse
  • Clairvoyance
  • Counterspell
  • Crusader's Mantle (deals necrotic damage)
  • Dispel Magic
  • Enemies AboundXGtE
  • Fear
  • Feign Death
  • Gaseous Form
  • Glyph of Warding
  • Ice LanceCoA
  • Intellect FortressTCoE
  • Life TransferenceXGtE
  • Magic Circle
  • Revivify
  • Sleet Storm

  • Speak with Dead
  • Stinking Cloud
  • Summon UndeadTCoE
  • Water Walk
4th Level

  • Arcane Eye
  • Banishment
  • Blight
  • Death and DecayCoN
  • Death Ward
  • Dominate UndeadCoN
  • Find Greater SteedXGtE
    (steed is undead)
  • Ice Storm
  • Locate Creature
  • Phantasmal Killer
  • Staggering Smite
  • Stoneskin
  • Vitriolic SphereXGtE
5th Level

  • Antilife Shell
  • Army of the DeadCoN
  • Banishing Smite
  • Circle of Power
  • Cloudkill
  • Danse MacabreXGtE
  • Deathwyrm's FuryCoN
  • Dispel Evil and Good
  • EnervationXGtE
  • Hallow
  • Hold Monster
  • Negative Energy FloodXGtE

Spell Descriptions

The spells are presented in alphabetical order.

Anti-Magic Shell

2nd-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are the target of a spell
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: 1 round

You surround yourself with a field of necrotic energy that repels harmful magic. Until the beginning of your next turn, you have advantage on saving throws against spells, and resistance to the damage from spells.

Army of the Dead

5th-level necromancy


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (brain matter from a humanoid killed within the past 24 hours)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You utter profane words, and summon an army of the dead to kill and consume everything in its path. It appears centered around your space, and uses the Army of the Dead stat block. The swarm of undead disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.

The army is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don't issue any, it uses its action to move and attack the closest hostile creature.

If you stop concentrating on the spell before it reaches its full duration, the army remains for 1d6 rounds, but you lose control of it. It spends its turns pursuing and attacking the nearest creatures to the best of its ability.


Army of the Dead

Huge swarm of Medium undead, neutral evil


  • Armor Class 8
  • Hit Points 100
  • Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 6 (-2) 5 (-3)

  • Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
  • Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned, unconscious
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 8
  • Languages understands the languages you speak
  • Challenge —          Proficiency Bonus equals your bonus

Swarm. The army can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the army can move through any opening large enough for a Medium zombie. The army can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.

Overwhelming. Whenever a hostile creature ends its turn occupying the army's space, the army can make an immediate Slams attack against it.

Undead Fortitude. If the army takes damage, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the army takes no damage instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The army can make up to three Slams attacks, and each attack must be against a different target.

Slams. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4d6 + 4 bludgeoning damage, or 2d6 + 2 bludgeoning damage if the army has half of its hit points or fewer. If the target is Large or smaller, it is also grappled (escape DC equals your spell save DC).

Chains of Ice

1st-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You summon chains of ice to bind a creature you can see within range. Your target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take 2d8 cold damage and be restrained by the frozen chains until the spell ends. If the target succeeds on the save, it takes half as much damage and isn't restrained.

 A creature restrained by the chains or one that can touch the creature can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, the target is freed.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Corpse Explosion

1st-level necromancy


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You gesture towards a corpse of size Small or larger you can see within range, which then explodes with necrotic energy. Each creature within 10 feet of the corpse must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d6 necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a success.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, for each slot level above 1st, you can target an additional corpse and the damage increases by 1d6. A creature in the area of more than one explosion is affected only once.

Death and Decay

4th-level necromancy


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You reach out towards a point you can see within range, creating a 20-foot radius sphere filled with festering, necrotic energy that withers and decays everything within it. When a creature enters the blighted area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 4d8 necrotic damage. In addition, until the beginning of its next turn, the creature subtracts 1d4 from all of its attack rolls and saving throws, as if under the effect of the bane spell. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and suffers no additional effects.

Undead creatures in the spell's area take no damage, and are bolstered by its necrotic power. While standing in the spell's area, undead creatures add 1d4 to their attack rolls and saving throws, as if under the effect of the spell bless.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 4th.

Death Grip

1st-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You extend grasping necrotic energy towards a Huge or smaller creature you can see that is currently at least 10 feet away from you, and within the spell's range. The creature must make a successful Strength saving throw or be moved to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, and your next attack roll against them this turn is made with advantage.

Deathwyrm's Fury

5th-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a scale from a slain dragon)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You summon a mighty undead dragon to breath destruction on your enemies. You choose where to summon an emberwyrm, frostwyrm, or vilewyrm. It appears hovering above you and unleashes its breath weapon, tainted by necrotic power, before vanishing.

The spell fails if there is insufficient room for the dragon to appear (for example, you are in a narrow tunnel). Any living dragons that witness you cast this spell will almost surely view you as a sworn enemy, if they didn't already.

Emberwyrm. The dragon exhales fire in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d8 fire damage and 5d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Frostwyrm. The dragon exhales an icy blast at a point within 120 feet. Each creature within 20 feet of that point must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d8 cold damage and 5d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Vilewyrm The dragon exhales acid in a 120-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d8 acid damage and 5d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Dominate Undead

4th-level enchantment


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You attempt to beguile an undead that you can see within range. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for the duration. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw. If the creature's CR is less than your level, this spell ignores any resistance or immunity to the charmed condition the creature may have.

While the undead is charmed, you have a telepathic link with it as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. You can use this telepathic link to issue commands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which it does its best to obey. You can specify a simple and general course of action, such as "Attack that creature," "Run over there," or "Fetch that object." If the creature completes the order and doesn't receive further direction from you, it defends and preserves itself to the best of its ability.

You can use your action to take total and precise control of the target. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn't do anything that you don't allow it to do. During this time, you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well.

Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the spell. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell with a 5th-level spell slot, the duration is concentration, up to 10 minutes. When you use a 6th-level spell slot, the duration is concentration, up to 1 hour. When you use a 7th level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 8 hours.

Howling Blast

2nd-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: 1 round

An icy gale suddenly erupts around a point of your choice within range. Each creature in a 15-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 3d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A cold fog hangs in the air afterwards, making the area heavily obscured until the beginning of your next turn.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd.

Icebound Fortitude

2nd-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are dealt bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: 1 round

You temporarily freeze your own blood and make your skin as hard as ice. Until the start of your next turn, you have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, including against the triggering damage.

Thanks For Reading

Champions of Azeroth has been a joy to design and write, and I hope it serves you well! If you have any feedback at all, or just want to reach out to chat about D&D or Warcraft, please do so. Reach me on Discord at Silverblade#9212, and on Reddit at u/Silverblade1234.

This project would not have been possible without the hard work of others. For more resources or information about D&D or Warcraft, or the Warcraft 5E project that inspired this one, please visit the following resources:

Dungeons & Dragons official site
World of Warcraft official site
Champions of Azeroth
Warcraft 5E Reddit, Discord




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