Death Knight

Death Knight Features

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Curses	Curse Damage	Curse Boons	Negative Conduit Dice	Supernatural Techniques Known	Supernatural Surges
1st	+2	Baleful Curse, Supernatural Techniques, Two Lineage Traits	3	1d6	─	─	1	4
2nd	+2	Combat Mastery, Curse Boons, Cursed Knack	3	1d6	1	─	1	4
3rd	+2	Invoke Divinity, Dark Path	4	1d6	1	─	2	4
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	4	1d6	1	─	2	4
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Lineage Trait	4	2d6	1	─	3	6
6th	+3	Negative Conduit	4	2d6	1	3	3	6
7th	+3	Subclass Feature	5	2d6	2	4	4	6
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	5	2d6	2	4	4	6
9th	+4	Lineage Trait	5	2d6	2	5	5	8
10th	+4	Blood Price	5	2d6	5	5	8
11th	+4	Divine Force, Subclass Feature	5	3d6	2	6	6	8
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	5	3d6	2	6	6	8
13th	+5	Lineage Trait	6	3d6	3	7	7	10
14th	+5	Superior Curses	6	3d6	3	7	7	10
15th	+5	Subclass Feature	6	3d6	3	8	8	10
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	6	3d6	3	8	8	10
17th	+6	Divine Majesty, Lineage Trait	6	3d6	3	9	9	12
18th	+6	─	7	3d6	4	9	9	12
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	7	3d6	4	10	10	12
20th	+6	Master of Annihilation	7	4d6	4	10	10	12

Class Features

As a death knight, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d12 per Death Knight level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per death knight level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma, One save of your choice
Skills: Choose three

Equipment

You start with 125gp or the following equipment

two martial weapons or one martial weapon and a shield -chain shirt or leather armor, a longbow, and 20 arrows
a priest’s pack or a dungeoneer’s pack
five javelins

Class Ability Modifier 1st

You may choose Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom as your class ability modifier, many class abilities are determined by this modifier.

Baleful Curse 1st

You gain the ability to curse creatures with your divine connection. Once on your turn, you can place a magical curse on a creature within 30 feet of you. You can either place this curse when you hit that target with a weapon attack (no action required), or you can use a bonus action to place this curse on a target you can see within range. This curse lasts for 1 minute or until burned (see “Burning curses” below). A creature with one or more of your curses is referred to as an cursed creature. The curses appears as dark marks on the creature’s body.

You can only place a limited number of curses before resting, and you regain all curses when you finish a short or long rest. The number of curses you can place increases as you gain death knight levels, as indicated in the Curses column of the death knight table.

If an cursed creature dies, you can use a bonus action on your turn to move all curses placed on them to a new creature you can see within 30 feet of them. Each curse’s duration continues to elapse when an cursed creature dies and when that curse is moved to a new creature.

Burning Curses. When an cursed creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage from any source other than a curse burned by an death knight, you can burn any number of curses you placed on them to deal 1d6 cold, fire or necrotic damage (your choice) to that creature per curse burned. You deal this damage immediately after the triggering damage. Burning a curse doesn’t require an action from you, but you can’t do so while incapacitated. Once a curse is burned, it immediately vanishes. Once you reach 5th level in this class, your curses strengthen. Each burned curse deals an extra 1d6 damage, for a total of 2d6. The damage of each curse increases again by 1d6 when you reach 11th level (for a total of 3d6) and 20th level (for a total of 4d6) in this class, as indicated in the Curse Damage column of the death knight table.

Curse Save. Class features you gain later can add additional effects to your Baleful Curse and require your target to make a saving throw to resist them. The saving throw DC for these effects uses your curse save DC, which is calculated as follows:

Curse save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +

your Class ability modifier

Supernatural Techniques 1st

Click the link above

Combat Mastery 2nd

You have uncanny skill in a certain form of combat. Choose one of the following combat masteries:

Bravado. While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your class ability modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Brutal. When you hit a creature who is no more than one size larger than you with an attack you make with a melee weapon you are wielding with two hands, you can move the target 5 feet horizontally.

Grace. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend your movement to move 5 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.

Unfettered. When you use your Baleful Curse to place or burn a curse, its range is 60 feet instead of 30 feet. When you gain the Negative Conduit feature at 6th level, its range is 30 feet instead of touch.

In addition, making a ranged attack while within 5 feet of a hostile creature does not impose disadvantage on the attack roll.

Burn vs. Expend

Burning a curse is part of the main gameplay loop of this class. The death knight places a curse by using a bonus action or hitting a creature with an attack, then burns the curse for additional damage (as described in the Baleful Curse class feature). Many curse boons activate when you burn a curse; these burned curses deal the normal damage to the cursed creature in addition to any effects granted by the boon.

Other curse boons instead require you to expend a curse. In this case, the death knight expends an unplaced curse from their pool of available curses. This may require using an action, bonus action, or reaction, but not always (such as in the case of the Felspeaker’s Charm Enemy feature, where you can expend curses to increase the number of targets).

Each active curse boon details if any kind of action is required to expend the curse and activate the boon’s benefit. Part of the death knight’s resource management is maximizing efficiency between burned curses (and their extra damage) and expended curses (and their unique effects).

Curse Boons 2nd

You can infuse your curses with negative energy, enhancing their effects.

Curse Boons Known. You learn one curse boon of your choice from the “Curse Boons” section at the end of the class’s description. As you gain levels in this class, you gain additional boons of your choice, as shown in the Curse Boons column of the death knight table. Each new boon must be of a level you can learn. When you reach 7th level, for example, you learn one new boon of 2nd or 7th level.

Whenever you gain an death knight level, you can choose a boon you know and replace it with another boon you can learn.

Using Curse Boons. Some boons allow you to expend unplaced curses to fuel abilities, while others empower all your curses or grant you benefits against Cursed creatures.

The boons that grant passive (or “always on”) benefits, such as the 2nd-level Swift Retribution boon, are marked with a “Passive” tag. You don’t need to expend a curse or take an action to benefit from the passive boons you know. All other boons, such as the 2nd-level Abating Curse boon, must be activated on a turn (for example, by expending a curse). You can activate only one non-passive boon per turn, regardless of how many you know.

Cursed Knack 2nd

When you make an ability check, you may expend a seal to add 1d6 to the check.

Invoke Divinity 3rd

Your divine connection allows you to channel negative energy to empower magical effects. Your chosen subclass grants you two Invoke Divinity options and describes how to use each.

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

Some Invoke Divinity effects require a saving throw. When you use such an effect, the DC equals your Curse save DC.

Dark Paths 3rd

A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain levels, as specified in the subclass.

Ability Score Improvement 4th

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at death knight levels 8, 12, 16 and 19.

Extra Attack 5th

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Negative Conduit 6th

You can strengthen your allies at the cost of yourself—or drain your enemy’s life force for your own gain. You have a pool of Negative Conduit dice, which are d10s. The number of Negative Conduit dice in your pool increase as you gain death knight levels, as shown in the Negative Conduit Dice column of the death knight table.

As an action, you can touch another creature and spend one or more dice from your pool. The target must make a Constitution saving throw against your curset save DC. A creature can willingly fail this saving throw. Roll the spent dice and choose one of the following effects:

Invigorate. On a failed save, take necrotic damage equal to that total and the target regains hit points equal to the amount of life you lost. On a successful save, the target regains half as many hit points, and you take necrotic damage equal to that total. Save or fail, this necrotic damage can’t be reduced in any way, and if this damage reduces you to 0 hit points, you fall unconscious and are stabilized. This can be used to heal undead.

Devour. On a failed save, the target takes necrotic damage equal to the total you rolled, and you regain hit points equal to that total. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage, and you regain hit points equal to the damage the target took. Save or fail, or if the target chose to fail their saving throw against this effect, the necrotic damage can’t be reduced in any way.

You regain any spent Negative Conduit dice when you finish a long rest.

Blood Price 10th

You can strengthen your defenses at the cost. Whenever you fail a saving throw, you can expend two curses to roll a new save and use that result.

Divine Force 11th

Your attacks are empowered with devastating might. When you gain this feature, choose a damage type: cold, fire, or necrotic. When you hit with a weapon attack, you deal an extra 1d8 damage of the chosen type. You can choose a different damage type when you finish a long rest.

Superior Curses 14th

Damage from your curses ignores resistances.

In addition, you can use a bonus action to regain a curse if you have none remaining. Once you regain a curse in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Divine Majesty 17th

You open yourself fully to your divine connection, infusing yourself with power. As a bonus action, you channel divine might, gaining the following benefits for 10 minutes:

You gain resistance to cold, fire and necrotic damage.
Wings appear on your back, granting you a flight speed of 60 feet.
When you use your Blood Price, you can cause an enemy you can see within 10 feet of you to take 2d6 cold, fire or necrotic damage.
When you hit with a weapon attack, your Divine Force deals an extra 2d8 damage instead of 1d8.

Once you channel your Divine Majesty, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

Master of Annihilation 20th

You learn to tear open a rift to a negative energy aligned plane and wreak its fury on your enemies. As an action, you can summon a negative storm centered on a point you can see within 150 feet of you. Choose one of the following effects, which fills a 50-foot-radius sphere centered on that point:

Inferno. Hellfire rains down on your foes. Each enemy in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 5d10 fire damage plus 5d10 necrotic damage, and they burn for 1 minute. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and does not burn.

A creature burning in this way must repeat this saving throw at the end of their turn, taking 1d10 fire damage plus 1d10 necrotic damage on a failed save, or ending the effect on themself on a successful one. This hellfire can’t be extinguished by nonmagical means.

Decay. A foul miasma swirls around your foes. Each enemy in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 10d10 necrotic damage and becomes poisoned for 1 minute. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and does not become poisoned.

Darkness. A bitter storm assails your foes. Each enemy in that area must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 5d10 cold damage and 5d10 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally, the storm’s gloom persists for 1 minute, and each creature within that area is blinded for the duration or until they leave the area.

Once you summon a negative storm, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

Dark Paths

Architect of Ruin

Architects of Ruin draw their power from the plane of annihilation. They are cool and calculating arcane knights, deploying spells, steel, and subterfuge to win at any cost. They work to make their enemies seem outnumbered and outmaneuvered.

These death knights are skillful spellblades on the battlefield, though some employ tactics such as research, infiltration, and propaganda to play mind games with their quarry. When an Architect of Ruin finally confronts an enemy, the advantage is theirs—they have studied, prepared, and gripped fate within their gauntlet, forcing it to favor them.

Blessing of Annihilation 3rd

You gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, History, or Religion. In addition, you can also read and write two languages of your choice.

Spellcasting 3rd

As an Architect of Ruin, you access a well of profane magic to cast spells. See “Spellcasting” in the core rules for the general rules of spellcasting.

Cantrips. You know two cantrips of your choice from the Architect of Ruin spell list (presented at the end of this subclass). You learn an additional cantrip from this list at 10th level.

Spell Slots. The Architect of Ruin Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your death knight spells of 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 hellish rebuke and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast hellish rebuke using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. At 3rd level, you know three 1st-level spells of your choice from the Architect of Ruin spell list (presented at the end of this subclass). The Spells Known column of the Architect of Ruin Spellcasting table shows when you learn more death knight spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. When you reach 7th level, for example, you learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the death knight spells you know with another spell of your choice from the death knight spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

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

Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +

your class ability modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +

your class ability modifier modifier

Spellcasting Focus. You have an holy symbol, such as an amulet symbolizing a, a fragment of a blasphemous relic, or a glass orb holding a consecrated drop of angel blood. You can use the holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your death knight spells. You must have a free hand to use the unholy symbol, but it can be the same hand you use to perform somatic components.

Architect of Ruin Spellcasting

Death Knight Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	1st-Level Slots	2nd- Level Slots	3rd-Level Slots	4th-level Slots
3rd	2	3	2	—	—	—
4th	2	4	3	—	—	—
5th	2	4	3	─	─	—
6th	2	4	3	─	─	─
7th	2	5	4	2	─	—
8th	2	6	4	2	─	—
9th	2	6	4	2	─	—
10th	3	7	4	3	─	—
11th	3	8	4	3	─	—
12th	3	8	4	3	─	—
13th	3	9	4	3	2	—
14th	3	10	4	3	2	—
15th	3	10	4	3	2	—
16th	3	11	4	3	3	—
17th	3	11	4	3	3	—
18th	3	11	4	3	3	—
19th	3	12	4	3	3	1
20th	3	13	4	3	3	1

Invoke Divinity 3rd

You gain the following two Invoke Divinity options:

Enervating Spell. When you deal damage to a creature with an death knight spell of 1st level or higher, you can expend a curse (no action required) and imbue the spell with weakening magic. The target has vulnerability to that spell’s damage. If they normally have resistance or immunity to the spell’s damage, that resistance or immunity is suppressed for this spell, and the target has vulnerability to the damage instead.

Spellblade. You can use an action to both make a melee weapon attack and cast an death knight spell you know that has a casting time of one action.

Destructive Versatility 7th

Once on each of your turns, you can cast one of your death knight cantrips in place of one of your attacks granted by your Extra Attack feature.

Ruinous Curses 7th

You learn the following additional curse boons at the noted death knight levels. Once you learn an curse boon granted by this feature, you always know it, and it doesn’t count against the number of curse boons you know.

Axiomatic Curses (7th Level; Passive). You to infuse your curses with manifest power. When you burn one or more curses to deal damage to a creature, you can activate this boon (no action required) to add your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) to each curse’s damage roll.

Spellbreaker (13th Level). When an cursed creature you can see within 60 feet of you casts a spell, you can use your reaction to burn one or more of the curses on them. When you do, burning the curse deals no damage, and instead you cast counterspell on them without expending a spell slot. Your spell’s level increases by 1 for every additional curse you burn after the first.

Annihilation Mage (18th Level; Passive). When you succeed on a saving throw against a spell or other magical effect imposed by an enemy, you can immediately place one or more curses on that enemy, up to a number equal to your proficiency bonus.

Submit 11th

When you cast an death knight spell you know, you can burn two curses on an cursed creature (no action required) to impose disadvantage on their saving throw against the spell.

Vile Recovery 15th

You uncover two new ways to employ your magic:

Regaining Curses. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one spell slot to regain a number of curses equal to that slot’s level.

Regaining Spell Slots. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend any number of curses to regain a spell slot of a level equal to one-third that number. For example, you can expend six curses to regain a 2nd-level spell slot.

Once you use one of these benefits, you can’t use that benefit again until you finish a long rest.

Architect of Ruin Spell List

Cantrips (0 Level)

Chill Touch
Dancing Lights
Fire Bolt
Message
Minor Illusion
Ray of Frost
Shocking Grasp
Thaumaturgy
Toll The Dead
Vicious Mockery

1st Level

Bad Blood ^K
Bane
Burning Hands
Charm
Color Spray
Command
Compelled Duel
Detect Magic
Disguise Self
Hellish rebuke
Inflict Wounds
Nauseating Poison^K
Shield of Faith
Silent Image

2nd Level

Arcanist’s Magic Aura
Augury
Blur
Darkness
Detect thoughts
Heat Object
Invisibility
Lesser Restoration
Mirror Image
Ray of Enfeeblement
Scorching Ray
Silence
Suggestion

3rd Level

Bestow Curse
Dispel Magic
Fear
Fireball
Fly
Haste
Life Drain^K
Major Image
Paralyze
Remove Curse
Slow

4th Level

Banishment
Blight
Compulsion
Death Ward
Dimension Door
Greater Invisibility
Hallucinatory Terrain
Ice Spike^K
Locate Creature
Phantasmal Killer
Wall of Fire

K= Homebrew spell

Felspeaker

The charismatic and manipulative Felspeakers draw their power from fiendish sources. They slip about the battlefield, coercing enemies into becoming unwitting allies.

Felspeakers are silver-tongued enchanters, lulling foes to complacency with sorcery and subterfuge until they wake and find themselves under the command of the Felspeaker. Felspeakers train in the art known as the Red Cant. By understanding their enemy and through weaving subtle sorceries into normal speech, Felspeakers can make their foes feel, think, or do nearly anything.

Felspeakers enjoy a reputation as smiling rogues and swashbuckling villains. An asset in any negotiation, Felspeakers know that in a world of lies, the truth can be as potent a weapon as steel.

Fel Blessing 3rd

You gain proficiency in the Persuasion or Deception skill (your choice). If you already have proficiency in the skill of your choice, you gain expertise in that skill. In addition, you learn how to speak (but not read or write) three additional languages.

Charm Enemy 3rd

When you use your bonus action to place a curse on a creature, you can attempt to charm them. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 hour or until you or your companions do anything harmful to them. While charmed, the target regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the charmed condition ends or the target succeeds on the save, the target knows they were charmed by you. This feature cannot be used to captivate a creature.

When you use this bonus action, you can additionally burn one or more curses on one or more other cursed creatures within 30 feet of you, attempting to charm those targets as well. After taking damage from the burned curses, each of those targets must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be under the same charmed effect.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your class ability modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Invoke Divinity 3rd

You gain the following two Invoke Divinity options:

Honey-Sweet Blades. When you make a weapon attack against an cursed and charmed creature, you can gain advantage on that attack (no action required). If the attack hits, it becomes a critical hit.

Turncoat. As an action, you wield your manipulative tongue against your enemies. You choose a number of enemy creatures up to your proficiency bonus within 60 feet of you who can hear you. Each target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or use their reaction to make a weapon attack against a single target of your choice. A creature affected by this feature can’t attack themself.

Fel Blessings 7th

Red Cant (7th Level). When you make a Charisma check, you can expend a curse to make the check with advantage.

Slippery Ploy (13th Level). When a creature targets you with an attack, spell, or other magical effect, you can place a curse on them as a reaction and force the creature to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or effect.

Incontrovertible (18th Level; Passive). cursed creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma saving throws against effects you inflict.

Aura of Intransigence 11th

While you are conscience, you are immune to the charmed condition and allies within 10 feet of you have advantage on saves to evade or remove the charmed condition.

Dealmaker 11th

You can offer your allies a deal—at a price, of course. As a bonus action, you choose one willing ally within 60 feet of you who can hear you.

Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can choose to gain advantage on one attack roll or saving throw they make and can add a bonus equal to your proficiency bonus to the same roll. If this attack hits or this saving throw succeeds, the creature gains temporary hit points equal to your death knight level. If this attack misses or this saving throw fails, the creature has disadvantage on the next attack roll or saving throw they make. This disadvantage can’t be canceled out with advantage in any way. A creature can strike only one deal with you at a time.

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.

Quid Pro Quo 15th

You can whisper to the fel legions, ensnaring enemies and calling allies. As an action, you can attempt to banish a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the target is banished to a fel plane for 1 minute, after which they return to the unoccupied space nearest to the one they left. A target banished in this way can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect early on a success. A creature who succeeds on a saving throw against this effect becomes immune to your Quid Pro Quo for 24 hours.

Additionally, when a target is banished in this way, five devil notaries appears in their place. The devils acts as allies to you and follows your commands until the banished creature is no longer banished, at which time the devils disappears.

Once you successfully banish a creature in this way, you can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Dreadnought

These death knights are heavily armored master strategists who lead from the front, inspiring terror and awe in their soldiers.

Armor Training 3rd

You gain proficiency with heavy armor.

Devastator 3rd

As an action you make a weapon attack and choose a number of willing creatures up to your proficiency bonus who you can see within 30 feet of you. Each creature you choose can use a reaction to make a weapon attack.

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

Invoke Divinity 3rd

You gain the following two Invoke Divinity options:

Grand Strategist. You can order your allies to follow your formation. As a bonus action, choose one or more creatures within 60 feet of you who can hear you, up to a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus. Each target can use its reaction to move up to half their speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Punishment. When a creature damages you with an attack, you can use your reaction to force the attacker to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker takes necrotic damage equal to the damage they dealt you with the triggering attack. On a successful save, the attacker takes half as much damage.

Curses of War 7th

Telekinetic Curse (7th Level). When a creature you can see moves within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to place a curse on them. When you do, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be either pushed back 15 feet or knocked prone (your choice).

By the Throat (13th Level). When you use a bonus action to place or move a curse on a creature who is no more than one size larger than you, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be grappled until the end of their next turn.

Battle Supremecy (18th Level; Passive). Your attacks against cursed creatures score a critical hit on a roll of 18 through 20.

You Die On My Command! 11th

When an ally within 30 feet of you who can hear you drops to 0 hit points without being killed outright, you can use your reaction to shout an order at them, causing them to drop to 1 hit point instead.

Once you use this reaction, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Deathstrike 15th

When you hit an cursed creature with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to burn one of the curses on them to turn the hit into a critical hit. When you do, you also double the damage dice you roll for the burned curse. Once you use this reaction, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Crimson Reaver

These death knight's sorceries drain their enemies’ life force, pouring this stolen vitality into dark rituals to turn the tide of battle. These death knights drink deeply of their enemies’ essence, draining it to power their magics.

Exsanguinate 3rd

You can drain enemies to embolden your allies. Whenever you burn one or more curses on a creature who isn’t a Construct or Undead, you can choose an ally you can see within 30 feet of the target. That ally gains temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt by the curses to the cursed creature.

Blessing of Blood 3rd

Your profane practice gives you knowledge of the divine. You gain proficiency in the Religion skill.

In addition, as an action, you can expand your awareness of life around you. Until the end of your next turn, you can sense creatures who have blood within 120 feet of you without having to see them. This ability can penetrate most barriers, but is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. You know the distance and direction of each creature, as well as the creature’s type.

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

Invoke Divinity 3rd

You gain the following two Invoke Divinity options:

Restore Allies. As a bonus action, you restore a total number of hit points equal to two times your death knight level, divided however you choose between yourself and other creatures within 30 feet of you.

Vitalize. As a bonus action, you can flood a creature with invigorating vivacity. For 1 minute, one creature of your choice within 30 feet of you gains a bonus to ability checks equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded up).

Cursed Blood 7th

Foul Interchange (7th Level). As an action, you choose a creature you can see within 30 feet of you and expend a curse to end one of the following conditions afflicting them: blinded, charmed, dazed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, or poisoned. Another creature you can see within 60 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or suffer that same condition until the end of your next turn. If that creature is immune to the condition, they don’t suffer the condition, but the condition ends for the original creature.

Sanguine Gift (13th Level). When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you regains hit points, you can use your reaction to expend a curse and the creature regains additional hit points equal to your death knight level.

Blood for Blood (18th Level; Passive). Once per turn, whenever an ally takes damage from an cursed creature, that cursed creature takes necrotic damage equal to your proficiency bonus.

Bloodstroke 11th

The magic that shields your allies now also saps their enemies’ strength. When an ally who has temporary hit points from your Exsanguinate feature is hit by a melee attack, the attacker must make a Con save, taking cold, fire, or necrotic damage (your choice) equal to your death knight level on a failure or half on a success.

Haemal Exchange 15th

You have mastered the ability to enervate enemies and endow allies. When an cursed creature within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, you can use your reaction to burn one of the curses on them and transfer their power. The target must roll a d8 and subtract the number rolled from the triggering attack roll.

You then empower an ally within 30 feet of you. The next time that ally makes an attack roll or saving throw, they roll a d8 and add the number rolled to the attack roll or saving throw.

Shadowmaster

Hidden Assasins, shadowmasters excel at stealth and disguise. Shadowmasters draw their power from Ulyahir, the plane of shadows. They strike from the shadows or use deception to earn high-ranking positions close to powerful rulers. Many shadowmasters run networks of spies and assassins who have no idea of the dark provenance of their leader. To ensure secrecy, many shadowmasters prepare elaborate plans for their own assassination so that, should they risk discovery, their assassination obscures the truth. Of course, these killers never learn they were hired by their deceased target.

Marked for Death 3rd

You are particularly skilled against foes you mark for death. You have advantage on your first attack against an cursed creature on each of your turns.

Strike from the Dark 3rd

You understand the power of striking from the shadows. Once per turn, when you hit an cursed creature with a melee weapon attack and you have advantage on the attack roll, you can roll a number of d4s equal to your proficiency bonus and deal extra damage equal to the total you rolled. This damage increases by 1d4 if the target is in dim light or darkness.

Invoke Divinity 3rd

You gain the following two Invoke Divinity options:

Master of Disguise. As an action, you can cast the Disguise Self spell without expending a spell slot.

No Escape. As a bonus action, you can call on the shadows to entrap a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must make a Charisma saving throw, made with disadvantage if they are in dim light or darkness. On a failed save, the target’s speed is halved and they can’t willingly move more than 30 feet away from you. This effect ends for the target if you are incapacitated or die or if the target is more than 30 feet away from you.

Shadows Blessing 7th

Veil of Lies (7th Level). As a bonus action, you can expend a curse to become invisible for 10 minutes or until you attack, cast a spell or force a creature to make a saving throw.

Cursed Strikes (13th Level; Passive). Whenever you roll a 1 or 2 on a die to determine the damage of your curses or your weapon attacks against cursed creatures, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

Dark Malediction (18th Level; Passive). Cursed creatures radiate darkness in a 10-foot radius. Mundane sources of light can’t illuminate this darkness, but creatures with darkvision can see through it. If any of this darkness overlaps with an area of light created by magic or psionics, the overlapping area of darkness is illuminated by the light.

Umbral Killer 11th

Shadows are your companion, aiding you in your exploits. You gain the following benefits:

You gain darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, its range increases by 60 feet.
Your movement speed increases by 10 feet.
You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide. Whenever you make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage from an effect, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and half damage if you fail.

Doomed to the Shadows 15th

You have perfected your assassin’s strike. The extra damage from your Strike from the Dark feature increases to a number of d8s equal to your proficiency bonus (instead of that number of d4s), and you deal an extra 2d8 damage if the target is in dim light or darkness (instead of an extra 1d4 damage).

In addition, when you deal damage using Strike from the Dark, you can use your reaction to burn a curse on the creature, causing them to succeed on a Con save or be blinded for 1 minute (repeat save at end of turn) instead of dealing the curse’s damage.

Curse Boons

Your Curse Boons feature grants you access to curse boons, which are detailed below. Some boons specify a minimum death knight level; the boons in the “7th-Level Curse Boons” section and the “13th-Level Curse Boons” section can’t be learned until you are at least that level.

2nd-Level Curse Boons

You can choose from these boons when you gain the Curse Boons feature at 2nd level, or whenever you gain a new boon.

Abating Curse. When a creature you can see damages you or an ally within 30 feet of you, you can expend a curse as a reaction to reduce the damage taken by the target by an amount equal to 1d10 + half of your death knight level (rounded down).

Bedevil. When you burn a curse on an cursed creature, you can activate this boon (no action required). The target must subtract a number equal to your proficiency bonus from the result of the next attack roll they make before the end of their next turn.

Curse Eater. When you burn a curse on an cursed creature, you can activate this boon (no action required) to gain temporary hit points equal to half your death knight level.

Enforced Apathy. When you burn a curse on an cursed creature, you can use your reaction to flood the target with an otherworldly chill. Until the end of the target’s next turn, they can’t take opportunity attacks.

Swift Retribution (Passive). When an cursed creature provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can make that attack without using your reaction, provided you’re not incapacitated. Once you benefit from this boon, you can’t do so again until the start of your next turn.

7th-Level Curse Boons

When you reach 7th level, the following curse boons are added to your list of Curse Boon options.

Acheron’s Chain. When you use a bonus action to place or move a curse on a creature no more then one size larger then you, you can activate this boon (no action required). You conjure infernal chains to grasp the target, forcing them to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you can either pull the creature 10 feet toward you or cause them to be grappled until the end of your next turn (escape DC equal to your curse save DC).

Conflagrant Channel. You can expend a curse as a bonus action to teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see.

Eyes of the Gate. As an action, you can expend one or more curses to attempt to bind your awareness to a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you are bound to the target’s awareness for a number of hours equal to the number of curses you expended, or until you use this boon on another creature. For the duration, while the target is within 300 feet of you, you can use an action to see and hear through their senses, gaining the benefit of any special senses the target possesses, and you continue to do so until you use your action to return to your normal senses. While perceiving through the target’s senses, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.

Additionally, for the duration, you can place curses, burn them, and use curse boons as if you were in the creature’s space, but doing so makes the creature aware of this bond. An aware creature can use their action to repeat the saving throw, ending the effects of this boon on a success.

Shadow Shroud. You can expend a curse as a bonus action to weave a mantle of semisolid shadows around yourself or a creature you touch. The target gains a +2 bonus to AC for 1 minute while they are in dim light or darkness.

Unleash Ruin. When you burn one or more curses on an cursed creature, you can use your reaction to unleash an explosion of hellish energy around them. Each creature of your choice within 5 feet of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes the same amount and type of damage as the curses dealt to the cursed creature. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage.

13th-Level Curse Boons

When you reach 13th level, the following curse boons are added to your list of Curse Boon options.

Flash of Brimstone. When you place or move a curse, you can activate this boon (no action required) to magically teleport to an unoccupied space you can see within 5 feet of the target.

Fel Frenzy. When you start your turn within 30 feet of an cursed creature, you can expend two curses to become frenzied until the start of your next turn. While frenzied, your movement speed is doubled, you have a +2 bonus to your AC, and you can make an extra weapon attack when you take the Attack action.

Felsight. You can expend a curse as an action to see through dim light and darkness as it it was bright light out to 120 feet for 1 hour.

Last Word. When you are reduced to 0 hit points and have unplaced curses remaining, the divine energy in you refuses to die. You can expend up to 3 curses and release an explosion around you (no action required). Roll 3d6 per curse expended. Each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes cold, fire or necrotic damage equal to the total you rolled. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage. If this explosion damages at least one creature, you regain a number of hit points equal to the total you rolled.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Soul’s Doom. When you use a bonus action to place or move a curse, you can scorch the curses into the target’s soul. For 1 minute, the first time in a turn that cursed creature takes damage, they take extra damage equal to your half your proficiency bonus.