Spellblade Technique
Doombearer
The foulest of spellblades are known as Doombearers, dark-hearted warriors who combine martial technique with deadly magic. They draw on necromancy to fuel their fighting, channeling enervating power through their weapons. Unlike true necromancers, Doombearers rarely reanimate the dead directly — but they are more than willing to use the same dark magics.
Doombearers are not always evil, though they are necessarily willing to use its tools. They may receive formal training in war or spellcraft, but at some point, they indulge an interest in blasphemous techniques and darker magics. Some Doombearers may begin as apprentice necromancers, before realizing their talents lie in a more direct and personal style of battle.
Doombearer Features
| Spellblade Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Doombearer Spells, Sword of the Grave, Rotting Strike |
| 7th | Deathly Shield |
| 15th | Decaying Surge |
| 20th | Aspect of the Lich |
Doombearer Spells
At 3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level ou also learn a additional spellsw, as shown in the Doombearer Spells table. Each spell counts as a spellblade spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of spellblade spells you know.
| Spellblade Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | inflict wounds |
| 5th | bone spearS |
| 9th | raven's wingsS |
| 13th | field of rotS |
| 17th | screaming skullS |
Spells marked with a K are by KibblesTasty. Spells marked with S are by somanyrobots. Spells marked with SDS are from Spells That Don't Suck. All are linked at the end of this document.
Sword of the Grave
When you master this technique at 3rd level, you learn to channel your necromantic magics into your weapon. When you cast a necromancy spell, you can imbue one weapon you are currently wielding that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with this imbued weapon, you can use your Intelligence modifier in place of Strength for your attack and damage rolls, and you can choose to deal necrotic damage when you attack with the weapon instead of its normal damage type.
Your weapon's imbuement lasts until you choose to imbue a different weapon.
Rotting Strike
Also at 3rd level, you gain a new option for your Arcane Surge.
- Decay. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one Arcane Surge to cause it to enter a state of accelerated decay. At the start of each of its turns for the next minute, it takes 1d6 necrotic damage. While decaying in this way, any healing it receives is reduced by half. If a decaying creature receives healing, it can attempt a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC, ending its decay on a success.
You can't apply Decay again to a creature that is already under its effects. Decay's damage increases to 2d6 when you reach level 9 and to 3d6 when you reach level 17.
Deathly Shield
Starting at 7th level, your affinity for dark magic lets you absorb its power. After you suffer necrotic damage, you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage taken. These temporary hit points fade after 1 minute.
In addition, when a creature dies under the effect of Decay, you gain temporary hit points equal to one roll of your Decay damage.
Decaying Surge
At 15th level, your arcane surges release powerful pulses of necrotic power. When you use an Arcane Surge, every creature already under the effects of Decay immediately takes damage from it.
Aspect of the Lich
At 20th level, you can enter a temporary state of partial lichdom, empowering your attacks and spells with terrible power. You can activate this transformation at the start of your turn (no action required). While transformed in this way, you gain the following benefits:
- You have immunity to necrotic and poison damage, and to the charmed, frightened, and poisoned conditions.
- Your Decay deals an additional 1d6 necrotic damage.
- When you apply Decay to a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or become paralyzed for 1 minute. A paralyzed creature can reattempt the save at the end of each of its turns to end the effect. Once a creature successfully saves against this effect, it is immune to it for 24 hours.
This transformation lasts for 1 minute. Once you transform in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Additional Aegis Options
1st-level Slot Aegis Effects
Grim Striker
You can use Sword of the Grave with weapons that have the two-handed property.
Doombearer quirks
The following are some optional quirks for a player of this Technique to choose from.
| d6 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your eyes are entirely black. |
| 2 | You like to decorate your equipment with small skull medallions. |
| 3 | Your skin is unnaturally pale and clammy. |
| 4 | Your features are always gaunt and skeletal, no matter how much you eat. |
| 5 | Your bones show through your skin when you use an Arcane Surge. |
| 6 | You talk to corpses like they're people. |
Appendix 1: Spell Sources
Spells used are available in these collections, all of which are free to use and reference for any purpose.
- Spells That Don't Suck is a set of spells by Omega Ankh and somanyrobots, creating replacements for problematic spells contained in first-party WotC materials. These are marked with SDS.
- So Many Spells is a set of wholly original spells written by somanyrobots. These are marked with S.
- Kibbles' Casting Compendium is the complete set of spells written by KibblesTasty. These are marked with K.
Appendix 2: New Equipment
A new weapon to help you build necromancy-themed characters.
| Item | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greatscythe | 75 gp | 2d6 slashing | 1 lb. | Two-handed, Reach, Special |
Greatscythe
Martial Melee Weapon
A greatscythe is a massive blade, similar to the agricultural implements from which it evolved but with a brutally sharp blade. If the wielder hits a target within 5 feet with it, it only deals 1d6 damage.
If you allow greatscythes in your game, it's suggested you not allow them to be chosen as starting equipment.
Change Log
v0.4
- Trimmed spell list
v0.3
- Added immunity to Aspect of the Lich paralysis
- Slightly clarified Decaying Surge
- Fixed features table
v0.2
- Tweaked Sword of the Grave
- Buffed Deathly Shield
- Added Appendix 2
- Added Grim Striker aegis effect
v0.1
- Rough Draft
Credits & References:
Doombearer Spellblade created by somanyrobots Discord | Patreon
Art
Oath of Restlessness Paladin, by Alifka Hamamm Nugroho
Background Image Stains
License
© 2025 somanyrobots, CC BY-NC 4.0
Includes spells from Kibbles' Casting Compendium 2.0 by KibblesTasty Homebrew LLC, which is licensed CC-BY and available here.
Includes spells from Spells That Don't Suck by Omega Ankh and somanyrobots, which is licensed CC-BY and available here.
5E SRD Content
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available here.
The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available here.