Death Knight

When a paladin fails their oath, and dies without receiving atonement, the Dark Powers of Barovia can transform and corrupt the once-mortal knight into a hateful undead creature.

A death knight is a fallen paladin who has forsaken their oath and cast aside their humanity for unholy power. These fallen paladins tend to adhere to their own will and gain power through their overwhelming hatred of those who condemned the paladin to this dark fate. A death knight is a skilled undead warrior typically clad in fearsome plate armor adorned with fear provoking images—the faces of tortured souls, bones, or defiled holy symbols—to reflect their commitment to impose their will over weaker beings.

TENETS OF THE DEATH KNIGHT

The tenets of a Death Knight are scarce as they are typically their own masters. They subjugate, slaughter and condemn their enemies to fates worse than death.

Annihilation. You will slaughter armies to reach your goals. No one can oppose your will.

Death. You are death incarnate. Your enemies will learn this soon enough.

Subjugation. No creature is safe from your domination. You will bring them to their knees in the cruelest ways possible.

Eternity. You are eternal and your influence is corrupting. Your existence is abhorrent to Celestials, Fey and Fiends.

Death Knight Spells

A Death Knight loses previously gained oath spells and instead gains the following Death Knight spells at the paladin levels listed. In addition, your supernatural link to the unholy allows you to learn spells from the warlock class. You must otherwise obey all the restrictions for selecting spells, and they become a paladin spell for you.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	hellish rebuke, inflict wounds
5th	blindness/deafness, darkness
9th	animate dead, bestow curse
13th	blight, dominate beast
17th	contagion, dominate person

Channel the Unholy

A Death Knight of 3rd level or higher gains the following two Channel the Unholy options.

Commanding Presence. As an action, the Death Knight targets any number of creatures (except constructs) equal to their paladin level that they can see within 15 feet of them. The targets must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the target must obey the Death Knight's commands for the next 24 hours, or until the Death Knight uses this Channel the Unholy option again. Any creature whose challenge rating is equal to or greater than the Death Knight’s level is immune to this effect. Creatures immune to the charmed condition have advantage on this save.

Hellfire Orb. As an action, the Death Knight channels their darkest emotions and focuses them into a burst of menacing power. As an action, you hurl a magical ball of fire that explodes at a point you can see within 120 feet of you. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Dexterity saving throw. The sphere spreads around corners. A creature takes 10d6 fire damage and 10d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Aura of Certain Death

Starting at 7th level, the Death Knight, as well any allies within 10 feet of the Death Knight, gains a bonus to melee weapon attack rolls equal to the knight’s Charisma modifier (minimum of +1). A creature can benefit from this feature from only one Death Knight at a time.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Additionally, you also gain proficiency and expertise in Charisma(Intimidation) skill checks.

Spell Warding

At 15th level, the death knight has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Calamity Incarnate

At 20th level, the Death Knight can, as an action, can surround themselves with a 30-ft. aura of dread for 1 minute. Whenever a hostile creature starts its turn in the aura, it has disadvantage on all spell saving throws.

After activating the aura, the Death Knight can’t do so again until he or she finishes a long rest.