Grimnant

Grimnant knights are the mortal warriors of the Abyss. They belong to a collection of orders known as the Grimnant Orders and serve demon lords as field commanders in the Blood War. Most Grimnants find themselves in service of a demon lord though blood ties or purchase. A rare few, however, choose this path freely in the hope of ascending to demonhood themselves and carving out their own level in the Abyss.

The armor Grimnants wear has been melted down from scavenged or stolen pieces and forged anew, painted in a black lacquer and with its edges honed. Often, the armor is molded to mirror aspects of their demon lord, a form of idol worship that Grimnant knights believe gains them power and favor.

Grimnants are brutal combatants who usually arrive after a cult's infiltration has weakened a target. They're not generally known as prominent spellcasters but most have some minor knowledge of magic. Grimnant magic is affectionately referred to, in the orders, as "dementia magic" due to their propensity to use it for mental manipulation.

Appearing stoic from afar, Grimnant cavalry experience a bloodlust in battle and enjoy charging into battle mounted on foul Stench Kows

Demon Lords that may enlist the services of the Orders of Grimnants include: Baphomet, Demogorgon, Fraz-Urb'luu, Graz'zt, Juiblex, Orcus, Yeenoghu, or Zuggtmoy.

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, your demon lord augments your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells.

Spell Slots

The Grimnant Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your grimnant 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 command and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast command using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level grimnant spells of your choice. The Spells Known column of the Grimnant Spellcasting table shows when you learn more grimnant spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the grimnant spells you know with another spell of your choice from the grimnant spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your grimnant spells, since their power derives from the strength of your convictions. 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 grimnant 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

Grimnant Spellcasting Table

Grimnant Spellcasting		Spell Slots per Spell Level
Fighter Level	Spells Known	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3rd	3	2	-	-	-
4th	4	3	-	-	-
5th	4	3	-	-	-
6th	4	3	-	-	-
7th	5	4	2	-	-
8th	6	4	2	-	-
9th	6	4	2	-	-
10th	7	4	3	-	-
11th	8	4	3	-	-
12th	8	4	3	-	-
13th	9	4	3	2	-
14th	10	4	3	2	-
15th	10	4	3	2	-
16th	11	4	3	3	-
17th	11	4	3	3	-
18th	11	4	3	3	-
19th	12	4	3	3	1
20th	13	4	3	3	1

 

Dark Devotion

Starting at 3rd level, your demon lord grants you the ability to speak, read and write the Abyssal language. In addition you are granted advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened and resistance to poison damage.

Abyssal Mentor

Starting at 7th level, your demon lord assigns you an intermediary. A high ranking demon to watch over and mentor you. Some demonic mentors will view you as a means to further their own ends, while others will see you as a minor annoyance to be ignored where possible. Worse yet, some demons will view you as little more than a plaything, or property. Regardless of their viewpoint, your demon lord (and theirs) has mandated that they watch over you and help develop your skills.

Choose one of the Abyssal Mentors described below:

Balor

A figure of ancient and terrible evil, balors rule as generals over demonic armies, yearning to seize power while destroying any creatures that oppose them.

• Fiery Soul. The Balor grants you resistance to fire damage. In addition, when you fail one of your death saving throws, or take damage that causes you to fail a death saving throw, you explode in flame. Each creature within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to your level in this class for each death saving throw failed.

Goristro

Goristro resemble fiendish minotaurs towering more than twenty feet tall. They make formidable living siege engines. Goristros possess preternatural cunning when navigating labyrinthine passages and shifting corridors, pursuing foes in a terrifying hunt.

• Labyrinthine Recall. The Goristro grants you the ability to perfectly recall any path you have traveled.

Marilith

Terrible to behold, a marilith has the lower body of a great serpent and the upper torso of a humanoid female with six arms. Wielding a wicked blade in each of its six hands, a marilith is a devastating foe that few can match in battle.

• Serpentine Reaction. The Marilith grants you an extra reaction each round, but this reaction can be used only to make an opportunity attack.

Nalfeshnee

Nalfeshnee are one of the most grotesque demons. A corpulent mockery of ape and boar standing twice the height of a human, with feathered wings that seem too small for its bloated body. These brutish features conceal a remarkable intelligence and cunning.

• Guarded Mind. The Nalfeshnee grants you immunity to the frightened condition.

Demonic Vigor

Starting at 10th level, your master grants you the ability to fight on with wounds that would kill any normal warrior. As a reaction, when you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead and gain temporary hit points equal to your level in this class plus your Constitution modifier.

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

Unholy Tether

Starting at 15th level, your demon lord grants you the ability to steal the soul energy of a creature as it dies. As a reaction, when creature within 30 feet of you dies, you can regain hit points equal to twice the dead creature's Constitution modifier (minimum of zero).

Ascension

Starting at 18th level, your demon lord grants you the gift of demonhood. Your creature type becomes Fiend, and you gain the following traits:

• Demonic Form. You can cast alter self at will, without having to maintain concentration, and without expending a spell slot.
• Demonic Resistance. You have resistance against cold and fire damage, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks. You are also immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
• Eternal Evil. Outside the Abyss, death is now a minor nuisance for you. When you are killed away from the Abyss you dissolve into a foul ichor. You then instantly reform in the Abyss, your mind and essence intact. The only way to truly destroy a demon is to seek it in the Abyss and kill it there.
• Signs of Corruption. You carry the stain of abyssal corruption with you, and your mere presence changes the world for the worse. Plants wither and die around you and animals shun the sites where you have made camp.