Dark Knight

Dark Knights combine brutal martial prowess with the cold, logical magic of the abyss. Bonding their life force to high-performance blade engines, they overclock their own vitality to inflict devastating necrotic strikes and radiate a suffocating aura of fear that paralyzes their enemies.

Subclass Features:

• 3rd Level: Blade Engine & Darkside, Crown of Terror

• 7th Level: Aura of Despair

• 10th Level: Mind Engine (Self Doubt)

• 15th Level: Iron Will, Shattered Mind

• 18th Level: Avatar of Ruin

Blade Engine & Darkside

You learn to tether your biological life force to a melee weapon, turning it into a high-performance Blade Engine. You gain the following two features:

Blade Engine Tether: You can perform a 1-hour ritual to bond with one martial or simple melee weapon. Your attacks with it can deal your choice of its normal damage type or necrotic damage.

Darkside Overclock: As a bonus action, you can sacrifice a number of hit points up to your Fighter level. For 1 minute, your weapon attacks with your tethered weapon deal extra necrotic damage equal to the hit points sacrificed. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), regaining all uses when you finish a long rest.

Crown of Terror

You project a suffocating aura of intimidation. As a bonus action, you can emit a wave of dread in a 15-foot radius centered on yourself. Each hostile creature in that area must make a Wisdom saving throw against your feature DC. On a failed save, a creature is Frightened of you until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus per long rest.

Mind Engine

You learn to broadcast the chaotic, high-frequency feedback of your Blade Engine directly into a target's psyche.

Once per turn when you hit a creature with your tethered weapon, you can force the target to make a Wisdom saving throw against your feature DC. On a failure, the creature is afflicted with Self Doubt for 1 minute (requires concentration as if concentrating on a spell):

• Crippled Confidence: The creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks.

• Hesitation: Whenever the creature attempts to take an action, it must first roll a d4. On a 1 or 2, it loses its action as it stands paralyzed by indecision (movement and bonus action are unaffected).

The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1), regaining all uses on a long rest.

Iron Will, Shattered Mind

You are immune to being Frightened. Furthermore, when a creature within 30 feet attempts to charm or frighten you, you can use your reaction to force that creature to make a Wisdom saving throw against your feature DC. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 psychic damage and is frightened of you for 1 minute (it can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns).

Avatar of Ruin

You can unleash the full, horrifying power of the abyss. As an action, you transform into a shadow-clad herald of doom for 1 minute. While transformed:

• Terrifying Visage: Any enemy that starts its turn within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your feature DC or become Frightened of you for 1 minute.

• Siphon Fear: Whenever you hit a Frightened creature with a weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 2d8 necrotic damage, and you regain hit points equal to half the total damage dealt.

• Unstoppable: You are immune to being stunned, paralyzed, or knocked prone.

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