Base Class: Paladin
Death Knight
When a paladin falls from grace and chooses to embrace the dark powers that lie within the depths of the world, they become what is known as a death knight. While most death knights are members of the undead, a rare few are able to keep their mortality without sacrificing their power.
NO TENETS
Death Knights hold no tenets, the only pacts they swear being to those whom they directly serve.
Death Knight Features
| Paladin Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Oath Spells, Channel Divinity |
| 7th | Aura of the Damned (10 ft.) |
| 15th | Reaper's Duel |
| 18th | Aura of the Damned (30 ft.) |
| 20th | Avatar of Death |
Oath Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of Conquest Spells table. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.
Death Knight Spells
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | command, inflict wounds |
| 5th | hold person, darkness |
| 9th | vampiric touch, fear |
| 13th | black tentacles, blight |
| 17th | cone of cold, hold monster |
Channel Divinity
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how Channel Divinity works.
Doomblade. As a bonus action, you brandish your holy symbol and shout a command word, forming a black greatsword in your hands, made of dark energy, for 1 minute. Only you can wield this weapon, and it deals 3d6 necrotic damage instead of 2d6 slashing damage. When you let go of the weapon, it disappears, but you can bring it back to your hands as a bonus action. If you are attuned to at least one magic melee weapon, you can choose for your doomblade to take on the properties of one magic melee weapon you are attuned to of your choice.
Hellfire Orb. As an action, you thrust your holy symbol forwards, and fire a sphere of black and red flames towards a point within 120 feet of yourself that you can see. Creatures within 20 feet of the point must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 fire damage and necrotic damage equal to your paladin level on a failed saving throw, or half on a success.
Aura of the Damned
Starting at 7th level, you and allied creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to necrotic and radiant damage. At 18th level, the range increases to 30 feet.
Reaper's Duel
Beginning at 15th level, dark energies taint your smites to prevent creatures from fleeing. When you expend a spell slot to use your Divine Smite feature on a creature, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the creature cannot willingly move more than half of its movement speed away from you, until the end of its next turn.
Avatar of Death
At 20th level, as an action, you channel forth the reaper itself to become an icon of doom, for 1 minute. During the duration, you gain the following benefits:
- Your gain the benefits of your Doomblade Channel Divinity option.
- You are immune to necrotic and poison damage, and cannot be poisoned.
- When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you restore hit points equal to the creature's number of hit dice.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Oath Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Death Knight Spells table. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.
Oath of Conquest Spells
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | inflict wounds, command |
| 5th | hold person, darkness |
| 9th | vampiric touch, fear |
| 13th | black tentacles, blight |
| 17th | cone of cold, hold monster |
Channel Divinity
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how Channel Divinity works.
Doomblade. As a bonus action, you brandish your holy symbol and shout a command word, forming a black greatsword in your hands, made of dark energy, for 1 minute. Only you can wield this weapon, and it deals 3d6 necrotic damage instead of 2d6 slashing damage. When you let go of the weapon, it disappears, but you can bring it back to your hands as a bonus action. If you are attuned to at least one magic melee weapon, you can choose for your doomblade to take on the properties of one magic melee weapon you are attuned to of your choice.
Hellfire Orb. As an action, you thrust your holy symbol forwards, and fire a sphere of black and red flames towards a point within 120 feet of yourself that you can see. Creatures within 20 feet of the point must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 fire damage and necrotic damage equal to your paladin level on a failed saving throw, or half on a success.
Aura of the Damned
Starting at 7th level, you constantly emanate a menacing aura while you’re not incapacitated. The aura extends 10 feet from you in every direction. You and allied creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to necrotic and radiant damage.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Reaper's Duel
Beginning at 15th level, dark energies taint your smites to prevent creatures from fleeing. When you expend a spell slot to use your Divine Smite feature on a creature, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the creature cannot willingly move more than half of its movement speed away from you, until the end of its next turn.
Avatar of Death
At 20th level, as an action, you channel forth the reaper itself to become an icon of doom, for 1 minute. During the duration, you gain the following benefits:
- You gain the benefits of your Doomblade Channel Divinity option.
- You are immune to necrotic and poison damage, and cannot be poisoned.
- When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you restore hit points equal to the creature's number of hit dice.
After using this feature, you must take a long rest before doing so again.
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