Oath of Death

While this is an archetype of paladin, it is one of a few subclasses that is referred to as a "Death Knight". These necrotic warriors are the dark side of paladins, reveling in death and darkness, but still following certain oaths and codes, just like their lighter counterparts.

Restriction: Deathly
In order to take this subclass, you must be one of the following templates or races:

• Corporeal Undead Template (A QuixoticDragon Homebrew)
• Fallen Aasimar (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
• Incorporeal Undead Template (A QuixoticDragon Homebrew)
• Mul Daya Elf (Plane Shift: Zendikar)
• Orcus Tiefling (A QuixoticDragon Homebrew)
• Revenant Template (Unearthed Arcana: Gothic Heroes)
• Shadar-Kai Elf (Unearthed Arcana: Elf Subraces)
• Shade Shadowfolk (A QuixoticDragon Homebrew)
• Soulstitched Warforged (A QuixoticDragon Homebrew)
• Vampire Template or Race (Planeshift: Innistrad, Planeshift: Zendikar, A QuixoticDragon Homebrew)

Depending on the campaign setting your DM may waive this restriction.

Tenets of Death
A death knight who takes this oath has the following tenets emblazoned in runes on their armor.

Eternal Hunger. You thirst to be surrounded by death and pain, be it that of your enemies or of innocents. Often it is not merely enough that your targets die but they must feel pain.

Raise only the Forgotten. You refuse to separate deceased lovers by forcing one of them back to the land of the living. You will also not reunite dead loved ones with their still-living lovers. Doing so will only create abominations.

Loyal to the Necropolis. You must obey direct orders from the nearest necropolis's government. If you should find yourself in conflict with the High Lich, you have the moral obligation to slay them and take their place in the hierarchy.

Oath of Death Spells

 You gain oath spells at the paladin level listed.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	Cause Fear, Hex
5th	Blindness/Deafness, Ray of Enfeeblement
9th	Animate Dead, Phantom Steed
13th	Phantasmal Killer, Shadow of Moil
17th	Antilife Shell, Choice of either Danse Macabre or Negative Energy Flood

Necrotic Smites

Starting at 3rd level, any radiant ability granted by your base paladin skills now does necrotic.

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Asphyxiate. As an action, you can use your Channel Divinity to channel an asphyxiating attack at an enemy within 30 feet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8+ proficiency bonus+ Charisma modifier). It becomes restrained on a failed save, but on a successful save, nothing happens. If the creature is restrained in this way, it makes a save each round, becoming stunned for one round if it makes one of these saves. If they fail to make the save before a number of rounds equal to their constitution modifier pass, they fall unconscious, but are stable. This can be sustained for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. All rules for early release apply even if the ability drops before the creature escapes.

Summon Undead Companion. You create one undead companion, chosen from any undead monster of a CR 1/3 your level or lower. It is considered Awakened as if you had used the awaken spell. This companion follows you until your next short rest or until it is killed.

Corpse Shield

Starting at 7th level, you can project a 15-foot aura of twisted protection. When an ally in this aura takes damage, you may choose to take this damage instead. If you have an undead follower (either summoned by a spell or via Undead Companion) you can direct any damage you take toward it instead, including damage taken this way.

Death Coil

Starting at 15th level, when you smite, you can do so to any creature within 60 feet, not just within melee range.

Wraith Walk

Starting at 20th level, you gain the ability to become the embodiment of death. Using your action you gain the following benefits for 1 minute:

• Your speed doubles, and you gain a fly speed equal to your movement.
• As part of your movement action, you can become semi-ethereal, granting you Greater Invisibility and the ability to move through solid objects as if they were difficult terrain for the duration of Wraith Walk or until you dismiss it- whichever happens first.
• When you smite, as long as you are visible you can cast Cause Fear as a bonus action without spending a spell slot.

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