(I´m german so my english isn´t perfect I´m sorry ^^´)
So I saw that unfinished Death Monarch homebrew class on dndwiki " https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Death_Monarch_(5e_Class) ". I think it´s related to a webcomic I´m reading called "Only I level up". I really want to play it because my DM allows homebrew stuff so I tried to finish it. I added some rules to the core ability and added some missing abilities between I think lvl 8 an 18. I´m playing DnD for 2 month now so I haven´t got much experience until now (it will probably be much to strong because of the main ability called "Shadow Extraction") so I wanted to ask some more experienced players and DM´s if they could give me some advice. I would really appreciate it. ^^ So here´s the class:
----- Beginning of the homebrew class -----
Shadow Monarch
Quick Build
You can make a Death Monarch quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma or Dexterity.
Class Features
As a Death Monarch you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Death Monarch level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 1d6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per Death Monarch level after 1st
Shadow Demon Starting from 1st level, twice per short rest, you can use your bonus action to make your own shadow rise to assist you (Look statistics for Shadow monster in DND Wiki), it is under you command and will act during your turn using its own action. If you do not command your shadow, it tries its best to defend you, stay alive and fight off enemies within its vision range, in that order. The order can change if you command it so. At 3rd level, you can send your shadow into the shadows of other beings if you can see them, but if this enemy is of the divine variety, your shadow is immediately destroyed, its remains return to you and will regenerate. You gain a +3 on investigation on that person.
Shadow Vault 1 You have control over your own dimension. Starting at 1st level, you may open small (your level + half your int-modifier ft) (if you are in a shadowy place, the size is as big as the shadow you are surrounded with) gateways that led to your dimension, they may take any form that you wish, these can be used to deposit anything you wish within your dimension. To withdraw something, one must simply think of the desired item and it shall appear slightly inside the portal. At each successive level, the size of the portal created can be increased by 1x1ft for a total of 20x20ft
Shadow Vault 2 Death Monarchs draw their power not from themselves, but from their own Shadow Dimension. Starting at 2nd level, you may store your Shadow Subordinates in said dimension. Your shadows can be summoned or stored at will, though they may not be stored, while in battle. They can be summoned as a normal action. While in this dimension, your shadows replenish all hit points and abilities after a short or long rest depending on the strength of the shadow.
Shadow Extraction Starting from 2nd level, you may attempt to raise a Shadow from a fallen entity keeping the stats of its counterpart but, though depending on the strength of the being, is more difficult to create this shadow. Three chances are given to attempt to raise a Shadow (1d20 + int modifier). If these attempts are expended unsuccessfully, it is impossible to raise a Shadow from this entity ever again. However, if successful, the newly formed Shadow becomes a undying subordinate to the Monarch, it cannot speak but can emote, it will follow any commands given, and shows unyielding loyalty to its master. At the 4th, 7th, and 10th levels you gain one extra chance in raising a Shadow, for a total of six chances
For a shadow with a CR of an eigth of your level or less, you don´t need to roll.
For a shadow with a CR more than an eigth of your level, you need to roll a 14 or higher..
For a shadow with a CR more than a quarter of your level, you need to roll a 19 or higher.
For a shadow with a CR more than half your level, you need to roll a 24 (+ 1 for every 2 CR above your level) or higher.
As a Death Monarch, you may create Shadow versions of recently killed enemies (they may not be dead longer than 48 hours) using Shadow Extraction, Starting at 2nd level, you may have as many shadows as your Shadow Monarch Level. The combined CR of Shadows you own can´t be higher than your Shadow Monarch level multiplied with 3. Also the combined CR of Shadows outside your Vault can´t be higher than your Shadow Monarch level.
You may raise shadows with a CR equal to half your Shadow Monarch level or less. When trying to extract a shadow from a fallen entity, for every 1 CR above your level you get one level of exhaustion and in that case you only have 3 tries. You may only own one shadow with a CR more than half your level.
Shadow Boon Being a Monarch, you either care deeply for your shadows or at least want them to last as fodder for as long as possible. Starting at 3rd level, you may expend a dice of health to instantly heal any given Shadow, although a shadow with a CR more than a quarter of your level needs two dice. A shadow with a CR more than half your level needs three dice.
Ability Score Improvement at the 4 level.
Deep Connection At 4 level the connection between you and your shadows is so strong, that you now can commincate telepathic. Giving an order to them only needs a Bonus Action an you can communicate without seeing each other. The maximum distance is 60ft + 10ft per int modifier.
Shadow Armaments At the 5th level, after becoming quite proficient in the creation of Shadows, you now have the knowledge to attempt Shadow Extraction on items. A successful extraction allows the Monarch to equip shadow versions of items to his Shadow Subordinates or to himself. The subordinate in question must have the proficiency to wield the given item, only one shadow item may be equiped to any subordinate or yourself at any given time. The shadow version has a dmg bonus equal to half your int modifier rounded up. At the 7th, 9th, and 11th levels, one addition item may be equipped to a Shadow Subordinate
Shadow Magic Starting at 6th level, after much practice you have devised a way in which to convert your Monarch energy into a form similar to normal magical energy, thus allowing you to cast shadow variants of certain spells even when monarch energy is active. At 5t level you know 1 cantrip of your choice from the necromany spell list. You use int as spellcasting modifier. At the 7th, 9th, and 11th levels, the you may learn a 1st, a 2nd, and a 3rd level spell respectively. You need to finish a long rest before being able to cast them again.
Undead Affinity Starting at 7thlevel, shadows / undead see you as one of their own, and will not attack you unless you’ve attacked them first. Even if you did something they dislike they will still prefer talking to you.
Ability Score Improvement at 8 level.
Shadow Exchane At 9 level you can switch positions with any previously summoned shadow. You need enough space and it has a maximum range of 30ft. To switch you need to use your normal action. You need to finish a long rest before you can use this ability again. At 17 level you only need to use a Bonus Action for Shadow Exchange.
Inured to Undeath Beginning at 10th level, you have resistance to necrotic and poison damage (if you already had resistance you gain immunity), and your hit point maximum can't be reduced. You have spent so much time dealing with shadows / undead and the forces that animate them that you have become inured to some of their worst effects.
Soul Harvest Starting at 11th level, by reaping life you are able to claim a fraction of those unfortunate creatures souls to regenerate your wounds and fortify your body. At the end of your turn, if you or any undead under your control have killed one or more creatures, you gain hit points equal to your necromancer level + int modifier. If doing so would grant you more hit points than you can have, you gain temporary hit points equal to the amount of excess hit points received.
Ability Score Improvement At 12 level. Undead Transport Your army has grown to the point where they can now carry you. At 13th level, your shadow army can emerge from the ground, grab you, and transport you elsewhere, given that you know where you want to go. Your movement speed while doing so is decreased by 10ft. You need at least 6 Medium sized or one big sized creature to carry you. At 17 level, when using Undead Transport, your movement speed will be normal.
Monarch´s Hand As the power of your shadows rises you feel a new power awakening in you. At 15 level you now can use a ability similar to telekinesis. You can now move small objects without touching them as a normal action. The maximum distance is 10ft + 5ft per in modifier. You can even move weapons and attack with them. The damage hast a penalty of 6 minus your int modifier.
Be The Shadow Everyone knows that to take down your army the have to kill you first. That´s why you trained in some techniques to disappear just ike your sadows do. At 14 level you can now use the Disengage and the Hide Action as a Bonus Action.
Ability Score Improvement At 16 level.
Ultimatum Conflux Starting from 18th level, once per day, you may converge worlds. You turn the surrounding area, (size is your choice but the maximum is a radius of 20ft), into your Death Dimension. The area returns to normal if you are not within range. All Shadow Subordinates gain 3x movement speed and may appear anywhere in the area at any given time. At the start of your turn, both you and your Shadow Subordinates regain Hit Points equal 8 + your Constitution Modifier + your Intelligence Modifier. Additionally, any entities in this area are instantly extracted and turned into Shadow Subordinates (but only if their CR isn´t higher than half your Shadow Monarch level or the amount of your allowed owned shadows is exceeded). After the effect takes place, you must succeed a Constitution Saving throw or get a level of exhaustion.
Ability Score Improvement At 19 level.
The Goal Of Life Is Death Starting at 20th level, should you perish, you will not fully die and neither will you age. As long as your Death Dimension is still intact, you will always exist. To be able to return to the mortal world, you must rest in your dimension for a long period of time (DM Discretion). After this you will return to the mortal world in any form you choose, all items you had do not return to you unless they were gathered by friendly assets.
----- Ending of the homebrew class -----
There will probably be soooo much to adjust but if it´s more or less playable I´d love to try it out. I know it´s pretty similar to a necromancer wizard but the shadow thing and all is just so damn cool in my opinion ^^ and I want my Undead to look like the real monsters and have the same abilitys (if those aren´t to strong abilitys of course).
A friend and I have gone through and heavily edited this class and Death Monarch recognizing what should stay, change, or be removed. We would like permission at this time to publish what we have done to dandwiki and on here to DnD Beyond. We will credit you completely since many of your edits to Death Monarch that you created. while we may or may not have been kept did give us an avenue of thought on where we should take the class. Thank you for any reply you may give.
Hey MusicaX79, any chance you could send that version to me if OP doesn't allow you too plz? I would love to run either his/her/they version in my campaign or yours depending on the changes.
I have a question about the shadow monarch class, how does the shadow extrance ability work exactly, so what do I have to roll to draw a shadow from a creature and what does the monster have to roll, how does it work.
I love a lot of the ideas here, but the being telekinetic thing shouldn’t be their and maybe their should be two things you need to do to play this class and then you too classes merge together but it’s not multi classing so starting as a barbarian you’d be a shadow monarch with rage, back to the things you have to do for this class you have to be atleast lvl 2 and you have to have died atleast once (but if you starting at level 2-20) you could ask your gm if you could have died in your past meaning that you could go straight to being a shadow monarch without needing to die in one of the sessions
next thing with the telekinesis it would make much more sense to have a different way to get it for instance I’m currently playing a DnD game where I’m playing basically an official shadow monarch with a sprinkle of homebrew abilities cause I’m doing a sorcerer (I don’t have access to the wizard necromancer so I just though sorcerer made sense atleast to me) and rogue multiclass and my gm let me and my friends all have special story beats weapons and things from their backstory so I wanted rune stones that come from dangerous beasts and a few other things but one of the things that can come from them is telekinesis but in place of getting telekinesis if you wanted to include random rune stones your self you could have at level fifteen you can use arcana to see their ability before using it
also somewhat separate but feat idea lucky lvls 1-3 your luck checks are always 1 4-7 are 4 8-9 is 8 10-14 is 13 15-19 is counted as a dirty twenty and at lvl 20 you get a nat twenty every time I’m going to have to ask my gm to let me change my character to use these guidlines however so thank you very much
(I´m german so my english isn´t perfect I´m sorry ^^´)
So I saw that unfinished Death Monarch homebrew class on dndwiki " https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Death_Monarch_(5e_Class) ". I think it´s related to a webcomic I´m reading called "Only I level up". I really want to play it because my DM allows homebrew stuff so I tried to finish it. I added some rules to the core ability and added some missing abilities between I think lvl 8 an 18. I´m playing DnD for 2 month now so I haven´t got much experience until now (it will probably be much to strong because of the main ability called "Shadow Extraction") so I wanted to ask some more experienced players and DM´s if they could give me some advice. I would really appreciate it. ^^ So here´s the class:
----- Beginning of the homebrew class -----
Shadow Monarch
Quick Build
You can make a Death Monarch quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma or Dexterity.
Class Features
As a Death Monarch you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Death Monarch level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 1d6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per Death Monarch level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: No Kits
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Religion and Stealth
Table: The Shadow Monarch
Level Proficiency
Bonus Features
1st +2 Shadow Demon, Shadow Vault 1
2nd +2 Shadow Vault 2, Shadow Extraction
3rd +2 Shadow Boon
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement
5th +3 Shadow Armaments
6th +3 Shadow Magic
7th +3 Undead Affinityy
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement
9th +4 Shadow Exchange
10th +4 Inured To Undeath
11th +4 Soul Harvest
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement
13th +5 Undead Transport
14th +5 Be The Shadow
15th +5 Monarch´s Hand
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement
17th +6 —
18th +6 Ultimatum Conflux
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement
20th +6 The Goal of Life Is Death
Shadow Demon
Starting from 1st level, twice per short rest, you can use your bonus action to make your own shadow rise to assist you (Look statistics for Shadow monster in DND Wiki), it is under you command and will act during your turn using its own action. If you do not command your shadow, it tries its best to defend you, stay alive and fight off enemies within its vision range, in that order. The order can change if you command it so. At 3rd level, you can send your shadow into the shadows of other beings if you can see them, but if this enemy is of the divine variety, your shadow is immediately destroyed, its remains return to you and will regenerate. You gain a +3 on investigation on that person.
Shadow Vault 1
You have control over your own dimension. Starting at 1st level, you may open small (your level + half your int-modifier ft) (if you are in a shadowy place, the size is as big as the shadow you are surrounded with) gateways that led to your dimension, they may take any form that you wish, these can be used to deposit anything you wish within your dimension. To withdraw something, one must simply think of the desired item and it shall appear slightly inside the portal.
At each successive level, the size of the portal created can be increased by 1x1ft for a total of 20x20ft
Shadow Vault 2
Death Monarchs draw their power not from themselves, but from their own Shadow Dimension. Starting at 2nd level, you may store your Shadow Subordinates in said dimension. Your shadows can be summoned or stored at will, though they may not be stored, while in battle. They can be summoned as a normal action. While in this dimension, your shadows replenish all hit points and abilities after a short or long rest depending on the strength of the shadow.
Shadow Extraction
Starting from 2nd level, you may attempt to raise a Shadow from a fallen entity keeping the stats of its counterpart but, though depending on the strength of the being, is more difficult to create this shadow. Three chances are given to attempt to raise a Shadow (1d20 + int modifier). If these attempts are expended unsuccessfully, it is impossible to raise a Shadow from this entity ever again. However, if successful, the newly formed Shadow becomes a undying subordinate to the Monarch, it cannot speak but can emote, it will follow any commands given, and shows unyielding loyalty to its master.
At the 4th, 7th, and 10th levels you gain one extra chance in raising a Shadow, for a total of six chances
For a shadow with a CR of an eigth of your level or less, you don´t need to roll.
For a shadow with a CR more than an eigth of your level, you need to roll a 14 or higher..
For a shadow with a CR more than a quarter of your level, you need to roll a 19 or higher.
For a shadow with a CR more than half your level, you need to roll a 24 (+ 1 for every 2 CR above your level) or higher.
As a Death Monarch, you may create Shadow versions of recently killed enemies (they may not be dead longer than 48 hours) using Shadow Extraction, Starting at 2nd level, you may have as many shadows as your Shadow Monarch Level. The combined CR of Shadows you own can´t be higher than your Shadow Monarch level multiplied with 3. Also the combined CR of Shadows outside your Vault can´t be higher than your Shadow Monarch level.
You may raise shadows with a CR equal to half your Shadow Monarch level or less. When trying to extract a shadow from a fallen entity, for every 1 CR above your level you get one level of exhaustion and in that case you only have 3 tries. You may only own one shadow with a CR more than half your level.
Shadow Boon
Being a Monarch, you either care deeply for your shadows or at least want them to last as fodder for as long as possible. Starting at 3rd level, you may expend a dice of health to instantly heal any given Shadow, although a shadow with a CR more than a quarter of your level needs two dice. A shadow with a CR more than half your level needs three dice.
Ability Score Improvement
at the 4 level.
Deep Connection
At 4 level the connection between you and your shadows is so strong, that you now can commincate telepathic. Giving an order to them only needs a Bonus Action an you can communicate without seeing each other. The maximum distance is 60ft + 10ft per int modifier.
Shadow Armaments
At the 5th level, after becoming quite proficient in the creation of Shadows, you now have the knowledge to attempt Shadow Extraction on items. A successful extraction allows the Monarch to equip shadow versions of items to his Shadow Subordinates or to himself. The subordinate in question must have the proficiency to wield the given item, only one shadow item may be equiped to any subordinate or yourself at any given time. The shadow version has a dmg bonus equal to half your int modifier rounded up.
At the 7th, 9th, and 11th levels, one addition item may be equipped to a Shadow Subordinate
Shadow Magic
Starting at 6th level, after much practice you have devised a way in which to convert your Monarch energy into a form similar to normal magical energy, thus allowing you to cast shadow variants of certain spells even when monarch energy is active. At 5t level you know 1 cantrip of your choice from the necromany spell list. You use int as spellcasting modifier.
At the 7th, 9th, and 11th levels, the you may learn a 1st, a 2nd, and a 3rd level spell respectively. You need to finish a long rest before being able to cast them again.
Undead Affinity
Starting at 7th level, shadows / undead see you as one of their own, and will not attack you unless you’ve attacked them first. Even if you did something they dislike they will still prefer talking to you.
Ability Score Improvement
at 8 level.
Shadow Exchane
At 9 level you can switch positions with any previously summoned shadow. You need enough space and it has a maximum range of 30ft. To switch you need to use your normal action. You need to finish a long rest before you can use this ability again.
At 17 level you only need to use a Bonus Action for Shadow Exchange.
Inured to Undeath
Beginning at 10th level, you have resistance to necrotic and poison damage (if you already had resistance you gain immunity), and your hit point maximum can't be reduced. You have spent so much time dealing with shadows / undead and the forces that animate them that you have become inured to some of their worst effects.
Soul Harvest
Starting at 11th level, by reaping life you are able to claim a fraction of those unfortunate creatures souls to regenerate your wounds and fortify your body. At the end of your turn, if you or any undead under your control have killed one or more creatures, you gain hit points equal to your necromancer level + int modifier. If doing so would grant you more hit points than you can have, you gain temporary hit points equal to the amount of excess hit points received.
Ability Score Improvement
At 12 level.
Undead Transport
Your army has grown to the point where they can now carry you. At 13th level, your shadow army can emerge from the ground, grab you, and transport you elsewhere, given that you know where you want to go. Your movement speed while doing so is decreased by 10ft. You need at least 6 Medium sized or one big sized creature to carry you.
At 17 level, when using Undead Transport, your movement speed will be normal.
Monarch´s Hand
As the power of your shadows rises you feel a new power awakening in you. At 15 level you now can use a ability similar to telekinesis. You can now move small objects without touching them as a normal action. The maximum distance is 10ft + 5ft per in modifier. You can even move weapons and attack with them. The damage hast a penalty of 6 minus your int modifier.
Be The Shadow
Everyone knows that to take down your army the have to kill you first. That´s why you trained in some techniques to disappear just ike your sadows do. At 14 level you can now use the Disengage and the Hide Action as a Bonus Action.
Ability Score Improvement
At 16 level.
Ultimatum Conflux
Starting from 18th level, once per day, you may converge worlds. You turn the surrounding area, (size is your choice but the maximum is a radius of 20ft), into your Death Dimension. The area returns to normal if you are not within range. All Shadow Subordinates gain 3x movement speed and may appear anywhere in the area at any given time. At the start of your turn, both you and your Shadow Subordinates regain Hit Points equal 8 + your Constitution Modifier + your Intelligence Modifier. Additionally, any entities in this area are instantly extracted and turned into Shadow Subordinates (but only if their CR isn´t higher than half your Shadow Monarch level or the amount of your allowed owned shadows is exceeded). After the effect takes place, you must succeed a Constitution Saving throw or get a level of exhaustion.
Ability Score Improvement
At 19 level.
The Goal Of Life Is Death
Starting at 20th level, should you perish, you will not fully die and neither will you age. As long as your Death Dimension is still intact, you will always exist. To be able to return to the mortal world, you must rest in your dimension for a long period of time (DM Discretion). After this you will return to the mortal world in any form you choose, all items you had do not return to you unless they were gathered by friendly assets.
----- Ending of the homebrew class -----
There will probably be soooo much to adjust but if it´s more or less playable I´d love to try it out. I know it´s pretty similar to a necromancer wizard but the shadow thing and all is just so damn cool in my opinion ^^ and I want my Undead to look like the real monsters and have the same abilitys (if those aren´t to strong abilitys of course).
Thank you for your help.
Jason
A friend and I have gone through and heavily edited this class and Death Monarch recognizing what should stay, change, or be removed. We would like permission at this time to publish what we have done to dandwiki and on here to DnD Beyond. We will credit you completely since many of your edits to Death Monarch that you created. while we may or may not have been kept did give us an avenue of thought on where we should take the class. Thank you for any reply you may give.
Ah yes Woo-Jin...
"Normality is but an Illusion, Whats normal to the Spider, is only madness for the Fly"
Kain de Frostberg- Dark Knight - (Vengeance Pal3/ Hexblade 9), Port Mourn
Kain de Draakberg-Dark Knight lvl8-Avergreen(DitA)
Hey MusicaX79, any chance you could send that version to me if OP doesn't allow you too plz? I would love to run either his/her/they version in my campaign or yours depending on the changes.
If someone wants to make this on OrcPub/DungeonMaster'sVault, and link the .orcbrew file, that would be awesome.
has anyone published this yet would love to try it
I would also like that. I found this on GMBinder and looks okay https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-M4VrANqg4PBVZ5oMXF4
idk i would love to know though
So should I assume that for the shadowmagic that cast those spells without spell slots
I have a question about the shadow monarch class, how does the shadow extrance ability work exactly, so what do I have to roll to draw a shadow from a creature and what does the monster have to roll, how does it work.
you automatically bring out the shadow with your command and the player roles for its shadows
Madara Uchiha
This was the better one on dndwiki https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Shadow_Monarch_(5e_Class)
I love a lot of the ideas here, but the being telekinetic thing shouldn’t be their and maybe their should be two things you need to do to play this class and then you too classes merge together but it’s not multi classing so starting as a barbarian you’d be a shadow monarch with rage, back to the things you have to do for this class you have to be atleast lvl 2 and you have to have died atleast once (but if you starting at level 2-20) you could ask your gm if you could have died in your past meaning that you could go straight to being a shadow monarch without needing to die in one of the sessions
next thing with the telekinesis it would make much more sense to have a different way to get it for instance I’m currently playing a DnD game where I’m playing basically an official shadow monarch with a sprinkle of homebrew abilities cause I’m doing a sorcerer (I don’t have access to the wizard necromancer so I just though sorcerer made sense atleast to me) and rogue multiclass and my gm let me and my friends all have special story beats weapons and things from their backstory so I wanted rune stones that come from dangerous beasts and a few other things but one of the things that can come from them is telekinesis but in place of getting telekinesis if you wanted to include random rune stones your self you could have at level fifteen you can use arcana to see their ability before using it
also somewhat separate but feat idea lucky lvls 1-3 your luck checks are always 1 4-7 are 4 8-9 is 8 10-14 is 13 15-19 is counted as a dirty twenty and at lvl 20 you get a nat twenty every time I’m going to have to ask my gm to let me change my character to use these guidlines however so thank you very much