Homebrew Death Knight Species Details
Death Knights are the pinnacle of the world of undead, without being true liches themselves. Warriors or Paladins in life, they combine keen intellect, dark strength, and the cold hatred of undeath into one form. Found on the liminal edges of society, either as the champions of shadowy despots waiting to create their perfect apocalypse, as revenants set on revenge, or those who took a dark bargain for a second chance
Same Body, Less Lively
Death Knights have been denied eternity for one reason or another. They take the form and shape of whatever the race they were in life, however the necromantic magics that create and sustain Death Knights do not seem to affect any non-medium sized race. As such Death Knights are as varied in form as races are on whatever world they occupy. They will remain the height and weight that they were at the time of their death.
A Death Knight's eyes reflect the magic coursing through their body like blood and glow magically rather than appearing how they did in life. Typically this results in a glassy glowing texture. The color depends on the type of magic raising them. A Death Knight raised by the chilling magics of a necromancer might have ice blue or purple eyes. Those raised by a demon might have orange or red. Perhaps a druid given new life by a blighted member of the unseelie courts would have poisonous green. A Death Knight's body retains any hair it may have had in life, though fair blonde or red hair will inevitably turn pure white with time, while darker haired Death Knights will watch their hair eventually turn pitch black. Their skin color will remain the same as it was in life, but without the flow of blood within the body it will turn into it's palest form.
Beyond the Reach of Time
A Death Knight is beyond the normal touch of aging that many mortals fear. Their bodies are unhindered by the rot and decay that "ordinary" undead face, whether it be from the sheer power of the spell sustaining them or the power of their infernal or divine patron sustaining them. Unimpeded, they will wander the world for eternity and more, damned to eternal life. However, given that most Death Knights are the champions of forces often needing their forces to engage in combat, it is rare for one to last quite so long as that.
The experience of death tends to dull even the strongest of emotions, and Death Knights are no exception from this rule. Though a young Death Knight may still seek experiences of joy, or other emotions, the eternity of their damnation and the ostracism they face in many societies over their new lifestyle will jade even the most optimistic of souls. Death Knights, as such, are aloof, utilitarian, and abrupt as a rule. Though different Death Knights may take on other personality traits to deal with the melancholy of their existence, their curse sucks the light from each of their souls equally.
Culture... or Lack There of
Death Knights have no unified culture... or make particularly cultured individuals. They retain the name they had in life, but lose most of their politeness and other such sensibilities that would identify them as a member of any culture besides the nameless dead.
Death Knight Traits
Undead Tenacity, Darkvision, DamnationDarkvision
The necromantic magics that infuse your body allow you to see where the eyes of the living might fail. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Undead Tenacity
Your undead form has far greater tenacity than any mortal form may provide. Mortal poisons have less of an effect upon your undead and preserved flesh than they would on that of the living, and as such you gain resistance to poison damage and advantage on CON saves. Likewise, Alcohol has no effect upon you. Your flesh does not tire or require energy like that of a mortal, and as such you gain advantage on STR saves and do not require sleep, food, or drink. In order to repair damage to your form and regain lost spells, you must enter a catatonic/trance like state, like a vampire or elf, for the duration of a short/long rest. Finally, due to the undead nature of your body, spells will obviously consider you undead, and you will be damaged by healing magic. Traditional necrotic damages however will heal you instead.
Damnation
Death Knights represent the still walking souls of the Damned. As such, You may cast Chill Touch at will as a cantrip. At level 5, you may cast Vampiric Touch at 3rd level once per long rest. At level 12 you may cast Vampiric Touch at 5th level instead. At Level 17, you may cast it at the 7th level instead. If a creature is killed by either of these spells, the victim is raised as though by the spell Animate Undead.
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength increases by 2 and your Constitution by 1. Your Charisma decreases by 1.
Age
Death Knights are ageless, appearing forever as the age they were when they die. It is commonly agreed that they have two "life" phases, Younger Death Knights who have been raised for 200 years or less and are still capable of emoting and enjoying life amongst the living if they are allowed, though they will still be more aloof and melancholic then they were in life. Elder Death Knights are those above 200 years of unlife, and represent the cold emotionless avatar of undeath that most think of when they hear the words Death Knight.
Size
Death Knights remain the height and weight they were in life. Use the tables for the race you wish your Death Knight to have previously been. You may only select from medium races.
Speed
You may move 30 feet per turn.
Language
As a Death Knight, you speak Common, Abyssal, and whatever your living race's language might have been.