These soldiers of darkness are created by abyssal lords and powerful deities that thrive to destroy the living. Assembled from the corpses of those slain, these abominations are then instilled with the ethereal essence of death. Further empowered with magical energies culled from slain innocents, the Death Knights wield an arsenal of necromantic powers that mete out all but certain death to their enemies.

Runic Knight

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn runic abilities that are fueled by a special resource called death runes.

Runic Abilities. You learn three runic abilities of your choice, which are detailed under "Runic Abilities" below. Some runic abilities enhance an attack in some way. You can only use one runic ability per attack. You learn two additional runic abilities of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn a new runic ability, you can also replace one you know with a different one.

Death Runes. You have four death runes. A death rune is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended death runes when you finish a short or long rest. You gain another death rune at 7th level and one more at 15th level.

Saving Throws. Some of your runic abilities require your target to make a saving throw to resist the ability's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Ability save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).

 

Runic Abilities

The abilities are presented in alphabetical order.

Asphyxiate

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one death rune to attempt to silence the target. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target is silenced until the start of your next turn.

Blood Strike

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one death rune to be healed for half of the attack's total damage (rounded up).

Chains of Ice

Choose a creature you can see within 60 feet. As a Bonus action, you can expend one death rune to reduce the creature's movement by half for 1 minute. The creature can make a Dexterity or Strength saving throw (its choice) at the end of each of its successive turns to try and escape the chains and end the effect.

Dark Command

You expend one death rune and issue an unholy challenge that compels other creatures to do battle with you. As an Action, each creature of your choice within 15 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature has disadvantage on any attack roll that isn't made against you for 1 minute. An affected creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its successive turns.

Death and Decay

As an Action, you expend one death rune and create a 15-foot-radius circle of corruption centered on a point on the ground within 30 feet that lasts for two turns. When a creature enters the effect’s area for the first time on a turn or begins its turn there, that creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 1d6 necrotic on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. You are immune to this damage. This damage increases to 2d6 at 7th level, and 3d6 at 15th level.

Death Coil

You expend one death rune to channel your unholy power into a ball of necrotic energy and hurl it at a creature. As an Action, you make one special melee weapon attack that has a range of 60 feet. Make a melee weapon attack roll as normal, applying any melee weapon damage effects (such as a Barbarian's extra rage damage or a Paladin's Divine Smite), against a target creature of your choice in this range. On a hit, the target takes the attack's total damage as necrotic damage. Death Coil will heal an undead creature instead of hurting it.

Frost Strike

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one death rune to deal an extra 1d6 cold damage and reduce its speed by 10 feet (minimum 0) until the start of your next turn.

Mind Freeze

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one death rune to cause the target to make all concentration checks from damage (including this attack) at disadvantage until the start of your next turn.

Obliterate

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one death rune to deal an extra 1d6 damage. This damage increases to 2d6 if the target is below half of its maximum hit points.

Rune Tap

As a Bonus action you expend one death rune allowing you to immediately roll available Hit Dice up to an amount equal to one quarter of your Fighter level (rounded up). For each expended Hit Die, you regain health equal to the roll plus your Constitution modifier.

Wraith Walk

As a Bonus action, you expend one death rune to become wraith-like and ethereal. Until the end of your next turn your movement is unaffected by difficult terrain. You can also spend 5 feet of movement to automatically escape from non-magical restraints, such as manacles or a creature that has you grappled.

 

Death Grip

Starting at 7th level, you can channel unholy power to pull a creature towards its grave. On your turn, you can use a Bonus action to reach out with an ethereal, undead arm to pull one non-allied creature that you can see within 30 feet towards you in a straight line. The creature stops moving when it is within your current weapon's reach or if it collides with any other terrain or creature, whichever comes first. You may only grip a target up to one size larger than yourself. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Chill of the Grave

Starting at 10th level, your communion with the undead has had a great effect on your body. You take on the appearance of death, and many of your bones and innards are exposed from holes of rotting flesh. Additionally, you are now immune to attempts made by undead creatures to frighten you, and you ignore all effects of cold environments.

Empower Rune Weapon

Starting at 15th level, you gain the ability to recharge all expended death runes instantly. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Army of the Dead

Starting at 18th level, you can use three death runes to use your Action, Bonus action, and Reaction on your turn to summon a legion of undead soldiers to fight for you. You summon up to 14 total Challenge Rating worth of ghouls and ghasts to fight for you, and you choose the number of each creature created to reach the total.

The summoned undead act on this and each of your successive turns for the duration, only attacking creatures hostile to you, returning to their graves after 1 minute. You can direct any or all of the creatures' targets by using a Bonus action on your turn, otherwise the DM determines their targets. You have advantage on any melee weapon attacks you make against targets damaged on the same turn by your undead minions. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.