The Order of Knights Incorporeal, or Ghost Knights, arose in the principalities of Morgau and Doresh. Fighters who follow the Ghost Knight archetype draw power from undeath and bring themselves closer to that grim fate in service to their vampiric and ghoulish masters.

“I have died a hundred deaths on a hundred fields. I will die again — but not before you.”

Linger in Death

At 7th Level, You leave behind more than blood.

When you drop to 0 hit points, you don’t fall unconscious immediately. Instead, you remain active until the end of your next turn, ignoring effects of being at 0 HP. You still make death saving throws as normal if you’re not healed before then. You can’t use this ability again until you finish a short rest.

Additionally, when a creature within 30 feet of you dies, your Ghost Shell surges — you regain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus + your Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution modifier (your choice each time).

Taint of Undeath

At 10th level, you’ve learned to let the veil shield you.

You can spend your reaction to halve the damage of an attack that hits you, as the blow passes through your spectral form. When you do, your Ghost Shell shimmers brightly — until the end of your next turn, the next attack made against a creature by your Ghost Shell is made with advantage.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses after a short rest.

Gravestrike

Starting at 15th level, Your strikes ripple beyond flesh and bone.

When you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend a use of this feature to target the creature’s essence. The creature must make a Charisma saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier). On a failed save:

They become incorporeally ruptured for 1 minute:

• They can’t benefit from resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.

• They can’t regain hit points for the duration.

• They are considered partially ethereal, giving them disadvantage on Concentration checks and Strength Saving throws.

A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. A successful save ends the effect early.

You can use this feature twice, regaining both uses after a short rest.

Ghost Rider

At 18th Level, Your spirit can no longer be bound.

As a bonus action, you enter a ghost phase for 1 minute. While in this state:

• Your Ghost Shell attacks deal full damage.

• You and your Ghost Shell can both attack on your turn using your Attack action (your Shell attacks once per Attack action).

• You are resistant to all damage except force and radiant.

• You do not provoke opportunity attacks.

• When you teleport using your Ghost Shell’s feature, creatures within 5 feet of the space you leave or enter must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Strength or Dexterity Modifier) or become frightened until the end of their next turn.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short rest before you can use it again.

Ghost Shell

At 3rd Level, You are surrounded by phantom versions of yourself — translucent projections of your presence drawn from the border between life and death.

When you take the Attack action, you can use your bonus action to command your Ghost Shell to strike. Choose a point within 15 feet of you. The Ghost Shell lashes out at a creature within 5 feet of that point, making a melee or ranged weapon attack using your own attack bonus. This deals only half damage, but counts as magical.

The Ghost Shell mimics your movements. As part of your movement, you can teleport to any space within 15 feet of you (no action required), causing the Shell to vanish and reappear in your former location before it drifts to you.

Your Ghost Shell can be destroyed. It has an AC 10 + Your Proficiency Bonus + Your Constitution Modifier and hit points equal to your (Fighter level + Your Constitution Modifier) times 5. Your Ghost shell takes no damage from area of effect spells or effects. It is also immune to non-attack based single target spells and effects. You can resummon it as a bonus action.

Thematic Note: You’re fighting as if your ghost is with you, dancing a half-step ahead of death — or of life.