Graverobber

While more studious rogues with an affinity for the arcane mimic the path of wizards to become arcane tricksters, some feel a more intuitive connection akin to a warlock. When such rogues routinely come into contact with the undead, like while tomb or grave robbing, their soul may absorb wisps of necromantic energy. When infused with enough of this energy, they can learn to animate undead minions of their own, and with enough practice, can influence them in ways other necromancers assume impossible.

Quick build stat priority: DEX > CHA > CON > WIS=INT=STR

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the warlcok spell list.

Cantrips

You learn three cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list (Eldritch blast cannot be taken). You learn another warlock cantrip of your choice at 10th level. Additionally, you gain the ability to tell if an item is cursed by spending 1 minute inspecting it. However, this does not tell you what the nature of the curse is.

 

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level warlock spells of your choice, one of which you must be hex.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the warlock spells you know with another spell of your choice from the warlock spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your warlock spells. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a warlock spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Stolen Flesh

Also at 3rd level, when you find a corpse or pile of bones you may spend 10 minutes performing a ritual that mimics the animate dead spell at its base level. You may only use the ritual once per long rest, and can only control 1 undead at a time with this ability. You regain the ability to use this ability after finishing a long or short rest. You may add your proficiency bonus to your undead creatures, AC, attack rolls, ability checks, saving throws, and damage. The creature rolls hit dice as a normal when you gain a level. If a creature that is killed is the target of the spell its CR level must be ½ or lower.

Complex Commands

Beginning at 9th level, your practice commanding your undead minions allows you to give more detailed instructions. If you didn't apply Sneak Attack damage during your last turn, you may use your reaction to point out a weakness in an enemy, making their attack apply it instead if it has advantage on the attack.

Allied Presence

Starting at 13th level, your infusion of necromantic energy allows you to blend in with other undead. You now register as undead to detection spells and abilities, and undead with an Intelligence of 6 or lower ignore the presence of you and your allies within 15 feet of you. Undead with Intelligence up to 16 may be deceived into ignoring you by passing a Deception check with a DC equal to the target's Intelligence. On a success, they will ignore you as long as you are in their presence. If you leave and return, you must repeat this check to benefit from this ability. On a failure or if they break out of this effect, they become immune to this ability for 24 hours and behave as they otherwise would have. Undead with an Intelligence score above 16, are immune to this ability. Any undead that are ignoring you because of this ability break out of it if a creature controlling them gives a direct order regarding your presence, or if someone under this ability's protection causes damage to them or something they were ordered to protect.

Tethers of the Dead

By 17th level, you have experienced an epiphany about the connection between souls of the departed and their remains. You may add your proficiency bonus to Death saving throws, and once per long rest, instead of being knocked unconscious when you drop to 0 hit points, you return to consciousness with 1 hit point.

In addition, when you successfully use your allied presence feature or at any time with undead under your control, you may use them to ask their soul for directions to a location or object they would have known about while still alive. Their soul must have known a shared language and may choose to withhold this information but cannot lie. If they choose to divulge the information, they don't have a strong enough connection to do anything other than use their undead form to indicate the general direction. Regardless of outcome, once a soul has been contacted this way they cannot be contacted again for 2 hours. This ability automatically fails if they have been contained or brought back to life in a different vessel such as from a magic jar, wish, clone, true resurrection, or reincarnation spell, even if they have already died or been destroyed in their replacement form.