Onyx Legion Knight

Prerequisite: Must be Human

"When a human becomes freed from the chains of fate, they gain a host of dark and ambitious powers once thought to be only seen in twisted legends or grandiose tales." - A Nameless Mystic

The Human soul is considered one of the most simple and pure, constantly targeted by beings both with sinister and altruistic motives. This balance places humans in a position of perceived weakness, always a toy to a greater power or a source of fuel for a god's motives, but humanity is so much more and the Onyx Legion was a grim reminder of what they could become.

In times of old, before the founding of great technologies and the evolution of magic, a lone human sought out the secret to mastering his destiny. This man was led to a dark power that offered him a choice: to remain shackled to the chains of destiny or to break away and decide for himself where his power would take him. The man sought to free not only himself but the other humans under foot of the gods as well and with a blasphemous curse, the man was severed from the ties that bound human souls to places of afterlife, endowing a twisted immortality upon him. 

After the ritual was completed, the dark spirit taught the man the ritual it had performed on him, only seeking payment in the form of the disruption of the current world. 

With the power to break free man's chains, the dark man ventured forth and freed his fellow humans, teaching each one the method he had learned as well. Soon, the humans formed an army of undying soldiers that were unbound from the chains of fate. As the army moved across the land, another change befell the man who led the Legion. Human ambition was always the driving force behind great civilizations and atrocities alike and it seemed that humans freed this way allowed their ambitions to swell to catastrophic levels. The man named himself King of the Legion before him and adorned them in pitch black armor made of heavy Onyx, a symbol of the weight of their new responsibility and the grim truth behind it. The King of the now Onyx Legion swore that himself and his followers would conquer the martial plane and make their way to the Astral Sea in search of the gods to show them their power.

The god's retaliations were met with greater and greater resistance and the Legion conquered every obstacle thrown their way when finally, the King of the Legion was challenged by a man, another human, and slain in one on one combat. The Legion, in a mix of disbelief and respect, swore themselves to the usurper and were guided to a resting place deep below the earth's crust and sealed with ancient magicks.

The Legion yet slumbers today, awaiting another chance to break free from their chains and seek the head of god.

Separated from Death

An Onyx Legion Knight is freed from the cycle of death and afterlife, so when you choose this sub-class at level 3, you become an Immortal being emboldened by darkness, meaning you do not age past your age of being transformed and cannot die from time induced changes, in addition, you gain resistance to necrotic damage but vulnerability to radiant damage due to the Dark nature of your powers.

A Dark Power

When a human is freed from their fateful binds, they discover a latent darkness lying closely to their heart. When their shackles are broken, this power emerges from within, empowering their choice to cast down the will of the gods. This dark power manifests differently for each human affected this way but it always enhances their physical prowess be it for defense, attack, or even the keenness of their senses.

As part of this sub-class at level 3, you gain a Dark Arts die, which is a d6 and becomes a d8 at 7th level and a d10 at 15th level. You have a number of Dark Arts die equal to your Strength or Wisdom modifier + half of your fighter level (rounded down), this total cannot exceed 10. You regain half of your total Dark Arts dice after a short rest, and all of them after a long rest. The dark arts listed below are magical in nature so when they are used in conjunction with a weapon, piece of ammunition, or armor, the quality of that item becomes magical as well, dark arts can be affected by anti-magic fields and dispel powers.

Using more than 4 Dark Arts dice on a single turn results in gaining 2 levels of exhaustion. (This limit increases to 5 at level 15)

At level 3 you gain 2 of the following Dark Arts powers and another 1 at level 7 and 1 more at level 15. The Dark Arts powers may gain other bonuses at later levels as determined in the power descriptions below. You can not benefit from the same Dark Arts power multiple times on your turn unless specified in the power or another aspect of this sub-class but you can use different Dark Arts Powers in tandem if you have enough remaining Dark Arts dice.

*Dark Gift of War: When you make a melee or ranged weapon attack, you may sacrifice a Dark Arts die and roll it. You may add any amount of the rolled number to the attack or damage bonus of the attack made (I.e. on a roll of 3, you may add 2 to the attack bonus and 1 to the damage bonus). All damage added through use of this power is necrotic.

*Dark Gift of Protection: When you are targeted by a melee attack and you can see the attacker, you may use your reaction to sacrifice a Dark Arts die. Roll the die and gain a +2 to AC against the triggering attack. The attacker takes necrotic damage equal to the Dark Arts die roll. (This AC bonus increases to 3 at level 7, and 4 at level 15)

*Dark Gift of Knowledge:  When you make a skill check in or out of combat that you are proficient in or uses Intelligence as its modifier, you may sacrifice a Dark Arts die. Roll the die and add the total to the triggering skill roll, if you roll above a 20 for the check, you do not expend the use of your Dark Arts die.

*Dark Gift of Fervor: When you take the multi-attack option during your attack action, you can sacrifice a Dark Arts Die for each attack in the multi-attack. Roll all of the dice and add the total to one of the damage rolls of the attacks. The extra damage added by this power is necrotic. (At level 10 the necrotic damage of this attack ignores resistance and immunity)

*Dark Gift of Strength: When wielding a heavy or two handed weapon and you make an attack, you may spend a Dark Arts die. Roll the die, if you roll greater than a 4, the attack gains advantage and deals the Dark Arts die roll as extra necrotic damage.

*Dark Gift of The Aegis: When wearing Plate Armor and using a shield, you may sacrifice up to 2 Dark Arts die and gain a +1 to AC for each sacrificed this way. This effect lasts for 1 minute and grants 1 level of exhaustion per die sacrificed this way. (You may sacrifice 3 Dark Arts die at level 10 and 4 at level 15) 

True Ambition

At level 7, you gain another Dark Arts power and your Dark Arts die increases to a d8. In addition, your human spirit begins to hum more strongly when you take steps toward your ultimate goal. Whether your goals are conquest, revenge, mastery of a skill, or something entirely different, you etch the end result onto your heart and will die before something keeps you from reaching it.

As part of this feature, you may choose one goal to set for yourself (this decision doesn't need to be attainable but must be approved by the Dungeon Master). When you gain an inspiration point in relation to this goal, regardless of it being negative or positive, you may instead spend that inspiration point as a free action to instantly regain all of your Dark Arts dice (this inspiration point can be spent at any point as long as the point remains in your inventory).

On Winds of Dark Certainty

Upon reaching level 10 on this path, your drive becomes absolute, guiding you even when you cannot see how to clearly accomplish your goals. A dark embrace assures you that you will see the end that justifies your means. You gain one of the following powers based on your alignment (if your alignment changes after making this choice, you cannot use this power any longer but may spend an inspiration point to change to the matching power during a long rest)

*Path of Malice: You walk a path of cruelty and viciousness. The goal you see on the distance is shrouded in cruel intentions and will be steeped in the blood of those that attempt to stop you. If you are any Evil alignment, you may use your action on your turn to cast the Eyebite spell. You may use this ability again after a long rest. In addition to this, any enemy under the effect of Eyebite grants you advantage on attack rolls against them and when you deal Dark Arts dice damage to an affected enemy, you regain that much Hp back. 

*Path of Altruism: You walk a difficult path, the darkness at the heart of your powers may cause those that once looked up to you to cower in fear or shun you but you know better, you wield the power within knowing that it is not vile, but an expression of your own resolve to do what is right at any cost. If you are any Good alignment, you may use your action or reaction on your turn to affect an ally with one of your Dark Arts Powers. The ally cannot gain additional damage from the granted power. While an ally is under one of your Dark Arts Powers' effects, you gain resistance to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage from non-magical weapons. Only one ally may benefit from your Dark Gift of the Aegis at a time.

*Path of Disdain: You find yourself unable to believe in good nor evil, the forces of the world, in your mind, have ruled over you and everyone else for too long. You seek only to free yourself from the divine game or even the thumb of oppressive rulers of the plane you find yourself on. The path of Disdain channels your inner resentment of everything in the world and the drive to seek your true purpose and power. If you are any Neutral alignment, whenever you spend a Dark Arts die, you may gain another of the following effects: your AC increases by 1 until the end of your next turn, your attack increases by 1 for each Dark Arts die spent until the end of your next turn, your next damage roll deals an additional 1d4 necrotic damage for each Dark Arts die spent, or you regain the use of your reaction and opportunity attack this round. In addition to this, you no longer suffer exhaustion penalties from your Dark Arts Powers and only suffer half as much exhaustion from using more than 4 Dark Arts dice in a turn.

Paths of Broken Fate

Upon reaching 15th level, your powers reach deeper into what drives you, personifying your ambitions and slowly churning itself into your own soul. This growth in your power exists solely because you fought so hard to get to this point. Whatever your goal is, this looming power has become one with you, sharing your willpower and, in turn, bolstering you both.

As part of this feature, your Dark Arts dice increase to d10s, you gain another Dark Arts Power, and you may use an additional Dark Arts dice on your turn before suffering from the exhaustion penalty. 

You also gain one of the following benefits based on your Winds of Dark Certainty (level 10) path.

*If you follow the Path of Malice, you may use your Dark Gift of War and your Dark Gift of Strength a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier each turn without suffering from Exhaustion.

*If you follow the Path of Altruism, you may target multiple allies with your Dark Gift of The Aegis and when you use Dark Gift of Protection on an ally, you may choose the result of the Dark Arts die and take radiant damage equal to the chosen amount and the ally gains the amount of radiant damage you take in Temporary Hp. If you take damage this way you do not expend a Dark Arts die, damage taken from this ability cannot be reduced in any way.

*If you follow the Path of Disdain, you may use Dark Gift of Fervor 2 times per turn. You also gain advantage on your roll when you use Dark Gift of Knowledge. You are also no longer affected by exhaustion when using Dark Arts Powers.

Absolution

With your goal nearly achieved, you feel yourself become embodied by it. Your original identity at the start of your journey seems as if it were another life entirely, like an echo from the base of the mountain you have climbed. Everything you have sacrificed that led you to this end has forever changed the very fabric of your soul. For better or for worse, your ambitions define you and nothing can stop you be it death, enemies, or even old friends.

When you reach level 18, you gain an unnatural avoidance to death, surpassing even the immortality you gained at the start of your transformation, it appears as if even the afterlife pushes you away with fear and resentment. When you are reduced to 0 Hp and have at least 1 Dark Arts die, you may return to 0 Hp and sacrifice 1 Dark Arts die. Roll the Dark Arts die and regain Hp equal to twice the amount rolled and until the end of your next turn, you gain immunity to non-magical attacks. 

If you are reduced to 0 Hp and possess no more Dark Arts dice but you do possess an Inspiration Point gained during your work to achieve your goal, you may spend that Inspiration Point and return to full Hp instead.