Death Knight

Ghoulish energy cutting through the air where he steps. Dark Iron Armor and Runeforged Weapons on his body. A chill with every word he speaks. Those are the attributes that are most famously connected to the death knights that roam the lands. 

Death Knights are fierce and ruthless warriors that not only embrace the powers of death but abbuses them to their own advantage. Not to confused with users of the necrotic arts that try to enslave the undead or become more undead themselves. These warriors have managed to tap into the powers of the gods of death themselves, through intensive rituals, that involve absorbing the essence of powerful souls into runes that adorn their body. These runes act as a link to the death gods that want to attain those souls. Death Knights can tap into that power without succumbing to it. Abusing deaths power is a struggle between knowing how far you can push the existence of death within your essence. The more knowledge you accumulate the further you can push your powers safely.

The combat style of a Death Knight is a full frontal assault, disregarding defensive tactics like shields, strategic combat or a sense for danger. They strive on the wounds that they inflict on their enemies and draw strength from them to fight on.

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the wizard spell list.

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn an additional wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Death Knight Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your wizard spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell shield and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast shield using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the abjuration and evocation spells on the wizard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Death Knight Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an abjuration or evocation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the wizard spells you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an abjuration or evocation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

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

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Death Knight Spellcasting

Fighter Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	— Spell Slots per Spell Level —
			1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3rd	2	3	2	—	—	—
4th	2	4	3	—	—	—
5th	2	4	3	—	—	—
6th	2	4	3	—	—	—
7th	2	5	4	2	—	—
8th	2	6	4	2	—	—
9th	2	6	4	2	—	—
10th	3	7	4	3	—	—
11th	3	8	4	3	—	—
12th	3	8	4	3	—	—
13th	3	9	4	3	2	—
14th	3	10	4	3	2	—
15th	3	10	4	3	2	—
16th	3	11	4	3	3	—
17th	3	11	4	3	3	—
18th	3	11	4	3	3	—
19th	3	12	4	3	3	1
20th	3	13	4	3	3	1

Rune Lord

At 3rd level, three runes on your body have appeared that each represent a powerful soul that links to the gods of death. You can expand one such rune to gain one of the following effects.

 

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, three Death runes have appeared on your body, each representing a powerful soul that links to the gods of death. You also learn to use Rune Evocations. 

Death Runes. Death Runes are the result of a ritual you underwent that tied powerful souls to your essence upon their death. A death rune is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended death runes when you finish a long rest. You gain another death rune at 7th, 10th and15th level.

Rune Evocations. A Rune Evocation is an ability that is activated by expanding a Death Rune. You learn three Runic Evocations of your choice, which are detailed under "Runic Evocations" below. 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.

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 Intelligence modifier.

 

 

Rune Evocations

The abilities are presented in alphabetical order.

 

Anti-Magic-Shell

As a reaction you can choose a magical damage type and expend a Death Rune. Until the rest of the turn you are resistant to that type of damage

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). You have to activate this Evocation after hitting but before rolling for damage.

Chains of Ice

Choose a creature you can see within 60 feet. As a Bonus action, you can expend one death rune to put the creature in a restrained condition. 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 Coil

You expend one death rune and channel its energy into your weapon, hurling necrotic balls of energy whenever swung. Your Melee attacks this round can be done at 60 ft. range, deal necrotic damage and count as projectiles. 

Death Grip

As a reaction you can expend one death rune and spawn an ethereal claw that reaches for a creature up to 30 feet. It grabs that creature and drags it towards you.

Festering Strike

You can expend a Death Rune and try to aim at an existing wound of a creature. You take a -5 penalty to your next attack role. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage.

Forge Rune Weapon

You channel one of your runes into your weapon by expending a Death Rune. Until you finish your next long rest, attack actions performed with the weapon gain a +1 to hit and +1 to damage rolls.

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 15 feet(minimum 0) until the start of your next turn.

Howling Blast

Your mere presence sends shivers down the spines of your foes. As an action you can expend a Death Rune and inflict 1d6 psychic damage to all creatures of your choice in a 30 feet radius around you.

Icy Breath

As an action you can exhale the cold energies of death and expend a Death Rune. Every creature in a 15 feet cone has to make a Constitution Saving Throw. A creature takes 2d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. 

Mind Freeze

You spike the mind of a creature in sight of 60 ft. with precise coldness. As a reaction you attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of Casting a Spell. The creature has to succeed an Intelligence Saving throw or the spell is interrupted. A Spell of 5th level or higher can't be interrupted by Mind Freeze.

Obliterate

You can expend all remaining Death Runes to charge a full frontal assault on a creature. Your next weapon attack has advantage and deals an additional 1d8 for every Death Rune expanded this way.

Pillar of Frost

You focus your icy powers into your weapon and expand a Death Rune. On your next weapon attack a pillar of frost extends out of your weapon pushing a creature 20 feet away from you.

Rune Strike

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 has already taken damage.

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's Dance

Beginning at 7th level, you have learned to move in the same rhythm as Death. You walk a reckless line between offense and defense. You firmly plant yourself in your enemies reach and attack at full risk. Once per round you can make a Weapon Attack at advantage. Your speed, in a round you use this trait, becomes 0 and you become prone if your attack misses.

Soul Reaper

At 10th level, you learn how to make your weapon strikes harvest the soul of a slain enemy. This does not work on constructs. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack and that attack kills the creature you can choose to reap its soul. This replenishes one of your expended Death Runes and you take 1d6 Necrotic Damage.

 

Rune Surge

Starting at 15th level you can tap into your hidden reserves and replenish your Death Runes. Once per long rest as an action, you can restore all your expended death runes.

At Death's Door

Starting at 18th level you have capped out your understanding of death's powers. You can no longer safely increase your powers without risking to succumb to Death itself. You can however keep pushing your powers at the expense of risking your life.

When you would fall below 1 hitpoint you can chose to let go of your restrictions and let your connection to Death run freely. For as long as you have a Death Rune left you can't go unconcious and you are immune to fear, sleep and charm. This effect lasts for 1 minute. After the effect has run out you fall unconcious and instantly fail 2 Death Saves.