Black Templar

The Black Templar is dedicated to mastering the powers of undeath.

How they use that power can vary: some are born with it and make due, some become addicted to growing their own power, and some use it as a means to and end as hunters of the wayward undead or to defend their homes against enemy they wouldn't stand a chance otherwise.

Much like a wizard forces the arcane energies to shape into the form of flames when it casts firebolt, so to does the Black Templar force unholy energies to be channeled in a specific way. These channels can greatly vary and are hard to control, so Black Templars use their vast knowledge of the various forms of undead creatures to mimic their powers.

Channel Undeath

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you are able to channel the powers of the undeath.

You know number of Channel Undeath abilities equal to your proficiency bonus, and you can activate them number of times equal to your Charisma modifier. DC for saving throws for Channel Undeath abilities is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.

You regain uses of Channel Undeath after you finish a long rest.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Channel Undeath abilities you know and replace it with another that you could learn at that level.

You gain new Channel Undeath options at levels 7, 11 and 15.

Channel Undeath: Alhoon

• Requirement - 11th level
• Target/Range - Self
• Casting Time - Reaction, when an enemy moves within 10ft of you
• Description - For 1 minute, you can cast Chill Touch using Reaction whenever an enemy moves within 10ft of you, and you can cast Counterspell once.

Channel Undeath: Atropal

• Requirement - 15th level
• Target/Range - 10ft
• Casting Time - Action
• Description - For 1 minute, any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of you takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. Additionally, while this effect persists, your undead minions are immune to any effect that turns undead.

Channel Undeath: Banshee

• Requirement - 7th level
• Target/Range - 30ft
• Casting Time - Action
• Description - You release a mournful wail. All enemies within 20ft that can hear you must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, a creature is considered to be frightened of you for 1 minute. Additionally, you also learn the location of all living creatures within 120 feet.

Channel Undeath: Death Knight

• Requirement - 11th level
• Target/Range - Self
• Casting Time - Reaction, when you receive damage from melee attack
• Description - For 1 minute, you gain +2 bonus to AC and you can cast Elemental Weapons spell once.

Channel Undeath: Dracolich

• Requirement - 15th level
• Target/Range - 30ft
• Casting Time - Action
• Description - You exhale a necrotic blast in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 6d10 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Channel Undeath: Ghost

• Requirement - 3rd level
• Target/Range - 1 target, 15ft
• Casting Time - Action
• Description - Target must make Charisma saving throw. On successful save, the target receives necrotic damage equal to number of d6 dices equal to your proficiency bonus. On failed save, it is possessed by you until the end of your next turn and you regain your use of Action on the turn this ability is used. While the target is possessed, your body disappears and cannot be targeted by any effect, and the target loses control of its body. You use target's statblock. When the effect ends or if the target is reduced to 0 hp, you reappear within 5ft of the target. If the target received radiant damage while it was possessed, you receive same damage.

Channel Undeath: Lich

• Requirement - 11th level
• Target/Range - Self
• Casting Time - Reaction, when you are targeted by a spell
• Description - For 1 minute, you advantage on saving throws against spells, and you can cast Fireball spell once.

Channel Undeath: Mummy

• Requirement - 3rd level
• Target/Range - Self
• Casting Time - Bonus action
• Description - Your next attack inflicts additional necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier. If the attack hits, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be Cursed with mummy rot. The Cursed target can't regain Hit Points and its hit point maximum decreases by number equal to your proficiency bonus at the every start of its turn. The Curse lasts for 1 minute or until the target's hit points are reduced to 0.

Channel Undeath: Reaper

• Requirement - 15th level
• Target/Range - Self
• Casting Time - Action
• Description - Until the end of your next turn, you and your minions can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain and do not provoke attacks of opportunity. If you or your undead minion moves through enemy, that enemy must make a Charisma saving throw. On fail, that enemy must immediately perform an attack against themselves which automatically hits. An enemy can be affected by this effect only once per turn.

Channel Undeath: Revenant

• Requirement - 7th level
• Target/Range - Self
• Casting Time - Bonus action
• Description - For 1 minute, whenever you receive damage, you can use your reaction to regain hit points equal to 1d6 + your proficiency bonus.

Channel Undeath: Skeleton

• Requirement - 3rd level
• Target/Range - Self
• Casting Time - Bonus action
• Description - For one minute, you gain resistance against non-magical slashing, piercing and bludgeoning damage.

Channel Undeath: Vampire

• Requirement - 7th level
• Target/Range - Self
• Casting Time - Bonus action
• Description - For 1 minute, you gain additional 10ft movement speed, and your attacks deal additional 1d8 necrotic damage. You also gain temporary hit points equal to the additional necrotic damage dealt by this ability.

Channel Undeath: Wraith

• Requirement - 7th level
• Target/Range - 10ft
• Casting Time - Action
• Description - You target a Humanoid within 10 feet of it that has been dead for no longer than 1 minute and died violently. For 10 minutes, the target's spirit rises as a Specter in the space of its corpse or in the nearest unoccupied space. The Specter is under your control and counts as undead minion, but it doesn't count against the maximum number of undead minions you can have.

Channel Undeath: Zombie

• Requirement - 3rd level
• Target/Range - Self
• Casting Time - Reaction
• Description - When you drop to 0 hp, you can make Constitution saving throw with DC equal to damage taken. If you succeed, you regain number of health points equal to how much you beat the DC (min 1).

No Rest for the Wicked

Starting at 7th level, when an enemy within 15ft with CR of at least 1/4 is brought down to 0 hp, you can use your reaction to instantly kill that enemy and raise an undead minion in its place. You can use this feature number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, after which you need to finish a long rest before you can use it again.

You choose whether the undead minion rises as a skeleton or a zombie, and it is considered to be under the same effect as if Animate Dead spell cast by you.

Your undead minions created with this feature have additional benefits:

• The creature's hit point maximum is increased by an amount equal to your fighter level.

• The creature adds your proficiency bonus to its weapon damage rolls.

You can have maximum number of undead minions equal to your Charisma modifier. You do not need to reassert control over them, but if you reach Exhaustion level 2 due to lack of long rest, the existing undead minions crumble to dust.

 

Unholy Reinvigoration

At 10th level, your Channel Undeath abilities grow stronger.

Whenever you use Channel Undeath ability with Target/Range: Self, you can choose number of allies within 20 ft of you equal to your proficiency bonus. Chosen allies also gain the effects of the used Channel Undeath ability. You can use this effect only once per short rest.

Whenever an enemy fails a Constitution or Charisma saving throw against you, you regain one use of your Second Wind feature. This can occur only once per short rest.

Additionally, whenever you use your Second Wind feature, your undead minions also heal for half the amount rolled.

 

Dreadful Army

Starting at 15th level, whenever you use Action Surge, for 1 minute you and your undead minions gain temporary hit points equal to your fighter level, and your undead minions benefit from the effect of the Action Surge as well and can take additional action.

Additionally, attacks of your undead minions are now considered magical for purposes of calculating resistances, and the minions can now appear with one piece of additional equipment, which you choose at the moment of their creation:

• A shield
• A light crossbow
• A greataxe

 

Balelord

At 18th level, you become an undisputed master of undeath.

Whenever at least one of your undead minions is within 5 ft of you, you are considered to be under the effect of half-cover.

Once per turn, as a free action you can order one of your undead minions to use Help action.

Once per long rest, you can sacrifice one of your undead minions and regain one use of Channel Undeath.