Death Knight Variant (3.5e Class)

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Death Knight

A grim and silent order of knights, Death Knights are conduits of the negative energy plane. Having sworn their lives in the pursuit of death and undead, they wander the lands looking for chances to increase the power of death and the dead. Death Knights are a rare sight, as not many have the devotion and are not attuned enough to the negative energy plane to become death Knights. The first living Death Knight was made in a pact between a powerful lich and a bitter ex-paladin. The ex-paladin swore his life to death and the undead and in return received profane powers from the lich. Death Knights can be found wandering the land solitary or leading a pack of undead. They could be found working as a lieutenant of a powerful lich or necromancer, or even as a warlord intent on conquering. All Death Knights follow the code made by the first Death Knight, and some even add to it. They hold honor in great reverence, saying a man without honor is not worthy to live, and shun those who break agreements. Some embrace undeath and become ghouls, death knights, wights, vampires or swordwraiths.

Creating a DK

Death Knights are, depending on their Code, are very humble to the likes of the dead and/or undead and are generally found within the tombs of such beings. Many believe that Death Knights even get stronger after death.

Abilities: Death Knights depend heavily on Strength and Constitution. Charisma is vital to the Death Knight's abilities.

Races: The races most attracted to being Death Knights are humans. With their short lifespan they wonder what lies after death and death knight gives them the ability to be death. Elves and half-elves are also suited to being Death Knights since they are very adept at using blade and magic in battle. Dwarven and Orcish Death Knights are also not unknown, though they are unusual. Orcs generally lack the discipline to become Death Knights and Dwarven Death Knights are shunned by their clan. Halflings and gnomes rarely, if ever become Death Knights. Male drow occasionally become Death Knights, as even female drow have to show some small respect for these dark warriors. Shadar-kai also have a number of deathknights among their ranks, who typically focus entirely on ridding their race of the shadow curse. Mercenaries devoted strongly enough to a life of war that they carry on in death their endless campaign of destruction may find this class attractive. A Death Knight slain in battle may return as a Sword Wraith if his services were hired under false pretenses or if his exploits were particularly impressive before his life finally ended (at the discretion of the DM).

Alignment: Any Evil

Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10gp (150gp)

Starting Age: Moderate

Table: The Death Knight

Hit Die: d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Rune	Rune Levels
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	0	+2	Rune Weapon, Rune Magic	1	1
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Fighting style	2	1
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Death Aspect, Deathshroud	2	1
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4		3	1
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Shadowmeld 1/day, Death thralls	3	2
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Bonus Feat	3	2
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Aspect feature	4	2
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6		4	2
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Bonus feat	4	3
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Shadowmeld 2/day, Netherblast	5	3
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Aspect feature	5	3
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8		5	3
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8	Honorbound	6	4
14th	+14/+9/+5	+9	+4	+9	Aspect feature	6	4
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	Shadowmeld 3/day, Runic Empowerment	6	4
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Bonus feat	7	4
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Improved Netherblast	7	4
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Aspect feature	7	5
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11		8	5
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Revenant	8	5
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level; ×4 at 1st level) Climb (Str),Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomancy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str),Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Death Knight:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Death Knight is proficient with simple and martial weapons and with light, medium and heavy armor.

Restrictions: You must always follow the code of death knights. If you violate any of these, you lose all special abilities of the class, and you can only attain forgiveness and thus restore your powers by performing a task in repentance. Otherwise you may regain them via an Atonement spell cast by a cleric with the Death or Repose domain.

Rune Weapon

You learn a ritual that creates a magical, living bond between yourself and one weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the weapon and forge the bond. Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can't be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence as you, you can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to instantly materialize in your hand, unless it is held by a greater power. In addition, you may also absorb its physical form within your very being, which may act as an effective storage place. You can have up to two bonded weapons, but can summon only one at a time with your bonus action. If you attempt to bond with a third weapon, you must break one of the other two.

In addition all death knights learn the art of rune carving, allowing them to carve mystic runes into their weapons. Carving a rune into a weapon takes one hour and costs 50gp. The cost represents material components that are required in the carving. Once a rune has been carved, you can fill it with power over the course of an hour, which you can do during a short rest. You must be touching the weapon that the rune is carved into during this time, and you can only fill one rune with power at a time. Additionally, all of your runes are filled with power when you finish a long rest. Once a rune has been filled with power, you can then later use that rune to cast spells. In addition, any weapon with a power-filled rune carved into it counts as a magic weapon for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

Rune Magic

As a death knight, you can use rune magic, allowing you to channel the power of death into powerful, often destructive spells. See chapter 10 of the Player’s Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting. Runes: The Death Knight table shows how many runes you can have filled with power at any given time. If you attempt to fill a rune with power beyond this limit, one of your already filled runes is expended. To cast one of your death knight spells, you must expend the power stored within a rune. The Death Knight table shows what level spell you cast when you use a rune in this way. Spells Known: At 1st level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the death knight spell list. The Spells Known column of the Death Knight table shows when you learn more death knight spells of your choice. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Rune Level column for your level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the death knight spells you know and replace it with another spell from the death knight spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Spellcasting Ability: Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your death knight spells, since the power derives from your ability to manifest your will over the latent powers of death and destruction that fill you and the world around you. 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 death knight 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

Spellcasting Focus

You can use your rune weapon as a spellcasting focus for your death knight spells.

Fighting Style

You adopt a particular fighting style as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Defense. While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Dueling.: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting. When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Death Aspect

At 3rd level, you choose an aspect of death to focus your energies towards. Choose Blood, Frost, or Unholy, all detailed at the end of the class description. The aspect you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, 14th, and 18th level.

Deathshroud (Su): At 3rd level, You are protected from attacks by a host of screaming souls which add +2 bonus to your AC.

Shadow Meld (Su): A Death Knight can travel from one shadow to another. Using this ability is a standard action and the range one Death Knight can travel from one shadow to another within 120 feet. A Death Knight can take targets with him through the shadow, along the journey, the target cannot leave the Death Knight's side and is considered helpless unless he/she has reemerged on the other side. Likewise, the Death Knight can not do anything to the target unless they are on the other side.

Death Thralls (Sp): You can Reanimate monsters, players, or npcs with your dark energies. They are completely under your control.

Bonus Feat: At 9th level, you gain a bonus feat chosen from the following list: Animal Affinity, Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Quick Draw, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Trample, or Weapon Focus (lance). You must still meet any prerequisites for the feat. You gain an additional bonus feat from this list at 12th level, at 16th level, and again at 18th level.

Netherblast

Starting at 10th level, whenever you make a melee weapon attack, you can make this a netherblast strike. If the attack hits, you deal an extra 2d6 necrotic damage. At 12th, 16th and 18th level, the necrotic damage increases by 1d6.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to 5 + your Charisma modifier. You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Honorbound: If you die while trying to uphold an oath, agreement or contract and thus making you unable to uphold your agreement, you rise as a Sword Wraith (gaining the template) instantly after being slain. This is permanent, and you can only be brought back to life through a Wish or Miracle.

Runic Empowerment

At 15th level, you can refill two runes during a short rest, instead of one.

Improved NetherBlast

At level 17 you master the power of the necrotic energies flowing from your soul, whenever you make a netherblast strike. If the attack hits, you deal an D8 instead of D6 necrotic damage.

Revenant (Su): Once per day, when you are reduced to below -10 hitpoints you can force your soul to keep powering your body, Activating this ability is an immediate action. You can stay active for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus(Minimum 1), once this time period ends the effects of your damage continue normally, E.G: If you are still below -10 hp and you had been hit with a disintegrate spell you revert to a pile of ashes.

Bonus Feat The epic Death Knight gains a bonus feat every odd level after 20th.

Death Aspects

Although all death knights pull upon the power of death to fuel their abilities, different death knights choose to focus on different aspects of death in order to enhance their powers.

Blood

The aspect of Blood focuses on the physical act of dying, and uses the power of blood to fortify the death knight’s body against death and debilitate wounded enemies. Blood knights often seem (and sometimes are) wild and violent as they revel in death and the spilling of blood.

Vampiric Blood

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, whenever you hit a living creature with a melee weapon attack, you may use a bonus action to spend one of your hit dice to regain health. You can benefit from this feature only once per round.

Will of the Necropolis

Starting at 7th level, you gain resistance to poison damage and advantage on constitution saving throws.

Scent of Blood

Starting at 11th level, whenever a creature within 20 feet of you is reduced to 0 hit points, you gain advantage on your next weapon attack and heal for double with "Vampiric Blood"

Blood Tap

At 14th level, you can use a bonus action to channel your own life force into death energy, refilling one of your runes by spending one of your Hit Dice.

Abomination’s Might

At 18th level, your Constitution score increases by 4. Your maximum for this score is now 24.

Frost

The aspect of frost focuses on the emotional aspect of dying, and the sense of loss and emptiness that it causes, and uses this power to hone the death knight’s mental and physical abilities to perfection. Frost knights often seem (and sometimes are) emotionless and uncaring, with little regard for the sanctity of life.

Icy Talons

Starting when you choose this aspect at level 3, your weapon attacks deal an additional 2d6 cold damage when they hit.

Nerves of Cold Steel

Starting at 7th level, you gain resistance to cold damage and are unaffected by cold weather.

Improved Icy Talons

Starting at 11th level, the bonus damage from Icy Talons increases to 2d8.

Killing Machine

Starting at 14th level, whenever you score a critical hit with a weapon attack against a living creature, one of your runes becomes filled with power.

Chilblains

Starting at 18th level, your Strength score increases by 4. Your maximum for this score is now 24.

Unholy

The aspect of unholy focuses on the physical remains of death, the flesh and bones left to rot after the spirit has left, and uses them to further their quest for power. Unholy knights often seem (and sometimes are) sacrilegious and irreverent, treating the bodies of their friends and enemies alike with little respect.

Undead Minion

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the ability to create a loyal undead minion to serve you. You can raise a minion by spending 10 minutes performing a ritual over the corpse of any small or medium creature. Choose an undead type no larger than medium and that has a challenge rating of 1 or lower (examples include a zombie or skeleton). Add your proficiency bonus to the minion’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals its normal maximum or four times your death knight level, whichever is higher. The minion obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn’t take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can mentally command the minion to move (no action required by you). You can use your bonus action to mentally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. You can only have one minion at a time. If you try to create a second minion when you already have one, the old one turns back into a corpse.

Lichborne

At 7th level, you gain resistance to necrotic damage, and gain advantage on saving throws to avoid being frightened or charmed.

Master of Ghouls

Starting at 11th level, when you create a minion for the Undead Minion feature, you can choose any undead type no larger than medium with a challenge rating of 4 or lower.

Reaping

At 14th level, you can use your action to reap the soul of a fallen creature, filling one of your runes with power. The creature must be at 0 HP and unconscious, or dead for no more than one minute. Performing the reaping kills the creature instantly if it was not already dead. Once you have reaped a soul this way, you must finish a short rest before you can perform a reaping again in addition whenever a creature makes a saving throw against one of your rune powers, it does so at disadvantage..

Deaths Embrace

Starting at 18th level, your Charisma score increases by 4. Your maximum for this score is now 24.

Death Knight Code:

The Lawful Doctrine

1. The First Allegiance is to Death, not Life. The Death Knight is expected to protect sites where the dead are laid to rest. They must ensure that all slain allies and enemies receive proper rites for their passage to the afterlife. Furthermore, only death itself decides when to take a life, and it is not for mortals to question this decision. Magic that brings the dead back to life is forbidden, and the Death Knight may neither use it himself nor accept the use of it for himself. Only direct divine intervention can bring a Death Knight back to life (Wish or Miracle spell). Only divine mandate should dictate if the Death Knight should live past his/her due time.
2. The Second Allegiance is to revere Death, not Undeath. The Undead try to cheat the natural cycle of life, and the Death Knight must use every available means to stop them and restore natural order.
3. The Third Allegiance is to Honor for all of Eternity. The third allegiance demands that a Death Knight be honorable. In this, his word is his bond, once sworn he shall uphold it so long as his trust is not broken, even against his convenience. His word is to stand until his own death. Death Knights are expected to repay kindness with kindness and slights with retribution.

The Neutral Doctrine

1. The First Allegiance is to Death, not Life. The Death Knight is expected to treat the spirits of the dead with respect above all else. The actions of the vessel that once held the soul are irrelevant once it has quit the body. Once the soul has left its body, it is expected that the Death Knight be respectful and commend their souls for the afterlife regardless of personal vendetta or mood. Refusal to honor the spirit, or to use magic that traps or otherwise damages the soul to any degree is a slight against Death.
2. The Second Allegiance is to Undeath, and its meaning. True undead are the souls returned to their bodies after their natural death. They are sacred by all means, as long as they are willingly bound to their body. Those who force the soul into a body by magic such as Necromancers, are unforgivable wretches. Those who prolong their life to magic such as Liches are also wicked beings, for their soul never returned to the body. Only creatures such as a ghost, walking skeleton, vampire, or zombie, are held in sanctity by the will of Death.
3. The Third Allegiance is to Honor, for you are the talon of Death. The Third Allegiance demands that the Death Knight be true to his duty, and stand vigil against those who would profane its meaning. The Death Knight shall adhere to a promise made, even against their convenience. Thus, a promise must be one of importance and trust. Only if the Death Knight's trust is broken is he free of a bond made. Should their soul return to the world after death, whatever promises they are bound to stand eternal.

The Chaotic Doctrine

1. The First Allegiance is to Death, not Life. The First Allegiance demands that the Death Knight show no mercy in combat. He strikes to kill, always. The First Allegiance also demands that the Death Knight take no special care to stave off the death of others. A fallen comrade is considered weak, thus useless to the group and party. Death Knights often will make a point of murdering those who they've "only" incapacitated, though this is not always a rule.
2. The Second Allegiance is to Undeath, and its glory. The second allegiance demands that a Death Knight further the cause of undeath. If the undead are rampaging, he is to take command and quell them. The Death Knight is not to oppose the undead without due reason (i.e. the undead being itself is opposing death and undeath, cheating, or otherwise harming the nature of death and undeath).
3. The Third Allegiance is to Honor, as it lasts for all of Eternity. The third allegiance demands that a Death Knight be honorable. In this, his word is his bond, once sworn he shall uphold it indefinitely unless his trust is broken. After all, the undead live forever. for this reason, an additional ramification is that many Death Knights contract themselves to limited duration. They are aware of the possibility of rising as undead themselves and being still sworn to their bond. Death Knights also are very keen to exact vengeance for slights against them, or return favors for previous kindnesses. Honor demands it.

Ex-Death Knights

If you break an oath, agreement or contract, or grossly violate the Death Knight's code you lose your class abilities, and you may not progress any farther in levels as a Death Knight until you perform a task in repentance for your actions, or an Atonement spell is cast on you.

Campaign Information

Playing a Death Knight

Religion Death Knights may follow almost any deity they desire but many stay without a religion, with many others choosing to follow the paths of Death itself.

Death Knights and other classes: A Death Knight works best with more lawful classes and those that share his outlook. A Death Knight can get along well with knights, monks, and even paladins in the short term, as long as the Death Knight can somehow conceal his alignment. They respect fighters and barbarians for their power and combat prowess. Death Knights can work with druids, but only those who do not see undead as abominations. Death Knights find bards and some rogues to be lacking in honor, and dislike working with them. Favored companions are also clerics and dread necromancers who share the Death Knight's outlook on things. Wizards and sorcerers who specialize in necromancy find the combat prowess and undead-related abilities of this class helpful.

Combat Death Knights and their ways lead them into the front of most fights, being tanks that do not fear death.

Advancement Many Death Knights may also take the class of fighter for the bonus feats that they are allowed.

Death Knights in the World

Death Knights in their being are generally outsiders, shunned by society for their ways and beliefs. Many Death Knights though look as of normal people and may walk among them in disguise. Death Knights honor though leads them to being hired by people of wealth as long as it does not interfere with their Code.

NPC Reactions Many normal NPCs will not notice a death knight unless he were to use his abilities in front of them, in which case will begin to shun the knight and try and drive him away.

Death Knight Spell List

1st Level.

Armor of Agathys

Bane

Command

Deathcoil

Death Grip

Detect Evil and Good

Detect Magic

False Life

Frost Strike

Raise Ghoul

Rune Strike

2nd Level. Find Steed

Obliterate

Path of Frost

Phantom Steed

Blood boil

Icebound Fortitude

Chains of Ice

Bone Shield

Enthrall

Ray Of Enfeeblement

Sleet Storm

3rd Level.

Blood Parasite

Dispel Magic

Fear

Feign Death

Heart Strike

Mind Freeze

Sleet Storm

Strangulate

Unholy Frenzy

Vampiric Touch

Remove Curse

4th Level.

Banishment

Blight

Confusion

Dominate Beast

Dimension door

Fire Shield

Freedom Of movement

Ice Storm

Phantasmal Killer

Stone Skin

5th Level.

Dancing Rune Weapon

Remorseless Winter

Dark Transformation

Insect Plague

Dominate Person

Cone of Cold

contagion

Antilife Shell

Greater Restoration

Army of the dead

Death Knight Spells

Rune Strike

1st-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature deals damage to you

Range: Self

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

Make a melee weapon attack against the creature that dealt damage to you. Add your charisma modifier to the damage roll of that attack.

Raise Ghoul

1st-level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S, M (a bit of rotted flesh)

Duration: 1 minute

You can raise a ghoul giving life to corpse of any small or medium sized creature. The ghoul is mindless, and cannot act if you are unconscious or otherwise unable to take actions. The ghoul will perform any command you give it to the best of it’s ability, even sacrificing itself, until you give it another command. In combat, the ghoul always acts during your turn, either before or after your actions as you choose after 1 minute the ghoul will fall apart and turn to dust, You can only have one ghoul active at any given time by this spell.

The DM has game statistics for these creatures or is mentioned below the "Army of the dead" Spell.

Frost Strike

1st-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: S

Duration: 1 round

You fill your weapon with the chill of death. The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack before this spell ends, that attack deals an extra 1d8 cold damage and the target’s speed is halved until the end of its next

turn.

Death Coil

1st-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 40 feet

Components: V, S, M (a bit of rotted flesh)

Duration: Instantaneous

A blast of unholy energy streaks toward a creature in range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, it takes 3d8 necrotic damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

Death Grip

1st-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: 40 feet

Components: S

Duration: Instantaneous

You seize the essence of a creature in range and pull it towards you. The target must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, it is pulled up to 40 feet directly towards you.

Obliterate

2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 round

You fill your weapon with power in preparation for a mighty blow. The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack before this spell ends, that attack deals an additional 2d6 cold and 2d6 necrotic damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 cold and 1d6 necrotic for each slot level above 2nd.

Path of Frost

2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S, M (an ice crystal)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

Hard ice spreads from your feet, freezing the surface of any water within range, creating a stable surface to walk on. This area follows you as you move, allowing you and anyone else in the area of effect to walk normally. After you move, any ice outside of the area of effect lasts for 1 minute before quickly melting away.

Blood Boil

2nd-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: 20 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

You cause the blood of nearby enemies to boil. Any number of creatures of your choice within 20 feet must make a Constitution saving throw. Each target takes 3d6 fire damage, or half on a successful save. Undead, elementals, constructs, and other creatures without blood are immune to this power.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd.

Icebound Fortitude

2nd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: V

Duration: 1 round

You gain resistance to all damage until the end of your next turn.

Chains of Ice

2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 40 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create chains of ice to spring up around a creature and attempt to lash it to the ground. The target makes a Dexterity saving throw. If it fails, it is restrained for a number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier. If the creature was flying, it falls to the ground and is restrained there instead, taking falling damage as appropriate. The target can use its action to make a Strength check against your Rune Power save DC to break free.

Bone Shield

2nd-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a few shards of bone)

Duration: 10 minutes

You create six bones that spin and float around you. As long as at least one bone remains, you have resistance against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage. Whenever an attack that deals one of those types of damage hits you, one bone is destroyed.

Strangulate

3rd-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 20 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

An invisible hand of death grabs a creature’s throat and begins strangling them. The target makes a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, the target is restrained and can’t speak or breathe.

On each subsequent turn, you may use your action to continue the spell. If you do, the creature takes 1d8 necrotic damage and makes a Constitution saving throw. On a successful save, or if you don’t use your action to continue the spell, the effect ends.

Heart Strike

3rd-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: S

Duration: 1 round

You infuse your weapon with death energy, causing it to seek out vital points and weaknesses in your foes. The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack before this spell ends, that attack becomes a critical hit, and ignores any resistance or damage reduction (but not immunity) that the target has.

Blood Parasite

3rd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 20 feet

Components: V, S, M (a dessicated parasite, such as a leech)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You infect a creature within range with blood parasites that slowly eat away at it from the inside. At the beginning of each of the infected creature’s turns, it makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d8 necrotic damage and you gain hit points equal to half the damage dealt. On a successful save, the effect ends.

Mind Freeze

3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you see a creature within 20 feet of you casting a spell

Range: 20 feet

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

You freeze the mind of a creature in the process of casting a spell. Make a spell attack against the target. If you hit, you deal 4d8 cold damage. Then run by the counter spell rules.

Unholy Frenzy

3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 40 feet

Components: V, S, M (a small skull or voodoo doll)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Choose a creature you can see within range. You infuse its mind and body with death energy, sending it into a killing frenzy. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target goes into a frenzy for the duration of the spell.

While in a frenzy, the creature must use its movement to move towards any creature it can see that it can reach this turn if possible, and then use its action to attack that creature. It cannot cast spells or maintain concentration on any spell except this one while in a frenzy, and it cannot choose not to kill a creature that it reduces to 0 hit points.

For the duration of the spell, whether or not the target failed its saving throw, its body is infused with unholy power. The creature’s melee weapon attacks deal extra damage equal to your Charisma modifier, and whenever it uses the Attack action, it makes one more attack than usual. At the start of each of its turns, it takes 2d6 necrotic damage. This damage can’t be reduced or prevented in any way.

Dancing Rune Weapon

5th-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: S, M (a small bone replica of a weapon worth at least 200 gp)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You create a floating, spectral weapon identical to one that you are wielding that floats alongside you and mimics your actions. Whenever you make a weapon attack, the floating weapon make an identical attack against either the same target or another within range. Roll separately for each attack.

Dark Transformation

5th-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a small piece of ebony or ivory carved into a skull worth at least 200 gp)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You infuse and undead creature within range with power, transforming it into an unstoppable monstrosity for the duration of the spell. Its size category increases by one, its strength increases to 20, its current and maximum hit points are doubled, and its attacks deal an extra 4d6 necrotic damage.

Remorseless Winter

5th-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (40 foot radius)

Components: V, M (a glass sphere filled with water and flecks of silver worth at least 200gp)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Until the spell ends, icy winds swirl in a 20-foot-tall cylinder with a 40-foot radius centered on you. The area is heavily obscured, and exposed flames in the area are doused.

The wind constantly batters creatures within it to the ground, making it into difficult terrain and deafening any creatures within the area. When a creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 5d10 cold damage, falls prone and is restrained until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, it takes half damage and no other effects.

Army of the dead

5th-level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (40 foot radius)

Components: V, M

Duration: 1 minute

You raise all corpses within 40 feet of you into ghouls if there are no corpses around or not enough for the spell the remaining ghouls rise up from the ground around you if possible. You may raise a number of ghouls equal to your Proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier. These ghouls will perform any command you give to the best of their ability, even sacrificing themselves, until you give them another command. In combat, the ghouls always act during your turn, either before or after your actions as you choose, When either the spell effect ends or they die they will fall apart and turn into dust.

You can only use this spell once per Short or long rest.

Ghoul

Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 12 Hit Points 22 (5d8) Speed 30ft. STR 13 (+1) DEX 15 (+2) CON 10 (+0) INT 7 (- 2) WIS 10 (+0)

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10

Languages Common

Bite.

Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit,

reach 5 ft., one creature.

Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Claws.

Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,

reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage.

If the target is a creature other than an elf or undead, it must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

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