Darkest Gifts
C
ertain gods are willing to bestow powerful
abilities to mortals they deem worthy of their
favor. These abilities are called dark gifts. They
grant unnatural powers to their beneficiaries, but
at a price.
At certain levels, your class gives you the Ability Score
Improvement feature. Using the optional dark gifts rule, you
can forgo taking that feature to take a dark gift of your choice
instead. You can take each dark gift only once, but may take
any number of dark gifts.
These choices may not be for everyone's game, they're
geared more for a gothic horror or Lovecraftian setting but
they could reasonably be apart of any universe. This
supplement is more for those of you that would like player
death to be meaningful without necessarily being final, or
those who would like to give players the option to delve into
more occult pursuits.
Ahzrukahl the Unnering
Ahzrukahl's gift is to read and understand all languages. This
dark gift allows you to read all writing and understand all
languages and you gain telepathy out to a range of 30 feet.
Upon recieving this gift, your mouth melts away leaving a
smooth patch of skin where your mouth was. You can no
longer eat or drink, nor do you require it to survive.
Alghul, the Mad Dog
Alghul's gift is the power of foresight. You hear whispers from
an unseen malevolent source which taunt you with truth,
mistruth, and horrors beyond reason. Once per long rest, you
can attune to these voices, granting you the benefits of an
augery spell.
Each time you attune to the voices you must succeed on a
DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or gain one random effect of
long-term madness as determined by your DM. (see page 260
of the Dungeon Master's guide.)
Belrond, the Crimson Fang
Prerequisite: 8th level
Belrond's gift is the power of vamprirism. This dark gifts
grants you the power to cast the gaseous form spell once per
long rest. During the night, at the start of each of your turns,
you gain 1d4 hit points if you have at least 1 hit point
remaining and you have not taken radiant damage since your
last turn.
You exude an aura of dread and mistrust, you have
disadvantage on Charisma (deception) checks, you have no
reflection, and you are vulnerable to radiant damage.
CuSith, Lord of Wolves
Prerequisite: 8th level
CuSith's gift is the power of lycanthropy. You grow a thick
coat of scraggy wolf-like fur, which grants you advantage on
Constitution saving throws made to resist the effects of cold
weather. You also gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing,
and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't
silvered.
You also develop a painful allergy and mental aversion to
silver, which causes you to break out in blistering rashes on
contact. You are vulnerable to weapons that are silvered, and
when you are exposed to silver or in base physical contact
with silver, you suffer disadvantage on all attack rolls and
Dexterity checks for 1 minute.
Dagon the Trickster
Prerequisite: 8th level
Dagon's gift is the power of teleportation. This dark gift
grants you the benefits of the Cape of Mountebank.
Your lungs burn as if from acute smoke inhalation, and you
exhale wisps of smoke with every breath. You suffer
disadvantage on all Strength (athletics) checks due to a
constant, irritating cough brought on by this affliction.
Dahlver-Nar, He of the Many
Teeth
Dahlver-Nar's gift is the power to live many lives. Upon
receiving this dark gift, when you die, roll a d20. On a result
of 11 or higher, you instantly become reincarnated as though
you were the target of a reincarnate spell. The new body
appears within 10 feet of the old one.
You lose all of your teeth upon being reincarnated.
Delban, the Star of Ice and Hate
Prerequisite: 8th level
Delban's gift is the power to unleash deadly cold. This dark
gift allows you to cast the cone of cold spell as an action once
per long rest. You also gain the benefits of a ring of warmth.
Your skin becomes icy-cold to the touch and appears
frostbitten. You are vulnerable to fire damage and you gain
the following flaw: "fire terrifies me."
Demetre, Vigilant of Doom
Demetre's gift is the power of vigilance. You grow an
additional face on the back of your head. While the second
face is uncovered you are considered proficient in Wisdom
(perception) checks that rely on sight (if you are already
proficient, your proficiency is doubled) and you cannot be
surprised, except when incapacitated.
At inopportune times it begins to argue with you, giving you
disadvantage on Intelligence (investigation) checks and you
gain the following flaw: "I will run to preserve my own hide in
combat when the going gets tough."
 Drizlash, the Nine-Eyed Spider
Drizlash's gift is the power to walk on walls and ceilings. This
dark gift allows you to climb difficult surfaces, including
upside-down on ceilings without needing to make an ability
check.
You grow 1d6+1 eyes on random locations all over your
body. The eyes are blind and cannot open.
Erandul the Slayer
Prerequisite: 8th level
Erandul's gift is the power of destroying life. This dark gift
allows your unarmed strikes to deal 1d8 necrotic damage and
gain the properties of a nine lives stealer with 10 charges.
Your Constitution score decreases by 2 and your nails grow
to 6 inches in length. Each time you expend a charge from
your unarmed strike, a fingernail falls off. When the last
charge is expended, your soul is claimed by Erandul the
Slayer.
Fekre, Queen of Poxes
Prerequisite: 8th level
Fekre's gift is the power of spreading disease. This dark gift
allows you to cast the contagion spell as an action once per
long rest.
You reek of filth, creatures have advantage on
Wisdom(perception) checks made to detect you that rely on
smell. Whenever you are hit with a melee attack you emit an
involuntary cloud of stench and any creature within 5 feet of
you must succeed on a DC 10 Consitution saving throw or be
poisoned until the start of your next turn. On a successful
save, a target is immune to your stench for 24 hours.
Feldir, the Huntsman
Feldir's power grants you the power of the hunt. This dark gift
causes your face to lengthen and contort into a wolflike
muzzle and the bones in your legs to elongate into powerful,
canine limbs. Your speed increases by 10 feet. You are
proficient with unarmed strikes and your claws are
considered light melee weapons that deal 1d6 slashing
damage on a hit.
You are often mistaken for a werewolf unless you take
special care to conceal your deformities through use of a
disguise kit, or are the target of a disguise self spell. Upon
recieving this gift, you must eat and drink 6 times the normal
amount each day.
Golgora, the Skinwalker
Golgora's gift is the power of subterfuge. You can cast the
spell disguise self as an action.
You forget your true form, and must take the likeness of a
humanoid you have seen before and gain the following flaw:
"I have no identity, I feel like I do not fit in with any group."
Gorza the Defiler
Gorza's gift is the power of unfettered locomotion. You ignore
difficult terrain and gain a climbing speed of 30 feet.
Your feet change to resemble those of an ape. You cannot
wear shoes and your walking speed is reduced by 5 feet.
Great Taar Haak, the Five-Headed
2
Great Taar Haak, the Five-Headed
Destroyer
Taar Haak's gift is great strength. This dark gift grants you
the effects of a gauntlets of ogre power and you gain
advantage on Strength saving throws.
You gain the following flaw: "I like to bully others and make
them feel weak and inferior."
Gwynevere, Aegis of the Dawn
Gwynevere's gift is the power of sunlight. One of your hands
erupts with searing pain (which quickly fades to a dull throb),
as a network of jagged, recently-healed wounds appears from
wrist to elbow. As a bonus action, you can flex the muscles of
your scarred limb causing the wounds to tear open and shed
bright daylight in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an
additional 30 feet and each creature that can see you within 5
feet must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or
be blinded until the start of your next turn. While shedding
light, the character’s arm is wracked with lancing pain
making it impossible to hold or manipulate objects with the
injured limb.
You no longer have darkvision if you had it before, and you
gain the following flaw: "I am terrified of the dark."
Khirad, the Star of Secrets
Khirad's gift is the power of divination. This dark gift allows
you to cast the scrying spell as an action once per long rest.
Your voice becomes a low whisper, and your smile becomes
evil and cruel.
Lillethe, Master of the Mind
Prerequisite: 8th level
Lillethe's gift is the power of mental manipulation. This
dark gift allows you to cast the detect thoughts and
telekinesis spells as an action once each per long rest.
One of your arms becomes ghostly and incorporeal, it
cannot hold or manipulate objects. You must also make DC
12 Dexterity checks to do things that would normally require
two hands, at your DM's discretion.
Minarkos, the Gray-Scaled Thing
Minarkos' gift is the power of physical toughness. You gain a
+1 bonus to AC and a +1 bonus to all saving throws.
Your body is covered in itchy, cracked, gray scales and you
gain the following flaw: "I am wary and distrustful of
members of other races."
Minnerva, Dark Weaver
Minnerva's gift is the power to create immutable darkness.
This dark gift allows you to cast the darkness spell as an
action once per short rest and grants you the ability to see
through magical darkness out to a distance of 60 feet.
You cast no shadow and gain the following flaw: "I believe
others seek to undo me, and covet all I have and have
accomplished." Every time you cast the darkness spell using
this dark gift, you must roll a d20, on a roll of 1, your vision
fades to impenetrable darkness and you are considered blind.
Only a greater restoration or a wish spell may restore your
sight.
Nargulzar, Mother of Rats
Nargulzar's power is summoning vermin. This dark gift
allows you to summon a swarm of rats to an occupied space
within 30 feet of you as an action (your DM has the game
statistics for this creature).
You grow a massive rat tail that trails behind you and drags
on the ground as you walk. You take any damage your rats
take.
Norganas, the Finger of Oblivion
Prerequisite: 8th level
Norganas' gift is the power to turn life into undeath. This
dark gift allows you to cast the finger of death spell as an
action once per long rest.
When you use this ability, you must succeed on a DC 15
Constitution saving throw or drop to 1 hit point. Your blood is
pitch-black and viscid, like tar.
Oztogoth of the Great Beyond
Prerequisite: 8th level
Oztogoth's gift is the power to alter your own state of
matter. This dark gift allows you to polymorph into a black
pudding as an action once per long rest. This effect lasts up
to 1 hour or until you drop to 0 hit points or polymorph back
as a bonus action.
You Have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws and you
gain the following flaw: "I am extremely lazy, and would
rather make others do hard work for me."
Petra, the Plague Maiden
Prerequisite: 8th level
Petra's gift is mastery over insects. This dark gift allows
you to cast the spell insect plague as an action once per long
rest. Countless insects have taken residence in your ears. As
an action, you can pull an insect from your ear, which can be
consumed by any character to restore a number of hit points
equal to their level. A character can only benefit from eating
one of these insects once per long rest (eating additional
insects provides no benefit, and instead sickens the
character).
You have disadvantage on Wisdom (perception) checks that
rely on hearing and gain the following flaw: "I remember
every insult I've received and nurse a silent resentment
toward anyone who's ever wronged me."
Quaarth, Envoy of the Crypt
Quaarth's gift is the power to communicate with the dead.
This dark gift allows you to cast the spells speak with dead
and zone of truth as an action.
Your skin is sickly and necrotic, and you cannot willfully tell
a lie.
Rashegul, Gaze of the Void
Rashegul's gift is the power of the gorgon. This dark gift
allows you to turn a creature to stone as an action. A target
that can see you within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw or become petrified. (see pg. 291 in the
Player's Handbook) You must finish a long rest before you
can use this ability again.
You grow a grotesque third eye on your forehead and you
have disadvantage on saving throws to resist the effects of
spells.
Savnok, the Inscrutible
Savnok's gift is the power to shield the mind. This dark gift
takes the form of a mind blank spell cast on you.
Upon recieving this dark gift, you have disadvantage on
Charisma (persuasion) checks and your eyes melt away,
leaving empty sockets that can still see. You have blindsight
out to a range of 60 feet, but are blind beyond this distance.
Sehna, the Huntswoman
Sehna's gift grants you the power of keen senses. You develop
a bestial awareness, granting you advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on smell. You also have
advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of
your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't
incapacitated.
Animals (wild and domestic) are threatened by you, and
consider you hostile and predatory. You suffer disadvantage
on all Wisdom (Animal Handling) rolls. Your nose is very
sensitive, you have disadvantage on saving throws to resist
the effects of inhaled poisons.
Senethal, the Dark One
Senethal's gift is the power of shadows. this dark gift allows
you to to spawn a shadow as an action once per long rest.
Your DM has the statistics for it in the monster manual. The
shadow creature is your very own shadow, and it is thus
linked to your lifeforce. The shadow's hit points are equal to
half of your current hit points, and you retain the other half. If
your shadow drops to 0 hit points, so do you. You can't
dismiss your shadow, it magically reunites with you after 1
hour.
Once you recieve this gift, your heart beat slows until it
nearly stops, beating once, maybe twice in a day.
3
 Seriach, the Hell Hound Whisperer
Seriach's gift is the power to summon and control hell
hounds. This dark gift allows you to summon a hell hound to
an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you as an action once
per long rest. The hell hound acts on your turn.
If the hell hound dies before slaying another creature, your
hit point maximum is halved until you finish a long rest. You
gain the ability to speak and understand infernal. Sulfurous
smoke issues from your body when you speak it.
Shami-Amourae, the Lady of
Delights
Shani-Amourae's gift is the power of persuasion. This dark
gift allows you to cast the suggestion spell as an action once
per short rest, and saving throws against the spell have
disadvantage.
You gain an extra finger on each hand as well as the
following flaw: "I can't get enough pleasure. I desire others to
create beauty for me at all times."
Sykane, the Soul Hungerer
Prerequisite: 8th level
Sykane's gift is the power to raise the recently deceased.
This dark gift allows you to cast the raise dead spell as an
action once per long rest.
As soon as the dark gift is received, your eyes glow a sickly
yellow and you also gain the following flaw: "If I help
someone, I expect payment in return." If you raise a creature
from the dead with this dark gift, you suffer the same
penalties to all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws
that the target creature suffers.
Tarakamedes, the Grave Wyrm
Tarakamedes's gift is the power of flight. As an action, you
can grow skeletal wings. You gain a flying speed of 50 feet
and each creature within 5 feet of you that sees you
transform for the first time must succeed on a DC 12
Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of your
next turn. You can dismiss your wings as a bonus action on
your turn.
You cannot grow your wings while wearing medium or
heavy armor. You must eat bones or grave dirt to survive. At
dawn, if you have not eaten at least 1 pound of bones or grave
dirt in the past 24 hours, you drop to 0 hit points.
Tassidur, One with the Cosmos
Tassidur's gift grants you the power of cursing. This dark gift
allows you to cast the hex and bestow curse spells once each
per long rest.
Upon recieving this gift, you become a genderless being.
You become sterile and your voice echoes as if both a man
and a woman were talking simultaneously. You also gain the
following flaw: "I am indifferent to the happenings of life, and
no material thing brings me pleasure."
4
Tenebrous, Dusk Seer
Tenebrous' gift is nightly vigilance. This dark gift grants you
advantage on all Wisdom (perception) checks made at night
and disadvantage on Wisdom (perception) checks made
during the day. This effect persists even indoors. You gain
darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, or, if you already had
darkvision, the range increases to 120 feet.
You cannot sleep (but still gain the benefits of resting) and
you gain the following flaw: "I am infuriated by the slightest
annoyance."
Terrantec, the Many-Faced Horror
Terrantec's gift is the power of caustic retribution. Your blood
becomes a corrosive acid. A creature within 5 feet of you that
hits you with a melee attack must succeed on a DC 12
Constitution saving throw or take 1d10 acid damage. You are
immune to acid damage.
Your skin is covered in horrendous boils filled with acidic
pus and blood and you gain the following flaw: "I am
claustrophobic and abhor the close proximity of others."
Theros, Lord of the Fire Giants
Theros' gift is the power of fire. This dark gift allows you to
imbue any weapon you wield with the properties of a flame
tongue as an action by expending one hit die.
You are in constant writing pain, granting you disadvantage
on Wisdom(perception) checks and Constitution checks
made to maintain concentration on spells. When a weapon
you wield is aflame, your hair falls out and your skin turns to
burned and searing flesh, as though burnt by an invisible
flame.
Vaund the Evasive
Vaund's gift is the power of evasion. This dark gift grants you
the benefits of an amulet of proof against detection and
location and a ring of evasion.
You become twitchy and nervous and gain the following
flaw: "I can't give a straight answer to any question put to
me."
Xarfur-Tel, the Watchful Eye
Xarfur-Tel's gift is the power of X-ray vision. This dark gift
grants you the benefits of a ring of X-ray vision.
You suffer from debilitating migraines. You have
disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws.
Xivec, Mother of Twilight
Xivec's gift is the power of invisibility. This dark gift allows
you to cast the spell invisibility as an action once per short
rest
While invisible, you are vulnerable to all damage. You grow
a thick patch of black fur on your tongue and all food you
consume tastes foul.
Xaxukhath, the All Knowing Zevrin's gift is the power of keen hearing. This dark gift
grants you advantage on Wisdom(perception) checks that rely
Xaxukath's gift is the power of arcane rituals. Strange runes on hearing and you gain tremorsense up to 60 feet.
appear on your skin as bloody scars. These are spells You grow the large, dry, leathery ears of a giant bat. You are
inscribed all over your body that only you can read. This dark vulnerable to thunder damage, and particularly loud noises
gift allows you to cast any sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell can force you to make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or
with the ritual tag as a ritual. The spell's level can be no suffer the stunned condition, at your DM's discretion.
higher than one half your character level (rounded down).
Each time you cast a spell using this dark gift, the wound Zhudun, the Corpse Star
opens up and bleeds, causing you to take 5 (1d8) slashing Prerequisite: 8th level
damage. You also gain the following flaw: "everything is worth Zhudun's gift is the power of reanimation. This dark gift
knowing, and I will pursue any amount of knowledge, no allows you to cast the create undead spell as an action once
matter the price." per long rest.
Yamato, the White Serpent You look gaunt and fragile and your bones are brittle and
weak. You have disadvantage on Strength and Constitution
Your incisors grow into snake-like fangs, dripping with saving throws.
venom. Your tongue forks like that of a serpent. You can make
a bite attack as an action dealing 1 piercing damage and 1d6 Zrin-Hala, the Howling Storm
poison damage on a hit and the target must succeed on a DC
10 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of Prerequisite: 8th level
your next turn. Zrin-Hala's gift is the power to create lightning. This dark
Lying comes naturally, granting you advantage to all gift allows you to cast the storm sphere spell as an action
Charisma (Deception) checks, but imposing disadvantage to once per long rest. You must choose the point you occupy as
all Charisma (Persuasion) and Charisma (Intimidation) the epicentre of the spell and you are immune to it's effects.
checks. You also gain the following flaw: "I will speak lies if As soon as this dark gift is recieved, one half of your face
they will benefit me in any way." sags and loses all feeling. While you are concentrating on the
storm sphere spell, you are deaf and cannot take reactions.
Yog the Invincible
Yog's gift is great physical resilience. Your hit point maximum
increases by 3 times your level (this bonus increases as you
level).
You have disadvantage on Dexterity (acrobatics) checks
and oily black fur covers your face and body.
Yrrga, the Eye of Shadows
Yrrga's gift is the power of true-seeing. This dark gift grants
you truesight out to a range of 30 feet.
Your eyes become starry voids and you gain the following
flaw: "I believe that all life is pointless and look forward to
death when it finally comes."
Zantras, the King Maker
Zantras' gift is power that comes from great presence and
force of personality. This dark gift grants you the ability to
cast the command spell once per short rest as well as
advantage on all Charisma (indimidation) checks.
A mouth with jagged teeth grows on each of your hands.
You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Sleight-of-hand) checks
and you gain the following flaw: "I won't take no for an
answer."
Zari'el the Ghost Raven
Zari'el's gift is the power of incorporealness. This dark gift
allows you to spend 1 hit die to move through solid objects as
though they were difficult terrain. A character who ends his
or her turn inside an object takes 5 (1d10) force damage.
You are considered undead for the purpose of spells and
effects (such as turn undead). At all times, you are followed by
1d4 ominous ravens that await your death.
Zevrin, the Wings of Doom
5
 A Dark Price for Unlife 65,66
67,68
Demetre, Vigilant of Doom
Gwynevere, Aegis of the Dawn
When creatures die, their souls are sent to an eternal resting
place appropriate to their alignment or the supernatural 69,70 Gorza the Defiler
bonds they made in life. The entities of the afterlife are hard- 71,72 Alghul, the Mad Dog
pressed to part with the souls of the departed. As a result, any
attempt to ressurect a fallen comrade comes with a dark 73,74 Feldir, the Huntsman
price. 75,76 Sehna, the Huntswoman
At your discretion, when a player character dies at 4th level 77,78 CuSith, Lord of Wolves
or beyond, you can roll a d100 on the following table to
determine the dark gift the PC is resurrected with. A PC can 79,80 Terrantec, the Many-Faced Horror
take each dark gift only once, but may gain any number of 81,82 Belrond, the Crimson Fang
dark gifts. If the player character does not meet the
prerequisites of the resulting dark gift, roll again. 83,84 Lillethe, Master of the Mind
85,86 Xarfur-Tel, the Watchful Eye
Dark Gift
d100 Dark Gift 87,88 Tassidur, One with the Cosmos
1,2 Fekre, Queen of Poxes 89,90 Minarkos, the Gray-Scaled Thing
3,4 Zrin-Hala, the Howling Storm 91,92 Zevrin, the Wings of Doom
5,6 Sykane, the Soul Hungerer 93,94 Senethal, the Dark One
7,8 Savnok, the Inscrutible 95,96 Xaxukhath, the All Knowing
9,10 Tarakamedes, the Grave Wyrm 97,98 Nargulzar, Mother of Rats
11,12 Shami-Amourae, the Lady of Delights 99,100 reroll
13,14 Drizlash, the Nine-Eyed Spider
15,16 Dahlver-Nar, He of the Many Teeth Credit
17,18 Zantras, The King Maker All of these ideas are inspired by either the Curse
of Strahd adventure module, the Dark Gifts
19,20 Delban, the Star of Ice and Hate Expanded Adventure League supplement, or the
21,22 Khirad, the Star of Secrets Darker Gifts supplement by Igor Moreno (which
you can find and download yourself on the DM's
23,24 Yrrga, the Eye of Shadows Guild.)
25,26 Great Taar Haak, the Five-Headed Destroyer Some of these dark gifts are nearly identical to
their initial iterations with vestige names added as
27,28 Yog the Invincible needed and minor balancing or wording changes.
29,30 Norganas, the Finger of Oblivion Others have been completely reworked and
reimagined. All credit goes to the original authors, I
31,32 Vaund the Evasive just put all of these ideas into one big supplement
33,34 Seriach, the Hell Hound Whisperer containing 49 of these dark gifts for those who
would be interested in implementing them in their
35,36 Zhudun, the Corpse Star games.
37,38 Xivec, Mother of Twilight
39,40 Ahzrukahl the Unnering
41,42 Tenebrous, Dusk Seer
43,44 Zari-El the Ghost Raven
45,46 Minnerva, Dark Weaver
47,48 Quaarth, Envoy of the Crypt
49,50 Theros, Lord of the Fire Giants
51,52 Golgora, the Skinwalker
53,54 Oztogoth of the Great Beyond
55,56 Dagon the Trickster
57,58 Rashegul, Gaze of the Void
59,60 Erandul the Slayer
61,62 Yamato, the White Serpent
63,64 Petra, the Plague Maiden