Masters of Mortality: The Death Knight

A
n orc in bloody mail grins, shouting fierce
warcries in the midst of battle. He clubs one
ogre with the mace in his right hand before
dancing to its companion in a flurry of whirling
metal. His second mace lashes out, cracking the
creature’s skull, and the resulting blood spray
invigorates him.
A worgen faces a goblin horde, quickly inscribing rime-
covered runes into the cavern’s chokepoint. As the creatures
approach, howling winds trigger all around them, freezing
them in place and sending them scurrying for cover from the
frosty blast.
A Forsaken in heavy plate armor strides into melee,
necrotic energy deflecting projectiles and lessening the
strongest blows. He mutters an incantation and spectral
hands reach out to hinder his opponents, leaving an opening
for his black blade to find purchase.
Bone and Battle
Death knights are primarily melee warriors who can wear
heavy armor and call on the powers of death and decay to
augment their might through inscribing mystical runes. The
unholy counterparts of paladins, death knights can be
frequently found as guardians of death cults or keeping vigil
over graveyards. Although death knights are grim figures,
they are not necessarily evil ones. Some use necromantic
energies to create undead servants, but others believe it more
fitting of their duty to fight for the Alliance or Horde to ensure
the dead are treated with proper care and consideration.
Playing a Death Knight
Death knights mix high survivability and strong melee
combat with a small measure of spellcasting through their Class Features
Hand of Death and Runic Power features. Early on, Hit Points
Consumption helps you stick through the toughest of fights at Hit Dice: 1d10
the cose of Hit Dice, while Runic Power provides destructive Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
spells or magical utility. Although the class features related to Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution
your death knight presence do not arrive until 3rd level, you modifier per death knight level after 1st
should plan ahead for what you want your primary combat
options to be. Do you want increased mobility and rewards Proficiencies
for chaining attacks from Blood Presence? Would you prefer Armor: All armor, shields
to focus on utility and area control options from Frost Weapons: Simple weapons, martial melee weapons
Presence? Do you like a more fortified style, forcing Tools: None
opponents to push through your defenses to get to your allies Saving Throws: Strength, Wisdom
with Unholy Presence? Your choice of rune preparation can Skills: Choose two skills from Arcana, Athletics, History,
also strongly affect your role in battle. Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, and
Quick Build
Religion
You can make a death knight quickly by following these Equipment
suggestions. Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom should be your You start with the following equipment, in addition to the
highest score, depending on whether you want to focus on equipment granted by your background:
melee weapons, finesse weapons, or spell strength. (a) chain mail or (b) leather armor
Constitution should be your next highest ability score. (a) a martial melee weapon and a shield or (b) two martial
Second, choose the acolyte background. weapons
(a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) five javelins
(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
The Death Knight
Level Proficiency Bonus Features Rune Slots Runes Known
1st +2 Consumption, Hand of Death ─ ─
2nd +2 Runic Power, Fighting Style 2 2
3rd +2 Death Knight Presence, Runeforging 2 3
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 2 3
5th +3 Extra Attack 3 4
6th +3 Will of Ner'zhul 3 4
7th +3 Presence feature 3 5
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 5
9th +4 ─ 4 6
10th +4 The Lich King's Favor 4 6
11th +4 Presence feature 4 7
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 7
13th +5 ─ 5 8
14th +5 Runic Surge 5 8
15th +5 Pallid Servant 5 9
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 9
17th +6 ─ 6 10
18th +6 Presence feature 6 10
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 6 11
20th +6 Hand of the Lich King 6 12

You can learn a number of runes as indicated on the class

Consumption
Whenever you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you can
spend 1 Hit Die as a bonus action.
Hand of Death
You learn the chill touch and death grip (listed below)
cantrips. You may choose either Dexterity or Wisdom as your
spellcasting ability for these cantrips, but once you make this
choice it can never be changed.
Runic Empowerment
Beginning at 2nd level, you gain access to a special form of
magic. With the inscription of special runes ahead of time,
you can harness unholy ley energies to support yourself and
your allies. Activating an inscribed rune requires an action
unless otherwise indicated. You can activate a number of
inscribed runes as indicated on the class table. You regain all
expended rune slots after finishing a long rest.
If a rune requires a saving throw, the DC is equal to 8 +
your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
table. Each time you gain a death knight level, you can choose
to swap one known rune for one you currently do not know.
You must meet all listed pre-requisites to learn a particular
rune.
You have access to three types of runes: icons, seals, and
glyphs. Icons have offensive effects on creatures, seals
provide defensive protection to creatures, and glyphs must be
inscribed on objects to take effect.
You can prepare a number of runes equal to the number of
rune slots you possess. You can prepare runes for later
activation whenever you take a short or long rest. Inscribing
runes typically requires some sort of writing mechanism,
whether ink, blood, or carving the runes into a material
surface. Some death knights will even tattoo runic marks on
their bodies, adding a bit of ink to finish preparing these
designs shortly before they think they will need them.
Both icons and seals generally trigger as an action on an
adjacent creature. Glyphs can be triggered either as an action
if you are within 5 feet or have used an action to set it as a
proximity trigger. If triggered in this way, the rune slot is
considered expended as soon as you set the trigger, and the
next creature that approaches within 5 feet during the next
hour will cause it to take effect.
Fighting Style
Beginning at 2nd level, you gain one of the following Fighting
Style options: Defense, Great Weapon Fighting, or Two-
Weapon Fighting.
Death Knight Presence
When you reach 3rd level, you have learned to focus your
power more narrowly, gaining greater mastery of some
particular aspect of undeath. You choose from the Blood,
Frost, or Unholy presences. All of these are detailed at the
end of the class description. Your choice grants you features
at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level.
Runeforging
Also when you reach 3rd level, you learn the secrets of
empowering weapons with small runic blessings. When you
finish a short or long rest, you can choose one of the
following features to add to a single weapon of your choice:
Death Strike: You have one of the weapon's damage dice
deal necrotic damage. This option requires a weapon with
multiple damage dice.
Frost Strike: You have one of the weapon's damage dice
deal frost damage. This option requires a weapon with
multiple damage dice.
Plague Strike: You can replace one of the weapon's
damage dice to deal poison damage.
Ability Score Improvement
Beginning at 4th level and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th
levels, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2
or increase two of your ability scores of your choice by 1. You
can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice instead of once
whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Will of Ner'zhul
Beginning at 6th level, you gain advantage on saving throws
made to avoid becoming charmed or frightened.
The Lich King's Favor
At 10th level, you gain resistance to necrotic and poison
damage, and your hit point maximum can never be reduced.
Runic Surge
At 14th level, you regain hit points equal to your Constitution
modifier whenever you expend a rune slot.
Pallid Servant
At 15th level, you become almost perfectly sustained by your
powers. You can no longer be magically aged, suffer no
penalties for old age, and do not require food and water to
survive.
Hand of the Lich King
At 20th level, you achieve the pinnacle of undying perfection.
If you die, the necromantic energies that fuel your powers will
restore you to life 1 minute after your death. You resurrect
with one-half your maximum hit points but not any runes you
still had available. Once you are brought back with this
feature, you must wait until 7 days have passed before you
can use it again.
-------------
Death Knight Presences
Blood
Death knights who take this presence draw blood from their
foes, gaining vigor as lives around them ebb. These death
knights usually make heavy use of iconic runes,
overwhelming enemies in a tide of blade and blood.
Heartbreaker
Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this presence, you
can intensify the pain a target feels when you strike them. You
expend this feature as part of a melee weapon attack, forcing
your target to make a Constitution saving throw against your
death knight rune save DC. On a failure, successful weapon
attacks you make against that target within the next 1 minute
deal additional weapon damage equal to the number of rune
slots you possess. Once you have used this feature, you must
wait until you have finished a short or long rest or expend a
prepared rune slot to use it again.
Blooddrinker
Beginning at 7th level, you have learned to use the blood of
your enemies for inspiration. Whenever you make a
successful weapon attack, you gain temporary hit points for 1
round equal to your Wisdom modifier. Additionally, you can
track bleeding creatures, gaining advantage on Perception or
Survival checks to detect wounded creatures you are trying to
follow.
Blood Frenzy
Beginning at 11th level, you become adept at using multiple
strikes to tear the flesh from your foes. When you hit a
creature you have already damaged on your turn with a melee
weapon attack, you deal an additional 2d8 weapon damage.
Whenever you deal this extra damage, you can immediately
move up to 10 feet. This movement does not provoke attacks
of opportunity.
Tremble Before Me
At 18th level, you are a true master of the battlefield. When
you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can
expend a rune slot. Your attack deals 2d8 additional weapon
damage for each successful melee weapon attack you made
against that creature since the beginning of your previous
turn. This additional weapon damage stacks with the weapon
damage from your Blood Frenzy feature. If this attack
reduces the creature to 0 hit points, all enemy creatures
within 60 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw against
your death knight rune save DC. On a failure, they are
frightened of you for 1 minute. Once you use this feature, you
can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Frost
Death knights of this presence draw on the icy hand of
undeath to freeze the air around them. These death knights
prefer glyphic runes and make the environment their ally.
Freezing Fog
Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this presence, you
can use your action to chill the air around you, freezing all
surfaces within a 20-foot radius for a number of minutes
equal to the number of rune slots you possess. The resulting
ice causes all terrain within 20 feet of you to be considered
difficult terrain for creatures other than yourself. Any
creature killed by cold damage during this duration becomes
a frozen statue until it thaws. This feature has no effect in
unusually hot environments other than making the
temperature tolerable for the effect’s duration. Once you have
used this feature, you must wait until you have finished a
short or long rest or expend a prepared rune slot to use it
again.
Howling Blast
Beginning at 7th level, you can wield the winds to punish
those who strike you. When you are struck by a weapon
attack by a creature within 60 feet of you that you can
perceive, you may use your reaction to send a gust of wind at
them. The creature must make a Strength saving throw
against your death knight rune save DC or suffer bludgeoning
damage equal to your death knight level and be pushed 20
feet away in a straight line (half damage on a successful save).
A creature of a size category larger than you has advantage
on this saving throw. This gust of wind puts out candles,
torches, and other unprotected flames between you and your
target and has a 50 percent chance to extinguish protected
flames in the same area. You can use this feature a number of
times equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier. When you finish a
long rest, you regain all expended uses.
Shattering Strikes
Beginning at 11th level, you can infuse your weapons with a
crippling chill. Whenever you strike a creature with a melee
weapon attack, you reduce its current walking speed by 10
feet for 1 round. Additionally, if you strike a creature whose
speed is reduced by this feature with a melee weapon attack,
you deal an additional 2d8 cold damage to that creature.
Frozen Tomb
Beginning at 18th level, you can use your action to expend a
rune slot and encase a foe in solid ice, petrifying the creature
and giving it immunity to damage. At the end of your next
turn, the ice shatters, dealing 10d10 cold damage and leaving
it slowed for 1 round as if by your Hand of Winter feature.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you
finish a long rest.
Unholy
Death knights in this presence increase their implacability by
tapping into the necromantic energies that animate all
undead. These death knights often focus their magic on
sealing runes, knowing that the living who cannot break their
defenses must break first.
Unholy Endurance
Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this presence, you
can use your action to gain 5 temporary hit points for each
rune slot you possess. These temporary hit points last for up
to 1 hour. While you possess any of these temporary hit
points, you have advantage on Constitution saving throws and
ability checks. Once you have used this feature, you must wait
until you have finished a short or long rest or expend a
prepared rune slot to use it again.
Profane Mettle
Beginning at 7th level, you can call on a reservoir of
necromantic power to shake off certain effects unharmed.
When you are subject to an effect that allows you to make a
Strength or Constitution saving throw to take only half
damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the
saving throw and only half damage if you fail. This feature
ceases to function if you are incapacitated.
Necrosis
Beginning at 11th level, you can hinder opponents who strike
you with a reactive poison, making them more vulnerable to
your blows. If an adjacent opponent deals damage to you with
a weapon attack, you may use your reaction to poison them,
lowering their defenses with a virulent plague. You have
advantage on the first attack you make against that creature
on your next turn, and if you hit with this attack you deal an
extra 2d8 necrotic damage as their blood rots and boils.
Anti-Magic Shell
Beginning at 18th level, you can use your action to fortify
yourself with magic, giving yourself resistance to all damage
for 1 minute. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again
until you finish a short or long rest or expend a prepared rune
slot to use it again.

Death Knight Runes
The following runes are available for death knights to
prepare.
Glyphs require concentration to maintain their full
duration unless otherwise indicated.
Glyph of Anti-Life Shell
When this glyph is prepared, choose to channel unholy
energy. A barrier of necrotic energy springs up in a sphere
with a radius of 20 feet. Creatures other than you and
unattended objects that move through the barrier receive 1d6
necrotic damage per rune slot you possess and cannot regain
hit points on their next turn.
The sphere lasts for 1 minute or until you dismiss it as an
action.
Glyph of the Bladebreaker
A number of friendly creatures within 30 feet of the glyph
equal to the number of rune slots you possess gain resistance
to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from
nonmagical weapons for 1 minute.
Glyph of the Gale
A howling wind sweeps out from the glyph, chilling creatures
other than you within a 20-foot cube. Creatures must make a
Constitution saving throw or take 1d8 cold damage for each
rune slot you possess and have their speed reduced by 10 feet
until the beginning of your next turn. Affected creatures take
only half damage on a successful saving throw and are not
slowed.
Glyph of Gloom
When this glyph activates, an eerie fog spreads in a sphere
with a radius of 20 feet for each rune slot you possess. This
fog spreads around corners and causes the area to be heavily
obscured for the next hour. A wind of moderate or greater
speed (at least 10 miles per hour) can suppress the fog’s
effects as long as it blows.
Icon of the Banshee's Kiss
You can attempt to charm a number of humanoid creatures
within 30 feet equal to the number of rune slots you possess.
Affected creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw and
have advantage if you or your companions are fighting them.
If they fail, they are charmed by you up to 1 hour or until you
or your companions do anything harmful to it. Charmed
creatures regard you as a friendly acquaintance, but when the
effect ends creatures know that they have been charmed by
you.
Icon of Chains
You conjure bonds of spectral force to immobilize your foes.
A number of adjacent creatures up to the number of rune
slots you possess must make a Strength saving throw or be
restrained for up to 1 minute. A creature so restrained can
use its action to repeat the saving throw and free itself.
Icon of Illness
Make a melee attack roll against an adjacent creature. If
successful, you deal 1d12 poison damage for each rune slot
you possess, and the creature must make a Constitution
saving throw. On a failure, the creature is poisoned for 1
round per rune slot you possess.
Icon of Shadow Infusion
Make a ranged spell attack against one creature within 60
feet. On a hit, the creature takes 1d8 necrotic damage per
rune slot you possess, and the next few attack rolls made
against this creature (equal to the number of rune slots you
possess) before the end of your next turn have advantage.
Icon of the San'layn
Make a melee attack roll against an adjacent creature. If
successful, you deal 1d12 necrotic damage for each rune slot
you possess and gain temporary hit points for 1 minute equal
to half the damage dealt. This rune has no effect on undead
or constructs.
Seal of Bone Shielding
A number of friendly creatures you touch equal to the
number of rune slots you possess gain a +2 bonus to AC for
up to 1 minute.
Seal of Eruption
As a reaction, you can expend this seal when damaged by a
creature within 60 feet of you and force that creature to make
a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 1d12 poison
damage per rune slot you possess or half as much damage on
a successful saving throw.
Seal of Lifelink
You and an adjacent friendly creature create a mystical bond
between you that lasts up to 1 hour for each rune slot you
possess. While your ally is within 60 feet of you, it has
resistance to damage, and when it takes damage you take the
same amount. The effect ends if you drop to 0 hit points, if
you and your ally become separated by more than 60 feet, if
the rune is cast again on either you or your ally, or you
dismiss the effect as an action.
Seal of the Silent Tomb
For a number of minutes equal to the number of rune slots
you possess, no sound can be created within or pass through
a 20-foot radius sphere centered on you. Creatures or objects
entirely inside the sphere are immune to thunder damage,
and creatures are deafened while entirely within it. Casting a
spell that includes a verbal component is impossible there.
This seal requires concentration to maintain.
Seal of the Wraithwalker
You or an adjacent ally gains a +10-foot bonus to your current
walking speed. This bonus lasts for a number of hours equal
to the number of rune slots you possess.
Glyph of Consultation
Pre-requisites: 3 rune slots
This glyph duplicates the effects of a speak with dead spell,
pouring a small amount of necromantic energy into a chosen
corpse for interrogation.
Glyph of Fortification
Pre-requisites: 3 rune slots Death Knight Cantrip
This glyph duplicates the effects of an arcane lock spell. Its
effects do not require concentration. Death Grip
Necromancy cantrip
Glyph of Galloping Casting Time: 1 action
Pre-requisites: 3 rune slots Range: 30 feet
This glyph duplicates the effects of a find steed spell, except Components: S, V
that the mount summoned is of the undead type, has
vulnerability to radiant damage, and resistance to necrotic Duration: Instantaneous
and poison damage. Its effects do not require concentration. If Large or smaller, the target of this cantrip must make a
Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be pulled
Icon of Enfeeblement
Pre-requisites: 3 rune slots to an unoccupied space adjacent to you. If no space is
You can expend this rune as a bonus action after a available, this cantrip fails.
successful melee weapon attack. The affected creature must If your target is already adjacent to you, you can make a
make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target melee spell attack and deal 1d6 necrotic damage to them. This
deals only half damage with weapon attacks that use damage increases by an additional 1d6 at 5th, 11th, and 17th
Strength for up to 1 minute. Once a number of rounds equal levels.
to the number of rune slots you possess have passed, the
creature can make a Constitution saving throw against the
effect at the end of each of its remaining turns. On a success,
the effect ends.
Seal of the Specter
Pre-requisites: 3 rune slots A number of friendly creatures
you touch equal to the number of rune slots you possess
become invisible for up to 1 hour. Anything the target is
wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it remains on the
target’s person. The spell ends for a target that attacks or
casts a spell.
Glyph of Raise Dead
Pre-requisites: 4 rune slots
This glyph duplicates the effects of an animate dead spell.
Additionally, if you have 5 rune slots, you may animate or
assert control over up to two undead creatures. If you have 6
rune slots, you may animate or assert control over up to three
undead creatures. Its effects do not require concentration.
Art Credits: Fan and Official Art from Wowpedia
Icon of Insanity Made with The Homebrewery
Pre-requisites: 4 rune slots
You choose a number of adjacent creatures up to the
number of rune slots you possess. Each affected creature
must make a Wisdom saving throw or be affected as if the
target of a confusion spell. This rune requires concentration
to maintain its effects.
Seal of the Spellbreaker
Pre-requisites: 4 rune slots
You gain resistance to damage from spells and advantage
on saving throws against magical effects for a number of
minutes equal to the number of rune slots you possess.