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Death Knight - GM Binder
Death Knight - GM Binder
By KylenBlaise
A Half-Pact Casting Knight
Death Knight Creating a Death Knight
An elf in half-plate strides toward an orc warchief. His spear As you design a death knight, contemplate how they became
lashes out and keeps the orc distracted while his mount, a a servant of their patron. Was it a mutual agreement? Was it
great wyrm of lightless scales, flies down to take the orc from for revenge? Or was it a deception? Consider how they act on
behind. their patron’s behalf. Do they act as a proper knight, or are
A brass dragonborn sits in meditation as she focuses upon they a scoundrel, doing as they wish until their next objective?
inscribing a new rune on her warhammer, which will grant Quick Build
her the edge in her upcoming battle. You can make a death knight quickly by following these
Two heavily armored knights face off: one a half-orc bound suggestions, First, Strength or Dexterity should be your
by a Solar, the other an aasimar assassin of Asmodeus. Their highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose
weapons glow with runes of green fire, which flare with the soldier background
flashes of energy as they clash, each intent on their
opponent's doom. Patron
Death knights are attuned to death in an intimate manner. Each death knight has a patron; they determine the goals and
Each death knight has died, then been brought back to life by targets for their death knight.
their patron. Sometimes these resurrections were part of a
bargain struck, sometimes an act of necessity, sometimes as Patrons Table
spite, and on rare occasions the long deceased are brought d6 Patron
back to serve a new purpose. The ritual used to create death
knights is taxing upon the patron, but each one is a powerful 1 Fiend
avatar, whether they are willing or not. 2 Fey
The experience of being brought back to life is often a 4 Great Old One
difficult one. Some suffered in their final moments, and the 5 Deity
thought of reliving it can break some, resulting in an insane
weapon for their patron to wield. Others have been returned 6 Dragon
from another era, and they must learn of the world that has
passed them by as they lay in the ground. Whatever the cause Manner of Death, Circumstances of
of their death, one thing remains certain: a death knight is Resurrection
changed from their first life. The variety of ways beings can die is staggering. Each one
unique in time and circumstance, and it can cause their
Warriors of their Patron return to life to be complicated. This can be as simple as
Death knights are created when an entity needs an enforcer. getting used to a new era, or as complicated as dealing with
Whether they bargained for it or were forced into it, death the consequences of your previous lifetime.
knights serve as the hand of their patron. When there is a Manner of Death, Circumstances of
threat, they strike out. When there is an insult, a blade of
necrotic magics corrects the slight. Resurrection Table
Death knights are rare and meeting another is rarer still, d6 Manner of Death, Circumstances of Resurrection
but often, when two meet, it is with weapons drawn and You were executed as a traitor to your country, and you
spells ready. This is due to the wide range of patrons who 1 were returned to life to save it, though they could very
create death knights. Oftentimes, the purpose of one is well kill you again.
counter to the other, so it is rare for both parties to walk away
unscathed from even a casual meeting. 2
Once a war hero who died in battle, you have returned
after more than a century and feel out of place.
Disciplined and Patient You made a bargain to become a death knight and
As ones who have experienced death and usher others into 3 chose to drift into servitude with a cup of nightshade
its embrace, death knights learn that being at peace with tea. You awaken moments later filled with new power.
one’s lot is important. The purest expression of this attribute You were murdered by a corrupt lord, and your patron
is their rune-scribing. The focus and time needed to properly 4
granted you the ability to seek justice.
write a single rune is both soothing and demanding. The You were a paladin in life but were returned to serve
trance they enter to attune their focus and imbue their inks 5 your archnemesis. You cannot refuse, but you seek to
with the energy needed to inscribe a rune of power brings a take them down.
tranquility that lets them cope with their nearness to death.
You were a criminal brought to the noose. Now, you
6 are a criminal with powers from beyond the grave. You
shall have your vengeance.
Rival d6 Rival
Death knights rarely live long without creating enemies. It is A mage, who aided in your demise so your patron
part of the job, but some become more than an enemy. They 5 could have you, reminds you of their power at every
may be a thorn in your side or perhaps a tool to measure your opportunity.
own growth. An assassin who intentionally tries to kill your targets
6
Rivals Table before you, and they do so just to get on your nerves.
d6 Rival
1
A paladin who feels they must constantly try to thwart Class Features
you. As a death knight, you gain the following class features
A fellow death knight serving your patron's arch
2 nemesis. You will never have peace as long as they Hit Points
draw breath. Hit Dice: 1d10 per death knight level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
3
A noble escaped you and is constantly sending Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution
assassins to kill you while they hide. modifier per death knight level after 1st
A warrior of unmatched skill bested you. You now seek
4 to surpass him, not to kill them, but to prove to them
and yourself that you are the better fighter.
Spell Slots
The death knight leveling table shows how many spell slots
you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots
is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your
Fighting Style death knight spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a
spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish
Starting at 2nd level, you adopt a particular fighting style as a short or long rest.
your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't
take a Fighting Style more than once, even if you later get to Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
choose again. At 2nd level, you know two 1st level spells of your choice from
the death knight spell list. The Spells Known column of the
Defense death knight table shows when you learn more death knight
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you
choose must be of a level no higher than what's shown in the
Dueling table's Slot Level column for your level.
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no Additionally, when you take a long rest you can choose to
other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that sacrifice hit dice that you would regain in order to remove a
weapon. spell you know and replace it with another spell from the
death knight spell list, which also must be of a level for which
Great Weapon Fighting you have spell slots. Spells cost 1 hit die per level to replace
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an Attack you them; the cost is based on the new spell known.
make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two
hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even Spellcasting Ability
if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the Two- Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your death knight
Handed or Versatile property for you to gain this benefit. spells. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your
spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma
Two-Weapon Fighting modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a death knight
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
ability modifier to the damage of the second Attack.
Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
Pact Magic
your Charisma modifier
By 2nd level, your patron's hand in returning you to life grants Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
you pact magic and allows you to cast death knight spells.
your Charisma modifier
Custom Spells
Spells tagged Death Knight can be found in Appendix A: Unique
Death Knight Spells