Death Knight (5e Fighter Archetype)

*why do we have so many fucking dark/death/shadow/necromancy knights*

## **Death Knight**

The archetypal death knight is one of a fighter that has typically sold their soul to the darkness of a lich or death itself, gained might from a powerful necromancer, or even was corrupted by a cursed sword. Whatever the source of their power, death knights are not typically trusted by the most noble of do-gooders, even though a small percentage of them may serve the light from their powers of darkness.

### **Curses**

Beginning when you choose this archetype, at 3rd level, you are able to bestow upon yourself magical curses that both aid and harm you at the same time. You know two curses, and learn one more at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th levels. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you may replace one curse you know with another one. You may not have more than one curse active at one time, and activating another disables the first. Additionally, some curses may require saving throws and spell attack rolls.

* **Curse spell attack modifer** = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
* **Curse save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

### **Death Rite**

At 7th level, the necromantic energies of your powers seep into your body, empowering you and wither away a bit of your humanity. You gain resistance to necrotic-type damage, gain 120 feet of darkvision, are immune to disease, and no longer need to eat, breathe, or drink.

### **Blast of Malevolence**

At 10th level, when you push yourself to the limit, dark energy explodes from your pores. After using your Action Surge or Second Wind feature, creatures within 10 feet of you of your choice must make Constitution saving throws against your Curse save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes necrotic damage equal to your fighter level + your Charisma modifier and is unable to heal until the start of your next turn, or take half damage with no heal denying on a success. You may not use this feature more than once per round.

### **Whispers of Doom**

At 15th level, your voice can send chills down the spines of others, and allow you to speak among the fallen. When you have a curse active, you may cast *speak with dead* at will as an action, and you have advantage on Intimidation checks against creatures that are not undead.

### **Hexed by the Apocalypse**

At 18th level, your soul is able to take more curses than any mortal being, and manipulate them. You may have two of your curses active at once, and can only be magically cursed by other sources if you choose to let them.

## **Curses**

The following are magical curses that you may bestow upon yourself, to increase your might. You may end any curse as a bonus action, unless stated otherwise.

***The One Who Bleeds.*** You may activate this curse as a bonus action. While this curse is active, you deal 1d6 additional necrotic damage on each of your weapon attacks. At the end of each of your turns, you must either expend one hit die or take irreducible necrotic damage equal to your fighter level.

***Bringer of the Underworld.*** You may activate this curse as an action. When you first activate this curse, a beast of hell comes forth, to aid you. It is treated as a wolf, however it is resistant to fire-type and necrotic-type damage, uses your proficiency bonus instead of its own, adds your proficiency bonus to its damage rolls and armor class, and increases its maximum hitpoints by an amount equal to your fighter level. You may command the beast to move and attack as a bonus action. However, the beast struggles against your will, and tries to free itself. At the start of each of your turns, you must make a Charisma saving throw, with the DC equal to 5 plus the amount of rounds after you initially summoned it. On a failed save, the beast turns hostile to you, and you cannot dismiss it until it is dead.

***Share In The Pain.*** You may activate this curse as a bonus action. While this curse is active, you treat all creatures you deal damage to as being vulnerable to all sources for only your weapon attacks, however you are also vulnerable to all sources of non-self-inflicted damage.

***Dome of Doom.*** You may activate this curse as a bonus action. While this curse is active, you gain resistance to all types of damage. However, creatures are treated as having resistance to all damage you deal.

***Distraught Muscularity.*** You may activate this curse as a bonus action. While this curse is active, you have advantage on all Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws. However, you have disadvantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws and checks aside from Intimidation.

***Spectre's Shield.*** You may activate this curse as a bonus action. While this curse is active, when you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your fighter level (minimum of 1). However, all healing effects are halved for you.

***Waves of Anguish.*** You may activate this curse as a bonus action. While this curse is active, you may use your action to attack all creatures within 10 feet including yourself, dealing necrotic damage that ignores resistance instead of your weapon damage, You are able to use your Charisma modifier Instead of your Strength modifier for these attacks. You count as vulnerable to the damage you take when you attack yourself and the attack ignores your armor class

***Undying Fighting Ghoul.*** You may activate this curse as a bonus action. While this curse is active, you gain sharp claws and teeth, which are natural weapons that deal 1d8 slashing or piercing damage, and are counted as magical. Whenever you deal damage with these natural weapons, you restore hit points equal to half the amount of damage dealt. However, all other healing effects are halved for you, and you are vulnerable to radiant-type damage.

***Burning Mountain of the Soul.*** You may activate this curse as an action. While this curse is active, all creatures within 15 feet of you take necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level when they start their turn in the aura, and have their movement speed reduced by 10 feet. However, you take the same damage at the start of your turn, but it is irreducible, though you are not slowed.

***Rushing Dullahan.*** You may activate this curse as a bonus action. When you first activate this curse, you take the Dash action as a bonus action, and may take it as a bonus action on each turn until the curse is disabled, and cannot be beheaded. However, you have disadvantage on checks relying on sight, and take irreducible necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier at the start of each of your turns.