Ryunosuke
2014-11-04, 02:57 AM
So I am working on a campaign that will feature a lot of undead and I do mean a lot. Such that I am working on creating a good amount of variety in encounters still other than just changing up each particular undead used along with the casters involved in their creation. A lot of this adventure will focus around the cults of Nerull (best god imo) and while looking up general builds and stuff for Dread Necromancers and the like I came across a few Death Knight threads. In one of them (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?110745-Making-a-Deathknight-(3-5-D-amp-D)), there was a suggestion of using a reflavored Dragon Shaman class for a player wanting to play a death knight character so I decided to create an 'official' version of said rework with proper skills and abilities reflecting the narrow focus of undead generals and the like.
The class will more often than not be used by NPCs as undead commanders or cohorts to PCs that love the unliving and such. Note that some things seem stronger than a Dragon Shaman equivalent for two reasons: a) this class is restricted more so overall with being undead based (which has many counters and undead are fairly weak outright without large numbers or a good deal of buffs) and b) Dragon Shamans are rather underpowered to start with. But without further ado, here's my little take on the melee version of a Dread Necromancer. Side note: level 7 appears dead at first glance but it grants the 6th aura known as well as access to the lv 3 spell from their Death Domain, which is Animate Undead, thus making it a turning point level despite how it seems on the chart.
Death Knight
Hit Die: d8
Starting Age: Moderate
Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10gp
Skill Points: 2 + Intelligence Modifier (x4 at 1st level)
Class Skills: Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Profession, Ride, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Death Knights gain proficiency in all Simple and Martial Weapons as well as all Shields (except Tower Shields).
Profane Aura: All Death Knights generate a dark malicious aura that can produce several different effects to aid themselves or their undead in battle or even hinder their opponents.
Projecting an aura is a swift action, and you can only project one profane aura at a time. An aura remains in effect until you use a free action to dismiss it or you activate another aura in its place. You can have a profane aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of an encounter even before you take your first turn.
Unless otherwise noted, your profane aura affects all allies within 20 feet (including yourself) regardless of line of effect. Your aura is dismissed if you become unconscious or are slain, but otherwise it remains in effect even if you are incapable of acting. The radius of this aura is improved to 40 feet around yourself at level 8, and again to 80 feet at level 16.
The bonus granted by your aura begins at +1 and increases to +2 at 5th level, +3 at 10th level, +4 at 15th level, and +5 at 20th level. As a 1st-level death knight, you know how to project three auras chosen from the list below. At every odd- numbered level after that, you learn one additional profane aura of your choice, until all seven auras are known at 9th level. Each time you activate a profane aura, you can choose from any of the auras that you know. All bonuses provided by this aura counts as a profane boost for the purpose of stacking with other effects.
Cold Resistance: Resistance to cold equal to 5 × your aura bonus.
Doubt: penalty on all attack rolls made against you or your allies equal to your aura bonus.
Negative Energy Shield: Any creature striking you or your ally with a natural attack or a nonreach melee weapon is dealt 2 points of negative energy damage for each point of your aura bonus.
Power: Bonus on melee damage rolls equal to your aura bonus. This extra damage is negative energy based.
Speed: Bonus on initiative checks equal to your aura bonus, and an additional 5 ft of movement per point of bonus.
Vigor: Fast healing 1 for each point of your aura bonus, but only affects characters at or below one-half their full normal hit points.
Weakness: Penalty to all damage rolls against you or your allies equal to your aura bonus.
Rebuke/Command Undead: At 2nd level, you gain the ability to rebuke and command the undead as an evil cleric of your class level.
Death Domain: At 3rd level, you are granted access to the Death domain and gain the related ability and spells associated with it. You may cast each spell once per day each using your class level as your caster level, provided your charisma score is at least 10 +spell level, and all save DCs will be calculated from your charisma modifier. You gain access to each spell level as a cleric of equal level would.
Negative Energy Blast: At 4th level, you gain the ability to unleash a blast of pure negative energy, usually in the form of a deathly cold blue flame like effect that deals 2d6 points of negative energy damage, plus an extra 1d6 points of damage for every two additional class levels (3d6 at
6th level, 4d6 at 8th level, and so forth). A successful Reflex save halves the damage dealt; the save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 your death knight level + your Cha modifier. Because this energy must be recharged in between uses, you must wait 1d4 rounds before you can use it again. However, you are permitted to take Metabreath feats to augment the effects of your Negative Energy Blast, substituting your charisma score for the constitution score requirements. At 4th level, the blast will be a 15 ft cone, increasing to 30 ft at 12th level, and once again to 60 ft at 20th level.
Tomb-Tainted Soul: At 4th level, you gain the benefits of the feat Tomb-Tainted Soul for free, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. This chagnes it so that you are healed by negative energy and damaged by positive energy instead.
Enhanced Bolster Undead: At 6th level, you gain better control over your ability to bolster the undead around you or under your command. Whenever you use a rebuke/command undead attempt to bolster undead creatures (including yourself if applicable), the effect will last for one minute per class level instead of only one minute as normal.
At 11th level, your bolster undead power increases greatly. From this point on, any undead bolstered by you will now add your charisma modifier as a profane bonus to their attack and damage rolls for the duration of the effect.
At 17th level, all undead you bolster will also gain your charisma modifier as a profane bonus to their saving throws and armor class for the duration of the effect.
Deathly Chill: At 9th level, you become immune to all cold based damage as well as any negative effects derived thereof, such as being frozen in place, slowed by cold based effects, etc.
Double Profane Aura: At 13th level, you now gain the ability to maintain two of your profane auras simultaneously, thus providing the benefits of both to yourself and your allies. Changing one or both of them is a single swift action and otherwise follow the regular rules for your profane aura.
Undead transformation: At 16th level, your body begins the drastic shift from living to unlife. Initially, you become immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects as well as all mind-affecting effects such as charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects (you may willingly gain positive morale bonuses however). You are not subject to death from massive damage at this point but you can still be raised as per the normal means for one that is still alive.
At 19th level, your transformation becomes complete, officially gaining the undead type. You lose your constitution score (using charisma for concentration checks) and your hit die becomes d12s, requiring you to reroll for hit points. You are also no longer subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. you gain immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Lastly, you are not affected by Raise Dead and Reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and True Resurrection can still bring you back from destruction, as can the spell Revive Undead.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Abilities
Auras Known
1st
+1
+2
+0
+2
Profane Aura +1
3
2nd
+2
+3
+0
+3
Rebuke/Command Undead
3
3rd
+3
+3
+1
+3
Death Domain
4
4th
+4
+4
+1
+4
Negative Energy Blast 2d6 (15 ft cone), Tome-Tainted Soul
4
5th
+5
+4
+1
+4
Profane Aura +2
5
6th
+6/+1
+5
+2
+5
Negative Energy Blast 3d6, Enhanced Bolster Undead
5
7th
+6/+2
+5
+2
+5
---
6
8th
+8/+3
+6
+2
+6
Negative Energy Blast 8d6
6
9th
+9/+4
+6
+3
+6
Deadly Chill
7
10th
+10/+5
+7
+3
+7
Negative Energy Blast 5d6, Profane Aura +3
7
11th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+3
+7
Enhanced Bolster Undead
7
12th
+12/+7/+2
+8
+4
+8
Negative Energy Blast 6d6 (30 ft cone)
7
13th
+13/+7/+3
+8
+4
+8
Double Profane Aura
7
14th
+14/+9/+4
+9
+4
+9
Negative Energy Blast 7d6
7
15th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+5
+9
Profane Aura +4
7
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+5
+10
Negative Energy Blast 8d6, Undead Transformation (Partial)
7
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
Enhanced Bolster Undead
7
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+6
+11
Negative Energy Blast 9d6
7
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Undead Transformation (Complete)
7
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Negative Energy Blast 10d6 (60 ft cone), Profane Aura +5
7
The class will more often than not be used by NPCs as undead commanders or cohorts to PCs that love the unliving and such. Note that some things seem stronger than a Dragon Shaman equivalent for two reasons: a) this class is restricted more so overall with being undead based (which has many counters and undead are fairly weak outright without large numbers or a good deal of buffs) and b) Dragon Shamans are rather underpowered to start with. But without further ado, here's my little take on the melee version of a Dread Necromancer. Side note: level 7 appears dead at first glance but it grants the 6th aura known as well as access to the lv 3 spell from their Death Domain, which is Animate Undead, thus making it a turning point level despite how it seems on the chart.
Death Knight
Hit Die: d8
Starting Age: Moderate
Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10gp
Skill Points: 2 + Intelligence Modifier (x4 at 1st level)
Class Skills: Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Profession, Ride, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Death Knights gain proficiency in all Simple and Martial Weapons as well as all Shields (except Tower Shields).
Profane Aura: All Death Knights generate a dark malicious aura that can produce several different effects to aid themselves or their undead in battle or even hinder their opponents.
Projecting an aura is a swift action, and you can only project one profane aura at a time. An aura remains in effect until you use a free action to dismiss it or you activate another aura in its place. You can have a profane aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of an encounter even before you take your first turn.
Unless otherwise noted, your profane aura affects all allies within 20 feet (including yourself) regardless of line of effect. Your aura is dismissed if you become unconscious or are slain, but otherwise it remains in effect even if you are incapable of acting. The radius of this aura is improved to 40 feet around yourself at level 8, and again to 80 feet at level 16.
The bonus granted by your aura begins at +1 and increases to +2 at 5th level, +3 at 10th level, +4 at 15th level, and +5 at 20th level. As a 1st-level death knight, you know how to project three auras chosen from the list below. At every odd- numbered level after that, you learn one additional profane aura of your choice, until all seven auras are known at 9th level. Each time you activate a profane aura, you can choose from any of the auras that you know. All bonuses provided by this aura counts as a profane boost for the purpose of stacking with other effects.
Cold Resistance: Resistance to cold equal to 5 × your aura bonus.
Doubt: penalty on all attack rolls made against you or your allies equal to your aura bonus.
Negative Energy Shield: Any creature striking you or your ally with a natural attack or a nonreach melee weapon is dealt 2 points of negative energy damage for each point of your aura bonus.
Power: Bonus on melee damage rolls equal to your aura bonus. This extra damage is negative energy based.
Speed: Bonus on initiative checks equal to your aura bonus, and an additional 5 ft of movement per point of bonus.
Vigor: Fast healing 1 for each point of your aura bonus, but only affects characters at or below one-half their full normal hit points.
Weakness: Penalty to all damage rolls against you or your allies equal to your aura bonus.
Rebuke/Command Undead: At 2nd level, you gain the ability to rebuke and command the undead as an evil cleric of your class level.
Death Domain: At 3rd level, you are granted access to the Death domain and gain the related ability and spells associated with it. You may cast each spell once per day each using your class level as your caster level, provided your charisma score is at least 10 +spell level, and all save DCs will be calculated from your charisma modifier. You gain access to each spell level as a cleric of equal level would.
Negative Energy Blast: At 4th level, you gain the ability to unleash a blast of pure negative energy, usually in the form of a deathly cold blue flame like effect that deals 2d6 points of negative energy damage, plus an extra 1d6 points of damage for every two additional class levels (3d6 at
6th level, 4d6 at 8th level, and so forth). A successful Reflex save halves the damage dealt; the save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 your death knight level + your Cha modifier. Because this energy must be recharged in between uses, you must wait 1d4 rounds before you can use it again. However, you are permitted to take Metabreath feats to augment the effects of your Negative Energy Blast, substituting your charisma score for the constitution score requirements. At 4th level, the blast will be a 15 ft cone, increasing to 30 ft at 12th level, and once again to 60 ft at 20th level.
Tomb-Tainted Soul: At 4th level, you gain the benefits of the feat Tomb-Tainted Soul for free, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. This chagnes it so that you are healed by negative energy and damaged by positive energy instead.
Enhanced Bolster Undead: At 6th level, you gain better control over your ability to bolster the undead around you or under your command. Whenever you use a rebuke/command undead attempt to bolster undead creatures (including yourself if applicable), the effect will last for one minute per class level instead of only one minute as normal.
At 11th level, your bolster undead power increases greatly. From this point on, any undead bolstered by you will now add your charisma modifier as a profane bonus to their attack and damage rolls for the duration of the effect.
At 17th level, all undead you bolster will also gain your charisma modifier as a profane bonus to their saving throws and armor class for the duration of the effect.
Deathly Chill: At 9th level, you become immune to all cold based damage as well as any negative effects derived thereof, such as being frozen in place, slowed by cold based effects, etc.
Double Profane Aura: At 13th level, you now gain the ability to maintain two of your profane auras simultaneously, thus providing the benefits of both to yourself and your allies. Changing one or both of them is a single swift action and otherwise follow the regular rules for your profane aura.
Undead transformation: At 16th level, your body begins the drastic shift from living to unlife. Initially, you become immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects as well as all mind-affecting effects such as charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects (you may willingly gain positive morale bonuses however). You are not subject to death from massive damage at this point but you can still be raised as per the normal means for one that is still alive.
At 19th level, your transformation becomes complete, officially gaining the undead type. You lose your constitution score (using charisma for concentration checks) and your hit die becomes d12s, requiring you to reroll for hit points. You are also no longer subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. you gain immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Lastly, you are not affected by Raise Dead and Reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and True Resurrection can still bring you back from destruction, as can the spell Revive Undead.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Abilities
Auras Known
1st
+1
+2
+0
+2
Profane Aura +1
3
2nd
+2
+3
+0
+3
Rebuke/Command Undead
3
3rd
+3
+3
+1
+3
Death Domain
4
4th
+4
+4
+1
+4
Negative Energy Blast 2d6 (15 ft cone), Tome-Tainted Soul
4
5th
+5
+4
+1
+4
Profane Aura +2
5
6th
+6/+1
+5
+2
+5
Negative Energy Blast 3d6, Enhanced Bolster Undead
5
7th
+6/+2
+5
+2
+5
---
6
8th
+8/+3
+6
+2
+6
Negative Energy Blast 8d6
6
9th
+9/+4
+6
+3
+6
Deadly Chill
7
10th
+10/+5
+7
+3
+7
Negative Energy Blast 5d6, Profane Aura +3
7
11th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+3
+7
Enhanced Bolster Undead
7
12th
+12/+7/+2
+8
+4
+8
Negative Energy Blast 6d6 (30 ft cone)
7
13th
+13/+7/+3
+8
+4
+8
Double Profane Aura
7
14th
+14/+9/+4
+9
+4
+9
Negative Energy Blast 7d6
7
15th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+5
+9
Profane Aura +4
7
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+5
+10
Negative Energy Blast 8d6, Undead Transformation (Partial)
7
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
Enhanced Bolster Undead
7
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+6
+11
Negative Energy Blast 9d6
7
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Undead Transformation (Complete)
7
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Negative Energy Blast 10d6 (60 ft cone), Profane Aura +5
7