Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d10 per death knight level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per death knight level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: All armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
• Tools: None

• Saving Throws: Strength, Wisdom
• Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) chain mail or (b) leather armor
• (a) two martial weapons
• (a) 6 Javelins or (b) two handaxes
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Unholy Presence

Beginning at 1st level, you have undergone a horrifying transformation into the creature you are today. You are undead, though magical healing still works on you, as do other effects that work on humanoids. You do not need food, water, or sleep. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear dead, but it doesn't render you unconscious. While in this state, you can see and hear as normal.

Runic Dice

At 1st level, you are able to infuse your attacks with runic power. You have two runic dice, which are d6s. You can use your runic dice to empower certain abilities. A runic die is expended when you use it. As you gain levels in this class, you gain access to more runic dice, and they increase in strength. You can only use one runic empowered ability on each of your turns. You regain all of your expended runic dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Saving Throws. Some of your abilities require your target to make a saving throw to resist the abilities effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Rune save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.

Death Strike

At 1st level, you are able to empower your attacks with the power to rip the life from your foes. When you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend 1 runic die to empower the attack. You add the runic die to the attack's damage roll as necrotic damage. You then gain temporary hit points equal to half the damage done by your empowered attack.

Rune of the Fallen Crusader

When you roll a 1 or 2 on the damage die with this weapon, you can reroll the die and use the new result. When you deal maximum damage with this weapon, the weapon deals additional necrotic damage equal to your Strength modifier. A die can only be rerolled once.

Rune of the Stoneskin Gargoyle

While wielding this weapon, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Rune of Razor Ice

When you take the Attack action while two-weapon fighting, you can make a single additional attack with this weapon as long as it is in your off-hand as part of your action instead of your bonus action, adding your ability modifier to the damage of this attack as cold damage.

Rune of the Lichbane

Attacks with this weapon deal an additional 1 damage. Against an undead creature, this weapon deals an additional 2 damage and deals its damage as fire.

Rune of the Fallen Crusader

The runes extra damage is doubled. Additionally, when
you deal extra necrotic damage with this rune, you regain
hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt.

Rune of the Stoneskin Gargoyle

The bonus to your AC increases to +2 and when a creature within 5 feet of you hits hits you with an attack, it takes 10 necrotic damage.

Rune of Razor Ice

Ice encases both of your weapons, causing them to each deal an additional die of weapon damage and deal their damage as cold.

Rune of the Lichbane

Attacks against undead creatures score a critical hit on a roll of 18, 19, or 20 on the d20. Additionally, attacks with this weapon deal an additional 1d10 force damage. This damage bonus increases to 2d10 against undead creatures.

Aspect of Blood Features

Blood Boil

Beginning at 3rd level, you can manipulate the blood of your enemies. As an action, you can choose any number of creatures within 5 feet of you. Each creature must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 1d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. When a creature fails their saving throw, you regain 1 hit point and they have disadvantage on attack rolls made against creatures other than you until the start of your next turn.

You can choose to empower this ability when you use it. To do so, expend one runic die. You add the runic die to the damage of this ability, you regain 3 hit points for each failed save, and its range is increased by 5 feet.

The damage of this feature increases as you gain levels. It increases by 1d8 at 7th level (2d8), and at 13th level (3d8).

Foul Bulwark

Additionally at 3rd level, you have mastered the art of drawing the life from your foes. While you have temporary hit points from your Death Strike feature and a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with an attack, the attacking creature takes necrotic damage equal to the temporary hit points that are lost from the damage of the attack.

Marrowrend

At 7th level, you can use your runic power to fortify your defenses. When you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend 1 runic die to empower the attack. You add the runic die to the attack's damage roll as necrotic damage. You then gain a number of stacks of Bone Shield equal to the roll of your runic die.

Bone Shield. When you take damage, that damage is reduced by an amount equal to your Constitution modifier and 1 stack of Bone Shield is consumed.

Bone Shield lasts for 1 minute or until it is consumed. You can have no more than 8 stacks of Bone Shield at one time. This limit increases to 10 when you reach 13th level.

Heart Strike

Starting at 11th level, you are able to cleave through your enemies with corrupted blood. When you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend up to 2 runic dice to empower the attack. You add the runic dice to the attack's damage roll as necrotic damage. Up to 1 creature within 5 feet of the target also takes the necrotic damage you deal with this attack.

Runic Empowerment

At 14th level, you have learned how to turn your pain into runic power. For every 5 stacks of Bone Shield that are consumed by damage, you regain 1 runic die.

Vampiric Blood

At 18th level, you have mastered the manipulation of blood. As an action, you can empower your own blood with runic      power for 1 minute. When you use this ability, you gain     temporary hit points equal to twice your death knight level. Additionally, you gain the following benefits for the duration:

• When you gain temporary hit points from your Death Strike feature, they add to any temporary hit points you already have.
• Your Foul Bulwark feature works for these temporary hit points as well.
• You regain the maximum number of hit points possible from any healing.
• When you empower your Blood Boil feature, you can subtract the roll of your runic die from the saving throw of any creature effected by the feature.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Aspect of Frost Features

Cold Heart

Starting at 3rd level, you have become an acclimated to the frigid cold and its dangers. You gain resistance to cold damage, and you are naturally adapted to cold climates (as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).

Howling Blast

Additionally at 3rd level, you can halt your enemies advances with a burst of ice. As an action, you can freeze the ground. Choose a point within 30 feet. The ground in a 10-foot square centered on that point becomes covered in a deep frost, and turns into difficult terrain until the start of your next turn.

When the frost appears, each creature standing in its area must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 1d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

You can choose to empower this ability when you use it. To do so, expend one runic die. You add the runic die to the damage of this ability and increase the area it effects to a 15-foot square.

The damage of this feature increases as you gain levels. It increases by 1d8 at 7th level (2d8), and at 13th level (3d8).

Obliterate

Beginning at 7th level, you have learned how to strike with overwhelming force and violence. When you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend up to 4 runic dice to empower the attack. You add the runic dice to the attack's damage roll as cold damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If  you spent 4 runic dice on this attack, a creature has   disadvantage on their saving throw.

Icebound Fortitude

At 11th level, you are able to encase yourself in icy armor.   When you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to              summon a frozen shield against the strike. You gain          resistance to the damage of the triggering attack. When you use this ability, you can expend a runic die to empower it. If you do, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the runic die.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Murderous Efficiency

Starting at 14th level, you fight with such efficiency that you are able to conserve your strength easily. Whenever you expend a runic die for an ability, you roll one additional runic die without expending it.

For example: If you expend 1 runic die for a Death Strike, you roll 2 runic dice when determining necrotic damage and temporary hit points gained from the ability, while only expending 1 die from your runic dice pool.

Breath of Sindragosa

At 18th level, you are able to channel the fury of the great              queen of the frostblood. As an action, you call forth          the fury of Sindragosa. A blast of ice forms a line 60 feet long and 5 feet wide extending from you in a direction you choose. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes cold damage equal to 6d10 + you death knight level on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. A creature that fails their saving throw is also frozen in place and restrained until the end of your next turn.

Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Aspect of the Unholy Features

Outbreak

Beginning at 3rd level, you can cultivate the spread of a malignant disease. As an action, choose a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see. That creature must make a Constitution saving throw, suffering 1d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. On a failed save, a creature is also infected with one of your diseases (see Unholy Diseases sidebar).

You can choose to empower this feature when you use it. If you do, expend one runic die. You add the runic die to the damage of this feature. When this feature is empowered, you can target one additional creature, and the targets have disadvantage on their saving throw.

The damage of this feature increases as you gain levels. It increases by 1d8 at 7th level (2d8), and at 13th level (3d8).

Raise Undead

Additionally at 3rd level, you are able to raise the dead to serve you. You can perform a vile ritual for 1 minute, at the end of which one humanoid corpse within 20 feet of you raises as an undead minion under your control. The statistics for the undead minion can be found at the end of this class description. The undead minion obeys your commands as best it can. In combat, it shares your initiative count, but takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action to command it to take one of the actions in its stat block, complete a simple task, or the Dash, Disengage, or Help actions. If you are incapacitated or absent, the minion acts on its own.

When you expend Hit Dice to regain hit points, your minion regains a number of hit points equal to the result; it cannot spend its own Hit Dice. If it drops to 0 hit points, it immediately dies, though its remains may be raised again. Additionally, you can expend a runic die as a bonus action to cause the undead minion to regain hit points equal to the runic die + your Constitution modifier.

You can only control 1 undead minion at a time with this feature. Once you reanimate a corpse, the undead minion remains in your control until you or the undead minion dies.

Festering Strike

Starting at 7th level, you are able to infuse your strikes with profane and necrotic magics. When you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend up to 2 runic dice to empower the attack. You add the runic dice to the attack's damage roll as necrotic damage. The target is also inflicted with one of your diseases. The DC to overcome this infection is increased by an amount equal to the amount of dice you expended on this feature.

Dark Transformation

At 11th level, you have learned how to infuse your undead minion with the diseases you wield to bolster its strength. Your undead minion's attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Additionally, as an action you can transform your undead minion. For a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of one), your undead minion becomes a Hulking Horror (see stat block at the end of this class description). While transformed, your you can freely control your undead minion (no action or bonus action required). Once this transformation ends, your undead minion returns to its original form.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Runic Corruption

Beginning at 14th level, you are able to gain strength from the suffering of those around you. Anytime a creature fails a saving throw against a disease you infected them with, you gain a stack of Runic Corruption. When you gain 3 stacks of Runic Corruption, they are consumed, causing you to regain 1 runic dice.

Epidemic

At 18th level, you have become a walking symbol of pestilence. The DC to resist and overcome your diseases is increased by 1 for each stack of Runic Corruption you have. Additionally, whenever a creature fails a saving throw at the end of their turn from one of your diseases, the disease spreads to another creature of your choice within 10 feet of the creature that failed their saving throw.

Undead minion

Medium undead, neutral evil

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• Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 8 + four times your death knight level
• Speed 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	11 (+0)	14 (+2)	6 (-2)	8 (-1)	5 (-3)

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• Saving Throws Str + 3 + PB, Con + 2 + PB
• Damage Resistances necrotic
• Damage Immunities poison
• Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
• Senses darkvision 60 ft.
• Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak
• Proficiency Uses your proficiency bonus where PB is listed

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Infected Existence. When you summon this creature, choose one of your Unholy Diseases. This creature's Putrid Claws spread the chosen disease. You can change this disease whenever you summon a new minion or during a short or long rest.

Shambling Rush (1/short or long rest). At the beginning of its turn, the undead minion can double its speed until the end of its turn. If it hits a Large or smaller creature on the same turn with an attack, the creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your rune save DC or be knocked prone.

Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the minion to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the minion drops to 1 hit point instead.

Actions

Putrid Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 + PB to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature other than an udnead or a construct, it must succeed on a saving throw against your rune save DC or suffer the effects of the unholy disease the minion carries.

Runic Shielding

Prerequisite: 5th level
Whenever you gain temporary hit points, you gain additional temporary hit points equal to the roll of one of your runic die.

Crimson Scourge

Prerequisite: 5th level, Aspect of Blood
Your Blood Boil feature deals additional necrotic damage equal to your Constitution modifier and you now regain 2 hit points for each creature that fails their saving throw.

Glacial Advance

Prerequisite: 5th level, Aspect of Frost
When you use your Howling Blast feature, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action as long as you are wielding two one handed weapons. This attack is made with your off-handed weapon.

Infected Claws

Prerequisite: 5th level, Aspect of the Unholy
Your undead minion gains a bonus to its attack and damage rolls equal to the number of creatures within 5 feet of it that are suffering from one of your diseases.

Rune Carving

Prerequisite: 10th level
When you critically hit with an attack that you spent runic dice on, you regain 1 expended runic die. When a creature critically fails a saving throw against a feature that you spend runic dice on, you regain 1 expended runic die.

Purgatory

Prerequisite: 10th level, Aspect of Blood
When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to enter purgatory instead of falling unconscious until the end of your next turn. While in purgatory, you can fall below 0 hit points into the negatives, including from the triggering damage. If Purgatory ends and you are still below 1 hit point, you fall unconscious and automatically fail 2 death saving throws.

Once you use this talent, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Biting Cold

Prerequisite: 10th level, Aspect of Frost
When you deal cold damage to a creature, a small shard of ice begins to orbit your weapons until the end of your next turn or until you miss with an attack or use your action for anything except the Attack action. You can have up to 3 of these shards and you deal 1 additional cold damage with your attacks for each shard you have.

Vile Contagion

Prerequisite: 10th level, Aspect of the Unholy
When a creature that is suffering from one of your diseases is standing in an area affected by your Death and Decay feature, they have disadvantage on the saving throw to overcome the disease.

Additionally, when a creature fails their saving throw against one of your diseases while affected by this talent, your undead minion can use it's reaction to make one attack against that creature as long as it is within reach.

Anti-Magic Zone

Prerequisite: 15th level
When you use your Anti-Magic Shell feature, creatures of your choice within 20 feet of you also gain the benefits of the feature until the start of your next turn.

Dancing Rune Weapon

Prerequisite: 15th level, Aspect of Blood
As an action, you can summon a spectral copy of your weapon which hovers beside you for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier. While active, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC and whenever you expend runic dice, the weapon deals slashing damage equal to the roll of those dice to a creature within 5 feet of you.

Once you use this talent, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Pillar of Frost

Prerequisite: 15th level, Aspect of Frost
As a bonus action, you can surround yourself with a torrent of icy winds for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier. For the duration, whenever you expend runic dice, creatures within 5 feet of you take cold damage equal to the roll of one of your runic die.

Once you use this talent, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Blasphemous Frenzy

Prerequisite: 15th level, Aspect of the Unholy
When you use your Dark Transformation feature, you can expend a runic die to cause your undead minion to shift and mutate into an even larger abomination. Creatures within 5 feet of your minion take necrotic damage equal to the runic die. Until the end of its next turn, your undead minion becomes a Monstrous Ghoul before shifting back into a Hulking Horror for the remainder of Dark Transformation.

Once you use this talent, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.