The Haunted Knight

## Martial Archetype

### Haunted Knight

There are countless stories of warriors haunted by the remnants of the deceased which forcefully bonded to their souls. While many are driven to madness after being subject to this terrible fate, some choose to continue on their paths to glory while dealing with the new presence in their lives.

The relation each Haunted Knight shares with the entity he is bonded with depends on the nature of the *lingering spirit*. It could be a good natured spirit willing to help, an evil apparition seeking only to torment or the result of an unstable mind after a major loss. Whichever the case may be, said relation is strongly reflected in the supernatural abilities every Haunted Knight possesses giving them the aptitude to fight using their new ghostlike abilities.

#### Spirit Bonded
At 3rd level, you are connected to a lingering spirit that follows you everywhere. being bonded to such creature gives you access access to the following benefits:

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* A voice in your head won't leave you alone and warns you of any danger. You cannot be surprised and other creatures don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being hidden from you. However, this alertness can make you feel uneasy. Every short rest you have to roll 1d4, on a 1, you don't gain any of the benefits associated to it.
* The spirit bonded to you *might* help you in social interactions. It can reveal useful information about a creature within 10 feet of you which might be true or false. (The choice is up to the DM)
* Ethereal Armor. While you are not wearing armor, you gain AC equal to 10 + your intelligence modifier + half your proficiency bonus. If you choose to wear armor roll 1d4, on a 1 your movement speed is reduced by 5 feet and you can't doff it until your next long rest.
* **Spirit's alignment:** depending on the nature of the entity bonded with you it can use radiant, necrotic or psychic damage as its focus. This aspect also lets you decide whether a creature becomes frightened or charmed by any of your feature effects. (Once you select your Spirit's Alignment you can't change it back)

#### Haunted Commands
By channeling your focus you can attempt to command the spirit you are bonded with for a short time and use one the following features:

* **Spectral Infusion:** You can use your bonus action to imbue your weapon with your *spirit's alignment element*. While this feature is active your attacks deal an additional 1d4 of the chosen damage type for 1 minute. The extra damage increases to 1d6 at 10th level and to 1d8 at 15th level.
* **Undying Visage:** When you take the attack action you can choose to forgo one attack to reveal the true nature of the creature haunting you. When you do so, choose a creature withing attack range, it has to succeed a Wisdom saving throw (8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier) or become frightened or charmed (depending on *spirit's alignment*) until the end of its next turn.
* **Ghostly Familiar:** You can command your spirit as an familiar. It possesses a flying speed of 40 feet, has the ability to move through objects and objects as if they were difficult terrain, possesses dark vision 60 feet and is immune to damage. However, your lingering spirit returns to your side at the start of combat, losing its familiar status, and can't be more than 200 feet away from you.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses after a short or long rest.

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 ##### Cursed Knight - *By: Satoru Wada*
 <https://www.artstation.com/artwork/3V9v2>
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#### Ethereal Grasp

At 7th level, you become adept at using more of your lingering spirit's abilities to your advantage. You learn the *mage hand* and *chill touch* cantrips. The elemental damage caused by the latter depends on your *spirit's Alignment*.

Also, you can cast the *speak with dead spell*, without using a spell slot or material components, once per short or long rest. Doing so allows you to learn the language the dead creature spoke in life until the end of your next long rest.

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for any of these spells.

#### Perfect Symbiosis
At 10th level, you can gather the essences of those who have died within 30 feet granting you temporary hit points equal to your intelligence modifier. You lose all temporary hit points once the fight is over.
#### One Last Thing
At 15th level, when you kill a creature you can choose to use your bonus action and let your spirit take control of the dead body until the end of your next turn. You can command the controlled body to do your bidding, it can't attack, but it can move up to 30 ft and take the grapple or shove action on a creature you choose. The possessed creature has AC 10, 1 hit point and uses your Strength (Athletics) stats and proficiencies. Constructs are immune to this effect.

You can use this feature twice per short or long rest.

#### Perfect Synchrony
Once you reach 18th level you and your spirit act in unison. Now you are not affected by the negative effects of the spirit bonded feature. In addition, you can use your bonus action to gain the following minutes for one minute:

* Your appearance changes drastically to emulate that of your lingering spirit. You gain + 2 to your AC and resistance resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.
* You receive flying speed of 20 feet.
* Instead of attacking, you can choose up to two creatures within 30 feet. Each creature must make a DC 15 Wisdom throw. On a failed save the creatures takes 2d8 of your *spirit alignment element* damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn't stunned. Constructs and undead are immune to this effect.
* At the end of each of your turns you an use your bonus action to select one creature of your choice in a 15 feet radius and it must make a Charisma saving throw with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your intelligence modifier. On a failed save the creature must attack one ally of your choice. Constructs and undead are immune to this effect.

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

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 ##### The Goddess and the Knight - *By: Rime Younssi*
 <https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lVa8Yz>
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#### *Haunted Knight*
 ***Created by:** ARandomBlueGuy* 
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