Quick Build

You can make a death knight quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength your highest ability score, followed by Charisma.

Optional Rule: Multiclassing

If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player's Handbook, here's what you need to know if you choose death knight as one of your classes.

Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must have at least a Strength and Charisma score of 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already a death knight.

Proficiencies Gained. If death knight isn't your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as a death knight: light armor, medium armor, simple weapons, martial weapons.

Spell Slots. Add half your levels (rounded up) in the death knight class to the appropriate levels from other class to determine your available spell slots.

Class Features

As a death knight, you gain the following class features.

Dark Rebirth

As a death knight, you straddle the line between the living and the dead, existing in both worlds and neither. You gain the following traits:

• You are considered both a humanoid and undead. You can be affected by anything that would affect either of those creature types. For example, because you are an undead, you will register on a paladin's Divine Sense, but because you are also a humanoid, you can be healed by that paladin's Lay on Hands.
• You don't need to sleep, instead you enter a semi- conscious state where you feed your eternal hunger by reminiscing on the agony you have caused. After doing so for 4 hours, you gain the same benefits that a human does from 8 hours of sleep
• You have advantage on saves versus any effect that turns or exclusively affects undead, such as a priest's shackle undead spell.

Rune Weapons

You know how to inscribe runes onto weapons, empower­ing them and binding them to you. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. The weapons must be within your reach throughout the ritual. You can only have a single two-handed weapon bound to you, or two one-handed weapons. Bonding new weapons immediately breaks the bond with any previous rune weapons.

You can't be disarmed of your rune weapons unless you are incapacitated. If they are on the same plane of existence as you, you can summon your rune weapons as a bonus action on your turn, causing them to teleport instantly to your hands. If you have two one-handed rune weapons, when a death knight feature refers to your rune weapon, you may choose which one to use (but not both).

Runic Power

Necrotic energies rush through your body. This energy
is represented by a pool of d8s that replenishes when you finish a short or long rest. The number of dice in this pool equals 1 + your death knight level. You can never spend more runic dice than your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Deathless

You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe. In addition, you age at a slower rate. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year, and you are immune to being magically aged.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Spellcasting

Also at 2nd level, the dark power bestowed upon you by
the forces of death have given you facility with spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 6 of this book for the death knight spell list.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your death knight spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a death knight spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use a rune weapon as a spellcasting focus for your death knight spells.

Marrowrend

When you choose this presence at 3rd level, you gain the ability to cripple other creatures. When you damage a creature through your Runic Power feature, that creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn. In addition they are infected with a blood worm that uses a stirge creature stat block but cannot fly, when attached it causes 1d4 necrotic damage and healing you for an amount equal to twice the amount rolled per round or until it is removed with the targets action. If blood worm is removed or after 3 rounds, it dies and falls off the target creature.

Blood Shield

Starting at 3rd level, you learn to weave your vile magic into a protective barrier. When you cast a death knight spell of 1st level or higher, you can simultaneously use the spell's dark essence to create a blood shield on yourself that lasts until you finish a long rest. The shield has hit points equal to twice your death knight level + your Charisma modifier. Whenever you take damage, the shield takes the damage instead. If this damage reduces the shield to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage.

While the blood shield has 0 hit points, it can't absorb damage, but its magic remains. Whenever you cast a death knight spell of 1st level or higher, the shield regains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell.

Once you create a blood shield, you can't create it again until you finish a long rest.

Bone Storm

Beginning at 7th level, you can use your action to summon a whirlwind of jagged bones around you. The storm has a 20-foot radius and is centered on you. It moves with you, and lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated or die. When a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes magical piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your death knight level, and is knocked prone. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and suffers no other effects.

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

Heart Strike

At 11th level, your dark power bolsters your attacks. When­ever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, the creature takes an extra 1d8 weapon damage. In addition, damage dealt by your rune weapons ignore resistances.

Purgatory

Starting at 15th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points and are not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead and have your blood shield's hit points reple­nished to twice your death knight level.

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

Dancing Rune Weapon

At 20th level, are able to summon a spectral copy of your rune weapon, which dances menacingly in your space. The dancing rune weapon lasts for 1 minute, and is identical to your rune weapon. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

At the beginning of each of your turns, you can command your dancing rune weapon to act in one of the following ways until the start of your next turn (no action required).

Defensively. You gain the benefits of the Dodge action. In addition, you get a special reaction that you can take once on every creature's turn, except your turn. You can use this special reaction when a creature you can see makes an attack against a target other than you that is within 10 feet of you, imposing disadvantage on the attack roll.

    Offensively. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you may make one additional attack with the dancing rune weapon as part of the same action. In addition, you get a special reaction that you can take once on every creature's turn, except your turn. You can use this special reaction only to make an opportunity attack with your dancing rune weapon, and you can't use it on the same
turn that you take your normal reaction.

Frost Presence

Combining martial prowess with supernatural cold, these damned warriors leave their enemies chilled to the bone. Unlike mages who learn to harness frost magic to great effect, these death knights are born of it, rime gripping their decaying hearts. These frozen undead warriors wield dual blades to strike with ferocity and inflict deathly cold upon anyone who would stand against them.

Icy Talons

Starting at 15th level, once on each of your turns when you spend two or more runic dice at once on rune strike, you may make an additional melee weapon attack as part of the same Attack action.

Pillar of Frost

At 20th level, you are able to channel the icy might of the Frozen Throne itself. As an action, you can magically become an avatar of all-consuming winter, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:

• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slash­ing damage, and immunity to cold damage.
• You add your Charisma modifier to the damage of your melee weapon attacks (minimum of 1).
• When you would normally roll one or more dice to deal cold damage with a death knight spell, you instead use the highest number possible for each die. For example, instead of dealing 2d8 cold damage to a creature, you deal 16.

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

Unholy Presence

Some death knights still embody the corrupting nature of the Scourge plague. No matter their allegiance or cause, they remain defilers of life; and nowhere is their callous­ness more on display than when threatened. Inflictors of the most aggressive of diseases, these unholy death knights are vicious melee combatants, capable of striking with the force of an undead legion and unleashing pestilence that would bring their foes to ruin.

Presence Spells

You gain Presence spells at the death knight levels listed.

Unholy Presence Spells

Dth Kn. Level	Spells
3rd	✦ corpse explosion, ray of sickness
5th	✦ anti-magic shell, ray of enfeeblement
9th	✦ mantle of the fallen crusader, speak with dead
13th	blight, ✦ summon undead
17th	✦ army of the dead, contagion

✦ New spells can be found in chapter 6 later in this book

Unholy Diseases

    Blood Plague. The diseased creature can’t regain hit points. Whenever it is damaged by a melee attack, the attacker gains temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier plus half your death knight level. Blood Plague is resisted by Constitution.

Crypt Blight. The diseased creature can use either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. Regardless of the creature’s abilities or magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. Crypt Blight is resisted by Wisdom.

Frost Fever. The diseased creature’s speed is halved, and it can’t take reactions. Frost Fever is resisted by Dexterity.

Festering Wounds. The disease causes 1d4 pustulent lesions to appear, and the next time you deal damage with a runic power ability the lesions erupt each causing damage equal to 1 runic power die roll. Festering Wounds is resisted by Constitution.

Plaguebringer

When you choose this presence at 3rd level, you learn to spread plague and pestilence across the land with your own dark magic, and through an undead minion. You gain
the following features.

Outbreak. When you deal damage with a Runic
Power ability, you can afflict the creature with a terrible plague. You choose which of the diseases detailed in the "Unholy Diseases" sidebar to inflict on your target, which takes effect immediately. At the end of each of the crea­ture’s turns, it can make the saving throw specified in the disease’s description. On a failure, the creature takes 1d8 necrotic damage per Runic Power dice originally spent and continues to suffer the effects of the disease. On a success, the creature takes no damage and suffers none of the disease’s effects until the end of its next turn. The disease ends after 1 minute or when the creature has made three successful saving throws against the disease. If the creature fails 3 saving throws the disease(s) last their full duration.

Raise Dead. You learn to raise a dead humanoid as an undead minion. You can use your action and spend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to animate the corpse of a human­oid creature within 30 feet of you. See the creature's game statistics in the undead minion stat block. When you raise an undead minion, choose which disease its Putrid Claw attack carries with it from the "Unholy Diseases" sidebar. You can only have one undead minion and raising a new corpse destroys the magic that binds your previous undead minion, reducing it to a rotting corpse.

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 or the Dash, Disengage, or Help action. 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.

At 14th level, your undead minions game statistics widen as represented by the scourge minion stat block. Additionally, your Scourge minions improved capabilities allow it to be equipped with weapons and armor as long as they do no require attunement.

Unholy Blight

Beginning at 7th level, you can use your action to manifest a vile swarm of insects, which bite at your enemies and weaken their resolve. The aura has a 20-foot radius and is centered on you. It moves with you, and lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated or die. When a creature other than your undead minion enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes necrotic damage equal to 1d6 + your death knight level and has disadvantage on saving throws against poison and disease until the start of its next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage, but suffers no other effects.

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

PART 1 | CLASSES

Dreadblade

At 11th level, the taint of necrotic energies are suffused in your weapon attacks. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, the creature takes an extra 1d8 necrotic damage. In addition, your death knight features and spells, as well as your undead minion ignore resistance to necrotic damage, and treat immunity to necrotic damage as resistance instead.

Plaguelord

Upon reaching 15th level, you have achieved mastery over your powers of pestilence and plague. You gain one of the following features of your choice.

Outbreak. When a creature afflicted with one of your unholy diseases dies, you can spread the diseases to a different creature you can see within 30 feet of the dead creature, provided you aren’t incapacitated. This counts as a new instance of the disease for the sake of its duration and the number of saving throws needed to end it prematurely.

Raise Dead. When you spend Runic Power dice, you also add the same number of dice to the damage of your undead minion’s Putrid Claw attack until the end of its next turn. If you use multiple Runic Power abilities before your minion attacks, only the highest bonus is used.

Unholy Frenzy

At 20th level, you learn to incite an undead creature into a killing frenzy. Most death knights use this ability on themselves or their undead minion, but you can target any undead creature you can see within 60 feet. For 1 minute, the frenzied creature gains the following benefits.

• It has advantage on saving throws.
• Its movement speed is doubled.
• When it takes the Attack action on its turn, it can make one additional attack as part of that action.

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

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Scourge Minion

Large undead, neutral evil

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• Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
• Hit Points equal the undead minion's Constitution modifier + your Charisma modifier + ten times your level in this class
• Speed 45 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	13 (+1)	16 (+3)	10 (0)	8 (-1)	5 (-3)

---

• Saving Throws Str +9, Con +8, Wis +4
• Damage Immunities poison, necrotic
• Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
• Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
• Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak

---

Bound to Serve. The following numbers increases by 1 when your proficiency bonus increases by 1: The scourge minion's saving throw bonuses, and the bonuses to hit and damage of its putrid claw attack.
    In addition, when your scourge minion makes an attack roll, you may use your spell attack modifier for the attack roll, instead of the scourge minions. The damage of its putrid claw remains unchanged.

Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the minion to 0 hit points, it must succeed on 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.

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

Actions (Requires your Bonus Action)

Putrid Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 5 (2d6 + 4) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a saving throw against your spell save DC or suffer the effects of the unholy disease it carries. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful one.

Agonizing Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 5 (2d8 + 4) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a saving throw against your spell save DC or suffer the effects of the unholy disease it carries. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful one. Additionally, If the target is a creature other than an undead, the target must succeed a Constitution Saving throw or suffer 1d4 necrotic damage per round for 1 minute, the target can make another constitution saving throw at the start of their turn ending the effect, if they fail 3 times the can no longer make further saving throws and the affliction will persist for the full duration.

PART 1 | CLASSES

Anti-Magic Shell

2nd-level abjuration

• Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are the target of a spell
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 1 round

You surround yourself with a field of necrotic energy that repels harmful magic. For the duration of the spell, you have advantage on saving throws against spells, and resistance to the damage from spells. Furthermore, when a spell allows you to make a saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the shell lasts for an additional two rounds for each slot level above 2nd.

Army of the Dead

5th-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (brain matter from a humanoid killed within the past 24 hours)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You voice profane words, and summon an army of the dead to kill and consume everything in its path. A horde of sham­bling corpses appears around you, and disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.

Roll initiative for the horde, which has its own turns. You cannot control the horde. It spends its turns pursing and attacking the nearest nonundead to the best of its ability.
It will use its Slams action to attack and grapple creatures before moving to occupy its victims’ spaces and engulf them on the next turn with its Flesh-Eating Compulsion feature. If no creatures are within its reach, the horde will use its full movement to approach any nonundead crea­tures it can see or hear. If no such creatures are evident, it will mindlessly follow you until targets present themselves.

When you first cast this spell, you can designate any number of creatures that you can see to be ignored by the shambling horde, and which will be unaffected by its Flesh-Eating Compulsion feature. If you stop concentrating on the spell before it reaches its full duration, the horde remains for 1d6 rounds if it still has hit points, and no longer ignores these creatures.

Asphyxiate

3rd-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: S
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Shadowy tendrils extend from you and swirl around the throat of a creature you can see within range. The target must make a successful Dexterity saving throw or be restrained for the spells duration. While restrained in this way, the target is also suffocating and unable to speak.

At the end of each of its turns, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target loses 1 minute of air until the target is knocked unconscious. On a successful save, the target is freed from the tendrils and the spell ends.

Death and Decay

4th-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You reach out towards a point you can see within range, creating a 20-foot radius sphere filled with festering, necro­tic energy that withers and decays everything within it. When a creature enters the blighted area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Constitu­tion saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 4d8 necrotic damage. In addition, until the beginning of its next turn, the creature subtracts 1d4 from all of its attack rolls and saving throws, as if under the effect of the bane spell. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and suffers no additional effects.

Undead creatures in the spell’s area take no damage, and are bolstered by its necrotic power. While standing in the spell’s area, undead creatures add 1d4 to their attack rolls and saving throws, as if under the effect of a bless spell.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 4th.

Death Chain

5th-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self (20-foot radius)
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Ghastly chains erupt from you towards up to three different creatures you can see within range. Make a ranged spell attack against each target. On a hit, a target takes 4d8 necrotic damage and becomes chained together with you and any other target hit for the spell's duration.

Chained creatures must succeed on a Strength saving throw to move more than 20 feet away from you. On a successful save, the target breaks the chain, ending the spell’s effect on them. Whenever you or another chained creature takes damage from a weapon attack or spell, each other creature chained together (including you) takes psychic damage equal to half the damage taken.

Damage you take through this spell does not prompt a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on it.

Death Grip

1st-level evocation

• Casting Time: 1 bonus action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

Necrotic energy grasps around a Huge or smaller creature you can see that is currently at least 10 feet away from you, and within the spell’s range. The creature must make a successful Strength saving throw or be moved to an empty space within 5 feet of you, and your next attack roll against them this turn is made with advantage.

Deathwyrm's Fury

5th-level conjuration

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (a scale from a slain dragon)
• Duration: Instantaneous

You summon a mighty undead dragon to breath destruction on your enemies. You choose where to summon an ember­wyrm, frostwyrm, or vilewyrm. It appears hovering above you and unleashes its breath weapon, tainted by necrotic power, before vanishing.

The spell fails if there is insufficient room for the dragon to appear (for example, you are in a narrow tunnel). Any living dragons that witness you cast this spell will almost surely view you as a sworn enemy, if they didn’t already.

Emberwyrm. The dragon exhales fire in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d8 fire damage and 5d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Frostwyrm. The dragon exhales an icy blast at a point within 120 feet. Each creature within 20 feet of that point must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d8 cold damage and 5d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Vilewyrm The dragon exhales acid in a 120-foot line
that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d8 acid damage and 5d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Dominate Undead

4th-level enchantment

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You attempt to beguile an undead that you can see within range. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for the duration. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw.

While the undead is charmed, you have a telepathic link with it as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. You can use this telepathic link to issue com­mands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which it does its best to obey. You can specify a simple and general course of action, such as “Attack that creature,” “Run over there,” or “Fetch that object.” If the creature completes the order and doesn’t receive further direction from you, it defends and preserves itself to the best of its ability.

You can use your action to take total and precise control of the target. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn’t do anything that you don’t allow it to do. During this time, you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well.

Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the spell. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell with a
5th-level spell slot, the duration is concentration, up to 10 minutes. When you use a 6th-level spell slot, the duration is concentration, up to 1 hour. When you use a 7th level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 8 hours.

Dread Favor

1st-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 bonus action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You are empowered by the suffering of your victims. Until the spell ends, your weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage on a hit.

Freezing Touch

2nd-level evocation

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S, M (a shard of glass or ice)
• Duration: 1 minute

Your fingers become cold to the touch as frost manifests on their surface. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within range. On a hit, the creature is incapacitated, can't move, and can't breathe until the spell ends as ice encap­sulates their body. A target who hits the creature with an attack breaks the ice and ends the spell.

Howling Blast

2nd-level evocation

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 1 round

An icy gale suddenly erupts around a point of your choice within range. Each creature in a 15-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 3d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A cold fog hangs in the air afterwards, making the area heavily obscured. It lasts for the duration or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd.

Icebound Fortitude

2nd-level transmutation

• Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are dealt bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 1 round

You temporarily freeze your own blood and make your skin as hard as ice. Until the start of your next turn, you have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, including against the triggering damage.

Icy Touch

1st-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 1 round

You summon icy energy to strike against a creature you can see within range, freezing them with the chill of the grave. Make a ranged spell attack against the creature to assail it with the chill of the grave. On a hit, the target takes 3d8 cold damage, and it can't regain hit points until the start of your next turn. Until then, the target’s skin grows as pale as ice. If you hit a celestial target, it also has disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the end of your next turn.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

Mantle of the Fallen Crusader

3rd-level evocation

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self (30-foot radius)
• Components: V
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Unholy power radiates from you in an aura with a 30-foot radius, awakening bloodlust in friendly creatures. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centered on you. While in the aura, each nonhostile creature in the aura (including you) deals an extra 1d4 necrotic damage when it hits with a weapon attack.

Summon Undead

4th-level conjuration

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S, M (viscera from a creature killed
  within the past 24 hours)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You summon a powerful undead being from the crypts and slaughterhouses of Northrend. You choose the undead’s type, which must be one of challenge rating 5 or lower, such as a revenant or wraith. The undead appears in an unoccupied space you can see within range, and the undead disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.

Roll initiative for the undead, which has its own turns. When you summon it and on each of your turns thereafter, you can issue a verbal command to it (requiring no action on your part), telling it what it must do on its next turn. If you issue no command, it spends its turn attacking any creature within reach that has attacked it.

If you stop concentrating on the spell before it reaches its full duration, the undead spends the rest of the spell’s duration pursuing and attacking the nearest non-undead to the best of its ability.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the challenge rating increases by 1 for each slot level above 4th.

Unholy Weapon

1st-level evocation

• Casting Time: 1 minute (ritual)
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S, M (Gem Encrusted Skull worth at least 50 gold, consumed if not cast as ritual)
• Duration: 8 hours

You imbue a weapon you touch with unholy power. Until the spell ends, enemy creatures within 30 feet of the weapon bearer that has sight of the weapon bearer acts as if under the affect of the Darkness spell, creatures with darkvision are not affected by this, The bearer of the unholy weapon is immune to this effect. In addition, weapon attacks made with it deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage on a hit.

As a bonus action on your turn, you can dismiss this
spell and cause the weapon to emit a torrent of corrupting shadows. Each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of the weapon must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d4 necro­tic damage, and it is blinded for 2 rounds. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t blinded. At the end of each Of its turns, a blinded creature can make a Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. At Higher Levels: if this spell is cast with a 2nd level spell slot or higher the duration of the blinded condition, the damage dealt per attack aswell as the damage dealt from the torrent, increases by 1 die.

Void Shift

4th-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

You call upon the void to shift the health of you and another creature. Choose a willing creature within range, you and the chosen creature exchange your current hit points, to a maximum of 40 hit points from each creature.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the maximum hit points you can exchange increases by 10 for each slot level above 4th.