Corpse Knight
The realms are full of necromancers, liches, vampires and other creatures and cults that have some relation to necromancy. These beings and organizations generally have something valuable which they want to protect: the phylactery of a lich, the sarcophagus of a vampire, or the laboratory in which a cult constructs flesh golems (and so on).
Like a king or queen who guards their treasure, these creatures and organizations want to make sure their most precious things are safe and secure. So, they let their most trusted servants or followers guard such items or places.
These guardians are called Corpse Knights. They are fighters who have necrotic powers and they are knights whose squires and steeds are made up of the undead. They craft their own armors and weapons out of the corpses of their enemies.
Corpse Knights, generally, live by a code of conduct in which the most important rule is to keep guarding whatever they must, at all cost. Although they are mostly seen in places or occurrences that have some connection to necromancy, some of them wander the world as free adventurers. Although they have a code of conduct they follow, or a master that they serve, codes can nonetheless be broken and masters can be killed. This means that Corpse Knights are not necessarily dominated by their code, nor their masters, and that they only adhere to these limitations as long as it suits them.
GM BOX: BECOMING A CORPSE KNIGHT
A fighter can be initiated into the corpse knighthood in several ways:
- A powerful necromancer or an undead can grant the fighter necrotic powers through a dark ritual.
- The fighter can be exposed to necrotic energies in a location tied to the undead.
- The fighter may have found a tome containing instructions on how to perform dark rituals and made itself a corpse knight, perhaps with the help of its friends.
Introducing the archetype in such ways may bring a certain flavor to the story. These listed options are merely suggestions to inspire both the players and the GM; you can also find other ways to transform a character into a Corpse Knight and use the above as examples to inspire your own creation.
Corpse Arsenal
A knight carries its pride in its weapons and armor. It also takes pride in its knowledge of armor and weapons. In case of emergency, you should be able to craft armor or weapons and be able to repair them when necessary. However, uncon ventionally, you craft this equipment out of bone and meat. Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with smith’s tools, Corpse Armor, Corpse Weapons, and your Corpse Arsenal.
These crafted items are called Corpse Weapons or Corpse Armor. There are certain types of armor and weapons that you can craft in this way according to your Corpse Knight level, as given in the table below:
| Level | Armor | Weapon |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Breastplate | Any Weapon |
| 7th | Half plate | Weapon deals 1d4 bonus necrotic damage |
| 10th | Plate | Weapon +1 |
| 15th | Plate +1 | Weapon deals 1d8 bonus necrotic damage |
| 18th | Plate +2 | Weapon +2 |
When wearing Corpse Armor, you have advantage on Charis ma (Intimidation) checks.
Crafting an item in this way takes 8 hours and during this time, you cannot take a short or long rest as this type of crafting requires active work. You do not require a forge, nor heat, but you need the corpse of a Medium or larger creature to make an armor or a weapon.
These items possess their special properties only when you are using them. When someone other than you tries to use them, they turn back to being mangled remains of bones and flesh. The crafted weapons are thus used with disadvantage when wielded by others, and the AC the armor offers takes a -2 penalty.
However, at your GM’s discretion, you can use another Corpse Knight’s Corpse Arsenal as if the items in it were your own. Whether they belonged to an enemy or a fallen friend, using the arsenal of another knight could bring yet another flavor to the game.
Corpse Steed
Also starting at 3rd level, you can call a strong and loyal steed to serve you in your adventures. This mount is usually a Corpse Warhorse. However, it can be Corpse versions of other animals.
As an action, you can magically summon your mount or send it back to its regular dwelling, somewhere in the lands of shadow and death. When you summon it, it appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, or in the space that is closest to you if there is no unoccupied space within 5 feet. Each time the mount is called, it appears with full health and any gear it was carrying when it was last sent back to its dwelling.
When the corpse steed dies, it disappears and drops any equipment it was carrying. As an action, you can call it again.
CM
Corpse Warhorse CR: 1
STR
19 +4
DEX
13 +1
CON
15 +2
INT
10 +0
WIS
7 -2
CHA
8 -1
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Trampling Charge. If the horse moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a hooves attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the horse can make another attack with its hooves against it as a bonus action.
Unholy Hooves. If its rider wants, the horse can leave unholy traces that can be detected as desecrated by features such as Divine Sense.
Actions
Unholy Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 1 necrotic damage.
These unholy steeds are generally created by Corpse Knights. Some vampires, liches and other powerful undead creatures have also been seen riding these rotten warhorses.
A corpse warhorse is a rotten version of a normal warhorse. Its hooves desecrate the ground on which they touch, its decayed body is surprisingly strong, and its hateful eyes glow with a frightening green hue.
A corpse warhorse feels very comfortable in a battle. Exploding spells, warcries, warriors butcher ing each other cannot frighten this unholy steed. A corpse warhorse may even want to attack its rider’s enemies, breaking their bones and rotting their f lesh with its unholy hooves.
Different versions of corpse warhorse is not unheard of. As long as the GM approves, camel, elephant, griffon, hippogriffs, mastiff, pegasi, sea horse, and many more creatures can be turned into a corpse steed like Corpse Warhorse. However, the challenge of the steed can also change depending on the creature.
Corpse Squire
Starting at 7th level, you can create a squire for yourself from the corpses of your enemies either by performing a 1-hour ritual, or you are granted one by your master. You can have only one squire at a time and it tries to fulfill the quests you give it, and risks its life, if need be. As an action, you can magically summon your Corpse Squire or send it back to its regular dwelling, somewhere in the lands of shadow and death, just like your steed. When summoned, it appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, or in the space that is closest to you. Each time the squire is called, it appears with full health and any gear it was carrying when it was last sent back. When the corpse squire dies, it disappears and drops any equipment it was carrying. In this case, you need to create a new squire for yourself. You can create a corpse squire of CR 1 at 7th level, CR 2 at 11th level, CR 3 at 13th level, and CR 4 at 15th level.
CM
Corpse Squire CR: 1/2/3/4
STR
15 +2
DEX
12 +1
CON
16 +3
INT
12 +1
WIS
10 +0
CHA
14 +2
Athletics +4, Perception +2
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Disciplined Squire. The corpse squire has advantage on all its attack rolls.
Unholy Swordmaster (CR 3 / CR 4). The corpse squire’s melee weapon attacks that it makes with its Dead Sword deals an extra 3 (1d6) / 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
Actions
Multiattack (CR 2 / CR 3 / CR 4). Corpse squire makes two Dead Sword attacks.
Dead Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage. Also, if the sword is broken or it is disarmed, the corpse squire can create a new one or call the existing one to its hand as an action.
Corpse Squires are undead squires of Corpse Knights or other types of undead masters. They commit hideous atrocities under the influence of their masters, and desire to become a knight one day to train their own squires. A corpse squire can be of any race, but it has a decayed body and rotten presence. It carries a special sword that is bound to itself.
Corpse Body
Regardless of whether you left the service of your former master, or you are still a loyal servant, the necrotic effects of your powers grow as you become more powerful.
Starting at 10th level, you gain resistance to poison damage and have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned. Also, you do not need to drink, eat, or breathe.
A New Shell
At 15th level, your Corpse Armor fuses with your body and becomes permanent. It cannot be broken or removed if you are not willing. You gain resistance to slashing and piercing damage from nonmagical weapons.
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