Death Knight
Overview
When a paladin that falls from grace dies without seeking atonement, dark powers can transform the once-mortal knight into a hateful undead creature. A death knight is a skeletal warrior clad in fearsome plate armor. Beneath its helmet, one can see the knight’s skull with malevolent pinpoints of light burning in its eye sockets.Eldritch Power
The death knight retains the ability to cast divine spells. However, no death knight can use its magic to heal. A death knight also attracts and commands lesser undead, although death knights that serve powerful fiends might have fiendish followers instead. Death knights often use warhorse skeletons and nightmares as mounts.Immortal Until Redeemed
A death knight can arise anew even after it has been destroyed. Only when it atones for a life of wickedness or finds redemption can it finally escape its undead purgatory and truly perish.Undead Nature
A death knight doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.Death Knight CR: 17 (18,000 XP)
STR
20 +5
DEX
11 +0
CON
20 +5
INT
12 +1
WIS
16 +3
CHA
18 +4
Magic Resistance. The death knight has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Marshal Undead. Unless the death knight is incapacitated, it and undead creatures of its choice within 60 feet of it have advantage on saving throws against features that turn undead. Spellcasting. The death knight is a 19th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following paladin spells prepared:
- 1st level (4 slots): command, compelled duel, searing smite
- 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, magic weapon
- 3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, elemental weapon
- 4th level (3 slots): banishment, staggering smite
- 5th level (2 slots): destructive wave (necrotic)
Actions
Multiattack. The death knight makes three longsword attacks. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Hit: 1d8 + 5 slashing damage, or 1d10 + 5 slashing damage if used with two hands, plus 4d8 necrotic damage. Hellfire Orb (1/Day). The death knight hurls a magical ball of fire that explodes at a point it can see within 120 feet of it. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. The sphere spreads around corners. A creature takes 10d6 fire damage and 10d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Reactions
Parry. The death knight adds 6 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the death knight must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
Comments