The

Dark Knight
5th Edition Player Class


 fight fire with fire, but a momentarily lapse or loss of his
Dark Knight moral compass may turn him down the dark path and
A warrior clad in jet black armor steps up to a group of turn him into the beast that he swore to slay…

soldiers. The fearful men lunges at their outnumbered
quarry just as the warrior draws his blade, a look of
sadistic glee flashes across his face before darkness engulfs
the group.
A wounded elf turns a corner and find herself at a dead
end, her aggressors slowly closing in from behind with
their blades drawn - ready to finish the job. A flash of
crimson interrupts the scene, striking one of the attackers
as he collapses dead, blood flowing out of his orifices. A
warrioress jumps in between the wounded elf and her
pursuers. Her eyes burning with determination and fury.
Shadows flare from the wicked edge of his glaive as the
tiefling readies himself to face down his nemesis. His drive
for vengeance and the pain echoing through him pushes
his already broken body forward as he unleashes a flurry
of blows against his destined enemy.
Whether for good or for ill, a dark knight harnesses the
powers of their inner darkness to unleash devastating
blows on their enemies, leaving naught but ruin in their
path.

Warriors of Darkness
The typical dark knight is brutal in their methods, often
leaving nothing but eviscerated and drained corpses in
their wake. Their ferocious attacks shakes even the most
stalwart of defenders and scatters the faint of heart like
dust before the wind.
Their mastery over their inner darkness also means that
they have trained their minds strong enough to filter out
the pain that they endure from executing attacks with their
Fell Arms - turning their pain into a source of strength,
feeding fury into their already vicious attacks.
Combining their wicked attacks and their unnatural
resistance to pain, the dark knight poses as a fearsome
opponent for the unprepared.

Inner Darkness
All dark knights begin in tragedy - a betrayal, a murder, a
war, an illness, these life-changing events alter the world-
view of all who experience them and a rare few begins to
hear a whisper at the back of their minds; “if there can be
no justice in this world, let my bloodied hands serve as
judge, jury and executioner”. Those who answer this call
find themselves slowly learning more and more of what
they are truly capable of.
This process is known as the Communion, in which the
would-be warriors of darkness learn from the inner
darkness that resides within them. As with all things
related to power, a foray into the unknown in a quest for Dragon Slayer by Yeji Lee

more strength inherently carries with it a certain danger as (_Gaekkun on Art Station)
the dark knight is forever at risk of being corrupted by
their inner darkness. A noble warrior may try to harness
the fell powers of his inner dark for the greater good, to

Dark Knight Character Class - 2

 Mysterious Strength
All dark knights know for sure that the bulk of their
powers come from within them, through countless hours
of training and constant communion with their inner dark.
However, none can explain how this psychological
aspect of their inner selves are able to materialise in the
material plane as vile displays of negative energy and
unnatural strength.
Some purports that their powers are more akin to
Psionics, like how an Illithid could cast magic like effects
with the power of their minds, others suggest a more
sinister theory - that the dark knights themselves are
unwitting pawns of some forgotten deity, making them
pieces on the board of a wider cosmic game.

Fell Arms
One of the first things that the inner dark of a dark knight
imparts is the creation of a Fell Arm, a personalised
weapon that acts as a form of foci - anchoring the inner
dark and helping materialise the darkness within to
empower the attacks and skills of a dark knight.
Fell Arms are semi-sentient, carrying with them a part
of the wielder’s personality. Though unable to speak or
commune with others in any form, a Fell Arm is extremely
protective of its’ wielder as they too are destroyed when
their wielder dies.
As such, the weapon functions as an extension of the
user in a symbiotic relationship. The Fell Arms of the dark
knight is known to steal vitality with its’ strike to heal its’
wielder in an attempt to prolong the life of both weapon
and master.

Black Blood
The brutal techniques of a dark knight consumes their
vitality, calling for their destruction to see their foes
brought low.
These techniques often leave them bloodied, as their
blood is an intrinsic currency spent to give life to their
inner dark, sacrificing their lifeblood to bring the darkness
without.
As blood flows from the dark knight, it is transmogrified
into a shadowy aura that surrounds them. Intensifying as
they expend more of their powers.
This aura known as Black Blood, a byproduct that may
be used to further fuel their attacks. The aura slowly
dissipates over time as the emotional state of the dark
knight begin to stabilise out of battle.


Representations of Fell Arms


Artists Unknown

Dark Knight Character Class - 3

 you took on the adventuring life to fill your coffers to rise
The Dark Knight above the tragedy that first created you?
Level Features Life Dice
1st
Fighting Style,
0
Quick Build
Respite You can make a dark knight quickly by following the
Low Blow, Fell suggestions below: first, put your highest score into your
2nd Arms, Bound 0 Strength followed by your Wisdom or Constitution.
Weapon Secondly, choose the haunted one background.
Warrior of
3rd Darkness, Death 4 (d8)
Shroud, Darkness
Ability Score
4th 4 (d8)
Improvement
5th Extra Attack 4 (d8)
6th Wicked Grace 4 (d8)
Unforgiving
7th 5 (d8)
Bastion
Ability Score
8th 5 (d8)
Improvement
9th Indomitable 5 (d8)
Improved Life
10th Dice, Spell Eater, 5 (d10)
Darkness Feature
11th Extra Attack 5 (d10)
Ability Score
12th 5 (d10)
Improvement
13th Dust to Dust 5 (d10)
14th Blood Guard 5 (d10)
Blackest Blade,
15th Darkest Night, 6 (d10)
Darkness Feature
Ability Score
16th 6 (d10)
Improvement
17th Shadow Form 6 (d10)
Improved Life
18th 6 (d12)
Dice, Purge
Ability Score
19th 6 (d12)
Improvement Art by cecilikar_laucian
Extra Attack,
20th Darkness - 6 (d12)
Feature

Creating a Dark Knight

All dark knights come from tragedy, they are tortured souls
trying to find their place in the world, ever on a quest to
seek out greater power from within to aid them in their
personal quests.
When creating a dark knight character, think about
what could have happened to them to spur them on this
self-destructive path of no return? Talk to your DM to
settle on an appropriate origin for the character, did you
suffer some horrible betrayal or traumatic experience in
the past, making your character an avenger or if the
corruption of the world becomes too heavy for you to
bear, setting you to seek out strength to deal out your
brand of justice?
What made you avail your blade and skills to the
adventuring life, was it to seek out your nemesis or to train
your martial skills to slate your thirst for power? Perhaps
Class Features
As a dark knight you gain the following class features.
Hit points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per dark knight level

Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + your Constitution Modifier

Hit Points at higher levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your
Constitution modifier per dark knight level after the 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, heavy armor

Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution

Skills: Choose two skills from Athletics, Insight,
Intimidation, Perception, Religion, and Survival


Dark Knight Character Class - 4

Equipment
You begin play with the following equipment, in addition
to any equipment provided by your background.
• (a) chain mail or (b) leather, longbow, and 20 arrows
• (a) a martial weapon and 20 gp or (b) two martial
weapons
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Fighting Style
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.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged
weapons.
Defence
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and
no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls
with that weapon,
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1or 2 on a damage die for an attack you
make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two
hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll,
even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have
the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this
benefit.
Tunnel Fighter
You excel at defending narrow passages, doorways, and
other tight spaces. As a bonus action, you can enter a
defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn.
While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity
attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your
reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that
moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.
Respite
At first level, on your turn, you can use a bonus action to
regain hit points equal to 1d12 + your Dark Knight level.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long
rest before you can use it again.
Low Blow
At 2nd level, whenever you hit a creature with a weapon
attack, you may use your bonus action to attempt a low
blow on them. Roll attack for an Unarmed Strike, on a hit
the creature is Stunned until the end of their next turn.
You may use this feature twice per long rest.
 your Black Blood is necrotic.
Fell Arms
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to turn a Simple or
Martial Weapon into a Fell Arm. You spend one hour with
your weapon, attuning it with necrotic energy, and
bonding it to you, you may also spend one hour to
unbound this weapon from you. This can be done during
a short rest. You can only have one Fell Arm at any time.
If you create another Fell Arm, the previous one loses its’
properties as a Fell Arm. If the chosen weapon is magical,
any effects beyond increases to hit/damage are lost.
On hit, add 1d4 necrotic damage. Heal all of the
necrotic damage done, or double that amount on a critical
hit. The 1d4 becomes 1d6 at level 10 and 1d8 at level 18.
The Fell Arm’s damage type counts as magical for the
purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to
nonmagical attacks and damage.
While bonded to a Fell Arm, all attacks are made at
disadvantage if attacking with any weapons other than
your Fell Arm.
Bound Weapon
You can dismiss your Fell Arm as a free action, shunting it
to an extra-dimensional space. As a bonus action, you call
your Fell Arm to one of your free hands, at your feet, or in
any unoccupied space within 5 feet.
Warrior of Darkness
With the rite of communion and discipline, a dark knight
is able to unlock the latent abilities within them. At 3rd
level, you learn actions that are fuelled by Life Dice and
your Black Blood.
Life Dice
You have four Life Dice, which are d8s. A Life Die is spent
when you use it, unless otherwise stated.
The amount rolled on the Life Die is subtracted from
your HP before any effects take place and added to your
Black Blood. If the life subtracted from your HP would
incapacitate you, you finish the action and are left with 1
HP and are made prone.
You regain all of your spent Life Dice when you finish a
short or long rest. You gain another Life Die at 7th level
and one more at 15th level.
Black Blood
Black Blood is a resource that is used by certain actions
and abilities.
Whenever you are incapacitated, your remaining Black
Blood is lost. On a long rest, your Black Blood resets to 0.
Damage Type
Some of your actions add damage to your attacks or do
damage by themselves. All damage done from Life Dice or


Dark Knight Character Class - 5

Death Shroud
The negative energy that exudes from a dark knight
garners them natural immunity against the very same
energies. At 3rd level, you gain resistance to necrotic
damage.
takes half of the Black Blood damage dealt to the initial
target and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a
successful save, the creature takes no damage and isn't
pushed.

Darkness
By harnessing the mysterious powers of their inner dark,
the dark knight is able to execute profane techniques at the
cost of their own vitality.
At 3rd level you learn two actions of your choice, which
are detailed below. Many actions enhance an attack in
some way and you can use only one action per attack.
You learn one additional action of your choice at 7th,
10th, 15th and 20th level. Each time you learn a new
action, you can also replace one action you know with a
different one. You must be attacking with your Fell Arm to
use any Darkness actions.
You use your Constitution modifier when setting the
saving throw DC for your Darkness actions.
Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Constitution modifier.

Darkness - Anguish
When you hit with a weapon attack, you can spend one
Life Die and add the amount rolled to the damage roll.
The target also suffers disadvantage for their next roll.

Darkness - Crushing Blow

When you hit with a weapon attack, you can spend one
Life Die and reduce the enemy's AC by half of the
number rolled (rounded up) by a max of 3. The effect last
until the start of your next turn.

Darkness - Infernal Riposte

When an enemy triggers an attack of opportunity, on hit
roll one Life Die. You can choose to spend any amount
from your Black Blood up to the number rolled on the
spent Life Die. Add the number to the damage done and
reduce the enemy's speed by 5 ft per Black Blood until the
start of your next turn.

Darkness - Sanguine Strike

When you hit with a weapon attack, you can spend one
Life Die. You can choose to heal your HP with the number
rolled or add them to your Black Blood, but it is not
subtracted from your current HP. Black Knight by Sanha Kim

(Sanha Kim on Art Station)
Darkness - Shadow Driver
When you hit with a weapon attack, you can choose to
spend any amount from your Black Blood and add it to the
damage done.
Except the dark knight, each creature in a 15-foot cube
originating from the initial target must make
a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature

Dark Knight Character Class - 6

 Darkness - Unholy Sacrifice
Roll 2 Life Dice. Each creatures within a 15-foot sphere
originating from you must make a Constitution save. A
target takes damage equal to twice the total rolled on a
failed save, or half as much on a success.
Choose one ally you can see within 15-foot, they gain
Temp HP equal to 5 times the number of characters killed
by your Unholy Sacrifice.

Darkness - Vehement Reprisal

When you hit with a melee weapon attack you can replace
the damage done with the effects of Vehement Reprisal.
You spend one Life Die and make a straight d20 roll
against DC 11. The targeted enemy takes full damage on a
success, or half on a fail. Damage dealt is equal to your
max hp minus your current hp.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th,
and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your
choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your
choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score
above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of
once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach
11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th
level in this class.

Wicked Grace
At 6th level, you have honed your movements well enough
to zip through the battlefield in search of your quarry.
Your speed permanently increases by 5ft. and you gain
proficiency for your Dexterity saving throws.

Unforgiving Bastion
When you reach 7th level in this class, your tolerance to
pain and unnatural vitality allows you to gain a +1 to your
Constitution (Max 21). Your hit point maximum also
increases by an amount equal to your level in this class
when you gain this feature. Whenever you gain a level
Black Knight by Wonil Kim
 thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an
(Wonil Kim on Art Station) additional 2 hit points.

Indomitable
At 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If
you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can't use this
feature again until you finish a long rest.


Dark Knight Character Class - 7

Spell Eater
At 10th level, You may use your reaction to negate one
quarter of an incoming spell damage (rounded down). The
negated damage is then added to your Black Blood.
Dust to Dust
At 13th level, When you roll a death saving throw, any
creature within 10-feet of you must make a Constitution
save and take 1d10 necrotic damage or half as much on a
successful save. Roll an additional 2d10 on a critical fail.
Do not roll damage if the death saving throw would kill
you or stabilise you.
Blood Guard
At the 14th level, you learn to harness the defensive
capabilities of the Black Blood. Once each round, you
may use your reaction to spend 5 of your Black Blood to
increase your AC by 2. This effect lasts until the start of
your next turn.
Purge
At the 18th level, you learn to momentarily purge the
negative energy imbued in your attacks, transforming
them into force damage. You can take a bonus action to
convert all damage you deal this turn to Force damage.
You may also spend any amount of your Black Blood
and all other creatures within a 20-feet radius sphere
originating from you must make a Dexterity saving throw
and take damage equal to the amount of Black Blood
spent or half as much on a successful save. This ability can
be used thrice per long rest.
Unceasing Fury
At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no Life
Dice remaining, you regain half of your total Life Dice.
Your Black Blood are also not lost when you are
incapacitated.


Darkest Blade
(Cannot use while Darkest Night is active) 

At the 15th level in this class, you may as a bonus action
temporarily decrease 2 of your AC to increase the damage
of your next two attacks by 5. The effects last until the
start of your next turn. You can use this ability thrice per
long rest.

Blackest Night
(Cannot be used while Blackest Blade is active)
At the 15th level in this class, you may as a bonus action,
you can activate Darkest Night by spending all of your
Black Blood.
Upon activation, increase your AC by 2 and you have
+2 to your next Attack Roll. Half of your spent Black
Blood is added to your next Damage Roll, while the
remaining half is added to you as Temporary HP.
Darkest Night last until the end of your next turn.
Immediately after Darkest Night wears off, make a death
saving throw. You take one level of exhaustion on a
success. On a fail, reduce your speed to 0 until the end of
your next turn and you take one level of exhaustion.
The Temporary HP from Darkest Night last until the
end of combat. This ability can be used once per long rest.

Shadow Form
Beginning at 17th level, you can use your bonus action and
spend 20 Black Blood to gain resistance to all damage but
radiant damage for 1 minute. During this time, you are
vulnerable to radiant damage.


Human Greatsword Fighter in Plate Armor by Unknown

Dark Knight Character Class - 8

Acknowledgements & Credits
Special thanks to my patron(s) on Patreon: Dylan Duval (@youresocooldylan) and Gilbert Görsdorf.
This class is reworked and expanded from the original home-brew class by Dragoon_Kite on D&D
Beyond: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/subclasses/50396-dark-knight
You can find more Dungeons & Dragons 5e content and future dungeon modules on on
www.patreon.com/worldmaker

Art Credits
Art credits are listed by order of appearance. All art used belongs to their respective artists
Dragon Slayer by Yeji Lee (_ Gaekkun): https://www.artstation.com/artwork/bL0yn
Unknown by cecilikar_laucian: https://www.flickr.com/photos/35932217@N05/41443652795
Black Knight by Sanha Kim: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/XQG93
Black Knight by Wonil Kim: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/G2rqd
Human Great Sword Fighter in Plate Armor by Unknown: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/
512214157613914298/

Version History
V.1.0 - 10th February 2019 (first draft)
V.1.1 - 13th February 2019 (language clean up, rectified errata and reworked darkness actions to
include saving throws)
V.1.2 - 14th February 2019 (language clean up, added Archery, Low Blow, Shadow Form and
Unceasing Fury, removed action surge, reworked Blood Guard and Purge)

END

!9