The Death Knight

A fan-made Dungeons and Dragons document featuring

the Death Knight hero class from the Warcraft Universe and the
World of Warcraft Expansion, Wrath of the Lich King
Death Knight
H
er cloak billowing in the night wind, a pale-
skinned drow stares down upon the bandit
camp below her, having finally tracked them
down ever since her first death. Raising her
battleaxe towards the heavens, she signals a
group of skeletons to quitely descend the hill,
surrounding the clearing until they were all in
position. She then lowers the axe, and the screams and
shouts of the bandits are cut short after a minute of fighting,
and the night goes quiet once more.
A gaunt orc finds himself surrounded by the city guard.
Before anyone else makes a move, his glowing blue eyes turn
red, and a wave of energy radiates outwards from him. The
wave strikes all of the guards, and they double over, blood
running from their eyes and mouths as the dark figure walks
past them, heading over the drawbridge to settle an old debt
with the king.
Drawing out two longswords, a tiefling with broken horns
charges a group of demons. Holding out one sword, a black
energy leaps from him to one demon, lurching it forward
against its control onto the blade, its body becoming coated
in ice as it drops to the ground. Not showing any signs of
slowing, the terrifying fighter leaps into the crowd, slashing
left and right. The demons reactions seem to slow down
more and more, and they realize too late that they never
could win as the frost creeping over their bodies finally
consumes them, turning them into crystallized caricatures
that are shattered under the swords of their attacker.
Death knights are quasi-undead beings of untold chaos and
destruction, risen by powerful liches to serve them as their
heralds, champions, and elite guard. However, the will of a
death knight is always their own, and it is their choice
whether to follow the commands of their creator or to make
use of their second chance at living to become a protector of
the good.
Once, a Hero
Though a death knight is currently in a unique state of
undeath, they once were very much alive. Typically, a death
knight was originally a prominent person within a society - a
folk hero, a renowned warrior, a previous ruler, or some other
individual that the masses once deeply loved, respected, and
hailed as a protector or savior. Death had eventually claimed
the hero, their remains were carefully and reverently
entombed, and they were left to rest ever after in the lands
beyond.
However, Fate can be a cruel mistress. There are times
where a lich, desiring to strike fear and hopelessness in the
hearts of mortals, will raise these fallen heroes as macabre
puppets of their former selves. Twisting their emotions to
become cold and merciless, the lich will have created the
death knight in the hopes of having a loyal follower that will
help to bring the world to heel.
 Class Features
The Death Knight As a death knight, you gain the following class features
Proficiency Hit Points
Level Bonus Features Hit Dice: 1d12 per death knight level
1st +2 Phylactery, Innate Spellcasting, Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
Runeforging Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution
2nd +2 Fighting Style modifier per death knight level.
3rd +2 Path of Darkness Proficiencies
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement
Armor: medium armor, heavy armor
Weapons: simple melee weapons, martial melee weapons
5th +3 Extra Attack Tools: none
6th +3 Path of Darkness Feature Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
7th +3 Ethereal Pull Skills: Choose two from Athletics, History, Intimidation,
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement
Perception, and Religion
9th +4 ─ Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the
10th +4 Path of Darkness Feature equipment granted by your background:
11th +4 Will of the Undying (a) a martial melee weapon or (b) two simple melee
12th +4 Ability Score Increase weapons
13th +5 Deathly Connection (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Chain mail and a phylactery
14th +5 —
15th +5 Path of Darkness Feature Phylactery
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement At 1st level, your soul is bound to a phylactery, a Small object
that holds some sort of a connection to you - a shattered
17th +6 ─ weapon with tattered wrappings and and a rusted blade, an
18th +6 Master of the Undead old crown with fragments broken off and missing several
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement
gems, or perhaps an old instrument or tool that would be
inconspicuous to the untrained eye. A creature that casts the
20th +6 Path of Darkness Feature spell identify on the object will be able to identify your
phylactery for what it is.
Your phylactery prevents you from ever truly dying. Should
you die while your phylactery is intact, your soul is quickly
transferred to the phylactery and takes time to regain its
Creating a Death Knight strength. After an amount of days equal to 2d8 - your
When you are creating your death knight, first consider who proficiency bonus (minimum one), your soul is retransferred
you were before their rebirth - what would the lich who raised to your body, and you come back to life with 1 hit point. Your
you have gained from creating you? How much of your old body recovers from any poison and disease, and
memories have you retained? Do these memories impact dismembered parts are placed back to where they are
what you do, or have you become someone else since supposed to be. When you reach 10th level, the amount of
becoming a death knight? days that your soul takes to recover is reduced to become
The most important thing about a death knight is who they equal to 1d8 - your proficiency bonus (minimum one).
answer to now. Are you still under the control of your lich Should you die while your phylactery is destroyed, you can
creator? If so, what is his or her end goal? Why are you still only come back to life if the spells revivify, resurrection, or
following them, even though you clearly have the ability to true resurrection are cast on you. If this is done, you are
choose to leave? Or if you are your own person once more, resurrected as a living being, losing all of your death knight
how did you leave their influence? Did you kill them while abilities and instead becoming a fighter at a level equal to half
their backs were turned, knowing you were probably no of your death knight level, rounded up.
match to such unfathomable magics? Perhaps you were away Innate Spellcasting
from them one day and came back to find them slain and
their phylactery destroyed, and now you are all alone. What Also at 1st level, your ties to the lich that raised you grants
are you doing with your newfound freedom? you with a small degree of magic at your disposal. You can
innately cast the spells chill touch, spare the dying, and toll
Quickbuild the dead at will, and the spells fear and revivify once per long
You can make a death knight quickly by following these rest each. Your spellcasting ability is Charisma.
suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability
score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the soldier
background.

       Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
                         your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
                        your Charisma modifier
You're also able to innately cast a modified version of the
spell find steed at will. The form the steed takes is that of an
undead warhorse covered in black armor.
Runeforging
Also at 1st level, you have been taught the art of runeforging,
which will be described at the end of death knight class
chapter.
Fighting Style
When you reach 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.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Deflection
When a creature makes a melee attack against you, you can
attempt to parry the attack to prevent taking damage. You
may spend your reaction to make a Dexterity check against
the attacker's Strength score.
If a creature makes a ranged attack against you, you can
attempt to make the same check at disadvantage and made
against the attacker's Dexterity score.
Dual Wielding
You're able to wield two one-handed weapons, one in each
hand, even one or both of the weapons don't have the Light
property. The weapons cannot be martial weapons, with the
exception of battleaxes, longswords, shortswords,
warhammers, and whips.
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 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. The
weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property to
gain this benefit.
Paths of Darkness
At 3rd level, you choose a dark path of power to follow: the
Blood Path, the Frost Path, or the Path of the Unholy. Your
choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 10th,
15th, and 20th level.
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.
Ethereal Pull
At 7th, your unholy power grants you a degree of control over
the souls of the living. As a bonus actoin, you're able to target
a creature within 60 feet of you and wrap tendrils of shadow
magic around its body. It must make a Strength saving throw,
being pulled up to 30 feet towards you on a failed save.
You're able to use this ability once per short or long rest.
Will of the Undying
Starting when you reach 11th level, you're able to cheat
death. Should you take damage that would reduce you to 0
hit points, you instead drop to 1 hit point, gain 10 temporary
hit points, and for one minute you have resistance to all
nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you
take a long rest.
Deathly Connection
When you reach 13th level, your allies can rely on you to
protect them from death. If a friendly creature within 30 feet
of you were to take damage, you're able to use your reaction
to redirect the damage towards you, taking half of the
damage that they would have taken.
Control the Undead
Beginning at 18th level, controlling the powers of death and
undeath are child's play to you, allowing you to command
unholy creatures against their will. You're able to attempt to
assert your dominance over an undead creature. If the
creature's challenge rating is 10 or lower, you automatically
succeed. If the creature's challenge rating is 11 or higher, you
must succeed a Charisma check, equal to 4 + the creature's
challenge rating. On a failed check, the targeted creature is
immune to future attempts for 24 hours.
You're able to successfully use this ability once per day.
Path of Darkness
Whether they are good or evil, a death knight revels and
masters in sowing destruction. Some choose to wield the
coldness inside of them to deal great damage, freezing their
enemies to slow them down and take the advantage. Others
choose to warp the blood of those around them to bring down
opponents. And others still choose to emulate their creators
as wielders of necromantic magic, commanding small armies
of undead creatures to bring fights to a quick and decisive
end.
A death knight will thus inevitably go down a path of
darkness to unlock their full potential.
The Blood Path
A death knight that takes the Blood Path becomes a terrifying
juggernaught, using the flesh, blood, and bone of their
enemies to heal themselves or to turn into additional
weapons.
Siphon of the Vampire
Beginning when you choose follow this path at 3rd level, you
are able to draw out the lifeforce of another creature that is
within 30 feet of you. The creature takes necrotic damage
equal to 1d10 + your proficiency bonus.
You're able to use this ability a number of times equal to
your Charisma modifier per long rest.
Meat Shield
When you reach 6th level, you have learned how to use the
literal bodies of your enemies to your advantage. You point to
an enemy within 10 feet of you, and they must make a
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, parts of their
body rip off of them, dealing 4d4 damage to them. The parts
of their body then orbit you for up to one hour, granting you
resistance to 1d4 attacks against you.
Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you
take a short or long rest.
Necrotic Wave
At 10th level, you're able to send out a wave of dark magic to
boil the blood of your enemies. All enemies within 20 feet of
you must make Dexterity saving throws, taking 2d8 poison
damage and becoming poisoned for a minute on a failed save,
or half as much damage on a success and not being poisoned.
You're able to use this ability twice per short or long rest.
Blood Weapon
When you reach 15th level, you're able to weaponize your
own blood against your enemies. Roll 4d12; you take that
much damage, and you summon a weapon made from your
blood that lasts for one minute.
On your turn, you can use your bonus action to command
the weapon to move up to 20 feet in any direction and attack
an enemy within range. On a successful hit, the creature
takes 2d12 magical slashing damage.
Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you
take a long rest.
Mastery of Blood
Once you have reached 20th level, your mastery over the
power of blood has culminated into the ability to redirect
damage. Once per long rest, you're able to apply one of the
following effects:
For one minute, you tie your health temporarily to another
creature within 30 feet of you. Whenever you take
damage, half of that damage is redirected towards that
creature. You must stay within 30 feet of the creature to
benefit from this effect.
If you take damage that would kill you, you instead drop to
1 hit point. For one round, you are unable to be killed, and
you absorb all healing received until you have been healed
for more than the amount that would have killed you. If
you don't receive enough healing after one round, you die.
The Frost Path
A death knight that takes the Frost Path charges into battle
with a ferocious fervor, freezing enemies and attacking them
in their weakened states.
Frozen Attacks
Beginning when you follow this path at 3rd level, you channel
the power of frost into each of your attacks. Whenever you
make a melee weapon attack against a creature, you deal
additional cold damage equal to your death knight level.
Command the North Wind
When you reach 6th level, you begin developing ties to the
North Wind, being able to use it to chill your enemies. You're
able to innately cast a modified version of the cantrip ray of
frost; its damage is increased to 1d12 cold damage, and it's
range is a 20-foot cone centered on you.
Chilling Aura
When you reach 10th level, a chilling aura permanently
surrounds you. Whenever a creature ends their turn within
15 feet of you or makes a melee attack against you, it must
make a successful Constitution saving throw. On a failed
throw, it takes 1d8 cold damage and has their moement
speed reduced by half for one minute.
Additionally, you're able to innately cast a modified version
of the spell water walk. When you cast it, a thin layer of ice is
formed around you on the water's surface, spreading out in a
10-foot radius circle. When you move, a path of ice is formed,
and the ice you leave behind lasts for five minutes before
breaking apart. The ice is thick enough to support a creature
that is Medium or smaller in size, or an object that is Small
or Tiny in size.
Freezing Adrenaline
At 15th level, the cold now lends to your power even as it
hinders others. You release a burst of sudden sub-zero
temperatures, reducing the speed of all creatures within 10
feet of you to 10 until the end of your next turn. Additionally,
any and all movement-impairing effects are removed from
you, and your Strength score increases by 2 until the end of
your next turn.

Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish
a short or long rest.
Mastery of Frost
Once you have reached 20th level, your mastery over the
power of frost has culminated into the ability to completely
devestate enemy movement. Once per long rest, you're able
to use one of the following actions:
Cold Snap. You strike the ground with your weapon,
sending out a shockwave of cold. All creatures within 30
feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a
failed save, a creature takes 6d8 cold damage and is
frozen solid, applying the petrified condition until thawed
out. On a success, it only takes half as much damage and
are not frozen.
Frost Crest. You stomp the ground, sending a ridge of ice
outwards from you. All creatures within a 30-foot cone in
front of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a
failed save, a creature takes 4d8 piercing damage, 2d8
cold damage, and is considered grappled as ice shards
pierce it. On a success, it only takes half as much damage
and is not grappled.
The Path of the Unholy
A death knight that takes the Path of the Unholy controls the
necromantic forces of decay, having vast control over undead
hordes to overwhelm their foes.
Undead Servant
Beginning when you follow this path at 3rd level, you're able
to innately cast a modified version of the animate dead spell
once per short or long rest.
When you animate the bones or corpse of an appropriate
humanoid, the resulting skeleton or zombie (respectively)
stays under your command permanently, not requiring you to
use this ability again. Your undead servant has a number of
hit points equal to half of your own hit point maximum.
You can only have one skeleton or zombie under your
control at a single time, using this ability again causes the
previous undead servant to collapse and turn to dust.
Energy Transference
When you reach 6th level, your knowledge of necromancy has
taught you how to repair your minions using the life force of
others. As a bonus action, you're able to innately cast a
modified version of the spell eldritch blast, which instead
deals 1d8 necrotic, and heals your undead servant for half of
the damage dealt.
Diseased Influence
At 10th level, the ground around you becomes a weapon of
death for you to wield. Once per long rest, you can choose a
point within 60 feet of you. The ground in a 20-foot radius
becomes infused with necromantic energy. Plants whither
and die, and all creatures that are caught in the area or end
their turn in the area must make a Constitution saving throw,
taking 1d12 necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much
on a success.
Additionally, you're able to innately cast the spell contagion
once per long rest.
Volatile Mutation
When you reach 15th level, you can overload your undead
servant with necrotic energies to warp them into a . For one
minute, your undead servant transforms into a devourer, the
statistics of which can be found within Volo's Guide to
Monsters. Once the duration of this ability ends, the servant
must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On
a success, it reverts back to their original form. On a fail, the
necrotic energies within it become too volatile and destroy it,
making it explode in a violent bloom of blood and gristle.
While the undead servant stays in its devourer form, any
creature that is reanimated by its Imprison Soul ability can
be controlled by you and exists for four hours, collapsing to
dust once the duration is over.
This ability can only be used once per day.
Mastery of the Unholy
Once you have reached 20th level, your master over the
power of the unholy has culminated in the ability to call upon
the forces of the damned. Once per long rest, you're able to
use one of the following actions:
You raise all corpses within 20 feet of you, turning them
into temporary undead servants. You can control them
individually or issue one group command that they all
follow unconditionally. They last for 1 minute, and all
share the same initiative roll, going directly after your own
turn. Once this ability ends, the servants collapse into
dust.
You summon a bound, unholy guardian to fight by your
side for 1 minute. The guardian shares the statistics for
planetar, as found in the Monster Manual book, with the
following changes: its alignment is lawful evil, its features
and abilities that deal radiant damage instead deal
necrotic damage, and it has a revised Innate Spellcasting
list. The guardian has its own initiative, and you're able to
direct it on its turn. Once this ability ends,attacks all
creatures in its the guardian dissolves into a dark fog. If
the spell dispel magic is cast on the guardian before this
ability ends, it is free of its bindings and attacks all
creatures in its vicinity in vengeance, stopping only when
it is killed or when all creatures within 100 feet of it are
dead. Revised Unholy Guardian Innate
Spellcasting List
At will: eldritch blast, invisibility (self only)
3/day: animate dead, blight, disintigrate, insect
plague
1/day: create undead, power word: kill
Rune Forges
S
cattered throughout the world, hidden within the
decaying crypts, defiled ruins, and dark fortresses
that only the dead may walk through lie
mysterious structures seldom seen by mortal
eyes: chambers adorned with facades of bones,
skulls with blazing eyes, and blue flames heating
metal with the power to sap the strength from
mortal flesh. These mechanisms, named rune forges by the
liches who designed them, are used by death knights in order
to hone their weapons, making them become more tailored
to the fighting styles of those who wield them.
In more recent times, death knights who have broken their
connections with their creators have begun searching for
abandoned rune forges in the hope of using them for their
allies. A rune forge can be used to enhance an adventuring
party's gear to prevent untimely deaths, and have saved more
than one life thanks to a death knight traveling with a group.
Rekindling the Forge
More often than not, a discovered rune forge will be
      extinguished, its fires put out by their lich makers to
                              prevent use by the very renegade death
                              knights that seek out these mechanisms; in
                                           fact, discovering a blazing rune forge
                                      out the utmost caution and preparation,
                                   as it usually means that hordes of undead
                                        minions are nearby, waiting in ambush
                                                  to capture unwitting adventurers
                                                        for their masters to also raise
                                                                              as death knights.
A rune forge must be activated if its to be used, and once
activated it can only be extinguished through a wish spell or
by casting dispel magic on the rune forge using a 7th-level
spell slot or higher.
In order to relight a rune forge, you need the corpses of five
humanoids and five sapphires that are worth a total of at
least 250 gp. You then spend an hour of concentration using
the materials to relight the forge, taking the time to perform
the following steps.
The Offering. Taking 10 minutes, you carefully place the
corpses in a row, folding their arms over their chests and
closing their eyes, finishing by placing a sapphire into each
mouth. During this time, any attacks or actions taken
against you require a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw to
prevent a loss of concentration.
The Ritual. For the next 50 minutes you stand and chant
lowly, calling dark spirits to create the unholy flames of the
forge. During this time, any attacks or actions taken against
you require a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw to prevent a
loss of concentration.
Lighting the Flames. The final step, taking only a second to
complete, involves freezing the contents currently being
held inside of the forge; this can be completed by either
using your innate chill touch cantrip or through the use of
another spellcaster.
DM Moment
Dear DM:
Rune forges are not necessary for the success of
a death knight character. It is your choice or not to
add a rune forge or two within your campaign.
However, they can be used as an adventuring hook
or as a reward for a player who does a good job.
Sincerely yours,
-a Goblin with a Problem
Applying Runes
To enscribe runes, you must spend an hour manipulating the
desired nonmagical weapon and necesarry components
within the flames of the forge. This counts as concentration,
      and any  attacks or actions taken against you require a DC
                         15 Wisdom saving throw to prevent disruption
                         of the process. If your concentration is
                           disrupted, roll a d100; 1-75 results in the
                      weapon being destroyed within the flames,
                      becoming consumed by the rune forge.
                              The desired runes must be determined
                           before the process starts. The choice of
                           runes cannot be changed while you are
                           forging them into the weapon, and if you
           wish to replace a current set of runes with a new set,
 you must spend a short rest burning out the current runes
before forging in the new runes.
Applying runes makes the weapon considered magical for
the purpose of resistances, and requires attunement to gain
its benefits. A creature can only be attuned to a single rune
weapon.
All rune descriptions contain the following:
Rune Level. This is both the level at which the death knight
can start enscribing the rune as well as the minimum level
required for a creature to attune to the weapon in order to
gain its benefits. If a creature wields a runeweapon without
becoming attuned to it, they immediately suffer from the
runeweapon's curse.
Condition Requirement. Sometimes a rune can only be
applied to a certain type of weapon, or sometimes the rune
requires something from the wielder before it can be attuned
to.
Material Components. In order to apply the desired rune,
the death knight needs certain materials to infuse into the
weapon.
Curse. Only a death knight can handle a rune weapon with
complete safety. If another creature wields the weapon after
having becomed attuned, they must make a DC 15 Wisdom
saving throw. On a failed save, the described curse is applied
to the creature, and can't be removed except with the use of
the dispel magic, remove curse, or wish spells.
Rune List
Runes of the Banshee
Rune Level: 2nd
Condition Requirements: wielder's Charisma score must be
13 or higher
Material Components: heart of an elf (any)
The wielder is able to cast cause fear as a 2nd level spell
once per long rest (see Xanathar's Guide to Everything for
the spell description).
Curse: Twisted Soul. The wielder's alignment becomes its
chaotic counterpart. If already a chaotic alignment, the
alignment shifts to chaotic evil if it's currently chaotic neutral,
and to chaotic neutral if it is currently chaotic good
Runes of Baphomet
Rune Level: 10th
Condition Requirements: wielder's Wisdom score is 13 or
lower.
Material Components: heart of a demon of a challenge
rating of 4 or higher, and a heart of beast.
The wielder's Strength score increases by 2, and they are
able to cast the spells fear and speak to animals once each
per long rest.
Curse: Madness of Beasts. The wielder suffers from two
of the flaws from the Madness of Baphomet table
(Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, page 143).
Runes of the Death Bringer
Rune Level: 10th
Condition Requirements: none
Material Components: one diamond worth at least 150 gp,
one ruby worth at least 50 gp
The wielder of the weapon has their critical hit range
changed to become 19-20.
Curse: Bloodthirst. When the wielder suffers a critical fail
when making a weapon attack with this runeweapon, they
deal maximum weapon damage to the nearest creature
within 10 feet of it.
Runes of the Drider Hide
Rune Level: 1st
Condition Requirements: must be applied to a simple
weapon
Material Components: 10 spider corpses
Gives the wielder a +1 to their unarmored AC. At the end of
a long rest, the wielder gains 1d6 temporary hit points as
long as they don't wear any armor; if the wielder is 8th level
or higher, the amount of temporary hit points increase by 1d6
at 8th (2d6) and 16th (3d6) level.
Curse: Touched by Lolth. The wielder's skin becomes
covered in a dark chitin and the sides of their mouth sprouts
a set of mandibles; they are only able to speak in Elvish or
Undercommon.
Runes of the Drow Mage
Rune Level: 4th
Condition Requirements: must be applied to a simple
weapon
Material Components: one vial of drow blood
The wielder learns the mage hand and minor illusion
cantrips, and they are granted the ability to innately cast one
of the following spells once per long rest: alter self, magic
missile, misty step, shield, or witch bolt.
Curse: Sunlight Aversion. The wielder has disadvantage
on all attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that
require sight when they, the target of their attack, or whatever
they are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Runes of the Fallen Angel
Rune Level: 5th
Condition Requirements: none
Material Components: one ounce of silver
The wielder's Charisma score increases by 1, and they gain
proficiency in the Persuasion skill; Charisma (Persuasion)
checks that are made against devils are made with
advantage.
Curse: Malice of Lost Light. The wielder's alignment
becomes lawful evil, and they develop a particular animosity
towards aasimar and celestial creatures.
Runes of the Frostbitten
Rune Level: 1st
Condition Requirements: none
Material Components: one sapphire worth at least 75 gp
 When a creature is successfully hit by a weapon with this
rune, it must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes an
additional 1d6 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much
on a success; if the wielder is 5th level or higher, the damage
is increased by 1d6 at 5th (2d6), 10th (3d6), 15th (4d6), and
20th (5d6) level.
Curse: Frozen Heart. The wielder of the runeweapon is
no longer able to feel any emotion, except through the use of
a spell. They have difficulty to create bonds with others,
suffering disadvantage in Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
Their skin is cold and repelling to the touch.
Runes of the Giant Skin
Rune Level: 1st
Condition Requirements: must be applied to a martial
weapon
Material Components: a pound of stone or clay
Gives the wielder a +2 to their unarmored AC; if the
wielder is 10th level or higher, they are given a +4 to their
unarmored AC instead.
Curse: Lethargy. The wielder's movement speed
decreases by 5 feet.
Runes of the Hawk
Rune Level: 5th
Condition Requirements: none
Material Components: one hawk feather
The wielder's Dexterity score increases by 1, and they gain
proficiency in the Acrobatics skill. If the wielder could fly,
their flying speed increases by 10 feet.
Curse: Downed Bird. The wielder's feet painfully shift and
warp to become large, clunky talons. Their base walking
speed decreases by 10 feet.
Runes of the Juggernaught
Rune Level: 5th
Condition Requirements: none
Material Components: one ounce of iron
The wielder's Strength score increases by 2 and they gain
proficiency in the Athletics skill. If the wielder moves at least
10 feet in a straight line towards a stone or wooden structure,
they can make a DC 20 Strength check; on a success, they
break through the structure and leave behind a hole of the
same size category as themselves.
Curse: Ironhide. The skin of the wielder begins to take on
a dusky metallic appearance, spreading from their hands up
their arms to slowly overtake the entirety of their body. After
d100 days from first touching the runeweapon, the wielder
must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a success,
their movement speed is reduced by 5 feet and they have
disadvantage on all Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. On a fail,
they become petrified as their entire body becomes encased
in iron.
Runes of the Lich-Touched
Rune Level: 7th
Condition Requirements: wielder's Intelligence score must
be 13 or higher
Material Components: the skull of a spellcaster
The wielder's Intelligence and Wisdom scores both
increase by 1, and they learn the prestidigitation and ray of
frost cantrips, and they are gratned the ability to innately cast
the following spells once each per long rest: detect thoughts,
invisibility, magic missile, mirror image, or thunderwave
Curse: March of Undeath. The wielder's flesh and skin
begin to rot away, starting at the hands and spreading
upwards. After d100 days from first touching the
runeweapon, the wielder must make a DC 19 Constitution
saving throw. On a success, they become a walking skeleton,
losing the need to eat, drink, and breathe but their Strength
score decreasing by 2 and otherwise keeping all of their other
stats and abilities. On a fail, they become a deathlock wight
(Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes), losing all memory of their
past life.
Runes of the Magus Bane
Rune Level: 6th
Condition Requirements: wielder's Intelligence score must
be 15 or higher
Material Components: one arcane focus
Whenever a spell targets the wielder, a d100 is rolled. If the
result is 1-5, the spell fails immediately. Additionally, the
wielder can cast the spell counterspell once per long rest.
Curse: Magic Volatility. Whenever a spell successfully
targets and affects the wielder, a d100 is rolled. If the result is
100, the wielder has an effect from the Wild Magic table
applied to them.
Runes of the Nimble Blade
Rune Level: 6th
Condition Requirements: wielder's Dexterity score must be
15 or higher; engraved weapon must be melee.
Material Components: five bird feathers
Whenever a creature makes a melee weapon attack on the
wielder, a d100 is rolled. If the result is 1-5, the attack is
blocked, and the wielder can choose to use their reaction to
make an automatically successful weapon attack.
Curse: Flying Strikes. When the wielder makes an attack
with the rune blade, they must make a DC 5 Strength check.
On a failed check, the weapon goes flying out of the wielder's
grasp, traveling in a random direction for a distance equal to
5 x wielder's Strength modifier.
Runes of the Taskmaster
Rune Level: 1st
Condition Requirements: none
Material Components: a ball of bat guano and a torch
When a creature is successfully hit by a weapon with this
rune, it must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. It
takes an additional 1d6 psychic damage on a failed save, or
half as much on a success; if the wielder is 5th level or higher,
the damage is increased by 1d6 at 5th (2d6), 10th (3d6), 15th
(4d6), and 20th (5d6) level.
Curse: Echoes of the Tortured. When the wielder suffers
a critical miss when attacking, they must make a DC
Constitution saving throw, taking damage equal to the
amount of creature's successfully damaged by the
runeweapon within the past 24 hours on a failed save, or half
as much on a success.
Runes of the Vampire Lord
Level Requirement: 1st
Condition Requirements: none
Material Requirements: one ruby worth at least 150 gp
When a creature is successfully hit by a weapon with this
rune, it must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes an
additional 1d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as
much on a success. The wielder is healed for half of the
damage amount; if the wielder is 6th level or higher, the
damage dealt changes by a dice amount at 6th (1d8), 12th
(1d10), and 18th (1d12) level.
Curse: Darkness, in Thy Name. While exposed to
sunlight, the wielder must make a DC 18 Constitution saving
throw every minute, taking 1 fire damage on a failed save.

Disclaimer
I do not own the rights to the concept of the death knight class or the concept of the runeforging ability previously described in this
document. All of the content presented in this document are based entirely off of content as is presented in the MMORPG World
of Warcraft. All rights for the Death Knight and runeforging content belong solely to Blizzard Entertainment. This document was
not made for the intention of profit.
Additionally, I realize that the Dungeons and Dragons class and professions renditions are not completely accurate to the
current versions found within World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth; I used multiple versions throughout the WoW patches and
expansions in order to create this. Additionally, please understand that you can only put in so many details for a Dungeons and
Dragons class before it becomes too confusing, and you can only have so many abilities before the class becomes unbalanced; as
such, not all abilities and features of the original Death Knights are present here.
Thank you so much for taking an interest in this document. Have a good day, and nerd on!
Art Credits
Blood Elf Death Knight, by Sandara: https://www.zerochan.net/482192
Hearthstone - Runeforge: https://wow.gamepedia.com/Runeforge#/media/File:Forge_of_Souls_HS.jpg
Death Knight Emblem: https://wowwiki.fandom.com/wiki/Crests
Female Death Knight, by Raneman: https://wow.gamepedia.com/Death_knight#/media/File:Female_Deathknight.jpg
Homebrewery Stains: https://imgur.com/a/SKmRN
Orc Death Knight: https://picserio.com/orc-death-knight-wallpaper/5949015.html
Orcish Death Knight: https://www.wallpaperflare.com/orc-death-knight-arc-wallpaper-world-of-warcraft-wrath-of-the-lich-king-
wallpaper-qohd
The Lich King, by Glowei: https://wowwiki.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lich_King?file=The_Lich-King.jpg
Unholy Death Knight: https://hdwallpaper20.com/death-knight-fanart-world-of-warcraft-characters-and/2/