Death Knight is a new character class added in this mod adapted from the World of Warcraft class of the same name. I was inspired to create this by VivaSortiara's Death Knight Class mod. I liked some of their ideas but personally wanted a version that was changed more significantly from WoW to more match the mechanics and vibes of BG3 / DnD 5e Classes. This included things like not having a 0-100 resource like Runic Power, not having direct percentage proc chances, using actual BG3 art style for all the icons, incorporating existing 5e spells, etc.

The end result is a Martial class that can utilize it's unique Rune resource to empower its attacks or to cast powerful spells. It has the most overall similarity with Paladin, Warlock, and Way of the Four Elements Monk.

Death Knights use Strength (or Dexterity) for their attacks, and Intelligence for their casting.

The Death Knight subclasses are:

Blood  ⋅ Frost  ⋅ Unholy

Death Knight Class Progression
Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Spells Known	1st Rune	2nd Rune	3rd Rune	Rune Die
1st	+2	Rune Casting, Lichborne	-	1	1	1	1d4
2nd		Fighting Style, Runeforging	2	1	1	1
3rd		Choose a subclass	3	2	1	1
4th		Feat, Subclass Feature	4	2	1	1	1d6
5th	+3	Extra Attack	5	3	1	1
6th		Subclass Feature	6	3	1	1
7th		Rune Tap	7	4	2	2	1d8
8th		Feat	8	4	2	2
9th	+4	Will of the Necropolis	9	5	2	2
10th		Subclass Feature	10	6	2	2	1d10
11th		Rune Mastery	11	6	2	2
12th		Feat	12	6	2	2

Note: Proficiency bonus is based on character level, not class level. It's included in the table for convenience.

Hit pints

• At level 1: 10 + CON Modifier
• On level up: 6 + CON Modifier

Key abilities

• Strength or Dexterity for physical attacks
• Intelligence for Rune Spell DCs and Attack Rolls
• Constitution for Hit Points and Concentration Checks

Saving Throw Proficiencies

• Constitution, Intelligence

Equipment proficiencies

• Simple weapons, Martial weapons
• Light armour, Medium armour, Heavy armour

Skills with proficiency (Choose 2)

• Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Survival

Starting Equipment

• Runed Soulblade, Acherus Knight's Mail, Acherus Knight's Greaves, Acherus Knight's Gauntlets

For a list of rune spells available to the Death Knight, see List of Death Knight Spells

Spellcasting Ability

• Intelligence

Known spells

• Death Knight Spells are Always Prepared. In exchange, Death Knights know fewer Spells at low levels.

Rune Casting

• Instead of spell slots, Death Knights use Blood, Frost, and Unholy Runes to cast rune "spells"*.
• Death Knights have a limited number of Runes, but regain them by taking a Short Rest or Long Rest.
• Death Knights learn higher level spells than other Martial/Caster hybrids, but they can't use them as often.

Death Strike, Frost Strike, Death Coil

You are considered to be Undead. You can't be Poisoned and are immune to many mind altering spells, but can't be healed by many traditional healing spells.

Note: This passive is not learned when Multiclassing into Death Knight--only if you are a Death Knight at Level 1

Fighting Style

• Defence
  • You gain a +1 bonus to Armour Class while wearing Armour.
• Great Weapon Fighting
  • When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack with a Two-Handed melee weapon, that die is rerolled once.
• Two-Weapon Fighting
  • When you make an offhand attack, you can add your Ability Modifier to the damage of the attack.

You gain the ability to engrave runes onto your weapons to enhance them with magical effects.

Runes do not have any effect if their wielders do not have the ability to Runeforge.

Runes are more powerful when forged on Runeblades.

Engrave your weapon(s) with a rune that adds 1 Cold damage to attacks.

Engrave your weapon(s) with a rune that restores 1 hit point when you hit an enemy in combat.

Engrave your weapon with a rune that gives its wielder +1 to Strength and Constituion Saving Throws. Works only for weapons being wielded with two hands.

The Death Knight starter longsword "Runed Soulblade" is a special weapon classified as a Runeblade.

When Runeforged, this weapon grows in power, as do the applied Runes.

When a Rune is applied, this becomes Magical. At 4th Death Knight level, this gains up to a +1 Enchantment, increasing to +2 at 7th level and +3 at 10th level.

These enchantments also increase the power of applied Runes.

More Runeblades may be added in the future

• Choose 2 Rune Spells from the Death Knight Spell List.

Anti-Magic Shell, Armour of Arthas, Abomination Limb, Death's Advance, Gloom Ward, Scourge, Chains of Ice, Dark Command, Evenly Matched, Death and Decay, Mind Freeze, Path of Frost

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.

Death Grip, Sacrificial Pact

Blood	Frost	Unholy
+1 Blood Rune Known Rune Spells: Blood Boil Marrowrend Heart Strike New Rune Spells: Dancing Rune Weapon Subduing Grasp: Person	+1 Frost Rune Known Rune Spells: Howling Blast Obliterate Frostscythe	+1 Unholy Rune Known Rune Spells: Outbreak Festering Strike Scourge Strike New Rune Spells: Enfeeble

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.

Blood	Frost	Unholy
Blood Shield	Frozen Heart	Dreadblade

• You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.

Blood	Frost	Unholy
+1 Blood Rune New Rune Spells: San'layn Touch	+1 Frost Rune New Rune Spells: Absolute Zero	+1 Unholy Rune New Rune Spells: Raise Ally Unholy Aura Raise Dead

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.

Blood	Frost	Unholy
Dark Succor	Rime	Sudden Doom

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.

Anti-Magic Zone, Dark Transformation, Raise Ally, San'layn Touch, Absolute Zero

Blood	Frost	Unholy
(none)	New Rune Spells: Avalanche	New Rune Spells: Dark Transformation Raise Gargoyle Defile

Convert 2 of one Rune into 1 of another Rune.

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.

Blood	Frost	Unholy
+1 Blood Rune New Rune Spells: Subduing Grasp: Monster	+1 Frost Rune New Rune Spells: Breath of Sindragosa	+1 Unholy Rune New Rune Spells: Army of the Dead

You have Advantage on Concentration and Death Saving Throws.

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.

Blood	Frost	Unholy
Crimson Scourge	Killing Machine	Improved Death Coil

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.

Each subclass chooses one of it options for a new passive feature.

Blood	Frost	Unholy
Empower Rune Weapon Carnage	Empower Rune Weapon Obliteration	Empower Rune Weapon Superstrain

Blood	Frost	Unholy
+1 Blood Rune New Rune Spells: Bloodshot	+1 Frost Rune New Rune Spells: Glacial Advance	+1 Unholy Rune New Rune Spells: Apocalypse Commander of the Dead

• Choose 1 additional Rune Spell from the Death Knight Spell List.
• Optionally, choose 1 known Rune Spell and replace it with another in the Death Knight Spell List.