“My friends, death is on our side.”
Class Traits
Role: Defender. You are tough and have spells that allow you to keep enemies where you want them.
Power Source: Arcane. You use forbidden magic combined with martial ability to defeat enemies in combat.
Key Abilities: Strength, Constitution, Intelligence
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, scale, plate
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, simple ranged
Bonus to Defense: +1 Fortitude, +1 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 15 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 6
Healing Surges per Day: 9 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: Arcana. From the class skills list below, choose three trained skills at 1st level.
Class Skills: Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con), History (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Religion (Int)
Build Options: Defender death knight, warrior death knight
Class Features: Death’s Challenge, Inscribed Weapon, Rune Specialization
Death knights, not to be confused with undead of the same name, are magical warriors trained in forbidden arcane arts. Death knights fight in the front lines using spells over life and death to harm and hinder enemies and protect allies. Death knights fight for honor, knowledge, or just for the thrill of battle.
Regardless of the spells you know and the weapons you employ, your goals define your enemies and your allies. You can be a noble arcane knight who protects the meek and slays evil, or you could be a cursed hero who fights to redeem his evil past.
You know that eventually everyone dies, but what will you do during your time alive?
Creating a Death Knight
You can choose any death knight spells that you fancy for your character, but death knights fall into one of two categories: the defender death knight and the warrior death knight. Death knights need either Strength, Constitution or Intelligence based on what runes your chosen spells use.
Defender Death Knight
You use the more defensive death knight build. You may or may not use a shield but your spells are going to be defensive in origin, mostly affecting you or your allies. You should either specialize in Blood Runes or Death Runes. If you specialize in Blood Runes you are going to need a high Constitution, while if you specialize in Death Runes you are going to need a good Intelligence score.
Suggested Feat: Toughness (Human feat: Human Perseverance)
Suggested Skills: Arcana, Athletics, Diplomacy, Endurance
Suggested At-Will Powers: bolstering blood, touch of death
Suggested Encounter Power: blood step
Suggested Daily Power: vampiric gaze
Warrior Death Knight
You use the more offensive death build. You are going to want a nice two-handed weapon, such as a great sword or maul. You are likely to be using spells that damage or hinder enemies. You should specialize in either Cold Runes or Death Runes. If you specialize in Cold Runes you should make Strength your highest score, and if you specialize in Death Runes you are going to want a high Intelligence score.
Suggested Feat: Power Attack (Human feat: Action Surge)
Suggested Skills: Arcana, Athletics, Endurance, Intimidate
Suggested At-Will Powers: chill, necrotic blade
Suggested Encounter Power: rain of ice
Suggested Daily Power: freezing the lifeblood
Death Knight Class Features
All death knights share these class features.
Death’s Challenge
The challenge of a death knight is also a challenge from death itself. You can use the death’s challenge power to mark foes.
Inscribed Weapon
You can inscribe magical runes into a single two-handed melee weapon of your choice, allowing you to use it as an implement for death knight and death knight paragon path spells when you wield it. You can change your inscribed weapon after an extended rest.
Rune Specialization
You inscribe runes into your weapon based on your selection of spells. There are three different runes usually used by death knight spells: Blood, Cold, and Death. You must choose to specialize in a single type of rune. Your selection determines one of your at-will spells, allows you to cast spells that use that rune with greater effect, and gives you a special boon whenever you drop a foe.
Blood: You know the bolstering blood spell as one of your at-will spells. When you kill an enemy that you have marked, you gain temporary hit points equal to your level. Spells that use Blood runes require the caster to have a healthy body.
Cold: You know the chill spell. When you kill an enemy that you have marked, one enemy within 5 squares is slowed until the start of your next turn. Spells that use Cold runes require the caster to be strong enough to shape ice.
Death: You know the touch of death spell. When you kill an enemy that you have marked, you gain a +2 bonus to AC. Spells that use Death runes require the caster to be studied in the secrets of life and death.
Overview
Characteristics: You are very tough; you have a lot of hit points, but usually do not use shields. You can fight in close combat, and you also have a few ranged spells. You have spells that weaken enemies and strengthen allies. You also have a few abilities that control the battlefield.
Religion: Death knights favor martial and magic deities, but usually death knights pledge themselves to the Raven Queen. Evil and unaligned death knights pay homage to Orcus and Bane.
Races: Death knights come from all races, but are usually humans, dwarves and tieflings.
Death Knight Powers
Your powers are necromantic spells that hold control over life, death, and the icy chill of death.
Class Features
Death Knights have one class feature that acts like a power, death’s challenge, presented below:
Show
Death’s Challenge; Death Knight Feature
You challenge a nearby enemy to combat, draining it should it not fight.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Necrotic
Minor Action; Close burst 5
Target: One creature in burst
Effect: You mark the target. The target remains marked until you use this power against another target, or if you fail to engage the target (see below). A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place. While a target is marked, it takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls for any attack that does not include you as a target. Also, the target takes a penalty to AC equal to half your Intelligence modifier until the start of its next turn the first time it makes an attack that does not include you as a target before the start of your next turn. On your turn, you must engage the target you challenged or challenge a different target. To engage the target, you must either attack it or end your turn adjacent to it. If none of these events occur by the end of your turn, the marked condition ends and you can not use death’s challenge on your next turn. You can use death’s challenge once per turn.
Death’s Challenge; Death Knight Feature
You challenge a nearby enemy to combat, draining it should it not fight.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Necrotic
Minor Action; Close burst 5
Target: One creature in burst
Effect: You mark the target. The target remains marked until you use this power against another target, or if you fail to engage the target (see below). A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place. While a target is marked, it takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls for any attack that does not include you as a target. Also, the target takes a penalty to AC equal to half your Intelligence modifier until the start of its next turn the first time it makes an attack that does not include you as a target before the start of your next turn. On your turn, you must engage the target you challenged or challenge a different target. To engage the target, you must either attack it or end your turn adjacent to it. If none of these events occur by the end of your turn, the marked condition ends and you can not use death’s challenge on your next turn. You can use death’s challenge once per turn.
Dark Knight
“I fear not the unholy powers which I control.”
Prerequisites: Death knight class
You are willing to trade your soul and bodily health away to enhance your arcane spells. Few death knights embrace this path, as most fear it.
Dark Knight Path Features
Dark Blade (11th level): Once per turn, when you use a death knight power or dark knight power that deals damage, you can choose to deal 1d6 points of damage to yourself to deal an additional 1d6 points of damage. The damage you do to yourself cannot be reduced in any fashion.
Unholy Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you can deal an additional 15 points of damage and take 5 points of damage that cannot be reduced.
Darkness (16th level): When you use your second wind, creatures within 5 squares of you take damage equal to your Constitution modifier.
Dark Knight Spells
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Dark Wave; Dark Knight Attack 11
You turn your life force into a wave of dark energy.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement
Standard Action; Close burst 3
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d10 + Constitution modifier damage.
Special: You can spend a healing surge, but not regain any hit points, to deal an additional 1d10 points of damage and make the range close burst 5.
Soul Bargain; Dark Knight Utility 12
You trade away some of your life energy for power.
Daily ✦ Arcane
Standard Action; Personal
Effect: You spend a healing surge, but instead of regaining hit points you, regain the use of an already used encounter power.
Dark Pulse; Dark Knight Attack 20
You turn your soul into unholy energy and send it out to kill your foes.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement
Standard Action; Close burst 5
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d10 + Constitution modifier damage.
Miss: Half damage.
Special: You can spend two healing surges, but not regain hit points to deal an additional 3d10 points of damage.
You turn your life force into a wave of dark energy.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement
Standard Action; Close burst 3
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d10 + Constitution modifier damage.
Special: You can spend a healing surge, but not regain any hit points, to deal an additional 1d10 points of damage and make the range close burst 5.
Soul Bargain; Dark Knight Utility 12
You trade away some of your life energy for power.
Daily ✦ Arcane
Standard Action; Personal
Effect: You spend a healing surge, but instead of regaining hit points you, regain the use of an already used encounter power.
Dark Pulse; Dark Knight Attack 20
You turn your soul into unholy energy and send it out to kill your foes.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement
Standard Action; Close burst 5
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d10 + Constitution modifier damage.
Miss: Half damage.
Special: You can spend two healing surges, but not regain hit points to deal an additional 3d10 points of damage.
Blood Seeking Runes [Death Knight]
Prerequisites: Death knight class, blood specialization
Benefit: When you attack an enemy marked by your death’s challenge with your inscribed weapon you gain a +1 bonus to our attack roll.
Necrotic Runes [Death Knight]
Prerequisites: Death knight class, death specialization
Benefit: You deal 1 more point of damage with powers with the necrotic keyword. At 15th level this bonus increases to +2.
Slick Runes [Death Knight]
Prerequisites: Death knight class, cold specialization
Benefit: While slowed you have a +1 bonus to speed, this bonus cannot be reduced by the slowed condition.
Initiate of Runes [Multiclass Death Knight]
Prerequisites: Intelligence 13
Benefit: You gain training in one skill from the death knight’s class skill list.
You gain the use of the inscribed weapon class feature.
_/_/_/
Death Knight – Plague Runes
“Some Death Knights just want to kill slowly. We normally do not teach these techniques.” –Ark “Paladin” of the Raven Queen
A new kind of death knight rune spell was found: Plague. Plague rune spells cause your adversaries to suffer and die slow. Only those insane enough to gain knowledge of these runes will use them. Unlike other forms of rune spells, Plague Runes are utterly evil and very few good souls can wield their power.
Rune Specialization
Instead of specializing in Blood, Cold or Death Runes you can specialize in Plague Runes.
You can choose the following option:
Plague: You know the blight spell as one of your at-will spells. When you kill an enemy that you have marked, all enemies within 5 squares takes poison damage equal to half your level (minimum 1). This effect cannot kill minions. To wield the true power of Plague Rune Spells you must have gone insane and gained forbidden knowledge from your insanity.
Powers
Show
Level 1 At-Will Spells
Blight; Death Knight Attack 1
You wrack a foe with terrible illness that slowly kills him.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Poison, Implement
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 1 poison damage + 1 poison damage per plus on your implement (save ends).
Level 1 Encounter Spells
Plague Burst; Death Knight Attack 1
You release horrid diseases upon those near you.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 2
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom poison damage.
Plague Specialization: This power does not target allies.
Level 1 Daily Spells
Contagion; Death Knight Attack 1
You infect a foe with a blight that quickly spreads.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).
Miss: The target takes 5 poison damage.
Effect: If the target was hit then when it starts its turn each adjacent creature takes 5 ongoing poison damage (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You cannot be affected by this power.
Level 3 Encounter Spells
Mind Rot; Death Knight Attack 3
You inflict the dreaded mind rot disease upon a foe, causing him to scream in pain and be unable to think at all.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison, Psychic
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d6 + Wisdom modifier poison and psychic damage.
Plague Specialization: If you hit the target is dazed (save ends).
Level 5 Daily Spells
Death Chills; Death Knight Attack 5
You cause your foe to contract the death chills illness, causing his body to rot and his temperature to drop rapidly.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Cold, Implement, Necrotic, Reliable
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 + your Wisdom modifier cold and necrotic damage (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You can use blight as a free action if the target dies while affected by this power.
Level 7 Encounter Spells
Chain Blight; Death Knight Attack 7
You plague one foe and it immediately jumps to another.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature in range.
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight and you can make a secondary attack.
Secondary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the primary target.
Secondary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight and you can make a tertiary attack.
Tertiary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the secondary target.
Tertiary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight.
Plague Specialization: You gain a +2 bonus to the primary attack roll.
Special: You must know blight to pick this power.
Level 9 Daily Spells
Summon Locusts; Death Knight Attack 9
You open your mouth and release a horrid swarm of locusts that eat at nearby combatants and give you their life force.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Necrotic
Standard Action; Close burst 10
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom modifier necrotic damage.
Effect: You can spend a healing surge.
Plague Specialization: You can not affect a number of allies equal to half your Wisdom modifier.
Level 13 Encounter Spells
Plagued Blade; Death Knight Attack 13
You sheath your rune blade in illnesses that infect your foe.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Poison, Weapon
Standard Action; Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier poison damage, and the target is weakened until the start of your next turn.
Plague Specialization: You can cast blight as a free action.
Level 15 Daily Spells
Culling the Weak; Death Knight Attack 15
You create a plague that kills those that are unfit to live.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Necrotic, Reliable
Standard Action; Close burst 20
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1 necrotic damage.
Plague Specialization: You get a +5 bonus to the attack roll.
Level 17 Encounter Spells
Marking Plague; Death Knight Attack 17
You utter an incantation that invokes a plague that marks nearby adversaries as your mortal foes.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 5
Target: Each enemy in the burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d8 + Wisdom modifier poison damage, and the target is marked until the end of your next turn.
Plague Specialization: The targets are marked even if you miss.
Level 19 Daily Spells
Illness of Night Terrors; Death Knight Attack 19
You invoke an illness upon your foe that puts him to sleep and slowly drives him mad.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison, Psychic
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d4 + Wisdom modifier poison and psychic damage, takes ongoing 10 poison and psychic damage and is unconscious (save ends all).
Miss: Half damage and the target is slowed (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You can add your Wisdom modifier to the ongoing damage.
Level 23 Encounter Spells
War Cry of Blighting; Death Knight Attack 23
You utter a war cry that saps your foes of their vitality.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Necrotic, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 10
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 3d8 + Wisdom modifier necrotic and poison damage, and the target is slowed until the end of your next turn.
Plague Specialization: This power does not effect your allies.
Level 25 Daily Spells
Disease of Hunger and Weakness; Death Knight Attack 25
You inflict a disease that saps your opponents’ vitality and leaves them forever weak and hungry.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 10
Target: Each enemy in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom modifier poison damage and the target is slowed and weakened (save ends both).
Miss: Half damage and until the start of your next turn the targets are slowed and weakened.
Plague Specialization: If you hit, the target is blinded until the end of your next turn.
Level 27 Encounter Spells
Touch of Blight; Death Knight Attack 27
You run a foe through, and then transfer a disease that is inflicting a nearby creature into it.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Poison, Weapon
Standard Action; Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Hit: 3[W] + Wisdom modifier poison damage and you move an effect a save can end from a creature within 3 squares to the target.
Plague Specialization: You can move an effect from a creature within 5 squares.
Level 29 Daily Spells
Thousand Plagues of the Gods; Death Knight Attack 29
You channel all the illnesses and wounds around you into a single target. Wracking him with incredible pain and suffering.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement
Standard Action; Close burst 15
Target: One creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: You can move all effects that can be ended with a saving throw within the burst to the target. If there is multiple of an effect created by the same power they stack and are treated as two different effects. Your hit points drop to 1.
Miss: You can move a single effect that can be ended with a saving throw to the target. If there is multiple of an effect created by the same power they stack and are treated as two different effects. Your hit points drop to 0.
Plague Specialization: You can use four healing surges (but not regain hit points) in place of dropping to 1 or 0 hit points.
Blight; Death Knight Attack 1
You wrack a foe with terrible illness that slowly kills him.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Poison, Implement
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 1 poison damage + 1 poison damage per plus on your implement (save ends).
Level 1 Encounter Spells
Plague Burst; Death Knight Attack 1
You release horrid diseases upon those near you.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 2
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom poison damage.
Plague Specialization: This power does not target allies.
Level 1 Daily Spells
Contagion; Death Knight Attack 1
You infect a foe with a blight that quickly spreads.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).
Miss: The target takes 5 poison damage.
Effect: If the target was hit then when it starts its turn each adjacent creature takes 5 ongoing poison damage (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You cannot be affected by this power.
Level 3 Encounter Spells
Mind Rot; Death Knight Attack 3
You inflict the dreaded mind rot disease upon a foe, causing him to scream in pain and be unable to think at all.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison, Psychic
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d6 + Wisdom modifier poison and psychic damage.
Plague Specialization: If you hit the target is dazed (save ends).
Level 5 Daily Spells
Death Chills; Death Knight Attack 5
You cause your foe to contract the death chills illness, causing his body to rot and his temperature to drop rapidly.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Cold, Implement, Necrotic, Reliable
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 + your Wisdom modifier cold and necrotic damage (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You can use blight as a free action if the target dies while affected by this power.
Level 7 Encounter Spells
Chain Blight; Death Knight Attack 7
You plague one foe and it immediately jumps to another.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature in range.
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight and you can make a secondary attack.
Secondary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the primary target.
Secondary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight and you can make a tertiary attack.
Tertiary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the secondary target.
Tertiary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight.
Plague Specialization: You gain a +2 bonus to the primary attack roll.
Special: You must know blight to pick this power.
Level 9 Daily Spells
Summon Locusts; Death Knight Attack 9
You open your mouth and release a horrid swarm of locusts that eat at nearby combatants and give you their life force.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Necrotic
Standard Action; Close burst 10
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom modifier necrotic damage.
Effect: You can spend a healing surge.
Plague Specialization: You can not affect a number of allies equal to half your Wisdom modifier.
Level 13 Encounter Spells
Plagued Blade; Death Knight Attack 13
You sheath your rune blade in illnesses that infect your foe.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Poison, Weapon
Standard Action; Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier poison damage, and the target is weakened until the start of your next turn.
Plague Specialization: You can cast blight as a free action.
Level 15 Daily Spells
Culling the Weak; Death Knight Attack 15
You create a plague that kills those that are unfit to live.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Necrotic, Reliable
Standard Action; Close burst 20
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1 necrotic damage.
Plague Specialization: You get a +5 bonus to the attack roll.
Level 17 Encounter Spells
Marking Plague; Death Knight Attack 17
You utter an incantation that invokes a plague that marks nearby adversaries as your mortal foes.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 5
Target: Each enemy in the burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d8 + Wisdom modifier poison damage, and the target is marked until the end of your next turn.
Plague Specialization: The targets are marked even if you miss.
Level 19 Daily Spells
Illness of Night Terrors; Death Knight Attack 19
You invoke an illness upon your foe that puts him to sleep and slowly drives him mad.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison, Psychic
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d4 + Wisdom modifier poison and psychic damage, takes ongoing 10 poison and psychic damage and is unconscious (save ends all).
Miss: Half damage and the target is slowed (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You can add your Wisdom modifier to the ongoing damage.
Level 23 Encounter Spells
War Cry of Blighting; Death Knight Attack 23
You utter a war cry that saps your foes of their vitality.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Necrotic, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 10
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 3d8 + Wisdom modifier necrotic and poison damage, and the target is slowed until the end of your next turn.
Plague Specialization: This power does not effect your allies.
Level 25 Daily Spells
Disease of Hunger and Weakness; Death Knight Attack 25
You inflict a disease that saps your opponents’ vitality and leaves them forever weak and hungry.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 10
Target: Each enemy in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom modifier poison damage and the target is slowed and weakened (save ends both).
Miss: Half damage and until the start of your next turn the targets are slowed and weakened.
Plague Specialization: If you hit, the target is blinded until the end of your next turn.
Level 27 Encounter Spells
Touch of Blight; Death Knight Attack 27
You run a foe through, and then transfer a disease that is inflicting a nearby creature into it.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Poison, Weapon
Standard Action; Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Hit: 3[W] + Wisdom modifier poison damage and you move an effect a save can end from a creature within 3 squares to the target.
Plague Specialization: You can move an effect from a creature within 5 squares.
Level 29 Daily Spells
Thousand Plagues of the Gods; Death Knight Attack 29
You channel all the illnesses and wounds around you into a single target. Wracking him with incredible pain and suffering.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement
Standard Action; Close burst 15
Target: One creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: You can move all effects that can be ended with a saving throw within the burst to the target. If there is multiple of an effect created by the same power they stack and are treated as two different effects. Your hit points drop to 1.
Miss: You can move a single effect that can be ended with a saving throw to the target. If there is multiple of an effect created by the same power they stack and are treated as two different effects. Your hit points drop to 0.
Plague Specialization: You can use four healing surges (but not regain hit points) in place of dropping to 1 or 0 hit points.
Change Log
7/19/08 - Posted class and feats
7/20/08 - Editted a few powers.
7/22/08 - Added Hemomancer and Dark Knight.
7/24/08 - Made Inscribed Weapon two-handed only.
7/25/08 - Forgot chill...whoops.
8/2/08 - Added Lord of Frost.
8/2/08 - Added non-specialized spells.
8/7/08 - Fixed blood step.
10/26/08 - Added Plague Rune Teaser to screw with you guys a bit.
11/2/08 - ADDED PLAGUE RUNE SPECIALIZATION STUFF!!!
11/9/08 - Changed Animate Dead and Summon Flesh Golem. Deleted 19th level's death spec power
and added a blood spec power to 9th level. Moved Summon Flesh Golem to 19th level.
Good work, and keep them coming. Also, do you think you could help me come up with some Paragon classes for my ninja?
Classes should only have two primary stats (stats that attack rolls are based on)
Flesh Minion isn't an attack, and shouldn't be at will anyways.
non [w] powers encourage shield use, which I don't think you want.
overall it looks like good work, I'll post more later
*Maybe help Ravinsild with his rogue--I mean ninja*
lol
*Grabs notepad*
*Scribbles remove flesh minion and add a blood specialization at-will*
*make death's challenge close burst 5*
*Change attack stats to Str/Int with Con as a booster*
*Post paragon paths*
*Maybe help Ravinsild with his rogue--I mean ninja*
You might not like my Ninja, but i liked your Death Knight so much that I stated one up and am about to play it. Unfortunately this was before the changed, but they were minor, I think, and it was only level 1, so I can just erase ranged 5 and put burst on my challenge, etc.
Thanks for making better classes than me (Seriously, I really enjoy this class. If feels like Arthurus from Warcraft: The Frozen Throne, or whatever his name was, and I really like the idea here. Especially the chill magic, since ice magic is my favorite. Good work, and I'm going to take this char to level 30, if I can).
)Okay, from first glance:
*You favor Blood specialization.
*You need encounters and dailies that have NO effect with a specialization, so that any specialized death knight can take them without feeling gimped.
Overall it looks pretty good.
Also, I wanted to emphesize specialization effects.
I'm surprised no one brought up the summons yet.
I agree with rune specialization - I like having an extra oomph to good attacks. THe Ice defender *chill if you will* is extremely good at incapacitating foes, that's mainly what I looked at, it was the build I was mostly interested in.
Done.
Like all attack will be Strength vs. AC or Int. vs. ?? and like in some powers make it (add constitution modifier damage) or something?
Also, I was wondering: Shouldn't you replace the flesh minion with some other at-will power? All other classes have 4 or 5, right?
Well blood spec. is the defender specialization, so a defender class yould probably favor the defender specialization.
I don't think there should inherently be more powers for one particular specialization, though.
Also, I wanted to emphesize specialization effects.
That's fine, but I think it would still be better if, amongst the powers with extra specialization effects, there was a power without one.
I don't think there should inherently be more powers for one particular specialization, though.
That's fine, but I think it would still be better if, amongst the powers with extra specialization effects, there was a power without one.
At the same time that I agree with specialization, I also agree with at least one power at every level that has nothing to do with a specialization, perhaps focus on the Knight part of Death knight? Maybe take a fighter power every level and reword it?
Also, when using powers like Animate Dead and Summon Flesh Golem, how much damage do the creatures deal when they attack.?
It says in the abililties that by spending a standard action they can attack. The attack is the one listed in the power under Attack and Hit. (I'll reword).
pigknight, aren't Blood knight and Dark Knight sort of redundant names? Dark Knight makes me think of the new Batman movie.... how much damage do the ghouls and flesh golem deal when they attack.
Blood Knight: I'll change it.
Lord of the North: Sure why not.
Summon damage: The hit entry in the power.
lots of inspiration, lots of epic. you should buy and play the game just for that cut scene.
As such, he proposed a stupid compromise, which actually turned into a full blown idea - instead of blood, death and ice, have it be an elemental knight that is Earth, Fire and Ice. It started off as just renaming things and changing a small bit of flavor, but as we developed them they came into a full blown class of thier own. I'm going to borrow your Death Knight for a little bit, but hopefully when I'm done our two works of art will be very distinguishable. Thanks for the inspiration!
2nd) Why is necromancy evil? Clerics do it all the time (Cure X Wounds, Raise Dead).
saying there is no way a Death Knight could be good or neutral, only evil.
take a look at some alliance quest text. WoW characters aren't evil. Yet they can play DKs ergo, that's a lame excuse.
That being said pigknight's version is still a work in process, which is a plenty good reason for a DM to say no.
1st) Death Knights are spellswords with necromancy and follow the Raven Queen for the most part. In my campain setting Death Knights are mostly (lawful) good Angsty McAngstersons.
2nd) Why is necromancy evil? Clerics do it all the time (Cure X Wounds, Raise Dead).
Following his line of thought Death can't be neutral, because if death is neutral and you can make pacts with it, then you can just ask death or the Raven Queen to kill Orcus instead of fight him, or worse yet Orcus could make a deal with death to kill all good things, and by it choosing sides it would either have to become good or evil.
Even if it didn't choose sides simply having a character use such powers like death, blood and cold means that it harnessess things generally viewed as punishment - death is a punishment for going against God in the beginning - if you believe the bible as he does, thus as a punishment, death is bad, because death is not natural, we brought death to ourselves by defying God, therefore if you were to harness death and necromancy, as no necromancer he says, is good you'd have to be evil. The spark of "life" in the undead is generally from the negative plane (old D&D) and Orcus (who is the prince of evil) is ruler of the undead, and as such, anyone who harnessess death is in league with Orcus.
He makes things too complicated and can't just accept it as a good class...
Also if using necromancy is evil what about wanton massacer of the lil' lizardmen families that are friends with the giant red lizard?
And you shouldn't be playing my class yet as it's not done, it's in the beta phase but that's it.
Your reading to much into this. It's just a gish with evocation and necromancy spells and focuses on either hemoglobin, ice cubes, or killing.
Also if using necromancy is evil what about wanton massacer of the lil' lizardmen families that are friends with the giant red lizard?
And you shouldn't be playing my class yet as it's not done, it's in the beta phase but that's it.
Oh, well I thought you said it was tested and is balanced =/
My game isn't until Sunday, however. :p
I said it was tested and balanced so far. I think...well I haven't found any uber combos and I haven't done much editting (damn you WoW!).
What do you play in WoW? I'm on the Bloodhoof server with a level 8 Troll Hunter, level 40 Human Mage, level 8 Night Elf Priest, and on the Blood Furnace server I have a level 68 and 1/2 Night Elf Hunter.
Also will you look at the Chaos Reaver class I made in response to my DM's unallowance of the Death Knight? I pretty much left almost all the Ice powers alone, but I changed some of the other stuff kind of drastically in some cases, and in others you did such a good job I just changed the flavor and name, lol.
1)Lvl 38 Human Ret Paladin and lvl 19 human warrior on Hyjal.
2) Shouldn't it be the elemental reaver?
3) Your DM hates necromancy but is ok with chaos?
4) It looks fine from what I saw.
KrakenChaos: Thanks.
Update: Added Dark Knight and Hemomancer.
RoCkEtInToXiCaTe:
1)Lvl 38 Human Ret Paladin and lvl 19 human warrior on Hyjal.
2) Shouldn't it be the elemental reaver?
3) Your DM hates necromancy but is ok with chaos?
4) It looks fine from what I saw.
KrakenChaos: Thanks.
Update: Added Dark Knight and Hemomancer.
I named it the Chaos Reaver because my DM said - "When I think of the elements I think of Chaos and Fury" so we sat and brainstormed a name we came up with - Dread Knight, Elemental Knight, Templar, and I finally said Chaos Reaver based on the words Chaos and Fury and Reaver from Magic: The Gathering creatures honestly.
My DM is weird and thinks and questions too much stuff, so I guess he does hate necromancy but is okay with chaos.
Thanks for the looks fine.
(This is Ravinsild) Unfortunately, as I thought he would, my DM fought me tooth and nail over being a Death Knight saying there is no way a Death Knight could be good or neutral, only evil.
As such, he proposed a stupid compromise, which actually turned into a full blown idea - instead of blood, death and ice, have it be an elemental knight that is Earth, Fire and Ice. It started off as just renaming things and changing a small bit of flavor, but as we developed them they came into a full blown class of thier own. I'm going to borrow your Death Knight for a little bit, but hopefully when I'm done our two works of art will be very distinguishable. Thanks for the inspiration!
http://www.vimeo.com/1366644
Also, Pigknight, can you take a look at my 4e psion? (not complete, only have class features and 1st level stuff)
Party makeup consisted of a Rogue, Ranger, Cleric, Wizard, Warlord and two Paladins plus the Death Knight.
The Party was put up against an array of Goblins, a couple of Wilderness creatures such as Griffons and Cave Bears, a Young White Dragon, a few Werewolves and Dire Wolves and an array of Undead including Ghouls, Wights and Zombies.
The Death Knight performed extraordinarily well.. at least at this level and would have to put him up there as completely balanced. However, the only problems I had with the characters are that the At-Wills seem a bit weak, (Primarily Chill and Touch of Death) and since they're At-Wills with status effects there are a lot of effects that need to be tracked. 1d4+mod isn't that much damage, and tracking -2 to ATK or slowed gets a little tedious.
That's my 2 cents. Love the class, keep up the good work.
*You need encounters and dailies that have NO effect with a specialization, so that any specialized death knight can take them without feeling gimped.
The most common complaint about the warlock is how overbearingly it forces you to use your pact's specific powers above all others. This goes even further in that direction. I see that as bad design. Players will inherently gravitate towards a clear-cut style and role even if you don't force them into it, typically being "specialized" in one style or another. They will, however, want to grab a thing here or two that catches their eye as a player, or suits their character for RP reasons, and your design punishes them for doing that.
1) Give every power a specialization feature.
2) Get rid of all power specialization features...I'll probably do this.
I'll keep specialization but I'll add in some non-spec abililties. Also, I gave 'em worse at-will to balance some of their better features (inscribed weapon).
Honestly my DM felt that some of the at-wills were redundant and had me power them up a little, and he also felt the ranged attacks like the ice encounter power since they were ranged discouraged the class from getting up close and personal, like a defender should, so he had me beef up the damage a little, as he felt it was worse than a fighter.
He said this about the class - fighter to DK melee only it would lose, and magic no hand to hand only to wizard it would lose, but with both its aspects it would probably be even or it might win.
Also you are getting blast and burst confused- Rain of Ice should be a blast, as burst is you are the origin square and are bursting in a circle, like many of the fighters skills (3rd level encounter power is a good example) and a lot of the ranger skills are burst, whereas the wizard and warlock have a lot of blasts (AoE like blizzard where you see the little circle and click the circle there and it rains down ice on them, if you want to take this to WoW, where-as frost nova would be a burst).
A) Redundant and
B) Weaker on average and I gave the death knight slightly better encounters.
This is a gish. It is a defender that debuffs the crap out of enemies. And you need to combine ranged for safe damage and melee to be sticky. Also I double checked my skills, blast/bursts are correct, if they were bursts they would be way to powerful.
Great class man, you have talent for sure.
P.S. whats with the [PEACH]
And I gave it plate because it still needs to tank. And it can't use shields well.
You strike an enemy then step into his wound and reappear near an ally.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Teleportation, Weapon
Standard Action; Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Constitution vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Constitution modifier damage and "teleport to an ally within 10 squares."
Blood Specialization: Deal extra damage equal to your Constitution modifier.
Now on the teleport is that adjecent to the ally, or more or less in the direction of an ally.
*Grabs residdum*
*Casts Raise Dead*
For example using my classes:
Death Knight - Should be shadow, but I do not want to use shadow before it comes out.
Shaman - It's probably primal, but divine works just as good.
Now for you a shadowcaster can easily be an arcane class.
EDIT 11/9/08- Was reading posts and saw mah fallacy...whoops.
Level 9 Daily Animate Dead feels weak. Summoning or animating dead is cool, but the attack the ghoul makes feels weak. Same goes for the flesh golem and the skeletal warrior.
And the Utilities. Most of them are Dailies. Where are the encounter utility powers? I usually find those to be the best. Also, the selection at level 10 and 22 feelsm pretty slim.
Last thing is, would you like me to PDF this for you. I'd be happy to.
Tome of Bacon: Book of Pigknight's Stuff
It takes me a while to get to stuff...WoW is addicting...
Also, I've been playing around with summon mechanics I don't want them to be to strong. I'll edit it...eventually...
http://www.4shared.com/file/66845184/143e4e71/Death_Knight.html
If you have any art work you want added, I can throw that in as well.
Here you go.
http://www.4shared.com/file/66845184/143e4e71/Death_Knight.html
If you have any art work you want added, I can through that in as well.
The PDF isn't working for me. I don't know if it's just my comp, but I doubt considering PDFs from Wizard are working for me right now. You might wanna check. Thanks if it works though :P
As a side note, I love this class. I'm probably going to end up using eventually since I have a group that's going to be getting together within the month. This class may have officially supplanted Swordmages for me. Quite the achievement!
Awesome class. I made a Dark Knight Paragon Path a while back, but I never got around to finishing it. That was for not so goody good Paladins, but this is awesome. A whole class dedicated to Dark Powers and fighting stuff. Just telling you I rate it a 9.5 out of 10. I only took .5 points off because I just skimmed over the powers and probably could have given them some critique.
This is not dedicated to dark powers though...necrotic =/= dark.
Can't wait to see what else you come up with
Good job
Also, shameless self-
EDIT: Or my necromacer...
I know it might require some more work, but have you thought about reworking it a bit to fit more in line with the WoW version: use/rename some of the abilities to match the game more closely; changing the specialisations to match ie blood for offensive, frost for tanking and unholy for debuffs?
I definitely like what I see though and look forward to playing with it. If I come up with any suggestions and/or new ideas, I will let you know. Great job!
And I'll probably work on it now that I'm getting back into D&D after my month long break.
Plague Runes
“Some Death Knights just want to kill slowly. We normally do not teach these techniques.” –Ark “Paladin” of the Raven Queen
A new kind of death knight rune spell was found: Plague. Plague rune spells cause your adversaries to suffer and die slow. Only those insane enough to gain knowledge of these runes will use them. Unlike other forms of rune spells, Plague Runes are utterly evil and very few good souls can wield their power.
Rune Specialization
Instead of specializing in Blood, Cold or Death Runes you can specialize in Plague Runes.
You can choose the following option:
Plague: You know the blight spell as one of your at-will spells. When you kill an enemy that you have marked, all enemies within 5 squares takes poison damage equal to half your level (minimum 1). This effect cannot kill minions. To wield the true power of Plague Rune Spells you must have gone insane and gained forbidden knowledge from your insanity.
Powers
Show
Level 1 At-Will Spells
Blight; Death Knight Attack 1
You wrack a foe with terrible illness that slowly kills him.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Poison, Implement
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).
At 11th level increase damage to 10. At 21st level increase damage to 15.
Multiple occurrences of this power never stack under any circumstances.
Level 1 Encounter Spells
Plague Burst; Death Knight Attack 1
You release horrid diseases upon those near you.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 2
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom poison damage.
Plague Specialization: This power does not target allies.
Level 1 Daily Spells
Contagion; Death Knight Attack 1
You infect a foe with a blight that quickly spreads.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).
Miss: The target takes 5 poison damage.
Effect: If the target was hit then when it starts its turn each adjacent creature takes 5 ongoing poison damage (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You cannot be affected by this power.
Level 3 Encounter Spells
Mind Rot; Death Knight Attack 3
You inflict the dreaded mind rot disease upon a foe, causing him to scream in pain and be unable to think at all.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison, Psychic
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d6 + Wisdom modifier poison and psychic damage.
Plague Specialization: If you hit the target is dazed (save ends).
Level 5 Daily Spells
Death Chills; Death Knight Attack 5
You cause your foe to contract the death chills illness, causing his body to rot and his temperature to drop rapidly.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Cold, Implement, Necrotic, Reliable
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 + your Wisdom modifier cold and necrotic damage (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You can use blight as a free action if the target dies while affected by this power.
Level 7 Encounter Spells
Chain Blight; Death Knight Attack 7
You plague one foe and it immediately jumps to another.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature in range.
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight and you can make a secondary attack.
Secondary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the primary target.
Secondary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight and you can make a tertiary attack.
Tertiary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the secondary target.
Tertiary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight.
Plague Specialization: You gain a +2 bonus to the primary attack roll.
Blight; Death Knight Attack 1
You wrack a foe with terrible illness that slowly kills him.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Poison, Implement
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).
At 11th level increase damage to 10. At 21st level increase damage to 15.
Multiple occurrences of this power never stack under any circumstances.
Level 1 Encounter Spells
Plague Burst; Death Knight Attack 1
You release horrid diseases upon those near you.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Close burst 2
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom poison damage.
Plague Specialization: This power does not target allies.
Level 1 Daily Spells
Contagion; Death Knight Attack 1
You infect a foe with a blight that quickly spreads.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).
Miss: The target takes 5 poison damage.
Effect: If the target was hit then when it starts its turn each adjacent creature takes 5 ongoing poison damage (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You cannot be affected by this power.
Level 3 Encounter Spells
Mind Rot; Death Knight Attack 3
You inflict the dreaded mind rot disease upon a foe, causing him to scream in pain and be unable to think at all.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison, Psychic
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d6 + Wisdom modifier poison and psychic damage.
Plague Specialization: If you hit the target is dazed (save ends).
Level 5 Daily Spells
Death Chills; Death Knight Attack 5
You cause your foe to contract the death chills illness, causing his body to rot and his temperature to drop rapidly.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Cold, Implement, Necrotic, Reliable
Standard Action; Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target has ongoing 5 + your Wisdom modifier cold and necrotic damage (save ends).
Plague Specialization: You can use blight as a free action if the target dies while affected by this power.
Level 7 Encounter Spells
Chain Blight; Death Knight Attack 7
You plague one foe and it immediately jumps to another.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Poison
Standard Action; Ranged 5
Target: One creature in range.
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight and you can make a secondary attack.
Secondary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the primary target.
Secondary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight and you can make a tertiary attack.
Tertiary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the secondary target.
Tertiary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target suffers the effects of blight.
Plague Specialization: You gain a +2 bonus to the primary attack roll.
I'll be done with the plague rune section at ~Saturday.
Posting
- New Class Feature
- New Powers
- New Paragon Path
- Fluffy fluff
Afterward time to work on Poopsie, Destroyer of Life and Arvial, Minor Lich...lowbie level BBEG and his experiment...I derailed my own thread...hehe...
Also, the target a penalty to AC equal to half your Intelligence modifier until the start of its next turn the first time it makes an attack that does not include you as a target before the start of your next turn.
I found the wording here to be more than a little confusing. Maybe we could reword it to something like:
"Also, if the target makes an attack that does not include you as a target before your next turn, it gains a penalty to AC equal to half your Intelligence modifier until the start of it's next turn."
I've only just started looking at 4ed, so I'll keep checking back here as things become more clear to me. ^^
Plague Runes are found under feats.
I just copypasta the Paladin's mark, otherwise it can occur twice against some monsters.
Hmm, I guess that's a solid foundation. Could I suggest adding the the word "gains" as in "gains a penalty"? It seems to be missing from the description.
-DTB
Then I'll either work on Lore Runes (Dex) and Life Runes (Cha) or my Necromancer and/or Dervish classes.
Also may add Angel of Death paragon path.
If you use a minion you need to lrn2multi-task.
Also before anyone says anything, if your Inscribed Weapon is [insert enhancement here, I'll use fiery as an example], then the minion has fiery's properties.
Heir of the Lich king
Pre-req: attack that deals necrotic damage...
Spell master(21)(same as lich template, except maybe 1 die, may need balancing on this.)
Power of death(24) Immune to necrotic damage(or strong resistance, may need ballancing)
Master of death(30) You cannot be lowered bellow 0 HP, As long as you are at 0 HP you are Dazed.
(this is not as bad as the demigod.
Epic power:
control undead, or summon lich... not sure. Though gaining the necrotic aura also looks kind of good.
/cast welcome to club
You play to much WoW...:P
/cast welcome to club
NEVER!
WOW is a blaspheme on the name of war craft. I've played the real game, War Craft III and Frozen Thrones.
I might make a Lich King destiny, but I'm for sure making my Death Scion destiny.
I am changing the powers to all be either STR or INT with CON as a booster. This is so death knights can more easily mix-'n-match powers.
Effect: Pick one ally within 10 squares. Until the end of the encounter the ally takes half damage and you take the damage that the ally did not take because of this effect plus an additional 25 points of damage.
is continual or a once-off? The text suggests ongoing, but surely if the power was used, and the ally gets hit 5 times, it's a very easy way to drop 100-125+ HP in a round...