Dark Knight

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Overview & Creation

A man clad in heavy armor cleaves his way through the battle field. An aura of darkness radiates out from him. His blows are swift and sunder the foes' armor. His enemies turn and run, claiming he is no man, but a demon.
Standing before a wounded citizen, a woman clad in ebony holds out her hand towards the group of guards. She alone stands between the corrupted enforcers and the innocent soul. She chants in a lost tongue and a blast of dark energy launches from her palm, striking a guard down.
Battered and bloodied, a man drags himself to his feet. Armor dark as night, accented by his own blood, he feels energy bursting forth from his body. Using his pain as a weapon he strikes down the great beast before him before falling to a knee.
It is a dark knight's freedom from the bounds of the law which make these dark avengers so effective. Unconcerned with what is lawful, a dark knight is concerned with what is ethical in their view. Those who spread tyranny and injustice best prepare for a visit from a dark knight who aims to set things right.

 

Protecting the Meek

A Dark Knight is a knight who has taken up arms to serve the downtrodden. They serve no lords or institutions, believing no one is exempt from justice, no matter what their position in society. They protect the common folk from not only banditry and wild beasts, but from corrupt men who seek to oppress them. In return, Dark Knights are often fed and housed by those they protect, or rely upon bounty hunting and raiding looters to support themselves.

 

Internal Darkness

When an adventurer chooses the path of a Dark Knight they understand that they are renouncing their rights to be a regular member of society. They belong to no society, acting as paragons of justice who see no allegiance. To assist them in their quest, Dark Knights are able to sacrifice their own life force to power a well of darkness within themselves. They cause themselves great pain and exhaustion in order to allow dark power to course through their body which they harness in a variety of ways.

 

Creating a Dark Knight

Dark Knights are natural adventurers, living outside the law to see their goals to fruition. They may live within a remote village protecting the inhabitants from bandits, while the land's knights turn a blind eye to their plight, or they may travel the world seeking out institutionalized injustice and smiting it with violence. Dark Knights act on behalf of the common folk, and do so not expecting praise nor admiration. They are aware that they will not be celebrated in the history books like Paladins would be. Instead they expect to be demonized by history and happily accept this fact. One seeking to become a Dark Knight must be introduced to it through some means, be it an ancient tome with their rituals recorded or a mentor to impart their knowledge.

 

Quick Build

You can make a Dark Knight quickly by following these suggestions. First make Strength your highest ability score, following with Charisma. Second take the Folk Hero background.

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Class Features

Well of Darkness

Beginning at the 1st level you the darkness in your soul begins to pool and manifest as power. This pool of energy is known as the Well of Darkness. All expended uses of your Well of Darkness points refresh upon completing a short rest, during which 30 minutes were spent communing with your inner darkness through meditation.
When using abilities triggered through using your Well of Darkness that require the enemy to make a saving throw, the saving throw is calculated as follows.
Dark Knight Spell DC = 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Charisma modifier.
When using spells which require you to make a ranged spell attack, your spell attack modifier is calculated as follows.
Dark Knight Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency modifier + your Charisma modifier.

 

Darkside

Beginning at 1st level, you are able to tap into the powers of your inner darkness. As a bonus action you may spend one well of Darkness point to activate Darkside for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. When you take the attack action under the effects of Darkside, all of your damage rolls deal additional damage for the remainder of your turn. The bonus damage can be found in the class table above.

 

Bloody Sacrifice

Beginning at the 2nd level, as a bonus action you may expend one of your hit die and roll it. You recover Well of Darkness points equal to the result. You cannot exceed your maximum number of Well of Darkness points.

 

Fighting Style Beginning at the 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.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 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, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the twohanded or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of You, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

 

Dark Knight Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose which path of the dark knight to follow. The Ebony Champion focuses on martial prowess, the Abyssal Channeler focuses on using dark magic weaved into their melee combat and the Hellbound uses their own pain and suffering to unleash powerful attacks.

 

Ability Score Improvement

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

 

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

 

The Blackest Night

Beginning at the 7th level, as a bonus action you may expend one Hit Die to create a barrier which protects you or a creature within 30ft. of you. Roll the expended hit die, the target gains temporary hit points equal to the die result + your Charisma modifier.

 

Soul Judge

Beginning at the 9th Level, you can cast the spell detect evil and good at will.

 

Dark Embrace

Beginning at the 10th level, on your turn you may use a bonus action to curse a creature. The curse lasts for 1 minute. The curse ends when the creature dies, you die or are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.
• Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
• If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your Dark Knight level + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 hit point) and 1 Well of Darkness point.

You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

 

Mired Empathy

Beginning at the 13th level, you have gained an understanding of your inner darkness. You are able to cast the Detect Thoughts spell using two Well of Darkness spells. You may do this on a willing creature as a touch spell at will.

 

Dirty Fighter

Beginning at the 14th level, you have learned to incorporate dirty tactics into your fighting style. When making an attack of opportunity, you can expend a Well of Darkness point to focus your strike to a sensitive part of the body, forcing your enemy to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the enemy is stunned until they begin their next turn.

 

Grasp of Darkness

Beginning at the 15th level, you've become highly attuned to the dark thoughts in your mind. These thoughts help shield your mind from outside trickery. You gain proficiency on Wisdom saving throws.

 

Consumed by Darkness

Beginning at the 18th Level, you can no longer hide your attunement with your inner darkness from an observer. Your skin has taken a sickly grey tint to it. You can expend a Well of Darkness point to cast Circle of Death once. You may cast Circle of Death again in this way after completing a long rest.

 

Living Dead

Beginning at the 20th level, you are able to give yourself over to the abyss, allowing you to continue fighting long after you should fall. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, make a DC 10 constitution save. On a successful save, you instead fall to 1 hit point and for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier, you cannot fall below 1 hit point. You may use this feature once, use of the feature refreshing after completing a long rest.

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Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) chain mail or (b) hide armor
• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a short bow and 20 arrows or (b) two daggers
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack

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Subclass Options

A Path Shrouded in Sorrow

A Dark Knight takes up their sword knowing full well that the path they select will have harsh effects on their body and mind. They know they will be viewed as villains and monsters, while fighting to do the right thing. This understanding helps a Dark Knight select the path which they walk. A fledging Dark Knight decides where to direct this unavoidable misery. An Ebony Champion walks the path of a warrior, who will see countless battles, hardening themselves in the flames of war to become a peerless combatant. An Abyssal Channeler looks inwards, taking note of the darkness welling within them and learning to manipulate the raw life force energy into powerful Dark Arts. A Hellbound Dark Knight allows the darkness to run wild throughout their body, causing pain to themselves to drag their enemies to hell with them.

 

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Ebony Champion

Those who select the path of becoming an Ebony Champion have focused on using their Well of Darkness to greatly improve their martial prowess. They focus on capitalizing on their Darkside to empower their strikes and fight with an endless fervor.

 

Plunge

Beginning at the 3rd level, you can plunge. As an action, you leap into the air using the momentum of your weapon, travelling a maximum distance equal to half your base walking speed, landing adjacent to an enemy you can see. You then make an attack against that enemy, dealing an extra 1d6 on hit. The extra damage increases to 2d6 at the 11th level and 3d6 at the 17th level. You may plunge twice before requiring a short rest.

 

Dread Bringer

Beginning at the 6th level, you are capable of causing a sense of dread to wash over a target you can see within 10ft. of you. The creature must make a charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature has disadvantage on Charisma ability checks for 10 minutes. The creature has no knowledge that you have acted upon them, and believes their altered state is a natural result from your presence. On a successful save, nothing happens to the creature and the creature is immune to this effect for 1 hour.

 

Blood Weapon Beginning at the 11th level, you are able to absorb energy from enemies through your weapon. While under the effects of Darkside, when you successfully strike an enemy with your attack action, once per round may you recover hit points equal to the bonus damage from Darkside.

 

Dark Survivor

Beginning at the 17th level, you have learned to channel the abyss through your body to continue to fight. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left. You don't gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points. This healing does not count towards the effects of Living Dead.

 

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Hellbound

A Hellbound Dark Knight has learned how to turn the suffering they experience at another's hands into a tool for destruction. They specialize in using this pain and redirecting it into weapons to use against their foes.

 

Dark Nebula

Beginning at the 3rd level, as an action you may spend 1 Well of Darkness point to unleash a powerful wave of negative energy with your weapon. You deal #d6 necrotic damage to all creatures in a 15ft. cone infront of you and take #d4 necrotic damage yourself. This number is for both the damage dealt and received and can be a number from one up to your Charisma Modifier. All affected creatures make a Dexterity saving throw against your Dark Knight Spell DC, taking half damage on a success and full damage on a failure.

 

Adversity

Beginning at the 6th level, your power grows as you take damage. For every 15 hit points you are missing you gain +1 on attack and damage rolls up to a maximum equal to your Constitution modifier.

 

Hell Link

Beginning at the 11th level, your self-destructive way of life has led to your ability to communicate in supernatural ways. You are able to cast the Speak with Dead or Tongues spells. You may cast these spells twice, uses refreshing after a long rest.

 

Ravaged Soul

Beginning at the 17th level, damage from all sources is reduced by your current Adversity bonus. Additionally when you use your Dark Nebula ability, it deals an additional 2d10 necrotic damage and you may instead attack all creatures in a 30ft. line.

 

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Abyssal Channeler

As an Abyssal Channeler, you have decided to focus on manipulating your Well of Darkness. Doing so allows you to convert your own life force into powerful Dark Arts. You know two Dark Arts at 3rd level, detailed in the Dark Arts section below. You learn one additional Dark Art of your choice at the 6th, 11th and 17th level. Additionally you know the Toll the Dead cantrip.
Casting Dark Arts. Using the dark magical energy from within, you are able to cast spells. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting. To cast one of these spells you use its casting time and other rules, but you don't need to provide material components for it.
Once you reach the 6th level in this class, you can spend additional Well of Darkness point to increase the level of a Dark Art that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level. The spell’s level increases by 1 for each additional Well of Darkness hit die you spend. The default casting level of these spells is at the lowest possible level.
The maximum number of Well of Darkness point you can spend in this way (including the base cost and the additional points you spend to increase the level) is determined by your Dark Knight level, as shown in the Spells and Well of Darkness Points table.

Spells and Well of Darkness Points.

Dark Knight Levels | Maximum Points for a Spell
6th-8th | 4
9th-12th | 5
13th-16th | 6
17th-20th | 7

 

Dark Arts

The Dark Arts list is presented in alphabetical order. If the magic requires a level, you must be that level in this class to learn the spell.
Abyssal Drain (17th Level Required). You can spend 6 Well of Darkness points to cast Contagion.
Creeping Darkness. You can spend 3 Well of Darkness points to cast Darkness.
Damning Curse. You can spend 3 Well of Darkness points to cast Bane.
Dark Circle. You can spend 3 Well of Darkness hit dice to cast Enthrall.
Dark Mind (11th Level Required). You can spend 4 Well of Darkness points to cast Hypnotic Pattern.
Dark Passenger (11th level Required). You can spend 4 Well of Darkness points to cast Lightning Bolt. It deals necrotic damage.
Evil Eye. (17th Level Required). You can spend 6 Well of Darkness points to cast Scrying.
Power Slash (6th Level Required). You can spend 4 Well of Darkness points to cast Elemental Weapon.
Reprisal. You can spend 2 Well of Darkness points to cast Hellish Rebuke.
Salted Earth (11th Level Required). You can spend 4 Well of Darkness points to cast Hunger of Hadar.
Shadow Skin (6th Level Required). You can spend 2 Well of Darkness points to cast Blade Ward on yourself as a bonus action.
Scourge. You can spend 2 Well of Darkness points to cast Hex.
Shadow Wall (17th Level Required). You can spend 6 Well of Darkness points to cast Shadow of Moil.
Soul Eater (11th Level Required). You can spend 4 Well of Darkness points to cast Vampiric Touch.
Unleashed. You can spend 2 Well of Darkness points to cast Arms of Hadar.
Unmend. You can spend 2 Well of Darkness points to cast Magic Missile.
Void Burst. (17th Level Required). You can spend 6 Well of Darkness points to cast Negative Energy Flood.

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