Priest: The Void
Hit Points
Hit Dice: d8 per Priest: The Void level
Hit Points at first Level: See Priest
Hit Points at Higher Levels: See Priest
Overview & Creation
The Light in which many priests bathe is brilliant and effervescent, granting them immense divine power. But the brightest light casts the darkest shadow—and from within this blackness, a rival power dwells. Shadow priests fully embrace this opposing polarity, their faith equally resolute as their holy counterparts—but focused on shadowy magic and mental manipulation. Like all priests, they dedicate much of their lives to worship—but they derive their power from the Void, straying dangerously close to the domain of the Old Gods. To truly understand such ancient, corruptive influence is to be driven mad. This is the state in which these dark priests thrive, embracing insanity and feeding off of the minds of their opponents to reach terrifying new limits.
Subclass Options
Dark Knowledge
Beginning at 1st level when you choose this path, you learn the chill touch cantrip. When you gain additional levels in the class, you learn new spells at the following levels that always count as prepared for you:
Dark Knowledge
Priest Level |
Spells |
1st |
arms of Hadar, inflict wounds |
3rd |
blindness/deafness, enthrall |
5th |
hunger of Hadar, vampiric touch |
7th |
blight, Evard's black tentacles |
9th |
destructive wave, mislead |
Shadowform
At 3rd level, you can transform yourself into a terrifying, shadowy form of yourself. As an action, you can assume this form, which lasts until you fall unconscious or end it as an action. While in Shadowform, your spells that heal damage instead deal necrotic damage and can target enemy creatures. If you deal necrotic damage to a creature with a spell of 1st-level or higher, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. These temporary hit points last for up to 1 hour. After you use this feature, you must wait until after you finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Shadow Word: Pain
At 6th level, you can inflict debilitating pain on enemies. Choose a creature within 60 feet. You deal necrotic damage equal to 2d10 + your priest level and reduce its speed by 10 feet. A successful Constitution saving throw halves the damage dealt. As long as you remain within 60 feet of this target, you can use your action on your turn to deal an additional 1d10 necrotic damage and continue reducing its speed, up to a maximum of 1 minute. After you use this feature, you must wait until after you finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Dispersion
At 10th level, you can dissolve your form into the shadows. While using your Shadowform feature, you can become ethereal and incorporeal as an action. While in this form, you have immunity to damage from nonmagical weapons and can move through other creatures, though you take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn within another creature’s space. While dispersed, you also cannot cast spells that affect hostile creatures. This effect lasts for up to 1 minute or until you choose to end it on your turn (no action required).
Masochism
You are encouraged by the pain you take. Beginning at 14th level, if you have taken damage on your previous turn you can add 1d4 to a single ability check, saving throw, or attack roll you make before the beginning of your next turn.
Vampiric Embrace
Beginning at 20th level, you can use your mastery of the shadows to sap life for your allies. Whenever you deal necrotic damage to a creature, you can use a bonus action to choose an ally within 30 feet. That ally regains hit points equal to one-half the damage dealt. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.