by Angry Golem Games

Death Knight Tactics: How to Outsmart and Overpower Your Enemies

You are a death knight, an undead champion of evil who once served a dark lord. You have sworn an oath of vengeance against those who betrayed you and your master, and you will stop at nothing to fulfill it. You are feared and respected by your enemies, who know that you are a formidable foe in combat. You have access to powerful spells, martial skills, and necromantic abilities that make you a deadly threat on the battlefield. You also have a loyal army of undead minions who obey your every command. You are the ultimate villain in any D&D campaign.

But you are not invincible. You have weaknesses that can be exploited by clever and resourceful adventurers. You have enemies that can challenge you and thwart your plans. You have secrets that can be exposed and used against you. You have emotions that can be manipulated and twisted. You have a story that can be changed and rewritten.

In this article, we will explore how to build challenging encounters against a death knight in D&D 5e, from the perspective of the death knight itself. We will examine the death knight’s strengths and weaknesses, its combat strategy, its lair and minions, and its roleplaying and storytelling. We will provide tips and tricks on how to make the death knight a memorable and exciting antagonist for your players. We will also provide examples of possible scenarios, encounters, and plot hooks involving the death knight.

The Undying Vengeance of the Death Knight

A Death Knight is a fearsome undead warrior who has sworn an oath of eternal service to a dark power. They are former paladins who have fallen from grace and betrayed their sacred oaths. They are driven by hatred, malice, and a thirst for revenge. They command the powers of necromancy, unholy magic, and martial prowess. They are formidable foes who can challenge even the most seasoned adventurers.

A Death Knight has several abilities that make them a deadly opponent in combat. Some of these abilities are:

Hellfire Orb: A Death Knight can hurl a ball of fire that explodes in a radius, engulfing enemies in flames and dealing fire damage. This ability can be used once per day.
Necrotic Resistance: A Death Knight is resistant to necrotic damage, which means they take half damage from spells and effects that drain life force or inflict death.
Parry: A Death Knight can use their reaction to add their proficiency bonus to their AC against one melee attack that would hit them, potentially causing the attack to miss.
Rejuvenation: A Death Knight can regain hit points at the start of their turn if they have at least 1 hit point and are not in sunlight or running water. This ability can be stopped by effects that prevent healing or deal radiant damage.
Spellcasting: A Death Knight can cast spells as a 19th-level spellcaster, using Charisma as their spellcasting ability. They have access to spells from the paladin and warlock spell lists, such as banishing smite, blight, circle of death, dispel magic, dominate person, fireball, hold monster, misty step, revivify, and vampiric touch.
Turn Resistance: A Death Knight has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead, such as a cleric’s Turn Undead feature or a paladin’s Channel Divinity option.

In addition to these abilities, a Death Knight also has some unique features that reflect their dark nature and origin. These features are:

Martial Legacy: A Death Knight retains the fighting style and divine smite features of their former paladin class. They can use their divine smite to deal extra necrotic damage instead of radiant damage when they hit with a melee weapon attack.
Oathbreaker Aura: A Death Knight radiates an aura of dread in a 30-foot radius around them. Any enemy within the aura has disadvantage on saving throws against spells cast by the Death Knight. Any undead within the aura, including the Death Knight, adds the Death Knight’s Charisma modifier to their weapon damage rolls.
Vengeful Tracker: A Death Knight knows the distance and direction to any creature that has harmed it in the past 24 hours, even if the creature is on another plane of existence. The Death Knight can use this feature to pursue its enemies relentlessly and exact its vengeance.

These are some of the abilities and features of a Death Knight, an undead warrior who seeks to destroy all that is good and holy in the world. A Death Knight is not a mindless zombie or skeleton, but a cunning and ruthless adversary who will stop at nothing to fulfill their dark oath. Adventurers who face a Death Knight should be prepared for a fierce and deadly encounter.

The Dark Oath of the Death Knight

A Death Knight is not a mere undead creature, but a fallen paladin who has betrayed their sacred oath and sworn allegiance to a dark power. They are consumed by hatred, malice, and a thirst for revenge. They seek to destroy all that is good and holy in the world, and to make others suffer as they have suffered. They have no remorse, no mercy, and no hope.

But what drives a Death Knight to such a dark path? What makes them forsake their former ideals and embrace evil? The answer lies in their dark oath, the binding contract that grants them their unholy powers and curses them with eternal undeath.

A dark oath is not something that a paladin takes lightly. It is a desperate act, a last resort, a final gamble. It is a choice that is made in a moment of weakness, despair, or madness. A paladin may take a dark oath for various reasons, such as:

Revenge: A paladin may seek vengeance for a great wrong that was done to them or someone they loved, such as the death of their family, the betrayal of their comrades, or the destruction of their homeland. They may blame themselves, their enemies, or even their god for their misfortune. They may seek to punish those who wronged them, or to inflict pain on anyone who crosses their path.
Power: A paladin may crave more power than their god can offer them, or feel that their god has abandoned them or failed them. They may seek to challenge their god’s authority, or to overthrow them and take their place. They may seek to conquer the world, or to reshape it in their image.
Corruption: A paladin may be corrupted by an evil influence, such as a demon, a lich, or an artifact. They may be seduced by promises of wealth, glory, or pleasure. They may be manipulated by lies, threats, or blackmail. They may be brainwashed by magic, torture, or drugs.
Redemption: A paladin may believe that they have sinned beyond redemption, or that they have failed their god or their cause. They may seek to atone for their mistakes by sacrificing themselves to a dark power, or by serving as an instrument of divine justice. They may seek to end their own suffering, or to prevent others from following their example.

Whatever the reason, a paladin who takes a dark oath must pay a terrible price. They must renounce their former god and oath, and pledge themselves to a new master. They must perform a ritual that involves blood, fire, and death. They must accept the mark of their new patron on their body and soul.

The result is a Death Knight: an undead warrior who wields the powers of necromancy and unholy magic. A Death Knight retains some of their former abilities as a paladin, such as fighting style and divine smite, but they use them for evil purposes. A Death Knight also gains new abilities that reflect their dark nature and origin, such as hellfire orb, oathbreaker aura, and vengeful tracker.

A Death Knight is bound by their dark oath to serve their new master faithfully and obediently. They must follow their master’s commands without question or hesitation. They must carry out their master’s will without regard for morality or consequence. They must honor their master above all else.

A Death Knight cannot break their dark oath without risking severe punishment from their master. They cannot repent or seek forgiveness from their former god without losing their powers and facing eternal torment. They cannot rest or die without fulfilling their oath or being released by their master.

A Death Knight is trapped in a cycle of violence and misery that can only end with the destruction of themselves or everything they once held dear.

These are some of the motivations and consequences of a Death Knight’s dark oath: an unholy pact that grants them power at the cost of their soul. A Death Knight is not only an enemy of life and light, but also of themselves and their former ideals. Adventurers who encounter a Death Knight should be wary of their wrath and despair.

The Undead Legion of the Death Knight

A Death Knight is not only a powerful undead warrior, but also a master of necromancy. They can command and control undead creatures with ease, using their dark magic and their oathbreaker aura. They can raise undead armies as no one, not even a necromancer, can.

A Death Knight can create undead minions by using their innate necromantic power, which is ancient and inaccessible to mortals. This power stems from their dark oath, which grants them access to a source of magic that is beyond the comprehension of most spellcasters. Only liches and hags can master this type of exotic magic, which allows them to manipulate life and death in ways that defy the natural order.

A Death Knight can use their necromantic power to animate corpses and skeletons, or to turn living creatures into zombies or wights. They can also use their hellfire orb to incinerate enemies and then raise them as ashes zombies. A Death Knight does not need to utter any words or make any gestures to use their necromantic power; they simply will it into being.

A Death Knight can also command undead creatures that they encounter or summon. They can use their oathbreaker aura to grant undead within 30 feet of them advantage on saving throws against features that turn undead. They can also use their charisma and their martial legacy to persuade or intimidate undead to follow their orders.

A Death Knight can create a loyal and formidable army of undead soldiers, who will fight for them until they are destroyed or released. A Death Knight can use their undead legion to wage war against their enemies, to defend their territory, or to fulfill their dark oath. A Death Knight can also use their vengeful tracker feature to locate and pursue any creature that has harmed them in the past 24 hours, even if they are on another plane of existence. A Death Knight can lead their undead legion across the lands, leaving a trail of death and destruction behind them.

These are some of the aspects of the Death Knight ability to command and control undeads: a necromantic skill that allows them to raise undead armies and to dominate other undead creatures. A Death Knight is not only a threat by themselves, but also by the horde of undead that they can unleash upon the world.

The Dark Signs of the Death Knight

A Death Knight does not hide their presence or their intentions. They leave behind dark signs that mark their activity in a region. Some of these signs are:

Undead Creatures: A Death Knight can create and command undead creatures with their necromantic power. They can raise corpses and skeletons, or turn living creatures into zombies or wights. They can also summon ashes zombies from the remains of their enemies. A Death Knight often leads an army of undead soldiers, who follow their orders without question or hesitation. The presence of undead creatures in a region is a clear sign of a Death Knight’s activity. These undead creatures usually start to appear in peripheral areas, such as hamlets and small villages, where they can prey on the weak and the unsuspecting.
Defiled Lands: A Death Knight can use their dark magic to harm, control, or manipulate the natural environment. They can cast spells such as blight, circle of death, or fireball to cause damage and destruction to plants, animals, and structures. They can also use their hellfire orb to incinerate enemies and then raise them as ashes zombies. A Death Knight’s dark magic can leave behind traces of defiling and withering, especially in green and lush areas. The lands that are affected by a Death Knight’s dark magic can lose their vitality and beauty, becoming barren and desolate.
Nightmares: A Death Knight radiates an aura of dread in a 30-foot radius around them. Any enemy within the aura has disadvantage on saving throws against spells cast by the Death Knight. Any undead within the aura, including the Death Knight, adds the Death Knight’s Charisma modifier to their weapon damage rolls. A Death Knight’s oathbreaker aura is a manifestation of their dark oath, which binds them to their sinister master. The aura can be felt by anyone who approaches a Death Knight, causing fear, despair, or anger. The aura can also affect the dreams of those who live near a Death Knight, causing them to have nightmares where they see horrific things, such as the Death Knight’s face, their undead minions, or their dark master.
Wildlife Migration: A Death Knight is an enemy of life and light, and they seek to destroy all that is good and holy in the world. They have no regard for the balance of nature or the harmony of the living creatures. They kill or enslave any creature that crosses their path, or use them as material for their necromantic experiments. A Death Knight’s presence can cause a disturbance in the natural order, which can be sensed by the wildlife in the region. Wild animals can feel the danger and the evil that emanates from a Death Knight, and they try to avoid them as much as possible. Wild animals can migrate far from the places where they normally live, seeking safer and more peaceful habitats.
Bandit Disappearance: A Death Knight is a cunning and ruthless adversary, who will stop at nothing to fulfill their dark oath. They are driven by hatred, malice, and a thirst for revenge. They seek to punish those who wronged them, or to inflict pain on anyone who crosses their path. A Death Knight does not discriminate between friend or foe, ally or enemy, innocent or guilty. They will kill anyone who stands in their way, or who can serve as a means to an end. A Death Knight often targets bandits as their first victims, as they are easy prey and provide corpses to reanimate as undead. Bandit activity can mysteriously drop in a region where a Death Knight is active, as they are swiftly eliminated by the undead warrior.
Cleric Assassination: A Death Knight is a fallen paladin who has betrayed their sacred oath and sworn allegiance to a dark power. They are former paladins who have fallen from grace and renounced their former god and ideals. They are enemies of faith and righteousness, and they seek to destroy all that is divine and holy in the world. They have no respect or reverence for any religion or deity, except for their dark master. A Death Knight often targets clerics of religions whose sphere of influence may oppose undead activity or good-aligned religions. They see clerics as rivals or threats, or as reminders of their past sins and failures. Clerics can be swiftly eliminated by a Death Knight, possibly leaving no traces behind.

These are some of the signs that mark the presence of a Death Knight activity in a region: undead creatures, defiled lands, nightmares, wildlife migration, bandit disappearance, and cleric assassination. A Death Knight is not a subtle or stealthy foe, but a bold and ruthless one. They announce their presence with their deeds and their words, challenging anyone who dares to oppose them. Adventurers who encounter these signs should be cautious and prepared for a dangerous and deadly encounter with a Death Knight.

The Death Knight’s Master Plan

A Death Knight does not act on impulse or whim, but on a long-term plan that is dictated by their dark oath. Their dark oath is the binding contract that grants them their unholy powers and curses them with eternal undeath. Their dark oath also determines their goals, their methods, and their allies.

A Death Knight’s long-term strategies may vary depending on the nature of their dark oath, but they usually involve some of the following elements:

Revenge: A Death Knight may seek vengeance for a great wrong that was done to them or someone they loved, such as the death of their family, the betrayal of their comrades, or the destruction of their homeland. They may blame themselves, their enemies, or even their god for their misfortune. They may seek to punish those who wronged them, or to inflict pain on anyone who crosses their path. A Death Knight’s long-term strategy may involve tracking down and killing their enemies one by one, or unleashing a cataclysmic event that would wipe out their foes.
Power: A Death Knight may crave more power than their god can offer them, or feel that their god has abandoned them or failed them. They may seek to challenge their god’s authority, or to overthrow them and take their place. They may seek to conquer the world, or to reshape it in their image. A Death Knight’s long-term strategy may involve gathering followers and resources, or acquiring artifacts and secrets that would grant them more power. They may also seek to ally with other powerful beings, such as demons, liches, or dragons.
Corruption: A Death Knight may be corrupted by an evil influence, such as a demon, a lich, or an artifact. They may be seduced by promises of wealth, glory, or pleasure. They may be manipulated by lies, threats, or blackmail. They may be brainwashed by magic, torture, or drugs. A Death Knight’s long-term strategy may involve spreading their corruption to others, or serving as an agent of their evil master. They may also seek to corrupt or destroy anything that is pure or good in the world, such as holy sites, sacred relics, or virtuous people.
Redemption: A Death Knight may believe that they have sinned beyond redemption, or that they have failed their god or their cause. They may seek to atone for their mistakes by sacrificing themselves to a dark power, or by serving as an instrument of divine justice. They may seek to end their own suffering, or to prevent others from following their example. A Death Knight’s long-term strategy may involve completing a final task or mission that would fulfill their dark oath, or finding a way to break free from their curse and find peace.

Whatever the reason, a Death Knight who follows a long-term strategy must pay a terrible price. They must renounce their former god and oath, and pledge themselves to a new master. They must perform a ritual that involves blood, fire, and death. They must accept the mark of their new patron on their body and soul.

The result is a Death Knight: an undead warrior who wields the powers of necromancy and unholy magic. A Death Knight retains some of their former abilities as a paladin, but they use them for evil purposes. A Death Knight also gains new abilities that reflect their dark nature and origin, such as hellfire orb, oathbreaker aura, and vengeful tracker.

The Dark Freedom of the Death Knight

But what if a Death Knight manages to fulfill their dark oath? What if they achieve their goals, their methods, and their allies? What if they complete their final task or mission that would satisfy their dark patron? What would happen then?

A Death Knight who fulfills their dark oath may experience a moment of relief, joy, or satisfaction. They may feel that they have accomplished something great, something worthy, something meaningful. They may feel that they have redeemed themselves, or avenged themselves, or proven themselves.

But this feeling would not last long. A Death Knight who fulfills their dark oath would soon realize that they have also lost something precious, something irreplaceable, something eternal. They would realize that they have lost their soul.

A Death Knight who fulfills their dark oath would break free from any external influence or limitation. They would no longer be bound by their dark patron, or by any other power or authority. They would no longer be cursed with eternal undeath, or with any other affliction or weakness. They would no longer be driven by hatred, malice, or revenge.

But they would also be free from any internal guidance or restraint. They would no longer have any faith, any hope, or any love. They would no longer have any morals, any ethics, or any honor. They would no longer have any purpose, any meaning, or any direction.

A Death Knight who fulfills their dark oath would become a free agent, a wild card, a loose cannon. They would become unpredictable, unstable, and uncontrollable. They would become dangerous, destructive, and deadly.

A Death Knight who fulfills their dark oath may attempt to rebuild their previous life as a paladin, but it would not be the same. It would be a distorted and corrupted version, a sort of mockery of their previous deeds. They would follow a code of conduct or honor that would suit their own interests and desires, not the common good or the greater good. They would act as a tyrant, a dictator, or a despot, not as a protector, a defender, or a leader.

A Death Knight who fulfills their dark oath may attempt to build a dark church, with followers, clerics and faithful zealots. But it would not be a true church, but a cult. It would not be based on worship, but on fear. It would not be guided by divine principles, but by twisted dogmas. It would not seek to spread the light, but to extinguish it.

A Death Knight who fulfills their dark oath may turn to Lawful Evil alignment, at the game master’s discretion. They may look for their space in the political arena, thus becoming a dangerous, scheming and powerful villain. They may seek to influence or control the governments, the organizations, or the factions that rule the world. They may use their charisma, their intelligence, and their resources to manipulate or coerce others to do their bidding. They may also use their martial prowess, their necromantic magic, and their undead legion to intimidate or eliminate anyone who opposes them.

A Death Knight who fulfills their dark oath may also seek to challenge or surpass their former god, or even their former dark patron. They may see themselves as superior or equal to any deity or entity in the multiverse. They may try to acquire more power or knowledge that would allow them to ascend to godhood, or to challenge the existing gods for supremacy. They may also try to create or destroy planes of existence, alter the laws of reality, or manipulate the forces of creation and destruction.

These are some of the possible scenarios that could happen once a Death Knight fulfills his dark oath: a dark freedom that grants them autonomy at the cost of their humanity. A Death Knight who fulfills his dark oath is not only an enemy of life and light, but also of themselves and their former ideals. Adventurers who encounter such a Death Knight should be wary of their power and their madness.

Death Knight Combat Tactics

The Death Knight is a formidable opponent who has mastered the dark arts of necromancy and martial prowess. He does not fear death, for he has already died once and returned as an undead champion of evil. He seeks to spread his unholy influence and challenge any who dare to oppose him.

The Death Knight’s combat tactics can be summarized as follows:

Choose the battlefield: The Death Knight will often lure or provoke his enemies into a location where he can raise undead minions from the corpses of fallen warriors or animals. These minions serve as a distraction and a hindrance for his foes, reducing their mobility and forcing them to deal with multiple threats.
Use Hellfire Orb: The Death Knight can use his Hellfire Orb ability to unleash a blast of fire and necrotic energy that damages all creatures within 20 feet of the point of impact. He will target this ability against less armored foes or weaker foes, especially spellcasters who can pose a threat to his plans.
Use Power Word Kill or Power Word Stun: The Death Knight also has access to some powerful spells that can turn the tide of battle in his favor. He can use Power Word Kill or Power Word Stun to instantly slay or incapacitate a wounded opponent or a low-hit point character class. He can also use Dominate Person to take control of an enemy’s mind and force them to fight against their allies. The Death Knight is not afraid to use these spells on himself if he is in danger of being overwhelmed or captured, preferring to die than to surrender.
Use minions as fodder or fuel: The Death Knight is not above using his own minions as fodder or fuel for his attacks. He can use his Hellfire Orb against his undead servants, knowing that they will not feel pain or fear. It is possible to consider that the Hellfire Orb, which deals fire and necrotic damage, may heal undead creatures thanks to the necrotic damage, thus compensating the fire damage inflicted. This is up to the Game Master’s discretion, but it can add an interesting twist to the encounter. Alternatively, the Death Knight can use his Parry ability to deflect an attack made against him by using one of his minions as a shield.
Engage in melee combat: If the undead minions manage to keep at bay spellcasters and weaken melee combatants, then the Death Knight will go for the latter. He will use his Multiattack ability to strike with his greatsword and inflict additional necrotic damage with his Dreadful Aspect feature. He will also use his Legendary Actions to move, attack, or cast a cantrip at the end of another creature’s turn. The Death Knight is a relentless and ruthless fighter who will not stop until he or his enemies are destroyed.

How to Make the Death Knight a Memorable Villain

The Death Knight is not just a powerful enemy, but also a potential antagonist for your campaign. He has a backstory, a motivation, and a personality that can make him a compelling and memorable villain. Here are some general suggestions for the Game Master on how to make the Death Knight a more interesting and challenging foe:

Give him a reason to exist: The Death Knight was once a mortal champion of good who fell from grace and became an undead servant of evil. What caused his downfall? What is his current goal? How does he relate to the other factions and forces in the world? For example, you could make him a former paladin who betrayed his order and swore allegiance to an evil god, a fallen king who sought immortality and power through dark magic, or a corrupted hero who was manipulated by a fiendish lover.
Give him a personality: The Death Knight is not just a mindless killing machine, but a sentient being with emotions, thoughts, and opinions. How does he view himself and his actions? How does he interact with his allies and enemies? What are his strengths and weaknesses? For example, you could make him arrogant and prideful, believing that he is superior to all living beings, remorseful and conflicted, seeking redemption or revenge for his past sins, or sadistic and cruel, enjoying the suffering of his victims.
Give him a challenge: The Death Knight is a formidable opponent who can pose a serious threat to even the most experienced adventurers. How do you make the encounter with him challenging and exciting? How do you balance his abilities and resources with those of the party? What are the possible outcomes and consequences of the encounter? For example, you could make him use his environment to his advantage, summoning undead minions or setting traps, use his spells creatively and strategically, targeting the most vulnerable or dangerous foes, or use his legendary actions and resistances to surprise and counterattack the party.

The Death Knight is a versatile and adaptable villain who can fit into any campaign setting and genre. By following these general suggestions, you can make him a more engaging and memorable character who will challenge and entertain your players.