Death's Servant [ edit ]

A wizard rests upon a pile of bones, surrounded by the shambling figures of humanoids around him. He waves his hand, and they rush out, running to the village in the dead of night, causing havoc while the secret cultists within the king's council receive their latest instructions from the death lord.



One goliath stands on top of the bodies of his fallen brethren, and with a mighty roar, he raises them from their grave, giving them one more chance to fight in order to give time for the rest of the villagers to evacuate.

A long dead paladin rises in a moment of desperation by a cloaked Kobold, speaking the ancient curse of undeath and sending him to kill the foul humans that are raiding its home.

Death is the ultimate source of power [ edit ]

A death's servant is a mighty force to be reckoned with. They are cunning and dangerous, or knowledgable and cautious. They are mostly of neutrual alignment, But there are cases of both evil and good ones. Examples would be a necromancer, or a Cleric who utilizes the dead as a form of force to protect. However this all depends on the setting the world takes place in, and should be discussed with the DM.

Creating a Death's Servant. [ edit ]

When creating a Death's Servant, you must ask yourself, why would anyone use necrotic and underwordly powers? Is it to gain power and rule with a rotten fist? To gain fame and be known throughout the realm? A cursed existence bound to end in pain? To save those who couldn't be saved otherwise? Then, who trained you? Where were you trained? How did people react to it? Are your favourite servants physical or spiritual? Do you see them as minions or as actual living creatures?

Quick Build

You can make a Death's Servant quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Soldier or the Inquisitor background.

Class Features

As a Death's Servant you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Death's Servant level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 1d8 + Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Death's Servant level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: light armor, medium armor, shields

Weapons: scythes, scimitars, shovel, quarterstaff

Tools: poisoners kits, herbalists kit

Saving Throws: Charisma, Dexterity

Skills: Medicine, and two from Arcana, Religion, Stealth, Intimidation, and Persuasion.

Equipment

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

( a ) scale mail or ( b ) leather armor

) scale mail or ( ) leather armor ( a ) scythe or ( b ) quarterstaff

) scythe or ( ) quarterstaff ( a ) poisoners kit or ( b ) herbalists kit

) poisoners kit or ( ) herbalists kit (a) dungeoneers pack or (b) explorers pack

Table: The Death's Servant Level Proficiency

Bonus Features Cantrips Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st +2 Spellcasting, Undying gifts, Undead Overlord, Shadow caller 3 2 - - - 2nd +2 Powers of the Grave 3 3 - - - 3rd +2 Soul Castings, Path of the restless 3 4 2 - - 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement, Undying Beasts 4 4 3 - - 5th +3 Raging dead 4 4 3 2 - 6th +3 Large Undead, Burden/Animating Strikes 4 4 3 3 - 7th +3 — 4 4 3 3 1 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 3 3 2 9th +4 Flaming Undead 4 4 3 3 3 10th +4 Cult Leader, Death's Deals/Death's Weaponmaster 5 4 3 3 3 11th +4 — 5 4 3 3 3 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 13th +5 Darkened Living 5 4 3 3 3 14th +5 Ordeal/Glory in death 5 4 3 3 3 15th +5 Dark workings 5 4 3 3 3 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 17th +6 — 5 4 3 3 3 18th +6 Ultimatum 5 4 3 3 3 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 20th +6 Final Destination/Deadly 5 4 3 3 3

Spellcasting [ edit ]

All Death's Servants draw their power from the demon prince Orcus, allowing them to cast Cleric spells. However, Charisma is your modifier for these spells. Healing spells are half as effective on undead creatures you cast them at, and yes, you can heal the dead. Your spell attack modifier is: your Charisma modifier plus your Proficiency bonus. Your Spell Save DC equals eight plus your Charisma modifier plus your Proficiency bonus.

Cantrips

At 1st level you know 3 cantrips from the Cleric spell list. See the table above for cantrips at higher levels.

Spells known

The Death's Servant table shows how many Spell Slots you have to cast your Spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these Spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended Spell Slots when you finish a Long Rest.

You prepare the list of cleric Spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the cleric spell list. In addition, you may prepare any spell with the necromancy tag. When you do so, choose a number of cleric Spells equal to your charisma modifier + your Death's Servant level (minimum of one spell). The Spells must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots.

For example, if you are a 3rd-level Death's Servant, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level Spell Slots. With a charisma of 16, your list of prepared Spells can include six Spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell Cure Wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared Spells.

You can change your list of prepared Spells when you finish a Long Rest. Preparing a new list of cleric Spells requires time spent in meditation: at least 1 minute per Spell Level for each spell on your list.

Undying gifts [ edit ]

Starting from 1st level, as a boon from Orcus, you can cast Animate Dead once every day without using a spell slot. This replenishes at nightfall. At 4th level, undead creatures that would stop being controlled by you don't stop being controlled by you after 24 hours and instead after 48 and at 5th level your control only ends if the creature dies.

Undead Overlord [ edit ]

Your powers grow by each member that joins your force. Starting at 1st level, you may have as many undead creatures under your control being equal to your Charisma Modifier, without any fear of rebellion or them not following your commands. At 3rd level, the number becomes double the modifier, at 10th, it becomes triple. At Later levels the amount increases by 1 per level. You cannot summon more undead than the amount you can control.

Shadow caller l [ edit ]

Starting from 1st level, once per short rest, you can use your bonus action to make your shadow rise as a Shadow (Look statistics in the Monster manual/Dungeon master's guide), it is under you command and will act during your turn. If you do not command the shadow, it tries its best to defend you, stay alive and fight off enemies within its vision range, in that order. The order can change if you command it so. At 3rd level, you can summon more shadows of other beings if you can see them, and they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Spell save DC, in order to prevent it from happening, a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier.

Path of the Restless [ edit ]

Starting at 3rd level, you choose one archetype of your desire and gain its benefits.

Ability Score Increase [ edit ]

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.

Soul Bound [ edit ]

Starting at 11th level, you and a creature of your choice become bound together. You lose 4d4 Hit points, and cannot regain them until that creature dies. In addition, that creature gains those hit points. This cannot happen for you. Once bound, the creature's Spell save DC raises to match your own, if it is lower. Additionally, whenever combat starts and you are within 100 feet of each other, the creature gains 30 Temporary Hit Points until the end of combat. This can only happen twice per day. You choose when this happens at the start of combat.

Darkened Living [ edit ]

Your healing spells fully heal undead creatures starting from 13th level.

Ultimatum [ edit ]

Starting from 18th level, once per day, you can channel a powerful connection with the abyss, and as a bonus action temporarily shifting the life energies around you. You turn the area 30 feet around you into difficult terrain for 1 hour. The area returns to normal if you are not within range. All undead creatures under your control are unaffected by this effect. At the start of your turn, each undead creature and you regain Hit Points equal 8 + your Constitution Modifier + your Charisma Modifier. Additionally, you can cast 1st and 2nd level spells without using a spell slot for that level. You cannot cast them at higher levels. After the effect takes place, you must succeed a Constitution Saving throw of 10 + The amount of spells you casted while having Ultimatum active. On a successful save, you gain 1 level of exhaustion, on failure, you gain 1 level of exhaustion and fall into a state of coma for 1 hour. The level cannot be relieved unless you take a long rest.

Deadly Spectre [ edit ]

Starting at 20th level, should you drop to 0 Hit points and not be resurrected within 50 days of your death, you are not gone yet. In fact, you have tainted the world so much, your stain cannot be erased so easily. Your most favourite item becomes cursed immediately after your death, until you are brought into the material plane again. You are bound to it, and cannot break, unless is dropped into a well filled with holy water or into the Nine Hells. If it is broken, your soul goes straight to Orcus, and not even a wish spell can directly bring your soul back. As long as the item remains, your soul does too. You become a ghost, remember everything that you did before you died and can still create new memories that remain with you as normal. In addition, you can cast your spells as if you were a 20th level Cleric. You cannot resurrect yourself, but you can make others do so. Your Hit points transfer to the ghost, but your AC is the same as the Ghost's. You become a Ghost after the 50 days. The DM determines what must be done in order to return into the material plane.





It is the dream of every necromancer to ascend into lichdom, and you know how. But the road is long and dangerous, and you will be tested on every turn.

Evil incarnate

Starting at 3rd level, your alignment turns to LE if it wasn't evil already. Additionally, you gain access to the ability to cast wizard spells from the School of Necromancy.

Humanoid Interest

Starting at 6th level, you know that in order to reach your goal, you need to study in the form you will be turning into. You can use Animate dead one more time from your Undying gift class trait, and you cannot raise any creature other than Humanoids. You find that eating or sleeping is a waste of precious time, and thus require to eat only once per day. Finally, your undead gain +1 AC if they are within 120 feet of you.

Dead Weight

Starting at 8th level, you can raise a Ghoul or a spectre with your Animate Dead spell. The same rules apply as if they were a skeleton or a zombie.

Greater Undead

Starting from 10th level, You have the power to create the best of the undead kind. When you cast animate dead on a creature that has a spellcasting ability, you may raise a Flameskull in their place. The creature's souls must have been in the material Realm once you begin the casting. Additionally, it must have been for as long as only 2 days, otherwise the spell fails. You can only have up to 5 of these. After 11th level, you can have up to 10 of these Flameskulls. Additionally, you may raise Large Humanoid creatures, that retain their abilities in undeath and gain the Undead trait. They take place together with the rest of your undead forces.

Undying Passion

Starting at 14th level, all undead under your command gain +2 to their AC and gain +20 Hit points. Additionally, the creature you are soul bound with, if it is undead, gains 40 Hit points and +3 AC instead.

Mastermind

Starting at 18th level, when you cast Animate Dead you can raise Undead of CR 10 or lower instead. You can choose for each corpse.

Lichdom

Starting at 20th level, when you fail a Death saving throw, or are outright killed, you are reborn into a Lich immediately. Your Phylactery becomes an item that you have on your person. You must feed your phylactery one live humanoid each year to maintain your powers by way of the Imprisonment spell. When you are reborn, you retain all of your class features, hit points, and ability scores. Additionally, you gain one of the passive traits of a Lich.

Cult master [ edit ]

Cult masters focus on raising a force of undeath primaraly composed of Humanoids, while at the same time running a cult of living humans under their control.

Contracts

Starting at 3rd level, Orcus has given you the power to bind souls with your own. In order for this to occur, a humanoid must sign a contract willingly and pledge themselves to you. When this occurs, you know if the cultist is alive or not, and can learn of their current status during a long rest. The number of Humanoids being loyal to you is the same as your undead, and same goes for them being more. However, the cultists are more likely to obey you than undead even if they exceed the number you can control without question. The higher level you are as a Death's Servant, the higher the chance (5%) that they will obey your commands.

Maniacs

You can force your will upon an individual. You can make a contested check of Charisma against the humanoid in question. If you succeed, you can give them one of the two commands. If you fail, they become aware that mind magic took place and that it was to affect them in a negative manner, but are not aware that you did it. You can use this effect once per short or long rest.

1) Outrage: The humanoid enters a Barbarians rage state (3rd level) and cannot understand friend from foe. It must attack every creature closest to him for 1 minute.

2) Calm: The humanoid enters a state of total indifference. It will perceive the situation in a manner as if it was an outsider and cannot feel hate, love or any true emotion for 1 minute.

Dark teachings

Starting at 10th level, your cult is now stronger and are far more capable than common folk. You can teach them the dark arts and they can get levels in classes should you take the time to teach them. In order to gain 1 level in a class, they must work hard for 1d2 Years under your, or an instructor's guidance. They become totally loyal to you, and you can have up to 10 humanoids above level 6. At 15th level, you can have humanoids of classes at least of 10 level, and up to 5 humanoids of level more than 10 and less than your own. Those humanoids are loyal to you.

Citadel

Starting at 14th level, you can summon forth a fortress of your own. You can only do that once per year. If the fortress is within the same plane of existence as you are, it teleports to the location you summon it at. The fort is at least as big as a village and has the population of one (DM must check the Dungeon master's guide.), only that the civilians are only spectral images, illusions, each with their own personalities, just like normal villagers, only that they see you as their master and lord, and obey your every command. Each of them can turn into a material form for 6 hours, twice per day, and they can use the same effect after 12 hours have passed. The fortress has its own amount of spectral guards and each are Guards with 1 Hit point. If any illusion is reduced to 0 hit points, they take material form after 24 hours again. If you die or your soul leaves the plane of existence that the fort is within, the fort disappears as do the illusions.

Bound power

Starting at 20th level, your plan is bare for the world to see. You gain 1 hit point for each Undead humanoid under your control. Additionally, your followers chant your name and now you gain power by their devotion. You are aware when a follower chants your name. You gain 1 more attack to spell damage that you deal for 1 hour when the chant takes place. Additionally, if you are reduced to 0 hit points, your soul goes straight to the abyss and can be called back either by a wish spell, or by a massive ritual that the DM states necessary to take place, however it requires your skull to work. Your skull becomes a magic item or Rare rarity, and can cast one 5th level spell once, that refreshes each dawn, and the spell is of your choosing. If it breaks, it becomes whole again after 1d24 months in the place that you died.

Necro-casters are much more adept at casting spells than the standard Death's Servants.

Dark Harvest

Starting at 3rd level, whenever you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you regain hit points equal to 8+ the damage dealt by the attack that reduced the creature. This applies to spells too.

Burden

Starting at 6th level, whenever a humanoid dies near you, you are aware, as their soul is drawn to you for a brief period of time. Additionally, whenever you cast a spell from the Necromancy school, you deal an additional 1d8 necrotic damage. Your undead servants when raised gain 5 temporary hit points, that they lose after 3 days of being animated.

Death's Deals

Starting at 10th level, you may use a bonus action to reduce an undead under your control to 0 hit points. If you do, you regain a spell slot of your choice, the slot cannot be of 7th level or higher.

Ordeal

Starting from 14th level, you summon a spectral amalgamation of bones that acts under your commands. It has the statistics of a Young Black dragon and acts like one, only that its under your complete control. It is not an undead creature. It remains for 1d4 Hours. This refreshes after the next dawn from when you use the effect of Ordeal.

Final Destination

Starting from level 20, you can become a Lich. The are requirments for this to take place. One must have under his control a cities worth of living servants, 4 crypts filled with either living or undead servants, and one main tomb that is as big as a castle and fortified. In addition, the ritual requires one holy item (The heart of a well known paladin, a holy weapon, ect.), an unholy item (A necronomicon, the hand of another necromancer, ect.) and the item that will become your Phylactery. You must feed your phylactery one live humanoid each year to maintain your powers by way of the Imprisonment spell. When you are reborn, you retain all of your class features, hit points, and ability scores. You gain additionall Spells, in the form of all the spells a Lich would have and the spell slots of a 20th-level wizard.

Bone Lord [ edit ]

Bone lords are Death servants that prefer to lead rather than remain behind their forces. They fight using necromantic powers and are much like Oathebreaker paladins. Only weaker in the fighting aspect.

Heart of Undeath

Starting at 3rd level, your body can take more punishment than those of normal mortals. Your AC increases by +1. Additionally, you gain the Extra attack feature, that allows you to make two attacks as an action on the same turn. Lastly, you gain +1 to your Dexterity.

Animating Strikes

Starting at 6th level, instead of making two melee attacks, you may instead make one attack and cast Animate Dead. You need to have the spell slots available to cast the spell.

Death's Weaponmaster

Starting from 10th level, attacks you make count as magical attacks, and so do the attacks of creatures under your control (Undead and living alike)

Glory in death

Starting from 14th level, your minions are willing to kill themselves to keep you alive. When your hit points would be reduced to 0, an undead creature closest to you is reduced to 0 Hit points, and you gain as many Temporary hit points in the form of a Dark shield as the creature's Hit points lost this way. If you would still be reduced to 0, the effect goes on until there are not anymore undead or you can survive the Hit. This can only happen twice per fight, and overall once per Day (Twice during combat, and if you used it once during one fight, you can not use it until the next day arrives).

Deadly

Starting from 20th level, you are the pinnacle of Orcous's forces in the plane. You can make three attacks as an action. Additionally, your Hit points are increased by 50 and your AC is increased by +3. Additionally, you can summon 3 Wraiths from the abyss as an action once every day.

Path of the Sticher [ edit ]

Stichers are more like surgeons and less like casters. They have their interest peeked to their private subject, their very own suit of Flesh!

Dark caster

Starting at 3rd level, instead of learning Cleric spells, you learn Wizard spell from the School of Necromancy. The same chart is used for spell learning. Replace any cleric spells you know with random ones, granted to you by Orcus (Your DM).

Craftsman

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the knowlegde of how to create a Flesh Golem and you can bind ONE to you. At 10th level, you can have up to two Flesh Golems under your control. You can use your bonus action to command its movement and actions. Flesh golems are created at a surgeons table or an appropriate substitute (ask your DM), Flesh golems require a doctors kit (not consumed) and 5 humanoid bodies as material or an appropriate substitute such as a giant corpse (once again ask your DM) , the process of creating a flesh golem and binding it to you takes 2 Hours.

Modify

Starting at 5th level you can equip your Flesh Golem, and modify its body. Spefically, you can arm it, adjust limbs ect. if you have a surgeon's table and the necesarry parts. This process takes 30 minutes per point spent on an upgrade. Upgrades include (But are not limited to (Discuss this with your DM if you want specific out of line upgrades)...), and you have Invention points equal to your Intelliegence modifier to spent on such upgrades. You gain such 1.5 points every time you put a level in Death's Servant. Once you have bought an upgrade you can apply it to all of your original golems as you have learnt how to apply and use these upgrades

ARMOR PLATING. Increase the armor class of the golem to 14. Spend 1 point.

SIX ARMS. The golem's multiattack action allows it to make three Slam attacks. Spend 1 point.

THREE HEADS. The golem has advantage on wisdom saving throws and throws against being blinded, deafened, stunned or knocked unconcious. Spend 1 point.

WINGS. The golem has a flying speed of 30 feet. Spend 2 points.

HUMONGOUS. The golem is Large and can carry additionall weight, including you as a free action. Spend 2 points.

UNDEAD BEASTIARY. The golem can as an action summon 1 CR 1/8 beast with the Zombie Template on it, this creature runs away after combat and disappears after leaving the line of sight or after an hour. Spend 2 points.

CLEVER MIND. The golem can act on its own and will always protect you, itself and fight off enemies, in that order. Spend 2 points.

BEASTIAL. The golem can be stiched with Beast parts. The DM decides any bonuses the golem gets. Spend 3 points.

WEAPON USER. The golem can use weapons and equipment. Spend 3 points.

MIND BOUND. The golem cannot be mind controlled. Spend 3 points

INFESTED. The golem summons Swarms of spiders equal to your Charisma Modifier. Spend 3 points

ARMED. Your golem has a Light Crossbow armed on it's Shoulder. It can use it one instead of a Slam attack. Spend 3 points.

HUGE. Your Golem's size is Huge, and its Hit points Double. Spend 4 Points.

HUNGER. Your golem's jaw is jagged and can make a Bite attack, +7 to hit, and deals 1d8+ Strength Modifier Piercing damage. Any creature hit must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution Saving throw, taking 4d4 Necrotic damage on faillure or half on success. The golem regains that many hit points. Use it instead of one Slam attack. Spend 4 points.

BEARER. The golem can control 3 smaller golems known as golemlings (3 golemlings can be made with 5 corpses) with 1/3 AC and 1/2 the hit points (the beserk skill of golemlings is also halfed when it triggers), both are rounded up. Golemlings controlled by the Bearer Golem can have upto 3 skills that the Bearer Golem possesses, these skills cannot be the Bearer skill and all three cannot share a skill, but two can share a skill. Spend 4 points

PLAGUE BRINGER. The golem emmits a constant foul cloud of rot. ll creatures 5 feet around the golem that aren't undead take 2d4 Necrotic damage the first time the enter the golem's mist on their turn or if they end their turn there. Creatures must succeed on Constitution Saving throw (DC 14) or be blinded/Deafened or start vommiting (Uses an action) for 1 minute. If they leave the mist, they automatically are cured of the disease. Spend 4 points.

INTELLIEGENT. The golem gains a brain that function at great lengths. The golem's Intelliegence becomes 18 if it is not at that point already. The golem can cast Necromancy Cantrips at their lowest level as innate spellcasting. Spend 4 points.

STORM CALLER. The golem can call lightning once per day, this is treated as the spell lightning bolt for simplicity (does not require the material), the bolt does not have a direction and hits the golem dealing 8d6 lightning damage on a failed dex saving throw, or half as much damage on a successful one to those in a 5 feet radius, The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried. Spend 5 points.

ASSISTANT. The golem can do most tasks and has individual thinking. It cannot betray you but it can harm others without you telling it to. Spend 5 points.

SCREAMS OF THE DAMMNED. The golem can suppress its own life force in order to unleash a wail of torment. It takes 2d8 + 5 Bludgeoning damage. Creatures within 60 ft. radious must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or be terrified for 1 minute, and use any means they have to escape at least 200 ft. away. You are immune to this effect. Legendary monsters are immune to this effect. Spend 5 points.

OVERMIND. The golem acts as your thrall of undeath. It has the abillity to break undead under its will and command them for you. By targeting one undead creature within its sight range, it must succeed on a DC equal to 10 + the golem's Intelliegence modifier + the golem's Constitution modifier or be mind broken by it. They act as if they were charmed. They are bound to it for 1 month and at the end of it can repeat the saving throw. The golem can use this effect twice per day. Spend 6 points.

BRUTAL. The golem's damage rolls deal double damage. Additionally the Golem's AC is increased by 4. It gains 40 Hit points. Spend 6 points.

HORROR. The golem can take the parts of creatures that have the Monstrosity template. The DM decides the Bonuses it gets. Spend 6 points.

Partings

Starting at 10th level, you are proficient with any tools that you use in order to cut flesh and used for stiching. Additionally, you are now able to climb on the back of your golem and use it as a mount.

Sticher's Legacy

Starting at 20th level, your golem's become Legendary, and can use 3 legendary actions. Additionally, you know how to stich up Dragon-kin creatures to your golem. Your DM decides the benefits.

<Death's Servant> Spell List [ edit ]

You know all of the spells on the basic Cleric/Wizard spell list from the Necromancy school based on your subclass.

Multiclassing [ edit ]

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Death's Servant class, you must meet these prerequisites: Being some kind of evil alignment, Having a charisma score of 15. To become a stitcher you need to research anatomy and surgery or have a background which encompasses these.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Deaths' Servant class, you gain the following proficiencies: Medicine.





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