:: DEATH KNIGHTS

:: Medium-Size Undead
Hit Dice: 9d10 (54hp)
Initiative: +5 (+1 Dex -after armor modifier, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 25 (+1 Dex, +11 (+3 Plate Mail) +3 (+2 Shield))
Attacks: +13 (+3 Bastard sword) (+3 Longbow)
Damage: bastard sword 1d10+10; 2-handed sword (2d6+10) Longbow 1d8
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Cause fear, Darkness, Wall of Ice(As 20thLevel Wizard), Fireball (As 20th Level Wizard)
Special Qualities: Undead, cold and electricity resistance 20, Detect magic (at will), Detect Invisibility(At Will), Dispel Magic(twice per day), 75% magic Resistant, Cannot be turned or dispelled
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +5
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 12
Skills: Intimidate +10, Listen +12, Ride +7, Spot +15
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Bastard sword or 2-handed Sword), Weapon Specialization (Bastard sword or 2-handed Sword)
Challenge Rating: 10
Organization: Solitary
Treasure: Varied
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Evil (any Evil)
ADV Range: Up to 20th level (High)

Combat

Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage. It has the power over undead equivalent to that of a 6th level cleric, it has a 75% magic resistance, and if the resist magic roll is successful, a result of 11 or lower on the percentage die indicates that the spell was reflected back at the caster.

Death Knights will either carry a +3 Bastard sword and a shield, or +3 2-handed sword. It is usually clad in a black suit of at least +3 plate mail. The DM may change these to more powerful magic items if she feels it appropriate.

The death knight can either be run straight out of the book, or it can be used as an add-on for an existing character. The prerequisites are that it must have once been at least 7th level one of the following classes: Fighter, Paladin, or the prestige class Black Guard. All ability scores must be greater than 10. Death knights tend towards chaotic evil, though they may be any evil alignment. An existing character will retain all of their skills and their feats from life, with the following exceptions: they cannot use any healing abilities, but they can use cause wounds abilities; Animal empathy only works towards mounts of evil alignments. In addition to the abilities they had in life, they will add the special attacks and special qualities of a Death knight at the rate listed below. Their hit points will increase by 1d10+10. After its initial creation is treated as multi-classed and it advances either at the rate listed below, or normally as a fighter:

Unlike most undead, Death knights cannot be turned by any cleric. They can be dispelled by Holy Word. Each Death Knight gains a magic resistance equal to 50% plus 5% per level of experience, taking into account the levels attained before death. No Death Knight may have a magic resistance greater than 95% All Death knights involuntarily radiate fear in a 5' radius Death Knights are allowed to use any magic item not prohibited to fighters. Some death knights who were multi-classed in life can use Wizard or cleric items as well. It cannot use potions, oils or salves that require ingestion. Death Knight's weapons are either carried over from life (if they are better than +3) or are granted to them at the time of their creation. Death Knight's gain additional abilities as they gain death knight levels: At first level a death knight radiates fear in a 5' radius, it can cast detect magic, and see invisibility at will. At 2nd level it can cast dispel magic twice per day. At 3rd level it can cast wall of ice at will. At 4th level it can cast one of the following spells, once per day: power word stun, power work kill, or power word blind. It can also summon an evil mount. They usually prefer Nightmares. At 5th level it can cast symbol: fear & symbol: pain, once per day. At 6th level it can cast fireball once per day. All of the death knight's spells function at twice its own level of ability, to a maximum of 20th level.