Death knight (D&D 3.5)

[Sergio]

Where can I find info about death knights? All I could find in internet was homebrew classes.

Also I would like:

1- A way to roleplay my character. Is there a code of honor? A way of behaving?
2- If there ain't true classes, can you suggest me a homebrew class that is balanced?
3- Any template, archetype I should adopt?
4- Any way to maximise the potential of my class? I'm in a low level campaign (3.5)

Edit: I checked monster manual II and my D&D master banishes ECL superior than 2, so I can't use that Death knight. Suggestions?

[Arael666]

There are no classes or prestige classes as far as I know. But there is a template on Monster Manual II, page 207.

Also, Bone Knight, five nations p. 117, would be quite similiar to what you're looking for.

[Belzyk]

All your going to find is homebrew. The closest thing I can think of to a death Knight class wise is the Bone Knight from 5 nations (ebberon). The death Knight template is so unusable for PC's it's ridiculous. Also I have my own deathknight homebrew. Its a prc that you can enter at 3rd level as a paladin or 4th level as a cleric. Its 18 levels long (for fun) and has some nice maneuver type abilities that require smites

[Professor Gnoll]

Well, a Death Knight is typically some sort of Paladin or righteous warrior that, having committed terrible sins in life, is raised as a powerful undead warrior. The most famous example would be Dragonlance's Lord Soth, so you might want to look at him for inspiration.

1. The code of honour is going to vary form character to character. It's entirely possible that this knight has kept their sense of honour, or it may have been destroyed entirely in the transition. You could be chivalrous but ruthless, abide by the sacred laws of duelling, be a nihilistic wanderer who has lost their sense of purpose and simply slaughters all in their way.... it will depend on who you were, and why you became a Death Knight. But the classic death knight does tend to abide by some code of honour.

2. Not really my field of expertise. I'm sure someone else could.

3. There's a number of ways to build a 'Death Knight' flavoured class: The Paladin of Tyranny makes a great Lawful Evil Paladin, Necropolitan lets you become Undead (if not skeletal, unfortunately), and the Bone Knight prestige class is a perfectly flavoured Undead/Divine warrior choice. Note that if you do take Bone Knight, you won't be able to take any more Paladin levels (Even if you were an Evil paladin beforehand, weirdly). You could also start with Cleric, maybe taking Ordained Champion, or possibly even Ur-Priest, then moving into Bone Knight.

4. The Cleric Death Knight build is probably the most powerful. I've seen [Cleric 4/Ordained Champion 1/Bone Knight 10/Ordained Champion +4/Cleric +1] suggested- take Necropolitan on top of that and you've got a pretty good Death Knight. You'll still have almost all of the casting a Cleric gets, while being pretty handy in melee, especially with a few buffs. This will also give you raising capacity for building that legion of the undead, and Bone Knight covers your skeletal steed requirement.

[Belzyk]

Well, a Death Knight is typically some sort of Paladin or righteous warrior that, having committed terrible sins in life, is raised as a powerful undead warrior. The most famous example would be Dragonlance's Lord Soth, so you might want to look at him for inspiration.

1. The code of honour is going to vary form character to character. It's entirely possible that this knight has kept their sense of honour, or it may have been destroyed entirely in the transition. You could be chivalrous but ruthless, abide by the sacred laws of duelling, be a nihilistic wanderer who has lost their sense of purpose and simply slaughters all in their way.... it will depend on who you were, and why you became a Death Knight. But the classic death knight does tend to abide by some code of honour.

2. Not really my field of expertise. I'm sure someone else could.

3. There's a number of ways to build a 'Death Knight' flavoured class: The Paladin of Tyranny makes a great Lawful Evil Paladin, Necropolitan lets you become Undead (if not skeletal, unfortunately), and the Bone Knight prestige class is a perfectly flavoured Undead/Divine warrior choice. Note that if you do take Bone Knight, you won't be able to take any more Paladin levels (Even if you were an Evil paladin beforehand, weirdly). You could also start with Cleric, maybe taking Ordained Champion, or possibly even Ur-Priest, then moving into Bone Knight.

4. The Cleric Death Knight build is probably the most powerful. I've seen [Cleric 4/Ordained Champion 1/Bone Knight 10/Ordained Champion +4/Cleric +1] suggested- take Necropolitan on top of that and you've got a pretty good Death Knight. You'll still have almost all of the casting a Cleric gets, while being pretty handy in melee, especially with a few buffs. This will also give you raising capacity for building that legion of the undead, and Bone Knight covers your skeletal steed requirement.

I second option 4! See if your dm will handwave the setting requirements for bone Knight and go cleric of weejass or nerull into bone Knight.

[Sergio]

Guys, I owe you one and I appreciate the informations you gave me. In my party there is already a cleric, so it means I gotta go for other shores.

The campaign is low level, and I'm still cooking up which class I wish to be.

If I had a paladin, how would you maximise it to be as powerful as possible? Honestly I want it to be necropolitan (be it because he chose to serve his divinity and the purpose he was assigned to even in death) or undead (because he came back to life for will of his divinity and as such his purpose is now renewed).

The purpose is catching a book inhabitated by a strong demon lord that he was supposed to guard\store with himself.

So, suggestions for a good paladin? Or at least a fighter with a heavy link to a divinity? I can\should powerplay (given the fact that I'm likely to find constructs and other weird creatures). The level I would be summoned on would be level 6.

[Professor Gnoll]

Guys, I owe you one and I appreciate the informations you gave me. In my party there is already a cleric, so it means I gotta go for other shores.

The campaign is low level, and I'm still cooking up which class I wish to be.

If I had a paladin, how would you maximise it to be as powerful as possible? Honestly I want it to be necropolitan (be it because he chose to serve his divinity and the purpose he was assigned to even in death) or undead (because he came back to life for will of his divinity and as such his purpose is now renewed).

The purpose is catching a book inhabitated by a strong demon lord that he was supposed to guard\store with himself.

So, suggestions for a good paladin? Or at least a fighter with a heavy link to a divinity? I can\should powerplay (given the fact that I'm likely to find constructs and other weird creatures). The level I would be summoned on would be level 6.
If you're really looking to power up, and you go Undead or Necropolitan, try to see if you can get yourself summoned by a Dread Necromancer with Corpsecrafter feats. This will give you a laundry list of excellent bonuses. If you can't get that, at least try to get summoned on Desecrated Ground.
As for not starting as a Cleric, Paladin of Tyranny into Bone Knight is still pretty good. You'll get spellcasting and combat, and your Turn Undead will be turned into Rebuke Undead. You should be careful, though- Once you've taken any levels of Bone Knight, you can never take a level of Paladin again. So make sure you've taken all of the levels of Paladin you want before going Bone Knight. If you go fighter, Bone Knight isn't an option unless you take at least one level of Paladin or Bone Knight (You need at least 1 Divine spellcasting rank and turn/rebuke Undead to take it).
I can't really think of another way to build a Death Knight without homebrew. I'd say Paladin of Tyranny into Bone Knight with Necropolitan is your best choice, aiming to get Desecrated Ground, Dread Necromancer and Corpsecrafter bonuses to make up for the slightly weaker initial class choice.

[Thurbane]

Evolved Undead Necropolitan Knight? Take the Fiendish Heritage feats for more SLAs.

[Belzyk]

Guys, I owe you one and I appreciate the informations you gave me. In my party there is already a cleric, so it means I gotta go for other shores.

The campaign is low level, and I'm still cooking up which class I wish to be.

If I had a paladin, how would you maximise it to be as powerful as possible? Honestly I want it to be necropolitan (be it because he chose to serve his divinity and the purpose he was assigned to even in death) or undead (because he came back to life for will of his divinity and as such his purpose is now renewed).

The purpose is catching a book inhabitated by a strong demon lord that he was supposed to guard\store with himself.

So, suggestions for a good paladin? Or at least a fighter with a heavy link to a divinity? I can\should powerplay (given the fact that I'm likely to find constructs and other weird creatures). The level I would be summoned on would be level 6.

Maximizing paladin. Ask your dm if you can use the pathfinder version lol

[Professor Gnoll]

Maximizing paladin. Ask your dm if you can use the pathfinder version lol
It's true that Paladin is by nature not a maximised option. But you can (somewhat) catch up power-wise by exploiting Corpsecrafter bonuses.

[Belzyk]

It's true that Paladin is by nature not a maximised option. But you can (somewhat) catch up power-wise by exploiting Corpsecrafter bonuses.

I ment to put maximizing paladin? Ad in a question Lol if you want paladin maximized you need to see if your dm will allow pathfinder paladin. go ahead and look up pathfinder paladin. Its amazing

[Sergio]

Understood. What If I want to make a good paladin, and not an evil one? A paladin without mount. How would you maximise his potential? The maximum ECL allowed by my DM is +1

[Red Fel]

Understood. What If I want to make a good paladin, and not an evil one? A paladin without mount. How would you maximise his potential? The maximum ECL allowed by my DM is +1

First off, have a handbook (http://dictummortuum.blogspot.com/2011/08/paladins-handbook.html).

There are actually a few ACFs (alternative class features) that involve swapping out a Paladin's Special Mount for some other ability. Two spring to mind, both listed in that handbook.

First, the Charging Smite ACF from the PHB II. This allows you to deal extra damage when using Smite Evil on a charge attack. As a bonus, unlike normal uses of Smite Evil, if you miss with this attack, your Smite is not considered used.

Second, the Divine Spirit ACF from Dungeonscape (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070209a). Basically, it allows you to drop a buffing "presence" on a given square, that gives benefits to allies on or adjacent to it.

The handbook offers other suggestions and options as well. I'd give it a read.

[Mr Adventurer]

An 11th level Duskblade can become a Lich; as can any gish build that hits CL 11.

[Belzyk]

Understood. What If I want to make a good paladin, and not an evil one? A paladin without mount. How would you maximise his potential? The maximum ECL allowed by my DM is +1

Pathfinder paladin has two different choices at level 5 ones the mount I forget what the other is. Really check it out. But maximizing a melee guy is all about building a charger.

[LTwerewolf]

Guys, I owe you one and I appreciate the informations you gave me. In my party there is already a cleric, so it means I gotta go for other shores.

The campaign is low level, and I'm still cooking up which class I wish to be.



Clerics can be so diverse that it's hard to call them the same class half the time. Don't think cleric but think concept. Most clerics aren't healbots. Is that other cleric planning on going the death knight route like you are? If not, you're not going to have tons of overlap. I've played in and dmed for games that had multiple clerics and no one ever felt like their toes were being stepped on.