Player wanting to play a intimidating death knight style toon

[Spacehamster]

With 10 levels, all printed material allowed, feats allowed, multi classing allowed.
What race/class combinations would you use to get the right feel of a dark, sinister
killing machine? :)

[Particle_Man]

Half-orc paladin with the undeath archetype (the one in the DMG) comes to mind.

[nickl_2000]

Fallen Aasimar Vengeance Paladin. No need to multiclass or do anything else, just straight this.

You could also do Fallen Aasimar Conquest Paladin

[Ganymede]

With 10 levels, all printed material allowed, feats allowed, multi classing allowed.
What race/class combinations would you use to get the right feel of a dark, sinister
killing machine? :)

Literally any class and literally any race, when appropriately roleplayed.

[ImproperJustice]

Literally any class and literally any race, when appropriately roleplayed.

I second this.

[GlenSmash!]

Revenant Oathbreaker, Conquest, or Vengeance Paladin. Or Hexblade, or Eldritch knight would all make good Deathknights.

[Vogie]

Herald of Damned - Zealot Barbarian X / Death Cleric 8
This Deathless berserker ravages their targets with necrotic damage, both through their blades and with dark magic at range.

Raven Queen's Champion - Paladin 2 / Raven Queen Blade Lock X
This deadly knight is accompanied by a ghostly raven, choosing the slain while being accompanied by some of their previous kills.

Scourge of the Night - Hunter Ranger X / Long Death Monk 7
This incredibly resilient marauder strikes fear in any who crosses their path, dances around their foes and cuts them down with expert precision

[Unoriginal]

A Shadar-Kai Conquest Paladin?

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

Heavy armor + martial weapon + some sort of fear seems like Conquest Paladin. Dark and sinister is an attitude, not mechanics, and I think you could conceivably get a pretty good Dark Lord out of every class.

[KorvinStarmast]

Fallen Aasimar Vengeance Paladin. No need to multiclass or do anything else, just straight this. *glof clap* Very easy to set up and to play.


Heavy armor + martial weapon + some sort of fear seems like Conquest Paladin. Dark and sinister is an attitude, not mechanics, and I think you could conceivably get a pretty good Dark Lord out of every class.

Get a horse and a big axe, and we get the classic. (http://ipaintingsforsale.com/UploadPic/Frank%20Frazetta/big/The%20Death%20Dealer%20I.jpg) Maybe even grab mounted combat feat ...

[Unoriginal]

*glof clap* Very easy to set up and to play.



Get a horse and a big axe, and we get the classic. (http://ipaintingsforsale.com/UploadPic/Frank%20Frazetta/big/The%20Death%20Dealer%20I.jpg) Maybe even grab mounted combat feat ...

Really you just need this music:


https://youtu.be/FEp76ppPc8o

[GlenSmash!]

Really you just need this music:

Now I know what soundtrack I'll be listen to at work today, by Crom!

[No brains]

Literally any class and literally any race, when appropriately roleplayed.


I second this.

How about a halfling land druid? I don't doubt it can be done, but I am anticipating the surprise.

[Particle_Man]

How about a halfling land druid? I don't doubt it can be done, but I am anticipating the surprise.

If Belkar had a sister . . .

[Teaguethebean]

the unearthed arcana skill feats could make them even more intimidating

[Waterdeep Merch]

How about a halfling land druid? I don't doubt it can be done, but I am anticipating the surprise.
Underdark's the easy one, so we'll skip it. Let's go with grasslands, the least likely contender.

Norbin Needlework was born in a city to a poor halfling family. As a child, he found himself pressed into work as a clothier alongside his parents. He watched as the work took their toll on them. He watched them die.

He hated the city. The smells, the people, everything about it. Without his family he was forced into an even smaller work shelter. His only joy was the short walks outside, where he could see the sky. He longed for more.

Then one day, he came to work to find his abusive employer dead. He should have been satisfied, even happy, to see this, but a different thought crossed his mind- Norbin was the only one present. He might be blamed for this. And even if he wasn't, he no longer had a job. As miserable as the shelter had been, starving on the street or getting beaten behind bars was going to be worse. So he fled the city.

He continued to run until he couldn't see the city anymore, nor the forest, nor the mountains. He passed out in a large field. When he woke up, he saw nothing but blue skies above him. When he looked down, he saw nothing but lush, green fields dotted with foliage and trees. This is what I want, Norbin thought.

Still, he was a city halfling. He knew nothing of hunting or survival. An old druid found Norbin on the cusp of death, his mind half baked, staring up at the sun. He offered some water to the halfling, and sat with him.

The druid spoke of the fields, and how strange they were. Despite how perfect they were, people never venture into them. The land does not accept people, the druid claimed. It had grown malignant, and he was here to discover why.

The halfling walked with him, learning of druidism and the ways of nature. The druid was from a nearby forest, a caretaker of trees. He had tried many times to plant trees in this field, but they rarely ever took.

Norbin watched him as he tried to plant others, and something boiled up inside of him. He saw, in his mind, trees blotting out the fields. Covering the sky above. Combined with his growing hunger, it awoke something primal and fierce in him.

Before the druid had noticed the strange turn in the halfling, he'd fallen on him and ripped out his throat with his teeth. As Norbin ate the old druid, his mind was gone, save for one desire- to see the open sky forever.

The field bloomed with blood red berries, all around. It accepted Norbin as the first of its circle, its only kindred spirit. Give me sun, it said. Give me light. Drink of the rain, grow wide and simple and happy. Death to those who would build and grow. Death to the tall.

Norbin nurtures the flat fields. In turn, it nurtures him with an unnatural vigor. He harvests tall bushes and grasses. He chops down the trees, fills in the valleys, breaks the standing stones for soil. And when people wander in, with their trees and tools, Norbin buries them beneath the earth- more blood for the grass.

[KorvinStarmast]

PS:

This isn't a CRPG, and a PC isn't a 'toon.

Your daily dose of pedantry has been brought to you by Bloodwiser, the King of Healing Potions.
Pick up a six pack at your local store today ....

[JackPhoenix]

PS:

This isn't a CRPG, and a PC isn't a 'toon.

Your daily dose of pedantry has been brought to you by Bloodwiser, the King of Healing Potions.
Pick up a six pack at your local store today ....

I thank you for saying that. I wanted to say something similar, but it would be harsher, and I didn't wanted to sound like an anus.

[No brains]

Underdark's the easy one, so we'll skip it. Let's go with grasslands, the least likely contender.

Norbin Needlework was born in a city to a poor halfling family. As a child, he found himself pressed into work as a clothier alongside his parents. He watched as the work took their toll on them. He watched them die.

He hated the city. The smells, the people, everything about it. Without his family he was forced into an even smaller work shelter. His only joy was the short walks outside, where he could see the sky. He longed for more.

Then one day, he came to work to find his abusive employer dead. He should have been satisfied, even happy, to see this, but a different thought crossed his mind- Norbin was the only one present. He might be blamed for this. And even if he wasn't, he no longer had a job. As miserable as the shelter had been, starving on the street or getting beaten behind bars was going to be worse. So he fled the city.

He continued to run until he couldn't see the city anymore, nor the forest, nor the mountains. He passed out in a large field. When he woke up, he saw nothing but blue skies above him. When he looked down, he saw nothing but lush, green fields dotted with foliage and trees. This is what I want, Norbin thought.

Still, he was a city halfling. He knew nothing of hunting or survival. An old druid found Norbin on the cusp of death, his mind half baked, staring up at the sun. He offered some water to the halfling, and sat with him.

The druid spoke of the fields, and how strange they were. Despite how perfect they were, people never venture into them. The land does not accept people, the druid claimed. It had grown malignant, and he was here to discover why.

The halfling walked with him, learning of druidism and the ways of nature. The druid was from a nearby forest, a caretaker of trees. He had tried many times to plant trees in this field, but they rarely ever took.

Norbin watched him as he tried to plant others, and something boiled up inside of him. He saw, in his mind, trees blotting out the fields. Covering the sky above. Combined with his growing hunger, it awoke something primal and fierce in him.

Before the druid had noticed the strange turn in the halfling, he'd fallen on him and ripped out his throat with his teeth. As Norbin ate the old druid, his mind was gone, save for one desire- to see the open sky forever.

The field bloomed with blood red berries, all around. It accepted Norbin as the first of its circle, its only kindred spirit. Give me sun, it said. Give me light. Drink of the rain, grow wide and simple and happy. Death to those who would build and grow. Death to the tall.

Norbin nurtures the flat fields. In turn, it nurtures him with an unnatural vigor. He harvests tall bushes and grasses. He chops down the trees, fills in the valleys, breaks the standing stones for soil. And when people wander in, with their trees and tools, Norbin buries them beneath the earth- more blood for the grass.

That's a serviceable dark knight land druid halfling. I liked the bit with wanting the sky and killing the tall to see it.

[Oramac]

With 10 levels, all printed material allowed, feats allowed, multi classing allowed.
What race/class combinations would you use to get the right feel of a dark, sinister
killing machine? :)

You've got lots of good ideas here already. I'll only add that I wrote a Death Knight class (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/180626/Death-Knight--5th-Edition) a little while back. Even playtested it up to about 8th level. I don't know if homebrew is allowed, but if it is, you're welcome to use it.

If not that, the Fallen Aasimar Vengeance Paladin is the simplest path.


Underdark's the easy one, so we'll skip it. Let's go with grasslands, the least likely contender.

Norbin Needlework was born in a city to a poor halfling family. As a child, he found himself pressed into work as a clothier alongside his parents. He watched as the work took their toll on them. He watched them die.

He hated the city. The smells, the people, everything about it. Without his family he was forced into an even smaller work shelter. His only joy was the short walks outside, where he could see the sky. He longed for more.

Then one day, he came to work to find his abusive employer dead. He should have been satisfied, even happy, to see this, but a different thought crossed his mind- Norbin was the only one present. He might be blamed for this. And even if he wasn't, he no longer had a job. As miserable as the shelter had been, starving on the street or getting beaten behind bars was going to be worse. So he fled the city.

He continued to run until he couldn't see the city anymore, nor the forest, nor the mountains. He passed out in a large field. When he woke up, he saw nothing but blue skies above him. When he looked down, he saw nothing but lush, green fields dotted with foliage and trees. This is what I want, Norbin thought.

Still, he was a city halfling. He knew nothing of hunting or survival. An old druid found Norbin on the cusp of death, his mind half baked, staring up at the sun. He offered some water to the halfling, and sat with him.

The druid spoke of the fields, and how strange they were. Despite how perfect they were, people never venture into them. The land does not accept people, the druid claimed. It had grown malignant, and he was here to discover why.

The halfling walked with him, learning of druidism and the ways of nature. The druid was from a nearby forest, a caretaker of trees. He had tried many times to plant trees in this field, but they rarely ever took.

Norbin watched him as he tried to plant others, and something boiled up inside of him. He saw, in his mind, trees blotting out the fields. Covering the sky above. Combined with his growing hunger, it awoke something primal and fierce in him.

Before the druid had noticed the strange turn in the halfling, he'd fallen on him and ripped out his throat with his teeth. As Norbin ate the old druid, his mind was gone, save for one desire- to see the open sky forever.

The field bloomed with blood red berries, all around. It accepted Norbin as the first of its circle, its only kindred spirit. Give me sun, it said. Give me light. Drink of the rain, grow wide and simple and happy. Death to those who would build and grow. Death to the tall.

Norbin nurtures the flat fields. In turn, it nurtures him with an unnatural vigor. He harvests tall bushes and grasses. He chops down the trees, fills in the valleys, breaks the standing stones for soil. And when people wander in, with their trees and tools, Norbin buries them beneath the earth- more blood for the grass.

This is fantastic!! I wish everyone here had this kind of imagination.

[KorvinStarmast]

Norbin Needlework Nice backstory. :smallsmile:

[Angelalex242]

Oathbreaker or Conquest Paladin should give you what you want.

[Sception]

While many classes & subclasses can do this with a little creativity, some lend themselves to the death knight theme more than others.


Hexblade (the "sinister" choice) - shadow themed, melee plus dark magic gimmick, bonus damage and expanded crit range to push the killing machine angle, rips the souls out of their victims to fight for them, obvious darkness/devil's sight combo for a literal 'dark knight'. Cha focus makes them especially intimidating. Can learn the Danse Macabre spell for a bit of necromancy. Only medium armor by default, so depending on how you envision the 'knight' part of 'death knight' you might want to burn a vuman bonus feat or dip into fighter or paladin at level one for heavy armor proficiency. The fighter dip also grants con save proficiency, so might be a good idea regardless. multiclasses well with basically anything cha based, so you can mix in some paladin to be a bit tankier, or shadow sorcerer for some added spook.
.
Conquest Paladin (the "intimidating" choice) - heavy armor, melee focus with some magical support, dark edgelord disposition. Standard paladin smiting tricks for killing plus a useful damage spell in spiritual weapon. Hammers HARD on the 'intimidating' angle with the Aura of Conquest ability plus their channel divinity and spells like Wrathful Smite and especially Fear. Nobody is as scary as a Conquest Paladin. Probably my favorite subclass for this sort of character, but a little bit lacking in literal darkness (no darkness causing abilities, plus they actually want to be seen), and no necromantic abilities if that's part of what you mean by 'death' knight. And they tend to lean a bit more towards tanking and control over damage when compared to other paladins, preferring shields to great weapons (though they can exploit the reach of a halberd to nasty effect) and casting fear-causing spells to smiting. Consider an optional Hexblade dip to fix MADness issues, and can multiclass deeper if desired, but in general prefers to run pure paladin, as every level of paladin gives them some relevant ability to what they do - even parent class abilities like aura of courage that are ribbons for other paladins are actually meaningful for Conquerors.
.
Oathbreaker Paladin (the "killing machine" choice) - DMG content, may not be available, but if it is can be a good fit. As with conqueror, a potent, heavily-armed melee character with some spellcasting ability, similar to Conquest. But less intimidating and more just killing, with a damage buffing aura instead of the Conqueror's fear-based control aura, pushing them more towards damage over tanking. Can sword and board just fine, but unlike the conqueror also enjoys halberds, greatswords, or even dual wielding. Mixes well with hexblade - at least a dip is well worth your time, but longer forays can also work, and are necessary if you want to use your charisma to attack with a two handed weapon. Also multiclasses well with any cha-based full casters like whisper bard or shadow sorcerer - just make sure you take at least 7 to 11 levels of paladin in your progression. Learns Animate Dead to put some 'death' in your Death Knight, and buffs their melee damage for even more killing. Still high cha, so very intimidating, if less so than the conqueror, and you won't generally be incorporating that aspect of the concept into your combat mechanics. Partners *exceptionally* well with a party necromancer, as any melee undead they create can benefit from both the necromancer's damage buff and your own melee-buffing aura.



Those are my main suggestions, and of them I'd most recommend the Conquest Paladin, who is excellent party support, with mechanics that really bring the 'intimidating' part of the concept to life in combat. The others are more self-interested loners. For these builds, any race with a cha bonus is ideal. I personally prefer variant human, half elf (especially SCAG half-drow for hexblades, starting with 17 cha and grabbing elven accuracy at level 4), warforged envoy, or fallen aasimar. Fallen Aasimar in particular really meshes well with the concept - with the right stat mods, darkvision, resistances and a healing ability to make you tankier, and a racial daily ability that both causes the frighten condition AND temporarily buffs your damage. Any race can of course work for this concept with the right theme, but Fallen Aasimar is tailor made for it.


If you don't want to play a charisma-based character, there are some other alternatives:

Eldritch Knight multiclassed with Necromancer Wizard. Heavy armor, melee, and magic tricks, access to Animate Dead. The melee and the magic aren't /quite/ as well integrated as in the above options, but can be a bit more flexible thanks to access to the wizard spell list, and works well if you want a smarter-but-less-charismatic (and thus less intimidating) sort of death knight.

War Cleric. Maybe multiclassed with fighter or paladin. If you want to push a more wisdom-based angle. Heavy armor, melee weapons, full caster (fullish depending on multiclassing) with access to some dark and spooky spells depending on what you choose to prepare. Can get pushed into a healbot role, though, so definitely talk with the party about just how many of your resources you're willing to spend that way.