Death Dealer (5e Class)

Death Dealer

A single dragonborn with black scales stands and casts a forlorn look out towards the masses of the living gathered below the cliff where he stands. With a sigh of weariness, he jumps from the ledge. As he falls, seemingly to his doom, darkness wreaths his body. There is the screeches of dreaded spirits and massive accumulation of necrotic energy that accompanies as he drops. When he finally reaches ground, the amalgamated powers burst forth, as if a bomb were dropped. The dark powers wash over the crowd. When the darkness clears, the dragonborn stands, seemingly unharmed. Around him is a massive graveyard of the dead now.

Antithesis

Death dealers are people who stand in opposition to life. Their powers are inherently draining and are meant to cause death. It is not always as good as it sounds, especially considering that not all death dealers are homicidal crazies. Some are quite distraught over these powers of misfortune they have, yet they bear it for death is a necessary force in this world. When people start taking life for granted, using magic as if inexhaustible to revive over and over again, the death dealer comes to remind us of why life is precious.

Creating a Death Dealer

Death Dealer by Frank Frazetta

A death dealer causes pain and suffering wherever they go, but do not always revel in it. Evil alignments work well, but good characters can also fit this character type, which is on who bears a great, burdensome power. When making this character, consider how you came to choose this path of death dealing. Do you simply wish to kill? Do you have reverence for death? Is it some kind of contract you made which forces you into this practice?

Quick Build

You can make a death dealer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma, then closely followed by Dexterity or Constitution. Second, choose the Hermit background.

Class Features

As a Death Dealer you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per Death Dealer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per Death Dealer level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Herbalism Kit, Thieves' Kit
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: Choose 2 from the following: Persuasion, Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, Religion, Survival, and Intimidation

Equipment

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

• (a) Spear or (b) Light Crossbow and 20 bolts
• (a) Herbalism Kit or (b) Thieves' Kit
• (a) Leather armor or (b) Hide armor
• Prayer Book

Table: The Death Dealer

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Spells Known	Cantrips Known	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
					1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+2	Spellcasting, Moribound, Deathtouched	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	Cursed Life	3	3	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	Death Twist	4	3	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	4	4	4	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	—	6	4	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+3	Deathtouched feature	6	4	4	3	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+3	—	6	4	4	3	3	1	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	6	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+4	—	7	4	4	3	3	3	1	—	—	—	—
10th	+4	Death Twist	7	5	4	3	3	3	2	—	—	—	—
11th	+4	—	7	5	4	3	3	3	2	1	—	—	—
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	7	5	4	3	3	3	2	1	—	—	—
13th	+5	—	8	5	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	—	—
14th	+5	Deathtouched feature	8	5	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	—	—
15th	+5	—	9	5	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	—
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	9	5	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	—
17th	+6	Death Twist	10	5	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	1
18th	+6	Deathtouched feature	10	5	4	3	3	3	3	1	1	1	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	10	5	4	3	3	3	3	2	1	1	1
20th	+6	Lost Life	10	5	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	1	1

Spellcasting

As a killer shrouded in mystery and burden, you employ the aid of magic to carry out your tasks of murder.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know three cantrips which you may choose from the cleric and sorcerer spell lists. You learn additional cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Mage table.

Casting Spells

The death dealer 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 spell slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. Death dealers do not acquire spells from books or scrolls, nor do they prepare them through study. Instead, they meditate or pray for their spells, receiving them through their own strength of faith. A death dealer must choose a time at which they must spend a number of minutes equal to the sum of all spells levels they are preparing. After the first time, they only must spend the full time preparing newly prepared spells and half the time for already prepared spells. Time spent resting cannot be used in the preparation of spells. A death dealer may prepare and cast any spell on their spell list, but must choose which spells to prepare during their daily meditation or prayer. A death dealer can prepare as many spells at their Charisma Modifier + death dealer Level.

Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher

Each time you gain access to a new level of spell, you learn a number of spells chosen from the Death Dealer Spell List of the appropriate level, as written in the Spells Known column of the death dealer table.

Spellcasting Ability

You use Wisdom as your spellcasting ability for your death dealer spells, since the power of your spells relies on your inner focus and meditative will. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell calls for your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a death dealer spell cast and for setting an attack roll for one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You use your prayer book as a spellcasting focus (See PH page 150) for your death dealer spells.

Moribound

A death dealer takes it upon themselves to cause pain and misery where they go. This pact requires them to be cruel and must be able to see the pain they cause in doing so by not wearing metal armor or using a shield as it obstructs the very nature of death. A death dealer who uses metal armor or shields, even if proficient, is unable to cast spells until after all the metal armor and/or shield is take off. There is no penalty using a simple weapon, made of metal or otherwise.

As part of a death dealer's pact, they are forbidden from attempting to heal an ally, even if they are on the brink of death. Death dealers cannot cast spells or use magic items (short of potions of healing) that restore hit points, as by divine judgement it does not allow these effects to work through them.

Deathtouched

Death dealers are cut from the same piece of cloth, in reverse of a clerics. They follow solely the path of death and pay reverence to it. The path splits in intention, with one being more skillfully guided in target, and another sent as divine wrath. Choose either the Plague or Angel Of Death subclass. Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.

Cursed Life

The powers a death dealer takes on is almost like a curse willingly enacted on the self to gain a prolonged existence of willful suffering and emptiness. Beginning at 2nd level, a death dealer cannot gain the full benefits of spells that restore hit points like cure wounds. Instead, they only regain half of the total of points restored, with a minimum of 1 point. Additionally, the death dealer becomes inured to the needs of sustenance, no longer needing to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. You also no longer age, nor die of aging.

Death Twist

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to twist your spells to add that touch of death to them. You gain one of the following Death Twist options of your choice. You gain another one at 10th and 17th level. You can use only one Death Twist option on a spell when you cast it, unless otherwise noted.

Grim Hands

When you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can choose to split its effects between your hands to touch two creatures at once, within range. The damage you would have dealt to a single target is divided between the two targets. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining use after you finish a long rest.

Death Unpredictable

When you cast a spell that forces other creatures to make a Wisdom saving throw, you can force them to roll with disadvantage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining use after you finish a long rest.

Magnified Knell

When you cast a spell that reanimates the dead or summons up another being, you may increase its total hit points by an amount equal to 6 + your Charisma modifier.

Imminent Doom

When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you may reroll any result of 1 on the attack roll. You must take the new roll. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining use after you finish a long rest.

Contagious

When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can double the amount of creatures you can target with the spell. If it is a ranged spell, then double its range. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining use after you finish a long rest.

Harmful Direction

When you cast a spell that targets only one creature, you can have the spell jump onto an additional target, with no further action of your own. Make another spell attack roll against a creature within 30 feet of the target. This attack originates from the original target, and the new target is chosen randomly from among all creatures in range including yourself.

Wither

When you cast a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can double its duration, to a maximum duration of 24 hours. If you use this twist on a spell with a duration of 24 hours, you can instead make it permanent. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining use after you finish a long rest.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of you 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.

Lost Life

Starting 20th level, a death dealer no longer can be touched by the means of salvation, instead reveling in the powers of death which wreathe their being. Any radiant damage you cast or receive is changed to necrotic. Any necrotic damage you deal via spells ignores resistance and immunities.

Plague

Your powers, for better or worse, are rampant and far spreading. Their power lies in the potential to deal the most death to the largest amount of the living.

Immune

As you spread death, the effects of it only serve to glorify you, rather than bring you down. They are like ramparts to your imminent arrival. Starting 1st level, you gain immunity to diseases, poison damage, and being poisoned.

Death Ward

Starting 6th level, you become nulled to the powers of darkness and death due to your immersion in them. You gain immunity to necrotic damage.

Dark Bloom

Starting 14th level, you may wreathe your body in darkness and make it explode outward to steal the lives of others with sadistic abandon. As a bonus action, you convert a good deal of your dark energies into a raiment that resembled a wisping cloak of darkness. You have resistance against nonmagical slashing, bludgeoning and piercing damage as long as you wear this cloak. You may dispel this effect with an action. When you do, all creatures within 60 feet of you take 5d10 necrotic damage and must succeed a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be struck incapacitated by a harrowing visage of their own death until the end of their next turn. You can use this feature once, regaining use upon finishing a long rest.

Ominous Presence

Death is a force none can escape. It is the counterpart of life, like it or not, and you are a reminder of that. Starting 18th level, you gain 120 feet of truesight. When you are in an area that is lightly or heavily obscured, and you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you may make an additional spell attack against a target within 30 feet of the creature as part of the same action.

Angel Of Death

Death is a means to an end. There are those individual few who specifically must die, and you will snuff them out.

Pass Through

The bringers of death often go where they need, unhindered. You now float off the ground as you move, hovering, up to 5 feet. You are immune to difficult terrain and being knocked prone.

Untouchable

Those who bring death often prove undying themselves. Starting 6th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.

Dark Reverie

Starting 14th level, the power of dark energies rejuvenates you where it enervates others. If you have no more than half your hit points left and you take necrotic damage, you instead take no damage, regaining hit points up to half the amount of damage dealt.

Deathbringer

By bringing upon yourself this burden of relieving others of life, you embody the great taker, the reaper. Starting 18th level, the aura of death wreaths and makes your body light as a feather, granting you a flying speed of 60 feet. Additionally, when you regain hit points outside of your turn, you can instead expend a reaction to charge that energy negatively and deflect it as a ranged spell attack at a creature within a range equal to X10, where X is equal to your Wisdom modifier. On a hit, the creature takes necrotic damage equal to the amount of hit points you would have regained.

Death Dealer Spell List

1st Level

ray of the sickness, false life, inflict wounds, wrathful smite

2nd Level

suggesstion, ray of enfeeblement, crown of madness, darkness, shadow blade, phantasmal force

3rd Level

fear, vampiric touch, animate dead, speak with dead, spirit guardians, incite greed

4th Level

blight, confusion, banishment, black tentacles, phantasmal killer, shadow of moil, sickening radiance

5th Level

darkbolt, traitorous blood, compel suicide, contagion, danse macabre, enervation, negative energy flood, insect plague

6th Level

circle of death, eyebite, mass suggestion, sunbeam, dark world, harm, soul cage, mental prison

7th Level

finger of death, withering destruction, power word pain

8th Level

sunburst, maddening darkness, mind blank

9th Level

power word kill, weird, imprisonment

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the death dealer class, you must meet these prerequisites: 15 Wisdom, 13 Charisma

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the death dealer class, you gain the following proficiencies: thieves' tools, Religion

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