Death Magus Domain (5e Subclass)
Death Magus[edit]
Cleric Subclass
A Lich lounges on an ivory throne, mentally ordering his undead slaves to bring him the last of the prisoners. A few minutes later, a shambling line of humans is escorted into the chamber. "Kneel." Terrified of the undead horror they do his will. In a series of bright flashes they all fall dead at his feet. As the last falls, darkness descends on the hall. When light finally returns, the human corpses have vanished. In their places stand gruesome skeletons and terrible specters, the newest recruits into the undead army.
A Death Magus uses the animated remains of humanoids and beasts to accomplish his goals. If you get in his way, he'll be happy to add your skull to his collection. Death Magus are great necromancers and glorious commanders of undead armies. A ruthless enemy and an unwavering companion, he will stop at nothing to accomplish his ends. He will not stop, no matter his losses. After all, all he needs to do is go to the nearest graveyard to replenish his forces.
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | cause fear, false life |
| 3rd | blindness/deafness, ray of enfeeblement |
| 5th | animate dead, life transference |
| 7th | blight, shadow of moil |
| 9th | danse macabre, negative energy flood |
- Staff of the Death Magus
Starting at 1st level, you carry a staff that denotes your occupation. You can convert any quarterstaff of your choice into a staff by bonding with the quarterstaff within 5 feet of you, over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can't have more than one staff of the death magus at the same time. If the staff is a magical item that requires attunement, you ignore race and class requirements for attunement.
This staff is bound to you, and you can spend a bonus action to teleport it to your hand as long as you are both on the same plane of existence. Your staff has the following properties:
- You cannot be disarmed of your Death Magus staff.
- You can perform a melee spell attack with your staff. On a hit, you cause 2d6 necrotic damage. The damage increases by 1d6 whenever your proficiency bonus increases by 1.
- You can use your Staff of the Death Magus as an holy symbol. While holding the staff, you do not need material components for your spells that have a cost equal to or below your Cleric level.
Channel Divinity: Conjure Dead
Starting at 2nd level, you can lift your Staff of the Death Magus and spend one use of your Channel Divinity to conjure an undead creature. That undead creature behaves as if animated by the animate dead spell. The undead vanishes after 1 minute, or after being destroyed, whichever happens first.
The undead summoned depends on your level, as shown on the table below:
| Cleric Level | Undead Conjured CR |
|---|---|
| 2nd | 1/4 |
| 5th | 1/2 |
| 8th | 1 |
| 11th | 2 |
| 14th | 3 |
| 17th | 4 |
- Shadow of Death
Starting at 6th level, you can steal the shadows of nearby humanoids. All creatures of your choice within a 30-foot radius must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creatures take necrotic damage equal to 2d10 + your Cleric level. If a creature is reduced to 0 hit points by this feature, the creature's shadow departs and rises again as a shadow in the space of the deceased creature. These Shadows are under your control as if under the animate dead spell. The shadows disappear after 1 minute, or after they are reduced to 0 hit points.
Once you use this feature, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.
- Sanguine Bond
At 8th level, you have learned to empower your newly created legions to even greater capabilities. While wielding your staff of the death magus, you can sacrifice 1d4 hit points when you cast the animate dead spell or summon an undead using your channel divinity. If you do so, your creations gain the following benefits:
- The undead will use your spell attack bonus for their attacks.
At 14th level, the undead receive the following additional benefits:
- The undead will use your spell save DC for any of its abilities that require a save DC.
- The undead will have an AC equal your spell save DC, if it is lower.
- Revenant’s Curse
Beginning at 17th level, you become cursed as a Revenant until you can achieve Lichdom or Arch Lichdom. This curse, however, empowers you as it brings you closer to the unlife. You gain the following benefits:
- If you are below half your hit point maximum at the start of your turn, you regain 1 hit point.
- If you die, you return to life 24 hours after death. If your body is destroyed, you reform within 1 mile of the place of your death at a spot determined by the DM. If your equipment was also destroyed, you do not regain it, except your Staff of the Death Magus.
- You know the direction between you and a source of knowledge on becoming a Lich or Arch Lich, such as any creature or books. This awareness fails if the creature is on another plane of existence.
After becoming a lich, you lose all curse benefits and this feature is replaced by an bonus in your Constitution score, that increases in 2, up to a maximum of 22.
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