Death Knight, 17th level, need advice...

[Kilroy]

Don't rely too heavily on blackguard. Past level 2 they are a weak class. A d10 hp really doesn't matter at all when all your HD turn to d12.

As a character with no Con bonus to hp and 5 fewer HD than expected, you won't be the tank at epic levels, regardless of what you try. If you can, convince the DM to let you take a feat to use your Cha for bonus hp instead of Con, but I don't remember where that's from.

At epic levels, with sucky hp, a tank is a lump of tasty tasty tofu waiting to be devoured by the first thing that comes along. It will suck and you will hate it, and you can't get ressed.

If you already have multiple arcane casters, make them summon you some tanks. Heck, just make them tank. They'll almost certainly have more hp then you do.

I suggest a different take on Death Knight.

"Unstoppable Death": Rog 1/Monk 4/Lurking Terror 3/Blackguard 2/Assassin 7

For a really tormented build, try "Deathless Pariah": Rog 3/Monk 4/Ur-Priest 10

For items, you really want something with a constant Anti-Life Shell. 132k, and it will save your bacon. Also consider something that can cast harm, to heal you.

If you really, really want to play a tank, I can only think of one good way to overcome your wretched hp...

"Deathless frenzy, redux": Barbarian 6/Blackguard 2/Frenzied Berserker 9, because, really, nothing says "Death Knight" like a 400 hp scythe critical.

 

[smetzger]

I know this is a lot, but you should consider spending 200,000 gp for a belt of magnificence (+6 version). This is a non-epic wondrous item from the Miniatures Handbook (which is a 3.5 book). It grants +6 to all of your ability scores (though, being undead, it won't do anything for your Constitution).

That sounds worth it. I believed a slotted item for one ability score is 36kgp.

I also suggest you take the Improved Toughness feat from Libris Mortis, which grants you +1 hit point per hit die. You already meet the sole prerequisite of having a base Fortitude save of +2 or more.

Yeah, I may need more HP.

I do already get Unholy Toughness (use Cha adj for extra HP).

Another item I am getting is boots of Swiftness(ELH, 256kgp, +6 dex, haste 3/day, evasion, +20 to appropriate skills)

Nightfall - What book is Knight of the Lily in?

I know there is a Quicken Spell Like Ability feat. Is there a Quicken Special Ability feat? My Abyssal Blast and Power Word are both Special Abilities and not Spell like. I was thinking that I probably won't use these unless they are free actions.

 

[Kilroy]

I know there is a Quicken Spell Like Ability feat. Is there a Quicken Special Ability feat? My Abyssal Blast and Power Word are both Special Abilities and not Spell like. I was thinking that I probably won't use these unless they are free actions.

What's a Special ability, compared to a Supernatural, Extrordinary or Spell-Like ability?

Good job with Unholy Toughness, I don't have access to DLCS so I didn't realize they got it.

I do still like Frenzied Berserker as a Death Knight class. ;-)

 

[Bryan898]

I don't know the prereqs for the death knight, but I'm assuming it's like a template. I'd go with something different. A Lizardman Rogue 2/Fighter 4/Thrall to Demogorgon 9/Blackguard 2. Make him a sadistic killer, or something similar. Perphaps have him be a schtizo that listens to voices in his head that he refers to as the Demogorgon's Will. Maybe look something like this:
Male Lizardman Rog2/Ftr4/ Thrall to Demogorgon 9/ Blackguard 2; AL CE; CR 17; Medium Humanoid (Reptillian); HD 2d6+4d10+10d8+1d10+102 (212 hp); Init +9; Spd 40'; AC 36, touch 19, flat-footed 31; BAB +16; Grp +25; Atk "Aamuel's Fang" +29/+24/+19/+14 melee 1d8+18 plus 1 negative level plus 1 Con / 19-20, and bite +21 melee 1d4+4; SA Death Touch, Detect Good at will, Dual Actions, Hypnosis, Reaching Touch, Rotting Touch, Smite Good 1/day +8 Atk +1 damage, Sneak Attack +1d6, Summon Minor Demon, Summon Major Demon; SQ Aura of EViL, Dark Blessing, Evasion, Hold Breath, Poison Use, Scaly Flesh +3; SV Fort +27 Ref +18 Will +11; Abilities Str 22 (28) Dex 14 (20) Con 16 (22) Int 13 Wis 8 Cha 20 (26); Skills and Feats Bluff +13, Concentration +15, Hide +24, Intimidate +13, Jump +16, Knowledge (Arcana) +3, Knowledge (Religion) +3, Knowledge (Planar) +3, Listen +9, Move Silently +24, Search +10, Sense Motive +4, Spot +9, Tumble +15, Swim +15; Combat Reflexes, Close-Quarters Fighting, Cleave, Hold the Line, Improved Critical (spear), Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Thrall to Demon (Demogorgon), Weapon Focus (spear), Weapon Specialization (spear), Willing Deformity; Possessions "Aamuel's Fang" +3 souldrinking wounding cold iron spear, +5 improved silent & improved shadow black chain shirt; belt of giant str +6, cloak of charisma +6, amulet of con +6, gloves of dex +6, ring of protection +4, boots of striding & springing, stone salve (2), potion of heroism, oil of greater magic weapon +5.
Combat Abilities
Death Touch- 1/day, may use slay living as the spell with a touch. Fort DC 27
Dual Actions- 2/day, as a free action he may make two rounds of actions in one round.
Hypnosis- 1/day, a 30' gaze attack that acts as a hypnosis spell. Will DC 27
Reaching Touch- 3/day, may cause arms to stretch, adding +5' to his reach for 1 round.
Rotting Touch- 3/day, as a standard action he may deal 1d6 Con damage with a touch.
Summon Minor Demon- 1/day he may summon a demon of 5 HD or less. Cast as a 15th level monster summoning spell.
Summon Major Demon- 1/day he may summon a demon of 10 HD or less. Cast as a 15th level monster summoning spell.
Touch of Fear- 3/day can cause fear with a touch, Will DC 27
Two Personnas: He's insane. Has multiple personalities, among other mental problems. He may multiclass freely.

Quick note: Taking the third level in blackguard first is probably a good idea, namely because it allows you to command undead, so you'll qualify for Divine Might. +8 to damage 11 rounds a day is a good addition.

 

[Kilroy]

Male Lizardman Rog2/Ftr4/ Thrall to Demogorgon 9/ Blackguard 2; AL CE; CR 17; Medium Humanoid (Reptillian); HD 2d6+4d10+10d8+1d10+102 (212 hp)

Wouldn't all the HD turn to d12?

 

[smetzger]

I don't know the prereqs for the death knight, but I'm assuming it's like a template.

Yes, its an undead template. LA +5, +4 str, +2 Wis, +2 CHa, SR 20 + 1/HD beyond 10, DR 10/magic, Fear Aura, Power Word, Abyssal Blast, Wall of Ice, cannot be turned but banished with Holy Word, plus some other goodies.

Where is Thrall to Demogorgon found? And wil it interfere with my allegiance to Bane?

What's a Special ability, compared to a Supernatural, Extrordinary or Spell-Like ability?

Quicken Spell Like Ability would be one of the few instances where it makes a difference.

Good job with Unholy Toughness, I don't have access to DLCS so I didn't realize they got it.

Actually they don't get it. But my DM thinks they should.

 

[Bryan898]

Where is Thrall to Demogorgon found? And wil it interfere with my allegiance to Bane?

It's found in the Book of Vile Darkness by Monte Cook. The classes basic concept is a devout follower of the Demogorgon, so it will definetely conflict with Bane. This is just a villian in my campaign I have on the computer so I pasted it here thinking it would qualify to be a death knight quite well.

Wouldn't all the HD turn to d12?

I didn't apply the death knight template because I didn't know it's abilities or stat changes. This is simply a 17th level evil villian that I felt could easily be a death knight.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Wait a minute; you get UNHOLY TOUGHNESS?

You can *definitely* be a tank. Cha bonus to hp plus immunity to criticals and various other resistances is nothing to sneeze at. That said, the fighter/blackguard may not be your best bet. My own recommendation would be Clr15/Blk2 with the Trickery domain (which has lots of nice spells and gets you Hide for cheap) or, possibly better still, Clr6 (Destruction and Tyranny domains)/Dreadmaster 7/Blk2. The latter gets you two cohorts (choose a Fiend of Possession as one, and you'll be able to enhance your items for free!) and lots of Charisma-related abilities. Use Divine Metamagic to give yourself Persistent divine power and righteous might, and attack your enemies with a ferocious combo of Divine Might and your smite ability (from the Destruction domain). The cleric's lower HD are irrelevant, since you're undead, and your BAB is taken care of by divine power. Simple but deadly. You will easily out-tank the fighters due to buffs, and you really only need a high Charisma, with Wisdom just sufficient to cast your 8th-level spells. Best of all, you'll be able to heal yourself easily and do all sorts of nasty things.

Another option is to go the sorcerer/eldritch knight route. Not easy, but doable. Such a build would be Ftr1/Sor6/EK2/Blk2/EK6(8). This gets you 6th-level arcane spells (7th once you gain one more level), decent bonus feats, and Charisma to spellcasting, saves, and hp. Not bad!

 

[Alzrius]

I do already get Unholy Toughness (use Cha adj for extra HP).

How do you get that? The Death Knight of Krynn template doesn't have that special quality...for that matter, I'm having trouble finding that ability in Libris Mortis at all.

 

[iksander]

Hnnn...If your DM oks the belt of magnificence +6, try going samurai 7/iaijutsu master 10 (from the oriental handbook). The Iaijutsu master is a sweet class, but ya get the crazy benefits if you have wall to wall good scores, which the Belt of Magnificence would provide.