D&D 5E Player wants to be a Death Knight but will use official rules: Build Help

[Jaiken]

If your player uses the Paladin spellcasting to only use the Smite spells (however many they select), then it cuts down on the amount of "magic" the 'Death Knight' uses.

I would say an Oathbreaker Paladin or even just an Oath of Vengeance Paladin would fit the bill. And if you really wanted to be clever / nice and more fit the Death Knight of WoW aesthetic... the Paladin 1st level spell Thunderous Smite does extra damage on an attack and can push the target 10 feet away and knock them prone on a failed Strength saving throw. To really fit the Death Knight iconic ability 'Death Grip' (the WoW class feature that yanks enemies and pulls them towards the Death Knight)... you can just reword the Thunderous Smite spell to allow the Paladin to push OR pull the target 10 feet and knock them prone. This can give the player one of the more iconic DK abilities in the game to really drive the theming home of pulling their enemies towards themselves. And pulling a target 10 feet isn't unbalancing at all, since even the Druid can pull a target 10 feet towards them using a Cantrip of all things (Thorn Whip).

That is good. Thank you.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Also, if minor deviation from rules would be acceptable, I think you could add some flavour by switching damage types. More necrotic and cold damage etc.

 

[overgeeked]

The issue is the Death Knight uses Magic, but not as much as the Paladin gets.

I regularly played a DK for years. I don’t agree with this. I’d say the DK uses way more magic in their basic rotation than the paladin ever gets.

Your closest all-around match is the paladin. Your best bet is a custom subclass, without that your best bet is oathbreaker.

 

[Jaiken]

I regularly played a DK for years. I don’t agree with this. I’d say the DK uses way more magic in their basic rotation than the paladin ever gets.

Your closest all-around match is the paladin. Your best bet is a custom subclass, without that your best bet is oathbreaker.

You make a good point. Oathbreaker it is.

 

[Remathilis]

If by official, you mean "is on D&D Beyond" I could suggest illrigger as well...

 

[Jaiken]

If by official, you mean "is on D&D Beyond" I could suggest illrigger as well...

Isn’t Illrigger unbalanced?

 

[Remathilis]

Isn’t Illrigger unbalanced?

I don't know about that. I've not studied it or seen it played, but I know the revised version is on Beyond.

 

[Jaiken]

I don't know about that. I've not studied it or seen it played, but I know the revised version is on Beyond.

Talked to the player and he says that the Oathbreaker Paladin is what he wants.

 

[ECMO3]

One of my players is a huge fan of the Death Knight class from World of Warcraft and was wondering if they could play it in Dungeons and Dragons. We agreed only use official material.

Would Oathbreaker Paladin to level 5 with heavy armor and martial weapons be good enough? Also, would Undying Warlock give the magic needed and fit thematically?

So I think this is pretty easy to do with some modification of the Oathbreaker subclass, with the following additons/changes:

3rd level: creature type changes to Undead, immune to poison and necrotic damage as well as poisoned and frightened conditions.

Subclass spells: Command, Compelled Duel, Hold Person, Magic Weapon, Dispel Magic, Elemental Weapon, Banishment, Staggering Smite.

Replace Dreadful Aspect with a Channel Divinity that gives Magic Resistance for 1 minute as a Bonus action.

7th level: Eliminate Fiends from the Aura of Hate feature but add that all undead, including the Death Knight have advantage against saves from being turned

15th level: The Death Knight can use an action to hurl a ball of fire 10d6 damage, dex save for half. The Death Knight can do this a number of times per day equal to half their proficiency bonus (rounded down).

20th level: On being hit by an attack the death knight can use a reaction to give himself a +6 bonus to AC. The bonus lasts to the start of his next turn.

 

[Jaiken]

So I think this is pretty easy to do with some modification of the Oathbreaker subclass, with the following additons/changes:

3rd level: creature type changes to Undead, immune to poison and necrotic damage as well as poisoned and frightened conditions.

Subclass spells: Command, Compelled Duel, Hold Person, Magic Weapon, Dispel Magic, Elemental Weapon, Banishment, Staggering Smite.

Replace Dreadful Aspect with a Channel Divinity that gives Magic Resistance for 1 minute as a Bonus action.

7th level: Eliminate Fiends from the Aura of Hate feature but add that all undead, including the Death Knight have advantage against saves from being turned

15th level: The Death Knight can use an action to hurl a ball of fire 10d6 damage, dex save for half. The Death Knight can do this a number of times per day equal to half their proficiency bonus (rounded down).

20th level: On being hit by an attack the death knight can use a reaction to give himself a +6 bonus to AC. The bonus lasts to the start of his next turn.

Mind if I copy this? Going to send it to my player.