Master of Undeath

Character Build Guide

A 1st-20th level build guide for Dungeons & Dragons play

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. MASTER OF UNDEATH
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 Master of Undeath
Character Build Guide

A 1st-20th level build guide for Dungeons & Dragons play

Writing: David Friant and Doug Vehovec

Editing: Doug Vehovec
Layout and Design: Doug Vehovec

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2 MASTER OF UNDEATH Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
By Request Step 2 — Class
It's no buried secret — we maintain that necroman- 1st level
cy as a school of magic is not inherently evil.. but
Start with Druid
raising the dead as skeletons, zombies and other
undead certainly is. Druid is our starting character class we imagine
All philosophical discussion aside, it's still fun to this character starting out as a student of life. Their
create necromancer character who in turn creates interest in the flow of life takes a dark turn though,
undead minions. So we wanted to see how many as they learn to manipulate that flow.
shambling corpses we could get going. Let the ani-
mation begin!
— Nerdarchy
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields (druids
PHB +1 will not wear armor or use shields made of metal)
We're throwing this rule out the window on this Weapons: Clubs, daggers, darts, javelins, maces,
character build guide. We really enjoyed the char- quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, spears
acter who emerged through discussing this idea. Tools: Herbalism kit
Because of the combination of race and class
options in two different books, and one of those Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
books not eligible for Adventurers League play, we Skills: Arcana, Nature
decided to do our first non-Adventurers League
Languages: Druidic
Character Build Guide.
This character takes advantage of Mordenkainen's
Tome of Foes and Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica. Step 3 — Ability Scores
When it comes to mastering undeath, a subclass
option in the latter is too cool to pass up. And STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
since that makes us ineligible for AL games, we fig- 8 (-1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1)
ured why not explore some unusual race options.
Step 4 — Background
Step-by-step character build guide Hermit
Skills: Medicine, Religion
Each step of the way, this guide will show you the Tools: Alchemist's supplies
choices made that are significant to this character Languages: Draconic
build. Options that are of particular importance to
this character’s effectiveness are in bold. This character spent copious amounts of time
alone, contemplating life and death and exploring
the relationship between the living, the dead...and
Step 1 — Race those things in between.
Githzerai
Race option from Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.
When it came down to making the final decision, Step 5 — Class and Level Progression
the githzerai is one of the few races with a bonus to Level Class Gains
Intelligence and Wisdom, ability scores we want to 1 Druid Spellcasting
be high for our multiclass character. And the extra-
planar origin of the gith felt just right. 2 Druid Wild Shape, Druid Circle —
Circle of Spores, Halo of Spores,
Symbiotic Entity
Proficiencies 3 Druid
Armor: None 4 Druid Ability Score Improvement —
Weapons: None Wisdom +2, Wild Shape
Tools: None Improvement
Skills: None 5 Druid Circle Spell — Animate Dead
Languages: Common, Gith 6 Druid Fungal Infestation

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. MASTER OF UNDEATH
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 7
8
Wizard
Wizard
Arcane Recovery
Arcane Tradition — School of Further Resources
Necromancy, Grim Harvest Character creation, build, roleplaying tips and
9 Wizard backstory elements are discussed in a video on
the Nerdarchy YouTube channel here. In the video
10 Wizard Ability Score Improvement — description, you can find a link to this character
Wisdom +2 build on D&D Beyond.
11 Wizard
12 Wizard Undead Thralls D&D Encounters
13 Wizard • The Roper Wrangler Monster BFF Series
14 Wizard Ability Score Improvement — • Kobold Cavalry Encounter
Intelligence +2 • The Hag's Apprentice Encounter
15 Wizard Spells — Danse Macabre, • Druid Circle from the Beyond
Negative Energy Flood
— Contains encounter ideas, new monsters and
16 Wizard Inured to Undeath a new druid Circle option for players
17 Wizard Spells — Create Undead, Soul
Cage
18

Wizard Ability Score Improvement —
Intelligence +2
Other Character Guides
• Mind Breaker Paladin Character Build Guide
19 Wizard Spells — Finger of Death,
Simulacrum • Zen Archery Master Character Build Guide

20 Wizard Command Undead • Sewer Ninja Tortle Character Build Guide

• Nature Possessed Warforged Character Build Guide
• Scaled Skald Character Build Guide
Conclusion • Quick Strike Character Build Guide
At the end of all things, we've got a character who • Night Parade Character Build Guid
can raise and command undead like it's going out • Combat Medic Character Build Guide
of style. This curious druid's obsession with mas-
tering life, death and undeath led them across the • Ultimate Duelist Character Build Guide
planes and down some dark paths. • Justicar: Path of Justice Barbarian Character
But they're a githzerai, so they're really calm and Build Guide
serene about the whole thing. It's cool. Every- • Ultimate Spell Duelist Character Build Guide
thing's fine. This is fine.
• Extreme Adventurer Character Build Guide
• Whirling Devish
Final Ability Scores
• Library Agent Character Build Guide
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA • Shadow-Haunted Rogue
8 (-1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 13 (+1) • Flesh Render Character Build Guide
• Stealer of Souls (Hexadin) Character Build Guide
Proficiencies
• Spell Savant Character Build Guide
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields (druids
will not wear armor or use shields made of metal)
Weapons: Clubs, daggers, darts, javelins, maces,
quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, spears
Tools: Alchemist's supplies, herbalism kit
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Arcana, Medicine, Nature, Religion
Languages: Common, Druidic, Draconic, Gith

4 MASTER OF UNDEATH Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.

For Dungeon Masters
Morbid and Macabre. In past editions of the
game, pale masters were spellcasters who draw on
necromantic lore to provide a ghoulish power all its
own. Becoming one meant spending days locked in
a tomb with the undead, or being slain by undead
and raised back to life.
Complete Mastery. Animating and controlling
undead is the Pale Master's singular goal. Through
this obsession a Pale Master unlocks the secrets of
how negative energy produces different kinds of un-
dead, and learns to wear that power like a shroud.
Pale Master
Medium humanoid, any evil alignment
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 132 (24d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (-1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 13 (+1)
Saving Throws Intelligence +10, Wisdom +10
Skills Arcana +10, Medicine +10, Nature +10, Religion +10
Damage Immunities Necrotic
Damage Vulnerabilties Radiant
Condition Immunities Frightened
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Any four languages
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)
Command Undead. Unless the pale master is inca-
pacitated, it and undead creatures of its creatures
of its choice within 60 feet of it have advantage on
saving throws against features that turn undead.
Cloak of Night. Other creatures within 30 feet of the
pale master cannot regain hit points.
Actions
Withering Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +10 to hit, reach
5 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (4d10) necrotic damage.
Shroud of Undeath (Recharge 6). As a bonus action,
the pale master chooses one of the following Shrouds.
The chosen Shroud remains active until the pale
master chooses to end it, chooses another Shroud, or
is reduced to 0 hit points. While a Shroud is active, the
pale master has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability
checks, and saving throws while in sunlight.
• Shroud of the Shadow. While this Shroud
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is active, the pale master can move through
a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without
squeezing. While in dim light or darkness,
the pale master can take the Hide action as a
bonus action. If the pale master uses Pale Mas-
tery, a shadow rises from the corpse under the
pale master's command at the start of its next
turn. The pale master can have no more than 3
shadows under its control at one time.
• Shroud of the Wight. While this Shroud is
active, the pale master can use its action to
make a melee spell attack (+10 to hit, reach
5 ft.). On a hit, the target takes 36 (8d8)
necrotic damage and must succeed on a DC
18 Constitution saving throw or its hit point
maximum is reduced by an amount equal
to the damage taken. This reduction lasts
until the target finishes a long rest. The
target dies if this effect reduced its hit point
maximum to 0. If the pale master uses Pale
Mastery, the corpse becomes a ghoul under
the pale master's command, instead of a
zombie. The pale master can have no more
than 3 ghouls under its control at one time.
• Shroud of the Wraith. While this Shroud is ac-
tive, the pale master can move through other
creatures and objects as if they were difficult
terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends
its turn inside an object. If the pale master uses
Pale Mastery, the corpse becomes a specter
under the pale master's command, instead of
a zombie. The pale master can have no more
than 3 specters under its control at one time.
• Shroud of the Vampire. While this Shroud
is active, the pale master can make a Bite
attack (+4 to hit, reach 5 ft.). On a hit, the
target takes 3 (1d6 -1) piercing damage plus
13 (3d8) necrotic damage. The target's hit
point maximum is reduced by an amount
equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the
master of undeah regains hit points equal
to that amount. This reduction lasts until the
target finishes a long rest. The target dies if
this effect reduced it's hit point maximum to
0. If the pale master uses Pale Mastery, the
corpse becomes a vampire spawn under the
pale master's command, instead of a zombie.
The pale master can have no more than 3
vampire spawn under it's control at one time.
Reactions
Pale Mastery. Whenever a humanoid dies while in the
pale master's Cloak of Night, they can use their reaction
to raise the corpse as a zombie under the pale master's
command. The dead humanoid retains its place in the
initiative order and animates at the start of its next turn,
provided that its body hasn’t been completely destroyed.
MASTER OF UNDEATH
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