Fighter: Barrow Guard
Martial Archetype
Barrow Guards are warriors who harness the power of the dead, taking upon themselves spectral energies normally forbidden to the living. Some Barrow Guards are those returned from the dead through magical miracles or the whims of the gods. Others stand at the doors of sacred crypts, ready to push back any who attempt to desecrate the dead. No matter their origin, these stoic sentinels are unconcerned with matters of the living. They are separate, other, and duty-bound to their role as crypt-keepers, ensuring the dead - heroes and villains alike - remain at rest.
Level 3
You house within you the lingering remnants of souls long-departed, and their knowledge and experience imbue you with necromantic energy. It is represented by Draugr Dice, which fuel powers you gain from this subclass. You regain 1 draugr die when you finish a short rest, and regain all draugr die when you finish a long rest. The barrow guard draugr die table shows the die size and number you gain when you reach certain fighter levels.
| Fighter level | Dice |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 4d6 |
| 5th | 6d8 |
| 9th | 8d8 |
| 11th | 8d10 |
| 13th | 10d10 |
| 17th | 12d12 |
Some of your powers expend a draugr die, as specified in the feature's description, and you cannot use a power if it requires you to use a die when all your draugr dice are already expended. The save DC for any of your powers where applicable is 8 + CON + proficiency. You gain access to the following powers:
Dark Rider. As a bonus action, you manifest a ghostly steed that only you may mount. The steed uses the warhorse statblock, but its creature type is undead, it gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and it may only take the dash, disengage, and dodge actions. Whenever the steed takes the dash action, you may expend and roll a draugr die. During the movement from that action, the steed's speed increases by a number of ft. equal to 5 times the number rolled. The steed vanishes after 1 hour, if reduced to 0 hitpoints, if you are incapacitated, or if you die. You may use this power once per short rest. You may expend a draugr die as a free action to use this feature without expending a use.
Grave Guard. As a reaction whenever you take damage, you may expend and roll a draugr die, reducing the incoming damage by the number rolled + CON.
Soul Reaper. Whenever you take the attack action, you may forego one of your attacks to magically call forth ghostly hands around a creature within 60ft. of you. Expend and roll a draugr die. The target must make a STR saving throw, taking necrotic damage equal to the number rolled + CON, or half as much on a successful one. Additionally, on a failure, it is grappled for 1 minute.
Level 7
You may capture the fleeing essence of departing souls to glean knowledge and prowess. You gain the following benefits:
Mortal Coil. As a reaction whenever a creature hostile to you that isn't a construct or undead dies within 30ft. of you, you may regain 1 expended draugr die.
Whisper of the Departed. Whenever you make an ability check, you may expend and roll a draugr die, adding the number rolled to the total.
Level 10
The powers of your death knight feature improve in the following ways:
Phantom Charger. The ghostly steed of your dark rider power ignores difficult terrain. Additionally, whenever your steed takes the dash, disengage, or dodge action, you may expend and roll a draugr die. Your steed magically teleports, alongside you if you're riding it, to an unoccupied space you can see within 60ft. of the steed. Each creature of your choice within 10ft. of the steed when it appears must make a CON saving throw, taking necrotic damage equal to the number rolled + CON on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Death Knell. Whenever you use your grave guard power in response to a creature damaging you, the creature takes psychic damage equal to half the amount of damage the power reduced.
Spectral Shrieking. Whenever a creature grappled by your soul reaper power starts its turn, it takes psychic damage equal to your proficiency. As a reaction when it takes this damage, you may expend and roll a draugr die, adding the number rolled to the damage.
Level 15
You are no longer a mere vessel for spectral energy, but a lord of it. Your powers improve in the following ways:
On A Pale Horse. Whenever you use your dark rider power, you may allow a creature of your choice to mount the steed in addition to you. Additionally, whenever you expend a draugr die during the steed's dash action, it may move through solid objects and creatures as if they were difficult terrain, along with any riders. If the steed ends its turn inside a solid object, it and any riders take 1d10 force damage, and are shunted out to the nearest unoccupied space.
Sepulchral Shield. Whenever you use your gravel guard power, choose one of the triggering damage types. You gain resistance to that damage type, including the triggering damage, until the start of your next turn.
Death Grip. A creature grappled by your soul reaper power is restrained until the grapple ends.
Level 18
Your command of the secrets imparted to you is absolute. You gain the following benefits:
Eternal Vigil. You no longer suffer the effects of aging, you cannot be magically aged, and you cannot die of old age. Additionally, you no longer require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Restless Dead. Whenever you roll initative, if you have 2 or less draugr dice, you regain expended dice until you have 3.
Source: The Crooked Moon