The Death Master
Revised D&D3e Prestige Class by M Jason Parent (hound@ambient.on.ca)

The Death Master NPC class was originally created by Lenard Lakofka, is 8 1983 by Lenard Lakofka and E. Gary Gygax and was presented in the August 1983 issue of Dragon Magazine under Mr Lakofka’s regular column, “Leomund’s Tiny Hut”. Much of the text in this conversion is drawn from that article. Other versions of the Death Master prestige class have been published to the internet, but each one treats levels of Death Master as additional levels of the character’s main spell-casting class, while I was looking for the possibility of Rogue / Death Masters, Barbarian / Death Masters and so on, making this Prestige Class open to all character classes (although non-bards, wizards and sorcerers must achieve level 5 before joining the class). Throughout this document spellings have been rendered in Canadian / British standard and pronouns have been rendered in the feminine.

The Death Master is a true lord of the undead, beyond the powers of even the most malevolent of evil clerics. They are the spell-casting equivalent of the BlackGuard, carrying an evil reputation that is much earned. The class requirements are actually quite easy to achieve, and persons from all walks of life may succumb to the easy power that hordes of mindless servants can produce - servants that the Death Master is supreme lord of. Some call Death Masters Necromancers, but they are far more evil than any specialist Wizard.
Occasionally someone not dedicated to the goals of Evil takes up the path of the Death Master, as his first level abilities can be useful to one who seeks to be a destroyer of the undead, but should they seek out greater knowledge, they always fall to the dark ambitions of the lore they gather.
Hit Die: d4+1 (roll 1D4+1 plus any constitution modifiers at each level for hit points)

Requirements
To qualify to become a Death Master, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: any non-good, non-lawful alignment (see below)
Alchemy: 4 Ranks
Knowledge (Undead): 4 Ranks
Profession (Embalmer) or (Undertaker): 2 Ranks
Will Save: +3
Special: The Death Master to-be must unearth a properly buried cadaver and consume it’s heart and brain before becoming capable of wielding these arcane forces. This act alone announces the Death Master’s evil intent, and cannot be performed by Lawful or Good characters.

Class Skills
The Death Master=s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Alchemy (Int), Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge - Arcana (Int), Knowledge - Undead (Int), Move Silently (Dex) and SpellCraft (Int). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player=s Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Death Master prestige class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Death Master has little weapon training, being proficient in  all simple weapons and the scythe and scimitar, with no armour or shield proficiency. Note that armour check penalties for armour heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pockets and Tumble.
Alignment Shift: At the levels indicated, the Death Master=s alignment shifts irrevocably one step towards Chaotic Evil. By sixth level a Death Master will always be Chaotic Evil, and her alignment cannot be changed away from Chaotic Evil by any means, even a wish or a helm of alignment change can only move the alignment towards Chaotic Evil.
Familiar: Like a wizard or sorcerer, a Death Master can summon a familiar beginning at fourth level. The familiar will be one of the following:
Bat
Black Cat (+2 bonus Move Silently)
Rat (+2 bonus Fortitude saves)
Raven (speaks one language)
Weasel (+2 bonus on Reflex saves)
Identify Potion: Most Death Masters can identify a potion of undead control by tasting just a drop. Such a potion has double effect and double duration when imbibed by a Death Master. The identification is a natural ability, while the improved usage is a supernatural ability.

Ring Meld: Beginning at 9th level, a ring of regeneration on a Death Master’s finger becomes invisible. Should the Death Master be rendered unconscious / killed while wearing the ring, the ring becomes ethereal also, but continues to produce it’s curative effects for the Death Master. The only way to prevent this is the removal of the digit wearing the ethereal ring from the Death Master’s body. This is a supernatural ability.
Speak With Undead: Starting at first level a Death Master may speak with undead at will. This does not create a compulsion to obey and cannot operate on mindless undead. This is a supernatural ability.
Speak With Dead: Starting at seventh level, the Death Master gains the spell-like ability to Speak with Dead (as the level 3 Cleric spell) at will, up to four times per day, plus an additional use per day per level above seventh.
Undead Resistance 1: Starting at first level, a Death Master develops a magic resistance to Sleep and Charm spells. This resistance is rated at 10+level. This is a supernatural ability. 
In addition, a Death Master is generally safe from attack from undead sources. Whenever a Death Master encounters an undead, the Death Master must roll a D20 adding his Death Master level and Charisma modifier with a DC of 10 plus the undead=s hit dice. If the roll succeeds, the undead cannot attempt to harm or otherwise attack the Death Master. This protection does not extend to the Death Master’s party, nor will it protect her should she attack the undead in question.
Undead Resistance 2: Starting at fifth level, a Death Master becomes immune to paralysis and hold spells including the paralysing touch of some undead. This is a supernatural ability.
Undead Resistance 3: Starting at tenth level, a Death Master becomes immune to level draining and strength draining by the undead, though normal damage from such an attack would still occur. This is a supernatural ability.
Spell Casting: The Death Master has the ability to cast a variety of arcane necromantic spells. The Death Master can learn these spells from arcane spell-caster scrolls or spellbooks, and also adds two additional spells (of levels that she can cast) to her spellbook for every level of she gains in the prestige class.	

Class Level	

Base Attack 	

Fort Save	

Ref Save	

Will Save	

Special	
Spells Per Day						
						
1st	
2nd	
3rd	
4th	
5th	
6th	

1	
+0	
+0	
+0	
+2	
Speak with undead, Undead resistance 1	
1	
-	
-	
-	
-	
-	

2	
+1	
+0	
+0	
+3	
Identify potion	
2	
0	
-	
-	
-	
-	

3	
+1	
+1	
+1	
+3	
Alignment shift	
2	
1	
0	
-	
-	
-	

4	
+2	
+1	
+1	
+4	
Familiar	
2	
1	
1	
0	
-	
-	

5	
+2	
+1	
+1	
+4	
Undead resistance 2	
2	
2	
1	
1	
-	
-	

6	
+3	
+2	
+2	
+5	
Alignment shift	
2	
2	
2	
2	
-	
-	

7	
+3	
+2	
+2	
+5	
Speak with dead	
3	
3	
3	
2	
0	
-	

8	
+4	
+2	
+2	
+6	
	
3	
3	
3	
3	
1	
-	

9	
+4	
+3	
+3	
+6	
Ring meld	
4	
4	
3	
3	
2	
0	

10	
+5	
+3	
+3	
+7	
Undead resistance 3	
4	
4	
4	
4	
3	
1	

First Level Spells
Animate Skeletons. Animates a small number of skeletons
Animate Zombies. Animates a small number of zombies
Arcane Mark. Inscribes a personal rune (visible or invisible)
Cause Fear. One creature flees for 1d4 rounds
Cause Light Wounds. Causes 1d8+1/lvl (max +5) damage
Chill Touch. 1 touch / level deals 1d6 dmg and 1 Str dmg
Comprehend Languages. Understand all languages
Desecrate. Fills area with neg energy, makes undead stronger
Detect Magic. Detects spells and magic items within 60ft
Gentle Repose. Preserves one corpse
Obscuring Mist. Fog surrounds you
Protection from Good. +2 AC and saves
Read Magic. Read scrolls and spellbooks
Unseen Servant. Creates invisible force that obeys you

Second Level Spells
Attract Ghouls. Summons ghouls
Darkness. 20-ft radius of supernatural darkness
Death Knell. Kill dying creature, +d8 hp, +2Str, +1 caster level
Detect Good. Reveals creatures, spells or objects
Death Armour. Skin contact causes 2d6 damage
Fog Cloud. Fog obscures vision
Message. Whispered conversation at distance
Pyrotechnics. Turns fire into blinding light or choking smoke
Ray of Enfeeblement. Reduce Str by d6+1/2 levels
Stinking Cloud. Nauseating vapours, 1 round / level

Third Level Spells
Dispel Magic. Cancels magical spells and effects
Ghast Production. Creates ghasts
Magic Circle Against Good. 10'r protection from good
Ray of Paralysis. Hold Person ray attack
Summon Monster II. Calls outsider to fight for you
Vampiric Touch. Touch deals d6 dmg / 2 lvls, gain hit points
Wall of Ice. Creates wall with 15hp +1/lvl

Fourth Level Spells
Charm Undead. Makes undead your friend
Enervation: Subject gains 1d4 negative levels
Fear. Subjects within cone flee for 1 round / level
Ice Storm. Hail deals 5d6 damage in 40ft cylinder
Mummy Production. Creates mummies
Shadow Summoning. Summons shadows
Wight Production. Creates wights

Fifth Level Spells
Animate Dead. Creates zombies and skeletons
Cloudkill. Kills 3HD or less; 4-6HD save or die
Cause Serious Wounds. Causes 3d8+1/lvl (max +15) dmg
Circle of Death. Kills 1d4HD/level
Cone of Cold. 1d6 cold damage / level
Ghost Production. Creates a ghost
Slay Living. Touch attack causes death

Sixth Level Spells
Finger of Death. Kills one subject
Lichdom. Become a lich
Spectre Production. Creates a spectre
Unholy Aura. +4AC, +4 resistance, SR 25 against good spells
Vampire Production. Creates a vampire

Animate Skeletons creates one skeleton per level of the Death Master. It requires a special salve be rubbed on the bones of the skeleton to be animated. The salve costs 10gp per skeleton and requires a DC 12 alchemy roll to create. The skeletons can be animated anytime within 24 hours of the rubdown. The most skeletons a Death Master may have animated through this spell at any time is equal to her level.

Animate Zombies creates one zombie per two levels of the Death Master (round up). It requires that the corpses be soaked in a special bath. The bath liquid costs 20gp per hit die of zombie to be created and requires a DC 15 alchemy roll to create. The zombies can be animated anytime within 2 hours of being in the bath (or at any time that they are resting in the bath). The most zombies a Death Master may have animated through this spell at any time is equal to her 2 her level (rounded up).

Attract Ghouls summons a ghoul each time it is cast. The ghoul will take either D6 turns to arrive (25%), D6 hours to arrive (50%) or D6 days to arrive (25%). It will not serve willingly unless it is regularly fed. Loyalty and obedience is developped at 2% per day of feeding and attention. The most ghouls a Death Master may attract in this manner is equal to 2 her level (rounded down).

Death Armour is treated exactly as Mage Armour, but instead of providing +4 AC, anyone contacting the Death Master bare-handed (using a touch spell, touch attack or bare-handed combat method) will take 2D6 damage without saving throw.

Ghast Production requires a ghoul to be cast upon. The body must be infused with a special liquid that costs 400gp and requires a DC 18 alchemy roll to produce. The process takes 1 hour. A Death Master cannot have more than 1/3 her level of Ghasts in attendance.

Ray of Paralysis is treated just as the spell hold person, but is a ray attack.

Charm Undead is treated exactly as Charm Monster, but it affects only the undead, and their natural resistance to Charm spells does not protect against it.

Mummy Production requires an embalming fluid that costs 1,400 gp and requires a DC 22 alchemy roll to produce. The body must be wrapped and prepared, which wil require six full hours. The spell itself takes but a single action. The mummy produced may immediately make a Will save against the spell to be free of the Death Master’s control. A Death Master may only have 2HD of mummies under her control per level.

Shadow Summoning is treated exactly like Summon Monster except that it always summons D6+1 shadows.

Wight Production requires a corpse and a bone from a wight. For every wight so produced, the Death Master will lose one hit point permanently unless she succeeds at a Fortitude save against the spell. The wight so produced will always have maximum hit points, and can procreate in the normal undead fashion. Note that only the wight created by the spell is under the Death Master’s control, not any wights created by it. A Death Master can only have 2HD of wights under her control per level.

Ghost Production is unlike the Death Master’s other production spells, as the ghost is completely free-willed. The casting takes 2 turns, and in 48 hours the ghost is fully formed and has no knowledge of how it was created or who created it. It is a completely free-willed undead.

Lichdom can be cast on a willing cleric or magic user of at least 18th level or a Death Master of 10th level. The Death Master must make a potion for the spell caster to consume. It costs 6,000gp and requires a DC 30 alchemy roll. The spell caster then consumes it and makes a Will save. If successful, she becomes a lich in 24 hours. If she fails, she is merely dead.

Vampire Production & Spectre Production create an undead of the appropriate type. They each require a corpse slain by the appropriate type of undead (but not in a fashion that would have the corpse rise as such an undead), and a potion that will cost 4,500 gp and require a DC 25 alchemy roll to create. The corpse is allowed a Fortitude save, and if it fails it becomes a vampire or spectre. The undead so produced is answerable to the Death Master for a term of one year. Until it becomes free-willed, neither can procreate. A Death Master can only have one of each under her control at any one time.