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Hello adventurers! Today, I’m diving deep into one of my all-time favorite concepts for a prestige classes from 3rd Edition’s Defenders of the Faith: the Hunter of the Dead. Back in the day, this class specialized in taking down the undead with brutal efficiency, and it was an absolute powerhouse for any character focused on cleansing the world of the walking dead. As a lover of all things undead (both to fight and to throw at players), this class really caught my attention. One of my favorite characters of over 30 years of playing hunted the undead so this prestige class really speaks to that character that spanned 2nd edition into 3rd edition. Last time in this series I made an Acolyte of the Skin subclass for wizard.

But we’re in 5th Edition now, and while we have plenty of ways to deal with the undead (looking at you, Turn Undead), there’s still room to expand on the theme with subclasses that bring a fresh flavor to the classic undead hunter archetype. So, I thought, “Why not go all-in and create not just one but two subclasses inspired by the Hunter of the Dead?”

In this post, I’ll walk you through the original prestige class, give you a glimpse into how it worked, and then reveal my take on two brand new subclasses for 5th Edition: a paladin and cleric subclass, each with their own unique twists on hunting the undead.

Hunter of the Dead – 3rd Edition Prestige Class

For those unfamiliar with the Hunter of the Dead from Defenders of the Faith, the class was a holy warrior devoted to hunting down and destroying undead creatures. It was typically built for paladins and clerics (or multiclassed characters), offering a toolkit that made the undead really, really regret coming back to life.

Some of the classic features included an immunity to undead’s various effects (hello, level drain!), a specialized ability to turn undead more powerfully, and a focus on spells and abilities that punished the undead for existing.

But let’s be honest, prestige classes could be a bit clunky and restrictive, and they don’t fit into 5th Edition‘s more streamlined class and subclass system. That doesn’t mean we can’t take the spirit of the class and breathe new life into it. So, I’ve designed two subclasses based on this old favorite: one for Paladins and one for Clerics.

Let’s dive into what makes these two undead-hunting subclasses unique.

Paladin Subclass: Oath of the Eternal Vigil

The Oath of the Eternal Vigil calls on paladins to be relentless guardians against the scourge of undeath. These paladins dedicate their lives (and afterlives) to ensuring that the dead remain dead, and any who defy the natural order are swiftly brought to justice.

Tenets of the Eternal Vigil

• No Rest for the Wicked. Undead are an abomination, and you must not rest until they are eradicated.
• Protect the Living. Your duty is to the living, and you will not let them fall prey to the undead’s hunger.
• Break the Chains. Many undead are bound to undeath through no choice of their own. You must free them from their curse.
• Relentless Pursuit. The undead are tireless, and so must you be in hunting them down.

Oath Spells

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options:

• Turn the Defiled. As an action, you can present your holy symbol and speak a prayer of condemnation. Each undead creature within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage.
• Radiant Smite. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can use your Channel Divinity to deal an additional 2d8 radiant damage. If the target is undead, it takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage.

Aura of Defiance

7th-level Oath of the Eternal Vigil feature

Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, frightened, or possessed by undead. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Fiendish Hunter

15th-level Oath of the Eternal Vigil feature

Your experience in hunting the undead has granted you an uncanny ability to sense them. You can use your action to detect the location of any undead within 120 feet of you, even through solid walls, as long as you are familiar with the presence of that undead creature. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses after a long rest.

Undying Foe

20th-level Oath of the Eternal Vigil feature

At 20th level, you can call upon the divine power of your oath to assume the form of a relentless warrior. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:

• You are immune to necrotic damage.
• Whenever an undead creature starts its turn within 30 feet of you, it takes radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).
• When you use your Divine Smite against an undead creature, it deals an additional 2d8 radiant damage.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Cleric Subclass: Undeath’s Bane Domain

Clerics of the Undeath’s Bane Domain devote themselves entirely to eradicating the undead. Unlike their paladin counterparts, who might focus on martial prowess, these clerics channel divine

Clerics not just for healing.

magic to disrupt necrotic energies and protect their allies from the horrors of the grave.

Undeath’s Bane Domain Spells

Bonus Proficiency

1st-level Undeath’s Bane feature

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons.

Divine Rebuke

1st-level Undeath’s Bane feature

As a reaction when an undead creature hits you or an ally within 30 feet, you can rebuke them with divine energy. The attacker must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes radiant damage equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses after a long rest.

Turn Undead Improvement

2nd-level Undeath’s Bane feature

When you use your Turn Undead feature, undead creatures with a CR equal to or lower than your cleric level + 1 are instantly destroyed if they fail their saving throw, rather than being turned.

Radiant Ward

6th-level Undeath’s Bane feature

As an action, you can place a ward on yourself or an ally within 30 feet. The ward lasts for 1 minute and grants resistance to necrotic damage, as well as temporary hit points equal to your cleric level. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining all uses after a long rest.

Divine Strike

8th-level Undeath’s Bane feature

You gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with radiant energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can deal an extra 1d8 radiant damage. When you reach 14th level, this increases to 2d8.

Champion of Light

17th-level Undeath’s Bane feature

At 17th level, you can call upon the power of divine light to shield you from death. When you are reduced to 0 hit points by an undead creature, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. Additionally, undead creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against you for 1 minute after this happens.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! Two unique subclasses inspired by the original Hunter of the Dead prestige class, each tailored to the strengths of paladins and clerics in 5th Edition. The Oath of the Eternal Vigil focuses on relentless pursuit and martial prowess, while the Undeath’s Bane Domain leans into divine magic and protecting others from the undead. Whether you prefer smiting with radiant energy or using powerful wards to keep the undead at bay, these subclasses bring a new level of undead hunting to the table.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite subclass, or do you think you’d mix and match the two to create your own undead-hunting duo? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!