Both the MM version and the Dragonlance Campaign Setting version of the death knight are very disappointing. Both cannot compete with the standard SRD vampire, much less a Ravenloft vampire with age categories and salient abilities. The creation of a death knight is unique in each case - there are not thousands or tens of thousands of death knights running around the multiverse (unlike vampires), so the death knight template deserves better.
What I have done is create a death knight template that is worthy of a death knight. If Lord Soth was able to do something, this template can do this. The base death knight is brought up to par with a vampire, and the death knight salient abilities ensure that the death knight stays competitive throughout its unlife. I included some raw, unformatted text in the spoiler. I recommend the PDF that I have provided for best viewing.
https://1drv.ms/b/s!At1QqAc0yBQT3UYd2Tr25PGYQ35K
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Creating A Death Knight
"Death knight" is a template that can be added to any evil humanoid creature of 6th level or higher (referred to hereafter as the character), with a BAB of +6 or higher. The character's type changes to undead. It uses all the character's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: All the character's Hit Dice (current and future) become d12s. Death knights also gain bonus hit points using their Charisma modifier in place of their Constitution modifier (Former Valor).
Speed: Same as the character.
AC: The death knight has +5 natural armor, or the character's natural armor, whichever is better.
Special Attacks: A death knight retains all the character's special attacks and gains those described below.
Fear Aura (Su): Death knights are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD within 15 feet of a death knight must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 death knight's HD + death knight's Charisma modifier) or be affected as though by a fear spell cast by a sorcerer of the death knight's level. A death knight may suppress the effect if it wishes.
Undead Followers: A death knight receives the benefits of undead leadership, as if it had the undead leadership feat. A death knight may choose to receive a living cohort or an undead cohort. A death knight never receives leadership penalties for mistreating undead followers, or for causing their deaths. These creatures are in addition to any undead creatures the death knight may command or rebuke if it has that ability.
Spells: A death knight can cast any spells it could while alive, unless alignment restrictions prohibit the casting of a particular spell.
Spell-like Abilities: Death knights receive the following spell-like abilities at a caster level equal to their HD. 3/day - animate dead, detect magic, dispel magic, fireball, see invisibility, wall of ice; 1/day - power word stun, symbol of fear, symbol of pain.
Special Qualities: A death knight retains all the character's special qualities and gains those described below.
Former Valor (Ex): A death knight gains a bonus to its hit points equal to its Charisma bonus (minimum +1) times its Hit Dice.
Damage Reduction (Su): A death knight's undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/+1.
Immunities (Ex): Death knights are immune to cold, electricity, and polymorph in addition to those immunities possessed by undead (see undead traits, below).
Spell Resistance (Su): A death knight has SR equal to 10 + its HD
Summon Mount (Su): A death knight has the ability to summon a mount, typically a nightmare, though it may be of any other species normally used as a mount. The mount may have no more Hit Dice than half the death knight's levels. If the mount is lost or killed, the death knight may summon another one after a year and a day.
Turn Defiance (Ex): A death knight affected by turning, rebuking, or commanded is not turned, rebuked or commanded, instead a death knight is affected in the following manner: if successfully turned, rebuked or commanded a death knight is instead prevented from attacking the turning creature for 10 rounds (1 minute). During this time the death knight may not approach within 10 feet of the turning creature although the death knight may stand its ground if approached. A death knight may not attack the turning creature by any method, including physical violence or spell-like abilities, although it may still attack the turning creature’s allies (but may not use an area of affect attack if the area includes the turning creature), and it may order its servants to attack the turning creature. If the turning creature attacks the death knight, this affect is broken.
Undead Traits: A death knight is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. It is not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. A death knight cannot be raised or resurrected by anything less than a deity. The creature has darkvision (60-foot range).
Saves: Same as character.
Abilities: A death knight gains +6 to Strength, +4 to Dexterity, +2 to Wisdom and +4 to Charisma. Being undead, it has no Constitution score.
Skills: Same as character.
Feats: Death knights gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats.
Salient Abilities: A death knight may choose one salient ability for every 4 HD that is possesses.
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground.
Organization: Solitary or troupe (see undead followers, above).
Challenge Rating: Same as character +3.
Treasure: Double standard.
Alignment: Same as character (always evil).
Advancement: Death knights continue to advance in level as per their original class.
Salient Abilities
A death knight gains one salient ability for every 4 HD that it acquires.
Ability score bonus
The death knight’s physical or mental characteristics improve.
Prerequisite: None.
Benefit: This ability may be taken multiple times. +2 to an ability score of the death knight’s choice.
Enhanced Spell-Like Abilities Suite (Sp)
The death knight gains some new spell-like abilities or may improve existing abilities. These spell-like abilities used at a caster level equal to the death knight’s HD.
Prerequisite: 8 HD
Benefit: This ability may be taken multiple times, each time a different suite of spell-like abilities unless otherwise stated.
Death knight’s awareness: This ability may be taken twice. See invisibility and detect magic are a constant effect for the death knight. If taken twice true seeing is a constant effect for the death knight.
Magic breaker: The death knight may use greater dispel magic 3/day.
Wordsmith: This ability may be taken twice. Taken the first time the death knight may use power word blind and power word kill 1/day. Taken a second time the death knight gains use of power word sicken 3/day and uses of power word blind and power word stun increase to 3/day.
Gravedigger: This ability may be taken twice. The death knight uses animate dead as if cast in a desecrated area, as per the effects detailed in the desecrate spell. Note that this does not actually desecrate an area, nor may the benefits of this ability be had in a consecrated area. In addition, the death knight gains the ability to use create dead 1/day. If taken twice the death knight’s ability may use create dead 3/day and gains the ability to use create greater undead 1/day, and both create undead and create greater undead are affected by a desecrate effect the same way as animate dead as described above.
Symbol scriber: This ability may be taken twice. The death knight may use symbol of sleep and symbol of weakness 1/day. If taken twice the death knight may also use symbol of persuasion and symbol of death 1/day.
Rebuke Undead (Su)
The death knight may exert its influence over other types of undead.
Prerequisites: Cha 14+.
Benefit: The death knight may rebuke or command undead as an evil cleric of a level equal to its Hit Dice minus 4.
Shadow Walk (Su)
Prerequisite: None.
The death knight can travel through shadows.
Benefit: As a standard action, the death knight may enter an area of shadows and emerge in another shadowed area, as if it had cast dimension door. If there is no shadowed area to emerge from, the ability fails harmlessly. The death knight may bring one additional creature, per dimension door.
Combat Mastery
Prerequisite: None.
Benefit: The death knight may select a fighter bonus feat for which it qualifies. This ability may be taken multiple times.
Fast Healing (Ex)
Prerequisite: None.
Benefit: This ability may be taken multiple times and its effects stack. The death knight gains fast healing 3, as if he had the fast healing [Epic] feat.
"Death knight" is a template that can be added to any evil humanoid creature of 6th level or higher (referred to hereafter as the character), with a BAB of +6 or higher. The character's type changes to undead. It uses all the character's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: All the character's Hit Dice (current and future) become d12s. Death knights also gain bonus hit points using their Charisma modifier in place of their Constitution modifier (Former Valor).
Speed: Same as the character.
AC: The death knight has +5 natural armor, or the character's natural armor, whichever is better.
Special Attacks: A death knight retains all the character's special attacks and gains those described below.
Fear Aura (Su): Death knights are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD within 15 feet of a death knight must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 death knight's HD + death knight's Charisma modifier) or be affected as though by a fear spell cast by a sorcerer of the death knight's level. A death knight may suppress the effect if it wishes.
Undead Followers: A death knight receives the benefits of undead leadership, as if it had the undead leadership feat. A death knight may choose to receive a living cohort or an undead cohort. A death knight never receives leadership penalties for mistreating undead followers, or for causing their deaths. These creatures are in addition to any undead creatures the death knight may command or rebuke if it has that ability.
Spells: A death knight can cast any spells it could while alive, unless alignment restrictions prohibit the casting of a particular spell.
Spell-like Abilities: Death knights receive the following spell-like abilities at a caster level equal to their HD. 3/day - animate dead, detect magic, dispel magic, fireball, see invisibility, wall of ice; 1/day - power word stun, symbol of fear, symbol of pain.
Special Qualities: A death knight retains all the character's special qualities and gains those described below.
Former Valor (Ex): A death knight gains a bonus to its hit points equal to its Charisma bonus (minimum +1) times its Hit Dice.
Damage Reduction (Su): A death knight's undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/+1.
Immunities (Ex): Death knights are immune to cold, electricity, and polymorph in addition to those immunities possessed by undead (see undead traits, below).
Spell Resistance (Su): A death knight has SR equal to 10 + its HD
Summon Mount (Su): A death knight has the ability to summon a mount, typically a nightmare, though it may be of any other species normally used as a mount. The mount may have no more Hit Dice than half the death knight's levels. If the mount is lost or killed, the death knight may summon another one after a year and a day.
Turn Defiance (Ex): A death knight affected by turning, rebuking, or commanded is not turned, rebuked or commanded, instead a death knight is affected in the following manner: if successfully turned, rebuked or commanded a death knight is instead prevented from attacking the turning creature for 10 rounds (1 minute). During this time the death knight may not approach within 10 feet of the turning creature although the death knight may stand its ground if approached. A death knight may not attack the turning creature by any method, including physical violence or spell-like abilities, although it may still attack the turning creature’s allies (but may not use an area of affect attack if the area includes the turning creature), and it may order its servants to attack the turning creature. If the turning creature attacks the death knight, this affect is broken.
Undead Traits: A death knight is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. It is not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. A death knight cannot be raised or resurrected by anything less than a deity. The creature has darkvision (60-foot range).
Saves: Same as character.
Abilities: A death knight gains +6 to Strength, +4 to Dexterity, +2 to Wisdom and +4 to Charisma. Being undead, it has no Constitution score.
Skills: Same as character.
Feats: Death knights gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats.
Salient Abilities: A death knight may choose one salient ability for every 4 HD that is possesses.
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground.
Organization: Solitary or troupe (see undead followers, above).
Challenge Rating: Same as character +3.
Treasure: Double standard.
Alignment: Same as character (always evil).
Advancement: Death knights continue to advance in level as per their original class.
Salient Abilities
A death knight gains one salient ability for every 4 HD that it acquires.
Ability score bonus
The death knight’s physical or mental characteristics improve.
Prerequisite: None.
Benefit: This ability may be taken multiple times. +2 to an ability score of the death knight’s choice.
Enhanced Spell-Like Abilities Suite (Sp)
The death knight gains some new spell-like abilities or may improve existing abilities. These spell-like abilities used at a caster level equal to the death knight’s HD.
Prerequisite: 8 HD
Benefit: This ability may be taken multiple times, each time a different suite of spell-like abilities unless otherwise stated.
Death knight’s awareness: This ability may be taken twice. See invisibility and detect magic are a constant effect for the death knight. If taken twice true seeing is a constant effect for the death knight.
Magic breaker: The death knight may use greater dispel magic 3/day.
Wordsmith: This ability may be taken twice. Taken the first time the death knight may use power word blind and power word kill 1/day. Taken a second time the death knight gains use of power word sicken 3/day and uses of power word blind and power word stun increase to 3/day.
Gravedigger: This ability may be taken twice. The death knight uses animate dead as if cast in a desecrated area, as per the effects detailed in the desecrate spell. Note that this does not actually desecrate an area, nor may the benefits of this ability be had in a consecrated area. In addition, the death knight gains the ability to use create dead 1/day. If taken twice the death knight’s ability may use create dead 3/day and gains the ability to use create greater undead 1/day, and both create undead and create greater undead are affected by a desecrate effect the same way as animate dead as described above.
Symbol scriber: This ability may be taken twice. The death knight may use symbol of sleep and symbol of weakness 1/day. If taken twice the death knight may also use symbol of persuasion and symbol of death 1/day.
Rebuke Undead (Su)
The death knight may exert its influence over other types of undead.
Prerequisites: Cha 14+.
Benefit: The death knight may rebuke or command undead as an evil cleric of a level equal to its Hit Dice minus 4.
Shadow Walk (Su)
Prerequisite: None.
The death knight can travel through shadows.
Benefit: As a standard action, the death knight may enter an area of shadows and emerge in another shadowed area, as if it had cast dimension door. If there is no shadowed area to emerge from, the ability fails harmlessly. The death knight may bring one additional creature, per dimension door.
Combat Mastery
Prerequisite: None.
Benefit: The death knight may select a fighter bonus feat for which it qualifies. This ability may be taken multiple times.
Fast Healing (Ex)
Prerequisite: None.
Benefit: This ability may be taken multiple times and its effects stack. The death knight gains fast healing 3, as if he had the fast healing [Epic] feat.
