A knight is a proud, skilled melee combatant who fights in the name of honor and chivalry. A knight relies on more than a sharp sword and a stout suit of armor to defeat her foes. Her drive, determination, and fighting spirit allow her to control the battlefield in ways that others cannot match. A knight can challenge an opponent to a duel, calling upon the foe's pride and ego to force his hand. The knight's talent with heavy armor, shields, and defensive tactics grant her the ability to disrupt her foe's plans.
Game Information
Alignment
Knights are always lawful. Their dedication to a code of conduct is but one expression of their devotion to order. Most knightly orders arise as institutions forged to protect a kingdom from invaders or to enforce the law against chaos from within.
While knights value order, they tend in equal numbers toward good, evil, and neutrality. Lawful good knights see order as a tool to protect the innocent and weak from evil. Lawful evil knights believe that the social order serves to reward the strong. Lawful neutral knights abhor the destruction and suffering that chaos can bring and so uphold order for its own sake.
Hitdie
- d12
Starting Gold
- 6d4x10 gp
- 350 gp (Sky Islands)
Skills
The knight's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Mechanics (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Table: The Knight
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and all shields (except tower shields).
Knight's Challenge
Your dauntless fighting spirit plays a major role in your fighting style, as important as the strength of your arm or the sharpness of your blade. In battle, you use the force of your personality to challenge your enemies. You can call out a foe, shouting a challenge that boosts his confidence, or issue a general challenge that strikes fear into weak opponents and compels strong opponents to seek you out for personal combat. By playing on your enemies' ego, you can manipulate your foes.
You can use this ability once per day per knight level. As you gain levels, you gain a number of options that you can use in conjunction with this ability.
Even if you and your foes lack a shared language, you can still effectively communicate through body language, tone, and certain oaths and challenges you learn from a variety of different tongues.
Fighting Challenge (Ex)
As a swift action, you can issue a challenge against a single opponent. The target of this ability must have an Intelligence of 3 or higher, have a language of some sort, and have a CR greater than or equal to your character level minus 2. If it does not meet these requirements, a use of this ability is expended without effect.
If the target does meet the conditions given above, you gain a +1 morale bonus on all saves, attack rolls, and damage rolls against the target of this ability. You fight with renewed vigor and energy by placing your honor and reputation on the line. If your chosen foe reduces you to 0 or fewer hit points, you lose two uses of your knight's challenge ability for the day because of the blow to your ego and confidence from this defeat.
The effect of a fighting challenge lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 + your Charisma bonus (if any).
If you are capable of issuing a knight's challenge more than once per day, you can use this ability more than once in a single encounter. If your first chosen foe is defeated or flees the area, you can issue a new challenge to a different foe. You cannot switch foes if your original target is still active.
This bonus increases by +1 for every three knight levels you possess; this bonus becomes +2 at 3rd level, +3 at 6th level, +4 at 9th level, +5 at 12th level, +6 at 15th level, and +7 at 18th level.
Squire (Ex)
At 2nd level, you may gain the employ of a squire. A squire functions much like a cohort, as they accompany you on your travels and level alongside you (albeit at a slower rate). A squire remains a 1st level warrior (DMG Variant) until you reach 5th level, at which point they reach level 2. They stay three levels behind you from that point forward.
Squires must be the same alignment and type as you, and are generally young adults. Your squire may not have a level adjustment or racial hitdice unless you are sufficiently powerful enough to warrant their employ. If your squire dies while in your charge, you lose two uses of your knight's challenge ability for the day. If you die in the presence of your squire, they may immediately convert their warrior levels to knight class levels and gain Student Becomes the Master as a bonus feat. You can relinquish the service of a squire at any time, but this (alongside the death of a squire) may negatively impact your recruitment of squires in the future.
Mounted Combat
At 2nd level, you gain Mounted Combat as a bonus feat.
Shield Block (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, you excel in using your armor and shield to frustrate your enemy's attacks. During your action, designate a single opponent as the target of this ability. You gain DR/- equal to half your shield bonus against their attacks, as you are better prepared to deflect their blows.
Bulwark of Defense (Ex)
When you reach 3rd level, an opponent that begins its turn in your threatened area treats all the squares that you threaten as difficult terrain. Your strict vigilance and active defensive maneuvers force your opponents to move with care.
Gallant Nature (Ex)
At 3rd level, a knight has a persuasive way of gaining favors from the aristocracy. A knight can re-roll a Diplomacy check once per day, but only when attempting to influence the attitudes of nobility or royalty. A knight must take the result of the re-roll, even if it's worse than the original roll.
Ability Boost
At 4th level, a knight may increase an ability score by +1. An ability score can not be raised past 20 using this class feature. At 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level a knight may increase another ability score. The ability score increased need not be different each time, as long as it is not raised past 20. The bonuses gained from this ability stack with those gained regularly by characters every 4 levels.
Test of Mettle (Ex)
Starting at 4th level, you can shout a challenge to all enemies, calling out for the mightiest among them to face you in combat. Any target of this ability must have a language of some sort and an Intelligence score of 3 or higher. Creatures that do not meet these requirements are immune to the test of mettle. You must have line of sight and line of effect to the targets of this ability.
As a swift action, you can expend one use of your knight's challenge ability to cause all your enemies within 100 feet with a CR greater than or equal to your character level minus 2 to make Will saves (DC 11 + 1/2 your class level + your Cha modifier). Creatures that fail this save are forced to attack you with their ranged or melee attacks in preference over other available targets. If a foe attacks by casting a spell or using a supernatural ability, he must target you with the attack or include you in the effect's area.
An opponent compelled to act in this manner is not thrown into a mindless rage and does not have to move to attack you in melee if doing so would provoke attacks of opportunity against him. In such a case, he can use ranged attacks against you or attack any opponents he threatens as normal. If anyone other than you attacks the target, the effect of the test of mettle ends for that specific target.
If you are reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by an opponent forced to attack you due to this ability, you gain one additional use of your knight's challenge ability for that day. This additional use comes from increased confidence and the knowledge that you have proved your mettle as a knight against your enemies by calling out foes even against overwhelming odds. This additional use disappears if you have not used it by the start of the next day. You can only gain one additional use of your knight's challenge ability in this manner per day.
The effect of a test of mettle lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 + your Charisma bonus (if any). Whether a creature fails or succeeds on its save against your test of mettle, it can only be targeted by this effect once per day.
Armor Mastery (Ex)
Starting at 4th level, you are able to wear your armor like a second skin and ignore the standard speed reduction for wearing medium armor. You also gain DR 3/- while wearing medium or heavier armor. Starting at 9th level, you ignore the speed reduction imposed by heavy armor as well, and instead gain DR 5/- while wearing heavy armor.
Bonus Feat
At 5th level, you gain a bonus feat chosen from the following list: Animal Affinity, Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Quick Draw, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Trample, or Weapon Focus (lance). You must still meet any prerequisites for the feat. You gain an additional bonus feat from this list at 10th level and again at 15th level.
Vigilant Defender (Ex)
Starting at 5th level, you stand your ground against all enemies, warding the spot where you make your stand to prevent foes from slipping past and attacking those you protect. If an opponent attempts to use the Tumble skill to move through your threatened area or your space without provoking attacks of opportunity, the Tumble check DC to avoid your attacks of opportunity increases by an amount equal to your class level.
Shield Ally (Ex)
Starting at 6th level, as an immediate action you can opt to absorb part of the damage dealt to an adjacent ally. Each time this ally takes damage from a physical attack before your next turn, you can take half this damage on yourself. The target takes the other half as normal. You can only absorb damage from physical melee attacks and ranged attacks, such as an incoming arrow or a blow from a sword, not from spells and other effects. This damage can be mitigated by your damage reduction and other resistances or immunities you may have.
Shattering Charge (Ex)
When you charge a foe, you gain a +4 to hit (instead of the normal +2) and deal double damage on the charge.
This increases to a +6 bonus and triple damage at level 12, and a +8 bonus and quadruple damage at level 17.
Call to Battle (Ex)
Starting at 8th level, you become an inspiring figure on the battlefield. When all seems lost, you are a beacon of hope who continues to fight on despite the odds. No cause is yet lost when a knight still battles on its name.
As a swift action, you can expend one use of your knight's challenge ability to grant yourself or an ally another save against an ongoing spell or effect. The target gains a bonus on this save equal to your Fighting Challenge bonus. If the target succeeds on this save, he gains the benefit for a successful save against the attack or spell. This ability reflects your talent to inspire your allies in the face of daunting foes.
Steady (Ex)
Starting at 10th level, as long as you have at least one daily use of your knight's challenge ability remaining, you cannot bull rushed, tripped, or otherwise knocked prone.
Thunderdome (Su)
At 11th level, when you issue a challenge against a foe within 100 ft of you, you trap them within a semi-permeable dome of force. This dome is centered on you, and lasts for double the duration of your issued challenge. Every round, the dome shrinks in diameter by 15 ft, to a maximum of a 10 ft radius. The sound of rumbling thunder fills the air, and the foes affected by the dome must succeed a Fortitude save (DC is the same as the issued challenge) or become permanently deafened. Allies and those not affected by the challenge hear only the faint rumbling of thunder. The barrier functions as a Wall of Force, but only affects your challenged foes.
At 18th level the dome becomes electrically charged, foes automatically become permanently deafened and the area is subject to an effect similar to Call Lightning Storm as if cast by a druid equal to your knight level. You can target foes with lightning as a free action once per turn, instead of as a standard action.
Daunting Challenge (Ex)
Starting at 12th level, you can call out opponents, striking fear into the hearts of your enemies. In this manner you separate the strong-minded from the weak-willed, allowing you to focus on opponents that are worthy foes.
As a swift action, you can expend one use of your knight's challenge ability to issue a daunting challenge. This ability affects all creatures within 100 feet of you that have a CR less than your character level minus 2. Targets must be able to hear you, speak or understand a language of some sort, and have an Intelligence score of 5 or more. All targets who meet these conditions must make Will saves (DC 11 + 1/2 your class level + your Cha modifier) or become frightened. Creatures that succeed are instead left shaken.
Whether a creature fails or succeeds on its save against your daunting challenge, it can only be targeted by this effect once per day.
Tunnel Vision (Su)
Starting at 13th level when a foe fails their Will save against an issued challenge, they can only see you; literally. All other creatures are treated as invisible to them for the duration of the challenge.
Improved Shield Ally (Ex)
At 14th level, your ability to absorb damage increases. When using your Shield Ally ability, you can absorb all the damage from attacks directed against an adjacent ally instead of only half, should you choose.
Resurgent Cry (Sp)
Starting at 15th level, as an immediate action you can expend three uses of your knight's challenge ability to cast Heal on yourself as a cleric equal to your knight level.
At 19th level, this becomes Heal Mass instead, and you can target your allies.
Bond of Loyalty (Ex)
Starting at 16th level, your loyalty to your comrades endures even in the face of powerful magic. You can expend one use of your knight's challenge ability to make yourself the target of a hostile spell or effect. You make a saving throw against the spell or ability as normal. You can use this ability once per round as a free action and can continue to use it even if an opponent is controlling your actions with a mind-affecting spell or ability. You must be adjacent to an ally to use this ability. If you are already a target for the spell or effect (in the case of a multiple target or AoE spells or effects) you can be doubly affected; you make two saves and take the results of each individually.
Impetuous Endurance (Ex)
Starting at 17th level, your fighting spirit enables you to push your body beyond the normal limits of endurance. You no longer automatically fail a saving throw on a roll of 1. You might still fail the save if your result fails to equal or beat the DC. Alternatively, you can expend one use of your knight's challenge ability to automatically succeed a saving through for yourself. Adjacent allies also automatically succeed if you do.
Loyal Beyond Death (Ex)
At 20th level, if you are reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by an effect that otherwise leaves your body intact, you can expend one use of your knight's challenge ability to remain conscious and continue to act for 1 more round before dying. You can use this ability even if your hit point total is -10 or lower. If your body is somehow destroyed before your next action (such as by disintegrate), then you cannot act. You can continue to expend uses of your knight's challenge ability to survive from round to round until you run out of uses. If you receive healing that leaves you with more than -10 hit points, you survive (or fall unconscious, as appropriate to your new hit point total) when you stop using this ability. Otherwise, death overtakes you when you run out of uses of your knight's challenge ability.
The Knight's Code
You fight not only to defeat your foes but to prove your honor, demonstrate your fighting ability, and win renown across the land. The stories that arise from your deeds are just as important to you as the deeds themselves. A good knight hopes that her example encourages others to lead righteous lives. A neutral knight wishes to uphold the cause of his liege (if he has one) and win glory. An evil knight seeks to win acclaim across the land and increase her own personal power.
The knight's code focuses on fair play: A victory achieved through pure skill is more difficult, and hence wins more glory, than one achieved through trickery or guile.
- A knight does not gain a bonus on attack rolls when flanking. You still confer the benefit of a flanking position to your ally, but you forgo your own +2 bonus on attack rolls. You can choose to keep the +2 bonus, but doing so violates your code of honor (see below).
- A knight never strikes a flat-footed opponent. Instead, you allow your foe to ready himself before attacking.
- A knight never deals lethal damage against a helpless foe. You can strike such a foe, but only with attacks that deal nonlethal damage.
If you violate any part of this code, you lose one use of your knight's challenge ability for the day. If your knight's challenge ability is not available when you violate the code (for example, if you have exhausted your uses for the day), you take a -2 penalty on attack rolls and saves for the rest of that day. Your betrayal of your code of conduct undermines the foundation of confidence and honor that drives you forward.
While you cleave to your view of honor, chivalry, and pursuit of glory, you do not force your views on others. You might chide a rogue for sneaking around a battlefield, but you recognize (and perhaps even feel a bit smug about) the reality that not everyone is fit to follow the knight's path.
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| Beguiler - Dragon Shaman - Duskblade - Knight |