Cavalier, charming (3.5e Prestige Class)

Charming Cavalier

These knights swear on many things. Among the primary is to defend his master, always display respect and have a sense of dutiful honor.

Becoming a Cavalier

To become a charming cavalier, a man not only needs to be an excellent rider and be sesquipedalian and charismatic, but also have the appropriate notoriety to represent a lord, church or an order of some kind.

Entry Requirements

Base attack bonus:	+4
Alignment:	Any lawful
Skills:	Diplomacy 5 ranks, Handle Animal 5 ranks, Knowledge (nobility) 5 ranks, Ride 7 ranks. Additional Knowledge skills depending on what he is a cavalier for (masons' guild would mean architecture, a church would mean religion, etc).
Feats:	Armor Proficiency (Heavy), Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Weapon Focus (lance).
Special:	Must be a true follower and champion of lawful cause. This membership can be through a knight's order, a guardian of a guild, church or other organisation, or to be a vassal knight to a lord at the DM's discretion. Code of Conduct: When becoming a charming cavalier, he will enlist himself to a strict code of conduct from his organisation. If this conduct is broken, he must make retribution for himself to continue gaining levels in this prestige class. He retains all of his class features except for Dashing Figure. He may also have to regain status with her organisation.

Table: The Charming Cavalier

Hit Die: d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Special Mount, Mounted Weapon Bonus (lance) +1, Ride Bonus +2, Courtly Knowledge, Armored Movement +10
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Deadly Charge 3/day, Mounted Weapon Bonus (sword) +1, Dashing Figure
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Burst of Speed, Aura of Courage, Frightening Prowess
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Deadly Charge 4/day, Ride Bonus +4
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Mounted Weapon Bonus (lance) +2
6th	+6	+5	+2	+5	Deadly Charge 5/day, Full Mounted Attack, Mounted Weapon Bonus (sword) +2
7th	+7	+5	+2	+5	Ride Bonus +6
8th	+8	+6	+2	+6	Deadly Charge 7/day
9th	+9	+6	+3	+6	Mounted Weapon Bonus (lance) +3, Ride Bonus +8
10th	+10	+7	+3	+7	Unstoppable Charge 5/day, Mounted Weapon Bonus (sword) +3
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (related to organisation), Ride, Sense Motive

Special mount: The cavalier levels stack with paladin levels in determining the power of his special mount. The only difference is that the mount is not magical, and acquires his powers through training with the cavalier. One power level on the paladin mount table takes one month of training to achieve. The character levels determining special mount must also be enough.

Mounted Weapon Bonus (Ex): A cavalier gains a competence bonus on his attack roll when using the indicated weapon while mounted. When using a lance, this bonus starts out at +1 at 1st level and increases by +1 every four levels thereafter. When using a sword, this bonus starts out at +1 at 2nd level and increases by +1 every four levels thereafter.

Ride Bonus (Ex): A cavalier gains a competence bonus on Ride checks. This bonus starts out at +2 and increase to +4 at 4th level, +6 at 7th level, and +8 at 9th level.

Courtly Knowledge (Ex): A cavalier adds half his class level (rounded down, with a minimum of 1) to his Knowledge (nobility and royalty) checks as a competence bonus.

Armored movement (Ex): A cavalier gains +10 feet to his base speed while wearing heavy armor.

Dashing Figure (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a cavalier wearing either noble attire a high quality suit of heavy armor adds half his class level (rounded down) to all Charisma-based checks as a circumstance/competence bonus that stacks with other circumstance/competence bonuses. An Intimidate check uses the full class level instead, but only while wearing heavy armor.

Deadly Charge (Ex): When mounted and using the charge action, a cavalier of 2nd level or higher may declare a "deadly charge" before making his attack roll (thus, a failed attack ruins the attempt). If he hits, he deals triple damage with a melee weapon (or quadruple damage with a lance). This ability does not stack with the benefit of the Spirited Charge feat. Additional attempts at Deadly Charge is possible and works as Burst of Speed attempts.

Burst of Speed (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a cavalier can urge his mount to greater than normal speed when charging. This ability doubles the maximum distance the mount can travel when making a charge, up to four times its speed. This ability can be used once per day without penalty to the mount. Each additional use of this ability in a single day requires the mount to make a DC 20 Will save immediately after the conclusion of the charge; failure results in the mount taking 2d6 points of damage.

Aura of Courage (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, the cavalier's presence is so powerful that it helps suppress fear in himself and his allies. He gains an Aura of Courage that works like the paladin ability, with the exception that it does not grant the cavalier immunity to fear (the aura affects himself as well, however).

Frightening Prowess (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, the cavalier's battle prowess is so apparent that he can attempt an Intimidate check with as little as a glance, so an immediate action is enough.

Full Mounted Attack (Ex): At 6th level and higher, a mounted cavalier can make a full attack when his mount moves more than 5 feet but no farther than a single move action would carry it. The cavalier cannot combine this full attack with a charge.

Unstoppable Charge (Ex): When making a deadly charge, a 10th-level cavalier deals quadruple damage with a melee weapon (or quintuple damage with a lance).

Multiclass Note: A paladin who becomes a cavalier may continue advancing as a paladin.

Class Feat Notes: A cavalier may take Fury Charge or Heroic Charge as a feat if they otherwise fail the needed prerequisites.

Cavalier Class Feats

Fury Charge

Prerequisites: BAB +12, Spirited Charge, Weapon Focus (lance), Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack

You can make a Fury Charge while mounted. While charging, the cavalier gains a damage reduction of 5/– versus missile weapons and any foes within 20 feet of the cavalier's path must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ your character level rounded down + your Charisma modifier). If an opponent fails the save, they act as if under the effects of a Fear spell for 1 round per character level.

Heroic Charge

Prerequisites: BAB +16, Spirited Charge, Weapon Focus (lance), Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Fury Charge

You may attempt a Heroic Charge while mounted. While performing a Heroic Charge, any mounted allies within the area (50 feet plus 10 feet per Cha modifier) charging with him gain a +2 Morale bonus to hit, damage and saving throws, as well as acting as if they had the Spirited Charge feat. If used together with a Fury Charge, a cavalier's damage reduction increases to 10/– vs. missile weapons.

Ex-Cavalier

Charming cavaliers retire at old age or when they die. A dishonoured cavalier may attempt to seek retribution by regaining his honour with his organisation. He retains all class skills except Dashing Figure as a dishonoured cavalier. It is not possible to continue gaining levels as a Cavalier while dishonoured.

Campaign Information

For all intents and purposes, a cavalier is a knight with claim to nobility or fame through his own actions. Naturally, being born to parents in a prestigious position helps immensely.

Playing a Charming Cavalier

Combat: Always preferring to fight mounted. On rare occasions, a cavalier can be found fighting unmounted if the situation calls for it.

Advancement: Fighter is highly recommended.

Resources: Other knights are likely to join forces with charming cavaliers if asked.

Charming Cavaliers in the World

NPC Reactions: Respect mixed with fear is the standard response from most commonfolk; with respect alone from nobility and the higher echelons of social life cavaliers have. Known as great warriors with great moral fibre, they enjoy much positive attention wherever they show up. Due to rumours of rare dishonourable calaviers, women will often hide away their daughters if an unknown cavalier comes in to town for their own physical safety.

Cavalier Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (history) or (nobility and royalty) can research cavaliers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (history) or (nobility and royalty)

DC	Result
5	Knights fight for lords to uphold the peace. Corrupt knights sometimes demand money from commoners and have been known to rape young women.
10	Knights organise themselves into orders as well as finding themselves under lords. Some knights are only bound to orders, but most have a liege lord. Many knights are "hedge knights" who are of noble blood, or are under a contract from a lord, or are out in the world trying to prove themselves worthy of a live worth living.
15	Knights will almost never go against their liege lord unless the lord demands the knight to commit actions that are unacceptable by the code of conduct. On occasion, orders of knights have resolved these conflicts through using force against the liege lord.
20	Knight orders have not always won in disputes with liege lords. Some orders no longer exist because of the outcomes.

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Prestige Classes