Knight (5e Class)

Knight

Don Quixote, Source

“	I am I, Don Quixote, the Lord of La Mancha, Destroyer of evil am I, I will march to the sound of the trumpets of glory, Forever to conquer or die.	”
—Don Quixote, I Don Quixote (Man of La Mancha)

Lords of honor, masters of glory, and the defenders of their ladies' virtue and beauty. They are the envy of all men, the love of every woman, and the dream of each and every single child. Knights are known to have a great moral compass that helps them through their daily life, plus some have a great hair (which is by the way always a plus). It is no wonder why ladies adore such men, even without looking at them.

In truth, most knights are not at all alike. As a matter of fact, most are quite the opposite from what tales depict. Instead of being the handsome, charming, and charismatic leaders, many knights are ugly, blunt, and somewhat repulsive at best. That might go to the fact that most knights spend their life marching across the wilderness, killing people they've never met, in a conflict that is not their own.

A great model for a knight can be found in characters such as Amadas, Don Quixote, Falstaff, Harry Flashman, Guy of Gisbourne, Guy of Warwick, and many more.

Creating a Knight

An Armored Knight, Source

One is often born into knighthood, but how did your character come to adventuring? Are they charged with a mission from their lord or lady? Were they separated from their company and went AWOL? Were they left without a liege to serve and took up adventuring to make their way through life?

Quick Build

First, either Strength or Wisdom should be your highest ability score and either or can be your second-highest ability score. Second, choose the soldier background. Third, choose for starting equipment a longsword and shield, a lance, half plate armor and an explorer's pack.

Class Features

As a Knight you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Knight level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Knight level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Medium, heavy, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• a longsword and shield
• (a) a lance or (b) a light crossbow with 20 bolts
• (a) Chain Mail or (b) Half plate
• (a) a trophy from a battle or a fallen enemy (a severed part, piece of armor/clothing, or some kind of a weapon that has a story) or (b) a token from your lady (a handkerchief, a scarf, a charm or trinket, or a holy symbol that that held great value to her)
• Explorer's pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d6 × 5 in funds.

Table: The Knight

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Fighting Style (1), Favored Mount
2nd	+2	Leadership (1d4), Stamina Surge
3rd	+2	Knightly Order, Rally
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Extra Attack (1)
6th	+3	Brave Heart
7th	+3	Knightly Order Feature, Fighting Style (2)
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Leadership (1d6)
10th	+4	—
11th	+4	Knightly Order Feature, Extra Attack (2)
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement, Fighting Style (3)
13th	+5	Counterattack
14th	+5	Ability Score Improvement, Leadership (1d8)
15th	+5	Knightly Order Feature
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	—
18th	+6	Leadership (1d10)
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Eternal Knighthood, Extra Attack (3)

Fighting Style

You were trained in the martial arts of your culture from a young age. Choose one of the following options. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. You are able to choose a second Fighting style at the 7th level, and a third at the 12th level.

Magic and Metal

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the bard, cleric, or warlock spell list, but only one from each class. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the spell list in which you chose the cantrips.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Cunning Combatant

When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Wisdom modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls.

Expert Rider

You gain the benefits of the Mounted Combatant feat.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Interception

When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Favored Mount

By spending 8 hours with an animal one size larger than you and capable of safely carrying you, you form a bond with it. At first level, you may choose a creature to have already bonded with. For example, a basilisk would not be a possible choice, but a horse or dire wolf would be. This creature cannot have the opposite alignment to your own, however neutral-aligned creatures may be bonded to. Its Challenge Rating must be equal to or below your Knight level.

Your steed is bonded to you on a deeper level than most animals- it is almost like an extension of yourself. This bond is broken if you intentionally abuse the animal or part ways with it and can never be regained once broken. So long as you maintain your bond with your steed, you gain the following benefits:

• While you are riding your steed, you may equip a two-handed weapon in one hand but cannot do for that other.

• Mounting or dismounting a creature costs you only 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed.

• While you are riding your steed, any spells, attacks, or effects targeting it will instead target you. Any spells that you cast or features that target the self also target your mount as well.

• On your turn, you may use one of your steed's attacks in the place of one of your own attack actions. The steed uses your proficiency bonus if it has a lower proficiency bonus than your own while riding it.

• Your steed obeys you and only you. It will actively disobey anyone that is not you unless you decide it so. If it senses that it is being taken against your or its will, your steed will target the opposing creature using its own attacks if any. It gains the ability to shake anyone that is not you off of it. That creature must make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw or be knocked off the creature on a failure. On a success, that creature stays on your steed, but has disadvantage on any attack rolls, Concentration checks, and must roll a Concentration check while concentrating on spells. The creature, while riding your steed, must repeat a Strength or Dexterity saving throw while mounted on your steed to stay on. The creature cannot control your steed through non-magical means and has advantage against spell effects that would put it under the control of anyone else besides you.

Stamina Surge

You have a limited well of stamina you can draw upon to protect yourself from harm. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d6 + your Constitution modifier. You can do this a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier. Once you expend all uses this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. The dice gets an additional 1d6 at the 4th, 7th, 11th, and 16th level

Leadership

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to inspire your allies to greatness by giving tactical commands, shouting mottos and battle cries, or by recalling a tale of heroism. When combat begins, you may assign creatures of your choice that you can see up to your proficiency bonus to gain a 1d4 die for one minute. The creature may add the die to the result of an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. This can be done after the roll but must be done before the DM declares the results of that roll. Once a Leadership die is rolled, it is lost.

Starting at 9th, and again at 14th level and 18th level, the size of your Leadership dice increases by one (1d4 to d6, d6 to d8, and d8 to d10).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom or Strength (whichever score is higher) modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Knightly Order

At 3rd level, you may choose an order of knights to join. You may choose to join the Brotherhood of Might, the Vow of Honor, the Virtue of Mercy. You gain more features with this archetype again at 7th, 11th, and 15th levels.

Rally

At 3rd level, you feel the call of battle and utter a cry to inspire and give your allies the stamina they need in order to continue fighting. On your turn, you can use a bonus action and choose three creatures other than yourself that you can see to gain the benefits of your Stamina Surge and expend that use. Other than this, same rules apply for Rally as they do to Stamina Surge. For each additional die you gain as you gain Knight levels, the number of creatures you can choose with Rally increases as well.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class, and to four when you reach 20th level in this class.

Brave Heart

At 6th level, each friendly creature within 5 feet of you (including yourself), gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened while you are conscious. Additionally, you may add half (rounded up) of your proficiency bonus to your Wisdom saving throw, if you are not already proficient with it.

At 10th level, you are immune to being frightened. Each friendly creature within 15 feet of you gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened while you are conscious. Additionally, you are now proficient in Wisdom saving throws, if you are not already proficient with it.

At 14th level, each friendly creature within 30 feet of you is immune to being frightened while you are conscious.

Counterattack

At 13th level, as a reaction to being attacked with a melee weapon, you can declare a Counterattack. Make an attack roll against the creature's attack roll with advantage. If you tie or roll more than the total of their attack roll, you successfully counter the attack. This attack deals your normal weapon damage, plus 2 additional weapon dice.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom or Strength (whichever is higher) modifier (minimum of 1) before a long rest.

Eternal Knighthood

Your reputation as a knight proceeds you and tales of your deeds spread far and wide or, at the very least, you are competent at what you do. At 20th level, if your total for a Wisdom check is less than your Wisdom score when talking to any high ranking official and any friendly creature, you can use that score in place of the total. Additionally, your Wisdom or your Strength score (your choice) is increased by +2 to a maximum of 22.

Knightly Orders

Brotherhood of Might

Sheer Might

Starting at 3rd level, you’re able to strike with your weapons with especially mighty force. Whenever you hit with a weapon that you’re proficient with and deal damage, the weapon’s damage increases by an amount based on your level in this class, as shown on the Knights Bonus Damage table below.

Knight Level	Extra Might Damage
3rd	1d4
10th	1d6
16th	1d8
20th	1d10

Fear Thine Might

At 3rd level, your overbearing presence grows as your righteous strength does. Choose a number of creatures equal to your Wisdom or Strength modifier (whichever is higher) within 30 feet of you that you can see. Those creatures must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. Creatures that cannot be frightened automatically succeed. A frightened creature can repeat their saving throw at the start/end of their turn, ending the effect on a success. A creature that succeeds on their save against this ability is immune to your Fear Thy Might ability for 24 hours.

At 15th level, the range increases to 60 feet.

Might Of The Mind

At the 7th level, your will and great mettle keeps you awake from even the hardest of blows, the biggest of blasts, and the penetration of the strongest mind spell. You had advantage on Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma saving throws.

Heroic Charge

At 11th level at the beginning of your turn, you may elect to not use one of your attacks at and prepare a charge. The charge must be from 20 feet or more. This charge is a focused attack on one enemy, and the attack deals an extra 1d8 damage that is the same damage type as your weapon. On a hit, you may cause them to be shoved 5 feet away from your and make the shove action as part of the same action. While on your steed using this feature, you make this shove action using its stats or your own. You may only use this feature once per turn.

At 14th level, you can inspire an ally creature and allow them to use their reaction to join you in a righteous bum rush. The focused attack can target one enemy within their movement. Both of you gain the extra damage granted by this feature. Both you and the ally creature of your choice may instead target two different creatures of yours and that ally creature's choice or the same target.

At 16th level, you can inspire creatures up to your proficiency bonus and the extra damage is increased to 2d8.

Send A Message

At 15th level, you may go forth and send a message to foes who fear your righteous might or the tactics of your comrades. You gain an additional attack against any creature that is frightened by you or your ally creatures. You may also use your reaction to make an attack on a creature that tries to take the Disengage action within the range of your weapon, even a ranged weapon, or move more than 5ft away from you. Any creature hit with an attack as a result of this feature has their movement speed halved.

Vow of Honor

Honored Soul

At 3rd level, you remember your vow and steel your resolve for a decisive blow. Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 and if you do score a critical hit, you gain advantage on the next weapon attack you make until the start of your next turn. Additionally, you may spend a free use of your Stamina Surge when you score a critical hit.

Valiant Combatant

At 3rd level, your imposing and striking presence makes enemies think twice before considering attacking you or your teammates. When you expend a use of your Leadership dice, enemies gain a penalty to hit you and any friendly creature within 30 feet of you equal to the number rolled on your Leadership dice for one round. This penalty can only be applied once and does not stack.

At 15th level, the range increases to 60 feet. You may also apply your Valiant Combatant feature to impose a penalty to one saving throw against any enemies within 30 feet of you equal to the number rolled on your Leadership die.

Shield of Honor

At 7th level, a true warrior's vow is as unbreakable as the strongest of metals and it tangibly manifests upon them. You can add half your Constitution or Strength modifier (whichever is higher; rounded down) to your AC if you are wearing both heavy armor and a wielding shield or your entire Constitution or Strength modifier if you are wearing no armor. You can use a shield to still gain this benefit when wearing no armor. Additionally, you can add your Constitution or Strength modifier (your choice) to all of your saving throws. Also, as a bonus action on your turn, you can unleash a war cry by spending a use of your Leadership. Anything within 15 feet of you can add their Constitution or Strength modifier (minimum of 1) to their saving throws as well for 1 minute.

Vigilant Defender

At 11th level, the righteousness that flows through your being brings forth a surge of protective will in your heart and mind. When a hostile creature you can see attacks a creature other than you, and that target is within your movement, you can use your reaction to move up to your movement speed and force the attacker to attack you instead. This can be used on ranged attacks, including ranged spell attacks. If targeted by a damaging area of effect attacks, spells, or effects that don't force Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throws, you may choose to fail the save and cause an ally creature to succeed their saving throw.

Forged By Iron And Blood

At 15th level, your mind sharpens as your reflexes evolve and you adapt to being pressured within battle while protecting your allies while slashing down your foes. You gain the following benefits:

• Your movement speed as well as your mount's movement speed increases by 10 feet.
• You gain the ability to use your Vigilante Defender feature against area of effect attacks, spells, or effects that force Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throws.
• You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
• When you use your Vigilant Defender feature and are targeted with a damage type other than bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, you may use that same reaction to become resistant to that damage type.

Virtue of Mercy

Treaty Maker

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Intimidation) and Calligrapher's Supplies. You double your proficiency bonus for checks made with Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Persuasion) and Calligrapher's Supplies. Also, when you use your Rally feature to cause a creature to gain hit points, you may cause them to gain a Leadership die at the same time and add the Leadership die to the hit points that creature gains. If this feature were to increase a creature's hit points beyond their hit point maximum, the rest of those hit points become temporary hit points that last for 1 minute.

Ultimatum

At 3rd level, despite your mercifulness, but you are also no fool. You may expend a use of your Rally to give allies within 5 feet of you advantage on their next attack. If one of those attack land, you may expend a use of your Rally feature and add your Charisma at the end of the attacks of the allies who were affected by this feature. You add a bonus of +1 to the use of Rally for each successful attack.

Uplifting Speech

At 7th level, your words invigorate the hearts of your allies. Whenever you use your Leadership feature on an ally creature, you can target an additional creature to gain the benefits of your Leadership dice as well. When you use this feature, creatures can add your Leadership die to their damage roll for their next successful attack. You may also use your Leadership feature to allow a creature to roll a free use of one of their hit dice and gain hit points equal the result + your Charisma.

Suggestion Against Violence

At 11th level, your words touch mind, hearts, and souls of your opponent in one way or another. You can use your Uplifting Speech to instead target an enemy creature to gain a penalty to an attack roll, damage, ability check, or saving throw equal to your Leadership dice and/or give one ally the benefits of your Leadership die and Uplifting Speech. You can also choose to only target two enemy creatures to inflict penalties onto them.

Peacekeeper

At 15th level, your silver tongue may speak of peace but your words can shake the mind. As an action, you can speak powerful words to your foes. When you do, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus) or they will become frightened or charmed (your choice) for 1 minute. This feature ignores immunity to the frightened or charmed conditions. On a success, they are immune to this feature for the next 24 hours. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short rest.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the class, you must meet these prerequisites: Strength 13, Constitution 13

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the class, you gain the following proficiencies: Martial Weapons, Medium Armor

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