Cavalier (5e Class)
Cavalier
While many warriors strive to perfect their art, spending all of their time honing their skill at martial arms, others spend as much effort dedicating themselves to a cause. These warriors, known as cavaliers, swear themselves to a purpose, serving it above all else. Cavaliers are skilled at fighting from horseback, and are often found charging across a battlefield, with the symbol of their order trailing on a long, fluttering banner. The cavalier’s true power comes from the conviction of his ideals, the oaths that he swears, and the challenges he makes. Cavaliers tend to marshal forces on the battlefield, using their mounted talents and challenges to control the flow of the fight. Outside of battle, cavaliers can be found advancing their cause through diplomacy and, if needed, subterfuge. The cavalier is no stranger to courtly intrigue and can hold his own in even the most delicate of social situations.
Creating a Cavalier
- Quick Build
You can make a Cavalier by following these suggestions. First, choose Strength as your highest Ability Score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the Soldier background.
Class Features
As a Cavalier you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Cavalier level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Cavalier level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: All armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: —
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Strength
Skills: Animal Handling and choose 2 from Athletics, History, Intimidation, Persuasion, and Perception.
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a martial melee weapon or (b) a martial ranged weapon & 20 pieces of ammunition
- (a) a simple weapon or (b) a shield
- (a) chain mail or (b) studded leather armor
- a military saddle, an explorer's pack, and a banner of your coat of arms
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Challenges |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Challenge, Mount | 1 |
| 2nd | +2 | Cavalier's Charge | 1 |
| 3rd | +2 | Cavalier Order | 1 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 2 |
| 6th | +3 | Banner | 2 |
| 7th | +3 | Order Feature | 3 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 |
| 9th | +4 | Mounted Combatant | 3 |
| 10th | +4 | Order Feature | 4 |
| 11th | +4 | Extra Attack | 4 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 |
| 13th | +5 | Challenge Improvement | 5 |
| 14th | +5 | Banner Upgrade | 6 |
| 15th | +5 | Improved Mounted Combatant | 6 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 |
| 17th | +6 | Supreme Charge | 7 |
| 18th | +6 | Order Feature | 8 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 |
| 20th | +6 | Aegis | 8 |
Challenge
At the 1st Level, you have trained yourself to fight with chivalry and honor. You can use a bonus action to challenge a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. If you choose to do so, when using a weapon you are proficient in to attack that creature, you gain an additional bonus to the attack and damage roll equal to your proficiency bonus. However, while challenging a creature, you have disadvantage and receive a penalty on attack and damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus when making an attack on any other creature except the challenged creature. This effect lasts until the challenged creature leaves combat, dies, or falls unconscious. You cannot challenge a creature while you are in combat with another challenged creature. Once you have challenged creatures the number of times shown for your cavalier level in the Challenges column of the Cavalier table, you must finish a long rest before you can challenge another creature again.
At the 13th Level, your challenges become more threatening, causing the challenge creature to become distracted. While you are challenging a creature, allied creatures gain a +2 bonus on their attack rolls against the challenged creature.
Mount
Also at 1st Level, you gain the service of a trusty steed to carry you into battle. If you are a Medium creature, you may select your mount from among the following animals: a draft horse, a riding horse, and a camel. Small creatures may use a mastiff, pony, or donkey as their mount. Your mount obeys your commands as best as it can. While you are not riding your mount, it takes its own initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, and so on. While you are riding your mount, your mount shares your initiative, but it cannot attack or take other actions besides moving. This mount cannot take an action during your initiative.
Your mount uses your proficiency bonus instead of your own and adds your proficiency bonus to its AC and damage rolls. Additionally, your mount gains proficiency in two skills of your choice and gains proficiency in all saving throws. For each level you gain after the 3rd, your mount gains an additional hit die and increases its Hit Points accordingly.
In the event that your mount dies or abandons you, you can make a DC 15 Animal Handling skill check on a wild creature that you can use as a mount. On a successful skill check, the creature becomes friendly towards you. Additionally, it gains all proficiencies, hit dices, Hit Point increases, and Ability Score Increases your previous mount had after 24 hours.
Cavalier's Charge
At the 2nd Level, you have become adept at attacking creatures while riding. If you are on your mount, take the Attack action, and move at least 40 feet in a straight line towards a creature, you can make charge attack against that creature once you reach them. You gain advantage on the attack roll for charge attacks, and when you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for this attack, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. You can't make a charge attack on a creature more than once in a round.
Cavalier Order
At the 3rd Level, you have made a final vow to the order that you have pledged yourself to, much like a paladin does. The order you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, and 18th level.
Ability Score Increase
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.
Banner
At the 6th Level, you have learned how to use your coat of arms as a symbol of inspiration for your allies and companions. As long as your banner is clearly visible, you and allied creatures within 60 feet of you gain advantage on saving throws against being charmed and frightened and gain a bonus on their attack rolls equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down. The banner must be at least Small or larger and must be carried or displayed by the cavalier or his mount to receive these benefits.
At the 14th Level, you have become the pinnacle of courage for your allies. As long as your banner is clearly visible, you and allied creatures within 60 feet of you cannot be charmed nor frightened. Additionally, when an allied creature within 20 feet of you fails a saving throw, you can use your reaction to allow them to reroll it. They must use the new roll. Once you use your reaction in this way, it cannot be used on the same creature again for 24 hours.
Mounted Combatant
At the 9th Level, if a creature attempts to attack your mount, you can use your reaction to make an Animal Handling skill check with a DC equal to the creature's attack roll. On a successful skill check, the attack misses your mount. At the 15th Level, your mount is resistant to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Supreme Charge
At the 17th Level, you charge into your opponents with devastating results. The damage you deal with charge attacks is doubled. In addition, if you land a critical hit with a charge attack, the creature is stunned until the start of their next turn. If a creature is stunned by this feature, they cannot be stunned again by this feature for 24 hours.
Aegis
At the 20th Level, you move faster than a speeding bullet on the battlefield. Whenever a creature hits you with a ranged attack or a ranged spell attack, you can make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. You take half damage on a success. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Cavaliers of the Order of the Socialite are masters of the sword and word, using their quick wits and fast tongues to charm their way through social situations.
Social Presence
At the 3rd Level, you may choose up to two of the following skills that you are proficient in: Deception, Persuasion, Intimidation, or Insight. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
Charming Sway
At the 7th Level, if you are interacting with a creature that is hostile towards you, you can make a DC 20 Persuasion check. On a successful skill check, the creature is now indifferent towards you and your allies. If you make this skill check against a creature that is indifferent towards you, the creature is now friendly towards you and your allies.
Imperious Attitude
At the 10th Level, your attitude forces other creatures to make the decisions you want. Whenever you would make a skill check using Charisma, you can choose to make an Intimidation skill check prior to making the first skill check. On a successful Intimidation skill check, you gain advantage on the next Charisma skill check you make against the same creature.
Grand Boast
At the 18th Level, whenever you would challenge a creature, you can choose to make a Grand Boast instead. If you do, if you defeat the challenged creature in one minute, you gain a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls you make until combat ends. This effect stacks with additional uses of the Grand Boast feature. Using this feature consumes two uses of the challenge feature instead of one.
Cavaliers of the Order of the Equestrian focus entirely on speed and the use of their mount, performing trick maneuvers and moving quickly around the battlefield.
Adept Rider
At the 3rd Level, your proficiency bonus is doubled for all Animal Handling skill checks you make that involve the use of your mount. Additionally, your movement speed increases by 10 feet while using your mount.
Trick Riding
At the 7th Level, you learn advanced skills in horseback riding. Mounting and dismounting your mount no longer uses movement speed. Additionally, you gain advantage on Dexterity saves and/or Acrobatics skill checks made to remain on your horse.
Horseback Mobility
At the 10th Level, you no longer provoke opportunity attacks while using your mount.
Equestrian Master
At the 18th Level, difficult terrain no longer affects your mount. Additionaly, your mount gains a +2 bonus to their AC.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the <!-class name-> class, you must meet these prerequisites:
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the <!-class name-> class, you gain the following proficiencies:
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