Knight, 2nd variant (3.5e Class)
Knight
The Knight a guardian of his lord, Protector of his kingdom and picture of a chivalry. He is the warrior standing and leading at the front of every battle. Against dragons, gods, vampires, and demons, his unyielding stance works as a wall to protect his Friends, family and comrades. This is the lot of a Knight. Trained from a young age as a page to a squire, this warrior took to the defensive and offensive arts with an code of honor. Knights live by their chivalry oath and lion-hearts. They could in an army of hundreds, a party of just a few, a legion of other knights or by themselves. They are divided into orders, legions and chapters.
Making a Knight
The Knight is made to be a part of a Kingdom's sovereignty, be it a party or an army. He is trained from a young age from a page to a squire to a full fledged knight. They are a light in the dark and a guardian of their kingdoms. Alone they are legion with a party they are guardians. While a Knight can begin to deal a lot of consistent damage they can be a protector of a party.
Abilities: Constitution improves the Knight's ability to survive in a long fight, which is his specialty. Dexterity improves a Knight's ability to turn blades away with armor and reflexes. Strength gives the Knight better damage with his melee weapons, preventing a fight from dragging on too long.
Races: Humans make the most likely Knights, being of societies with the most carefully regimented Order, chapters and legion. Elves and half-elves have also proven their capabilities to become knights despite their small body frame and with a little bit agility and even magic they can out paced their enemies. Dwarfs and Dragonborns also can be knights though they are divided into houses and clans instead of Orders, chapters and legion. Warforged can also be knights if they're advance engough Half-Orcs, Gnomes, and Halflings usually lack the proper dedication to master the defensive abilities.
Alignment: Any Lawful. As elite warriors, they are required to follow acode of honor consistently and fit into a protector life.
Starting Age: Moderate.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Cross-Training, AC Bonus +1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +2 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Action Surge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +3 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Bulwark of Defense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +4 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Mortal Strike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +5 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Second wind, AC Bouns +2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +6/+1 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Armor Mastery (medium) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +7/+2 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Pain Tolerance 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +8/+3 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Mortal Strike 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +9/+4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Pain Tolerance 3, AC Bouns +4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +10/+5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Practical Experience 1/day, AC Bonus +3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +3 | +3 | +7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Armor Mastery (heavy) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Mortal strike 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +5 | +5 | +9 | AC Bonus +5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Mortal strike 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Practical Experience 2/day, AC Bonus +7, Fearless | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Knights.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Vanguards are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, Plate or chainmail armor, and all shields (including tower shields).
Cross-Training (Ex): The Knight's training gives him a more advanced degree of familiarity and skill with melee and ranged weaponry. Vanguard class levels qualify for feats that usually require a minimum number of Fighter levels, such as Weapon Specialization. These levels stack with actual Fighter levels, so a Knight 4, a Fighter 4, and Knight 2/Fighter 2 would all qualify for Weapon Specialization.
Mortal Strike (Ex): Knights can deliver a powerful blow to their enemies. This ability can wound your enemies gravely and quickly.
AC Bonus (Ex): A Knight's training increases his ability to defend himself from attack. A Knight gains a natural +1 bonus to his AC at all times. This bonus increases to +3 at 5th level, and again every 5 levels after (+3 at 10th, +5 at 15th, +7 at 20th).
Bulwark of Defense (Ex): Knights' precision and skill in controlling the area around them is truly remarkable. From 3rd level on, opponents beginning their turn in a square that a Knight threatens treats all the squares that this Vanguard threatens as difficult terrain.
Armor Mastery (Ex): At 6th level, Knights are able to move in their armor so naturally that they ignore the standard speed reduction for wearing medium armor. At 12th level, Knights ignore the speed reduction of heavy armor as well.
Practical Experience (Ex): At 10th level, a Knight's advanced training and years of experience allows him to draw upon the knowledge of all the physical pain he has suffered, and turn this experience to his blows. Once a day, for a number of rounds equal to 1 + 1/5 his class level (rounded down), the Knight may maximize all damage dealt with his weapon. In addition to this, the Knight adds a further 1/4th of his class level to the damage dealt. A Vanguard gains a second daily use of this at 20th level.
Fearless (Ex): At 20th level, the Vanguard becomes immune to fear effects.
A starting gear set includes Plate armor and a Two handed sword similar to this picture.
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Playing a Knight
Religion: Knights tend to worship Lawful deities and not chaotic ones. They are free to worship any deity they please except for chaotic deities.
Combat: The Knight's role in combat is to be the first one in the melee, and to keep the opponents from reaching the other characters. The more Knights there are, the easier this is, though this comes at the expense of damage potential.
Advancement: Knights tend naturally to those feats with a focus on melee ability or physical prowess. This includes, but is not limited to, the feats Toughness, Endurance, Weapon Focus, and Diehard.
Knights in the World
Combat: The Knight's role in combat is to be the first one in the melee, and to keep the opponents from reaching the other characters. The more Knights there are, the easier this is, though this comes at the expense of damage potential.
Advancement: Knights tend naturally to those feats with a focus on melee ability or physical prowess. This includes, but is not limited to, the feats Toughness, Endurance, Weapon Focus, and Diehard.
Daily Life: A Knight who isn't adventuring can live any sort of life, from the simple life of a farmer to the lavish life of a noble. They can often be found in their kingdoms castles tending to their lords swapping stories with fellow Knights and adventurers over a glass of wine. Though Every morning, however, they practice their offensive and defensive prowess, warming up for the day ahead, always vigilant.
Organizations: If members of this class belong to any organizations, the most likely are orders, legions and chapters. Temples are less frequent.
NPC Reactions: Soldiers and veterans are always appreciative of a Knight they heard of, and will tend to buy him an ale if they meet in a tavern. Commoners and nobles are very appreciative of these heroes' efforts. Knights in a foreign land are generally viewed with suspicion and hostility by the common folk and nobility, and the town guards will keep close watch over him, but native soldiers and adventurers tend to be more accepting of their fellow Protectors.
Knight Lore
Most PCs and NPCs would not understand the difference between a Knight and, say, a Fighter. Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Local), however, can research Vanguards to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
DC 5: Knights make up the Protector of most Kingdoms, brave warriors who hold their lines against even the most overwhelming odds.
DC 10: Knights are trained from a very young age to maximize their defensive and Offensive prowess beyond what most can manage.
DC 15: Knight training is a selective process. Of those tens of thousands who joined. They never bow or break to the enemies.
DC 20: While a Knight is normally unable to fell his adversaries in a single blow, it's said that older, more experienced Knights can use their own experiences, recalling the blows that hurt the hardest, and reproducing these blows to dangerous effect on their foes.
Knights in the Game
Knights serve the role of defense and offense in a party. While they cannot pull enemies off of other characters, they specialize in preventing those enemies in passing in the first place, and are able to turn aside most lesser blows. The Knight's role is generally sung by bards and there is no doubting his significance.
Trivia
This class was inspired by Knights of medieval times, Arthurian legends, Divinity original sin 2 knights and for honor knights.
Note
I don't own any pictures used for this class.
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