Knight of the Moon (3.5e Prestige Class)

Knight of the Moon

“	A sword in one hand and magic in the other	”
—Nidalap Rerecros, Half-elf Knight of the Moon, Biography

The calling to be a champion for all that is good is a life's passion. A few such champions also have the inherent potential to be a sorcerer. Paladins who are equally adept with arcane magics as they are with the divine may wish to pursue this class. The Knights of the Moon train these conflicted individuals to seamlessly blend swordplay and sorcery and their divine talents.

Becoming a Knight of the Moon

Becoming a Knight of the Moon requires a minimal level of innate magic and some proficiency in combat.

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Lawful Good.
Base Attack Bonus:	+4.
Skills:	Spellcraft 4 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 4 ranks
Feats:	Combat Casting
Spellcasting:	Able to cast first level arcane spells spontaneously.
Special:	Smite Evil class feature.

Table: The Knight of the Moon

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Paladin, detect magic, smite evil +1/day, Arcane blessing	+1 level of paladin spellcasting class
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Rapid blessing, hardened casting	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Lunar strike, sacred spells	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Arcane Bounty	+1 Level of paladin spellcasting class
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Extend Spell	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th	+6	+5	+2	+5	Smite Evil +1/day	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th	+7	+5	+2	+5	Swift Blessing	+1 level of paladin spellcasting class
8th	+8	+6	+2	+6	Improved lunar strike	+1 Level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th	+9	+6	+3	+6	Improved Extend Spell	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th	+10	+7	+3	+7	Integrated spellcasting, divine blessing	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class / +1 level of paladin ppellcasting class
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).

Class Features

Spellcasting: At 1st level, and every three levels therafter (4th, 7th and 10th), you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in paladin, and at every level except 1st, 4th and 7th, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spontaneous arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spontaneous arcane spellcasting class before becoming a Knight of the Moon, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known. If the Knight of the Moon does not have access to Paladin spells (because she has less than four Paladin levels), she adds together her Paladin levels and level in Knight of the Moon that advance spellcasting to determine when she gets access to Paladin Spells. Thus, a 10th level Knight of the Moon with only 2 Paladin levels would cast spells as a 6th level Paladin.

Detect Magic (Sp): A Knight of the Moon can use detect magic, as the spell, at will. If a Knight of the Moon has the ability to use detect evil at will (such as from the first level Paladin ability) she may use both at once, as though they were one spell that gives the information from both.

Smite Evil (Ex): At first level and sixth level, the Knight of the Moon gains one additional use of Smite Evil. In addition, Knight of the Moon levels stack with levels in whichever class granted the Smite Evil ability for determining damage.

Paladin (Su): A Knight of the Moon's levels stack with Paladin levels for determining the damage she can heal with lay on hands, as well as either Turn Undead or her Paladin Mount ability. The Knight of the Moon must choose which of these abilities to advance when she first takes Knight of the Moon. If the Knight of the Moon does not yet have access to these abilities, add her Knight of the Moon level to her Paladin level to determine when she does.

Arcane Blessing (Ex): At first level, while under the effects of a spell with a limited duration she has cast on herself, such as Mage Armor or Bull's Strength, the Knight of the Moon and her familiar and/or her special mount gain additional benefits. Arcane Blessing grants her a divine bonus to AC equal to her Charisma modifier, up to a maximum of one point per class level, and a divine bonus to melee damage rolls equal to half her Charisma modifier rounded down, up to one point per two class levels, minimum one. Arcane Blessing's divine bonus does not stack with itself even if she affected by multiple spells.

Rapid Blessing (Ex): At second level, a Knight of the Moon may cast spells with a cast time of a standard action that target herself as a move action at will. This counts against the limit of one quickened spell per round.

Hardened Casting (Ex): At second level, a Knight of the Moon gains a bonus to her Concentration skill equal to her class level.

Lunar Strike (Sp): At third level, a Knight of the Moon learns to mix melee and magic. As part of a melee full attack, she may cast a spell, the next time you strike an opponent with that weapon within that round, the spell discharges. The target takes the normal damage and effects of a successful attack in addition to the spell's effect. If the spell has an area of effect, the shape is changed into a line or cone (at the Knight of the Moon's choice) as though effected by the Sculpt Spell feat. If all the attacks miss, the spell is lost. Using this ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity. In exchange, when she performs this maneuver, the last attack in her full attack chain is omitted. At eighth level this restriction is removed.

Sacred Spells (Sp): At third level, all spells the Knight of the Moon casts have the good descriptor. Furthermore, if the spell deals damage, half of the damage (rounded down) results directly from divine power and is therefore not subject to be reduced by resistance or immunity to energy-based attacks. For example, a consecrated fireball spell cast by a 1st-level Paladin/6th-level Sorcerer/3rd-level KotM deals 8d6 points of damage, half of which is fire damage and half of which is sheer divine power. Thus, creatures immune to fire still take damage.

Arcane Bounty (Ex):At fourth level, when a Knight of the Moon casts a spell with a limited duration that affects an ally, such as Bull's Strength, or allies, such as Mass Bull's Strength, your affected allies are granted a measure of protection as well, up to one ally per class level. Affected allies gain half of her Arcane Blessing bonus, rounded up, while under the affects of the spell.

Extend Spell: At fifth level the Knight of the Moon gains Extend Spell as a bonus feat. Using the Extend Spell feat does not increase the casting time for spontaneous spells when cast by a Knight of the Moon. At ninth level, using this feat does not increase the spell level of spells when used.

Swift Blessing (Ex): a Knight of the Moon of seventh level or higher may cast spells with a cast time of a standard action that target herself as a swift action a number of times per day equal to her class level plus her Charisma modifier. This counts against the limit of one quickened spell per round.

Integrated Spellcasting (Sp): At tenth level, a Knight of the Moon learns to incorporate her two styles of spellcasting into one. She may expend any prepared Paladin spell she has in order to cast an arcane spell she knows of the same level or lower. In addition, the Paladin spell list is added to the sorcerer spell list; whenever she learns a new arcane spell (or exchanges an old one) she may learn a Paladin spell instead. Lastly, whenever she casts a spell, she may use the higher of her two caster levels, and may use Charisma in place of Wisdom as the determining stat for her Paladin Spellcasting.

Divine Blessing (Ex):At tenth level, casting a spell that targets herself does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Ex-Knights of the Moon

The Knight of the Moon has the same alignment restrictions as a Paladin. However, a Paladin with Knight of the Moon levels may freely multiclass Paladin levels with Knight of the Moon levels and Sorcerer levels, along with levels in any full BAB class that gives arcane spellcasting advancement, such as Eldritch Knight and Spellsword.

Playing a Knight of the Moon

Combat: On the first round, cast one defensive or offensive buff spell with rapid blessing as a move action, and a second spell as a standard action. On the second round, close with the enemy and attack them, potentially with a Smite to make up for the lost time. At higher levels, Swift Blessing allows a Knight of the Moon to move, attack, and buff all in the same round. On subsequent rounds, use Lunar Strike to attack and cast damage dealing or status spells. If more buffs need to be cast, use Rapid Blessing to cast them as a move action, while still being able to attack once. Some Knights of the Moon wear no armor so that their arcane magic does not suffer, but are still well protected because of their buff spells and Arcane Blessing. Since this style benefits from a good Dexterity score, Knights of the Moon who chose this style often use Weapon Finesse and a Rapier or light weapon.

Advancement:Most Knights of the Moon are multiclass Paladin/Sorcerers. Some may continue their paladin levels or sorcerer level depending on their inclination. Others may instead finish all tens levels of Knight of the Moon and move on to the Eldritch Knight prestige class or perhaps the mystic theurge prestige class.

Resources: a Knight of the Moon can expect to receive the same help as any other Paladin or spellcaster in their parent organization.

Knights of the Moon in the World

“	Our order differs little form many others; our shining armor simply isn't made of steel.	”
—Nidalap Rerecros, Half-elf Knight of the Moon, Biography

The Knights of the Moon are essentially an auxiliary to the Paladin orders of existing deities. They exist as an outlet for Paladin's with sorcerous talents, or sorcerers with holy aspirations. They are generally a much looser collection, however; Knights of the Moon do not function at their utmost when fighting alongside other Knights of the Moon, but rather when supporting others. In addition, their self-sufficiency means they are a great choice for a lone quest. Thus, most Knights of the Moon in a given order are likely to be questing or responding to a situation outside the church, and the rest are usually attached to squads of more traditional knights. Knights of the Moon have powerful leadership abilities, and will often be in a command role within forces they serve with, and will often recruit allies to support (and support them) in the field.

Alternatively, the Knights of the Moon could be tailored specifically for a single deity or group of deities, serving as a major component of the forces of a Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, or Neutral Good god of magic or arcana.

NPC Reactions: A knight of the moon could pass off as either a paladin or a sorcerer depending on how the character is garbed. Thus, NPCs are unlikely to treat them any different than the sister base classes.

Knight of the Moon Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Religion) or Knowledge (Arcana) can research the Knights of the Moon to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

DC	Result
16	Knights of the Moon use both divine and arcane magic.
21	Knights of the Moon blend magic and melee combat.
26	Knights of the Moon can aid their allies or themselves at a moments notice.
31	Specific information about Knights of the Moon in the game world, potentially including information about specific NPC Knight's of the Moon.

Knight of the Moon in the Game

A Knight of the Moon may serve alongside other Paladins in a support role, providing arcane blessings to their allies with spells such as Haste and Mass Bulls Strength that can target herself and allies, thus able to be cast quickly. Combined with damage support in the form of area spells in a cone shape, the Knight of the Moon renders powerful aid in a melee heavy group. Alternatively, A Knight of the Moon could serve as a knight errant, adventuring to help in any way she can. In this way, she can be more effective than a normal Paladin as her combination of melee proficiency and magic talent give her good self sufficiency.

Adaptation: This is a generic form for the class, the class may benefit from being linked to an appropriate god or goddess, and a relevant name change.

Sample Encounter:

EL whatever:

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