EditorBFG
Explorer
I've begun a project to convert the various Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire RPGs so I can run 5E D&D in Westeros. A huge part of the converting/game design work, however, is the shortage of reliable spellcasting in the realtively low magic world George R.R. Martin has created. Since knights are such an important part of the setting, and paladins are both too tied to spellcasting and too specifically moral to make sense in such a game, I have tried to convert the paladin into a Knight class that doesn't cast spells.
I've looked at every spell-less paladin and knight class I could find here and on other sites or blogs, and took a lot of that stuff into account. But I am still not 100% certain of all of my choices, and am seeking input. Do you feel like this Knight class is a balanced substitute for the paladin?
[sblock="Knight Class"]
THE KNIGHT
"I have to try to save her... or die in the attempt."
—Brienne of Tarth, A Feast for Crows
Class Features
As a knight, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
As per paladin
Proficiencies
As per paladin
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
Battlefield Healing
You can apply the expert knowledge of wounds and anatomy you use to inflict injury in battle to treating such injuries as well. Being accustomed to shortages of medical supplies on the field, you do so with a high degree of efficiency. You can spend 1 minute treating a creature with a healer’s kit. When you do so, that creature regains 5 hit points. Instead of healing hit points, you can choose to instead use a healer’s kit to either cure one disease or end one condition on the creature you are applying it to. The condition can only be one of the following: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned. You can use this ability a number of times a day equal to your knight level, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Using this ability does not consume a full use of a healer’s kit. Instead, when you regain expended uses of this ability at the end of a long rest, one use of a healer’s kit is consumed. If you do not have a healer’s kit with uses remaining at the end of a long rest, you do not regain expended uses of this ability until you obtain a healer’s kit and consume one use of it.
Knightly Training
Your training has granted you absolute mastery of the accoutrements of knighthood. When you wear medium or heavy armor, you receive a +1 bonus to AC. In addition, when you wear armor that shows a required score in the Strength column for that type in the armor table to avoid a speed reduction, the Strength score required is treated as being 3 lower for you (Str 13 becomes Str 10, Str 15 becomes Str 12). Finally, when you mount a willing creature, you expend only 5 feet of movement to do so (instead of half your speed).
Martial Kit Bash
At 1st level, you can cobble together various supplies from your own leftover equipment and create a temporary makeshift healer’s kit. You spend 1 hour gathering together what you can and concentrating or combining your bits of scavenging into a workable healer’s kit equivalent. These assemblages are very delicate, so you can only carry a number of these rough healer’s kits at one time equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1)—any more than that and they all fall apart. The makeshift healer’s kits you create cannot be applied by anyone but you. They are too rough and obviously scavenged to be sold. After 48 hours, any makeshift healer’s kits that you have not used lose their potency.
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options.
You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
At 2nd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called conviction dice.
Conviction Maneuvers. You learn two of the maneuvers described at the end of this list of class features: rallying cry and smite enemy. You learn one additional maneuver at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack. Unless the maneuver says otherwise, you can only spend one conviction die on a particular use of a maneuver.
Conviction Dice. You begin with two conviction dice, which are d4s. A conviction die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended conviction dice when you finish a long rest.
The number of conviction dice you have increases as you gain levels. As you grow in your knight class, you gain different numbers of dice, which can be of various types besides d4’s (d6’s, d8, d10’s, d12’s). The dice you gain are shown in the Conviction Dice Per Day (By Die Type) columns of the Knight table.*
* = Since tables are hard to reproduce in these posts, I should explain that dice of each type are gained the same way and at that same rate that normal Paladins get spell slots. Each 1st level spell slot is a d4, each 2nd level spell slot is a d6, 3rd level = d8, 4th level = d10, and 5th level = d12.
Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Rallying Presence
Beginning at 3rd level, you can expend one or more uses of Battlefield Healing to use your Rallying Cry maneuver without spending a conviction die. When you do so, the number of temporary hit points the target creature gains is 5 times the number of Battlefield Healing uses expended.
Knightly Order
At 3rd level, you choose an order of knights whose convictions or prowess your character strives to emulate. These are detailed at the end of the c1ass description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 9th, 13th and 15th level.
Mounted Prowess
Starting at 3rd level, if you make a melee weapon attack against a creature while you are mounted, and the target is an unmounted creature smaller than your mount, you inflict an extra 1d6 weapon damage.
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.
Fearful Smite
At 6th level, when you use your smite enemy maneuver, you can force your target to make a Wisdom saving throw against your maneuver DC. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short rest or long rest.
Infectious Confidence
Starting at 6th level, the extreme confidence you display in battle becomes a source of strength for your allies. Whenever you or a friendly creature within 10 feet of you must make a saving throw, the creature gains a bonus to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum bonus of +1). You must be conscious to grant this bonus. At 18th level, the range of this effect increases to 30 feet.
Resurgent Rally
At 9th level, when you use your rally maneuver, the target gains an additional 1d8 temporary hit points.
Valiant Presence
Starting at 10th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be frightened while you are conscious. At 18th level, the range of this effect increases to 30 feet.
Brutal Strike
By 11th level, you are so practiced with your weapon that all your strikes are more damaging. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d8 weapon damage. lf you also use your Smite Enemy maneuver with an attack, you add this damage to the extra damage from that maneuver.
Rattling Smite
At 13th level, when you use your smite enemy maneuver, you can force your target to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and can't take reactions, until the end of its next turn. You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short rest or long rest.
Daunting Smite
At 14th level, your attacks with the smite enemy maneuver ignore resistance to psychic damage.
Unwavering
Starting at 18th level, when you roll initiative and have no conviction dice remaining, you regain one d12 conviction die.
Battlefield Fury
You can enter a state of perfect tactical awareness and simmering battle rage, gaining the kind of heightened martial prowess that allowed the knights of legend to perform their most heroic deeds. Using your action, you gain the following abilities for one hour:
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
[/sblock]
[sblock="Conviction Maneuvers"]Conviction Maneuvers
"I learned from the White Bull and Barristan the Bold. I learned from Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, who could have slain all five of you with his left hand while he was taking a piss with the right. I learned from Prince Lewyn of Dorne and Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Jonothor Darry, good men every one."
—Ser Jaime Lannister, A Storm of Swords
The maneuvers are presented in alphabetical order.
Bold Riposte. When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one or two conviction dice to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If you hit, you may end the frightened condition on yourself or one ally within 60 feet, and you add twice the amount of the conviction dice roll to the damage of the attack.
Bonded Mount. When you are mounted on a beast of large size or smaller that has a challenge rating of ½ or lower, you can expend a conviction die as a bonus action to work more closely with it in combat. The bonded mount gains temporary hit points equal to the conviction die roll plus your Charisma modifier, and for 1 minute, it always obeys your commands as best it can, adding your proficiency bonus to its AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. In combat, the bonded mount rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. This effect ends if you are incapacitated or more than 120 feet away. The bonded mount cannot take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action unless you use your action to order the beast to do so, but it can take other actions as normal. Even after the effect ends, the beast cohort will always remain friendly to you unless you attack it. You can never have more than one bonded mount at once.
Courteous Disarm. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one or two conviction dice to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it is holding. You add twice the amount of the conviction dice roll to the weapon damage of the attack, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet. The target rolls the saving throw before the damage is inflicted, and if they fail, you may choose not to inflict any damage if you wish
Defender’s Shield. When you or a creature within 5 feet of you are struck by a melee attack or ranged weapon attack, you can use your reaction and expend one conviction die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your conviction die plus your Strength modifier (minimum 1).
Duelist’s Challenge. When you make a weapon attack against a creature you can see within 30 feet, you can spend a conviction die to force them to roll a Wisdom save against your maneuver save DC. If they fail, they have disadvantage on the next attack roll they make against a creature other than you, and take psychic damage equal to your conviction die roll the next time they attack a creature other than you or the next time they attempt to move further than 30 feet away from you, whichever comes first.
Feinting Strike. You can expend one or two conviction dice and use a bonus action on your turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of you as your target. You have advantage on your next attack roll against that creature. If that attack hits, add twice the amount of the conviction dice roll to the attack's damage roll, and the target has disadvantage on Wisdom checks until the end of its next turn.
Knight’s Cleave. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can use your reaction to expend one conviction die to attack another creature within 5 feet of you. If the attack succeeds, you add the conviction die roll to the damage of the attack.
Knockdown. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one or two conviction dice to deal additional bludgeoning damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's normal damage. The extra damage is equal to twice the roll of the conviction dice. In addition, if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away from you and knocked prone.
Rallying Cry. On your turn, you can use a bonus action and expend one or two conviction dice to bolster the resolve of one of your companions. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you, That creature gains temporary hit points equal to the conviction dice roll + your Charisma modifier.
Rush to Defense. You may spend one conviction die as a reaction to move up to half your speed next to a creature who takes damage from an attack, spell, or trap. You subtract the result of your conviction die plus your Charisma modifier from the damage the creature took, and you take the same type of damage equal to the conviction die result plus your Charisma modifier. The damage you take from using this maneuver ignores resistance and immunity and cannot be reduced in any way. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Smite Enemy. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one conviction die to deal additional psychic damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's normal damage. You roll the expended conviction die four times (or roll four dice of that type), and add the results. The total is inflicted as psychic damage on the creature, in addition to the weapon damage.
Taunting Strike. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one or two conviction dice to attempt to enrage the target into attacking you. You add twice the amount of the conviction dice roll to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of its next turn, and cannot move farther away from you until the end of its next turn.
EDIT: Based on input from others in this thread, I am adding the following Conviction Maneuvers to the class:
Lordly Reputation. When a character you can see or hear makes an Intelligence (History) check to know something of your reputation, glorious deeds, or family line, you can use your reaction and spend a conviction die to give them advantage on that roll. They also add the result of your conviction die roll to that check.
Noble Bearing. As a bonus action, choose a creature within 30 feet with whom you share a language, and roll your conviction die. For a number of minutes equal to the conviction die roll, you have advantage on all ability checks you make to interact socially with that creature.
Recall Healer's Lore. As a bonus action, spend a conviction die. For one hour, you add the result of your conviction die roll to all Intelligence or Wisdom checks related to identifying or discerning the nature, presence, or location of poisons, poisonous creatures, and diseases within 100 feet, or to identifying or treating wounds or injuries of all kinds.
Ride Hard. When mounted and traveling with allies who are also mounted, you can help the group avoid exhaustion while traveling at a forced march or in other grueling conditions. As an action, expend a conviction die. For 24 hours, you and all mounted members of your party add the conviction die roll to Constitution saving throws against exhaustion.[/sblock]
[sblock="Knight Archetypes: Knightly Orders"]"All knights must bleed, Jaime. Blood is the seal of our devotion."
—Ser Arthur Dayne, A Feast for Crows
Order of Faith
Two military orders, collectively known as the Faith Militant, have existed at times in the history of Westeros: the Warrior's Sons (for nobles) and the Poor Fellows (for commoners and women). Both date from before Aegon's Conquest, but were disallowed. During the reign of Robert Baratheon, the orders have still not yet been restored, but their example is remembered by many knights who seek to serve a higher power than even kings and lords. Even those who deny the existence of the gods must admit that the focus of prayer and meditation allows these knights to enter a state of mind in which they can do extraordinary things. This order can also represent a religious knight from another culture or who worships differently, or even a knight devoted to a philosophy or mystical belief rather than a god, lord, or noble house.
Shelter of the Mother
Anyone who wants to get at someone under your protection has to go through you. As an action, spend a conviction die to choose a willing creature within 5 feet of you. The target gains temporary hit points equal to the conviction die roll. While the target is within 5 feet of you, it gains a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws, and it has resistance to all damage. Also, each time it takes damage, you take the same amount of damage. The damage you take from using this feature ignores resistance and immunity and cannot be reduced in any way. This effect lasts for one minute. The effect ends early if you drop to 0 hit points or if you and the target become separated by more than 5 feet. It also ends if either you or your target have this ability used on them again. You can also end the effect as an action. Once you use this ability, you must finish a short rest or long rest in order to use it again.
Weapon of the Warrior
As an action, you focus your mind through prayer and fight with an eerie calm that unnerves your enemies, asking the Seven to bless a single weapon you are holding. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minimum bonus of +1).The weapon inflicts an additional 1d6 damage against frightened or charmed characters. Also, during that minute, you have advantage on Perception checks based on sight. You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends. Once you use this effect once, you must finish a short rest or long rest in order to use it again.
Virtue of the Maiden
Your very presence inspires devotion to the faith of the Seven, and helps others avoid temptation. Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be charmed while you are conscious. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Favor of the Father
You help others find the will to fight, even on the verge of death. Starting at 9th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have advantage on death saving throws. If you are unconscious, you still retain this benefit, but you do not grant it to friendly creatures. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Wisdom of the Crone
At 13th level, when you take a moment to completely focus your mind in prayer, and meditate on everything you know about a particular subject, you find that the answer to the question you contemplate arises in your mind. This ability allows you to cast the divination spell, as a ritual only. There is no limit to the number of times you may do so,, though the ritual takes an hour each time it is used.
Shield of the Smith
Beginning at 15th level, you are so confident in your faith that worldly threats seem irrelevant. You are immune to being charmed or frightened, even when unconscious. In addition, whenever a humanoid creature makes a melee attack against you or rolls a save against one of your maneuvers, they must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from their attack roll or saving throw.
"I will defend King Tommen with all my strength, I swear it. I will give my life for his if need be."
—Ser Loras Tyrell, A Storm of Swords
Order of Guardianship
Only seven knights at a time are ever permitted to serve in the legendary Kingsguard, who protect the king of Westeros as a personal guard, but they are also the knights of whom the most tales are told. Many knights in Westeros and beyond strive to emulate the ideals of absolute loyalty and defensive prowess that knights of the Kingsguard represent. Knights who pursue the this order train to put their own bodies in harm’s way whenever necessary to shield those under their guard, and to slow the advance of any enemy who would threaten their charge.
Thicket of Blades
Starting at 3rd level, any creature you hit with a weapon attack must make a Wisdom saving throw against your maneuver DC or have its speed reduced by half until the end of its next turn.
Living Bulwark
When a creature within 5 feet of you is attacked, you can use your reaction to grant them half cover against all attacks and effects, including against the triggering attack, until the start of their next turn. This effect ends immediately if you and the creature are more than 5 feet away from each other, or if you are incapacitated. If you choose, you may grant three-quarters cover rather than half-cover to the creature, but if you do so, you take disadvantage on all attack rolls, Dexterity checks, and Dexterity saves until the beginning of the creature’s next turn.
Confident Defense
Beginning at 7th level, those who you protect and those who fight alongside you feel a sense of security from your very presence. All creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to psychic damage. At 18th level, the range of this effect increases to 30 feet.
Maze of Blades
Starting at 9th level, you may expend one conviction die to increase your reach by 5 feet until the beginning of your next turn. Also, until the beginning of your next turn, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter your reach. You add your conviction die to the damage of the next opportunity attack you make. Once you use this ability once, you must finish a short rest or long rest in order to use it again.
Uncanny Protection
Starting at 13th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you or a creature within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage.
Constant Protector
Starting at 15th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points and are not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. Additionally, no effect can cause you to fall asleep unless you choose to sleep.
"A man who sees nothing has no use for his eyes, cut them out and give them to your next outrider. Tell him you hope that four eyes might see better than two ... and if not, the man after him will have six."
—Ser Gregor Clegane, A Game of Thrones
Order of Vigilance
Originally, this tradition began within a group of knights who were members of the Night’s Watch. They trained together, fought together, and spoke as one to the Lord Commander, advocating for brutal, disproportionate punishment of any threat from the wildlings as a means of deterrence. Later on, the order was dissolved, but some of their tenets became part of the Watch’s customs, and their ideals of unending watchful vigilance and overwhelming reciprocity against enemies became popular beyond the Wall. These knights were chronicled in a number of contemporary books that have survived to the era of Robert’s Rebellion and circulated widely. Many knights still see the ideas of zealous vengeance and total war against the enemies of one’s lord as the most efficient way to deter attacks against those in their charge. And nearly all knights who join the Night’s Watch make use of these tactics and techniques in their battles against the wildlings who dwell north of the Wall.
Hunter’s Quarry
You can focus on a single foe on the battlefield, granting your attacks against them added ferocity. As a bonus action, choose a creature you can see within range and mentally mark it as your quarry. For 1 hour, you deal an extra 1d6 damage to the target whenever you hit it with a weapon attack, and you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check you make to find it. lf the target drops to 0 hit points before the duration of this effect ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to mark a new creature. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. This effect requires you to concentrate , as if it were a concentration spell, so while using it you cannot cast a spell or other effect that requires concentration, otherwise this effect ends immediately. At 6th level, you can maintain your concentration to continue this effect for 4 hours; at 9th level, you can do so for 8 hours, and at 17th level, for 24 hours.
Oath of Enmity
As a bonus action, you can utter an Oath of Enmity against a creature you can see within 10 feet of you. You gain advantage on attack rolls against the creature for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 hit points or falls unconscious. Once you use the ability, you must finish a short rest or long rest in order to use it again.
To the Death
By 7th level, your tactical acumen helps you close off a foe's retreat. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you can move up to half your speed immediately after the attack and as part of the same reaction. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Swift Vengeance
Starting at 9th level, your speed is increased by 10 feet. You may move freely through enemy spaces but may not end your turn in an enemy's space. During your turn, enemies have disadvantage on all opportunity attacks against you.
Unexpected Lunge
Starting at 13th level, when you take the attack action on your turn, you may spend a single conviction die and use your reaction to take the Dash, Disengage, or Use an Object action, or to make a single weapon attack. You also gain temporary hit points equal to the conviction die roll.
Soul of Vengeance
Starting at 15th level, you terrorize the target of your Oath of Enmity with an absolute and single-minded focus. When a creature under the effect of your Oath of Enmity makes an attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature if it is within range.
[/sblock]
I've looked at every spell-less paladin and knight class I could find here and on other sites or blogs, and took a lot of that stuff into account. But I am still not 100% certain of all of my choices, and am seeking input. Do you feel like this Knight class is a balanced substitute for the paladin?
[sblock="Knight Class"]
THE KNIGHT
"I have to try to save her... or die in the attempt."
—Brienne of Tarth, A Feast for Crows
Class Features
As a knight, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
As per paladin
Proficiencies
As per paladin
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a longsword and a shield or (b) a two handed sword
- (a) a lance or (b) 10 javelins
- (a) chain mail or (b) a breastplate
- (a) a token from your beloved (a napkin, garter, or other cloth item that that holds great value to them) or (b) a trophy from a battle or a fallen enemy (a broken weapon, a scrap of their cloak, etc.) or (c) a symbol of your House or family (a tabard with the house sigil, an engraved collar for your armor with the house words, etc.)
- a healer’s kit
Battlefield Healing
You can apply the expert knowledge of wounds and anatomy you use to inflict injury in battle to treating such injuries as well. Being accustomed to shortages of medical supplies on the field, you do so with a high degree of efficiency. You can spend 1 minute treating a creature with a healer’s kit. When you do so, that creature regains 5 hit points. Instead of healing hit points, you can choose to instead use a healer’s kit to either cure one disease or end one condition on the creature you are applying it to. The condition can only be one of the following: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned. You can use this ability a number of times a day equal to your knight level, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Using this ability does not consume a full use of a healer’s kit. Instead, when you regain expended uses of this ability at the end of a long rest, one use of a healer’s kit is consumed. If you do not have a healer’s kit with uses remaining at the end of a long rest, you do not regain expended uses of this ability until you obtain a healer’s kit and consume one use of it.
Knightly Training
Your training has granted you absolute mastery of the accoutrements of knighthood. When you wear medium or heavy armor, you receive a +1 bonus to AC. In addition, when you wear armor that shows a required score in the Strength column for that type in the armor table to avoid a speed reduction, the Strength score required is treated as being 3 lower for you (Str 13 becomes Str 10, Str 15 becomes Str 12). Finally, when you mount a willing creature, you expend only 5 feet of movement to do so (instead of half your speed).
Martial Kit Bash
At 1st level, you can cobble together various supplies from your own leftover equipment and create a temporary makeshift healer’s kit. You spend 1 hour gathering together what you can and concentrating or combining your bits of scavenging into a workable healer’s kit equivalent. These assemblages are very delicate, so you can only carry a number of these rough healer’s kits at one time equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1)—any more than that and they all fall apart. The makeshift healer’s kits you create cannot be applied by anyone but you. They are too rough and obviously scavenged to be sold. After 48 hours, any makeshift healer’s kits that you have not used lose their potency.
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options.
You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
- 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.
- 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.
- Mounted. When mounted, if you inflict damage with a weapon on an unmounted creature smaller than your mount, you can re-roll any weapon damage die that rolls a 1 (or either a 1 or a 2 if the weapon has the two-handed or versatile property). You must use the new roll.
- 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.
At 2nd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called conviction dice.
Conviction Maneuvers. You learn two of the maneuvers described at the end of this list of class features: rallying cry and smite enemy. You learn one additional maneuver at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack. Unless the maneuver says otherwise, you can only spend one conviction die on a particular use of a maneuver.
Conviction Dice. You begin with two conviction dice, which are d4s. A conviction die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended conviction dice when you finish a long rest.
The number of conviction dice you have increases as you gain levels. As you grow in your knight class, you gain different numbers of dice, which can be of various types besides d4’s (d6’s, d8, d10’s, d12’s). The dice you gain are shown in the Conviction Dice Per Day (By Die Type) columns of the Knight table.*
* = Since tables are hard to reproduce in these posts, I should explain that dice of each type are gained the same way and at that same rate that normal Paladins get spell slots. Each 1st level spell slot is a d4, each 2nd level spell slot is a d6, 3rd level = d8, 4th level = d10, and 5th level = d12.
Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Rallying Presence
Beginning at 3rd level, you can expend one or more uses of Battlefield Healing to use your Rallying Cry maneuver without spending a conviction die. When you do so, the number of temporary hit points the target creature gains is 5 times the number of Battlefield Healing uses expended.
Knightly Order
At 3rd level, you choose an order of knights whose convictions or prowess your character strives to emulate. These are detailed at the end of the c1ass description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 9th, 13th and 15th level.
Mounted Prowess
Starting at 3rd level, if you make a melee weapon attack against a creature while you are mounted, and the target is an unmounted creature smaller than your mount, you inflict an extra 1d6 weapon damage.
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.
Fearful Smite
At 6th level, when you use your smite enemy maneuver, you can force your target to make a Wisdom saving throw against your maneuver DC. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short rest or long rest.
Infectious Confidence
Starting at 6th level, the extreme confidence you display in battle becomes a source of strength for your allies. Whenever you or a friendly creature within 10 feet of you must make a saving throw, the creature gains a bonus to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum bonus of +1). You must be conscious to grant this bonus. At 18th level, the range of this effect increases to 30 feet.
Resurgent Rally
At 9th level, when you use your rally maneuver, the target gains an additional 1d8 temporary hit points.
Valiant Presence
Starting at 10th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be frightened while you are conscious. At 18th level, the range of this effect increases to 30 feet.
Brutal Strike
By 11th level, you are so practiced with your weapon that all your strikes are more damaging. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d8 weapon damage. lf you also use your Smite Enemy maneuver with an attack, you add this damage to the extra damage from that maneuver.
Rattling Smite
At 13th level, when you use your smite enemy maneuver, you can force your target to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and can't take reactions, until the end of its next turn. You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short rest or long rest.
Daunting Smite
At 14th level, your attacks with the smite enemy maneuver ignore resistance to psychic damage.
Unwavering
Starting at 18th level, when you roll initiative and have no conviction dice remaining, you regain one d12 conviction die.
Battlefield Fury
You can enter a state of perfect tactical awareness and simmering battle rage, gaining the kind of heightened martial prowess that allowed the knights of legend to perform their most heroic deeds. Using your action, you gain the following abilities for one hour:
- You increase your speed by 10 feet.
- You increase the speed of any mount you ride by 10 feet.
- You and your mount ignore difficult terrain.
- You add your proficiency bonus to your Armor Class against attacks of opportunity.
- Choose one feat you do not possess for which you meet the prerequisites. You gain the benefits of that feat for the duration of this effect.
- You emanate an aura of menace in a 30-foot radius. The first time any enemy creature enters the aura or starts its turn there during a battle, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. Attack rolls against the frightened creature have advantage.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
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[sblock="Conviction Maneuvers"]Conviction Maneuvers
"I learned from the White Bull and Barristan the Bold. I learned from Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, who could have slain all five of you with his left hand while he was taking a piss with the right. I learned from Prince Lewyn of Dorne and Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Jonothor Darry, good men every one."
—Ser Jaime Lannister, A Storm of Swords
The maneuvers are presented in alphabetical order.
Bold Riposte. When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one or two conviction dice to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If you hit, you may end the frightened condition on yourself or one ally within 60 feet, and you add twice the amount of the conviction dice roll to the damage of the attack.
Bonded Mount. When you are mounted on a beast of large size or smaller that has a challenge rating of ½ or lower, you can expend a conviction die as a bonus action to work more closely with it in combat. The bonded mount gains temporary hit points equal to the conviction die roll plus your Charisma modifier, and for 1 minute, it always obeys your commands as best it can, adding your proficiency bonus to its AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. In combat, the bonded mount rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. This effect ends if you are incapacitated or more than 120 feet away. The bonded mount cannot take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action unless you use your action to order the beast to do so, but it can take other actions as normal. Even after the effect ends, the beast cohort will always remain friendly to you unless you attack it. You can never have more than one bonded mount at once.
Courteous Disarm. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one or two conviction dice to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it is holding. You add twice the amount of the conviction dice roll to the weapon damage of the attack, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet. The target rolls the saving throw before the damage is inflicted, and if they fail, you may choose not to inflict any damage if you wish
Defender’s Shield. When you or a creature within 5 feet of you are struck by a melee attack or ranged weapon attack, you can use your reaction and expend one conviction die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your conviction die plus your Strength modifier (minimum 1).
Duelist’s Challenge. When you make a weapon attack against a creature you can see within 30 feet, you can spend a conviction die to force them to roll a Wisdom save against your maneuver save DC. If they fail, they have disadvantage on the next attack roll they make against a creature other than you, and take psychic damage equal to your conviction die roll the next time they attack a creature other than you or the next time they attempt to move further than 30 feet away from you, whichever comes first.
Feinting Strike. You can expend one or two conviction dice and use a bonus action on your turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of you as your target. You have advantage on your next attack roll against that creature. If that attack hits, add twice the amount of the conviction dice roll to the attack's damage roll, and the target has disadvantage on Wisdom checks until the end of its next turn.
Knight’s Cleave. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can use your reaction to expend one conviction die to attack another creature within 5 feet of you. If the attack succeeds, you add the conviction die roll to the damage of the attack.
Knockdown. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one or two conviction dice to deal additional bludgeoning damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's normal damage. The extra damage is equal to twice the roll of the conviction dice. In addition, if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away from you and knocked prone.
Rallying Cry. On your turn, you can use a bonus action and expend one or two conviction dice to bolster the resolve of one of your companions. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you, That creature gains temporary hit points equal to the conviction dice roll + your Charisma modifier.
Rush to Defense. You may spend one conviction die as a reaction to move up to half your speed next to a creature who takes damage from an attack, spell, or trap. You subtract the result of your conviction die plus your Charisma modifier from the damage the creature took, and you take the same type of damage equal to the conviction die result plus your Charisma modifier. The damage you take from using this maneuver ignores resistance and immunity and cannot be reduced in any way. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Smite Enemy. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one conviction die to deal additional psychic damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's normal damage. You roll the expended conviction die four times (or roll four dice of that type), and add the results. The total is inflicted as psychic damage on the creature, in addition to the weapon damage.
Taunting Strike. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one or two conviction dice to attempt to enrage the target into attacking you. You add twice the amount of the conviction dice roll to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of its next turn, and cannot move farther away from you until the end of its next turn.
EDIT: Based on input from others in this thread, I am adding the following Conviction Maneuvers to the class:
Lordly Reputation. When a character you can see or hear makes an Intelligence (History) check to know something of your reputation, glorious deeds, or family line, you can use your reaction and spend a conviction die to give them advantage on that roll. They also add the result of your conviction die roll to that check.
Noble Bearing. As a bonus action, choose a creature within 30 feet with whom you share a language, and roll your conviction die. For a number of minutes equal to the conviction die roll, you have advantage on all ability checks you make to interact socially with that creature.
Recall Healer's Lore. As a bonus action, spend a conviction die. For one hour, you add the result of your conviction die roll to all Intelligence or Wisdom checks related to identifying or discerning the nature, presence, or location of poisons, poisonous creatures, and diseases within 100 feet, or to identifying or treating wounds or injuries of all kinds.
Ride Hard. When mounted and traveling with allies who are also mounted, you can help the group avoid exhaustion while traveling at a forced march or in other grueling conditions. As an action, expend a conviction die. For 24 hours, you and all mounted members of your party add the conviction die roll to Constitution saving throws against exhaustion.[/sblock]
[sblock="Knight Archetypes: Knightly Orders"]"All knights must bleed, Jaime. Blood is the seal of our devotion."
—Ser Arthur Dayne, A Feast for Crows
Order of Faith
Two military orders, collectively known as the Faith Militant, have existed at times in the history of Westeros: the Warrior's Sons (for nobles) and the Poor Fellows (for commoners and women). Both date from before Aegon's Conquest, but were disallowed. During the reign of Robert Baratheon, the orders have still not yet been restored, but their example is remembered by many knights who seek to serve a higher power than even kings and lords. Even those who deny the existence of the gods must admit that the focus of prayer and meditation allows these knights to enter a state of mind in which they can do extraordinary things. This order can also represent a religious knight from another culture or who worships differently, or even a knight devoted to a philosophy or mystical belief rather than a god, lord, or noble house.
Shelter of the Mother
Anyone who wants to get at someone under your protection has to go through you. As an action, spend a conviction die to choose a willing creature within 5 feet of you. The target gains temporary hit points equal to the conviction die roll. While the target is within 5 feet of you, it gains a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws, and it has resistance to all damage. Also, each time it takes damage, you take the same amount of damage. The damage you take from using this feature ignores resistance and immunity and cannot be reduced in any way. This effect lasts for one minute. The effect ends early if you drop to 0 hit points or if you and the target become separated by more than 5 feet. It also ends if either you or your target have this ability used on them again. You can also end the effect as an action. Once you use this ability, you must finish a short rest or long rest in order to use it again.
Weapon of the Warrior
As an action, you focus your mind through prayer and fight with an eerie calm that unnerves your enemies, asking the Seven to bless a single weapon you are holding. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minimum bonus of +1).The weapon inflicts an additional 1d6 damage against frightened or charmed characters. Also, during that minute, you have advantage on Perception checks based on sight. You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends. Once you use this effect once, you must finish a short rest or long rest in order to use it again.
Virtue of the Maiden
Your very presence inspires devotion to the faith of the Seven, and helps others avoid temptation. Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be charmed while you are conscious. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Favor of the Father
You help others find the will to fight, even on the verge of death. Starting at 9th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have advantage on death saving throws. If you are unconscious, you still retain this benefit, but you do not grant it to friendly creatures. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Wisdom of the Crone
At 13th level, when you take a moment to completely focus your mind in prayer, and meditate on everything you know about a particular subject, you find that the answer to the question you contemplate arises in your mind. This ability allows you to cast the divination spell, as a ritual only. There is no limit to the number of times you may do so,, though the ritual takes an hour each time it is used.
Shield of the Smith
Beginning at 15th level, you are so confident in your faith that worldly threats seem irrelevant. You are immune to being charmed or frightened, even when unconscious. In addition, whenever a humanoid creature makes a melee attack against you or rolls a save against one of your maneuvers, they must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from their attack roll or saving throw.
"I will defend King Tommen with all my strength, I swear it. I will give my life for his if need be."
—Ser Loras Tyrell, A Storm of Swords
Order of Guardianship
Only seven knights at a time are ever permitted to serve in the legendary Kingsguard, who protect the king of Westeros as a personal guard, but they are also the knights of whom the most tales are told. Many knights in Westeros and beyond strive to emulate the ideals of absolute loyalty and defensive prowess that knights of the Kingsguard represent. Knights who pursue the this order train to put their own bodies in harm’s way whenever necessary to shield those under their guard, and to slow the advance of any enemy who would threaten their charge.
Thicket of Blades
Starting at 3rd level, any creature you hit with a weapon attack must make a Wisdom saving throw against your maneuver DC or have its speed reduced by half until the end of its next turn.
Living Bulwark
When a creature within 5 feet of you is attacked, you can use your reaction to grant them half cover against all attacks and effects, including against the triggering attack, until the start of their next turn. This effect ends immediately if you and the creature are more than 5 feet away from each other, or if you are incapacitated. If you choose, you may grant three-quarters cover rather than half-cover to the creature, but if you do so, you take disadvantage on all attack rolls, Dexterity checks, and Dexterity saves until the beginning of the creature’s next turn.
Confident Defense
Beginning at 7th level, those who you protect and those who fight alongside you feel a sense of security from your very presence. All creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to psychic damage. At 18th level, the range of this effect increases to 30 feet.
Maze of Blades
Starting at 9th level, you may expend one conviction die to increase your reach by 5 feet until the beginning of your next turn. Also, until the beginning of your next turn, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter your reach. You add your conviction die to the damage of the next opportunity attack you make. Once you use this ability once, you must finish a short rest or long rest in order to use it again.
Uncanny Protection
Starting at 13th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you or a creature within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage.
Constant Protector
Starting at 15th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points and are not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. Additionally, no effect can cause you to fall asleep unless you choose to sleep.
"A man who sees nothing has no use for his eyes, cut them out and give them to your next outrider. Tell him you hope that four eyes might see better than two ... and if not, the man after him will have six."
—Ser Gregor Clegane, A Game of Thrones
Order of Vigilance
Originally, this tradition began within a group of knights who were members of the Night’s Watch. They trained together, fought together, and spoke as one to the Lord Commander, advocating for brutal, disproportionate punishment of any threat from the wildlings as a means of deterrence. Later on, the order was dissolved, but some of their tenets became part of the Watch’s customs, and their ideals of unending watchful vigilance and overwhelming reciprocity against enemies became popular beyond the Wall. These knights were chronicled in a number of contemporary books that have survived to the era of Robert’s Rebellion and circulated widely. Many knights still see the ideas of zealous vengeance and total war against the enemies of one’s lord as the most efficient way to deter attacks against those in their charge. And nearly all knights who join the Night’s Watch make use of these tactics and techniques in their battles against the wildlings who dwell north of the Wall.
Hunter’s Quarry
You can focus on a single foe on the battlefield, granting your attacks against them added ferocity. As a bonus action, choose a creature you can see within range and mentally mark it as your quarry. For 1 hour, you deal an extra 1d6 damage to the target whenever you hit it with a weapon attack, and you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check you make to find it. lf the target drops to 0 hit points before the duration of this effect ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to mark a new creature. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. This effect requires you to concentrate , as if it were a concentration spell, so while using it you cannot cast a spell or other effect that requires concentration, otherwise this effect ends immediately. At 6th level, you can maintain your concentration to continue this effect for 4 hours; at 9th level, you can do so for 8 hours, and at 17th level, for 24 hours.
Oath of Enmity
As a bonus action, you can utter an Oath of Enmity against a creature you can see within 10 feet of you. You gain advantage on attack rolls against the creature for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 hit points or falls unconscious. Once you use the ability, you must finish a short rest or long rest in order to use it again.
To the Death
By 7th level, your tactical acumen helps you close off a foe's retreat. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you can move up to half your speed immediately after the attack and as part of the same reaction. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Swift Vengeance
Starting at 9th level, your speed is increased by 10 feet. You may move freely through enemy spaces but may not end your turn in an enemy's space. During your turn, enemies have disadvantage on all opportunity attacks against you.
Unexpected Lunge
Starting at 13th level, when you take the attack action on your turn, you may spend a single conviction die and use your reaction to take the Dash, Disengage, or Use an Object action, or to make a single weapon attack. You also gain temporary hit points equal to the conviction die roll.
Soul of Vengeance
Starting at 15th level, you terrorize the target of your Oath of Enmity with an absolute and single-minded focus. When a creature under the effect of your Oath of Enmity makes an attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature if it is within range.
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