Bonded Knight
Many spellcasters enlist the help of countless aids, assistants, and henchmen. In spite of their magical powers, they cannot do everything by themselves, and often need more mundane assistance in accomplishing certain types of tasks. However, some tasks are far more important than others, and for these tasks, even the most loyal henchman may not be adequate. The spellcaster needs something more than a henchman; she needs a companion, even a friend, who is capable enough on his own to journey deep into dangerous dungeons, dark forests, or the deceitful workings of backstabbing nobles and cutthroat merchants. Some spellcasters find that befriending and journeying with fighters or paladins can give them the capable assistance they need, but some are lucky enough to have access to the necessary rituals, and a willing ally, to create a bond of magic that unites the spellcaster and her martial companion in purpose and in spirit. By undergoing this ritual, the spellcaster's companion becomes a bonded knight.
The bonded knight is the loyal ally of the spellcaster, not her servant or minion. The bond between them is in some ways reciprocal, though it does not change the spellcaster as much as it does the one who is bonded to her. The bonded knight cares for the spellcaster and protects her, and is even willing to die in her place, but he will not heed her every command. Although he desires to aid and help her, he still follows is own beliefs as well, and will help her as a friend would help another friend.
Only the major spellcasting classes (cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard) can perform the necessary rituals to bond a character as a bonded knight. Clerics often take paladins or fighters as bonded knights, while druids prefer rangers. Sorcerers and wizards most often take fighters. Some spellcasters, however, may opt to accept barbarians, monks, or even bards as bonded knights, though these make for quite different bonded knights (the bards especially). Rogues and spellcasters almost never become bonded knights, with the possible exception of clerics.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements:
To qualify to become a bonded knight, the character must meet the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +6
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) or Knowledge (Religion) or Knowledge (Nature) 4 ranks; which specific skill is needed depends on the type of spellcaster bonding the character (sorcerer/wizard, cleric, or druid).
Special: The character must willingly submit himself to a magical ritual performed by the spellcaster that creates the bond between the caster and the character who becomes the bonded knight. The character must have this ritual performed before he can gain his first level of the bonded knight prestige class; this means that even though he has sufficient XP to gain a level, he remains at his previous level until the ritual is performed (The best way to handle this is to wait until the ritual is available and the caster is ready to perform it before deciding to become a bonded knight; if the ritual is not ready, the character is better off progressing in another class until the ritual is ready, then waiting for his next level increase to submit to the ritual).
Class Skills
The bonded knight's class skills are Climb, Craft, Concentration, Handle Animal, Jump, Ride, and Swim, plus one knowledge skill based on what type of spellcaster bonded the knight: Knowledge (Arcana) for sorcerers and wizards, Knowledge (Religion) for clerics, and Knowledge (Nature) for druids.
Skill Points/Level: 2 + Int modifier
Note: the bonded knight gets one bonus skill point per level, as a benefit of the bond, if the spellcaster's Int score is at least 14.
Class Abilities
Empathic Bond: The bonded knight is constantly aware of the direction and approximate distance to the spellcaster who bonded him, as long as the spellcaster is on the same plane. The bonded knight is also aware of the spellcaster's emotional state and can feel, though in much decreased intensity, any physical sensation that the spellcaster experiences. The empathic bond is reciprocal; the spellcaster can sense the same things about the bonded knight. This is a supernatural ability.
Shield other: At will, the bonded knight may use shield other (as the spell), but the target must always be the spellcaster to whom the bonded knight is bonded. This is a spell-like ability.
Telepathic Bond: At 3rd level, the bonded knight's bond becomes telepathic as well as empathic. While the normal, constant effects remain the same, the bonded knight may, at will, increase the strength of the bond in order to send mental messages or images to the spellcaster, who may then respond by sending mental messages or images. The telepathic bond is disorienting; if the bonded knight attempts to maintain it while fighting, he suffers a -2 penalty to his attack rolls and -1 to his AC. Furthermore, if injured while maintaining the telepathic bond, the bonded knight must succeed a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage received) or the bond reverts to its empathic mode, and the bonded knight cannot reestablish the telepathic mode until he is no longer distressed; this generally means combat must be over, but other situations might cause distress to continue, at the DM's discretion. This aspect is reciprocal; the spellcaster can, once the bonded knight has reached the necessary level, establish the telepathic bond as well. The spellcaster faces the same restrictions when maintaining the telepathic bond as the bonded knight. If either has failed the Concentration check, neither can reestablish the telepathic bond until the one who failed the check is no longer distressed. This is a supernatural ability.
Shared Saves: At 4th level, the bonded knight may use the spellcaster's saving throw instead of his own, if the spellcaster's saving throw is better. Similarly, the spellcaster may use the bonded knight's saving throw instead of her own. This is a supernatural ability.
Magic Defenses: At 5th level, the bonded knight gains the benefits of any defenses that the spellcaster has against magical effects, such as bonuses vs. certain types of magic, immunity to certain effects (such as the elf's immunity to magical sleep), or Spell Resistance. This is not reciprocal; the spellcaster does not gain any defenses that the bonded knight has. This is a supernatual ability.
Shared Space with Defensive Bonus: At 5th level, the bonded knight is so well-attuned to the spellcaster that the two may occupy the same space (5-foot square) in combat without any penalty whatsoever. When the two are in the same space, the spellcaster's AC is effectively the bonded knight's AC or her own, whichever is higher. Also, if an opponent attacks the spellcaster, the bonded knight gains an attack of opportunity against that opponent (unless he has already used an attack of opportunity and does not have the Combat Reflexes feat).
The Bonding Ritual
The bonding ritual requires three 6th-level or higher spellcasters: one sorcerer or wizard, one druid, and one cleric. The spellcaster to whom the bonded knight will be bonded may be one of these, but she need not be; in fact, a 1st-level caster could gain a bonded knight if she could find the necessary three casters to perform the ritual.
One of the three spellcasters must willingly sacrifice 2,000 XP. This spellcaster is the leader of the ritual, usually the spellcaster to whom the bonded knight will be bonded. All three ritual spellcasters, and the subject of the spell, must make a minor sacrifice of blood for the ritual; this blood sacrifice causes two points of temporary Con damage to each ritual caster and to the new bonded knight. This temporary Con damage heals with rest as normal.
In addition, the character to be bonded must fast for a few days prior to the bonding. This leaves the character in a weakened state, suffering -2 temporary damage to Str, Dex, and Con. Again, these will be recovered normally.
If the spellcaster to whom the character will be bonded is not one of the three ritual casters, she too must fast, suffering the same temporary ability damage for doing so. Furthermore, to complete the ritual, the leader of the ritual must pour the sacrificed blood, which is gathered in a cup, over the head of the spellcaster to whom the character will be bonded; she must not wash this blood away for three days in order for the magic to work. If the spellcaster to whom the character will be bonded is one of the ritual spellcasters, the pouring of blood is not required.
Finally, the ritual takes eight hours, not including the time for fasting and the time that the blood must remain on the spellcaster.
CLASS LEVEL PROGRESSION
This is a 5-level PrC, fighter BAB, Fort is the good save. Special abilities gained as indicated in descriptions above.
. I was going to create a similar PrC for my campaign, but this one you have created works perfect.
