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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CombatWombat51" data-source="post: 1363755" data-attributes="member: 10473">Oh yeah, assassin's need starting cash. 4d4 x 10 gp (100 gp) sounds good.About the cavalier... there's a couple problems with writing it up, though I would like to. For one, the class was overpowered then, so it'll be hard to cut it down now. Two, paladins were a sub-class of cavaliers, and 3.X paladins hardly resemble their old incarnations. So I dunno... should I reverse engineer my cavalier off the modern paladin, or should I just take what UA gives me, and try and make something balanced out of that? I think I'm just going to go for the feel, and forget about keeping them near paladins. I think the hardest part will be keeping their flavor without outshining fighters.Addressing the Cavalier (in No Particular Order)Different races of cavalier got different tid bits. Most importantly, elven and half-elven cavaliers could use composite short bows with no loss of honor. Human cavalier got +1 to hit on all attack rolls made while mounted. Other races couldn't be cavaliers. IMC, I'd keep those two options, because I only allow 4 races, and it'd be easy to make something else race-specific for cavaliers for the other two races. For this cavalier, however, I'm just going to dump the idea <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />Cavaliers that didn't roll good enough on the social class had to waste 1,500 XP advanced through "-1" level and "0" level. They also tended to waste their lives, being a frontline fighter and having 1d4+1 for hit points isn't a good combination. I'm gonna drop that.Cavaliers got d12's for hit dice, but they don't need that anymore.Cavaliers could fight at negatives. Houserules that alter Death's Door aside, I think fighting at negatives is dumb. I mean, it's 10 extra hit points. Characters should learn to run if they don't want to land in negatives *evil grin*They used to be any good, but they could change alignment with no penalty by 4th level. I always have thought it was silly to have that major code of honor, but have an (temporary) ethical requirement, not an orderly requirement. So I'm making them any lawful <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />They had that problem with wearing peasant armor, so I'm going to give them only medium and heavy armor proficiency.Speaking of their code, I'm going to modify it. A lot <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Their riding bonuses are all covered by the Ride skill, except for the part about pushing the mount on to greater speeds. Also, cavaliers used to get spiffy horses because they could make a guess on how many hit points a horse had, out of its maximum. I think I'll give them a special mount that's similar to the 3.0's paladin's mount, no extra intelligence or magic stuff, just tack 10' onto the Speed, and that will handle that.Cavaliers were able to ride spiffy mounts at higher level, but that's all roleplaying, as far as I'm concerned. Well, I think I'll actually work it kind of like how druids can have more powerful animal companions. Yeah, I like that <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> Hmm, I'm lazy, come to think of it... I'll wory about the animal companion-like steed, later <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />"...the cavalier can increase his Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores." I think I can work that in, and it'll be ok. I'll just ditch that mechanic though.The parrying bit... ok, that's messy. It was messy then, too. I'm just gonna drop that, and say that if the cavalier wants to parry, get Combat Expertise <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> Note, IMC, I use a defense bonus (like d20 Modern, I guess, but I don't how theirs works), and I'd give the cavalier a good defense bonus (progressing like a good saving throw).Cavaliers got "weapons of choice", and got good with them. I'm going to just give them bonuses with the lance, and let them take Weapon Focus, like everyone else <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Cavaliers also got multiple attacks with their favored weapons as though they were 5 levels higher. That's really hard to translate, and I don't think it's a flavorful enough ability to bother.They got +1 to damage/level while using a lance while mounted. Yikes. I think instead of such an awesome ability (like ranger's giant-class damage bonus *drool*), I'll give them a guarenteed crit with a lance x times/day, with x increasing throughout the levels.Cavaliers had to be trained by somebody special. But that's not a big deal anymore, because everyone had to be trained back then.They were immune to fear, and radiated pro evil. Sounds like the paladin's Aura of Courage to me. However, I don't want to step on the toes of the paladin too much, so I won't give them the radiusThey were 90% resistant to mind-affecting effects, and got a +2 vs. illusions. Sounds like a good Will save to me. Like the assassin, a perfect world would allow me to give them a medium Will save *sigh*The coat of arms and armorial bearing is all roleplaying stuff, as I see it.Full hospitality is role-playing, too.Skills will be 2/level.CavalierFlavor Text: Cavaliers are badass knight-types that mop the floor with you while insulting your lineage.Game Rule InformationCavaliers have the following game statistics.Abilities: Strength is important for melee, and Constitution for hit points. Charisma makes a cavalier a more believable snooty noble.Alignment: Any lawfulHit Die: d10Starting Gold: 8d4 x 10 gp (200 gp)Class SkillsThe cavalier's class skills are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge: Nobility (Int), Profession (Wis), and Ride (Dex).Skill Points per Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier per levelClass FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the cavalier.Weapons and Armor Proficiency: The cavalier is proficient in simple and martial weapons, medium and heavy armor, and all shields.[code]Level    BAB    Fort    Ref    Will    Special1    +1    +2    +0    +2    Code of Honor, Mighty Steed2    +2    +3    +0    +3    Strict Regimen3    +3    +3    +1    +3    Indomitable Valor4    +4    +4    +1    +4    Skewer 1/day, +15    +5    +4    +1    +4    6    +6    +5    +2    +5    Strict Regimen7    +7    +5    +2    +5    8    +8    +6    +2    +6    Skewer 2/day, +29    +9    +6    +3    +6    10    +10    +7    +3    +7    Strict Regimen11    +11    +7    +3    +7    12    +12    +8    +4    +8    Skewer 3/day, +313    +13    +8    +4    +8    14    +14    +9    +4    +9    Strict Regimen15    +15    +9    +5    +9    16    +16    +10    +5    +10    Skewer 4/day, +417    +17    +10    +5    +10    18    +18    +11    +6    +11    Strict Regimen19    +19    +11    +6    +11    20    +20    +12    +6    +12    Skewer 5/day, +5[/code]Code of Honor: Cavaliers are willingly bound by a strict code of honor and they are immensely proud of their steadfast will and their reputations as honorable men. If you break any of these codes or commit a chaotic act, you can’t gain levels as a cavalier until you apologize, atone, and/or right the wrong that you committed. If you lose your lawful alignment, you become an ex-cavalier, but you retain all of your abilities.    Honor, to a cavalier, is defined as follows:    -    Never deceive. This includes lying, ambushing, trickery, and misleading in         any way. However, refusing to answer a question is perfectly fair.    -    Never harbor cowardice. This includes declining a challenge or retreating         from battle for mere self-preservation. Battling an opponent on unfair terms         (in your favor) is also prohibited, and you must seek to battle your foe at         an even level. Thus, people shouldn’t be killed in their sleep, and an             unarmed opponent shouldn’t be slaughtered by the sword. However, you aren’t         stupid and don’t consider creatures such as bears or dragons to be unarmed.         Also, you’re forbidden to use ranged attacks because an honorable man             battles his opponents face-to-face.    -    Remain ever vigilant. This means never ignoring a dishonorable deed, and         always punishing those who deserve it. This doesn’t necessarily mean             charging an enemy kingdom, but it does mean doing anything that you can to         right the offense.Mighty Steed (1st Level, Ex): A cavalier is practically born in the saddle, and his valiant steed is always nearby. The cavalier begins play with a heavy warhorse, or war pony for small characters. The mount gets +2 to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, and has +1 hit point per hit die (in addition to the addition hit points from Constitution).    This mount isn't magical in any way; it's simply an exceptional example of it's species. These abilities aren't bestowed by the cavalier. Rather, the animal was superior, and the cavalier simply knows what to look for.Strict Regimen (2nd Level, Ex): A difficult training regimen fills the morning of cavaliers. At 2nd level and every 4 levels thereafter, the cavalier can add one point to his Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. This increase isn't a bonus; it's identical to the increase gained from levels.Indomitable Valor (3rd Level, Ex): Cavaliers are bastions of courage and never falter in the face of doom. Cavaliers are immune to fear (magical or otherwise).Skewer (4th Level, Ex): A lance can cause incredible damage to the enemy of a cavalier. You must declare that you're using this ability before you make your attack roll while using a lance while mounted and charging. You get a bonus to hit equal to your level divided by four. If you hit, you automatically score a critical hit.    You may use this ability once per day at 4th level, twice per day at 8th level, and so on, until 5 times per day at 20th level.Honestly, I don't like the Strict Regimen very much. It doesn't have much in the way of flavor, but I think it's a decent translation of the 1E cavalier's ability. I could have thrown in a pretty exact "weapon of choice" ability, but that's robbing the fighter of his shtick. And again, some plain ol' plusses to hit isn't exactly exciting.You could even make a more generic Knight class by dropping Mighty Steed, and making Skewer apply with any weapon with which the character has Weapon Focus.</blockquote>

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