The still waters of the lake shimmered with the reflections white starlight and the waning crescent moon that escaped the wispy clouds, the sight before her seemed fey like almost as if taken from a story book even as the night breeze returned with a cold caress sending ripples and a shiver through both Tiasel and the lake.
The sound of fluttering wings returning on the wind and a quiet rustle made twitch at the sudden realisation she wasn't alone, not ten paces from her in the shadow of an old willow the unassuming leader of this band she found her amongst was sat watching the lake. A Hawk rest upon his arm swallowing the remains of a unfortunate creature it had captured, Duncan acknowledged her with a faint smile and a nod before returning to his watch with a unwavering gaze.
Remaining composed even as a hot rush of embarrassment at been caught unaware chased away the evening chill Tiasel returned the gesture, her own eyes puzzled and curious in equal measure as she joined him. Settling upon a large root drawing her legs up to her chest to keep out the cold she continued to watch the pair, fascinated not only by the beautiful creature but also trying to examine this man of such quiet and unassuming disposition.
Fingers unfurling with a slight tremble, her hand began to reach out towards the Hawk gingerly, biting her lip in a moment of self doubt the young rogue started to retreat only to find the Duncan's hand upon her own holding her steady. "Remain calm and she'll allow it, if you twitch or fear then she too will be restless."
Welcome
to another edition of 3rd Party Show Case, this series of articles
aims to highlight some of the more interesting 3rd party and homebrew
creations available online. When able to we will credit the original
creators and post links directly to the material.
Today
is a little different as I am focusing upon a prestige class from
Scarred
Lands Campaign Setting: Ghelspad
though
much of the setting reliant requirements have been removed from the
class to make available to other settings and games by the D&D
community.
The
Aerial Cavalier is an expert at fighting on an aerial mount
increasing their mounts manoeuvrability and evasion, attacking their
foes from afar or with devastating charges. In addition to their
martial training, Aerial Cavaliers are frequently used as envoys and
couriers, and thus they are versed in the skills of statecraft.
Becoming
a Aerial Cavalier
Cavaliers
due to its ability to gain a Riding Hawk or Riding Eagle as a basic
mount will find themselves with the earliest accessibility to the
class depending on their feat choices, whilst Paladins have the next
easiest time with access to flying mounts such as Hippogriff's or
Giant Owls becoming available from 6th
onward (DMG3.5
page 204, there has not been an equivalent rule in Pathfinder
yet).
Druids
and Rangers may also enter but with no appropriate low level Animal
companion and a onging general debate leaving it unclear on which
animal companions increase in size categories they will normally have
to wait until later levels, in addition the loss of spell casting
levels usually makes this class unappealing to most Druids.
Fighters
have several interesting methods of obtaining the mount required for
entry into the class, the simplest method (bar simply loaning a party
members mount.) is to purchase one with the Giant Owl been one of the
cheapest at about 5000-6000gp (4000gp for a chick and 1000gp for the
trainer + expenses). However they take 6 weeks to train which
combined with the fact they are not the hardiest of creatures in
Dungeons
and Dragons
or
Pathfinder
and lack the ability to improve like a Special Mount or Animal
Companion as the Fighter increases in level he may find his mount
been repeatedly cut down from under him as he faces stronger foes.
Alternative
methods to fulfil this requirement could be the use of the
Leadership
Feat
or Dragon
Cohort Feat
to obtain a intelligent magical beast cohort or dragon to use as a
mount though both require the cooperation of the DM. Other prestige
classes which provide mounts such as the Aglarondan
Griffonrider
or Dragon
Rider
though both these classes are setting specific and again require some
alteration and permission from DM.
It
should be noted that smaller races actually have an easier time
fulfilling the entry requirements.
With
full Base Attack Bonus and good Fortitude and Reflex Saves and
reasonable selection of Class Skills the only thing that the Aerial
Cavalier truly suffers from is their reliance upon their mount to
make use of many of the class features and that the class features
focus upon aiding a mounts survival.
Requirements:
Skills:
Ride
8 ranks, Handle Animal 8 ranks.
Special:
The character must own or have access to a flying mount.
Level
|
Base
Attack Bonus
|
Saving
Throws
|
|
|
Special
|
|
|
Fort
|
Ref
|
Will
|
|
1st
|
+1
|
+2
|
+2
|
+0
|
Aerial
defence, Flyby Attack, mount
|
2nd
|
+2
|
+3
|
+3
|
+0
|
Aerial
evasion
|
3rd
|
+3
|
+3
|
+3
|
+1
|
Aerial
archery
|
4th
|
+4
|
+4
|
+4
|
+1
|
Enhanced
manoeuvrability I
|
5th
|
+5
|
+4
|
+4
|
+1
|
Crash
land
|
6th
|
+6
|
+4
|
+4
|
+2
|
Empathic link
|
7th
|
+7
|
+5
|
+5
|
+2
|
Spirited charge
|
8th
|
+8
|
+6
|
+6
|
+2
|
Enhanced
manoeuvrability II
|
9th
|
+9
|
+6
|
+6
|
+3
|
Extended empathic
link
|
10th
|
+10
|
+7
|
+7
|
+3
|
Improved aerial
evasion
|
Hit
Dice: D10
Class
Skills:
The
Aerial Cavalier class skills are: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft
(Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge
(Geography) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Profession
(Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis),
Tumble (Dex).
Skill
Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class
Features
All
of the following are class features of the Aerial Cavalier prestige
class:
Weapon
and Armour Proficiency:
Aerial Cavaliers gain no additional proficiency with weapons or
armour.
Aerial
Defence (Ex):
Beginning at 1st level, whenever an Aerial cavaliers flying mount is
required to make a Reflex
saving throw, the Aerial cavalier may substitute her own Reflex
saving throw, if her bonus is greater than the mount's.
Flyby
Attack (Ex):
Beginning at 1st level, while flying upon her aerial mount, an Aerial
Cavalier and her mount both benefit from the Flyby
Attack feat. They may attack before, during, or after the mount's
move.
Mount:
A paladin or cavalier whose special mount is also an aerial mount may
add her Aerial cavalier levels to her paladin/cavalier levels when
determining the abilities of her special mount.
Aerial
Evasion (Ex):
At 2nd level, the mounted Aerial cavalier gains the ability to use
her mount's three-dimensional movement capabilities to avoid magical
and unusual attacks. If, while flying on her mount, the cavalier
makes a successful Reflex
saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a
successful save, the cavalier instead takes no damage from the
attack. While the cavalier is mounted on her flying mount, the mount
also benefits from this ability—if the mount makes a successful
Reflex saving throw
against the same attack.
Aerial
Archer (Ex):
Beginning at 3rd level, while flying upon her aerial mount, the
penalty that an Aerial cavalier suffers when using a ranged weapon is
halved. Typically, this penalty drops from -4 to -2 if the mount is
taking a double move, and -8 to -4 if the mount is attempting
difficult manoeuvres (loops, barrel rolls).
Enhanced
Manoeuvrability (Ex):
At 4th level, the Aerial cavalier can increase her mount's flying
manoeuvrability rating by one ranks, so that a manoeuvrability rating
of clumsy becomes poor, poor becomes average, average becomes good,
and both good and perfect become perfect. At 8th level, this ability
improves so that the cavalier increases her mount's rating by 2 ranks
(maximum is still perfect).
Crash
Land (Ex):
At 5th level the Aerial cavalier whose mount is blinded,
blown away,
dazed, deafened,
disabled, dying,
entangled, held,
paralyzed,
stunned, or
unconscious
may have her mount continue to move when it might not otherwise be
able to do so. The mount may continue to take make single-move
partial actions for one round per level of the Aerial cavalier. While
moving in this manner, the mount's manoeuvrability rating is reduced
one rank, so for example a rating of average becomes poor (a mount
that is clumsy remains clumsy). If the mount is still aloft after the
time limit has passed and it could not otherwise remain flying, if
will fall.
Empathic
Link (Ex):
At 6th level, the Aerial cavalier may establish an Empathic Link with
a single aerial mount. This is treated exactly like a paladin's
Empathic
Link with her special mount. If the aerial mount is killed, the
cavalier must wait a year before establishing an Empathic Link with
another mount.
Extended
Empathic Link (Su):
At 9th level, the Aerial cavaliers Empathic
Link with her mount improves. It now has an unlimited range,
provided that both the cavalier and the mount are on the same plane
of existence.
Improved
Aerial Evasion (Ex):
At 10th level, an Aerial cavaliers mounted Aerial Evasion ability
improves. She and her mount still take no damage on a successful
Reflex saving throw
against attacks such as fireball,
but now only take half damage if they fail their saving throw.
Using
the Aerial Cavalier
While
prestige classes such as the Aglarondan
Griffonrider could be considered superior it should be noted that
the Aerial Cavaliers abilities can be used on any flying mount (with
the exception of the Empathic
Link) they are riding regardless of its race giving the Aerial
Cavalier a degree of flexibility not available to other similar
themed prestige classes.
The
Aerial Cavaliers strength comes from the Enhanced Manoeuvrability it
grants the mount, allowing mount and rider to attack larger more
cumbersome foes and deliver devastating charges further empowered by
Spirited Charge and Flyby Attack or harass them with ranged attacks
while keeping out of reach. Specific tactics for an Aerial Cavalier
are difficult to recommend due to the reliance upon the mount to plan
them and this also highlights the classes greatest weakness. Every
class feature is focused upon improving the Aerial Cavaliers
abilities upon their mount so if the campaign forces the Aerial
Cavalier into a confrontation on the ground they can find themselves
with much few options available than a regular Fighter or Paladin.
Outside
of combat the Aerial Cavalier's Diplomacy and Knowledge skills can
certainly help in military planning, noble gatherings and general
travel though most Aerial Cavalier's will prioritise the Balance,
Ride and Spot skills above all else.
With
the background of been envoys
and couriers an Aerial
Cavalier NPC is a great way to have a lord or noble family contact
the Players and showing the great prestige or wealth of the lord in
question. While not expected evil Aerial Cavaliers make surprising
good antagonists ranging from the spoilt nobles son who abuses his
position to intimate and insult, to a group of enforcers imposing
their lords will upon a series of isolate villages.
With
my review of the class I've noted some growing interest amongst some
of my group in updating the class to make it more comparable in
strength alongside Pathfinder
class and more viable choice for Pathfinder
players.
For further
information on making the most of mounts and mounted characters the
Mounts
Handbook is a good place to start.
Her fingertips toying with the long feather in her grasp marvelling at its softness, a soft giggle left the young woman's lips before she tucked her prize into one of her leather tunics many deep pockets for safe keeping. The Hawk now roosting in the tree above her attention now turned to its 'owner' though he had denied as such claim as he guide her fingers across the bird even when she teased him for information, "Tonight feels like a story book, you and that Hawk remind me of tales my mother used to tell me in the evenings about the Griffonriders of Evermore.."
"It must of been difficult growing up in the Elven tenements in the capital with all the bitterness from the old wars." His voice hardly above a whisper regardless the words were louder than a scream to her ears "How.. how did you.. do the others know?" the half elfs voice almost broke breath catching in her throat, eye wide with a very sudden awareness that she was alone and unarmed as the panic set in.
"When you were on the altar your hair was swept back enough to reveal your ears.. Sandell may of noticed but you needn't worry neither of us will say anything unless you speak of it yourself." Duncanss eyes leaving the lake for the first time now focus entirely upon her as he offered her his outstretched hand, his voice steady and calm with no hint of duplicity or malice as he continued. "In my village we had a half orc smith, regardless of the insults and slurs thrown his way he never once rose to them and was one of the kindest and bravest men I had ever met.. To judge another by their birth is foolish and forces others down paths they may have otherwise avoided."
Her mind a blizzard of conflicting thoughts and fears the normally self assured rogue hands clenched as she fought within herself, the words seeming almost too good to be true even within the guild and her few friends there her bloodline had been something to note, to mock or abuse. With one final deep breath and a low huff her hand darted out, the calloused palm of the ranger turning white where her fingers bit into his skin as she gripped with all her strength fuelled by the anxiety and doubt that ebbed from her. "Damn it you really are trying to make it a fairy tale.. Okay I'm going to trust my ears on this one and trust you, don't make me regret it."
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