Cavalier (3.5e Class)
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Low - The masters of mounted combat, these knights fight as one with their mounts. 20
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This is not to be confused with the Cavalier class from the first two editions of Dungeons & Dragons.
Contents
Cavalier[edit]
Cavaliers are knights dedicated to the art of mounted combat. They fight as one with their mounts, spurring their steeds to perform amazing feats to get the drop on their enemies.
Making a Cavalier[edit]
The cavalier is a specialist at mounted combat; their abilities on a mount are unparalleled. However, when separated from their mounts, they are vulnerable.
Abilities: As a physical, battle-oriented class, Strength and Constitution are of critical importance. Dexterity and Charisma are also important for the cavalier's most important skills — and the former is particularly important for Armor Class. Intelligence and Wisdom can be safely foregone (while important for skill points and Will saves, they’re not as important as the other ability scores).
Races: Any.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: 6d10×10 gp (330 gp). Cavaliers are often knights in direct service to a lord, and so would be able to use a bit of the lord's money to finance their endeavors.
Starting Age: Moderate.
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the cavalier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A cavalier is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all armor, and all shields except tower shields.
Mount Affinity (Ex): A cavalier is exceptionally skilled at getting along with animals that can carry him into battle. Treat this like the wild empathy class feature, except that it only applies to domesticated animals that are suitable for being ridden as mounts by a character of his size (for instance, a hill giant cavalier isn't going to be any better at dealing with a riding dog than anyone else, but a halfling cavalier will be).
Mount Attributes: Levels in cavalier stack with levels in classes that grant a rideable companion (such as a paladin mount or an animal companion) to determine the Hit Dice, ability scores, special abilities, and other characteristics of the companion mount. They do not stack with respect to other class features, such as lay on hands or wild shape. (Levels in cavalier do stack with levels in druid for the purpose of wild empathy, but only when dealing with animals the cavalier could feasibly ride.)
The Way of the Horse: The cavalier and the paladin share an exceptional affinity for rideable creatures, and this is enough for the way of the cavalier to align with the way of the paladin. Indeed, one could say that a paladin is a natural evolution of the cavalier, considering the bond shared between a paladin and his or her mount. A paladin who takes levels in cavalier can continue taking levels in paladin afterwards, entirely bypassing the paladin's usual multiclassing restriction.
Mounted Combat: A 1st-level cavalier gets Mounted Combat as a bonus feat. He does not need to meet the prerequisites.
Gently Spur Mount (Ex): A cavalier using the spur mount ability can do so in a manner that is less stressful for his mount. The amount of damage inflicted upon a mount by a cavalier spurring it on is reduced by 1 round's worth (which also means that a cavalier can spur his mount for 1 round at a time without injuring it at all).
At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the cavalier's ability to spur his mount without hurting it improves, reducing the damage inflicted by the spur mount ability by 1 round's worth per 3 levels after 1st (2 rounds' worth at 4th level, 3 rounds' worth at 7th level, 4 rounds' worth at 10th level, and so on and so forth).
Improved Spur Mount (Ex): A cavalier can spur his mount to speeds beyond those available to any other rider. At 2nd level, when using the spur mount ability, the speed of the cavalier's mount improves by an additional 10 feet, to a total +20-ft. speed increase. This increases by 10 feet for every 3 levels after 2nd (+30 ft. at level 5, +40 ft. at level 8, +50 ft. at level 11, and so on and so forth).
Speeding Mount (Ex): An experienced cavalier can push his mount to greater speeds even without actively spurring it forward. At 3rd level, a cavalier's mount's base speed improves by 10 feet per 3 class levels of the cavalier as long as he rides it.
Ride-By Attack (Ex): A cavalier gains Ride-By Attack as a bonus feat at 7th level. He does not need to meet the prerequisites.
Epic Cavalier[edit]
| Level | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21st | Speeding Mount (+70 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22nd | Gently Spur Mount (8 rounds), Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23rd | Improved Spur Mount (+90 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24th | Speeding Mount (+80 ft.), Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25th | Gently Spur Mount (9 rounds) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26th | Improved Spur Mount (+100 ft.), Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27th | Speeding Mount (+90 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28th | Gently Spur Mount (10 rounds), Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29th | Improved Spur Mount (+110 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30th | Speeding Mount (+100 ft.), Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2 + Int modifier skill points per level. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Speeding Mount: The base land speed of the cavalier's mount continues to improve by 10 feet for every 3 levels beyond 18th.
Gently Spur Mount: The cavalier's ability to spur his mount without damaging it (or reducing the damage it does take) improves by 1 round's worth for every 3 levels beyond 19th.
Improved Spur Mount: The cavalier's ability to spur his mount to greater speeds improves by an additional +10-ft. speed increase for every 3 levels beyond 20th.
Bonus Feats: The epic cavalier gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic cavalier bonus feats) every 2 levels after 20th.
Epic Cavalier Bonus Feat List: Dire Charge, Elder Brain's Will, Great Constitution, Great Dexterity, Great Strength, Legendary Rider, Severing Strike.
Human Cavalier Starting Package[edit]
Weapons: Longsword, lance.
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 2 + Int modifier.
| Skill | Ranks | Ability | Armor Check Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ride | 4 | Dex | −5 |
| Gather Information | 4 | Cha | — |
| Listen | 4 | Wis | — |
Feat: Combat Reflexes.
Bonus Feats: Mounted Combat (1st-level cavalier), Power Attack (human).
Gear: Breastplate, light steel shield.
Gold: 96 gp.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes
| Luigifan18v |
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| Article Balance | Moderate + |
| Author | Luigifan18 + |
| Base Attack Bonus Progression | Good + |
| Class Ability | Other + |
| Class Ability Progression | Full + |
| Fortitude Save Progression | Good + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Class + |
| Length | 20 + |
| Rating | Undiscussed + |
| Reflex Save Progression | Good + |
| Skill | Balance +, Bluff +, Concentration +, Craft +, Diplomacy +, Gather Information +, Handle Animal +, Intimidate +, Jump +, Knowledge +, Listen +, Profession +, Ride +, Search +, Sense Motive +, Speak Language +, Spot + and Survival + |
| Skill Points | 2 + |
| Summary | The masters of mounted combat, these knights fight as one with their mounts. + |
| Title | Cavalier + |
| Will Save Progression | Poor + |
