Cavalier

​The Cavalier is the ultimate mounted warrior of Appollonia. As such, the Cavalier is the shining example of the hero, he is a great warrior who rides forward in defense of all Appollonian citizens in their efforts to resist chaos and murder rampant in the Wild Lands. Cavaliers are from wealthy families who have found high station in the Appollonia despite not being in the Mage caste (usually they have war heroes or other notable persons in their ancestry). While Cavaliers are respected, socially, by the mage caste, they are not, and never will be, one of them and are treated accordingly behind closed doors.

The Cavalier has and retains no official rank; he/she is not actually in the military. On many occasions, the local governor sees it fit to honor local Cavaliers with Honorary Ranks which bear no true requirements save the honor of the individual to act within military parameters or have his/her honor besmirched. ​

Role

The Cavalier is a mighty hero who has the respect of the majority of the Appollonian population. He has the good-will of the people (reflected as bonuses to his reaction rolls), but the people also make many demands of him: When there's danger, when someone is in trouble, the people turn to the Cavalier for help. This character does not get much time for rest and relaxation. ​

Distinctive Appearance

None

Special Benefits

​At 1st level, he gets a +1 to attack rolls with any lance for which he has proficiency, when using the lance from horseback. This goes up +1 every six experience levels (so he'll be +2 at 7th level, +3 at 13th, etc.).​

​At 3rd level, he gets a +1 to attack rolls with any one type of sword (his choice from among those he has proficiency with; most common are broad sword, long sword, bastard sword, and scimitar). This goes up +1 every six experience levels (so he'll be +2 at 9th level, +3 at 15th, etc.).​

​At 5th level, he gets a +1 to attack rolls with either horseman's mace, horseman's flail, or horseman's pick (his choice from among those he has proficiency with). This goes up +1 every six experience levels (so he'll be +2 at 11th level, +3 at 17th level, etc.).​

​These pluses to attack rolls do not add to damage, and don't allow the Cavalier to hit a monster that can only be hit by magical weapons.​

​The Cavalier is completely immune to the Fear spell. Because he is so brave, he inspires others to courage, and so, while he is fighting, he actually radiates an Emotion spell in a 10' radius. This emotion spell radiates courage (see the writeup for the 4th-level wizard spell emotion), but only to the extent that it negates fear; it does not bestow the berserk fury that the actual wizard spell provides.​

​The Cavalier is +4 to save vs. all magic which would affect his mind, such as the wizard spells charm person, friends, hypnotism, sleep, irritation, ray of enfeeblement, scare,and geas, and the clerical spells command, charm person or mammal, enthrall, cloak of bravery, and symbol.​

​The Cavalier starts play with a horse which he does not have to pay for. This will be either a heavy war horse, medium war horse, or light war horse (see the Monstrous Manual Volume One entry on Horses). The player may choose what sort of horse it is, subject to the DM's approval. It will automatically be a Charger (see the section on Horse Quality in the Dungeon Master Guide, page 36 the DM may roll for its personality traits according to those rules. If this horse dies, the Cavalier has to acquire himself another one through the usual campaign means (buy one, be given one for noble deeds, etc.), but will not be content with any horse which is not a war horse of Charger quality.​

The Cavalier receives a +3 reaction from anyone from Appollonia (except criminals and characters of evil alignment, from whom he receives a -3).​

​The Cavalier has the right to demand shelter. When he travels, he can demand shelter from anyone in his own nation who is of status lower than nobility. And most people of his own status or higher will be happy to offer him shelter when he is travelling. ​

Special Hindrances

​The Cavalier cannot attack an opponent at range if he can instead charge ahead and attack him in melee or jousting combat. Therefore, he cannot snipe on enemies with a bow or crossbow; he cannot use a polearm from behind a shield wall. He has to be on the front line, meeting his foes face-to-face. (A Cavalier could conceivably shoot an opponent with an arrow to stop that opponent from killing an innocent person; that doesn't constitute a violation of his code. But he couldn't shoot the enemy to protect a friend if his friend is fighting that enemy honorably... even if his friend is losing.)​

​In any combat, the Cavalier must attack the enemy who is the biggest and most powerful-looking. If he's held up by lesser troops, he must dispatch them as quickly as possible and then get to his "real" opponent.​

​He must always have the highest-quality armor he can afford. As he goes through his early experience levels, if he has the money, he'll constantly be selling his old armor and buying the next most protective set of armor. His goal is to have a set of full plate armor; the next step down from that is field plate, then plate mail, then bronze plate mail, then banded or splint, then chain, then scale or brigandine, then ring or studded. And to him, magic bonuses don't mean as much as the type of armor: He prefers a suit of ordinary field plate to a set of banded mail +5. The DM must rigorously enforce this limitation on the character if the player is inclined to ignore it.​

​The Cavalier must also follow the very strict Code of Chivalry. His code includes these rules:

He must cheerfully perform any noble service or quest asked of him

He must defend, to the death, any person or item placed in his charge

He must show courage and enterprise when obeying his rulers

He must show respect for all peers and equals

He must honor all those above his station (his social class, particularly mages)

He must demand respect and obedience from those below his station

He must scorn those who are lowly and ignoble (he will not help the ill-mannered, the coarse, the crude; he will not use equipment which is badly-made or inferior; he will fight on foot before riding a nag; etc.)

He must perform military service to his lord whenever asked

He must show courtesy to all ladies (if the Cavalier is male)

He must regard war as the flowering of chivalry, and a noble enterprise

He must regard battle as the test of manhood, and combat as glory

He must achieve personal glory in battle

He must slay all those who oppose his cause

He must choose death before dishonor.

If a Cavalier chooses not to follow this code, bad things happen. The first time he breaks his vows, the DM will warn the player that the Cavalier feels bad about violating his code. The second time he breaks his vows, the Cavalier loses all his special benefits until such time as he repents and undertakes a dangerous task to redeem himself. When performing this task, he must behave according to his code and his hindrances. Only when the task is successfully accomplished does he regain his benefits. If the Cavalier breaks his vow a third time without repenting and undertaking that task, he has abandoned his Cavalier Warrior Kit. He permanently loses all the special benefits of the Kit. He no longer has to obey his knightly code. He receives a permanent -3 reaction adjustment from all members of his own culture (even those who do not know of his past will be put off by the air of treachery and faithlessness that now haunts the man). His horse, even if it is not the one he began play with, leaves him - either rides off into the sunset without him, or attacks him. He may never ride it again, even if he kills it trying to do so. ​

Class

Fighter ​

Attribute Requirements

​Strength 15, Dexterity 15, Constitution 15, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10 ​

Barred Beliefs

​To be a cavalier, the character must be of any good alignment. ​Also, the character must belong to the noble social class in the campaign, as determined by their roll on the backgrounds table. A character can become a Cavalier without the roll, however, they can take none of the benefits from the table and their must a be a compelling background story. ​​

Race Requirement

​Any​

Bonus Weapon Proficiencies

None​

Required Weapon Proficiencies

​Lance (any; player choice) and Sword (any; player choice). ​

Recommended Weapon Proficiencies

​All other Lances, all other Swords, all Horsemen's weapons, Dagger, Spear, Javelin. ​

Barred Weapon Proficiencies

None

Bonus Non-Weapon Proficiencies

​ Riding (Land-Based), Etiquette ​

Recommended Non-Weapon Proficiencies

​Animal Handling, Animal Training, Dancing, Heraldry, Musical Instrument, Reading/Writing, Blind-Fighting, Endurance

Equipment

​The Cavalier must start play with (i.e., spend his initial gold on) at least two weapons, including one lance and one sword, and must then buy the most expensive set of armor he can still afford. After those expenditures, whatever remains of his gold can be spent on items of his choice. ​

Wealth Options

​The Cavalier gets the standard 5d4 x 10 gp in starting gold. ​

Homeland Terrain

None

Economic System

​None​