Knight of the Sword Prestige Class

As a knight of the sword, you devote yourself to serving the god of rulership and kings, whose symbol is the sword of justice. You gain the ability to emulate your god as defender, ruler and judge. While still a warrior, you focus on the ability to lead others and devote yourself to politics and the intricasies of justice and government. You become a courtier and leader more than a front-line fighter, and are expected to aquire the knowledge and wisdom this position requires.

In Anduria, the god of kings is Haelyn, and this class is sometimes know as the Knight of Haelyn.

Most knights of the sword are very politically active, leading their followers and trying to increase the influence of their particular branch of the church. They also take to the field as leaders of special knightly units. Though they all belong to a universal brotherhood, they usually cannot agree on much, and different knights of the sword often become spokesmen and champions for different sects within the faith, in direct conflict with one another.

As a knight of the sword you do not aspire to the perfect goodness of the paladin but to emulate the legendary traits of your god and act as the strong right arm of the church. Knights of the sword have a code to uphold, but it is not as strict as that of the paladin and is very much open to interpretation in individual cases.

• Never step back from a challenge to the faith
• Always follow orders and directives from your superiors
• Never betray the church, a lawful liege or sworn ally
• Always listen to the plea of anyone who is willing to offer an oath of fealty
• Never allow a noble under your care to come to harm
• Always protect loyal subjects to the best of your abilities
• Never refuse to fight an incursion by organized forces of chaos and evil

As a knight ofthe sword, you are expected to be polite, educated and urbane but also strict, somewhat aloft and to maintain your dignity.

Most knights of the sword were fighters or paladins before taking up the mantle of this class. Paladins appreciate the added combative ability of the knighthood, while fighters appreciate the mystical abilities. Both appreciate the increased courtly skills and political abilities. Among the other classes, it is not very popular, though a few rangers, rogues and clerics have taken it up over the centuries.

Hit Die: d10

Requirements

Skills:
Know (religion): 2 ranks

Base Attack Bonus: +6
Feats:
Mounted Combat, Heavy Armor Proficiency, Weapon Focus (any one sword), Leadership.

Alignment: A Knight of the sword must have an alignment within one step of lawful good (lawful good, lawful neutral, or neutral good).

Patron Diety: Must have Haelyn as a patron diety.

Noble Blood: You must be of a recognized noble family.

Skill points at each level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the knight of the sword class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: As a knight of the sword, you are proficient with all swords, including the exotic bastard sword if you have the prerequisite 13+ strength. This does not include sword-like weapons like the rapier, scimitar or falchion, only weapons with 'sword' in the name. You are also proficient with all types of armor and with shields.

Sword Specialization (ex): Gain weapon specialization with one sword that you already have Weapon Focus for. You can learn Weapon Specialization for additional types of swords by picking the Weapon Specialization feat several times for additional sword types you have Weapon Focus for.

Radiance (su): You can surround yourself with a softly glowing aura at will. This aura marks you as a person of power and responsibility and adds a deflection bonus of +2 to your Armor Class, but makes it impossible for you to hide from sighted creatures and negates invisibility. The deflection bonus is not because opponents are blinded; the light and the deflection merely manifest together.

Symbol of Courage (ex): Any friendly creature within 100 ft. of you who can see you or your banner gets a +4 bonus to will saving throws to resist fear effects. You also receive this bonus. You must be using your Radiance ability for this to work.

Card Battles: This makes your unit immune to fallbacks and treats routs as hits.

Lead by Example (ex): Any friendly creature within 100' can chose not to make an initiative roll, and instead go on your initiative, just after you. They must be able to hear your commands and do things in concert with you to use this ability. So if you charge, all who benefit from this must also charge. If they start to act on their own or move outside the radius of effect, they become dazed and lose one round's worth of action in confusion. If you move out of range, and they subseqvently move along, the effect is maintained. You must be using your Radiance ability for this to work.

Card Battles: This adds two to the charge combat strength of your unit.

Greater Radiance (ex): Your radiance ability improves. You now illuminate a 20 ft. area like a torch and receive a +4 defelection bonus to armor class (this replaces the +2 deflection bonus from Radiance). Your Symbol of Courage and Lead by Example abilities now extend out to 1000 ft.

Card Battles: Your Symbol of Courage ability now afects the entire battlefield. Lead by example also affect the entire battlefield, but only if your own unit charged this turn.

Ultimate Sacrifice (su): You can emulate Andurias' death at the final cataclysmic battle at Mount Deismaar. By giving up your own life and any chance of resurrection, you explode like a fireball with a radius of 100 ft. and a damage of 1d6 per character level, with no upper limit. The Reflex Save DC is 20 + your charisma modifier. Characters with heavy cover or the Improved Evasion ability still take at least one-quarter damage from this explosion.