Ghost Knight (Apath)

	Unofficial rules compendium
	Contents 1 Class Abilities 1.1 Class Skills; 1.2 Weapon and Armor Proficiency; 1.3 Destiny; 1.4 Ghost Armor (Su); 1.5 Ghost Knight Block (Su); 1.6 Phantom Steed (Sp); 1.7 Weapon Cache (Su); 1.8 Ghost Touch (Su); 1.9 Ghost Run (Sp); 1.10 Possession Strike (Su); 1.11 Ghost Army; ; 2 Summary of Changed Class Abilities;
	Contents 1 Class Abilities 1.1 Class Skills; 1.2 Weapon and Armor Proficiency; 1.3 Destiny; 1.4 Ghost Armor (Su); 1.5 Ghost Knight Block (Su); 1.6 Phantom Steed (Sp); 1.7 Weapon Cache (Su); 1.8 Ghost Touch (Su); 1.9 Ghost Run (Sp); 1.10 Possession Strike (Su); 1.11 Ghost Army; ; 2 Summary of Changed Class Abilities;

The ghost knight is a cavalier who have forged a bond with a spirit mount, a ghostly supernatural creature. The ghost knight has a secret destiny, and when destiny calls, he answers. Until then, he is content to be a drifter and companion to others. To everyone but his closest friends and companions, he is but a nameless, lonesome traveler. The ghost knight is a martial artist of the Way of Force.

Class Abilities

The following class abilities are affected by this archetype:

Class Skills

Add Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha) to the ghost knight's list of class skills.

Remove Diplomacy and Handle Animal from the ghost knight's list of class skills.

This results in the following class skill list: Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), and Magic Device (Cha).

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Ghost knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. They are not proficient in any armor or shields.

Destiny

Beyond the edicts of his order, the ghost knight also has a special destiny. What destiny is need not be clear at first, but it should always be relevant to the campaign. Player and game master should work together to create a destiny that appeals to the player and works as an adventure hook to the adventures the game master is running. A ghost knight that blatantly ignores his destiny loses his supernatural and spell-like class abilities until he decides to pursue it again.

Ghost Armor (Su)

Ghost knights can project a powerful protective aura and are experts at using bracers of armor. This is considered force armor, and protects against incorporeal touch attacks. Ghost armor can be activated at will as a swift action, and the protection stays up until deactivated or as long as the ghost knight is conscious. It provides an armor bonus of +2 per level. This can be used alongside bracers of armor, increasing the maximum benefit by the armor bonus of the bracers of armor. It does not otherwise stack with armor, either normal or force. This ability counts as heavy armor to abilities that require you to wear armor.

A 5th level character wearing bracers of armor +3 would have an armor bonus of +9 - +2 per level works out to +10, but the maximum is 9, 6 + the bracer of armor bonus of +3.

The armor created by ghost knights looks like a veil of ghostly shadows. You can choose for ghost armor to hide your appearance, granting you a +10 bonus on Disguise checks to conceal your identity.

Ghost Knight Block (Su)

While under ghost armor, the ghost knight adds a +2 shield bonus to armor class. This is considered force armor, and improves by +1 for every 4 levels (+2 at levels up to 3, +3 at levels 4-7, +4 at levels 8-11 and so on). The ghost knight must have one hand free, and he cannot carry a shield or two weapons when using this ability, not can he use a weapon in two hands. He may momentarily use the off hand for things like somatic components or drawing and throwing a weapon in the same round. This ability counts as a shield to abilities that require a shield.

This replaces the tactics ability normally gained at level 1.

Phantom Steed (Sp)

At third level, he gains the ability to cast phantom steed once per day as a sorcerer of his cavalier level. When cast, the steed appears in the cavalier's space (squeezing as required if there is not enough space) and the ghost knight is immediately mounted. The mount disappears if the cavalier dismounts, but can otherwise carry other riders along with the ghost knight, as it's carrying capacity allows. The ghost rider and anything the cavalier wears or carries does not count against the weight limit of the phantom steed. The phantom steed has the Improved Evasion and Share Spells ability of an animal companion. A ghost knight does not take an armor check penalty on Ride checks while riding his phantom steed. The phantom steed is considered combat trained. At 6th level, he can cast phantom steed at will. At 9th level, he can cast phantom steed as a swift action. At 12th level, he can cast phantom steed as an immediate action, replacing a killed steed before hitting the ground. At 15th level, the phantom steed becomes incorporeal, but is still able to carry the ghost rider and any additional load.

This replaces the Mount ability.

Weapon Cache (Su)

At 4th level, the ghost knight gains access to a personal extra-dimensional space. This space can hold weapons and personal gear with a total weight of 10 lbs. per level of the ghost knight. Weight carried in the weapon cache does not count against the ghost knight's encumbrance. Drawing an item from the weapon cache is a free action, and it can be done outside the ghost knight's turn as an immediate action. It is possible for others to reach into this extra-dimensional space to steal what is in there, this is about as hard as stealing something out of a backpack.

This ability replaces the Expert Trainer ability normally gained at level 4.

Ghost Touch (Su)

At 5th level, any weapon the ghost knight wields gains the ghost touch property while wielded. Weapons fired, thrown, or dropped lose the property at the end of the ghost knight’s turn. The ghost knight can also choose to inflict nonlethal damage without taking the usual -4 attack penalty to do so.

He can also use mage armor as a spell-like ability once per day as a sorcerer of his class level, but only to affect his mount. He can use this ability an additional time per day for every 5 class levels after level 5.

This ability replaces the Banner ability normally gained at level 5.

Ghost Run (Sp)

At 9th level, once per day the ghost knight can cast ethereal jaunt as a sorcerer of his cavalier level. He can end this effect as a free action. This affects the ghost knight herself and his phantom steed if he is mounted. The ghost knight can use this ability one additional time per day for every 4 levels after level 9.

This ability replaces the Greater Tactician ability normally gained at level 9.

Possession Strike (Su)

At level 14, the ghost knight learns to strike at immaterial things affecting other creatures, like spell effects and possessing creatures. This counts as an attack. Against a creature affected by adverse effect, this functions like break enchantment with a caster level equal to the ghost knight's character level. Against a possessing creature, it is as if the creature was actually physically present; the ghost knight ignores the possessed creature and strikes directly at the possessor.

This ability replaces the Greater Banner ability normally gained at level 14.

Ghost Army

At 19th level, any weapon or armor used by an ally within 60 ft. of the ghost knight gains the ghost touch property while wielded. Items fired, thrown, or dropped lose the property at the end of the wielder's turn.

This ability replaces the Master Tactician ability normally gained at level 19.

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

Class Skills
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Mount
Tactics
Expert Trainer
Banner
Greater Tactician
Greater Banner
Master Tactician