Heart of Oak (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Not all cavaliers find honor on battlefields on land - some take to the sea and fight with honor and courage atop the waves of the deep.

Class Skills

The cavalier’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Ship Bond (Ex)

The sea hawk enjoys a special link with ships in general and his own ship in particular. He gains several advantages while on a ship or other naval vessel (including small or improvised ones).

• He ignores difficult ground
• He does not lose his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class when climbing or balancing.
• He is not flat-footed the round after boarding a vessel.

The sea hawk's own ship (a ship on which he has been stationed for one week or more) he also enjoys the following advantages. A large ship with several sea hawks on board might assign one to use this ability on a jetty or pinnacle instead of on the main ship.

• Whenever the ship fails a saving throw with the sea hawk on board, it can immediately make another one as a free action, using the sea hawk's save modifier. If this second saving throw succeeds, the ship is considered to have made its saving throw. Multiple sea hawks can all use this ability on the same ship
• When the sea hawk's ship undergoes overhaul under his supervision, a process that takes at least one hour and needs 1/4 of the crew, it gains temporary hit points to it hull and propulsion equal to the Sea Hawk's hit points. These temporary hit points last ten days, and it is normal practice to renew this overhaul once a week and after each battle. Temporary hit points from different sources, including several sea hawks using this ability, do not stack.

This replaces Mount.

Hawk's Charge (Ex)

At 3rd level, a cavalier learns to make more accurate charge attacks while on a ship. The cavalier receives a +4 bonus on melee attack rolls on a charge while on a ship (instead of the normal +2). In addition, the cavalier does not suffer any penalty to his AC after making a charge attack while on a ship. This replaces Cavalier’s Charge.

Hawk's Agility (Ex)

At 4th level, the sea hawk can take 10 on Acrobatics, Climb, and Profession (Sailor) checks while on a ship, even in stressful situations. A sea hawk also learns to be more maneuverable while wearing armor. Whenever he is wearing armor (on land or sea), he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 for every 4 levels. This replaces Expert Trainer.

Mighty Hawk's Charge (Ex)

At 11th level, a sea hawk learns to make devastating charge attacks while on a ship. Double the threat range of any weapons wielded during a charge while on a ship. This increase does not stack with other effects that increase the threat range of the weapon. In addition, the cavalier can make a free bull rush, disarm, sunder, or trip combat maneuver if his charge attack is successful. This free combat maneuver does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Supreme Hawk's Charge (Ex)

At 20th level, whenever the sea hawk makes a charge attack while on a ship, he deals double the normal amount of damage. In addition, if the cavalier confirms a critical hit on a charge attack while on a ship, the target is stunned for 1d4 rounds. A Will save reduces this to staggered for 1d4 rounds. The DC is equal to 10 + the cavalier’s base attack bonus.