Black Knight (Archetype)

The indomitable towers of Chaturanga, the Black Knight is a heavy melee warrior with a focus on high defense and mobility. They are a chivalric order steeped in the centuries' long history and martial traditions of a proud warrior culture. Their power is bolstered by a mystical black wind granting them superhuman speed and teleportation magics, all the more terrifying for their titanic choice of arms and armor. Not every character who takes this archetype necessarily belongs to the Order of the Black Knights, but all share their iconic fighting style.

## Black Knight Dedication (Feat 2)

**Prerequisites:** Trained in Heavy Armor, Strength 15+, Charisma 12+

You have learned to manipulate a mysterious voidborn power source referred to as the Black Wind. You can manipulate it in such a way that you can move yourself at blinding speeds for short distances. You gain a focus pool of one focus point. If you already had a focus pool, it's cap is increased by one point. You can refocus by reflecting on your courtly oaths or demeanor and how well you have managed to uphold them. Additionally, you learn the focus spell: Hanging.

Additionally, you are trained in the Black Knight class DC, which is used for some future Black Knight abilities. Your Black Knight Class DC will be equal to 10 + Your Charisma Modifier + Your proficiency bonus.

Your proficiency in the Black Knight class DC increases to expert at 9th level, and to master at 17th level.

## Forced Move (Feat 4)

**Prerequisites:** Black Knight Dedication

You have learned to move people and objects by force with the Black Wind. You learn the Forced Move action.

### Forced Move

Three Actions [Black Knight] [Manipulate]

You manipulate the black wind to remotely move objects, and even people. You can choose to manipulate any number of loose objects or creatures of your choosing within a 20 foot emanation of your position. Select a direction to manipulate the targets in, it must be the same direction for all targets in the emanation. A vortex towards your current position, or away from your current position, are also legal choices. Unattended objects of 4 or less bulk are automatically moved up to 10 feet. Creatures affected by Forced Move must make a Fortitude saving throw against your Black Knight DC to resist being moved by the effect. A creature can willingly fail this saving throw if they so choose.

**Success:** No effect

**Failure:** The creature is moved up to 10 feet.

**Critical Failure:** The creature is moved up to 20 feet.

## Prophylaxis (Feat 4)

**Prerequisites:** Black Knight Dedication

You are prepared to fend off foes that give you an opening. You gain the Attack of Opportunity reaction.

### Attack of Opportunity

Reaction [Black Knight]

**Trigger:** A creature within your reach uses a manipulate action or a move action, makes a ranged attack, or leaves a square during a move action it’s using.

You lash out at a foe that leaves an opening. Make a melee Strike against the triggering creature. If your attack is a critical hit and the trigger was a manipulate action, you disrupt that action. This Strike doesn’t count toward your multiple attack penalty, and your multiple attack penalty doesn’t apply to this Strike.

## Indomitable (Feat 4)

**Prerequisites:** Black Knight Dedication

An unrelenting will that numbs pain. The armor helps, too. While wearing heavy armor, you gain 3 resistance to slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage.

## Sacrifice (Feat 6)

**Prerequisites:** Black Knight Dedication

Reaction *Trigger: An ally takes damage.* [Black Knight] [Movement]

At times, strategic sacrifices are required to protect something important. When an ally is about to take damage, you may use your reaction to move adjacent to them, and take that damage in their place, provided they are within your standard movement range. This cannot protect them from area of effect abilities, or non-damaging effects. This movement may still trigger reactions.

## Castling (Feat 6)

**Prerequisites:** Black Knight Dedication

You can safely transpose yourself and an ally within range using the black wind. You learn the Castling focus spell.

## Sudden Death (Feat 6)

**Prerequisites:** Black Knight Dedication

Reaction *Trigger: An enemy critically fails an attack roll against your Armor Class*. [Black Knight]

It is painfully obvious when a Black Knight is unaffected by a strike. When you take this reaction, the opponent is frightened 2. Reducing their skill checks and difficulty classes, such as their saving throws and armor class.

## Black Drain (Feat 10)

**Prerequisites:** Black Knight Dedication

One Action [Black Knight] [Attack] [Press]

You can manipulate the black wind even within the bodies of yourself and your foes, mystically sapping their strength for yourself. Make a normal strike with a weapon, if it connects, the target must make a fortitude saving throw against your Black Knight Class DC or become enfeebled 2 for one minute. If your attack roll was a critical hit, the target takes a fortitude save result one step worse than what they actually rolled.

If you inflict an enfeebled status with Black Drain, you gain a status bonus to your own Strength score by the same amount as the enfeebled value for one minute. Though you can inflict multiple enemies with the enfeebled status, your own Strength score increase will only be equal to the highest enfeebled level you have inflicted.

**Critical Success/Success:** No effect

**Failure:** The target is Enfeebled 2, as per the ability description.

**Critical Failure:** The target is instead Enfeebled 4.

## Warp Move (Feat 12)

**Prerequisites:** Black Knight Dedication

You have refined your control over the Black Wind, such that minor invocations of it are far less straining to you. Your focus point pool increases by one point. (Your focus point pool cannot exceed three points if you have other sources increasing it beyond 3.) Additionally, you gain the **Black Wind** action.

### **Black Wind**

Two Actions [Black Knight] [Manipulate]

You manipulate the Black Wind in order to warp yourself to a more favorable position. With this action, you teleport up to a maximum distance equal to five times your Charisma modifier.

## Negation (Feat 18)

**Prerequisites:** Black Knight Dedication

Reaction *Trigger: You are critically hit by an attack roll.* [Black Knight]

You have mastered an otherworldy power of the black wind, enabling you to negate critical hits and make your defense all but impenetrable. When you take this reaction, any critical hit made against your armor class is reduced into a normal hit.