Path of the Knight

The Path of the Knight trains you to protect yourself and your allies. This Path is recommended for STR-focused fighters who want to shield the party from attacks.

**Requirements**: Guard and Protect (Fighter)

**Path Completion Bonus**: +1 Strength

## Core Abilities

**Enduring Defender**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

For every ability purchased in the Path of the Knight, gain +1 max Vim.

**Defensive Posture**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: 1 Action, X Vim up to STR

*You take root, widening your stance.*

Until you move or are moved, gain the stacking buff *Defensive Posture*: +X Armor. At the start of your next turn if you haven't moved, gain 1 Alert.

**Knight's Instincts**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Free Reaction, X Vim up to STR

This ability is usable when you roll for Initiative. Until the start of your turn, gain 2X Armor.

**Back-to-Back Defense**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage, Charm

**Activation**: Free Reaction, 3 Vim

This ability is usable when an adjacent ally is attacked. Add your remaining Vim to theirs for the purpose of resolving the attack.

**Knight's Burden**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

Backpacks you carry have doubled capacity.

**Persistence**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage, Charm

**Activation**: Passive

You may reroll any failed Strength check once.

**Tank Stance**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Free Action

*You bunker down and guard yourself.*

Your Armor increases by your Burden, but your Speed decreases by the same amount. You may have one Stance active at a time. This ability may be toggled on or off between Encounters as a Free Action.

**Armor Proficiency I**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

Your armor’s Burden is reduced by 1 (min. 0). This benefit stacks with other abilities.

**Armor Proficiency II**

**Prerequisite**: **Armor Proficiency I**

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

Your armor’s Burden is reduced by 1 (min. 0). This benefit stacks with other abilities.

**Armor Proficiency III**

**Prerequisite**: **Armor Proficiency II**

**Cost**: 500 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

Your armor’s Burden is reduced by 1 (min. 0). This benefit stacks with other abilities. Additionally, gain +1 Strength while your Burden is 0 (before reduction).

**Friend of the Smith**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Charm

**Activation**: Passive

Armor and shields you buy costs half of the normal market price. This applies to your allies as well.

**Always Protected I**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

*Even when damaged, your armor keeps you safe.*

Your armor can’t be reduced below half of its normal Armor value, rounded up.

**Always Protected II**

**Prerequisite**: **Always Protected I**

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

Your armor can’t be reduced below two-thirds of its normal Armor value, rounded up.

**Heroic Defense**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage, Magic, Charm

**Activation**: 1 Action, X MP

You and adjacent allies gain X Armor until the end of the Encounter, up to your STR. This effect cannot stack with itself.

**Chivalrous Rush**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage, Magic, Charm

**Activation**: 1 MP, X Vim

On your turn, move X hexes, up to your SPI (min. 1). This ability may be used as a Free Reaction up to 3 times per Round.

**Knight of Honor**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage, Magic, Charm

**Activation**: X MP, up to STR

Add X to your immediate CHA check.

**Holy Sword**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage, Magic, Charm

**Activation**: 2 Actions, X MP (min. 1)

Make a melee basic attack. This attack extends in a line X+1 hexes long and deals an additional CHA + SPI + X damage.

**Ring of Swords**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage, Magic, Charm

**Activation**: 3 Actions, 3 MP, 3 Vim

Make a melee attack. This attack hits every adjacent enemy and deals an additional CHA + SPI damage. You and adjacent allies gain 1 Alert.

**Light of the Paladin**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage, Magic, Charm

**Activation**: Passive

Your weapon can glow on command (of a color you choose), casting bright light within a 3 meter radius. Additionally, all melee and ranged attacks you make deal an extra SPI damage.

**Blessing of the Paladin**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage, Magic, Charm

**Activation**: Passive

Once per Rest, you may treat your Strength, Spirit, or Charisma as 3 higher for any purpose.

**Shield Break**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: 1 Action, 2 Vim

*With your shield, you parry an enemy’s shield away.*

This ability is usable if you have an equipped Shield Bonus. An adjacent enemy is unable to Block (Beginner) or Shield Block (Fighter) until the start of your next turn.

**Shield Push**

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: 1 Action, 2 Vim

*With your shield, you attempt to push your enemy back.*

This ability is usable if you have an equipped Shield Bonus. Make a Strength check against an adjacent enemy’s Strength check. If you succeed, you may move up to 3 meters in the direction of the adjacent enemy, and they move with you proportionally. If you succeeded the check by 6 or more, you can move up to 6 meters in this way. The distance you travel using this ability cannot exceed your Speed.

## Gift Exclusives

**Brace**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Gift of Rage

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Activation**: 1 Action

*You prepare to be attacked.*

Until the start of your next turn, all damage you take is halved after reduction from Armor. This ability is usable only once per Encounter.

**Shield Mastery**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Gift of Rage

**Cost**: 300 XP

**Activation**: Passive

Shields you wield have +3 Shield Bonus and 1 less Burden (min. 0). When you Shield Block (Fighter) a glancing blow, add your STR to your Armor for resolving this attack.

## Course of Heroism

**Fortify**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Course of Heroism

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: 1 Action

This ability can be activated only at the end of your turn and if you have not moved this turn. Gain the buff *Fortified*: +6 Armor until the start of your next turn. This buff increases by +6 for each time you are Supported.

**Supporting Defender**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Course of Heroism

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

Whenever you negate or redirect an attack aimed at an ally, the ally you protected is Supported.

**You Have My Shield**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisites**: Course of Heroism, Shield Block (Fighter)

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: 1 Action, 3 Vim

Adjacent allies are Supported. Until the start of your next turn, adjacent allies who Block (Beginner) may Shield Block (Fighter) using your Shield Bonus.

**You Have My Guard**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Course of Heroism

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: 1 Action

All adjacent allies are Supported. Until the start of your next turn, when an adjacent ally is attacked, they may use your Vim in place of their own for resolving the attack.

**You Have My Armor**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Course of Heroism

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: 1 Action, 3 Vim

*You defend adjacent allies.*

All adjacent allies gain STR Armor and are Supported until the end of the Encounter or until they are no longer adjacent to you (whichever comes first). This ability can be used only once per turn.

## Course of Combat

**By Your Side**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Course of Combat

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

Gain +15 Accuracy and +3 damage against flanked enemies.

**Iron Block**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisites**: Course of Conditions

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

When you are forcibly moved while using Block (Beginner), the amount you are moved by is halved rounded down.

## Course of Conditions

**Holy Protector**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisites**: Course of Conditions, **Heroic Defense**

**Cost**: 500 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage, Magic, Charm

**Activation**: 2 Actions, X MP up to SPI

You and all nearby allies gain a number of temporary HP equal to your (CHA + SPI) \* X.

**Steel Block**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisites**: Course of Conditions, **Iron Block**

**Cost**: 500 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

While using Block (Beginner), you are immune to being staggered.

## Course of Damages

**Diamond Block**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisites**: Course of Damages, **Steel Block**

**Cost**: 600 XP

**Expedited** **for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

While using Block (Beginner), you are immune to stun and paralysis damage.

## Course of Wounds

**Never Give Up**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Course of Wounds

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

When rolling for a Grievous Wound on the Dying column, add three times your Spirit to the result. Additionally, whenever the result of a Grievous Wound asks you to make a check, you automatically succeed.

**Down But Not Out**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Course of Wounds

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

While you are Dying, if you would lose HP for any reason, you may instead lose that amount of Vim or MP (if you have enough Vim or MP to do so).

## Course of Surroundings

**Steadfast I**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: Course of Surroundings

**Cost**: 400 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

Whenever a Pushing environmental object would move you, you may choose to move only half the amount. Whenever you would be moved by anything else, you may choose to reduce the movement by 1 hex.

**Steadfast II**

*This ability is not required for the Path Completion Bonus.*

**Prerequisite**: **Steadfast I**

**Cost**: 500 XP

**Expedited for**: Rage

**Activation**: Passive

Whenever a Pushing environmental object would move you, you may choose to move only 1 hex. Whenever you would be moved by anything else, you may choose to reduce the movement by half. This ability replaces **Steadfast I**.