Cavalier Alternate Class Features

Alternate class features are small, modular archetypes. They swap out a single class feature (or a few related class features) for new abilities. By affecting only small parts of the class at a time, a player is able to build the legendary cavalier that best fits their ideas. With these alternate class features, the legendary cavalier is more flexible than ever before.

If an archetype or alternate class replaces one of the below class features, the replacement class feature may not be exchanged for an alternate class feature. Mix and match these alternate class features to build your perfect legendary cavalier!

## **Weapon and Armor Proficiency**

The following options can be taken in place of the legendary cavalier’s normal weapon and armor proficiencies:

### **Weapon and Armor Proficiencies**

Cavaliers are proficient with all simple weapons, martial melee weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, light, and medium) and with shields (including tower shields).

### **Weapon and Armor Proficiencies**

Cavaliers are proficient with all simple weapons, an exotic weapon of their choice, and with all types of armor (heavy, light, and medium) and with shields (except tower shields).

## **Commander’s Aura/Dual Aura**

The following options can be taken in the place of Commander’s Aura and Dual Aura; taking one of these alternative class features also grants the reduced commander’s aura class feature:

### **Reduced Commander’s Aura (Ex)**

The legendary cavalier gains a number of rounds of commander’s aura equal to 2 + their Charisma modifier. At every level after 1st, they gain 1 additional round of commander’s aura. In addition, they lose the auras gained from commander’s aura.

This ability alters commander’s aura.

### **Challenge (Ex)**

Once per day, a legendary cavalier can challenge a foe to combat. As a swift action, the legendary cavalier chooses one target within sight to challenge. The legendary cavalier’s melee attacks deal extra damage whenever the attacks are made against the target of their challenge. This extra damage is equal to the legendary cavalier’s level. The legendary cavalier can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every three levels beyond 1st, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.

Challenging a foe requires much of the legendary cavalier’s concentration. The legendary cavalier takes a –2 penalty to their Armor Class, except against attacks made by the target of their challenge.

The challenge remains in effect until the target is dead or unconscious or until the combat ends.

This ability replaces dual aura.

### **Weapon Training (Ex)**

At 1st level, a cavalier gains Weapon Focus as a bonus feat,. At 5th level, a legendary cavalier gains gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with his chosen weapon; this ability is treated as weapon training for the purpose of abilities which would interact with it. The bonus improves by +1 for every four levels beyond 5th.

This ability replaces the auras gained from commander’s aura and dual aura

### **Favored Enemy (Ex)**

At 1st level, a legendary cavalier selects a creature type from the legendary cavalier favored enemies table. He gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of his selected type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. A legendary cavalier may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the legendary cavalier may select an additional favored enemy. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by +2.

If the legendary cavalier chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table below. (Note that there are other types of humanoid to choose from—those called out specifically on the table below are merely the most common.) If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the legendary cavalier’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.

This ability replaces the auras gained from commander’s aura and dual aura.

While it may seem that losing all of your commander’s auras would make the rounds you gain from the reduced commander’s aura worthless, this isn’t the case. First of all, this does not remove the unique aura gained from choosing your order, making the decision of order even more important. In addition, you still have several class features which spend rounds of your commander’s aura, such as commander’s shout, chivalry’s call, steed’s parry, and general’s awe. The Aura Study and Order Study feats also allows legendary cavaliers to gain auras as well. Choosing an archetype or alternative class feature which grants you the reduced commander’s aura class feature can be a large change for a legendary cavalier, so make sure you decide carefully when making your character.

## **Banner/Greater Banner**

These alternative class features can be taken in place of banner and greater banner.

### **Wild Empathy (Ex)**

A legendary cavalier can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The legendary cavalier rolls 1d20 and adds her legendary cavalier level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.

The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. To use wild empathy, the legendary cavalier and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

A legendary cavalier can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.

This ability replaces banner and greater banner.

### **Fast Movement (Ex)**

A legendary cavalier’s base speed is faster than the norm for their race by 10 feet. This benefit applies only when they are wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor, and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the legendary cavalier’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses to the legendary cavalier’s base speed. At 14th level, the legendary cavalier’s base speed increases by another 10 feet.

This ability replaces banner and greater banner.

### **Fast Rider (Ex)**

The speed of a legendary cavalier’s mount is increased by 10 feet and it gains the Endurance feat whenever they are riding it. At 14th level, the mount’s speed increases by an additional 10 feet

This ability replaces banner and greater banner.

## **Knight’s Renown/Courtly Skill**

The following abilities can be chosen in place of knight’s renown and courtly skill.

### **Favored Terrain (Ex)**

At 3rd level, a legendary cavalier may select a type of terrain from Table: Ranger Favored Terrains. The legendary cavalier gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks when they are in this terrain. A legendary cavalier traveling through their favored terrain normally leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (though they may leave a trail if he so chooses).

At 8th level and every five levels thereafter, the legendary cavalier may select an additional favored terrain. In addition, at each such interval, the skill bonus and initiative bonus in any one favored terrain (including the one just selected, if so desired), increases by +2.

If a specific terrain falls into more than one category of favored terrain, the legendary cavalier’s bonuses do not stack; they simply use whichever bonus is higher.

This ability replaces knight’s renown, courtly skill, noble’s renown, legendary renown, and monarch’s renown.

### **Rogue Talent (Ex)**

At 3rd level, a legendary cavalier can select a rogue talent, treating their legendary cavalier level as though it was their rogue level for the purpose of which rogue talents they can select. The legendary cavalier cannot select rogue talents which would alter sneak attack unless have received it from another source. At 6th level and every four levels afterwards, they gain an additional rogue talent; at 10th level, they may instead select advanced rogue talents.

This ability replaces knight’s renown, courtly skill, noble’s renown, legendary renown, and monarch’s renown.

### **Maneuver Training (Ex)**

At 3rd level, a legendary cavalier can select one combat maneuver to receive additional training. They gain a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks when performing that combat maneuver and a +1 bonus to their CMD when defending against that maneuver.

At 7th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the legendary cavalier becomes further trained in another combat maneuver, gaining the above +1 bonus combat maneuver checks and to CMD. In addition, the bonuses granted by all previous maneuver training increase by 1 each. (For example, if a legendary cavalier chooses grapple at 3rd level and sunder at 7th level, her bonuses to grapple are +2 and bonuses to sunder are +1. If she then chooses bull rush upon reaching 11th level, her bonuses to grapple are +3, to sunder are +2, and to bull rush are +1.)

This ability replaces knight’s renown, courtly skill, noble’s renown, legendary renown, and monarch’s renown.

## **Rider’s Bond**

The following abilities can be selected in place of rider’s bond.

### **Stalwart (Ex)**

At 9th level, a legendary cavalier can use mental and physical resiliency to avoid certain attacks. If they make a Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that has a reduced effect on a successful save, they instead avoid the effect entirely. This ability can only be used if the legendary cavalier is within 60 ft of their mount. A helpless legendary cavalier does not gain the benefit of the stalwart ability. At 17th level, a legendary cavalier can spend 4 rounds of their commander’s aura to roll twice whenever making a Fortitude or Will saving throw, allowing them to roll twice and choose the better result. This ability must be used as the saving throw is being made.

This ability replaces rider’s bond.

### **Uncanny Dodge (Ex)**

At 9th level, a legendary cavalier gains the ability to react to danger before their senses would normally allow her to do so. They cannot be caught flat-footed, nor do they lose their Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. They still lose their Dexterity bonus to armor class if immobilized. A legendary cavalier with this ability can still lose their Dexterity bonus to armor class if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against them.

If a legendary cavalier already has uncanny dodge from a different class, they automatically gain improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead. At 17th level, they gain improved uncanny dodge.

This ability replaces rider’s bond.

## **Measured Gait/Risky Lunge/Mighty Charge/Supreme Charge**

The following abilities can be selected in place of measured gait, risky lunge, mighty charge, and supreme charge.

### **Combat Style (Ex)**

At 4th level, a legendary cavalier must select one combat style to pursue as though they were a ranger of their legendary cavalier level.

The legendary cavalier’s expertise manifests in the form of bonus feats at 4th, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. They can choose feats from their selected combat style, even if they not have the normal prerequisites. Once a legendary cavalier selects a combat style, it cannot be changed.

This ability replaces measured gait, risky lung, mighty charge, and supreme charge.

### **Martial Flexibility (Ex)**

At 4th level, a legendary cavalier can take a move action to gain the benefit of a combat feat she doesn’t possess. This effect lasts for 1 minute. The legendary cavalier must meet all the feat’s prerequisites. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + 1/2 her legendary cavalier level (minimum 1).

The legendary cavalier can use this ability again before the duration expires in order to replace the previous combat feat with another choice.

If a combat feat has a daily use limitation (such as Stunning Fist), any uses of that combat feat while using this ability count toward that feat’s daily limit.

At 6th level, a legendary cavalier can use this ability to gain the benefit of two combat feats at the same time. She may select one feat as a swift action or two feats as a move action. She may use one of these feats to meet a prerequisite of the second feat; doing so means that she cannot replace a feat currently fulfilling another’s prerequisite without also replacing those feats that require it. Each individual feat selected counts toward her daily uses of this ability.

At 10th level, a legendary cavalier can use this ability to gain the benefit of three combat feats at the same time. She may select one feat as a free action, two feats as a swift action, or three feats as a move action. She may use one of the feats to meet a prerequisite of the second and third feats and use the second feat to meet a prerequisite of the third feat. Each individual feat selected counts toward her daily uses of this ability.

At 12th level, a legendary cavalier can use this ability to gain the benefit of one combat feat as an immediate action or three combat feats as a swift action. Each individual feat selected counts toward her daily uses of this ability.

At 20th level, a legendary cavalier can use this ability to gain the benefit of any number of combat feats as a swift action. Each feat selected counts toward her daily uses of this ability.

This ability replaces measured gait, risky lunge, mighty charge, and supreme charge.