Knight of the Iron Glacier

(Frostburn variant, p. 62)

The Knights of the Iron Glacier continue to honor the memory of General Aengrist in their deeds and actions.

#### Requirements

**Alignment:** Lawful good or lawful neutral

**Skills:** Handle Animal 5 ranks , Ride 9 ranks Survival 2 ranks

**Feats:** Animal Affinity , Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard sword) , Mounted Combat Ride-By Attack

**Special:** Before a character is accepted into the Order of the Iron Glacier, she must first prove to the order that her intentions are noble and true. Typically, this means the character must undertake some form of task or quest in a region of the frostfell, such as defending a remote village from an attack by orcs or slaying a white dragon that has been menacing a region. Usually, high-ranking knights will send aspiring knights on a particular quest, but sometimes they waive this requirement for someone they have seen upholding Iron Glacier ideals even though she has not herself approached the order for membership.

#### Class Features

**Weapon and Armor Proficiency:** Knights of the Iron Glacier gain no proficiency with weapons, armor, or shields.

**Warmount:** Upon becoming a Knight of the Iron Glacier, the character is awarded his own specially bred and trained mount, a war megaloceros. The character is expected to care for, feed, and protect his warmount; when a mission does not require the aid of the warmount, it can be stabled at no cost at any Iron Glacier stronghold.

**War Megaloceros:** Large animal; HD 7d8+28; hp 59; Init +1; Spd 50 ft.; AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +5; Grp +15; Atk or Full Atk +10 melee (1d8+9, gore); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA improved grab, stampede, toss; SQ combative mount, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +6; Str 23, Dex 12, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8.
*Skills and Feats:* Listen +9, Spot +9; Alertness, Lightning Reflexes, Run.
*Combative Mount (Ex)*: A rider on a war megaloceros gains a +2 circumstance bonus on all Ride checks. A war megaloceros is trained for war.
*Skills:* A war megaloceros gains a +1 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

If the knight has enough paladin levels that he has a paladin's special mount, the character has the option of dismissing his current special mount and replacing it with a war megaloceros special mount. In this case, the warmount functions identically to the paladin's special mount except for the improved base statistics given above. The character's paladin levels and Knight of the Iron Glacier levels stack for purposes of determining what sort of bonus Hit Dice, natural armor adjustments, Strength adjustments, base Intelligence, and special abilities the special mount gains.

**Frostfell Awareness (Ex):** A Knight of the Iron Glacier trains extensively on how to notice signs of danger in the frostfell, and is quite adept at spotting ambushes and similar danger. Starting at 2nd level, as long as he is in the frostfell, he gains a +2 competence bonus on all Initiative, Listen, and Spot checks. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level and to +6 at 8th level.

**Rally the Troops (Su):** At 4th level, the Knight of the Iron Glacier's ability to inspire allies has become so potent that his words take on a supernatural divine power. Once per day, the knight may speak to a number of listeners equal to his class level plus his Charisma modifier. He must speak for at least one minute, after which all listeners are filled with hope and bravery. For the next hour, these creatures gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls and Will saving throws, and have immunity to fear (magic or otherwise).

**Oath of Wrath (Su):** Beginning at 7th level, as a free action, the Knight of the Iron Glacier may select a single opponent within 60 feet and swear an oath to defeat him. For the duration of the encounter, the knight gains a +2 morale bonus on melee attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks made against the challenged target. This effect ends immediately if the Knight of the Iron Glacier makes an attack or casts a spell targeted at any hostile creature other than the challenged target. Attacks of opportunity and spells cast on allies do not end the effect, nor do area spells such as *fireball* that catch other creatures in the area (as long as the challenged target is included in the area). The Knight of the Iron Glacier can use oath of wrath once per day.

**Overwhelming Odds (Ex):** A 10th-level Knight of the Iron Glacier has expelled from his mind and soul the very notion of a hopeless battle; no matter how slight, there is always a chance for victory. Whenever the Knight of the Iron Glacier faces an enemy in combat that has 3 or more Hit Dice or levels than he does, the knight's faith that he shall prevail grants him damage reduction 3/— and a +2 insight bonus to his Armor Class and all saving throws. These benefits apply only against attacks made against the knight from a creature whose levels or Hit Dice exceed the knight's by 3 or more; if a creature with fewer Hit Dice or levels attacks the knight, he does not receive these benefits.