Campaign Design - Prestige Class: Warknight of the High Council

Warknight of the High Council (adapted from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting)

If the Wardens are the eyes, ears, and sometimes mouth of the High Council, the Warknights are the mailed fist of the Alliance. Though the High Council directly maintains only a small fighting force, the ranks of its armies are well-trained, well-disciplined, and well-led by the cadre of Warknights sworn to the Council's service.

Warknights develop uncanny skills related to coordinating and leading soldiers. Most are fighters or scouts, but a few clerics, druids, and rogues have been known to join their ranks. Sorcerers and wizards seeking to serve the Council tend to join the War Wizards, the Alliance's elite brigade of fighting spellcasters, while barbarians are too undisciplined to enter this career.

In general, warknights of the High Council are responsible for leading the forces of the Alliance. They often serve as special liaisons to the forces of the individual Freeholds, frequently taking command of detachments of such troops in the field. A character's level in this class is irrelevant to his rank on the organization, although higher-ranked warknights tend to be of higher level. It is not necessary to have this prestige class to serve in the warknights, but most high-ranking officers do.

Hit Die: d10.
Luck Die: d4.

Requirements
To become a warknight of the High Council, one must meet the following criteria:

• Alignment: Any non-evil and non-chaotic.
• Base Attack Bonus: +4.
• Skills: Diplomacy or Intimidate 1+ ranks, Listen 2+ ranks, Ride 2+ ranks, Spot 2+ ranks.
• Feats: Leadership, Mounted Combat.
• Special: Must pass an initiation test and swear an oath of allegiance to the High Council, an oath that is enforced by their fellow warknights.

Class Skills

• The warknight of the High Council's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str).
• Note: Because the Three Worlds campaign uses the Skills by Character house rule, the list of class skills given here is only included for the sake of completeness, and is not used by characters in the campaign setting.
• Skill Points at each level: 2 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the warknight of the High Council prestige class.

• Base Attack Bonus: Good. A warknight of the High Council gains +1 base attack bonus per class level.


• Base Fortitude Save Bonus: Good. A warknight of the High Council gains a +½ base Fortitude save bonus per class level.


• Base Reflex Save Bonus: Poor. A warknight of the High Council gains +¹⁄₃ base Reflex save bonus per class level.


• Base Will Save Bonus: Poor. A warknight of the High Council gains +¹⁄₃ base Will save bonus per class level.


• Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Warknights of the High Council are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor, medium armor, and all shields (except tower shields).


• Rallying Cry (Su): The warknight can utter a powerful shout that causes all allies within 60 feet to gain a +1 morale bonus on their next attack roll and increases their speed by +5 feet until the warknight's next action. Traditionally, the rallying cry is used when a formation of soldiers is about the charge. This mind-affecting ability may be used up to three times per day.


• Heroic Shield (Ex): A warknight can use the aid another action (see the Player's Handbook, page 154) to give an ally a +4 circumstance bonus to Armor Class rather than the normal +2 bonus.


• Inspire Courage (Su): A warknight can make an inspirational speech, bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must hear the warknight speak for a full round. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the warknight speak and for 5 rounds thereafter. While speaking, the warknight can fight but cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), or activate magic items by magic word (such as wands). An affected ally receives a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.


• Fear (Su): Once per day, a warknight can evoke a fear effect (DC 15 + the warknight's Charisma modifier) that is identical to the spell of the same name. The warknight's allies are immune to this effect.


• Oath of Wrath (Su): Once per day, a warknight can select a single opponent within 60 feet and swear an oath to defeat him. For the duration of the encounter, the warknight gains a +2 morale bonus on melee attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks made against the challenged target. The effect is negated immediately if the warknight makes an attack or casts a spell targeted at any creature except the challenged opponent (attacks of opportunity do not count) or if the warknight uses a full-round action to move away from the challenged opponent.


• Final Stand (Su): Once per day, the warknight can inspire his troops to a heroic effort, temporarily increasing their vitality. All allies within 10 feet of the warknight gain 2d10 temporary hit points. This ability affects a number of creatures equal to the warknight's class level + his Charisma modifier and lasts for an equal number of rounds.

Warknight of the High Council

Level	Special
1st	Rallying Cry, Heroic Shield
2nd	Inspire Courage (once per day)
3rd	Fear
4th	Oath of Wrath, Inspire Courage (twice per day)
5th	Final Stand

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