The Demented One
2007-08-01, 02:47 PM
Knight of the Great Game
There is an elite caste of dragons known as Xorvintaal Dragons, or the Dragons of the Great Game. These dragons devote themselves to an ancient, world-spanning challenge known as xorvintaal, an immensely complex game played out across the world. Victory in xorvintaal brings power and prestige, defeat brings humiliation, and sometimes even death. Such dragons to not actively take part in the game–rather, they use other creatures as pawns and minions, using them to achieve their goals. Some Knights have sworn oaths of loyalty to these dragons, becoming Knights of th Great Game. Such Knights are highly trusted by their masters, and in time, may become one of the master’s exarchs, their elite agents in the world. Mostly, only lawful dragons–blues, greens, bronzes, golds, and silvers–retain the services of Knights of the Great Game, although even chaotic dragons will occasionally use them. Most dragons will only accept a Knight of the Great Game whose alignment on the good-evil axis is the same as their own. For more information on the Knight class, see the Player’s Handbook II. For more information of Xorvintaal and Dragons of the Great Game, see Monster Manual V.
d12 HD
Requirements
To qualify to become Knight of the Great Game, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
BAB: +7
Feats: Dragonfriend (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Dragonfriend,Dr) or Dragonthrall (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Dragonthrall,Dr)
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 5 ranks
Special: Must have the knight’s challenge class feature.
Special: Must swear an oath of loyalty to a Xorvintaal Dragon.
Class Skills
The Knight of the Great Game’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility) (Int), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Knight’s Challenge, Telepathic Bond
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Dragon Blade
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Mettle
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Intimidating Presence, Master’s Grace
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Knight Exarch
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Improved Mettle
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5|Challenge of the Great Game
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Dragon’s Gaze
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Frightful Presence
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Draconic Steed[/table]
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Knight of the Great Game prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
You gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
Knight’s Challenge (Ex)
Knight of the Great Game levels stack with any Knight levels you have for determining how many times per day you may use your knight’s challenge class feature. However, they do not stack for determining which knight’s challenge abilities you may use.
Telepathic Bond (Su)
At 1st level, you gain the ability to communicate with your dragon master from a range of 100 miles.
Dragon Blade (Su)
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to channel your master’s power through your weapons. Any weapon you wield gains a special ability, based on the type of breath weapon your draconic master has, as below:
{table=head]Breath Weapon|Ability
Acid|Acidic Burst
Cold|Frost Burst
Electricity|Shock Burst
Fire|Flaming Burst[/table]
If your master does not have a breath weapon of the listed types, then you and your DM may determine a different ability for your weapons to gain. The ability cannot be worth more than a +2 bonus.
Mettle (Ex)
At 3rd level, you become hardened against attack, both physically and mentally. Whenever you successfully make a Fortitude or Will save against an effect that allows a save for half or partial effect, then you instead completely negate the feat. You do not gain the benefits of this class feature if you are unconscious or sleeping.
Intimidating Presence (Ex)
At 4th level, you take on some of the prestige and imposing nature of your master. Whenever a character comes within 10 ft./level of you, you may choose to make an Intimidate check. That character may oppose your Intimidate check with a level check (1d20 + HD + Wisdom modifier + bonuses on saves against fear). If you beat that character’s check, then they are intimidated by your presence, their attitude towards you changing to friendly for as long as they remain in the range of this ability. Once they leave the range of this ability, then their attitude changes to unfriendly, or, if it was already unfriendly, to hostile.
Master’s Grace (Su)
At 4th level, you can call upon your draconic master to protect you and your allies. As an immediate action, you may expend a use of your knight’s challenge class feature to grant either yourself or a single ally within 60 ft. of you resistance 10 to the energy type of your master’s breath weapon for 1 round. At 7th level, the resistance increases to 20, and at 10th level, this ability grants immunity, rather than resistance to that energy type. If your dragon master’s breath weapon does not deal energy damage, you and your DM may choose a different form of protection that this ability can grant.
Knight Exarch (Ex)
At 5th level, you are made an exarch by your dragon master. You must return to his lair to undergo the exarch ritual, after which you gain the Xorvintaal Exarch template and are given five favor tokens. Each time you gain a level, you may return to your master’s lair to receive five more favor tokens, and you may also be rewarded with favor tokens for successfully carrying out your master’s wishes. Gaining the Xorvintaal Exarch template through this ability does not change your CR or ECL.
Improved Mettle (Ex)
At 6th level, your mind and body resist all attacks made against them. Even if you fail a Fortitude or Will save against an effect that allows a save for half or partial effect, you still only take the reduced effect.
Challenge of the Great Game (Ex)
At 7th level, you can invoke the codes of xorvintaal to challenge your foes. As a swift action, you may expend a use of your knight’s challenge class feature to make a challenge of the great game. All creatures within 100 ft. of you with a CR greater than or equal to your character level minus two must make a Will save, DC 10 + you class level + your Charisma modifier. Xorvintaal dragons and their exarchs automatically fail this safe, being bound by the rules of xorvintaal to accept your challenge. Creatures that fail your save must attack you above all other targets, as the test of mettle ability. You gain a +3 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls made against creatures that failed their saves, as well as a +3 morale bonus on saves against those creature’s abilities. You gain a +3 morale bonus to AC against attacks made by those creatures.
If you successfully defeat all challenged creatures, then you are entitled to an additional favor token the next time you gain a Knight of the Great Game level, and your master also receives additional standing in the game. However, if you are reduced to 0 hp or less by a challenged creature, you receive one less favor token the next time you gain a level, and your master loses status. Regardless of how many times you use this ability successfully, you can never gain more additional favor tokens when leveling up than one-third your level, rounded down. You may only make a single challenge of the great game each day.
Dragon’s Gaze (Ex and Sp)
At 8th level, you gain the keen senses of a dragon. You gain darkvision 60 ft. and low-light vision. If you already have either of those abilities, their range is doubled. In addition, once per day, use may use either true seeing or greater arcane sight as a spell-like ability, with caster level equal to your class level.
Frightful Presence (Su)
At 9th level, you can inspire terror in your foes. Whenever you attack, charge, or use a knight’s challenge ability, all creatures within 30 ft. of you must make a Will save, DC 10 + your class level + your Charisma modifier, or be shaken for 4d6 rounds. If they fail the save by 5 or more, then they are instead panicked for 4d6 rounds. Creatures whose HD exceed yours are immune to this ability. Once a creature successfully saves against your frightful presence, then it is immune to it for 24 hours.
Draconic Steed (Ex)
At 10th level, your xorvintaal dragon master rewards you with the greatest of prizes: a loyal dragon, who serves as your cohort and steed in battle. The dragon is typically kin to your master, and will often go on to become a xorvintaal dragon under your master's patronage after their duty to you is discharged (typically at the end of your life).The dragon is of the same type as your master. Its age category depends on its type, as below:
Core Dragons
{table=head]Dragon Type|Age Category
Black|Young Adult
Blue|Juvenile
Green|Juvenile
Red|Young
White|Young Adult
Brass|Young Adult
Bronze|Juvenile
Copper|Young Adult
Gold|Young
Silver|Juvenile
[/table]
Draconomicon Dragons
{table=head]Dragon Type|Age Category
Fang|Young Adult
Battle|Young Adult
Chaos|Juvenile
Ethereal|Young Adult
Howling|Young
Oceanus|Juvenile
Pyroclastic|Juvenile
Radiant|Young
Rust|Juvenile
Styx|Juvenile
Tarterian|Young
Shadow|Young Adult[/table]
Fallen Knights of the Great Game
If a Knight of the Great Game breaks his vow of loyalty to his dragon master or betrays his master, then he loses his status as a Knight of the Game. He can no longer advance in the class. He loses the telepathic bond, dragon blade, knight exarch, challenge of the great game, dragon’s gaze, and frightful presence class features if he has them. If he has a draconic steed, it permanently leaves his service, and may even attack him if his betrayal was great enough. However, he retains all his other class features.
A fallen Knight of the Great Game may only regain his lost class features and ability to progress in the class by swearing an oath of loyalty to another Xorvintaal Dragon. Most are wary of accepting the service of fallen Knights, but if they were enemies of the Knight’s former master, they may accept his services, restoring all lost class features.
There is an elite caste of dragons known as Xorvintaal Dragons, or the Dragons of the Great Game. These dragons devote themselves to an ancient, world-spanning challenge known as xorvintaal, an immensely complex game played out across the world. Victory in xorvintaal brings power and prestige, defeat brings humiliation, and sometimes even death. Such dragons to not actively take part in the game–rather, they use other creatures as pawns and minions, using them to achieve their goals. Some Knights have sworn oaths of loyalty to these dragons, becoming Knights of th Great Game. Such Knights are highly trusted by their masters, and in time, may become one of the master’s exarchs, their elite agents in the world. Mostly, only lawful dragons–blues, greens, bronzes, golds, and silvers–retain the services of Knights of the Great Game, although even chaotic dragons will occasionally use them. Most dragons will only accept a Knight of the Great Game whose alignment on the good-evil axis is the same as their own. For more information on the Knight class, see the Player’s Handbook II. For more information of Xorvintaal and Dragons of the Great Game, see Monster Manual V.
d12 HD
Requirements
To qualify to become Knight of the Great Game, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
BAB: +7
Feats: Dragonfriend (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Dragonfriend,Dr) or Dragonthrall (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Dragonthrall,Dr)
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 5 ranks
Special: Must have the knight’s challenge class feature.
Special: Must swear an oath of loyalty to a Xorvintaal Dragon.
Class Skills
The Knight of the Great Game’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility) (Int), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Knight’s Challenge, Telepathic Bond
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Dragon Blade
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Mettle
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Intimidating Presence, Master’s Grace
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Knight Exarch
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Improved Mettle
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5|Challenge of the Great Game
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Dragon’s Gaze
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Frightful Presence
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Draconic Steed[/table]
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Knight of the Great Game prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
You gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
Knight’s Challenge (Ex)
Knight of the Great Game levels stack with any Knight levels you have for determining how many times per day you may use your knight’s challenge class feature. However, they do not stack for determining which knight’s challenge abilities you may use.
Telepathic Bond (Su)
At 1st level, you gain the ability to communicate with your dragon master from a range of 100 miles.
Dragon Blade (Su)
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to channel your master’s power through your weapons. Any weapon you wield gains a special ability, based on the type of breath weapon your draconic master has, as below:
{table=head]Breath Weapon|Ability
Acid|Acidic Burst
Cold|Frost Burst
Electricity|Shock Burst
Fire|Flaming Burst[/table]
If your master does not have a breath weapon of the listed types, then you and your DM may determine a different ability for your weapons to gain. The ability cannot be worth more than a +2 bonus.
Mettle (Ex)
At 3rd level, you become hardened against attack, both physically and mentally. Whenever you successfully make a Fortitude or Will save against an effect that allows a save for half or partial effect, then you instead completely negate the feat. You do not gain the benefits of this class feature if you are unconscious or sleeping.
Intimidating Presence (Ex)
At 4th level, you take on some of the prestige and imposing nature of your master. Whenever a character comes within 10 ft./level of you, you may choose to make an Intimidate check. That character may oppose your Intimidate check with a level check (1d20 + HD + Wisdom modifier + bonuses on saves against fear). If you beat that character’s check, then they are intimidated by your presence, their attitude towards you changing to friendly for as long as they remain in the range of this ability. Once they leave the range of this ability, then their attitude changes to unfriendly, or, if it was already unfriendly, to hostile.
Master’s Grace (Su)
At 4th level, you can call upon your draconic master to protect you and your allies. As an immediate action, you may expend a use of your knight’s challenge class feature to grant either yourself or a single ally within 60 ft. of you resistance 10 to the energy type of your master’s breath weapon for 1 round. At 7th level, the resistance increases to 20, and at 10th level, this ability grants immunity, rather than resistance to that energy type. If your dragon master’s breath weapon does not deal energy damage, you and your DM may choose a different form of protection that this ability can grant.
Knight Exarch (Ex)
At 5th level, you are made an exarch by your dragon master. You must return to his lair to undergo the exarch ritual, after which you gain the Xorvintaal Exarch template and are given five favor tokens. Each time you gain a level, you may return to your master’s lair to receive five more favor tokens, and you may also be rewarded with favor tokens for successfully carrying out your master’s wishes. Gaining the Xorvintaal Exarch template through this ability does not change your CR or ECL.
Improved Mettle (Ex)
At 6th level, your mind and body resist all attacks made against them. Even if you fail a Fortitude or Will save against an effect that allows a save for half or partial effect, you still only take the reduced effect.
Challenge of the Great Game (Ex)
At 7th level, you can invoke the codes of xorvintaal to challenge your foes. As a swift action, you may expend a use of your knight’s challenge class feature to make a challenge of the great game. All creatures within 100 ft. of you with a CR greater than or equal to your character level minus two must make a Will save, DC 10 + you class level + your Charisma modifier. Xorvintaal dragons and their exarchs automatically fail this safe, being bound by the rules of xorvintaal to accept your challenge. Creatures that fail your save must attack you above all other targets, as the test of mettle ability. You gain a +3 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls made against creatures that failed their saves, as well as a +3 morale bonus on saves against those creature’s abilities. You gain a +3 morale bonus to AC against attacks made by those creatures.
If you successfully defeat all challenged creatures, then you are entitled to an additional favor token the next time you gain a Knight of the Great Game level, and your master also receives additional standing in the game. However, if you are reduced to 0 hp or less by a challenged creature, you receive one less favor token the next time you gain a level, and your master loses status. Regardless of how many times you use this ability successfully, you can never gain more additional favor tokens when leveling up than one-third your level, rounded down. You may only make a single challenge of the great game each day.
Dragon’s Gaze (Ex and Sp)
At 8th level, you gain the keen senses of a dragon. You gain darkvision 60 ft. and low-light vision. If you already have either of those abilities, their range is doubled. In addition, once per day, use may use either true seeing or greater arcane sight as a spell-like ability, with caster level equal to your class level.
Frightful Presence (Su)
At 9th level, you can inspire terror in your foes. Whenever you attack, charge, or use a knight’s challenge ability, all creatures within 30 ft. of you must make a Will save, DC 10 + your class level + your Charisma modifier, or be shaken for 4d6 rounds. If they fail the save by 5 or more, then they are instead panicked for 4d6 rounds. Creatures whose HD exceed yours are immune to this ability. Once a creature successfully saves against your frightful presence, then it is immune to it for 24 hours.
Draconic Steed (Ex)
At 10th level, your xorvintaal dragon master rewards you with the greatest of prizes: a loyal dragon, who serves as your cohort and steed in battle. The dragon is typically kin to your master, and will often go on to become a xorvintaal dragon under your master's patronage after their duty to you is discharged (typically at the end of your life).The dragon is of the same type as your master. Its age category depends on its type, as below:
Core Dragons
{table=head]Dragon Type|Age Category
Black|Young Adult
Blue|Juvenile
Green|Juvenile
Red|Young
White|Young Adult
Brass|Young Adult
Bronze|Juvenile
Copper|Young Adult
Gold|Young
Silver|Juvenile
[/table]
Draconomicon Dragons
{table=head]Dragon Type|Age Category
Fang|Young Adult
Battle|Young Adult
Chaos|Juvenile
Ethereal|Young Adult
Howling|Young
Oceanus|Juvenile
Pyroclastic|Juvenile
Radiant|Young
Rust|Juvenile
Styx|Juvenile
Tarterian|Young
Shadow|Young Adult[/table]
Fallen Knights of the Great Game
If a Knight of the Great Game breaks his vow of loyalty to his dragon master or betrays his master, then he loses his status as a Knight of the Game. He can no longer advance in the class. He loses the telepathic bond, dragon blade, knight exarch, challenge of the great game, dragon’s gaze, and frightful presence class features if he has them. If he has a draconic steed, it permanently leaves his service, and may even attack him if his betrayal was great enough. However, he retains all his other class features.
A fallen Knight of the Great Game may only regain his lost class features and ability to progress in the class by swearing an oath of loyalty to another Xorvintaal Dragon. Most are wary of accepting the service of fallen Knights, but if they were enemies of the Knight’s former master, they may accept his services, restoring all lost class features.