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Cavalier Class Details | Banners | Orders | Archetypes

Cavalier/Samurai Orders

Description Source: Advanced Player's Guide
At 1st level, a cavalier must pledge himself to a specific order. The order grants the cavalier a number of bonuses, class skills, and special abilities. In addition, each order includes a number of edicts that the cavalier must follow. If he violates any of these edicts, he loses the benefits from his order's challenge ability for 24 hours. The violation of an edict is subject to GM interpretation.

A cavalier cannot change his order without undertaking a lengthy process to dedicate himself to a new cause. When this choice is made, he immediately loses all of the benefits from his old order. He must then follow the edicts of his new order for one entire level without gaining any benefits from that order. Once accomplished, he gains all of the bonuses from his new order. Note that the names of these orders might vary depending upon the campaign setting or GM's preference.

Description Source: Ultimate Combat
The following orders can be chosen by both samurai and cavaliers, although the former are far more likely to do so. Samurai can also select any of the cavalier orders presented in the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide.

Order of the Lion

Source Advanced Player's Guide pg. 36
A cavalier who belongs to this order has pledged himself to a sovereign; be it a king, queen, or even the local warlord. Cavaliers of this order are stalwart and dedicated to their cause, willing to go any length to ensure the safety of their lord and his domain.

Edicts: The cavalier must protect the life and lands of his sovereign at all costs. He must obey the commands of his sovereign without question. He must strive to expand the power and prestige of his realm.

Challenge: Whenever an order of the lion cavalier issues a challenge, he receives a +1 dodge bonus to his AC against attacks made by the target of his challenge. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the cavalier possesses.

Skills: An order of the lion cavalier adds Knowledge (local) (Int) and Knowledge (nobility) (Int) to his list of class skills. An order of the lion cavalier can make Knowledge (nobility) skill checks untrained. If he has ranks in the skill, he receives a bonus on the check equal to 1/2 his cavalier level (minimum +1) as long as the check involves his sovereign.

Order Abilities: A cavalier belonging to the order of the lion gains the following abilities as he increases in level.

Lion's Call (Ex): At 2nd level, an order of the lion cavalier gains the ability to rally his allies. As a standard action, he can give an encouraging speech which grants all allies within 60 feet a competence bonus on their saving throws against fear equal to his Charisma modifier and a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to his cavalier level. If an ally within range is under the effect of a spell or ability that causes him to be frightened or panicked, he can immediately make another saving throw to resist the effect (if allowed).

For the King (Ex): At 8th level, an order of the lion cavalier can call out to his allies, inspiring them to greatness. As a swift action, the cavalier can grant a competence bonus equal to his Charisma modifier on all attack and damage rolls to all allies within 30 feet. This bonus lasts for 1 round. This ability can be used once per combat.

Shield of the Liege (Ex): At 15th level, an order of the lion cavalier can protect those around him. Allies that are adjacent to the cavalier receive a +2 shield bonus to their AC. In addition, as an immediate action, the cavalier can redirect an attack made at a creature adjacent to himself, as long as the creature making the attack is within the cavalier's reach. This ability must be declared before the attack roll is made. The attack is made against the cavalier's AC and defenses, even if the creature could not normally reach or attack the cavalier. The cavalier loses any cover or concealment bonuses when subject to the redirected attack.