Knight Champion

A Knight Champion is a living symbol, a bastion of resolve whose very will has been honed into a potent, magical force. They are more than a soldier; they are an ideal, a protector bound not by a simple contract but by an unshakeable oath. This oath is the heart of their power—a commitment so profound that it connects them to a source of magic, be it Arcane, Divine, or Primal. This energy radiates from them as a tangible aura, shielding allies and halting foes with the power of their conviction.

The Unshakeable Vow

The Knight Champion’s power is born from the absolute, unyielding conviction in their chosen cause. This is not the borrowed power of a Priest, nor the studied magic of a Wizard; it is a unique energy generated by the Knight's own indomitable will. Their oath is a channel, tying them to a chosen source of power and allowing them to focus their belief into potent spells. They can heal allies, forge weapons of solidified will, and stand defiant against any who would challenge their sacred charge.

A Cause Made Manifest

Where the Warrior lives for the thrill of battle, the Knight Champion fights for what comes after. Where the Priest serves as a humble vessel, the Knight Champion acts as a direct agent of their own ideals. Their oath elevates them, blending martial prowess with their chosen magic to become something more. They are the living embodiment of their cause, whether they wield holy fire, primal lightning, or pure arcane force. Their power is a testament to the idea that one person's will, when wholly devoted to a purpose, can change the world.

Creating a Champion

When creating a Knight Champion, first and foremost is your Oath. What cause is so dear to you that you have sworn your life to it? And what is the source of power your oath connects to? Is it the holy fire of a Divine vow, the unbending order of an Arcane pact, or the unyielding life of a Primal bond? Did you swear this vow in a gleaming temple as a Noble or an Acolyte, or was it a desperate promise whispered on a bloody battlefield as a Militia soldier?

Quick Build

You can make a Knight Champion quickly by following these suggestions. Prioritize Strength as your highest ability, followed by Will (your spellcasting attribute) and Endurance. Choose the Noble, Acolyte, or Militia background. Your Job can then reflect the source of your Oath: for an Arcane oath, consider Mystic; for a Divine oath, Clergy; and for a Primal oath, your Job choice provides specific flavor. Choose Geomancer to align with a vow to the elements and fundamental forces, or Warden to connect your oath to the world's plants and animals.

Class Features

As a Champion, you gain the following class features:

Health

Health Pool: 2

You add your Health Pool to your Health at level 1.

Vitality

Vitality Dice: 1d8 per Champion level

Vitality at 1st Level: 8 + your Agility and Endurance

Vitality at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Endurance per Champion level after 1st

Combat Skills

Weapons: Champions start with advanced weapon aptitude

Armor: Trained in the Light, Medium, and Heavy armor skills

Defense: Trained in the Body skill

Skill Ranks at 1st Level: 3 combat skill ranks

Skill Ranks at Higher Levels: 1 combat skill rank per 2 Champion levels after 1st

Skill Boosts at Higher Levels: 1 combat skill boost per Champion level after 1st

Action Points: A Champion uses Dexterity when rolling Action Points

Fighting Style

You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. Whenever you finish a long rest, you may replace any fighting styles you know that are on this list with any other styles that are also on this list.

• Archery. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

• Defense. While you are wearing armor, you gain a +2 bonus to Armor.

• Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

• Great Weapon Fighting. When you roll the damage for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you may roll one additional dice, ignoring the lowest dice roll. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

• Hand and a Half Fighting. While you are wielding a versatile weapon in two hands, you gain a +1 bonus to your attack rolls with that weapon and a +1 bonus to your Passive Defense and Parry.

• Interception. When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, you can use spend 4 Action Points to move ½ your movement to the target and reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your Dexterity (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a weapon to react and must be within reach of the target after the movement.

• Protection. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you, you can spend 2 Action Points to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield and must be within 5 feet of the attacker or the target, or in between the attacker and the target in a straight line when the attacker makes a ranged attack.

• Thrown Weapon Fighting. When you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

• Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your attribute modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack.

• Unarmed Fighting. Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren’t wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d4 becomes a d6. At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.

Protector’s Shield

At first level, as a reaction to taking damage, or if an ally within 10 feet takes damage, you can spend 3 Action Points to roll a d8 and either reduce your damage by the number rolled and add it to an ally within 10 feet, or reduce the damage from an ally within 10 feet and add the damage to yourself. At 9th level the range of this ability increases to 30 feet and you can roll 2d8. At 14th level the amount increases to 3d8, and 4d8 at 18th level.

Oaths

When you reach 2nd level, you swear the Oath that binds you to a cause greater than yourself. You choose from the list of available Oaths. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th level.

Spellcasting

Your magic helps power your weapons and protect others.

Spellcasting Circles

The Champion table shows the highest circle of spells that you can cast. To cast one of these spells, you must expend the spellcasting resource and action point cost listed in the spell’s description. You regain all spellcasting resources when you finish a long rest.

Spellcasting Resources

Depending on your choice of Arcane, Divine, or Primal magic, you will have a unique spellcasting resource. See Spellcasting for what your spellcasting resource is and how much you have.

Known or Prepared Spells

Depending on your choice of Arcane, Divine, or Primal magic, you will have a number of spells available to you. See Spellcasting for your known spells or how you prepare spells.

Spellcasting Attribute

Will is your spellcasting attribute for your spells as your commitment to your oaths and beliefs fuel your power. You use your Will whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting attribute. In addition, you use your Will when making an attack roll or when setting the target Spell Defense for any champion spell you cast.

Spell modifier = your spell skill + your Will

Spell Defense = 8 + your spell skill + your Will

Spellforged Weapon

You are able to channel your magical power into your weapon. For 3 Action Points you can spend 3 of your spellcasting resources to give your weapon +1 to hit and damage. At level 9 you can spend 5 of your spellcasting resource to give your weapon +2, and at level 17, you can spend 7 of your spellcasting resource to give your weapon +3. Your weapon damage source is based on your spellcasting choice.

After you hit a creature, but before damage is done, you can unleash your weapon to expend your bonus to hit and damage from your weapon to deal extra weapon damage equal to 1d8 per +1 on your weapon.

Replenishment

Starting at 3rd level, you can spend your spellcasting resource to replenish you or your allies.

For 4 Action Points, you can touch a creature and draw from your spellcasting resource to bestow a benefit on the target depending on your source of magic. Each effect costs 5 points from your spellcasting resource per use.

• If you have divine sourced magic, you restore 5 vitality or cure one disease affecting a creature.

• If you have primal sourced magic, you restore 1 health or neutralize one poison affecting a creature.

• If you have arcane sourced magic, you restore 3 mana or allow a creature to re-roll a defense roll against one ongoing magical effect.

Talent

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you gain a Talent.

Efficient Attacks

At level 5, you become more adept with attacks. You reduce the cost of weapon attacks by 1 Action Point per attack.

Knightly Aura

Starting at 6th level, you project an aura out to a range of 10 feet while you are conscious. Friendly creatures with this aura add +1 to their armor. This bonus increases by 1 each time the range of your aura increases.

At 14th level, the range of your auras increases to 20 feet, and at 18th level, the range increases to 30 feet.

Improved Replenishment

Starting at 10th level, when you use your replenishment ability, its effects are increased. Each effect still costs 5 points from your spellcasting resource per use.

• If you have divine sourced magic, you may restore 10 vitality or end all diseases affecting a creature.

• If you have primal sourced magic, you may restore 3 health or neutralize all poisons affecting a creature.

• If you have arcane sourced magic, you may restore 5 mana or end one spell affecting a creature.

Unleash Aura

At 10th level, you are able to unleash your aura as a reaction. By spending 4 Action Points, you can double the armor granted by your Knightly Aura until the beginning of your turn next round. This consumes your aura, and you no longer project an aura again until the end of the next round.

Improved Spellforged Weapon

At 11th level, when your weapon is under the effects of Spellforged Weapon, it gains an additional 1d8 to damage rolls. When you unleash your spellforged weapon, your weapon now deals 2d8 per +1 bonus on your weapon instead of 1d8.