FIGHTER

A revision of the fighter class follows, allowing one to eventually become a master of warfare like Miyamoto Musashi or Lancelot du Lac, or, more extremely, John Carter of Mars or Benedict of Amber. The fighter’s new saving throw progression and Warlord abilities simulate the 1^st edition fighter’s primary class features: excellent saves at high levels, and a free army.

The Pathfinder class feature of armor training is now a choice in a broader range of “fighter talents.” A number of the fighter’s talents and abilities have been chosen so as to allow the fighter to naturally supersede the Duelist prestige class from the core rules and the Cavalier and Samurai base classes (Advanced Players Guide), as well as a number of other classes in 3.5 edition sources such as Complete Warrior.

Saving Throws: Fighters gain a +2 class bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves.

Bonus Skills: All fighters automatically receive one free rank per class level in Endurance and in Knowledge (warfare). In addition, for each class level, choose a specialized form of military training to receive; that level, you gain 1 bonus rank in one applicable skill. Examples include cavalry (Handle Animal), corps of engineers (Craft: construction), infantry (Survival), marine (Profession: sailor), medic (Heal), officer (Diplomacy), and sapper (Profession: mining); others may be added with referee approval.

These are treated as class skills, but do not count against the fighter’s total number of skill points.

Class Skills: Athletics, Bluff, Craft (all), Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (Linguistics), Perception, Profession (all).

Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Favored Class: When gaining a level of fighter as a favored class, rather than choosing +1 hp or skill point, you can instead select one of the following options:

• Critical Focus: Choose a weapon with which you have at least Martial proficiency. Add a +1 circumstance bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls with that weapon (maximum bonus of +4, at which point this ability is equivalent to the Critical Focus feat for that weapon). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.

• Maneuver Mastery: You gain a +1 class bonus to your CMB with one type of maneuver (e.g., overrun, trip, etc.). The effects stack, but the maximum bonus in any one category gained in this manner cannot exceed +1, with an additional +1 per 4 class levels you possess.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A fighter has Martial proficiency with all weapons and shields, and is proficient with all armor (heavy, medium, and light). Additionally, you gain Exotic proficiency in one shield or one weapon of your choice. You also have the following options:

• You can choose to trade your medium and heavy armor proficiencies for the Canny Defense feat.

• You can choose to give up your exotic shield or weapon proficiency to gain Dodge as a bonus feat instead.

Bravery (Ex): Starting at 1^st level, when subjected to a [Fear] effect, the severity is lessened by one category (e.g., severe to moderate). You can shrug off effects that would normally leave another person shaken.

• At 7^th level, the severity of [fear] conditions are reduced by two steps.

• At 13^th level, you are immune to fear and [fear] effects.

Combat Expertise (Ex): All fighters are skilled at defending themselves in battle. You gain Combat Expertise as a bonus feat at 1^st level, even if you do not meet the prerequisites.

Fighter Talent (Ex): Starting at 1^st level, and at each odd-numbered level thereafter, select one talent from the Fighter Talents list (Appendix A). Fighter talents are similar to feats, but are obtainable only by fighters and are generally more powerful. Talents that are designated as [Strikes] or [Stances] follow those general rules, as outlined in Chapter 5.

Bonus Feat: At every even-numbered class level, you can select any combat feat, stance feat, or strike feat for which you meet the prerequisites. For purposes of qualifying for combat feats that require a minimum attribute score, treat your relevant score as the sum of the actual score + half your fighter level. For example, if your actual Dexterity is 12, you could still potentially qualify for the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat (prerequisite of Dex 15) at 6^th level.

Sneak Attack: Alternatively, a bonus feat can be traded for sneak attack (as the Rogue class feature of the same name). If this option is selected, sneak attack damage is 1d6 for each time you select this option (so that a fighter spending all bonus feats on Sneak Attack would have sneak attack +10d6 at 20^th level). Sneak attack is always capped at a maximum of 1 die per 2 character levels (rounded up), no matter how many sources of stacking sneak attack damage you have access to.

Weapon Training (Ex): Fighters are experts with all weapons. Starting at 2^nd level, you gain the following benefits:

• For purposes of meeting the prerequisites of other feats, you are always treated as having the Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feats.

• When attacking with a manufactured or natural weapon or unarmed attack, you gain a bonus on damage equal to half your class level. Your training is so ingrained that this is considered a racial bonus, rather than a competence bonus.

• You gain a +1 competence bonus to your CMD against weapon maneuvers (disarm, sunder, etc.) and saving throws against spells targeting any weapon you are wielding (e.g., grease, heat metal, shatter, warp wood). This bonus increases by an additional +1 per 4 levels after the 2^nd (maximum +5 at 18^th level). At 20^th level, you cannot be disarmed.

Weapon Aptitude (Ex): Starting at 2^nd level, each morning, you can choose to spend 1 hour in weapon practice to change the designated weapon for any feat you have that applies to a specific weapon or weapons group (such as the Weapon Focus feat). You must have the newly-designated weapon available during your practice session in order to make this change. You can adjust any number of your feats or talents in this way, and you need not adjust them all in the same way. This ability is similar to the Warblade’s class feature of the same name, from the Tome of Battle.

Versatile Weapon Use (Ex): Starting at 3^rd level, all manufactured and natural weapons you wield are treated as if they dealt bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Grit (Ex): Starting at 4^th level, your toughness and resolve to defeat your enemies allows you to perform heroic deeds. You gain 1 daily use of this “grit” per 4 class levels you possess.

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Spending one point of “grit” allows you to do any of the following:

• Activate the effects of one [Strike] feat or ability on any hit, even if the activating conditions are not met;

• Gain the effects of one Hero Point (see Chapter 1) without actually using one of your own hero points;

• Gain the use of one combat feat whose prerequisites you meet for 1 round (if you have more than one round of use available, you can spend them simultaneously so as to gain the use of more than one feat that round);

• Instantly stabilize and remain conscious when reduced to 0 hp or below, but not slain (you are staggered, but do not fall unconscious and begin dying if you take a standard action).

• Starting at 16^th level, if you have at least two uses of grit remaining, you can spend all of your remaining uses to avoid death from hit point damage. Regardless of the source of the attack that would have killed you, you are left alive (at –1 hit points, or lower if you were already below –1), unconscious, and stable.

Grit is restored at the beginning of each day. You cannot “save up” grit from previous days; any uses not spent are lost when your full number of uses is restored. You can regain spent uses (up to your daily maximum) before the next day in the following ways:

• Each time you confirm a critical hit in the heat of combat, you regain 1 grit. Confirming a critical hit on a helpless or unaware creature, or on a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half your character level does not restore grit.

• When you use grit as part of an attack that reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points in the heat of combat, you regain 1 grit use.

Synergy: If you also have the Challenge talent, whenever you defeat the target of your challenge you regain one daily use of grit, up to your maximum number of uses per day. Defeating the target of a challenge usually involves reducing the target to 0 hit points or fewer, but the referee might rule that an enemy who surrenders or flees the battle is also defeated. If you retreat from battle against a challenged foe, you lose the ability to make a challenge for 24 hours.

Source: This ability supersedes the Gunslinger’s “grit” class feature (with the combat feat use simulating the Gunslinger’s “deeds”) and also the Samurai’s “resolve” and “honorable stand” class features, from Ultimate Combat. It can be used to emulate the cleric’s “weapon master” War domain power from the core rules.

Mettle (Ex): Starting at 5^th level, if you make a successful Fortitude or Will save against an attack that would normally have a lesser effect on a save (such as any spell with a saving throw of Fortitude Partial), you instead completely negate the effect. This supersedes the Hexblade class feature of the same name (Complete Warrior), and also the Pious Templar prestige class feature.

Onslaught of Blows (Ex): At 6^th level, when making iterative attacks you suffer no attack penalty for the second attack with any given weapon (i.e., the first iterative attack), including off-hand weapons; the effects of this ability are reflected in Table 1. If your base attack bonus improves from other classes and you gain a third iterative attack in that manner, the normal -5 penalty applies to it. For example, a 6^th level fighter attacks at +6/+6; a 3^rd level fighter/3^rd level ranger attacks at +6/+1.

Vital Strike (Ex): Even when not making iterative attacks, the fighter has an edge over other combatants. At 6^th level, you gain Vital Strike as a bonus feat. Note: If you also have the Combat Reflexes feat, this provides the equivalent of the Trailblazer fighter’s “punishing strike” ability (Badaxe Games).

Threat Assessment (Ex): By 8^th level, your experience in fighting combatants of all styles and levels of skill allows you to accurately size up new opponents. After studying a creature within 60 ft. for 1 round (which requires a swift action on your part), you can tell by the way it moves how skilled in combat it is likely to be:

Base Attack Bonus	Assessment
+0	Untrained
+1 to +5	Competent/trained
+6 to +10	Extremely experienced
+11 to +15	Exceptionally skilled
+16 to +20	World-class
+21 or higher	Godlike

You can also assess the type of threat the primary type of threat it presents (magical, melee, ranged, supernatural). A creature intentionally concealing its prowess is entitled to a Bluff check; in that event, you must succeed at an opposed Perception check to learn the information given. Any creature in disguise with at least one rank in Perform (acting) is assumed to be Bluffing as to its prowess, in accordance with its assumed role.

On a larger scale, you can scan the battlefield as a move action to learn which enemy within 60 feet of your current position has the highest base attack bonus. This assessment includes only those enemies you can see. This usage supersedes the Myrmidon’s “eye for danger” opportunism ability from the Iron Heroes Player’s Companion (Fiery Dragon Productions).

Warlord (Ex): Starting at 9^th level, your reputation as a war master grants you advantages when dealing with others. You gain the benefits of Skill Synergy (Bluff, Diplomacy) as a bonus feat. In addition, you can attract a body of men-at-arms led by an above-average fighter. This works similarly to the Leadership feat (Chapter 5), using your ranks in Knowledge (Warfare) rather than Diplomacy, but you can attract only fighters, warriors, or experts with this ability.

Instead of maintaining a standing army, you can choose to keep some or all of your leadership potential unallocated. Thereafter, whenever you demoralize an opponent or defeat a creature in combat but spare its life, you can choose to have that creature join your service on the spot, renouncing its former loyalties in the process. The target receives a Will save (DC 10 + half your fighter level + your Charisma modifier) to resist, and is subject to your normal CR limitations.

Special: If you establish a stronghold, you receive a noble title appropriate to the size and usefulness of the lands you clear around your stronghold. Thereafter, you gain income in the form of rent, which you can use to support your men-at-arms and stronghold. Being a noble provides you with substantial input into the political and world-building aspects of the campaign, as you can lobby the king (or other potentate) directly; in game terms, this allows you limited GM-like powers of fiat when it comes to national affairs (subject to agreement between you and the referee). Note that your title isn’t just frills; it also carries the responsibility of aiding your liege in times of war―unless you prefer to openly rebel, which starts a new adventure at a time when you might have more important things going on.

Improved Weapon Aptitude (Ex): At 10^th level, you gain Exotic proficiency with all weapons and shields. Even if exposed to a totally unfamiliar weapon from a completely different technology level, you can become proficient with it after handling it for one round. You also gain Catch Off Guard as a bonus feat.

In addition, you have the ability to recall the vital statistics and important quirks of practically all known commercially available weapons. This includes, but is not limited to, their general level of reliability as well as all vital statistics—material composition, ammunition capacity, caliber, possible outfitted accessories, etc.

Advanced Talent (Ex): Starting at 11^th level, each time you would gain a new talent, you can select an advanced talent instead, from the list of Advanced Fighter Talents below. If you cannot meet any of the prerequisites for a new advanced talent, you can select a regular talent instead.

Onslaught of Blows, Improved (Ex): At 11^th level, when making iterative attacks you suffer no attack penalty for the second or third attacks with any given weapon (including off-hand weapons); the effects of this ability are reflected in Table 1. If your base attack bonus improves from other classes and you gain a fourth iterative attack in that manner, the normal -5 penalty applies to it. For example, an 11^th level fighter attacks at +11/+11/+11; a 6^th level fighter/5^th level ranger would attack at +11/+11/+6, and a 3^rd level fighter/8^th level ranger attacks at +11/+6/+6.

Unstoppable (Ex): Starting at 14^th level, your actions can no longer be interrupted by immediate or pre-emptive actions. Those actions can still occur, but do not prevent your own actions from being completed.

Onslaught of Blows, Greater (Ex): A fighter of 16^th level or above suffers no iterative attack penalties; all of your attacks are made at your full attack bonus.

Supreme Warlord (Ex): Starting at 17^th level, your martial prowess is near-legendary. After one round of combat with you, certain opponents must save vs. Will (DC 10 + half your class level + your Charisma modifier) or break from the fight and attempt to surrender to you. For this ability to apply, the opponents must meet the following criteria:

• CR no higher than your CR –5;

• Intelligence greater than 2 and less than your class level;

• Primarily martial (melee or ranged) combatants;

• Must not have a leader of CR greater than or equal to yours.

Creatures affected by this ability immediately become Indifferent rather than Hostile, and can be affected by Bluff or Diplomacy thereafter. If you refuse to accept their surrender, affected creatures flee, demoralized, and will refuse to fight you or your allies thereafter. Creatures normally immune to [fear] effects are still subject to this ability, but gain a +4 bonus to the saving throw.

Any number of creatures in battle or led by creatures in battle with you can be affected, as long as they can see you and/or they are led by another affected creature. You can potentially sway entire armies in this manner, across tribal, racial, and national boundaries.

Greater Weapon Aptitude (Ex): At 18^th level, your aptitude with weapons is so great that you can instinctively apply training and methods learned with one weapon to others, without the need for additional practice. From this point on, the effects of all talents and feats you possess that normally apply only to a specific weapon, type of weapon, or weapons group (Improved Critical, Weapon Focus, etc.) automatically apply to all weapons you wield.

Fighting Spirit (Ex): Starting at 19^th level, you no longer automatically fail saving throws on a roll of 1 (you still fail the save if your total result fails to equal or beat the DC, however). This supersedes the Knight’s “impetuous endurance” class feature from the Player’s Handbook II.

Weapon Mastery (Ex): At 20^th level, all your critical threats are automatically confirmed, and you treat the critical multiplier of weapons you wield as one higher than normal (a ×2 becomes a ×3, for example).

Appendix A: Fighter Talents

Talent	Description
Arcane resistance	+1/2 levels vs. spells, SLAs
Armor training	Bonus to AC, max Dex, DR
Armored skin	+1 natural, +1/3 levels
Ascetic warrior	Multiclass with monk
Banner	Charge, save bonuses to allies
Bulwark	Grant soft cover to adjacent allies
Challenge	+Level damage until foe defeated
Combat feat	Bonus combat feat
Deflect blows	+1 deflection, +1/4 levels
Disruptive	Prevent adjacent spellcasting
Eldritch knight	Multiclass with arcane casting
Evasion	As rogue class feature
Foebane	Gain a favored enemy
Fortification	Negate crit, sneak attack 5%/level
Grace	Add Cha bonus to saves
Guarded attributes	Reduces attribute damage
Hand of justice	Hold attacks to increase threats
Iaijutsu	Improves initiative, surprise atks
Knightly order	See Appendix
Marshal, field	Multiclass with bard
Mobility	+10 ft. speed, AC bonus vs. AoO
Mount	Animal companion (steed)
Parry spells	Attack roll to negate spell
Perfect defense	CMB to parry all of foe’s atks
Personal weapon	+1, +1/4 lvls in enhancements
Physical condition.	Inherent bonus to Str, Dex, or Con
Primal warrior	Multiclass with barbarian
Punishing stance	+1d6 dmg, -2 AC; scales w/ level
Resilient	Lessens stun, daze, KO, etc.
Riposte	Immediate AoO on parry
Second wind	Regain level x Con mod hp/day
Shield other	You take ½ of ally’s damage
Spellsword	Multiclass with arcane caster
Strong stomach	Resist nausea, poison, disease
Strike team leader	Grant 6th Sense bonus to allies
Templar	Multiclass with cleric/incarnate
Thicket of blades	Threatened area is difficult terrain

Arcane Resistance

Benefit: You gain a resistance bonus equal to half your class level on all saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities (but not supernatural abilities). At 16^th level, this is therefore the equivalent of a permanent protection from spells effect, except that it is an extraordinary ability and cannot be dispelled.

Source: This talent supersedes the Hexblade class feature of the same name (Complete Warrior), and also the Occult Slayer’s “magical defense” prestige class feature.

Armor Training

Prerequisites: Armor Proficiency.

Benefit: Whenever you are wearing armor with which you are proficient, you gain the following:

• An additional +1 competence bonus to AC;

• Reduction of the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0)—this benefit stacks with the benefit for ranks in Endurance (-1 per 3 ranks);

• Reduction of the arcane spell failure chance (if applicable) by 5% (to a minimum of 0%);

• Increase the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by your armor by 1; and

• Damage reduction 1/— (this stacks with other DR/— from other sources, such as barbarian levels or adamantine armor).

These benefits improve by +1 for every 4 levels in fighter you possess (for example, a 16^th level fighter would have a +5 armor bonus, a -5 reduction of check penalties, a -25% arcane spell failure chance, a +5 to maximum Dex bonus allowed, and DR 5/— when wearing armor). At 20^th level, your armor cannot be sundered while you are wearing it.

Special: If you are actively using a light or heavy shield (not a buckler, animated shield, shield spell, or Two-Weapon Defense), you gain your armor training bonus with the shield if no armor is worn. If using both armor and a shield, the benefits listed apply to both your armor and shield (i.e., they stack).

If you have this talent and reduce your armor check penalty to 0, you are treated as being “unarmored” for purposes of feats such as Canny Defense and Giant-Slayer.

Source: This talent supersedes the core fighter’s armor training talent, and also a number of the Armor Master’s variant class features from Ultimate Combat.

Armored Skin

Either from immersion in some magical liquid (perhaps the River Styx, as for Achilles in The Illiad, or the blood of a dragon, as for Siegfried in The Niebelungenlied)—or possibly simply from long and brutal training—your skin is as tough as armor.

Benefit: You gain a +1 natural armor bonus to AC, or any existing natural armor bonus increases by +1. This bonus improves by +1 per 3 class levels you possess, to a maximum bonus of +7 at 18^th level. If you have another class feature that improves natural armor (such as the monk’s iron skin sutra or the ranger’s barkskin lore), you do not gain the separate benefits from each; instead, your levels those classes stack in order to determine a single improvement.

Ascetic Warrior

Prerequisite: At least one level in monk.

Benefit: You gain the following synergy between fighter and monk levels:

• Your fighter levels provide Full synergy for purposes of determining your unarmed mastery bonus damage.

• Your fighter levels provide Strong synergy for determining the improvements of monk sutras.

• Your monk levels provide Full synergy towards your weapon training ability (this supersedes the monk’s weapon form ability), and for determining the effects of your fighter talents.

• You may select monk sutras in the place of fighter talents, and vice versa. You may select advanced fighter talents or monk sutras in the place of normal ones if your combined fighter and monk levels total at least 11.

Source: This talent supersedes the feat of the same name, from Complete Adventurer.

Banner

Your fame on the battlefield makes your pennant or shield device a symbol of inspiration to your allies and companions. A banner must be prominently carried and displayed by you or your mount to function. A Knowledge (warfare) check at DC 25 minus your class level is sufficient to identify you from your banner. As long as your banner is clearly visible, when you personally lead followers in battle, the benefits of your bravery class feature (q.v.) apply to all of your allies, followers, and cohort(s) who have a line of sight to you.

You gain additional effects as your level increases, as follows:

• At 6^th level, you gain Lead the Charge as a bonus feat; this applies only as long as your banner is displayed.

• Starting at 11^th level, your banner becomes a rallying call to your allies. While your banner is displayed, allies within 60 ft. gain a +2 morale bonus to saving throws against charm and compulsion effects.

• At 16^th level and above, you can spend a standard action to wave the banner through the air, granting all allies within 60 feet an additional saving throw against any one spell or effect that is targeting them. This save is made at the original DC. Spells and effects that do not allow saving throws are unaffected by this ability. An ally cannot benefit from this ability more than once per day.

This ability supersedes the Cavalier’s banner class features from the Advanced Player’s Guide, the bolstering voice maneuver from the Tome of Battle, and the Legendary Leader’s “fearless” and “to hell and back” prestige class features from Heroes of Battle.

Bulwark

Benefit: As long as you are able to act, are not flat-footed, and have at least one attack of opportunity remaining to you, you provide soft cover (+4 cover bonus to AC against missile fire) to all adjacent allies.

• Starting at 6^th level, you provide soft cover to all allies within reach.

• Starting at 11^th level, you are a citadel for your allies. When wearing heavy armor, you grant hard cover (+4 cover bonus to AC and Reflex saves) to those adjacent to you (subject to the conditions above).

• At 16^th level, you provide hard cover for all allies within reach.

Source: This supersedes the armiger’s “bulwark” and “citadel” class features, from the Genius Guide to the Armiger (Super Genius Games).

Challenge

Benefit: As a swift action, you can choose one target within sight to call out. Your gain a morale bonus to melee attacks against that opponent equal to your Charisma bonus (minimum +1), to a maximum bonus equal to your class level. Successful attacks against that opponent deal extra damage equal to your fighter level. The challenge remains in effect until the target is dead or unconscious or until the combat ends. Challenging a foe requires much of your concentration; you take a –2 circumstance penalty to Armor Class, except against attacks made by the target of your challenge.

• If your base attack bonus is +11 or higher, the target of your challenge also takes a –2 circumstance penalty to its AC against the attacks of all opponents other than you.

• If your base attack bonus is +16 or higher, your focus on the target of your challenge is absolute. While your challenge is in effect, melee and ranged weapon, unarmed, and natural attacks by creatures other than the target of your challenge automatically deal minimum damage to you.

You can use this ability once per day, plus one additional time per day for every three fighter levels beyond the 1^st (maximum 7/day at 19^th level). In addition, if an ally is rendered helpless or unconscious or killed within your sight, you automatically gain the effects of this talent against the creature that felled him or her, without spending a daily use.

Special: If you belong to a knightly order (q.v.), your challenge gains an additional effect.

Source: This talent supersedes the Cavalier’s class feature of the same name, from the Advanced Players Guide, and incorporates part of the Samurai’s “last stand” ability from Ultimate Combat. It also supersedes the Samurai’s kiai smite and the Knight Proctor’s retributive attack from Complete Warrior, and the Outcast Champion’s avenging strike from Races of Destiny.

Combat Feat

You gain one bonus [Combat] feat. You must meet all prerequisites; the provisions of your feat aptitude class feature still apply.

Source: Selecting this option at 1^st level mimics the 1^st level fighter bonus feat listed in the core rules.

Deflect Blows

You are skilled at causing attacks to skitter harmlessly past you.

Benefit: You gain a +1 deflection bonus to AC. For every 4 fighter levels you possess, this deflection bonus increases by an additional +1 (to a maximum +6 at 20^th level).

Disruptive [Stance]

Your training makes it difficult for enemy spellcasters to safely cast spells near you.

Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes feat.

Benefit: The DC to cast spells defensively increases by 4 for all enemies within your threatened area. This increase only applies if you are aware of the enemy’s location and are attempting to disrupt his or her casting.

In addition, you may make an attack of opportunity against any opponent you threaten who dismisses a spell, directs or redirects an active spell, casts a quickened or swift spell, or attempts to channel energy without doing so defensively (by way of a concentration check). If your attack is successful, your opponent must succeed at a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage dealt) or lose the action that provoked the attack of opportunity.

• If your fighter level is 6^th or higher, when you hold an action to attack a spellcaster while he or she is casting or channeling, you deal double damage if the attack hits. Precision-based damage (as from Sneak Attack) and other forms of bonus damage expressed in dice (such as from a flaming weapon) are not doubled.

• If your fighter level is 11^th or higher, enemies in your threatened area that fail their checks to cast spells or channel defensively also provoke attacks of opportunity from you.

• If your fighter level is 16^th or higher, spells, spell-like abilities, or channeling with casting times greater than a swift action cannot be completed within your threatened area. Any attempt to do so automatically fails, in addition to provoking an attack of opportunity from you.

Normal: Enemies that fail to cast spells defensively lose their spells, but do not provoke attacks of opportunity. Supernatural abilities do not require Concentration checks to use defensively.

Source: This feat now subsumes the Spellbreaker feat from the Core rules; the Occult Opportunist feat from Dragon magazine (issue 340), the Spellcasting Harrier feat from the 3.5 edition System Reference Document (“Epic Feats”), and also the Occult Slayer’s “vicious strike” prestige class feature from Complete Warrior.

Eldritch Knight

You are trained in combining arcane spellcasting with combat.

Prerequisites: Arcane spell capacity 1^st.

Benefit: Your fighter levels provide Weak theurgy towards your arcane spellcasting progression (spell capacity), including spells known and spells per day.

Source: This talent largely supersedes the prestige class of the same name from the core rules. It can be used to create a 1^st edition-like fighter/magic-user.

Evasion

Benefit: You gain evasion, as the rogue class feature. If you have at least 11 levels in fighter, you also gain Improved Evasion (you do not gain Greater Evasion with this talent alone).

Synergy: If you have levels in Rogue, your fighter levels instead provide Full synergy towards the rogue’s evasion progression.

Foebane

Benefit: You gain one favored enemy, as the ranger lore of the same name, treating your fighter level as your effective ranger level (minimum effective level 2^nd).

Fortification

Prerequisites: Armor Training talent.

Benefit: When you wear heavy armor, there is a 5% chance per fighter level you possess that any critical hit or sneak attack against you is negated and damage is instead rolled normally.

If an opponent scores a critical hit against you that is not negated by this ability, you can still turn the critical hit into a normal hit. If you do, either your armor or your shield (your choice) gains the broken condition, providing half the normal AC bonus and imposing double the normal check penalties. This option emulates the Fortified Armor Training feat from Ultimate Combat.

Grace

You are gifted with an almost supernatural ability to avoid misfortune. Whether this is a matter of divine protection or only your own boldness of spirit, the effect is the same.

Prerequisite: Charisma 13+.

Benefit: Add your Charisma bonus as a sacred or profane bonus to all saving throws.

Special: If you have the Serenity feat, you can apply your Wisdom bonus instead.

Source: This talent supersedes the paladin’s divine grace class feature from the Core rules.

Guarded Attributes [Skill]

Benefit: When you suffer any effect that causes a [debilitation] condition, including attribute damage, attribute drain, or temporary attribute score penalties, the effect is reduced by 1 point per 2 ranks in Endurance you possess. If multiple attributes are affected, this ability applies only once; however, you can allot the total reduction among them as you see fit.

Against poison and disease, this talent is applied once per dose or case of the disease, not once per instance of ongoing damage.

Hand of Justice [Stance]

Benefit: As a swift action, choose one opponent in melee combat with you. For each round you use a full attack action against that opponent, each melee attack against that opponent you voluntarily give up completely (taking no action instead) grants a +1 insight bonus to the critical threat range and on any roll to confirm a threat for the next attack you do make against that opponent. Effects that are triggered on a crit (e.g., Strike feats, or the flaming burst weapon property) do not activate unless the attack roll is within your normal (unmodified) threat range.

The maximum threat range increase is equal to your class level. For example, an 11^th level fighter could give up two full rounds’ worth of melee attacks against a single opponent (taking no action instead), and on the third round, his first attack would have a critical range expanded by 6 places (e.g., from 19-20 to 13-20), and gain a +6 insight bonus to confirm the crit.

If you perform any other actions, or if the opponent leaves your threatened area, the bonus resets to 0.

Special: Because this talent uses up full attacks, it can be used in conjunction with Combat Expertise, but not with the full defense action. This is a specific exception to the general rule of non-stacking of stance effects.

Source: This talent emulates the spell of the same name, from Relics & Rituals (Sword & Sorcery Studios).

Iaijutsu [Stance]

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Sleight of Hand 1 rank.

Benefit: While in this stance, apply your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier as an insight bonus to initiative. In addition, once per round you can draw a weapon at any time (even if it is not your turn); this happens instantaneously, and does not require an immediate action on your part.

• If your base attack bonus is +6 or higher, you can make a single attack during a surprise round that, in addition to normal damage, deals 1½ times your Vital Strike damage and carries the effects of any one other Strike feat you know. This use supersedes the sword saint’s “iaijutsi strike,” from the Pathfinder Player Companion: Dragon Empires Primer. You cannot use this option in conjunction with two-weapon fighting or a flurry of blows.

• If you are at least 11^th level, if you are in this stance and begin combat within reach of an opponent, you gain a free surprise round, even though your opponents are aware of your presence.

• At 16^th level and above, you do not need to roll initiative while in this stance; it is always treated as if you had rolled a natural 20.

Synergy: If you also have the Deafening Strike feat and your base attack bonus is +11 or higher, you can add the effects of your Deafening Strike and Vital Strike feats normally to a single attack made during a surprise round, and the BAB +1 effects of the Deafening Strike feat also apply to all enemies within 30 ft. This supersedes the sword saint’s “roaring iaijutsu” ability from the Pathfinder Player Companion: Dragon Empires Primer.

Source: This talent supersedes the Iaijutsu Master’s “strike with no thought” prestige class feature from Oriental Adventures, and the Kensai’s “iaijutsu focus” and “iaijutsu master” variant class features from Ultimate Combat.

Knightly Order

Benefit: You have pledged yourself to a specific order of knighthood. The order grants you additional class skills and special abilities.

• At 1^st level, you are sworn into the order. You accept the Order’s edicts (see below) and gain a skill focus and 1^st level ability from that Order.

• At 8^th level, you are a Knight of Renown. You gain the 8^th level ability from your order, and can expect to receive hospitality by any noble who recognizes you or your Order, anywhere in the world you go.

• At 15^th level, you are a Knight of Quality, and one of the masters of your order. You gain the 15^th level ability listed under your Order, and are automatically obeyed by lesser knights of the same Order.

Synergy: If you also have the Challenge talent, your order of knighthood grants an additional effect when using that ability.

Special: Each order includes a number of edicts that its members must follow. If you violate any of these edicts, you lose all benefits gained from your order for 24 hours. The violation of an edict is subject to referee interpretation. You cannot change your order without undertaking a lengthy process to dedicate yourself to a new cause. When this choice is made, you immediately lose all of the benefits from the old order. You must then follow the edicts of your new order for one entire level without gaining any benefits from that order. Once accomplished, you gain all of the bonuses from the new order.

Special: You cannot belong to more than one order of knighthood.

Source: Advanced Player’s Guide.

Marshal, Field

You are a beacon to those on the battlefield; your tactical mastery, communicated in shouted commands, inspires your allies to fight to their utmost.

Prerequisites: Int 13 or Cha 13.

Benefit: You gain the inspire courage ability, as a 1^st level skald (q.v.). For purposes of rounds of use per day and the effects of the inspiration, your effective bard level is equal to your fighter level.

Special: If you have levels in bard, your fighter level provides Full synergy with your bard level for purposes of determining the DC and number of rounds of inspiration per day and to your college. This supersedes the benefits described above.

Mobility

Prerequisite: Acrobatics 1 rank, Dodge.

Benefit: You are trained in moving during combat. You gain the following benefits:

• Your base land speed for tactical movement in combat only (not for overland movement) increases by 10 ft.

• You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to the attack roll per 10 feet of movement taken immediately before an attack.

• You gain a dodge bonus equal to your class level to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened area. If you have at least 11 ranks in Acrobatics, your movement through threatened areas does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

• The bonus from your Dodge feat also applies to saving throws or checks against effects causing you to become entangled, immobilized, paralyzed, or slowed. Starting at 16^th level, you gain a perpetual freedom of movement effect.

Special: Mobility has been changed to a fighter talent, rather than a feat, so as not to devalue the Acrobatics skill (which allows movement without provoking attacks of opportunity).

Source: This talent subsumes the feat of the same name from the core rules, and also the Mobile Fighter archetype from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Mount [Skill]

Prerequisite: Handle Animal 1 rank.

Benefit: You gain Skill Focus (Handle Animal) as a bonus feat. In addition, you gain the service of a loyal and trusty steed to carry you into battle. This mount functions similarly to a druid’s bonded companion (per the Mark of the Wild ability), having a maximum CR equal to 3 less than your number of ranks in Handle Animal. Exotic mounts (magical beasts or even dragons, rather than animals) are also possible: at 7^th level, for example, you can gain a griffon (CR 4) as a steed; at 12^th level, a dragon horse (CR 9) is not out of the question.

Mounts with aerial speeds greater than 60 ft. should be treated as 1 CR higher than actual, making a hippogriff available at 6^th level, a pegasus at 7^th, a young bronze dragon at 13^th, and a sleipnir (Bestiary 3) at 15^th. You can add the Phantom Steed template (see below) at a CR +1 cost.

Should your mount die, you may find another mount to serve you after 1 week of mourning. This new mount does not gain the link, evasion, devotion, or improved evasion special abilities until the next time you gain a fighter level.

Special: The creature generally is one that is suitable as a mount for you (e.g., boar, camel, dog, horse, pony, or wolf), but with referee approval you can choose one or more animals other than a mount―a hunting hawk, for example, or a pair of attack dogs, subject to the normal total CR limit.

Source: This talent supersedes the Cavalier class feature of the same name, and also the Expert Trainer class feature, from the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.

Phantom Steed (Template) Cr +1

A mount with this template gains the following cumulative special abilities, depending on your class level:

• Increased Speed (Ex): Your mount’s base land speed increases by 5 ft. per 2 class levels you possess, to a maximum base speed of 100 ft. per round.

• Swamp Stride (Ex); Starting at 8^th level, the mount can ride over sandy, muddy, or even swampy ground without difficulty or decrease in speed.

• Water Walk (Sp): At 10^th level, the mount can use water walk at will as a spell-like ability; this ability does not require an action to activate.

• Air Walk (Sp): Starting at 12^th level, the mount can use air walk at will as a spell-like ability, which does not require an action to activate. However, it lasts only 1 round at a time, after which time the mount falls to the ground.

• Flight (Su): Starting at 14^th level, the mount can fly at its base land speed, with a competence bonus on Fly skill checks equal to your class level.

Parry Spells

Benefit: You gain the ability to use held attacks to parry spells. You must have a weapon in hand to parry a spell, and have one or more unused attacks available to you (per the Parry maneuver; see Chapter 1). Only spells targeting you alone can be parried—not area spells or spells targeted elsewhere. You make an attack roll opposed by the caster's Concentration check. If your roll is higher, the spell fails to affect you. You can parry only spells you are aware of; spells from invisible casters or those casting mental-action only spells cannot be parried.

Perfect Defense [Stance]

Prerequisites: Improved Weapon Maneuvers.

Benefit: As a full-round action, roll a combat maneuver check (weapon maneuver) against the CMD of one opponent in melee with you. If successful, you automatically parry all of his melee attacks until your next turn or until he moves outside of your reach without you immediately following.

If the check succeeds by a margin of at least +5, the opponent cannot move from his current square.

Source: This talent duplicates the Counterstrike feat from the Collected Book of Experimental Might (Malhavoc Press).

Personal Weapon

Benefit: Choose a specific weapon (not a weapon category or type of weapon) you own. When wielding that specific weapon, treat its enhancement bonus as 1 greater than is actually the case (a non-magical weapon is +1 in your hands, a +1 weapon is +2, etc.) for all purposes.

The effective bonus of your personal weapon increases by +1 per 4 class levels you possess (maximum +6 at 20^th level). The total bonus can be applied as an enhancement bonus and/or traded in for weapon properties (as described in Chapter 6), as long as the total bundled enhancement bonus is always at least +1. If you have the Weapon Aptitude class feature, these allocations can be changed each morning.

If your personal weapon is destroyed, you can select a different one after one week. The new weapon need not be of the same type as the previous one, as long as it is in your possession and you are proficient with it. You cannot use Weapon Aptitude or Improved Weapon Aptitude (q.v.) to transfer personal weapon properties to another weapon.

Special: The effects of this talent to not stack with the effects of similar weapon enhancement-granting class features (e.g., the monk’s ki strike, the ranger’s favored weapon lore, or the barbarian’s wrath of ancestors rage power. Rather, if you have one of those class features, your levels in the relevant class provide Full synergy to this ability.

You can select this talent more than once. Each time, it applies to a different weapon.

Variant: Instead of a personal weapon, you could choose a personal suit of armor or personal shield.

Physical Conditioning

Benefit: Choose one physical attribute score. You gain a +1 inherent bonus to that attribute, as if from a manual of gainful exercise or similar tome. For every 5 levels you possess, the bonus increases by +1 (maximum +5 at 20^th level).

Special: You can select this talent multiple times. The effects do not stack; each time, select a different attribute.

Primal Warrior

Prerequisite: Ability to rage.

Benefit: You gain the following benefits when multiclassing between barbarian and fighter:

• Your fighter level provides Strong synergy when determining the type of rage you have available (improved, greater, mighty, etc.), your attribute bonuses from rage, the number of rounds of rage per day you can sustain, and the effects of level-specific rage powers.

• Your barbarian levels provide Full synergy when determining the level-dependent effects of fighter talents you possess.

• You can gain fighter talents in the place of rage powers or improved rage powers, and advanced fighter talents in the place of greater rage powers or mighty rage powers. You can also learn rage powers in the place of fighter talents.

• Your barbarian level provides Strong synergy towards your fighter level for purposes of qualifying for advanced fighter talents.

Punishing Stance [Stance]

Benefit: While you are in this stance, you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage with all melee attacks. This additional damage is considered precision-based and is not multiplied in the case of a critical hit; however, it does stack with Vital Strike or sneak attack damage. You also take a -2 penalty to AC, because this fighting stance emphasizes power over a defensive posture. As with most stances, you cannot maintain this stance while moving.

For every 4 levels in fighter you possess, you can increase the bonus damage by an additional +1d6 by increasing the AC penalty by an additional -2 (maximum +6d6 damage, -12 to AC at 20^th level).

Source: This talent supersedes the stance of the same name, from the Tome of Battle.

Resilient [Skill]

Benefit: The severity of [Inertia] conditions affecting you are lessened by one step (e.g., stunned to dazed; see Chapter 1). For purposes of this ability, treat unconsciousness as a critical [inertia] condition (this does not render you immune to magical sleep effects, nor does it remove your need for sleep).

• If you have at least 6 ranks in Endurance, the severity is lessened by 2 steps, rather than one.

• If you have at least 11 ranks in Endurance, the severity is lessened by 3 steps.

• If you have at least 16 ranks in Endurance, you are immune to [Inertia] conditions and cannot be knocked unconscious.

Riposte [Finesse]

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Weapon Finesse.

Benefit: You can make an immediate attack of opportunity against any creature whose attack you successfully parry (see combat rules), so long as the creature you are attacking is within reach. This attack counts as part of the parry, and does not require an additional immediate action on your part.

• If your fighter level is at least 6^th, each round you are in melee, designate a single enemy. Any attack made by the enemy you have designated provokes an attack of opportunity from you. This special attack of opportunity is called a counterattack. You may not counterattack an opponent’s counterattack. Any counterattack uses one of your attacks of opportunity for the round; you may make only one counterattack in a round, even if you have the Combat Reflexes feat. Trading the counterattack for a 5-ft. step emulates the Sidestep feat chain from the Pathfinder Advanced Players Guide.

• If your fighter level is 11^th or higher, when you trade the counterattack for a 5-ft. step, you move just out of the opponent’s reach before the attack can connect; this supersedes the Swordsage shifting defense stance, from the Tome of Battle.

• If your fighter level is 16^th or higher, you can take a 5-ft. step and also counterattack as a single immediate action in response to an attack by the designated target.

Special: You may use a counterattack to parry. Resolve this as combat maneuver against your attacker (the bonus from Improved Weapon Maneuvers applies, if you also possess that feat). If successful, one melee attack against you by that opponent within the next round is negated.

Source: Art of the Duel (Sinister Adventures LLC). This talent also supersedes the Counterattack option for fighters, from the Players Handbook II.

Second Wind

Benefit: You can instantly recover a number of hit points per day equal to your fighter class level x your Constitution modifier. You can divide this healing however you see fit, but each use requires an immediate action. If you use this ability to increase your hit points above their normal total, the excess are treated as temporary hit points that disappear after 1 minute if not lost to damage before then.

Source: This talent supersedes the Warblade’s iron heart endurance boost from the Tome of Battle.

Shield Other [Stance]

Benefit: As a swift action, you can declare one ally within reach as the recipient of this ability. The subject gains a +1 circumstance bonus to AC and saving throws. Additionally, the subject takes only half damage from all wounds and attacks (including those dealt by special abilities) that deal hit point damage.

The amount of damage not taken by the warded creature is taken by you. Forms of harm that do not involve hit points, such as charm effects, temporary ability damage, level draining, and death effects, are not affected. If the subject suffers a reduction of hit points from a lowered Constitution score, the reduction is not split with you because it is not hit point damage. If the warded ally moves out of reach, the effect ends instantly.

Energy resistance, damage reduction, and so on are applied separately to you and the person you are shielding. Evasion (if any) is also applied individually, after the damage is divided.

As an immediate action you spend one unused attack of opportunity to absorb all the damage (plus any associated effects, such as poison) from a single attack directed against the shielded ally. You must decide whether to use this ability after the attacker determines that an attack has succeeded but before he rolls damage.

Source: This talent emulates the Knight of the Realm’s “At the Throne” prestige class feature, from Relics & Rituals: Excalibur (Sword & Sorcery Studios), the In Harm’s Way feat from the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide, and the Knight’s “shield ally” class feature from the Player’s Handbook II.

Spellsword

Prerequisites: Eldritch Knight talent.

Benefit: You gain the following additional benefits when multiclassing between fighter and an arcane spellcasting class:

• For purposes of determining the effects of fighter talents you possess, and for qualifying for advanced fighter talents, one arcane spellcasting class provides Strong synergy towards your fighter level.

• Your fighter level provides Weak synergy towards your bloodline abilities or school powers (and arcane bond abilities, if applicable). This includes the powers gained as well as the effects of those powers.

• You can gain fighter talents in the place of wizard bonus feats or school powers. You can also gain arcane feats in place of fighter bonus feats, or combat feats in the place of sorcerer bonus feats.

Strong Stomach

The constant sight and stench of blood has left you inured to any hint of queasiness.

Benefit: You are immune to any effect that would apply the sickened condition to a normal person. If you succumb to an effect that normally causes nausea, you are sickened instead. You also gain a +1 racial bonus to saving throws against [affliction] conditions.

• If you have at least 6 ranks in Endurance, you are immune to nausea, and your racial bonus against afflictions increases to +2.

• If you have at least 11 ranks in Endurance, you are immune to disease and ingested poisons. Your racial bonus to saves against afflictions increases to +3.

• If you have at least 16 ranks in Endurance, you are immune to all [affliction] conditions.

Strike Team Leader

Benefit: You gain the following benefits when leading allies:

• Whenever you can act in a surprise round, allies adjacent to you can also act in the surprise round (even if they would normally be unable). If such an ally would normally be denied the ability to act in the surprise round, his or her initiative is equal to his or her initiative roll or your roll –1, whichever is lower.

• If you are at least 6^th level and both you and your ally would be able to act in the surprise round without the aid of this talent, your ally may take both a standard and a move action (or a full round action) during the surprise round.

Synergy: If you also have the Alertness feat, you also gain the effects of the Alert Bodyguard feat, but the effects extend to all allies within 30 ft. of you. In addition, you gain a +1 competence bonus per fighter level to Perception rolls to sense nearby allies.

Source: This talent supersedes the Lookout feat from the Advanced Players Guide, the Tactician’s “tactical awareness” variant class feature, from Ultimate Combat, the Dread Commando’s “team initiative bonus” prestige class feature from Heroes of Battle, and the Nightsong Infiltrator’s “teamwork trap sense” and the Nightsong Enforcer’s “teamwork” prestige class features from Complete Adventurer.

Templar

You are a martial champion of some god, religion, or extraplanar power.

Prerequisites: Divine spell capacity 1^st or ki powers.

Benefit: Your fighter level provides Weak theurgy towards your divine spellcasting ability or ki power progression, and Weak synergy to your ability to channel energy or incarnate resistances/terrain.

If you have no divine spellcasting ability, you instead gain a suite of spell-like abilities (dependent on your number of ranks in Concentration, as described in Chapter 7) drawn from the paladin or antipaladin spell list and/or War domain list. Upon gaining a level in a class with divine spellcasting ability, these abilities are lost in favor of the theurgy described above.

Special: You can gain additional synergy between fighter and divine casting classes by selecting the War domain (clerics and archivists) or Battle mystery (incarnates; see “fighter training” revelation).

Thicket of Blades [Stance]

Your strict vigilance and active defensive maneuvers force your opponents to move with care. You stand your ground against all enemies, warding the spot where you make your stand to prevent foes from slipping past and attacking those you protect.

Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, No Retreat.

Benefit: Any opponent that begins its turn in your threatened area treats all the squares that you threaten as difficult terrain. (Each square of difficult terrain counts as 2 squares of movement, and the creature cannot run, charge, or take a 5-ft. step).

• Starting at 6^th level, add your fighter level as a competence bonus to the DC for Acrobatics checks to ignore the effects of this difficult terrain. For an opponent who is successful (or who has the Surefooted feat), you gain a like bonus to the DC for Acrobatics checks to move through your threatened area or your space without provoking attacks of opportunity.

• Starting at 11^th level, your threatened area is difficult terrain for all enemies, even if they do not start their turns within that area.

• Starting at 16^th level, enemies within your threatened area have the entangled condition.

Special: By trading the attack of opportunity provoked by movement for a 5-ft. step (Variations in the Core Rules Mechanics: “Tactical Movement”), you can also simulate the Polearm Master’s “step aside” variant class feature, from the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide. This step does not automatically end your stance.

Normal: The Acrobatics check DC to move through squares you threaten is equal to your CMD. Threatened squares do not count as any specific type of terrain.

Source: This talent supersedes the Knight’s “vigilant defender” class feature from the Player’s Handbook II. It supersedes the Crusader’s stance of the same name from the Tome of Battle.

Source: This talent subsumes the d20 Modern Weapons Encyclopedia feat, and also the

Advanced Talents

Advanced Talent	Description
Blinding speed	Haste self 1 rd./lvl per day
Countering strike	Denies use of Su or Ex ability
Devastating strike	Automatic critical
Diamond defense	Add level to results of save
Diamond mind	Immune to mind-affecting
Diamond soul	SR 12 + fighter level
Dodge, epic	Avoid one attack per round
Elaborate defense	Improved Combat Expertise
Fast healing	Fast healing 1/2 lvls after 9th
Flurry of blows	Two-weapon fighting with single weapon
Last word	AoO when reduced to 0 hp
Mountain hammer	Doubles melee Vital Strike
Overexertion	Shuffle attribute points
Parry, manticore	Redirect parried attack
Pierce the fog of war	See through illusions, etc.
Pierce magical protection	Strike ignores and dispels magical defenses
Power attack, greater	4x attack penalty
Precise strike	Additional damage with one-handed finesse weapon
Powerful bolt	Doubles ranged Vital Strike
Prowess, epic	+1 bonus to all attack rolls
Robilar’s gambit	Attackers provoke AoO
Sheltered life	Immune to death effects
Sheltered vitality	Immune to attribute damage
Shield guard	Negates flanking
Stance mastery	Maintain stances freely
Striking mastery	Apply more than one effect
Threat zone	Threat reach increases
Two-weapon fighting, superior	Eliminates penalties for two-weapon fighting

Blinding Speed

Benefit: You can act as if hasted for 1 round per day per fighter level you possess. The duration of the effect need not be consecutive rounds. Activating this power is a free action.

Special: You can gain this talent multiple times. Each time you take the talent, it grants an additional number of daily rounds of use equal to half your fighter level.

Source: 3.5 edition System Reference Document, “Epic Feats.”

Countering Strike [Strike]

Benefit: As a standard action, make a single attack against a target that has an extraordinary or supernatural ability of which you are aware (either by observing it in use, or by succeeding at a DC 20 Knowledge or other skill check appropriate to the creature). Only a single ability can be targeted with a use of this talent; spellcasting abilities cannot be affected. If the attack hits and deals damage, the target must succeed at a Fortitude save or lose the use of the selected ability for a number of rounds equal to your class level.

Source: This talent emulates the Mighty Godling’s “counter power” talent, from the Genius Guide to the Godling (Super Genius games).

Devastating Strike [Strike]

Benefit: As a full round action, make a single attack at a –5 penalty. If you hit, you score a critical hit. Special weapon abilities that activate only on a critical hit, such as flaming burst, do not also activate.

Synergy: If you also have the Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot feats, you can use this talent with ranged attacks (this does not also work in conjunction with the Manyshot feat).

Source: This feat duplicates the effects of the two-handed fighter’s Devastating Blow feature from the Advanced Players Guide, and also the Archer’s “critical shot” token ability from Iron Heroes (Fiery Dragon Productions).

Diamond Defense

In time of need, you can draw on your focus and training to ensure that you overcome almost any effect.

Benefit: Once per encounter as an immediate action, you can add your fighter level as a competence bonus to the roll when making any single saving throw. You must declare the use of this ability before rolling the die.

Source: Tome of Battle.

Diamond Mind

You are nearly impossible to sway with honeyed words or magic.

Prerequisite: Immunity to fear.

Benefit: You are immune to [mind-affecting] effects.

Source: This talent supersedes the Unbreakable’s “unbreakable mind” variant class feature, from Ultimate Combat.

Diamond Soul

Prerequisite: Arcane Resistance talent.

Benefit: You gain spell resistance against hostile spells equal to 11 + your fighter level.

Dodge, Epic

Prerequisites: Dodge; Riposte talent.

Benefit: When struck by an attack from an opponent you have designated as the object of your 6^th level Riposte talent ability, you can spend an attack of opportunity to automatically avoid all damage from the attack.

Source: 3.5 edition System Reference Document, “Epic Feats.”

Elaborate Defense

Prerequisite: Armor Training talent or Weapon Finesse feat (see below).

Benefit: The AC bonus granted by your Combat Expertise feat is doubled (see table below), provided one of the following conditions applies:

• You have the Armor Training talent and are actively using a shield (not an animated shield or a shield spell); or

• You have the Weapon Finesse feat, are wielding a light or one-handed finessable weapon in one hand, and have nothing in the other hand.

Base Attack Bonus	Attack Penalty	Defensive Fighting	Total Defense
+11	-3	+6	+9
+12 to +15	-4	+8	+12
+16 to +19	-5	+10	+15
+20	-6	+12	+18

Source: This talent supersedes the Duelist prestige class feature of the same name, and also the Shielded Fighter’s “active defense” variant class feature from the Advanced Player’s Guide. It has been altered somewhat to use the same mechanics as fighting defensively and Combat Expertise.

Fast Healing

Prerequisite: Fast Recovery feat.

Benefit: You gain fast healing 1; this improves by an additional 1 hp/round per 2 class levels after 11^th, to a maximum of fast healing 5 at 19^th level.

Flurry of Blows

Prerequisite: Two-Weapon Fighting.

Benefit: When you make a full attack with any single melee weapon, you gain all the effects of any Two-Weapon Fighting feats you possess, even though you are not fighting with two weapons. This applies to number of attacks, Strength bonus to damage, application of Strike feats, etc. You may substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for attacks with weapons that permit those maneuvers as part of a flurry of blows.

For example, an 11^th level fighter with this talent and the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat, armed with a longsword and a shield, could attack with the longsword at +11/+11/+11 and gain the shield bonus to AC, or could instead make a flurry of six attacks with the longsword at +9 each (but lose the shield bonus to AC in the meantime, as a flurry of blows is treated as two-weapon fighting).

Source: This talent supersedes the Slashing Flurry feat from the Player’s Handbook II, and also the Bladesinger’s “Song of Fury” prestige class feature, from Complete Warrior. It also resurrects the abortive Weapon Swap feat, from the Pathfinder Beta playtest, and subsumes the Dawnflower Dervish’s “lightning strike” ability from the Pathfinder Inner Sea Primer.

Last Word

Benefit: You can make an attack of opportunity as an immediate action against an opponent within reach, in response to any attack that would reduce you to negative hit points, knock you unconscious, or kill you. For example, if you have 1 hit point left when a red dragon bites you, may use this ability even if the dragon’s bite would otherwise kill you instantly. This attack of opportunity automatically carries the effects of your Vital Strike feat (and Mountain Hammer talent, if you possess it).

Once your attack is resolved, you suffer the normal effect of the attack that provoked this ability (unless you kill or incapacitate your attacker so that he or she cannot complete the attack against you).

Synergy: If you also have the Riposte talent, you can use the attack of opportunity granted by this talent in an attempt to parry the incoming attack (Chapter 1); if successful, it deals no damage to you.

Source: This talent supersedes the Stalwart Defender’s prestige class feature of the same name, from the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.

Mountain Hammer

Prerequisites: Vital Strike.

Benefit: When you execute a Vital Strike with a melee attack, the bonus damage is doubled, and you automatically ignore any hardness or damage reduction the target possesses.

Source: Tome of Battle.

Overexertion

Benefit: As a move-equivalent action, select one or more attribute scores you would like to boost, and increase them by the same total amount that you decrease one or more other scores. All score decreases are treated as a special form of attribute damage, called attribute burn, which cannot be magically healed—it goes away only through natural healing.

You can boost attributes by a number of points equal to your fighter level (or any lesser total), assuming you can afford to burn your other ability scores to such an extent.

After 1 round per fighter level, your attribute boost ends, but the burn remains until it is healed naturally.

Synergy: You can reduce the total attribute burn using the Guarded Attributes talent.

Source: This is equivalent to the Psychic Warrior’s psychofeedback power, from the d20 System Reference Document.

Parry, Manticore

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Improved Weapon Maneuvers or Open-Handed Parry feat.

Benefit: When you successfully parry an attack against you with a held action (see combat rules), you can bat aside the blow, causing it to target an adjacent enemy other than your attacker. Use the results of the original attack roll to determine whether it hits the new target.

Source: This talent supersedes the Warblade counter of the same name, from the Tome of Battle, and also the Swordsage scorpion parry counter from that source and the “redirect attack” rogue ability from the Advanced Player’s Guide. When combined with the Riposte talent, this talent also supersedes the Free Hand Fighter’s “reversal” variant class feature, also from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Pierce the Fog of War

Prerequisite: Blind-Fight.

Benefit: Through superior tactical reasoning, you deduce the true locations of your enemies. You ignore all concealment when attacking, including invisibility, blur, displacement, and mundane and magical darkness, fog, or other concealing conditions. Furthermore, you are able to deduce the true caster from the images when facing an opponent under a mirror image spell, and can deduce when and where a blinking opponent will appear (negating that spell’s usual miss chance). By observing a projected image, as a free action you can determine the location of the image’s caster.

Pierce Magical Protection [Strike]

Benefit: As a standard action, you can make a melee attack that ignores any bonuses to Armor Class and damage reduction granted by spells (including spell effects created by magic items, including enhancement bonuses to AC from magic armor and shields). You also ignore spells or magical effects that take effect when a foe is attacked, such as fire shield.

If you deal damage to your opponent, you also instantly and automatically dispel all that opponent's spells and spell effects that grant damage reduction or a bonus to Armor Class, and also strip away any temporary hit points gained from magical means (such as a false life spell).

Source: Complete Arcane. This talent also supersedes the Mage Blade’s “slice through wardings” class feature, from Arcana Evolved (Malhavoc Press).

Power Attack, Greater

Prerequisite: Power Attack.

Benefit: You gain additional damage from the Power Attack feat equal to the feat’s attack penalty, as summarized in the table below.

	Additional Damage From:
Weapon Type	Power Attack
Light	1 x atk penalty
Single-handed	2 x atk penalty
Two-handed	3 x atk penalty

Source: Advanced Player’s Guide.

Powerful Bolt

Prerequisites: Vital Strike.

Benefit: When you execute a Vital Strike with a ranged weapon, the bonus damage is doubled, and you automatically ignore any hardness or damage reduction the target possesses.

Source: In conjunction with a thrown javelin or spear, this supersedes the Gae Bolga feat from the 2^nd edition Celts Campaign Sourcebook.

Precise Attacks [Finesse]

Prerequisite: Vital Strike, Weapon Finesse.

Benefit: When using a finessable weapon in one hand, with the other hand free, you apply your Vital Strike damage to every successful attack. Additional damage from Mountain Hammer does not apply, however.

Prowess, Epic

Benefit: You gain a +1 epic bonus on all attack rolls and to CMB.

Special: You can gain this advanced talent multiple times; unlike most like-named bonuses, epic bonuses stack.

Source: 3.5 edition System Reference Document, “Epic Feats.”

Robilar's Gambit [Stance]

By offering Robilar's Gambit, you absorb damage to place yourself in an advantageous position. This dangerous sacrifice is not for the unfit or the unwise, for one failed retaliatory strike can undo the advantage gained. Lord Robilar, a rash and impetuous fighter, gained fame using this technique against his enemies.

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Combat Reflexes, Dodge; Riposte talent.

Benefit: At the start of your action, you can adopt a fighting stance that exposes you to harm but allows you to take advantage of your opponents' exposed defenses as they attack you. Anyone who attacks you gains a +4 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against you. In return, they provoke attacks of opportunity from you each time they swing. Resolve your attack of opportunity after your foe's attack.

Normal: Opponents do not provoke attacks of opportunity by attacking. Further, when an opponent provokes an attack of opportunity, you resolve your attack before he completes the action that provoked the attack of opportunity.

Source: Player’s Handbook II. This talent also supersedes the Two-Weapon Warrior’s “deadly defense” variant class feature from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Sheltered Vitality

Prerequisite: Guarded Attributes talent.

Benefit: You are immune to [Debilitation] conditions, death effects, and energy drain.

Shield Guard [Stance]

Prerequisite: Proficient with shields.

Benefit: As a swift action, designate one square adjacent to you. You may designate two squares if using a heavy shield or three squares if using a tower shield, but these squares must be contiguous. Enemies in these squares cannot flank you and do not count for flanking with other creatures. This effect lasts until you move from your position or use another swift action to change the affected squares.

Source: Advanced Player’s Guide.

Striking Mastery

Prerequisites: Two or more strikes.

Benefit: You can apply the effects of two strikes to a single attack (plus Vital Strike, if applicable, when using a standard action). If you do so in conjunction with a strike that imposes penalties on your attack rolls (as with multiple attacks), the attack penalties stack.

At +16 level or higher, you can apply the effects of three strikes simultaneously.

Synergy:

• If you also have the Combat Reflexes feat, when combining Strikes with attacks of opportunity, you can either apply more than one strike to a single attack of opportunity, or else apply a single strike to all attacks of opportunity made in that round (your choice).

• If you have the Bleeding Strike, Crippling Strike, Shatter Defenses, Staredown, and Vital Strike feats, you can combine them into a single “Deadly Stroke” against a stunned or flat-footed opponent that deals your Vital Strike damage, Crippling Strike attribute damage, and also 1 point of Constitution bleed per round thereafter; if your base attack bonus is +16 or higher, the bleed effect is attribute drain, rather than damage.

Normal: You can only apply the effects of one strike to a given attack (in addition to the normal damage dealt).

Threat Zone

Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes.

Benefit: Through training, your awareness and mobility in a small area have expanded considerably. The area you threaten increases by 5 ft. in all directions. This does not mean that the length of your weapon or arms increases; instead, it assumes that you are able to instantaneously move out of your square in order to make an attack of opportunity in the expanded area (and then automatically return to your square upon completion of the attack). This movement does not count against any movement you are normally entitled to, but any obstruction to that movement also obstructs your threat zone. This free movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity if your threat area overlaps with area that one or more opponents threaten.

For every 2 fighter levels after 11^th, your threatened area increases by an additional 5 ft., to a maximum of +25 ft. at 19^th level.

Two-Weapon Fighting, Superior

Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting.

Benefit: Your attack penalties for two-weapon fighting are eliminated. In addition, when making an attack of opportunity, you can attack with both weapons, rather than only with the primary weapon, in the place of one attack of opportunity.

Source: This talent subsumes the Two-Weapon Warrior’s “improved balance” and “equal opportunity” from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Appendix B: Knightly Orders

The following orders represent the most common chosen. Members of these orders are not necessarily bound together, but some organizations do exist that are comprised of fighters that all belong to one specific order. Note that the names of these orders might vary depending upon the campaign setting. A member of a knightly order is hereafter termed a “cavalier.”

Order of the Blue Rose

The cavaliers of the Order of the Blue Rose are warriors and diplomats, dedicated to defending the weak and promoting peace in the lands they roam. Source: Ultimate Combat.

Edicts: You must seek to stop conflict with a minimum of bloodshed, to encourage peaceful resolutions to disagreements between intelligent creatures, and to mend the wounds opened by battle. You must also honor quarter given, protecting captives who have surrendered even from your own allies if need be.

Challenge: You receive a +1 sacred bonus on attack rolls made against the target of your challenge, if it is an intelligent creature to whom you offered the chance to surrender (by taking a standard action to offer terms). This bonus increases by +1 for every four class levels you possess (maximum +6 at 20^th level).

Skill Focus: Diplomacy.

Flat of the Blade (Ex): You no longer take a –4 penalty when attacking with a lethal weapon to deal nonlethal damage. When dealing nonlethal damage, you receive a +1d6 bonus on damage rolls. When you make use of this ability, you must attempt to subdue your target without killing it; dealing lethal damage after using this ability, or allowing your allies to kill the target, is a violation of your edicts.

Inner Peace (Ex): Starting at 8^th level, once per day as an immediate action, you may ignore an amount of damage from a single source (one attack, spell, or effect) equal to your class level plus your Charisma modifier. You can only ignore hit point damage in this fashion. You can use this ability one additional time per day every three levels thereafter (maximum 5/day at 20^h level).

Shield of Blades (Ex): At 15^th level, you gain Shared Shield as a bonus feat. In addition, you can attempt one parry per round while using the total defense action.

Order of the Cockatrice

A knight who belongs to this order serves only himself, working to further his own aims and increase his own prestige.

Edicts: You must keep your own interests and aims above those of all others. You must always accept payment when it is due, rewards when earned, and (at least) an even share of loot. You must take every opportunity to increase your own stature, prestige, and power.

Challenge: You receive an additional +1 bonus on all melee damage rolls made against the target of your challenge as long as you are the only creature threatening the target. This additional bonus increases by +1 for every four fighter levels you possess. This bonus ends if the target of the challenge makes a successful melee attack against you (it is not restored until you issue a new challenge).

Skill Focus: Knowledge (lore) and Perform.

Braggart (Ex): You are adept at extolling your own accomplishments and battle prowess. You gain Staredown as a bonus feat, and receive a +2 profane bonus on melee attack rolls made against targets demoralized in this way.

Steal Glory (Ex): At 8^th level, you can steal the glory from another creature’s successful strike. Whenever a creature other than you scores a critical hit, you can immediately make an attack of opportunity against the same victim.

Moment of Triumph (Ex): At 15^th level you can, as a free action, declare a moment of triumph. For 1 round, you receive a competence bonus equal to your Cha modifier to all attacks, damage, saving throws, checks, and AC. In addition, any critical threats you make are automatically confirmed. You can use this ability once per day.

Order of the Dragon

Knights belonging to the Order of the Dragon dedicate themselves to a group of like-minded individuals, be it a mercenary company or a small band of adventurers. They believe in loyalty and friendship, and are willing to die to protect allies.

Edicts: You must remain loyal to your allies and must always work to further the aims of the group.

Challenge: Your allies receive a +1 circumstance bonus on melee attack rolls against the target of your challenge whenever you are threatening the target. This bonus increases by +1 for every four fighter levels you possess.

Skill Focus: Survival.

Aid Allies (Ex): You gain the Back to Back stance as a bonus feat.

Strategy (Ex): Starting at 8^th level, allies within 30 ft. of you can use any Combat feats that you possess.

Act as One (Ex): At 15^th level, once per combat you can spend a standard action to move up to your speed and make a melee attack. All allies within 30 feet can also move up to their speed and make a melee attack as an immediate action. This movement and attack can be made as a charge if the movement qualifies. All attacks gain a +2 circumstance bonus (this stacks with the bonus from a charge) and all participants receive a +2 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round.

Order of the Lion

A cavalier who belongs to this order has pledged himself to a sovereign, be it a king, queen, or even the local warlord.

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

Challenge: You receive a +1 dodge bonus to your AC against attacks made by the target of your challenge; this bonus increases by +1 for every four fighter levels you possess.

Skill Focus: Diplomacy.

Lion’s Call (Ex): You gain the Field Marshal talent.

For the King (Ex): At 8^th level, you gain rage as an additional inspiration.

Shield of the Liege (Ex): At 15^th level, as an immediate action, you can redirect an attack made at a creature adjacent to you on to yourself, as long as the creature making the attack is within your reach. This ability must be declared before the attack roll is made. The attack is made against your AC and defenses, even if the creature could not normally reach or attack you. You lose any cover or concealment bonuses when subject to the redirected attack.

Order of the Raven

A knight of the Order of the Raven is an enforcer, sworn to the service of a specific lord. The cavalier’s master might be a senior member of the order, a king or powerful lord, or the high priest of a religious order. Because his ability to intimidate is as important as his fighting skill, cavaliers of the order of the raven promote a dark, menacing presence and cloak themselves in dark colors and darker rumors. Source: More Cavalier Orders (Super Genius Games).

Edicts: You must obey your sworn master in all things, and if your master falls you must seek a new master who is acceptable to the Order as a whole. You are tasked with acting as much as a warning as a warrior, and must work to maintain a forbidding appearance and reputation.

Challenge (Ex): You and all allies gain a morale bonus to Bluff checks made against the target equal to 1 + half your class level. In addition, the target takes a like penalty on saves against [fear] effects you initiate.

Skill Focus: Bluff.

Fearsome Prowess (Ex): You gain Daunting Strike as a bonus feat. In addition, you gain a morale bonus to saves against [charm] and [compulsion] effects equal to +1 per 3 class levels you possess.

Knight of Shadows (Su): At 8^th level, you gain darkvision 60 ft. (if you already have darkvision, you can choose to instead gain low-light vision, or else increase the range of your existing darkvision by 30 ft.). You also gain Blind-Fight as a bonus feat.

Lord of Darkness (Su): At 15^th level, you gain the ability to prepare and cast spells as a cleric of your fighter level –14, with access to the Darkness and War domains. If you already have clerical spellcasting ability, your fighter levels instead provide Weak spellcasting theurgy (which does not stack with synergy from the Templar talent) and access to the Darkness and War domains.

Order of the Seal

A secretive order; each knight is charged with the protection of a specific object (such as a dangerous magic item), place (e.g., a lost temple), or secret (for example, that a certain peasant is actually the last descendant of the royal line). Source: Ultimate Combat.

Edicts: If your charge is a place, you must keep intruders out. If a thing, you must keep it safe from thieves—and restore it to its rightful place if taken (only those attacking you with the specific intent to steal the object would quality, not merely anyone attacking you). If a secret, you must kill all others who know it. You cannot select a person or creature.

Challenge: You can make a free combat maneuver any time you take the full attack action against the target of your challenge. This free combat maneuver does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Skill Focus: Bluff.

Keeper (Ex): Once per day you must select a location, or a secret that you have sworn to protect. If you choose a location or thing, you gain a +1 sacred bonus on attack rolls when directly defending it. If you choose a secret, you gain a +1 morale bonus on saving throws and opposed checks to resist revealing information about your charge or leaving it vulnerable. You gain these bonuses until you pick a new object, location, or secret to protect. This bonus increases by an additional +1 per 4 class levels you possess.

Unmoving (Stance) (Ex): At 8^th level, you can draw on your dedication to overcome physical weakness. In this stance, you receive a dodge bonus to CMD equal to your class level, and also gain the effects of a dimensional anchor (caster level equal to your class level, even if you do not have the Concentration skill).

Driving Assault (Strike) (Ex): At 15^th level, you can drive opponents back without giving ground. While using any [Stance] feat or ability, every melee attack you make, in addition to dealing damage, also counts as a Bull Rush attempt (results equal to the damage dealt; no need for you to roll), if you so choose.

Order of the Shield

Cavaliers who join the Order of the Shield devote their lives to protecting the common folk.

Edicts: You must protect the lives and prosperity of the common folk, shielding them from the deprivations of those who would seek to cause them harm or exploit them. You must give charity when it is warranted and aid when needed. You must take no action that would cause harm or hardship to those who cannot defend themselves.

Challenge: Whenever the target of your challenge attacks anyone other than you, you receive a +1 sacred bonus on attack rolls made against him, her, or it. This bonus lasts for 1 minute. The bonus increases by +1 for every four fighter levels you possess.

Skill Focus: Heal.

Armor Training (Ex): An Order of the Shield cavalier receives the Armor Training talent.

Stem the Tide (Ex): At 8^th level, you receive Improved Bull Rush and Improved Overrun as bonus feats, even if you do not meet the prerequisites.

Protect the Meek (Ex): At 15^th level, you can move to intercept foes, even if you do not have any held actions available. As an immediate action, you can move up to your speed (or your mount’s speed, if mounted) and make a single melee attack. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. You must end this movement adjacent to an enemy. Thereafter, you are staggered (and cannot use this ability) for 1 round.

Order of the Star

Cavaliers who join the Order of the Star dedicate themselves to the protection and service of a faith and its members. Cavaliers belonging to this order follow the tenets and guides of the religion that they serve.

Edicts: You must strive to protect your faith and all those who follow its teachings. You must adhere to the strictures of the faith, promote its cause whenever possible, and serve the agents of the divine.

Challenge: You receive a +1 morale bonus on all saving throws as long as you are threatening the target of your challenge. This bonus increases by +1 for every four class levels you possess.

Skill Focus: Knowledge (the planes).

Calling (Ex): You gain the Templar fighter talent.

For the Faith (Ex): At 8^th level, you can call out the name of your deity as a free action, granting you a sacred bonus to attacks equal to your Cha modifier for 1 round. In addition, any allies within 30 feet also receive half this bonus (minimum +1). You can use this ability once per day, plus one additional time per day at 12^th level and every four levels thereafter.

Retribution (Ex): Starting at 15^th level, whenever an enemy makes a successful melee attack against you or an adjacent ally devoted to the same faith or cause as you, the enemy provokes an attack of opportunity from you. If the attack made by the enemy was a critical hit, you may treat the enemy as the target of your Challenge talent (if applicable) for the attack of opportunity. You can use this ability once per round.

Order of the Sword

Cavaliers who join the Order of the Sword dedicate their lives to the code of chivalry, living a life of honor, valor, and fairness. Those of this order tend to swear service to a lady or lord of the opposite gender.

Edicts: You must show courage in the face of danger, mercy to those who have wronged you, and charity to the poor and the meek. You must be just and honorable at all times; you must defend that honor and, above all, the honor of those you serve.

Challenge: You receive a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls against the target of your challenge so long as you are astride your mount. The bonus increases by +1 per four fighter levels you possess.

Skill Focus: Diplomacy. Also, you can use the Diplomacy skill in place of the Bluff skill to sense motive.

By My Honor (Ex): As long as you fulfill your edicts, you receive the benefits of Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, or Great Fortitude (select one).

Mounted Mastery (Ex): At 8^th level, whenever you make a mounted charge, you receive a +4 dodge bonus to AC to avoid attacks set against the charge. When making such an attack, you can add your mount’s Strength modifier to the damage roll, in addition to your own. You also receive a bonus feat chosen from the following list: Mounted Combat, Skill Focus (Handle Animal), or Spirited Charge. You must qualify for the feat selected.

Knight’s Challenge (Ex): At 15^th level, you can make a knight’s challenge once per day. This functions like a normal Challenge, but you add your Charisma bonus on all attack and damage rolls made against the target of the challenge (this supersedes the normal attack and damage bonuses). In addition, you receive a +4 circumstance bonus to confirm critical hits against the target of your challenge.

Order of the Tome

The members of this order devote themselves to the preservation of knowledge. Most would protect written knowledge at all costs, but there are members that believe there is such thing as knowledge too dangerous to be allowed to exist, and seek to destroy it. Source: Ultimate Combat.

Edicts: You must protect approved written knowledge at all costs. You are also devoted to the destruction of proscribed knowledge and are equally zealous in the pursuit of its destruction.

Challenge: You gain a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against spells or spell-like abilities cast by the subject of your challenge and a +2 morale bonus on all Bluff checks involving the subject of your challenge.

Skill Focus: Knowledge (lore) and Knowledge (linguistics).

Specialized Knowledge (Sp): You can use read languages and read magic at will as spell-like abilities.

Powerful Knowledge (Ex): Starting at 8^th level, you can cast arcane or divine spells from scrolls as if you had a caster level equal to your class level.

Defensive Knowledge (Ex): Starting at 15^th level, allies adjacent to you gain a +2 morale bonus on all saves against spells or spell-like abilities cast by the subject of your challenge. In addition, as an immediate action, a number of times per day equal to your Int or Wis modifier (minimum 1), you can allow one ally adjacent to you to reroll a single failed saving throw against a spell or spell-like ability from the target of your challenge. The ally must be able to see and hear you in order to gain this reroll.

Order of the Warrior

Most samurai swear themselves to the code of the warrior, which emphasizes duty, honor, loyalty, and obedience. This code extends not only to your lord and master, but also to your comrades and family. Source: Ultimate Combat.

Edicts: You must protect the life and lands of your lord with your life. You must be truthful and courageous, respectful to your elders and masters, and loyal to your friends and liege. You must conduct yourself with honor and dignity.

Challenge: Whenever you declare a challenge, you receive DR 1/— against attacks made by the target of the challenge. This DR increases by +1 for every four fighter levels you possess.

Skill Focus: Diplomacy.

Honor (Ex): Whenever you make a skill check or saving throw, you can draw strength from your sense of honor as a free action to grant you a +4 morale bonus on the roll. You can use this ability once per day, plus one additional time per day for every four class levels you possess.

Way of the Samurai (Ex): Starting at 8^th level, you can, as a standard action, focus your mind and will. Once during the next minute, you can choose to roll an attack roll, skill check, or saving throw three times and take the best result. You must decide to use this ability before the roll is made.

Strike True (Strike) (Ex): At 15^th level, you gain the Devastating Blow talent, even if you do not meet the prerequisites; it applies to any weapon you wield.

Knight Errant

Some knights find themselves without a master, either as a result of disgrace or death, or occasionally by choice. Known as knights errant, or ronin, these masterless knights wander the lands, serving their own code of ideals. While ronin are significantly freer to do as they please, they do not receive the same respect and support that a more dedicated knight can count on. Source: Ultimate Combat.

Becoming a Knight Errant: Normally, when a knight wishes to change orders, he must undergo a lengthy process that requires adherence to the edicts of the new order for a period of time before receiving any benefits. This is not the case with knight errant. Once a cavalier decides to become a knight errant, he immediately loses all of the bonuses, skills, and abilities of his old order and gains those of this order. If he wishes to once again dedicate himself to another order, he must do so using the normal rules.

Edicts: Knights errant follow their own personal code of ethics and honor. You determine your own edicts, which should include at least three provisions. These edicts are subject to referee approval.

Challenge: Whenever you are the target of a challenge, smite, quarry, or similar effect, and you issue a challenge against that character in return, you receive a +1 profane bonus on attack rolls made against the target of your challenge and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by the target of your challenge. These bonuses increase by +1 for every four fighter levels you possess.

Skill Focus: Streetwise.

Self-Reliant (Ex): You learn to rely solely on yourself, even in the most difficult of times. Whenever you fail a Will save against an effect with a duration greater than 1 round, you can attempt another saving throw at the end of the second round. If you succeed on this saving throw, it has the same effect as if you had made the original save (negating part or all of the effect). In addition, whenever you are brought below 0 hp, on your next turn you can roll twice to stabilize, taking the better result.

Masterless (Ex): Starting at 8^th level, you can summon up your willpower as an immediate action once per encounter, applying it in one of the following three ways:

• When an attack would reduce you to fewer than 0 hit points but wouldn’t kill you, you are instead reduced to 1 hit point and conscious.

• After making an attack roll to confirm a critical hit, you can reroll the confirmation roll.

• You can take 10 on a skill check during combat, even if the situation or the skill would not normally allow it.

Chosen Destiny (Ex): At 15^th level, you gain Deep Intuition and Iron Will as bonus feats, even if you do not meet the prerequisites.