Knight Phantom : A One Trick Pony?

[CyberThread]

Is the Knight Phantom

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050706a&page=4


A one trick pony, as far as it focuses heavily on phantom steed, Although that is sort of the point of the PRC, it is one of the few nice full bab and nearly full casting. A few *meh* class abilities past first, is it more of a filler then any real point?

[Flickerdart]

It's full BAB and nearly full casting, and you want class features too? Compare that to what you get from a basic wizard.

[CyberThread]

If we are going to complain, lets complain all the way.

[Unusual Muse]

Functionally, it occupies the same niche as Eldritch Knight, but with a few flavorful features thrown in. I'm playing one now, and it's fun.

[Randomguy]

How many other Gish prestige classes offer full BAB, almost full casting, AND class features? Off the top of my head, only Swiftblade and Abjurant Champion.

[T.G. Oskar]

If you truly want to compare it to something, better compare it to the class it emulates the closest: Eldritch Knight.

If you see both classes, you'll see Knight Phantom is far, far better than Eldritch Knight, as long as you meet the requirements (the requirements from Eldritch Knight are easier to meet).

Chassis-wise, both classes have full BAB, 9/10ths spellcasting (pretty much the requirement for an effective gish) and the same saving throw advancement. Knight Phantom edges out on HD (d8 vs. d6) in that regard. EK has more skills, but otherwise they get the same amount of skill points.

Requirement-wise, the EK is easier to approach, as all you need is 3rd level spellcasting ability and proficiency with all martial weapons (basically 1 level of Fighter and the remainder in Wizard, so you can get via 5th level Wizard or 6th level Sorcerer), so you can enter at 7th level. Knight Phantom has (pretty much) the same requirements, except it ALSO requires Still Spell (a Wizard can get it easily, but Sorcerers and other spellcasters have it a bit more difficult), 4 ranks in Ride (can be easily gained by having your 1st level as a Fighter), and being a citizen of Aundair (which makes it setting-locked; however, that doesn't mean your DM can't wing that).

So, being so similar chassis-wise and requirement-wise, what makes it different? EK has only...one bonus Fighter feat. Knight Phantom has:
Ability to cast in light armor without suffering ASF chance (typical for gishes; mithral allows you to use medium armor, so a breastplate is a good choice)
For up to 10 rounds per day, you can ignore difficult terrain and even walk over water.
For up to 10 rounds per day, you get concealment as per the Blur spell (20% miss chance) and a non-stacking, non-progressing, short-radius fear "aura/gaze" ability.
For up to 10 rounds per day, you get to turn ANY weapon into a Brilliant Energy weapon.

So, basically, you get three pretty awesome abilities that last for a very short while (but you can spread the uses between rounds), plus the ability to cast in light armor, against...a fighter bonus feat.

So...why would you consider it a one-trick pony?

Thing is, both EK and Knight Phantom are gishes, and aside from the forced choice of metamagic (which isn't really a bad one, in case you're grappled and you didn't activate Freedom of Movement) and forced choice of spell (which is pretty awesome, as it allows fast movement, flight, and lasts for a really long time), you have the freedom to develop your character as you desire. In fact, you DON'T need to use Phantom Steed at all. You can be a typical gish, with the caveat that you have up to 1 minute of touch attacks (add Greater Invisibility and you can Power Attack pretty much to your leisure), 1 minute of free concealment + the ability to impose fear (shaken, by the time you get it, might not seem as much, but if the target fails its save it becomes more vulnerable to your DC-related spells) and 1 minute of ignoring difficult terrain (meaning: you can charge pretty much freely) instead of a bonus feat (if you choose EK). The gish is mostly related to its choice of spells (for self-buffing, mostly), so you're not really *forced* to go one path. It does *enable* a path (basically, mounted combat), but the poor HP of the Phantom Steed makes it unsuitable for mounted combat.

In essence; it's an alternative EK, and a great way to extend the life of a gish: 10 levels in Knight Phantom, and the rest in EK; enter as Fighter, and with 5 levels of Wizard netting you 2 BAB, that means you reach 9th level spells and +17 BAB, which is the goal for a respectable gish. Sorcerers, on the other hand, only reach up to 8th level spells (Battle Sorcerer only grants proficiency with ONE martial weapon, not ALL), and other classes might lack Phantom Steed. So as long as you focus on being a gish (which shouldn't be hard to pull), you're less of a one-trick pony and actually a flexible character (your spells will cover for pretty much everything).

[Eurus]

Yeah, if anything, the only flaw here is that the fluff doesn't quite match the crunch. Could be solved with a Greater Phantom Steed spell that's more durable/can trample, or a class feature that makes your horse a little beefier... as-is, the Steed is great for overland travel but a little lackluster for actual combat riding, since it'll get messed up by AoE attacks and hindrances pretty well.

[Gharkash]

I have a question to ask, if any one is interested in answering. Gishes seem to have a level or two in a martial class and then caster levels until the gish PrC kicks in. Before that they are not really doing any melee, are they?

Have nothing to add to the conversation other than that this class seems really cool.