upho
2015-02-04, 09:29 PM
http://res.cloudinary.com/upho/image/upload/c_scale,w_670/v1423161083/daudrider_utan_eihwaz_iwb9gt.png
- Pathfinder Prestige Class -
http://res.cloudinary.com/upho/image/upload/v1423162953/Heldrang_-_mounted_small_scythe_blue_eyes_skullhelmet_framed _cropped_Hellknight_uoqs1v.png
The daudreiders are the officers of the ancient Heldrangar order. Mounted on menacing undead
steeds, clad in heavy black armor and armed with their cruel signature scythes, these
frightening warrior priests are the uncompromising crusaders of law and executioners of Hel -
symbols and omens of Death every bit as renowned and certain as carrion birds or the crossed
Eihwaz runes worn on their chests.
The daudreider is a leader of heavy cavalry, combining maneuvers, divine spells, team tactics and the supernatural powers of her intelligent undead steed to defend her allies and the laws of Death. She and her mount are especially deadly when fighting her sworn enemies: the forces of chaos and the undead. Most daudreiders start as warder or warlord hussars, but a few also begin as paladins, ambush hunter rangers, or another class with a mount.
The daudreider prestige class was made primarily for a homebrew campaign setting largely based on Scandinavian mythology (daudreider means “death-rider” in Old Norse). The Heldrangar (“Hel-warriors”) order which the daudreidari are a part of, could basically be described as a mix of the Black Thorn Knights (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/martial-traditions/black-thorn-knights) and the Hellknights (http://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Hellknights) in a world where realm of Death (the location Hel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hel_(location)), not the goddess Hel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hel_(being))) is the ultimate symbol of absolute law and Hell, the one with two “L’s”, doesn’t exist. The class first came into being in order to give an important NPC suitable abilities, but as I figured the flavor and the mechanics could be appropriate (with minor tweaks) for characters in similar organisations in virtually any fantasy setting, I decided to do a detailed write-up.
In short, the class aims to portray a heavily armored and intimidating scythe-wielding warrior priest and field commander, mounted on a sentient undead(-ish) steed with ghost-like powers.
The daudreider PrC has the following mechanical goals:
Scale the durability and versatility of a mount animal companion (the one gained at 1st character level) enough to retain and increase its usefulness even in higher levels.
Enable a divinely empowered cavalry officer, mixing limited divine casting with mounted martial maneuvers, and teamwork/defender abilities with offensive power.
Make use of various abilities typically associated with undead creatures.
Balanced to tier 3.
(As noted above, the Heldrangar symbol is a pair of crossed Eihwaz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eihwaz) runes and should not be confused with the now infamous swastika. Or to quote the order’s stated view on the matter: “Any resemblance to other symbols, including those used by organisations with supposedly similar sound beliefs or methods, is either purely coincedental, or examples of base plagiarism on the part of the creators of those symbols.”)
http://res.cloudinary.com/upho/image/upload/v1423161095/daudrider_class_features_tkgh3c.png
Requirements
Alignment: Any lawful.
Weapon Proficiency: Proficient with the scythe.
Feat: Haft Strike (https://pathminder.github.io/feats/haft-strike/) or Pikeman's Training (https://pathminder.github.io/feats/pikemans-training/), Mounted Combat.
Skills: Intimidate 5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 2 ranks, Ride 5 ranks.
Maneuvers: Ability to use maneuvers of the Black Seraph or Piercing Thunder disciplines.
Special: Divine bond (mount), hunter's bond (animal companion), or mount class feature with an effective druid level of 5. The animal must be a combat trained dog, camel, horse or pony at least one size larger than the daudreider.
Skills
The daudreider's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (martial) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Progression
Spells per Day
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
1
+0
+1
+0
+1
Death’s hand, reaper maneuvers, spells, undead charger
2
-
-
-
-
-
2
+1
+1
+1
+1
Death’s guardian
3
1
-
-
-
-
3
+2
+2
+1
+2
Formations, inexorable charger
3
2
-
-
-
-
4
+3
+2
+1
+2
Reaper knight
4
2
1
-
-
-
5
+3
+3
+2
+3
Amaranthine charger, death’s guardian (-3)
4
3
2
-
-
-
6
+4
+3
+2
+3
+1 Formation
5
3
2
1
-
-
7
+5
+4
+2
+4
Implacable charger
5
4
3
2
-
-
8
+6
+4
+3
+3
Death’s guardian (-4), reaper knight (ignore fear immunity)
5
4
3
2
1
-
9
+6
+5
+3
+5
Imperative charger, +1 Formation
5
5
4
3
2
-
10
+7
+5
+3
+5
United in death, undead charger (undead traits)
5
5
4
3
2
1
Hit Die: d8
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The daudreider gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Reaper Maneuvers
At every even-numbered level, a daudreider gains new maneuvers known she qualifies for from one of her daudreider disciplines: Black Seraph (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/black-seraph-maneuvers), Piercing Thunder (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nDfExp_kV3Ck7yi5cfPo7Ndc_KCmp8pr84xY2FmZw3s/edit) (see Path of War: Expanded page 128 for the released version), and up to two other disciplines previously available to her, chosen at 1st level. She adds her daudreider levels to her initiator level to determine her total initiator level and her highest-level maneuvers known.
At levels 3rd, 6th and 9th, a daudreider gains an additional maneuver readied per day, and at 2nd, 5th, and 8th levels she may exchange a known maneuver for a different maneuver that she qualifies for (see table below). At each even daudreider level, she may also retrain one of her maneuvers or stances of other disciplines into a maneuver or stance of a daudreider discipline of the same level.
A scythe wielded by a daudreider deals 2d6/x3 piercing and slashing damage (2d4 if small), has the reach and trip features, and belongs to the heavy blades, polearms and spears groups. She treats the scythe and any other Black Seraph or Piercing Thunder discipline weapon she wields as a holy symbol, and she can cast daudreider spells while doing so (without the need of a free hand).
Stances Known
At 3rd and 8th level a daudreider learns a new martial stance from one of her daudreider disciplines. She must meet the stance's prerequisites to learn it.
Daudreider Maneuvers and Spells Known
Maneuvers
Spells Known
Level
Known
Readied
Stances
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
1
0
0
0
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
2
1
0
0
3
3
1
-
-
-
-
3
0
1
1
3
3
2
-
-
-
-
4
1
0
0
4
3
2
1
-
-
-
5
0
0
0
4
4
3
2
-
-
-
6
1
1
0
4
4
3
2
1
-
-
7
0
0
0
4
4
3
3
2
-
-
8
1
0
1
5
5
4
3
2
1
-
9
0
1
0
5
5
4
3
3
2
-
10
1
0
0
5
5
4
4
3
2
1
Spells
A daudreider may cast a small number of divine spells drawn from the inquisitor spell list. To cast a daudreider spell, she must have an initiator ability score of at least 10 + the spell's level. Bonus spells are based on her initiator ability score, and saving throws against her daudreider spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + her initiator modifier. She casts spells just as an oracle does, including the ability to replace a daudreider spell with a new spell at every even-numbered level, beginning at 4th level. 0th level spells, or orisons, may be cast at-will from her spells known (see the tables above for spells per day and spells known). The caster level of her daudreider spells is equal to her initiator level. If the character qualified for this class using Martial Training feats, her spellcasting is Wisdom-based.
Death’s Hand
Whenever a daudreider initiates a martial strike, she may also cast a standard action daudreider spell (with a level equal to or less than the level of the strike initiated) on herself or an ally within her melee reach as a move action. Whenever she casts a spell in this manner, allies within her melee reach also gain a morale bonus to saving throws against fear and to their save DC against demoralization attempts equal to her class level. These bonuses remain for a number of rounds equal to her class level.
Undead Charger
A daudreider rides a sentient companion which eventually becomes undead, a symbol of her oath to Death and an increasingly powerful ally in her order’s crusade against chaos and undead. See the Daudreider Mount section below.
Whenever the daudreider is mounted on her undead charger and uses a combat maneuver, martial maneuver, stance or style feat with a movement component (such as a charge attack, a bull rush, an extra move action, or a bonus to speed), the daudreider can have her mount make the appropriate movement and gain associated benefits in her place. When making a charge (granted by a martial maneuver or otherwise) while mounted, the daudreider and her mount are both considered to be charging. If she must make her charge attack(s) before a target is within her mount's melee reach (for example in the case she wields a reach weapon), the mount may continue moving and make its charge attack(s) after the daudreider's charge has been completed.
Death’s Guardian
At 2nd level, when a daudreider damages an enemy with a martial maneuver, she can also impose a -2 penalty to the enemy’s attack and damage rolls against her allies, besides her mount or herself, provided the enemy or the target of its attack is within her melee reach. Neither she or her mount provoke attacks of opportunity from the affected enemy. If the enemy is chaotic or undead, the penalties are doubled and it also suffers a -2 penalty to saving throws against fear effects from the daudreider or her mount. These effects last until the start of her next turn (the effects do not stack).
The penalties to attack and damage rolls increases to -3 at 5th level, and to -4 at 8th level.
Formations
At levels 3, 6, and 9, a daudreider learns one formation to assist both herself and her allies. If the daudreider has levels in another class which grants formations, those levels stack with her daudreider levels for the purpose of determining the benefits of her chosen formations. See the hussar (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M6VC1CGrL85oC2mE22eoBXyKjD-Z9a9bhom8JhTirKM/edit) for details on formations (released version found in Path of War: Expanded, page 52).
Inexorable Charger
At 3rd level, a daudreider’s mount gains a darker, more shadowy and frightening appearance, and becomes increasingly relentless in its service. It gains:
Fly speed (Su) equal to the mount’s land speed with good maneuverability, and a bonus on Fly skill checks equal to its Hit Dice.
Phantom Form (Su) As a free action, up to 2 times per day and daudreider level, the mount can turn shadowy and indistinct for one round. The mount gains constant concealment (20% miss chance) when not in a brightly lit space, its natural armor and attacks gain the ghost touch property, and it takes no penalties from squeezing. When charging, the mount can move through allies, and can make one Demoralize attempt as a free action against a creature within 10 feet at any point during its charge movement.
Death’s Destrier +2 racial bonus to Strength and pounce special ability. The mount’s secondary natural attacks (if any) become primary natural attacks with at least a 1d4 damage die (1d6 if Large), and it’s speed is not affected by wearing barding of any kind.
Intimidating Prowess as a bonus feat.
Reaper Knight
At 4th level, when attacking a chaotic or undead creature while mounted, the daudreider and her mount gain a bonus to their attack and damage rolls equal to half the daudreider’s initiator modifier (minimum 1). If such a creature takes damage from the daudreider while suffering from a fear condition, any fear effect the daudreider or her mount exposes the target to before the end of her next turn also stacks with the previous effect for a more severe condition, even if the effects normally do not do so.
At 8th level, any creature the daudreider or her mount damages loses its immuntiy to fear (if any) while within the daudreider's or her mount's melee reach. A creature normally immune to mind-affecting effects gains a +5 resistance bonus to its save, and a +10 bonus to its demoralize DC against these effects.
Amaranthine Charger
At 5th level, a daudreider’s mount simply refuses to give up, and not even its own destruction can hold it back for long. It gains the following abilities:
Does not need to breathe.
Deathless Form (Su) Once per day if the mount is destroyed, it returns to unlife 1 hour later at 1 hit point. It is permanently destroyed if it is reduced to 0 hit points by negative energy or in the area of an unhallow or a bless spell cast by a chaotic or undead creature, or if its remains are sprinkled with a vial of unholy water. The use of Deathless Form expends two uses of Phantom Form (the mount must have at least two uses of Phantom Form left when destroyed to return to unlife).
Relentless Presence +2 racial bonus to Charisma.
Implacable Charger
At 7th level, the abilities of a daudreider’s mount ensures any subversive element would have to be more than exceptionally resourceful to escape swift judgement. It gains:
Combat Reflexes as a bonus feat, even if the mount does not meet the prerequisites.
Specter Form (Su) As a free action, the mount can turn near incorporeal for one round. This form grants the mount all the benefits of Phantom Form, but the concealment is total (50% miss chance) when not in a brightly lit space, and the form grants constant detect undead (caster level equal to the mount’s hit dice). The mount’s movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and it is as unaffected by physical obstacles and line of sight as if made using the dimension door spell (with the same effect if ending in an occupied space). This only affects the mount, the daudreider (while mounted), and their gear. Each round the mount uses Specter Form it expends two of its daily uses of Phantom Form. This is a conjuration (teleportation) effect.
Uncanny Senses The mount may add its Charisma modifier to Perception and Sense Motive skill checks, instead of its Wisdom modifier.
Imperative Charger
At 9th level, the mount gains its final majestic appearance and can grow with its rider into gigantic proportions. It gains:
Fly speed increases to 1 ½ times the mount’s base land speed.
Imposing Form (Su) While mounted, as a move action or as part of a charge or adopting a formation she knows, the daudreider can choose to have herself and her mount instantly grow one size category larger for one minute, as if under the effects of an enlarge person spell. If the mount becomes huge or larger, the normal +2 bonus to Strength increases to +4, and it gains a +2 bonus to Charisma. This ability immediately ends if the daudreider is no longer mounted, if either she or her mount becomes unconscious, or if she chooses to end it as a free action, but otherwise remains in effect until all rounds per day have been expended, without the need for taking additional actions. This ability can not grow the daudreider into a size larger than Huge, or her mount into a size larger than Gargantuan, but otherwise stacks with abilities and spells affecting the daudreider’s or her mount’s size. Each use of Imposing Form expends one of the mount’s daily uses of Phantom Form. This ability can be used simultaneously with Phantom Form or Specter Form.
United in Death
At 10th level, the daudreider can focus her divine and martial energies to unite with her companion in undead glory. When the mount uses its Phantom Form or Specter Form while the daudreider is mounted, she can expend one of her unused spell slots or a readied martial maneuver as a free action to gain the benefits of the mount’s form, its undead benefits listed as points number 2 - 5 (in the mount spoiler section below), and its lack of a need to breathe. The mount gains all applicable benefits of any martial stance the daudreider uses (treating its natural weapons as discipline weapons for this purpose), and may use the death’s guardian ability when dealing damage with a natural attack. The pair can also adopt any formation as a free action, and they gain a +2 bonus to the save DC of any fear effect they produce.
This ability lasts for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell or maneuver the daudreider expended, or until her mount leaves the form, the daudreider is no longer mounted, or she or her mount becomes unconscious (whichever comes first).
A daudreider’s mount becomes sentient and starts its transformation into an undead creature after a one-day initiation ritual, lead by the Master of Rites at one of the order’s chapels. The abilities the mount gains are often called Helvegsins gjafar (Old Norse: “the gifts of the road to Hel”), and the ritual is not considered inherently evil. Instead, daudreiders as well as the undead animals regard it as the product of the daudreider’s and her companion’s fully consentual agreement with Death, in many ways quite the opposite to how undead are normally created.
For each level a daudreider gains, her mount’s abilities progresses as if she had gained a level in druid, but it’s creature type changes to half-undead at 1st level, and to undead at 10th level. The mount is still treated as an animal companion for the purpose of the daudreider's or its own associated class features, feats, abilities and spells. It also keeps all its abilities and statistics unless otherwise noted here, and gains additional traits and benefits depending on the daudreider’s class levels:
No Constitution score. Instead, at 1st level, the mount’s Charisma score becomes equal to its previous Constitution score. The mount uses its new Charisma score in place of Constitution when calculating hit points, Fortitude saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution.
Half-undead +1 racial bonus per daudreider level to saving throws against any effect which targets Fortitude (unless it affects objects), and against mind-affecting, death, stunning, bleed, exhaustion, fatigue, disease, paralysis, poison, and sleep effects.
Darkvision 60 feet.
No penalties from energy-draining effects, though the mount can still be destroyed if it accrues more negative levels than it has Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels it has gained are removed without saving throws.
Not subject to nonlethal damage, not at risk of death from massive damage, and at 10th level also immune to ability damage to Strength and Dexterity.
Immediately destroyed at 0 hit points or if it’s Charisma score is reduced to 0 or less.
Healed by any energy type channeled by allies but regains only half the normal Hit Points.
Harmed by any energy type channeled by enemies but gains Channel Resistance +4 against such harmful energy, and takes only half damage on a failed save and suffers no damage or ill effects on a successful save.
Not subject to the control undead spell, the Command Undead feat or similar abilities allowing control of undead.
Raised as undead Raise dead, reincarnate, resurrection and true resurrection returns the mount as (half-) undead if the daudreider’s soul is present on the same plane. If not, the mount is raised as normal.
Does not need to eat or sleep, but can do so (for example in order to drink a potion).
4 + Intelligence modifier skill points per Hit Die and undead class skills.
Lawful neutral alignment.
Sentient +5 racial bonus to Intelligence.
Grave Stable (Su) As a full-round action, a daudreider may either dismiss her adjacent mount to Hel up to three times per day, or call it from Hel to a free adjacent space up to three times per day.
Share Spells ability, even if the mount is no longer an animal or has an archetype which normally replaces it.
Share Growth (Su) While the daudreider is mounted, her mount’s size is always at least one category larger than the daudreider’s size (as if affected by one or more enlarge person spells).
Speak with Master Can speak with the daudreider as a familiar with the same ability. The mount also knows one language the daudreider knows (her choice), but cannot speak. (Sentience and the ability to communitcate makes animal companion tricks irrelevant - the mount can follow any instructions it is able to understand.)
Should a daudreider's mount be destroyed, the daudreider may find another qualified mount to serve her after 1 week of mourning and by paying her order a sum equal to 500 gp per character level (the cost of a new initiation ritual). Once the ritual is completed, the new mount has changed according to the daudreider’s level.
Currently, I think the daudreider captures the flavor I envisioned perfectly, but I feel the mechanical benefits are a bit too powerful and perhaps a bit too disparate. Please help me nerf and streamline them without sacrificing the flavor of the class!
Any advice/praise/critique/suggestions/ideas are most appreciated!
Here's a Google docs version (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FH8a2_to7KwuYLCOCCgqi9dvmSgshhno8wY3tpndmiQ/edit?usp=sharing), with more links and better layout. And pictures! Yes, even of cool daudreiders and their undead horsies!!!
http://res.cloudinary.com/upho/image/upload/v1423177398/That_s_it_from_death_small_nfc1gv.png
Credits:
The Path of War (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war)/Path of War: Expanded (http://dreamscarred.com/product/path-of-war-expanded/) team at Dreamscarred Press (http://dreamscarred.com/)
Vikings! For their cool, odd and extremely flavorful RL mythology. (Not for the stupidly complex grammatical rules of their language...)
Everyone posting!
- Pathfinder Prestige Class -
http://res.cloudinary.com/upho/image/upload/v1423162953/Heldrang_-_mounted_small_scythe_blue_eyes_skullhelmet_framed _cropped_Hellknight_uoqs1v.png
The daudreiders are the officers of the ancient Heldrangar order. Mounted on menacing undead
steeds, clad in heavy black armor and armed with their cruel signature scythes, these
frightening warrior priests are the uncompromising crusaders of law and executioners of Hel -
symbols and omens of Death every bit as renowned and certain as carrion birds or the crossed
Eihwaz runes worn on their chests.
The daudreider is a leader of heavy cavalry, combining maneuvers, divine spells, team tactics and the supernatural powers of her intelligent undead steed to defend her allies and the laws of Death. She and her mount are especially deadly when fighting her sworn enemies: the forces of chaos and the undead. Most daudreiders start as warder or warlord hussars, but a few also begin as paladins, ambush hunter rangers, or another class with a mount.
The daudreider prestige class was made primarily for a homebrew campaign setting largely based on Scandinavian mythology (daudreider means “death-rider” in Old Norse). The Heldrangar (“Hel-warriors”) order which the daudreidari are a part of, could basically be described as a mix of the Black Thorn Knights (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/martial-traditions/black-thorn-knights) and the Hellknights (http://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Hellknights) in a world where realm of Death (the location Hel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hel_(location)), not the goddess Hel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hel_(being))) is the ultimate symbol of absolute law and Hell, the one with two “L’s”, doesn’t exist. The class first came into being in order to give an important NPC suitable abilities, but as I figured the flavor and the mechanics could be appropriate (with minor tweaks) for characters in similar organisations in virtually any fantasy setting, I decided to do a detailed write-up.
In short, the class aims to portray a heavily armored and intimidating scythe-wielding warrior priest and field commander, mounted on a sentient undead(-ish) steed with ghost-like powers.
The daudreider PrC has the following mechanical goals:
Scale the durability and versatility of a mount animal companion (the one gained at 1st character level) enough to retain and increase its usefulness even in higher levels.
Enable a divinely empowered cavalry officer, mixing limited divine casting with mounted martial maneuvers, and teamwork/defender abilities with offensive power.
Make use of various abilities typically associated with undead creatures.
Balanced to tier 3.
(As noted above, the Heldrangar symbol is a pair of crossed Eihwaz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eihwaz) runes and should not be confused with the now infamous swastika. Or to quote the order’s stated view on the matter: “Any resemblance to other symbols, including those used by organisations with supposedly similar sound beliefs or methods, is either purely coincedental, or examples of base plagiarism on the part of the creators of those symbols.”)
http://res.cloudinary.com/upho/image/upload/v1423161095/daudrider_class_features_tkgh3c.png
Requirements
Alignment: Any lawful.
Weapon Proficiency: Proficient with the scythe.
Feat: Haft Strike (https://pathminder.github.io/feats/haft-strike/) or Pikeman's Training (https://pathminder.github.io/feats/pikemans-training/), Mounted Combat.
Skills: Intimidate 5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 2 ranks, Ride 5 ranks.
Maneuvers: Ability to use maneuvers of the Black Seraph or Piercing Thunder disciplines.
Special: Divine bond (mount), hunter's bond (animal companion), or mount class feature with an effective druid level of 5. The animal must be a combat trained dog, camel, horse or pony at least one size larger than the daudreider.
Skills
The daudreider's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (martial) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Progression
Spells per Day
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
1
+0
+1
+0
+1
Death’s hand, reaper maneuvers, spells, undead charger
2
-
-
-
-
-
2
+1
+1
+1
+1
Death’s guardian
3
1
-
-
-
-
3
+2
+2
+1
+2
Formations, inexorable charger
3
2
-
-
-
-
4
+3
+2
+1
+2
Reaper knight
4
2
1
-
-
-
5
+3
+3
+2
+3
Amaranthine charger, death’s guardian (-3)
4
3
2
-
-
-
6
+4
+3
+2
+3
+1 Formation
5
3
2
1
-
-
7
+5
+4
+2
+4
Implacable charger
5
4
3
2
-
-
8
+6
+4
+3
+3
Death’s guardian (-4), reaper knight (ignore fear immunity)
5
4
3
2
1
-
9
+6
+5
+3
+5
Imperative charger, +1 Formation
5
5
4
3
2
-
10
+7
+5
+3
+5
United in death, undead charger (undead traits)
5
5
4
3
2
1
Hit Die: d8
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The daudreider gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Reaper Maneuvers
At every even-numbered level, a daudreider gains new maneuvers known she qualifies for from one of her daudreider disciplines: Black Seraph (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/black-seraph-maneuvers), Piercing Thunder (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nDfExp_kV3Ck7yi5cfPo7Ndc_KCmp8pr84xY2FmZw3s/edit) (see Path of War: Expanded page 128 for the released version), and up to two other disciplines previously available to her, chosen at 1st level. She adds her daudreider levels to her initiator level to determine her total initiator level and her highest-level maneuvers known.
At levels 3rd, 6th and 9th, a daudreider gains an additional maneuver readied per day, and at 2nd, 5th, and 8th levels she may exchange a known maneuver for a different maneuver that she qualifies for (see table below). At each even daudreider level, she may also retrain one of her maneuvers or stances of other disciplines into a maneuver or stance of a daudreider discipline of the same level.
A scythe wielded by a daudreider deals 2d6/x3 piercing and slashing damage (2d4 if small), has the reach and trip features, and belongs to the heavy blades, polearms and spears groups. She treats the scythe and any other Black Seraph or Piercing Thunder discipline weapon she wields as a holy symbol, and she can cast daudreider spells while doing so (without the need of a free hand).
Stances Known
At 3rd and 8th level a daudreider learns a new martial stance from one of her daudreider disciplines. She must meet the stance's prerequisites to learn it.
Daudreider Maneuvers and Spells Known
Maneuvers
Spells Known
Level
Known
Readied
Stances
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
1
0
0
0
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
2
1
0
0
3
3
1
-
-
-
-
3
0
1
1
3
3
2
-
-
-
-
4
1
0
0
4
3
2
1
-
-
-
5
0
0
0
4
4
3
2
-
-
-
6
1
1
0
4
4
3
2
1
-
-
7
0
0
0
4
4
3
3
2
-
-
8
1
0
1
5
5
4
3
2
1
-
9
0
1
0
5
5
4
3
3
2
-
10
1
0
0
5
5
4
4
3
2
1
Spells
A daudreider may cast a small number of divine spells drawn from the inquisitor spell list. To cast a daudreider spell, she must have an initiator ability score of at least 10 + the spell's level. Bonus spells are based on her initiator ability score, and saving throws against her daudreider spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + her initiator modifier. She casts spells just as an oracle does, including the ability to replace a daudreider spell with a new spell at every even-numbered level, beginning at 4th level. 0th level spells, or orisons, may be cast at-will from her spells known (see the tables above for spells per day and spells known). The caster level of her daudreider spells is equal to her initiator level. If the character qualified for this class using Martial Training feats, her spellcasting is Wisdom-based.
Death’s Hand
Whenever a daudreider initiates a martial strike, she may also cast a standard action daudreider spell (with a level equal to or less than the level of the strike initiated) on herself or an ally within her melee reach as a move action. Whenever she casts a spell in this manner, allies within her melee reach also gain a morale bonus to saving throws against fear and to their save DC against demoralization attempts equal to her class level. These bonuses remain for a number of rounds equal to her class level.
Undead Charger
A daudreider rides a sentient companion which eventually becomes undead, a symbol of her oath to Death and an increasingly powerful ally in her order’s crusade against chaos and undead. See the Daudreider Mount section below.
Whenever the daudreider is mounted on her undead charger and uses a combat maneuver, martial maneuver, stance or style feat with a movement component (such as a charge attack, a bull rush, an extra move action, or a bonus to speed), the daudreider can have her mount make the appropriate movement and gain associated benefits in her place. When making a charge (granted by a martial maneuver or otherwise) while mounted, the daudreider and her mount are both considered to be charging. If she must make her charge attack(s) before a target is within her mount's melee reach (for example in the case she wields a reach weapon), the mount may continue moving and make its charge attack(s) after the daudreider's charge has been completed.
Death’s Guardian
At 2nd level, when a daudreider damages an enemy with a martial maneuver, she can also impose a -2 penalty to the enemy’s attack and damage rolls against her allies, besides her mount or herself, provided the enemy or the target of its attack is within her melee reach. Neither she or her mount provoke attacks of opportunity from the affected enemy. If the enemy is chaotic or undead, the penalties are doubled and it also suffers a -2 penalty to saving throws against fear effects from the daudreider or her mount. These effects last until the start of her next turn (the effects do not stack).
The penalties to attack and damage rolls increases to -3 at 5th level, and to -4 at 8th level.
Formations
At levels 3, 6, and 9, a daudreider learns one formation to assist both herself and her allies. If the daudreider has levels in another class which grants formations, those levels stack with her daudreider levels for the purpose of determining the benefits of her chosen formations. See the hussar (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M6VC1CGrL85oC2mE22eoBXyKjD-Z9a9bhom8JhTirKM/edit) for details on formations (released version found in Path of War: Expanded, page 52).
Inexorable Charger
At 3rd level, a daudreider’s mount gains a darker, more shadowy and frightening appearance, and becomes increasingly relentless in its service. It gains:
Fly speed (Su) equal to the mount’s land speed with good maneuverability, and a bonus on Fly skill checks equal to its Hit Dice.
Phantom Form (Su) As a free action, up to 2 times per day and daudreider level, the mount can turn shadowy and indistinct for one round. The mount gains constant concealment (20% miss chance) when not in a brightly lit space, its natural armor and attacks gain the ghost touch property, and it takes no penalties from squeezing. When charging, the mount can move through allies, and can make one Demoralize attempt as a free action against a creature within 10 feet at any point during its charge movement.
Death’s Destrier +2 racial bonus to Strength and pounce special ability. The mount’s secondary natural attacks (if any) become primary natural attacks with at least a 1d4 damage die (1d6 if Large), and it’s speed is not affected by wearing barding of any kind.
Intimidating Prowess as a bonus feat.
Reaper Knight
At 4th level, when attacking a chaotic or undead creature while mounted, the daudreider and her mount gain a bonus to their attack and damage rolls equal to half the daudreider’s initiator modifier (minimum 1). If such a creature takes damage from the daudreider while suffering from a fear condition, any fear effect the daudreider or her mount exposes the target to before the end of her next turn also stacks with the previous effect for a more severe condition, even if the effects normally do not do so.
At 8th level, any creature the daudreider or her mount damages loses its immuntiy to fear (if any) while within the daudreider's or her mount's melee reach. A creature normally immune to mind-affecting effects gains a +5 resistance bonus to its save, and a +10 bonus to its demoralize DC against these effects.
Amaranthine Charger
At 5th level, a daudreider’s mount simply refuses to give up, and not even its own destruction can hold it back for long. It gains the following abilities:
Does not need to breathe.
Deathless Form (Su) Once per day if the mount is destroyed, it returns to unlife 1 hour later at 1 hit point. It is permanently destroyed if it is reduced to 0 hit points by negative energy or in the area of an unhallow or a bless spell cast by a chaotic or undead creature, or if its remains are sprinkled with a vial of unholy water. The use of Deathless Form expends two uses of Phantom Form (the mount must have at least two uses of Phantom Form left when destroyed to return to unlife).
Relentless Presence +2 racial bonus to Charisma.
Implacable Charger
At 7th level, the abilities of a daudreider’s mount ensures any subversive element would have to be more than exceptionally resourceful to escape swift judgement. It gains:
Combat Reflexes as a bonus feat, even if the mount does not meet the prerequisites.
Specter Form (Su) As a free action, the mount can turn near incorporeal for one round. This form grants the mount all the benefits of Phantom Form, but the concealment is total (50% miss chance) when not in a brightly lit space, and the form grants constant detect undead (caster level equal to the mount’s hit dice). The mount’s movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and it is as unaffected by physical obstacles and line of sight as if made using the dimension door spell (with the same effect if ending in an occupied space). This only affects the mount, the daudreider (while mounted), and their gear. Each round the mount uses Specter Form it expends two of its daily uses of Phantom Form. This is a conjuration (teleportation) effect.
Uncanny Senses The mount may add its Charisma modifier to Perception and Sense Motive skill checks, instead of its Wisdom modifier.
Imperative Charger
At 9th level, the mount gains its final majestic appearance and can grow with its rider into gigantic proportions. It gains:
Fly speed increases to 1 ½ times the mount’s base land speed.
Imposing Form (Su) While mounted, as a move action or as part of a charge or adopting a formation she knows, the daudreider can choose to have herself and her mount instantly grow one size category larger for one minute, as if under the effects of an enlarge person spell. If the mount becomes huge or larger, the normal +2 bonus to Strength increases to +4, and it gains a +2 bonus to Charisma. This ability immediately ends if the daudreider is no longer mounted, if either she or her mount becomes unconscious, or if she chooses to end it as a free action, but otherwise remains in effect until all rounds per day have been expended, without the need for taking additional actions. This ability can not grow the daudreider into a size larger than Huge, or her mount into a size larger than Gargantuan, but otherwise stacks with abilities and spells affecting the daudreider’s or her mount’s size. Each use of Imposing Form expends one of the mount’s daily uses of Phantom Form. This ability can be used simultaneously with Phantom Form or Specter Form.
United in Death
At 10th level, the daudreider can focus her divine and martial energies to unite with her companion in undead glory. When the mount uses its Phantom Form or Specter Form while the daudreider is mounted, she can expend one of her unused spell slots or a readied martial maneuver as a free action to gain the benefits of the mount’s form, its undead benefits listed as points number 2 - 5 (in the mount spoiler section below), and its lack of a need to breathe. The mount gains all applicable benefits of any martial stance the daudreider uses (treating its natural weapons as discipline weapons for this purpose), and may use the death’s guardian ability when dealing damage with a natural attack. The pair can also adopt any formation as a free action, and they gain a +2 bonus to the save DC of any fear effect they produce.
This ability lasts for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell or maneuver the daudreider expended, or until her mount leaves the form, the daudreider is no longer mounted, or she or her mount becomes unconscious (whichever comes first).
A daudreider’s mount becomes sentient and starts its transformation into an undead creature after a one-day initiation ritual, lead by the Master of Rites at one of the order’s chapels. The abilities the mount gains are often called Helvegsins gjafar (Old Norse: “the gifts of the road to Hel”), and the ritual is not considered inherently evil. Instead, daudreiders as well as the undead animals regard it as the product of the daudreider’s and her companion’s fully consentual agreement with Death, in many ways quite the opposite to how undead are normally created.
For each level a daudreider gains, her mount’s abilities progresses as if she had gained a level in druid, but it’s creature type changes to half-undead at 1st level, and to undead at 10th level. The mount is still treated as an animal companion for the purpose of the daudreider's or its own associated class features, feats, abilities and spells. It also keeps all its abilities and statistics unless otherwise noted here, and gains additional traits and benefits depending on the daudreider’s class levels:
No Constitution score. Instead, at 1st level, the mount’s Charisma score becomes equal to its previous Constitution score. The mount uses its new Charisma score in place of Constitution when calculating hit points, Fortitude saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution.
Half-undead +1 racial bonus per daudreider level to saving throws against any effect which targets Fortitude (unless it affects objects), and against mind-affecting, death, stunning, bleed, exhaustion, fatigue, disease, paralysis, poison, and sleep effects.
Darkvision 60 feet.
No penalties from energy-draining effects, though the mount can still be destroyed if it accrues more negative levels than it has Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels it has gained are removed without saving throws.
Not subject to nonlethal damage, not at risk of death from massive damage, and at 10th level also immune to ability damage to Strength and Dexterity.
Immediately destroyed at 0 hit points or if it’s Charisma score is reduced to 0 or less.
Healed by any energy type channeled by allies but regains only half the normal Hit Points.
Harmed by any energy type channeled by enemies but gains Channel Resistance +4 against such harmful energy, and takes only half damage on a failed save and suffers no damage or ill effects on a successful save.
Not subject to the control undead spell, the Command Undead feat or similar abilities allowing control of undead.
Raised as undead Raise dead, reincarnate, resurrection and true resurrection returns the mount as (half-) undead if the daudreider’s soul is present on the same plane. If not, the mount is raised as normal.
Does not need to eat or sleep, but can do so (for example in order to drink a potion).
4 + Intelligence modifier skill points per Hit Die and undead class skills.
Lawful neutral alignment.
Sentient +5 racial bonus to Intelligence.
Grave Stable (Su) As a full-round action, a daudreider may either dismiss her adjacent mount to Hel up to three times per day, or call it from Hel to a free adjacent space up to three times per day.
Share Spells ability, even if the mount is no longer an animal or has an archetype which normally replaces it.
Share Growth (Su) While the daudreider is mounted, her mount’s size is always at least one category larger than the daudreider’s size (as if affected by one or more enlarge person spells).
Speak with Master Can speak with the daudreider as a familiar with the same ability. The mount also knows one language the daudreider knows (her choice), but cannot speak. (Sentience and the ability to communitcate makes animal companion tricks irrelevant - the mount can follow any instructions it is able to understand.)
Should a daudreider's mount be destroyed, the daudreider may find another qualified mount to serve her after 1 week of mourning and by paying her order a sum equal to 500 gp per character level (the cost of a new initiation ritual). Once the ritual is completed, the new mount has changed according to the daudreider’s level.
Currently, I think the daudreider captures the flavor I envisioned perfectly, but I feel the mechanical benefits are a bit too powerful and perhaps a bit too disparate. Please help me nerf and streamline them without sacrificing the flavor of the class!
Any advice/praise/critique/suggestions/ideas are most appreciated!
Here's a Google docs version (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FH8a2_to7KwuYLCOCCgqi9dvmSgshhno8wY3tpndmiQ/edit?usp=sharing), with more links and better layout. And pictures! Yes, even of cool daudreiders and their undead horsies!!!
http://res.cloudinary.com/upho/image/upload/v1423177398/That_s_it_from_death_small_nfc1gv.png
Credits:
The Path of War (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war)/Path of War: Expanded (http://dreamscarred.com/product/path-of-war-expanded/) team at Dreamscarred Press (http://dreamscarred.com/)
Vikings! For their cool, odd and extremely flavorful RL mythology. (Not for the stupidly complex grammatical rules of their language...)
Everyone posting!