Ideas for Riding Hero base class.

[paigeoliver]

I am working on a base class called the riding hero. It is a mounted fighting base class without spells. Any ideas on abilities?

[Icewalker]

Cool idea. But if you plan on running it in a campaign, that could be very challenging. No dungeons. Wouldn't work too well as a PC. Could work as a villain.

Mounted combat. Lots of charging. Bonuses on horseback. Speed bonuses above a normal horse. At high levels, telepathic connection allowing you to communicate anything to your horse (Or even just that you are both so experienced with each other you can determine exactly what the other one is saying to you.)

[paigeoliver]

Well, one of the abilities the class would eventually give is to use large mounts in one square rather than 4 squares, and I assumed a lot of them would just be halflings. Sort of like the tunnel riding feat (which makes taking horses indoors easy).

Cool idea. But if you plan on running it in a campaign, that could be very challenging. No dungeons. Wouldn't work too well as a PC. Could work as a villain.

Mounted combat. Lots of charging. Bonuses on horseback. Speed bonuses above a normal horse. At high levels, telepathic connection allowing you to communicate anything to your horse (Or even just that you are both so experienced with each other you can determine exactly what the other one is saying to you.)

[de-trick]

not sure if this is what you want but play a paladin or ranger and take non-spellcasting variant

[paigeoliver]

Well, I specifically write classes for my own independent low print run D20 books, so I am not really looking for existing classes.

Also, first ability.

Bonus Feat (Ex) At first level the riding hero gains mounted combat as a bonus feat. At every even numbered level they gain another bonus feat which can be selected from the following list. The riding hero must meet all prerequisites of the bonus feat he selects, although he may substitute his riding hero level for his fighter level for the purposes of qualifying for bonus feats (he uses the higher level, he does not add them together). The gamemaster may allow other riding related feats as riding hero bonus feats.

Riding Hero bonus feats: Animal Affinity, Improved Critical, Ride by Attack, Spirited Charge, Trample, Legendary Rider, Mounted Archery, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Ride Anything, Show Riding, Speedy Handler, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Specialization.

[Triaxx]

Here's a no-magic riding class I built as an alternative to the Paladin, balanced with help from the board. Maybe it will give you some ideas.

Spoiler

Show

Cavalier
Alignment: Any Lawful.
Hit Die: d10
Class Skills: The Cavalier's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (religion) (Int) Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st level: (2 + Int Modifier) x3
Skill Points at Each additional Level: 2 + Int Modifier


{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|

+1

|

+1

|

+0

|

+0

|Lay on Hands, Aura of Law 1/day
2nd|

+2

|

+2

|

+0

|

+0

|Knightly Grace, Bonus Feat
3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|Smite Foe 1/day
4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Improved Shield Bash
5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Dodge
6th|

+6/+1

|

+5

|

+1

|

+1

|Bonus Feat, Smite Foe 2/day
7th|

+7/+2

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|Aura of Law 2/day
8th|

+8/+3

|

+6

|

+2

|

+2

|Celestial Mount 1st-Tier
9th|

+9/+4

|

+7

|

+2

|

+2

|Smite Foe 3/day
10th|

+10/+5

|

+7

|

+2

|

+2

|Bonus Feat
11th|

+11/+6/+1

|

+8

|

+3

|

+3

|
12th|

+12/+7/+2

|

+8

|

+3

|

+3

|Smite Foe 4/day
13th|

+13/+8/+3

|

+9

|

+3

|

+3

|Cleric Domain-1st, Lance Knight
14th|

+14/+9/+4

|

+9

|

+3

|

+3

|Bonus Feat, Celestial Mount 2nd-Tier, Aura of Law 3/day
15th|

+15/+10/+5

|

+10

|

+4

|

+4

|Smite Foe 5/day
16th|

+16/+11/+6/+1

|

+10

|

+4

|

+4

|Combat Reflexes
17th|

+17/+12/+7/+2

|

+11

|

+4

|

+4

|Cleric Domain-2nd
18th|

+18/+13/+8/+3

|

+11

|

+4

|

+4

|Bonus Feat, Smite Foe 6/day
19th|

+19/+14/+9/+4

|

+12

|

+5

|

+5

|Cleric Domain-3rd
20th|

+20/+15/+10/+5

|

+13

|

+5

|

+5

|Bonus Feat, Celestial Mount 3rd-Tier[/table]

Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Cavaliers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Lay on Hands: As per the Paladin ability.

Aura of Law: Aura of Law is a Cavalier's final defense. Used when foes close in around him the Cavalier summons his knowledge of right and law, and projects a feeling of defenslessness and clumsiness against neutral and chaotic foes. Neutral foes take a -1 penalty to AC and BAB, while Chaotic Foes take a -2 penalty to AC and BAB. This effect lasts for 1 round per Cavalier level. The aura can be resisted by a (DC10 + Cavalier level + Cavalier's CHA mod) Will save. A Cavalier may use Aura of Law once per day at first level, and gains additional uses every seven levels.

Smite Foe: As per the Smite Evil ability, but only against Chaotic or Neutral Foes. A Cavalier gains one use at third level, and an additional use every three levels there after.

Knightly Grace: At 2nd level, a Cavalier has been trained to fight on horseback, and when mounted on a horse or pony gains a +2 competence bonus when attempting to control an untrained animal. When mounted on a warhorse, or warpony, the Cavalier gains a +1 bonus to mounted melee attacks.

Bonus Feat: A Cavalier is granted bonus feat in addition to those she normally receives.

Improved Shield Bash: At 4th level Cavalier is treated as having the Improved Shield Bash feat while mounted, even if he or she does not meet the requirements.

Dodge: From 5th level on, when mounted a Cavalier is treated as having the dodge feat even if he or she does not meet the requirements for it.

Cleric Domain: A Cavalier, while not necessarily a religious warrior is looked upon with favor by his or her god. At 13th level, a Cavalier may choose one of his or her gods domain's, and use the first level domain power as a Cleric of one quarter the Cavalier's level. At 17th level, the Cavalier gains the second level domain power, as a cleric of one quarter Cavalier level, and at 1th, gains a third level domaing power, as a cleric one-quarter of the Cavalier's level.

Combat Reflexes: If he has not taken it at an earlier level, at 16th level, the Cavalier is treated as having Combat Reflexes.

Lance Knight: At 12th level, the Cavalier has become a master of mounted combat, and as such is able to deal double damage when charging with a Lance, Sword, or Axe and Shield. The Cavalier's BAB, and chance to hit rolls are unaffected. The Cavalier also is able to disregard the -2 AC penalty while charging mounted.

Noble Steed: At 8th Level, a Cavalier may spend 1d4 days familiarizing himself with a particular mount, and bind himself to it. In doing so, it becomes a first tier mount. At level 14, it becomes a second tier mount, and at level 20, it becomes a third tier mount. While mounted on his Noble Mount, the Cavalier gains a +1 to his Reflex and Will saves.
If the Cavalier's Noble Steed is killed, it takes a year and a day to become familiar enough with another mount to replace it. Upon the steeds death, the Cavalier loses 200xp per level, with a fort save for half. In addition, the Cavalier must make a fort save, or be treated as having one half his total ride skill until he gains another Steed. Making the fort save reduces the penalty to three-quarters his ride skill. If the Cavalier's Steed is resurrected, the penalty to his ride skill is negated.

Noble Steed
{table=head]Tier|HD|Natural [br] Armor|Str. Adj.|Special
1st|

+2

|

+2

|

+1

|Improved Mounted Combat, DR5/Silver
2nd|

+4

|

+4

|

+2

|Shield Mount
3rd|

+6

|

+6

|

+4

|Mounted Archery, DR10/Silver[/table]