Knight Gaunt

This desiccated creature resembles a once proud knight fallen from grace. Its armor reveals its former station. The creature's eyes burn red and its hands end in wicked claws.

Knight Gaunt (CR 3)

Medium Undead
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Initiative: +1
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet; Perception +8

Speed: 20 feet (base 30 feet)
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+6 armor, +1 Dex, +4 natural)
Hit Points: 26 (4d8+8)
Saving Throws: Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5
Immunity: undead traits
Energy Resistance: cold 10
Spell Resistance: 14

Offense

Melee: longsword +6 (1d8+3 plus bleed) or 2 claws +5 (1d4+2 plus bleed)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: Bleed (1d4), smite good, weapon attunement

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
15 (+2)	12 (+1)	-	11 (+0)	13 (+1)	15 (+2)

Base Attack Bonus: +3
CMB +5
CMD 16

Feats: Cleave

Skills: Intimidate +9, Perception +8, Ride +0, Stealth +3

Languages: Common

Special Abilities

Smite Good (Su)

Once per day, a knight gaunt can smite good. As a swift action, the knight gaunt chooses one target within sight. If this target is good, the knight gaunt adds its Charisma bonus on its attack rolls and adds its Hit Dice on all damage rolls made against that target. If the target is an outsider with the good subtype or a good-aligned creature with levels of cleric of paladin, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack is doubled. Regardless of the target, smite good attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess. Additionally, the knight gaunt gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma bonus to AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. The smite good remains in effect until the target of the smite is dead or until 24 hours have passed.

Weapon Attunement (Su)

A knight gaunt gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls with any melee weapon it wields. Additionally, it gains the bleed special attack with any melee weapon it wields.

Ecology

Environment: Any
Organization: solitary or troop (2-8)
Treasure: standard (chainmail armor, longsword, other treasure)


A knight gaunt is an undead creature created when a paladin falls in battle. Other than a few fleeting thoughts perhaps of the martial training they received in life, these creatures have no memories of their former lives. A knight gaunt often wears the armor it wore in life and wields the weapons it carried into its last battle before rising as undead.

Knight gaunts are most often found in the employ of death knights serving as companions or knights-in-training. Others wander the world seeking out goodness wherever they find it, squashing it beneath their steel-booted heel and putting the righteous to their blades. Paladins and clerics of good alignment are hated by many knight gaunts for they represent everything the knight gaunt isn't, and perhaps once was or once strived to be.

A typical knight gaunt stands 6 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds. It wears the armor it wore when alive and still carries the weapons it wielded in life. Its skin is ash gray in color and its eyes are milky white with fiery red pupils.

A knight gaunt fights with bladed weapons in battle, preferring longswords, greatswords, and axes to all others. Only when disarmed does it resort to using its claws. A knight gaunt that retains its mount (that is undead now as well) or procures some undead steed to carry it into battle wields a lance in addition to its other weapons. In battle, a knight gaunt is relentless, attacking with its blades until all of its foes are vanquished.