Cavalier

Classes Allowed	Fighter, Paladin
Ability Score Requirements	Strength 15 Dexterity 15 Constitution 15 Intelligence 10 Wisdom 10
Prime Requisites	Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom
Races Allowed	Humanoids
Alignments Allowed	Lawful Good, Neutral Good

The Cavalier is the ultimate mounted warrior of civilized cultures, especially those of Middle Ages technology and outlook. In a campaign, he's the shining knight who leads his fellows on an eternal quest for truth, justice, and the elimination of evil. To the world at large, he's a mighty hero. To his friends and allies, he's a staunch friend, a tireless cheerleader, and often an overenthusiastic pain in the neck.
This is a good Warrior Kit for paladins to take. It can be argued that paladins look something like this already, but that isn't necessarily so: Only paladins of cultures like Cetandar would look like this (a paladin of Lungao or Botar would be very different from the Cavalier). Therefore, a paladin who wants to look every inch the shining knight should take the Cavalier Warrior Kit.
The Cavalier kit resembles the Noble Warrior kit in that both are noblemen warriors, but the Noble Warrior is primarily interested in defending the rights and maintaining the status quo of his social class, while the Cavalier pursues loftier goals.

Role

In his own and similar cultures, the Cavalier is a mighty hero who has the respect of the majority of the population (the criminal classes and evil characters excepted). He has the good-will of the people, but the people also make many demands of him: When there's danger, when someone is in trouble, the people turn to the Cavalier for help. This character does not get much time for rest and relaxation.

Advantages

• Cavaliers receive one additional weapon proficiency slot at 1st level due to their training as a nobleman.
• At 1st level, the Cavalier gets a +1 to attack rolls with any lance for which he has proficiency, when using the lance from horseback. This goes up +1 every six experience levels (so he'll be +2 at 7th level, +3 at 13th, and +4 at 19).
• At 3rd level, he gets a +1 to attack rolls with any one type of sword (his choice from among those he has proficiency with; the most common are broadsword, longsword, bastard sword, and scimitar, depending on region). This goes up +1 for every six experience levels (so he'll be +2 at 9th level and +3 at 15th level).
• At 5th level, he gets a +1 to attack rolls with either horseman's mace, horseman's flail, or horseman's pick (his choice from among those he has proficiency with). This goes up +1 every six experience levels (so he'll be +2 at 11th level and +3 at 17th level).
• These pluses to attack rolls do not add to damage, and don't allow the Cavalier to hit a monster that can only be hit by magical weapons.
• Starting at 5th level, the Cavalier is completely immune to the fear spell. Because of his bravery, he inspires others to courage, and so, while he is fighting, he actually radiates an emotion spell in a 10' radius. This emotion spell radiates courage, but only to the extent that it negates fear ; it does not bestow the berserk fury that the actual wizard spell provides.
• The Cavalier is +4 to save vs. all magic which would affect his mind, such as the wizard spells charm person, friends, hypnotism, sleep, irritation, ray of enfeeblement, scare, and geas , and the clerical spells command, charm person or mammal, enthrall, cloak of bravery, and symbol .
• The Cavalier starts play with a horse which he does not have to pay for. This will be either a heavy war horse, medium war horse, or light war horse of a breed appropriate for the Cavalier's homeland. The player may choose what sort of horse it is, subject to the DM's approval. It will automatically be a Charger; the DM may roll for its personality traits according to those rules. If this horse dies, the Cavalier has to acquire himself another one through the usual means (buy one, be given one for noble deeds, etc.), but will not be content with any horse which is not a war horse of Charger quality.
• The Cavalier receives a +3 reaction bonus from anyone of his own culture (except criminals and characters of evil alignment, from whom he receives a -3).
• The Cavalier has the right to demand shelter. When he travels, he can demand shelter from anyone in his own nation who is of status lower than nobility. Most people of his own status or higher will be happy to offer him shelter when he is traveling, but he may be expected to compensate them for such kindness.

Disadvantages

• The Cavalier must spend their initial weapon proficiencies on a sword, a lance fit for the horse they begin with, and weapons from among the horseman's mace, horseman's flail, and horseman's pick.
• The Cavalier cannot attack an opponent at range if he can instead charge ahead and attack in melee or jousting combat. Therefore, he cannot snipe on enemies with a bow or crossbow; he cannot use a polearm from behind a shield wall. He has to be on the front line, meeting his foes face-to-face. (A Cavalier could conceivably shoot an opponent with an arrow to stop that opponent from killing an innocent person; that doesn't constitute a violation of his code. But he couldn't shoot the enemy to protect a friend if his friend is fighting that enemy honorably . . . even if his friend is losing.)
• In any combat, the Cavalier must attack the enemy who is the biggest and most powerful-looking. If he's held up by lesser troops, he must dispatch them as quickly as possible and then get to his "real" opponent.
• He must always have the highest-quality armor he can afford. As he goes through his early experience levels, if he has the money, he'll constantly be selling his old armor and buying the next most protective set of armor. His goal is to have a set of full plate armor; the next step down from that is field plate, then plate mail, then bronze plate mail, then banded or splint, then chain, then scale or brigandine, then ring or studded. And to him, magic bonuses don't mean as much as the type of armor: He prefers a suit of ordinary field plate to a set of banded mail +5.
• The Cavalier must also follow a very strict code. In most games, this includes, but is not limited to, the following rules:
• The Cavalier must undertake noble quests and defend those in their charge with their life if necessary.
• The Cavalier must show courage in obeying rulers, respect peers, honor superiors, and demand respect from inferiors.
• The Cavalier must disdain the crude and inferior, avoiding using poorly-made or poorly-kept equipment, and prefers combat over retreat.
• The Cavalier must perform military service when called upon.
• The Cavalier must show courtesy to all women (if male).
• The Cavalier must regard war as noble, seek personal glory, and choose death over dishonor.
• The Cavalier must remain within his homeland unless absolutely necessary, and must seek to return to his home and his people as soon as possible.
• If a Cavalier chooses not to follow this code, bad things happen. The first time he breaks his vow, the DM will warn that palyer that the Cavalier feels bad about violating his code. The second time he breaks his vows, the Cavalier loses all his special benefits until such time as he repents and undertakes a dangerous task to redeem himself. When performing this task he must behave according to his code and his hindrances. Only when the task is successfully accomplished does he regain his benefits.
• If the Cavalier breaks his vow a third time without repenting and undertaking that task, he has abandoned the Cavalier kit. He permanently loses all the special benefits of the kit. He no longer has to obey his knightly code. He receives a permanent -3 reaction penalty from all members of his own culture (even those who do not know of his past will be put off by the air of treachery and faithlessness that now haunts the man) and those from other cultures that know of his past. His horse, even if it is not the one he began play with, leaves him—either riding off without him or attacking him. He may never ride it again, even if he kills it trying to do so.

Notable Cavaliers