Malevolent Knight (Cavalier/Antipaladin)

(Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)

Primary Class: Cavalier.

Secondary Class: Antipaladin.

Alignment: Any evil.

Hit Dice: d10.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The malevolent knight may select three antipaladin skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal cavalier class skills, and those he gains from his order. The malevolent knight gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The malevolent knight is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (light, medium, and heavy), and with shields (except tower shields).

Code of Conduct: A malevolent knight must adhere to the antipaladin’s code of conduct, but applies it to both lawful evil and neutral evil alignments accordingly.

Aura of Evil (Su): At 1st level, a malevolent knight gains the antipaladin’s aura of evil ability. This ability replaces tactician.

Divine Order: At 1st level, a malevolent knight must select one of the divine orders listed in the Orders section. A divine order is similar to the order of a cavalier, but has a divine focus and is based on certain aspects of divine magic. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces order.

Malevolent Charge (Su): At 3rd level, whenever the malevolent knight makes a charge, he is bolstered by the dark power of his faith to make more devastating charge attacks while mounted. The malevolent knight deals extra damage equal to his Charisma modifier on a charge while mounted. This damage comes from unholy power and is not subject to damage reduction, energy immunities, or energy resistances. In addition, the malevolent knight does not suffer any penalty to his AC after making a charge attack while mounted. This ability replaces cavalier’s charge.

Detect Good (Sp): At 4th level, the malevolent knight gains the antipaladin’s detect good ability. This ability replaces expert trainer.

Smiting Challenge (Su): Starting at 6th level, by calling upon his dark deity, the malevolent knight can deal smite damage against those he has challenged. As a swift action, the malevolent knight adds his malevolent knight level to all damage rolls made against the target of his challenge, if that target is good. If the target of the smiting challenge is an outsider with the good subtype, or a good-aligned dragon, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the malevolent knight possesses. Regardless of the target, smiting challenge attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess. This damage comes from unholy power and is not subject to damage reduction, energy immunities, or energy resistances. The malevolent knight can use smiting challenge once per day at 6th level, and an additional time per day every six levels thereafter. This ability replaces bonus feats.

Aura of Cowardice (Su): At 9th level, the malevolent knight gains the antipaladin’s aura of cowardice ability. This ability replaces greater tactician.

Fiendish Mount (Ex): At 11th level, the malevolent knight’s mount gains the fiendish template.

Aura of Depravity (Su): At 17th level, the malevolent knight gains the antipaladin’s aura of depravity ability. This ability replaces master tactician.

Unholy Charge (Ex): At 20th level, a malevolent knight becomes a conduit for the dark power of his god. Whenever the cavalier makes a charge attack while mounted, he deals double the normal amount of damage (or triple if using a lance). If the target of his charge is a good outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment, using his malevolent knight level as the caster level (his weapon and banner automatically count as objects that the subject hates). In addition, if the malevolent knight confirms a critical hit on a charge attack while mounted, the target is stunned for 1d4 rounds. A Will save reduces this to staggered for 1d4 rounds. The DC is equal to 10 + the malevolent knight’s base attack bonus.

Table: Malevolent Knight