Mounted Warden (Cavalier/Ranger)

Rovers and guardians of the land, mounted wardens traverse their chosen terrain in search of those who might wantonly destroy it. They rely upon their wilderness savvy and training to survive the wilds, and track down those who defile the natural world. (Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)

Primary: Cavalier.

Secondary: Ranger.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d10.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The mounted warden selects three ranger skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal cavalier class skills. The mounted warden gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The mounted warden is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armor, medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

Challenge (Ex): This is exactly like the cavalier’s ability of the same name, except that the mounted warden can make a challenge once per day at 1st level, and an additional time per day every six levels thereafter., up to a maximum of four times per day at 19th level.

Mount (Ex): This is exactly like the cavalier’s ability of the same name, except that the mount shares the mounted warden’s favored terrain bonuses.

Order (Ex): This is exactly like the cavalier ability of the same name, except that the mounted warden can select the Order of the Wild Sentinel, which complements the mounted warden multiclass archetype.

Tactician (Ex): This is exactly like the cavalier’s ability of the same name, except that the mounted warden can also grant his chosen teamwork feat to his animal companion gained through his warden’s companion ability. This also applies to teamwork feats gained from his greater tactician and master tactician abilities.

Favored Terrain (Ex): At 4th level, a mounted warden gains the ranger’s favored terrain ability. The mounted warden gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks when he is in this terrain. A mounted warden traveling through his favored terrain normally leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (though he may leave a trail if he so chooses). At 14th level, a mounted warden may select an additional favored terrain. In addition, the skill bonus and initiative bonus to his first favored terrain increases by +2. If a specific terrain falls into more than one category of favored terrain, the mounted warden's bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher. This ability replaces banner and greater banner.

Warden’s Companion (Ex): At 5th level, a mounted warden forms a close bond with an animal companion. The mounted warden can choose from those listed on the druid’s animal companion’s list, but it must be a Small or Medium animal associated with his 1st favored terrain. This animal is a loyal companion and shares the mounted warden’s favored terrain bonuses. The mounted warden’s animal companion cannot be improved by Boon Companion or any similar feat. A mounted warden's animal companion gains a bonus on Survival checks to follow tracks equal to 1/2 the mounted warden's level (minimum 1). This ability otherwise functions like the druid animal companion ability (which is part of the Nature Bond class feature), except that the mounted warden’s effective druid level is equal to his mounted warden’s level –4. This ability replaces challenge 2/day, 4/day, and 6/day, expert trainer, and demanding challenge.

Bonus Feats: This is exactly like the cavalier ability of the same name, except that the mounted cavalier can instead select one of the ranger’s combat styles to pursue. If he chooses to follow the combat style feat path, all subsequent bonus feats must be selected from his combat style. At 6th level, he can choose from the ranger’s 2nd level combat feats. At 12th level, the mounted warden adds the ranger’s 6th level combat style feats to to the list. At 18th level, the mounted warden adds the ranger’s 10th level combat style feats to the list.

Supreme Guardian (Ex): At 20th level, a mounted warden becomes a true guardian of the land. A mounted warden may designate an area as his guarded lands, allowing him to treat it as his favored terrain or to enhance his bonuses if it is already in his favored terrain. The area must be no larger than 1 square mile, and the mounted warden must spend 24 hours carefully studying the entire area. This period of study gives him a +2 favored terrain bonus in that area, which stacks with any favored terrain bonus for that area (for example, he also gets his forest favored terrain bonus if his guarded lands are part of a forest). When within his guarded land, the mounted warden gains a +2 bonus against any creature designated as the target of his challenge that stacks with his normal challenge bonus. Allies who can see and hear the mounted warden gain an initiative bonus equal to half the mounted warden’s favored terrain bonus for that terrain. A mounted warden may have a number of guarded lands equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum 1). When he reaches his maximum number of guarded lands, he can select a new guarded land by abandoning an existing one and performing the ritual for a new area. In addition, if the mounted warden has chosen the Order of the Wild Sentinel, he can always move at full speed while using Survival to follow tracks without penalty, even while mounted. This ability replaces supreme charge.

Table: Mounted Warden