Angelic Knight (Paladin/Summoner)

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The angelic knight is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, light, and medium), and with shields (except tower shields).

Spellcasting

The angelic knight casts divine spells drawn from both the paladin and summoner spell list. Like a paladin, he is restricted from casting any spells that oppose his code of conduct. The angelic knight otherwise prepares and casts spells as a paladin equal to the angelic knight’s level.

Code of Conduct

An angelic knight must adhere to the guidelines presented in the paladin’s code of conduct.

Cassisian

An angelic knight begins play with the ability to call to his side a powerful outsider from the celestial planes called a cassisian (see Bestiary 2). The cassisian forms a link with the angelic knight who, forever after, can summon an aspect of the same creature. A cassisian is the weakest of the angelic beings, and comes in answer of the angelic knight’s call to serve him in his war against the powers of darkness. The cassisian is considered an outsider with the angel, extraplanar, and good subtypes. It is always lawful good in alignment, and can speak all of the angelic knight’s languages in addition to those it already knows. Cassisians are treated as summoned creatures, except that they are not sent back to their home plane until reduced to a number of negative hit points equal to or greater than their Constitution score. In addition, due to its tie to its angelic knight, a cassisian can touch and attack creatures warded by protection from evil and similar effects that prevent contact with summoned creatures.

An angelic knight can summon his cassisian in a ritual that takes 1 minute to perform. When summoned in this way, the cassisian hit points are unchanged from the last time it was summoned. The only exception to this is if the cassisian was slain, in which case it returns with half its normal hit points. The cassisian does not heal naturally. The cassisian remains until dismissed by the angelic knight (a standard action). If the cassisian is sent back to its home plane due to death, it cannot be summoned again until the following day. The cassisian cannot be sent back to its home plane by means of dispel magic, but spells such as dismissal and banishment work normally. If the angelic knight is unconscious, asleep, or killed, his cassisian is immediately banished.

The cassisian always appears in its true form as a helmet possessing a pair of bird’s wings. The exact style of helmet is determined by the angelic knight’s desires, and may vary from steel with angular cheek-plates and bascinets, to skullcaps, great helms, or even samurai helmets. However, the cassisian can assume other forms as described hereafter in the cassisian statisitics section. The cassisian’s Hit Dice, saving throws, skills, feats, and abilities are tied to the angelic knight’s class level and increase as the angelic knight gains levels. In addition, each cassisian receives a pool of evolution points, based on the angelic knight’s class level that can be used to give the cassisian different abilities and powers. Whenever the angelic knight gains a level, he must decide how these points are spent, and they are set until he gains another level of angelic knight.

The cassisian’s physical appearance is up to the angelic knight, but it always appears as a winged helmet of some sort (or one of it other forms). The cassisian also bears a glowing divine rune that is identical to a rune that appears on the angelic knight’s forehead as long as the cassisian is summoned. While this rune can be hidden through mundane means, it cannot be concealed through magic that changes appearance, such as alter self or polymorph (although invisibility does conceal it as long as the spell lasts). This ability replaces divine bond.

Life Link (Su)

At 1st level, the angelic knight gains the summoner’s life link ability, except that it applies to his cassisian instead. This ability replaces lay on hands.

Smite Evil (Su)

This is exactly like the paladin ability of the same name, except that the angelic knight can smite evil once per day at 1st level, and an additional time per day every six levels thereafter, to a maximum of four times per day at 19th level.

Lesser Exaltation (Su)

Staring at 4th level, an angelic knight’s body becomes infused with the otherworldly energies that emanate from his cassisian. These celestial emanations begin to physically change the angelic knight into an exalted creature of the celestial planes. This change is slow at first, but accelerates as the angelic knight increases in level. The angelic knight’s features take on an angelic appearance, and gains the following abilities: a +2 bonus to Charisma, darkvision 60 feet, and low-light vision. If the angelic knight already has darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet. This ability, exaltation, and greater exaltation replace channel energy.

Cherubic Call (Su)

At 5th level, as a standard action, an angelic knight can call his cassisian to his side. The angelic knight can use this ability once per day at 5th level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels thereafter. This functions exactly like the summoner’s maker’s call ability. This ability replaces mercy.

Celestial Ally (Sp)

At 6th level, an angelic knight can call upon his deity for aid, in the form of a powerful servant. This allows the angelic knight to cast lesser planar ally once per week as a spell-like ability without having to pay the material component cost or the servant (for reasonable tasks). This improves to planar ally at 12th level, and to greater planar ally at 18th level. The angelic knight’s caster level for this effect is equal to his angelic knight level. This ability replaces smite 2/day, 4/day, and 6/day.

Transposition (Su)

At 8th level, the angelic knight gains the summoner’s transposition ability, except that it applies to his cassisian instead. This ability replaces aura of resolve.

Exaltation (Su)

At 10th level, the angelic knight’s infusion of otherworldly energies increases. He gains DR 5/evil and resist acid 5, cold 5, and electricity 5.

Aura of Greater Courage (Sp)

At 11th level, the angelic knight’s aura of courage becomes more powerful. Each ally within the aura gains immunity to fear (magical or otherwise). This ability replaces aura of justice.

Shining Light (Su)

At 14th level, an angelic knight can unleash a 30-foot burst of pure, white light as a standard action. Evil creatures within this burst take 1d6 points of damage for every four angelic knight levels and are blinded for 1 round. Evil dragons, evil outsiders, and evil undead are blinded for 1d4 rounds on a failed save. A Reflex save halves this damage and negates the blindness. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the angelic knight’s level + the angelic knight’s Charisma modifier. Good creatures within this burst are healed 1d6 points of damage per two angelic knight levels and receive a +2 sacred bonus on ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for 1 round. An angelic knight can use this ability once per day at 14th level plus one additional time per day at 17th and 20th levels. This ability replaces aura of faith.

Greater Exaltation (Su)

At 16th level, the angelic knight’s infusion of otherworldly energies greatly increases. He gains SR equal to 5 + the angelic knight’s level.

Life Bond (Su)

At 17th level, the angelic knight gains the summoner’s life bond ability, except that it applies to his cassisian instead. This replaces aura of righteousness.

Angelic Champion (Su)

At 20th level, the angelic knight’s infusion of otherworldly energies is complete, transforming him into a true celestial creature. His DR increases to 10/evil, his resist acid, cold, and electricity increase to 10, and he gains both the native and outsider types. In addition, each time the angelic knight uses his smite evil ability, a nimbus of light emanates from him in a 10-foot radius. All allies in this area (including the angelic knight) receive a +2 morale bonus to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against fear as long as they remain in the area of light. This nimbus lasts for 1 minute. This ability replaces holy champion.