Masked Knight (3.5e Prestige Class)

Masked Knight
"Our foe outnumbers us ten to one. The odds are poor... Let a few of them escape so next time they'll know to bring enough troops."

The bards tell of a mysterious masked warrior known only as the Tempest of Blades. They say he appears deep within the enemy ranks and summons forth a torrent of swords to shred their soldiers to ribbons, only to vanish just as fast before their eyes. This legendary man... is a masked knight.

Becoming a Masked Knight
Becoming a masked knight benefits any combat oriented class. The enhanced mobility that dimensional cape grants gives great control of the battlefield. Fighters and rogues find this path especially appealing. A good strength will help the masked knight destroy his foes while a good constitution and dexterity will help keep him alive in the heat of battle.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the masked knight.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Masked knights are proficient in all simple and martial weapons. They are proficient in light and medium armor, and all shields except the tower shield.

 (Sp): At will, a masked knight can use detect chaos, as the spell.

' (Sp):''' A number of times per day determined by the masked knight's class level, he may activate an effect similar to Dimension Door with the following changes: Activating this effect is a swift action that does not end his turn upon use, and he may only take himself and any gear he is carrying with him. He activates this ability with a flourish of his cape or similar accessory. He may activate this effect at any point during his move action.

This mask grants him the special features of his class. The mask cannot be removed by any normal means, requiring a remove curse spell to be cast upon the knight. Enough space between the face and the mask exists to facilitate speech, drinking, and eating. If the mask is removed, he loses all class features except for his bonus feats until the mask can be replaced. A standard mask is forged from normal steel, has a hardness of 10 and HP of 20 and a weight of 5 lbs. If specifically targeted, it uses the knight's AC and saves. A replacement mask requires a journey to the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus to have a new one forged. Diligent masked knights may have a mask forged out of any metal they see fit, so long as the forging takes place in the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus. In addition to granting a masked knight his class features, the mask also allows him to re-focus his skill points as if he was a masked knight of his character level.

 (Ex): When a masked knight makes a charge attack, he may strike opponents he threatens along the route of the charge totaling up to his strength modifier or the upper limit of blade rush targets based on level (whichever is lower). This does not negate any attacks of opportunity incurred against him. He gains an additional use of Blade Rush at every odd level.

' (Sp):''' At second level, a masked knight may create the effect of a Blade Barrier spell with the following changes: It may only form a five foot radius circle, with the knight at the center, deals 5d6 points of damage +1d6 per masked knight level, lasts for one round, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The save DC is equal to 10 + character level + Masked Knight's DEX, Reflex for half. He gains an additional use of Whirl of Blades every even level.

 (Ex): At third level and higher, a masked knight can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. A helpless masked knight does not gain the benefit of evasion.

 (Su): At fourth level, once per day, a masked knight may attempt to smite chaos with one normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per masked knight level. If the masked knight accidentally smites a creature that is not chaotic, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day. He gains one additional smite chaos use every four levels thereafter. A masked knight may join the use of this ability with either Blade Rush or Whirl of Blades. In these cases, they affect any creature hit by the attack(s), provided they are chaotic.  (Su): At fifth level, a masked knight gains a supernatural resistance to any attempts to pry into his mind, granting him a +3 bonus to will saves and Spell Resistance equal to 5+ his masked knight level against any spells of the divination school.

 (Ex): Starting at sixth level, a masked knight can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

 (Su): Everything falls into place. At seventh level, a masked knight can call upon the inherent lawful ability within his mask once per day to re-roll one dice that he has just rolled, or has just been rolled against him before the announcement of results. The masked knight must accept the result of the new roll, regardless of how it compares to the first.

 (Sp): At eighth level, a masked knight can produce a Magic Circle Against Chaos spell centered on himself a number of times per day equal to his dexterity modifier with a caster level equal to his masked knight level.

 (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the masked knight still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless masked knight does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

 (Su): At tenth level, a masked knight's supernatural resistance to any attempts to pry into his mind doubles granting him a +5 bonus to will saves and Spell Resistance equal to 10+ 2x his masked knight level against any spells of the divination school.

 (Su): At fifteenth level, a masked knight becomes immune to any divination spell cast against him and gains a +10 bonus to will saves.

 (Su): Once per day, a masked knight may expend one of his dimensional capes to send an opponent either deep underground or out into space at the DM's discretion. Either way, they must make a DC 30 reflex save or be teleported. If the target requires air to breathe, they will most likely die.

Ex-Masked Knights
A masked knight who has removed his mask or become chaotic in alignment loses access to his Whirl of Blades, Blade Rush, Dimensional Cape, and Masked Mind class features until the mask is replaced or until he ceases to be chaotic.

Playing a Masked Knight
Religion: Most masked knights tend to worship gods of Law, power, or war, though evil knights have been known to worship gods of death.

Other Classes: Masked knights tend to get along fairly well with most other classes, getting along best with monks and other lawful classes. Most will view paladins as too zealous in their beliefs, but will still respect them. They show no hatred for chaotic classes, unless such classes are actively trying to undo the very structure of law.

Combat: A masked knight does best in combat when they can remain mobile. They make as much effort as possible to remain on the front lines, utilizing their blade rushes, whirls of blades, and dimensional cape to get into the heat of the fray.

Advancement: Masked Knights generally start out their careers as Fighters or Rogues, tending to grow to leadership positions in kings' armies or mercenary bands respectively. The regimented training of the masked knight allows for Paladins and Monks to prestige freely into this class. Paladins/Masked Knights may join their Smite Evil into both Blade Rush and Whirl of Blades, and Monk/Masked Knights are able to make great use of their increased movement.

Masked Knights in the World
"Victory... is my destiny."

Masked Knights find themselves falling easily into the role of Generals or Commanders. Their skill in battle leads them easily into leadership of armies or mercenary bands.

NPCs at first are likely to be distrustful of masked knights. Why would anyone conceal their identity if they intended to do good? However, after prolonged relations with a masked knight, a community will grow to trust him and rely on his combat skills to defend them from threats.

Masked Knight Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) can research masked knight to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Masked Knights in the Game
While NPC Masked knights tend to be content to lead armies or mercenary bands, some may lust after power and attempt to annex another land to that of their own. Masked knights will almost never be in a unit composed of only masked knights. Player character masked knights will find unique uses for the masked knight's dimensional cape ability. DMs should be prepared for them to teleport beyond a locked door, or try something reckless, such as teleporting directly above an enemy, 100 feet in the air.

Adaptation: Masked knights can make for any form of military leader. A crusading knight, a general following his king's orders, the commander of a band of mercenaries, or the leader of a rogue army bent on taking control of the land. If there are soldiers on a battlefield, a masked knight can fit right in.

Sample Encounter:

A sudden silence falls over the camp as a chill runs down your spine, and the feeling that you are being watched falls over you.

"In the name of the Emperor, state your business here, knaves," comes a voice from behind.

Those of you that turn to face the source of the command see a tall human male, dressed in a gleaming mithril breastplate. A glowing red sword rests readily at his hip and a heavy steel shield resides on his back. All these objects, elaborately inlayed with gold, are not the most striking features of this man. A long, flowing cape so black that it seems to almost suck the light out of the encampment and the gleaming steel mask the man wears are.

"We are merely passing through," says Davis, stepping forward. "Is travel in these lands forbidden?" he asks, knowing full well the empire's army is just beyond the mountains. The mission was to destroy them, after all.

"I am the Lord General of the imperial army, Isaac Bloodhawke. We are staging operations not far away. We will not suffer enemy scouts coming into our ranks. I have intelligence that there is a group of adventurers hired to sabotage our efforts," he says, drawing his blade, placing the tip under the chin of Davis the rogue. "If I see any of your ever again, I will assume that you are said spies and have you executed as such." he says, withdrawing his blade, trusting it home to its scabbard. Then, with a flourish of his cape, he disappears, leaving the eerie stillness from which he came.

EL 11: