Griffon Rider (3.5e Prestige Class)

Author: Vestrione Seshione (talk) Date Created: 4/18/2010 Status: ready for review Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Griffon Rider

“	In my day, I have seen many a battle and killed many men, but there is nothing as satisfying as watching your enemies splatter on the ground after dropping them from 100 feet in the air!	”
—Catharsus, Human Blackguard and Griffon Rider, Excerpt from a lecture on the most satisfying ways to kill someone

Becoming a Griffon Rider

Many characters seek to become a Griffon Rider for a wide variety of reasons, some seeking to use their aerial ability to escape from the law while others seeking to use the help of their Griffon to gain an advantage in battle or to adventure where no other man(or Griffon) has trod before. The main attributes for a Griffon Rider are Dexterity and Strength.

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	any.
Base Attack Bonus:	+5.
Race:	None.
Skills:	Ride 7, Handle Animal 12, diplomacy 7, Concentration 7.
Feats:	Animal Affinity, Mounted Combat.
Spellcasting:	None.
Patron:	none.
Domains:	none.
Special:	Must have acquired the Griffon and successfully won a battle while riding him.

Table: The Griffon Rider

Hit Die: d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Mounted Archery*
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Improved Pounce, Improved Evasion*
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Griffon Speech, Aerial Combat
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Aerial Sneak Attack (1d8+2)
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Momentous Cleave
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2	None
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	Aerial Sneak Attack (2d8+4)
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+2	None
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	Deflect Arrows*
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	Aerial Sneak attack (3d8+6), Hive Mind
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level. , Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge Nature (Int), Listen (Wis) Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex) Class Features If any of these feats have already been acquired, they can be replaced by any feats of the players choice. However, epic level feats can only be chosen if the player has reached epic level. Improved Pounce (Ex): The Griffon rider has come to work in excellent conjunction with his Griffon, and when the Griffon does a pounce or full attack, the Griffon rider can also attack that same target with an extra +4 melee attack in addition to his standard attack action. Momentous Cleave (Ex): When doing a full attack or a charge against another aerial target or a reachable land-based target(like someone on a tower or another position a Griffon can swoop to attack with the rider being able to reach his sword there) the rider and Griffon can attack in such a way as to put all of their force and momentum in to a single cleaving attack on an enemy. This attack adds both the Griffon rider's and the Griffon's BAB to the attack and +5 for every 20 feet up the Griffon is from the target(in a dive) This attack deals 6d6 + 20 damage and does a x2 critical or the weapon's critical, whichever is higher. This attack requires so much focus on the single target that it leaves the Griffon rider and his Griffon open to an attack of opportunity. Aerial Sneak Attack (Ex):This ability, gained at 4th level, is like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage increases by +1d8 +2 every third level beyond 4th (7th and 10th). If a Griffon rider or his Griffon gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack. Aerial Combat (Ex): This ability improves mounted combat and mounted archery as a Griffon rider is extremely experienced at fighting while riding a Griffon, and all his attacks while flying incur no penalty. All attacks made while the Griffon is flying at a full run incur a -2 penalty instead of the -4 from mounted archery. The Griffon is not frightened by combat, meaning no ride checks need to be made to fight, and all ride checks for aerial fighting have their respective DC's decreased by one quarter(rounded up). For example, it would be a DC 40 ride check to ride your Griffon if it does an aerial flip and you try to attack at the same time. With aerial combat, it decreases the DC to a DC 30 ride check. Griffon Speech (Su): The Griffon rider has become so well in tune with Griffons that he can now converse with them. Hive Mind (Su): The Griffon Rider and his Griffon share the same thoughts and can share their senses up to a distance of 2 miles apart. They can share an empathic link up to 20 miles apart. The Griffon Rider's Griffon The Griffon rider’s servant gains HD and special abilities based on the Griffon rider's level (see the table below). A Griffon rider may have only one special Griffon at a time, however any other Griffons raised by him do not get the bonuses as his special mount. Also, the bonus' from being a griffon rider's mount also stack with the bonus' of the paladins mount and the blackguard's fiendish servant. Should the Griffon rider’s servant die, he may replace it with another one after 3 months of preparing his backup Griffon. The new Griffon has all the accumulated abilities due a Griffon of the Griffon rider’s current level. Griffon Rider Level Bonus HD Natural Armor Adj. Str Adj. Int Special 1st +1 +1 +1 6 Empathic link, improved evasion, share saving throws 2nd +2 +1 +1 6 Griffin Flyspeed 100ft(good), flyby attack 3rd +2 +1 +2 7 improved flyby attack 4th +3 +2 +2 7 Aerial Sneak Attack (1d8+2), Silent Flight 6th +4 +2 +3 8 Aerial Sneak Attack (2d8+4) 8th +5 +3 +4 9 Blood bond 9th +5 +4 +5 9 Griffin Fly Speed 120ft(good), Improved Grapple 10th +6 +5 +5 10 Aerial Sneak Attack (3d8+6), Hive Mind Griffin Rider Level: The level of the griffin rider. Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the servant’s base attack and base save bonuses, as normal. Natural Armor Adj.: This is an improvement to the servant’s existing natural armor bonus. Str Adj.: Add this figure to the servant’s Strength score. Int: The servant’s Intelligence score. (A griffin rider's griffin is smarter than normal animals of its kind.) The abilities mentioned in the “Special” column of the accompanying table are described below. Empathic Link (Su): The griffin rider has an empathic link with his servant out to a distance of up to 5 miles. The griffin rider cannot see through the servant’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Because of the limited nature of the link, only general emotional content can be communicated. Because of the empathic link between the servant and the griffin rider, the griffin rider has the same connection to a place or an item that the servant does. Silent Flight (Ex): The Griffin Rider's Griffin is well tuned with the need to be quiet and can be stealthy while flying in the air, allowing the griffin to be able to move silently upon an enemy without them hearing (DC 25 listen check + ranks in move silently) The Griffin gains +1 DC to this ability for every character level its master gains after it learns this ability. Aerial Sneak Attack (Ex):This ability, gained at 4th level, is like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage increases by +1d8 +2 every third level beyond 4th (7th and 10th). If a griffin rider or his griffin gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack. Griffin Fly Speed 100/120ft(good) (Ex): The Griffins Fly speed increases by 20ft a turn at 2nd level and his maneuverability become of a good quality. At 9th level his speed increases again by another 20 feet. Improved Evasion (Ex): If the servant is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage on a successful saving throw and only half damage on a failed saving throw. Improved evasion is an extraordinary ability. Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the griffin uses either its own base save bonus or the blackguard’s, whichever is higher. The servant applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the griffin rider might have. Hive Mind (Su): The Griffin Rider and his Griffin share the same thoughts and can share their senses up to a distance of 2 miles apart. They can share an empathic link up to 20 miles apart. Blood Bond (Ex): If the griffin rider’s character level is 14th or higher, the servant gains a +2 bonus on all attack rolls, checks, and saves if it witnesses the griffin rider being threatened or harmed. This bonus lasts as long as the threat is immediate and apparent. Table: The Epic Griffin Rider Level Special 11th none 12th Bonus Feat 13th Aerial Sneak Attack(4d8 +10) 14th none 15th Bonus Feat 16th Aerial Sneak Attack(5d8 +12) 17th none 18th Bonus Feat 19th Aerial Sneak Attack (6d8 +14) 20th none Epic Class Features All of the following are Epic class features of the griffin rider. Aerial Sneak Attack (Ex):This ability, gained at 4th level, is like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage increases by +1d8 +2 every third level beyond 4th (7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th and beyond). If a griffin rider or his griffin gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack. Bonus Feats: The epic griffin rider gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic feats) every 3 levels after 9. Campaign Information Playing a Griffin Rider Combat: Griffin Rider's tend to provide air support for their allies, keeping flying foes off their backs and dive bombing the enemies on the ground. They also make for excellent scouts and can also help their allies break into fortresses or escape from danger. Advancement: Griffin Rider's advancement options are many. A griffin rider can advance as a wizard and magic-based prestige classes, ranger and their associated prestige classes, or fighter-types and their prestige classes. Any of these focus' groups can create an excellent multi-class griffin rider, making it a highly mobile class, being able to deal massive melee damage and varying as much as ranged attacks and guerrilla tactics of rogues. Resources: Griffin Rider's are often associated with a powerful government and can often expect people to ask their aid in battle or to gather intel on a region or place. However, they tend to be disliked by underground societies and races such as dwarves and drow. Griffin Riders' in the World “ Why, look down there! I think I can see that woman sunbathing on the roof! ” Griffin Riders are often key allies or enemies, usually associated with a powerful association for either good or evil. Both Paladins and Blackguards have often been found to make for excellent griffin riders, and their place is to be with a religious or governmental group, although it is also common for them to become mercenaries or just to adventure into the the world seeking thrills and glory. NPC Reactions: NPC's tend to look up to griffin rider's with a sense of awe, respect or fear depending on the reputation of the griffin rider. As very few can become a griffin rider, words of their deeds spreads quickly across a region. Griffin Rider Lore Characters with ranks in Knowledge: History or Local can research Griffin Rider's to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs. Knowledge: History or Local DC Result 11 Griffin Riders seem to have a mystical and hard to discern connection with their griffins. 16 Griffin Riders have the ability to communicate everything they can sense to each other and can even talk to any griffin and tell them what to do. 21 Griffin Riders are the deadliest of aerial aces, with abilities that astound the minds of any who see it, able to maneuver beyond the abilities of most flying creatures and being able to fly faster than even the hardiest of other griffins. They are also tougher and far more intelligent than the average joe schmoe. 26 A result of 26 or higher can bring out information about specific griffin riders, lore about them, their location, and recent activities. Griffin Riders in the Game Griffin Riders can often play the part of a royal knight, serving a powerful lord and hunting down those opposing the law. They can also be found playing the part of a leader of bandits, raiding helpless townspeople and leaving before anyone can stop them. Griffin Riders can also be another adventurer, like yourself, and just trying to make a living off of whatever work he finds to do or treasures he can discover. Adaptation: Griffin Riders can fit in almost any place, as long as there is open air or high vaulted domes, playing as either an ally who aids you, an enemy who is against you, or someone just floating along as a bystander whom you can enlist to help you get somewhere. NPC Griffin Riders are also known to usually have some rare or exotic items not easily found which they picked up on their travels, or information on such items, which they can sell to you for a price. Sample Encounter: Catharsus, once a noble paladin, fell into the ways of evil and turned into a blackguard. He was expelled from his home city. He had one day found a griffin egg at the base of cliff, mystically unharmed. He raised the griffin, which soon became his personal mount. He quickly learned the ways of the griffin rider, and now seeks to return and destroy the city which expelled him with his undead servants and a squad of evil griffin riders. After dealing with his home city, Catharsus and his bandits seek to conquer and enslave the whole region. Catharsus (3.5e NPC) EL 37: encountered in city, in a camp, or surprise attack while you are walking along a path Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Prestige Classes