Knight of the White Mountain for your perusal.

[SableWyvern]

I've just started work on converting Fire on the Water for my next session, and decided to throw together a Knight of the White Mountain class. (BTW, to those waiting on Flight from the Dark -- just needs to be PDFed, and it will be enroute).

I haven't put much thought into balance or anything like that yet -- it's pretty much just been compiled train-of-thought over an hour or so.

Comments, questions, criticisms welcome.



Knight of the White Mountain

Endurance Die: d10

Base Speed: 30’


Class Skills
Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (history, nobility and royalty, warfare) (Int), Ride (Dex) and Sense Motive (Wis).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (3 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 3 + Int modifier


Class Features
Armour and Weapon Proficiency: All melee weapons, armour and shields.

Born to the Sword: As per Sommlending Knight

Indomitable Will: At 2nd level, the Knight of the White Mountain becomes immune to Tier I Mindblast effects. Additionally, the Knight gains a +2 bonus to resist all magical mind-effecting magic, such the Brotherhood spell Mind Charm. Immunity to Mind Blast increases by one Tier at levels 4, 6, 8 and 10.

Saddlemastery: As per Sommlending Knight regarding the use of Ride skill. However, no warhorse is automatically gained.

Oathsworn: As per Sommlending Knight. Additionally, the Knight vows to never utter an untruth, no matter the consequences. Being such a student of the truth, the Knight gains a +2 bonus to his sense Motive checks.Should the Knight ever lie, he may never again advance in the class. Additionally, all benefits gained from Indomitable Will and Fortress of the Mind are lost. If a Knight of the White Mountain does choose to forsake his order and tell a falsehood, any Sense Motive checks made by characters who are aware of the Knight's class will suffer a -10 penalty. This penalty remains in effect for as long as the character using Sense Motive believes the Knight is a member of the order.

Psychic Awareness: At fourth level, the Knight gains access to the Raise a Shield option in Psychic Combat. At eighth level the Knight automatically raises a shield in Psychic Combat.

Willpower: At fourth level, the Knight gains a Willpower stat. This has a starting value equal to half his Wisdom score (rounded down), and increases by a value equal to his Wis modifier +1 (minimum of +2) each level thereafter.

Parry: At fifth level, the Knight learns how to use his strength to turn aside the enemy’s blows. When fighting defensively or engaging in total defence, the Knight may add his Strength modifier to his Armour Class versus any melee attack. At eleventh level, the Knight learns to use his parrying skills even when attacking. By taking a move-equivalent action, he may add his Strength bonus to his AC versus all melee attacks, even if he is not fighting defensively or engaging in total defence. At fifteenth level, the Knight’s parrying skill becomes such that his parrying is a free action, and the Knight automatically adds his strength bonus to his AC versus all melee attacks unless he is flat-footed or denied his dexterity bonus to AC.

Force of Arms: As per Sommlending Knight

Sundering Blow: At ninth level, the Knight can learns to direct his strength into blows that smash through shields and shatter weapons. He gains a +2 modifier on the opposed check to Sunder, and any damage dealt in the attempt is doubled. At thirteenth level the Knight becomes more adept at focusing this strength. As a full-attack action, he may make a single Sunder attempt, and if he wins the opposed check may ignore the object’s hardness (any part of an object’s hardness due entirely to magic cannot be ignored in this fashion). At nineteenth level, even hardness due to magical enchantment is ignored.

Focus: At tenth level, the Knight gains the ability to Focus once per day. This increases to twice per day at level fifteen, and three times per day at level twenty.

Address the Troops: As per Sommlending Knight

Fortress of the Mind: At twelfth level, the Knight learns to further defend his presence of mind. He becomes completely immune to all magical charming effects, and adds his Charisma modifier (if positive) to his Will save. Additionally, he becomes immune to Tier I Psisurge effects. This Psisurge immunity increases by one Tier at levels fourteen, sixteen, eighteen and twenty.

Cleaving Blow: As per Sommlending Knight

Many-Felling Strike: As per Sommlending Knight

Sundering Parry: At twentieth level, the Knight learns the greatest art of his order, the Sundering Parry. This feat of strength and skill allows the knight to render a host of his enemies harmless. When taking the full defence action, the knight may make an opposed roll versus every melee attack made against him that round. If he beats his opponent’s attack roll, he may roll damage against that opponent’s weapon in an attempt to sunder it. If his opposed roll equals or exceeds his foes attack roll, the attack automatically misses (regardless of whether or not the weapon is sundered). Versus unarmed attacks, the knight deals 1d4 damage plus his strength bonus to the target, if his roll exceeds the target’s attack roll. Note that the knight gains his +2 bonus to sunder attempts when using Sundering Parry.

Level...Base Combat Skill...Fort....Ref....Will....Special
1st.....+1..........................+2.........+0..........+2..........Born to the Sword
2nd.....+2.........................+3.........+0..........+2..........Indomitable Will, Saddlemastery
3rd.....+3.........................+3.........+1..........+3..........Oathsworn
4th.....+4.........................+4.........+1..........+4..........Indomitable Will, Psychic Awarenss (Erect a Shield), Willpower
5th.....+5.........................+4.........+1..........+4..........Parry
6th.....+6/+1...................+5.........+2..........+5..........Indomitable Will
7th.....+7/+2...................+5.........+2..........+5..........Force of Arms
8th.....+8/+3...................+6.........+2..........+6..........Indomitable Will, Psychic Awareness (Instinctive Shield)
9th.....+9/+4..................+6.........+3..........+6..........Sundering Blow
10th....+10/+5...............+7.........+3..........+7..........Indomitable Will, Focus 1/day
11th....+11/+6/+1...........+7.........+3..........+7..........Parry
12th....+12/+7/+2...........+8.........+4..........+8..........Address the Troops, Fortress of the Mind
13th....+13/+8/+3...........+8.........+4..........+8..........Sundering Blow
14th....+14/+9/+4...........+9.........+4..........+9..........Fortress of the Mind, Cleaving Blow
15th....+15/+10/+5..........+9.........+5..........+9..........Parry, Focus 2/day
16th....+16/+11/+6/+1......+10.........+5..........+10.........Fortress of the Mind
17th....+17/+12/+7/+2......+10.........+5..........+10.........Many-Felling Strike
18th....+18/+13/+8/+3......+11.........+6..........+11.........Fortress of the Mind
19th....+19/+14/+9/+4......+11.........+6..........+11.........Sundering Blow
20th....+20/+15/+10/+5.....+12.........+6..........+12.........Fortress of the Mind, Sundering Parry

 

[Wordmaker]

Looks good, I always imagined a Knight of the White Mountain would be similar to the Sommerlund Knight of the Realm, with just a few differences. I like the parrying rules especially. I'm just wondering if the class needs something to give it more of an edge in melee combat other than the parry. The idea I got from Fire on the Water was that they could kill you easily in a fight. But I'm not sure which abilities would be best to substitute, since I like all the ones here!

 

[SableWyvern]

I think that it would be possible to add an ability or two without any problems. Any level that offers only an Indomitable Will or Fortress of the Mind increase would be a prime place to add in something else.

 

[Eternalknight]

My only thing is (and this sounds weird) that it is too linear. Let me explain.

Looking at all of the Lone Wolf classes, no two characters of the same class need to progress in the same manner. Brotherhood of the Crystal Star have their spells, Dwarven Gunners have Secrets of the Gun, Kai Lords, have Disciplines, etc. Each class has something they can choose in any order (Sommlending Knights have their Codes). I think the Knight of the White Mountain needs something like this, so that no two Knights need be the same. Something minor, but looking at the class write-ups I think it was something August intended.

 

[SableWyvern]

That makes a lot of sense. Fixing it would require much more brain activity however ... I think I'll sleep on it (and specific suggestions are welcome)

 

[SableWyvern]

Ok, no sleep.

Here's a potential solution:

1st Born to the Sword
2nd Indomitable Will, Saddlemastery
3rd Oathsworn
4th Indomitable Will, Psychic Awarenss (Erect a Shield), Willpower
5th Strength of Arms
6th Indomitable Will
7th Strength of Arms
8th Indomitable Will, Psychic Awareness (Instinctive Shield)
9th Strength of Arms
10th Indomitable Will, Focus 1/day
11th Strength of Arms
12th Address the Troops, Fortress of the Mind
13th Strength of Arms
14th Fortress of the Mind
15th Strength of Arms, Focus 2/day
16th Fortress of the Mind
17th Strength of Arms
18th Fortress of the Mind
19th Strength of Arms
20th Fortress of the Mind, Paragon of Durenor


Strength of Arms
Each time the Knight gains Strength of Arms, he may choose one of the following abilities (each may be chosen up to three times):

Parry
1. Strength to AC vs melee when using full defence or fighting defensively.
2. Strength to AC vs melee with move-equivalent.
3. Strength to AC vs melee when not flat-footed.

Sundering Blow
1. x2 damage
2. +2 to opposed check, ignore non-magical hardness
3. Allow criticals on sunder attempts, ignore magical hardness

Storm of Blows
1. Power Attack
2. Cleave
3. Great Cleave

Paragon of Durenor
The Knight's paragon ability is chosen from the following three options, based on the two Strengths of Arms he selected three times:

Sundering Blow + Parry = Sundering Parry -- as previously listed.

Parry + Storm of Blows = Brutal Parry -- the knight gets a free attack against any opponent who misses a melee attack against him (maximum of one attack per opponent per round).

Sundering Blow + Storm of Blows = Cleaving Sunder -- a successful sunder (ie, breaking a weapon or shield) counts as "dropping a target" for the purposes of Cleave.


Sundering Blow has been altered and improved slightly, to help it compete with the other two Strengths.

 

[stormgod]

First off, superb job. I love it. I have some suggestions, solely based on my (limited) impression of the knights of the white mountain (kowm for short).

These guys are the paladins of magnumund. They stand for truth, justice, and the american way. I also saw them as a tad mystical, more divine then arcane to be sure, but not just strength of arms alone. I like the fact that you have resistance to mindblast, however, a step in the right direction. Heres some ideas.

Heal on class skills. No biggie there. Chances are these guys go and aid the sick and wounded. Not a big thing, but it should be there.

Ability to combat/detect undead and/or evil. Perhaps a brotherhood variation of sense evil (good for ferreting out those pesky heleghasts trying to subvert influnce in the magnumund courts. Think about it, how would they have been detected? The kai really arent at court that much. Perhaps the brotherhood, fine, but wouldn't there be knights in the courts of magnumund and durenor? I think they should get some sense evil perk.) And perhaps they can infuse their weapon with juuuuust enough holy power to overcome undeads damage reduction. After all, magic spears just don't grow on trees. Heleghasts could mow through an entire army, but one of these guys can totally even the odds.

You could space out these guys powers however you like in the progression. I totally dig it however. If I think of anything, i will let you know.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with the "paladins of magnamund" statement.

For their "unique nitche" ability pool they can choose from i would create a group of quasi-divine powers, like laying on of hands to heal others, turn undead, infuse their weapon with holy might, aura of protection against evil...etc.

Check out the normal paladin from DnD and think of some of the qualities they possess. I like what you've done..but i'd try and pull them toward being a divine holy paladin-like class.

 

[Anonymous]

Sunwolf, Stormgod (and anyone else):

Can you point me in the direction of some of the references that gave you the paladin impression?

 

[taylor]

The only problem with the sense evil thing is that the two knights in book 2 were clueless about the assassin.

 

[Nerethel]

I think I read somewhere that Holmgard regularly hires on members of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star to act as advisors because they have the ability to detect evil intent, and thus pick out the sneaky helghasts. If knights had this ability, they wouldn't require the assistance of the Brotherhood.

Then again, I may remember this from the novels, so it may not be correct.

Nerethel

 

[stormgod]

True, the knights did not detect any evil intent on the assasins. But neither did lone wolf, and he was actively trying to kill him.

If the knights did detect evil on the assasin...then lone wolf would have had an easier time. I guess dever had to have it go unnoticed, even if Lone Wolf had sixth sense.

 

[Paido]

Can you point me in the direction of some of the references that gave you the paladin impression?

:shock: Yes, that would interest me a lot as well! I always took them to be a purely mundane knightly order. After all, they seem to serve the realm of Durenor, not any gods ...


Paido

 

[stormgod]

Well, paido, I would bow to your wisdom in this regard. You knowledge dwarfs mine. I really don't have the time to check all the books that mention the knights, so tell me the sources you know, and, it can narrow my search.

I admit, the question HAS stumped me. I really thought I read it somewhere. But then again, Gaming knowledge tends to get muddled over the years. Maybe it was a book, maybe the message boards here or at projectaon, or maybe it was my need to make the comparison to dnd somewhere.

I'm not sure. The references I do remember was book 2. They were very renowned knights, and I believe they were incapable of telling a lie. They were also VERY good at combat, and fought on the side of good.

Basically a knight in shining armor.

So in my young mind then, maybe i "paladinized" them. I truly don't know, and I would like to know how I came to this conclusion.

Maybe I felt magnumund NEEDED a paladin. Maybe I felt that this interpretation was too close to the knight class in the LW game already.

Or then again, maybe I did read it somewhere. So please, don't take my suggestions as gospel. I guess I interperated them as paladins. But when pressed for details, I really can't provide them here.

Trying to be humble and admit my ignorance here, but for some reason, I did interpret them as such?!?!

Anyone talk with Dever at all? August looked at his notes while writing the game, perhaps he can shed some light?

 

[Eternalknight]

I came across this quote in Sword of the Sun:

• Ganon and Dorier, who were knights of the Order of the White Mountian: they were warrior lords from Durenor who had pledged allegiance to protect to protect the country from raids by bandits from the Wildlands.

 

[Paido]

Well, paido, I would bow to your wisdom in this regard. You knowledge dwarfs mine.

:shock: Err ... Am I that bad? Sorry, folks, don't want to come across as some kind of know-it-all ...

Probably just have too much time on my hands at the moment as well as some kind of junk-room disguised as memory ... Nice for e.g. Lone Wolf questions, but try to find something seriously useful in there! :wink:

I really thought I read it somewhere. But then again, Gaming knowledge tends to get muddled over the years.

Oh, yes, very true! :? Hadn't I delved rather deep into my Lone Wolf books over the last many weeks/few months, my knowledge of them would be quite muddled right now! (As I said, too much time on my hands ...)

I really don't have the time to check all the books that mention the knights, so tell me the sources you know, and, it can narrow my search.

Apart from Fire on the Water, I only know of an appearance in Grey Star the Wizard, to be honest. Most of the Legends novels are unknown to me, as well as the later half of the Grand Master series, the whole New Order series and the Magnamund Companion - so I have no idea what might be found in them about the Knights of the White Mountain.

About all I know about these knights is to be found in the "Knight of the White Mountain?" thread of the Project Aon forum. (Yes, exactly, a "twin" of the "Knight of the White Mountain?" thread of our forum here ... Sunwolf had more luck there than here, as it seems.)

Found Relenoir's thoughts on these Knights especially enlightening; he compared them more to the old AD&D "Cavaliers" (for those who are ancient enough to remember them :wink than the paladins.

Maybe I felt magnumund NEEDED a paladin. Maybe I felt that this interpretation was too close to the knight class in the LW game already.

Yes, I can see that! Probably the closest thing to paladins you can find on Magnamund are the Kai lords, though they are not exactly "standard" paladins ...

About them being close to the Sommerlending Knight of the Realm, you are quite correct - to be honest, I'm rather astonished they choose the Sommerlending Knights instead of the Durenese Knights as a character class for the rulebook! After all, the Knights of the White Mountain had appearances (even though small ones) in the gamebooks, while I don't remember having ever encountered a Sommerlending Knight of the Realm! (Not that I doubt their existance, the Durenese just seemed more ... typical? Recognizable from the books? ... You know.)


Well, that's about all I know on this matter!


Paido

 

[Greg Smith]

I assumed that a Somlending Knight was based on Prince Pelethar.

 

[stormgod]

No paido, you are not bad at all, and I never meant to insinuate you were a know it all, or to be smarmy.

I truly meant that your knowledge does dwarf mine, and I'm sure you would know more on all-things-magnumund than me. I freely admit that I am a fan getting into the books after many years of hiatus, and your posts always seem very knowledgeable. I was in no way being sarcastic, I truly bow to you wisdom!

Anyway, maybe that thread at projectaon is where I got the (perhaps mistaken) ideas about paladinhood. I never remember knights of the realms in the books, and I am suprised they didn't have them detailed in LW.

As for the Kai lords being the equivalent of paladins...yeah, as a default, I guess they are, but it certainly isn't a perfect fit.

But I guess thats one reason I love Magnumund. Its a fantasy world that doesn't have every fantasy cliche. The true knights in shining armor walk lonely forest paths, clad in green cloaks and wearing almost no armor (certainly not shiny!), keeping to the shadows in order to ferret out the evil that is constantly trying to work its way in. So I guess kai lords can sorta fill the paladin role quite nicely.

So maybe the KOTWM aren't detailed as paladins, maybe they are just the durenese branch of SKOTR, but I personally wouldn't mind them getting a little paladinized. Summerland has the kai as it's greatest heroes, Durenor should have the equivalent. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Winter Wolf]

About them being close to the Sommerlending Knight of the Realm, you are quite correct - to be honest, I'm rather astonished they choose the Sommerlending Knights instead of the Durenese Knights as a character class for the rulebook! After all, the Knights of the White Mountain had appearances (even though small ones) in the gamebooks, while I don't remember having ever encountered a Sommerlending Knight of the Realm! (Not that I doubt their existance, the Durenese just seemed more ... typical? Recognizable from the books? ... You know.)
Paido

I always assumed that Lord Lieutenant Rhygar was a Sommelending knight the text does say that he was outfitted in the heavy armour of a Sommelending knight.

 

[Paido]

No paido, you are not bad at all, and I never meant to insinuate you were a know it all, or to be smarmy. [...] I was in no way being sarcastic [...]

Glad to hear that ...

*thinks a moment*

... so it was a compliment then ... *crawls embarrassedly under a rock*

*muffled* Flattery will get you nowhere!

:wink: Thanks!

I always assumed that Lord Lieutenant Rhygar was a Sommelending knight [...]

:shock: A darned good point!

I assumed that a Somlending Knight was based on Prince Pelethar.

That could be another good point!


Paido, who seems to need neatly inscribed labels on some characters ...