Maztican Prestige Class : Eagle Knight
by David Schwartz, Dragon #315
Eagle knights are associated with the temple of Qotal, god of the sky. Although this temple is opposed to that of the jaguar knights in philosophy, the two knightly orders are generally friendly. To the knights, nationality is more important than religion.
Requirements
To qualify to become an Eagle Knight, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any nonevil.
- Skills: Perform (dance) 1 rank, Spot 1 rank, Survival 2 ranks.
- Feats: Proficiency with composite shortbow, maca (longsword), shortbow, and shortspear.
- Base Attack Bonus: +5.
- Proficiency with composite shortbow, maca (longsword), shortbow, and shortspear.
- Special: An aspiring eagle knight must apprentice at a lodge. He functions as a normal soldier, although he receives special training and possibly special treatment. A character cannot actually become a knight until the leaders of the order feel that he has proven himself in battle.
Class Skills
The eagle knight's class skills are Climb, Concentration, Craft, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Perform, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim, and Use Rope.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the eagle knight prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Eagle knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as with light armor, hide armor, and all types of shields. Additionally, an eagle knight has the right to buy and wear eagle knight armor (see Maztican Armor).
Pluma Spells (Sp): At each eagle knight level, the character chooses on pluma spell (see the Pluma Spells List) that he can use once per day as a spell-like ability. If he chooses the same spell more than once, he can use it one additional time per day. His spell choices are limited according to his level, as indicated on the Eagle Knight Advancement table. Thus, an 8th-level eagle knight can use eight pluma spells as spell-like abilities per day, one up to 3rd level, four up to 2nd level, and three of 1st level. His caster level is equal to his eagle knight class level. The save DCs are Wisdom-based.
Eagle Form (Su): An eagle knight can assume the form of an eagle while wearing eagle knight armor. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except that the eagle knight is limited to the form of an eagle (or a giant eagle at higher level). This ability is usable once per day at 1st level, and one additional time per day every two eagle knight levels thereafter (at 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th levels). At 5th level and above, the eagle knight can choose to take the form of a giant eagle.
Fast Movement (Ex): When the eagle knight attains 2nd level, his speed increases by +10 feet when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. This increase stacks with fast movement from other classes.
Eagle Eyes (Ex): At 4th level, an eagle knight can see as well as a raptor. He gains a +8 bonus on Spot checks.
Spell Resistance: At 6th level, an eagle knight gains spell resistance equal to 10 + his Charisma modifier. At 10th level, his spell resistance increases to 15 + his Charisma modifier. If he already has spell resistance, the benefits do not stack, and he uses this value or his other spell resistance value, whichever is higher.
Swoop (Ex): At 8th level, an eagle knight gains Spring Attack and Flyby Attack as bonus feats if he does not already have them. He need not meet the prerequisites for these feats.
| Eagle Knight | Hit Die: d10 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Pluma Spells |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Eagle form 1/day | +1 1st level or lower pluma spell |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | fast movement | +1 1st-level or lower pluma spell |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Eagle form 2/day | +1 1st-level or lower pluma spell |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Eagle eyes | +1 2nd-level or lower pluma spell |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Eagle form 3/day (giant eagle) | +1 2nd-level or lower pluma spell |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Spell resistance (10 + Cha modifier) | +1 2nd-level or lower pluma spell |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Eagle form 4/day | +1 2nd-level or lower pluma spell |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Swoop | +1 3rd-level or lower pluma spell |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Eagle form 5/day | +1 3rd-level or lower pluma spell |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Spell resistance (15 + Cha modifier) | +1 3rd-level or lower pluma spell |
Pluma Spell List
Eagle knights choose their spell-like abilities from this list.
- 1st-Level: Alarm, calm animals, delay poison, detect animals or plants, detect snares and pits, endure elements, expeditious retreat, faerie fire, feather fall, hypnotism, identify, mage armor, magic stone, magic weapon, message, obscuring mist, pass without trace, protection from evil, sanctuary, sleep, summon nature's ally I, true strike.
- 2nd-Level: Animal messenger, animal trance, blur, calm emotions, cat's grace, charm animal, charm person, daylight, gust of wind, hold animal, levitate, mirror image, obscure object, protection from arrows, resist energy, silence, speak with animals, spiritual weapon, summon nature's ally II, whispering wind.
- 3rd-Level: Clairaudience/clairvoyance, confusion, dispel magic, fly, gaseous form, greater magic weapon, haste, helping hand, keen edge, Leomund's tiny hut, magic vestment, protection from energy, scrying, slow, snare, speak with plants, summon nature's ally III, water walk.
Source: Dragon #315