While many chocobo knights focus on the fundamentals of melee and ranged combat, there are those who are trained to view the bigger picture on the battlefield. These chocobo knights use their training and tactical acumen to overcome challenges that would overwhelm mere brute strength and skill at arms.
The tactician is an archetype of the chocobo knight class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The tactician mainly focuses on STR for martial combat and STR and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Challenge. 2nd – Steadfast Mount. 9th – Rider’s Bond. 11th – Dual Aura. 15th – Protect the Meek. 17th – Erratic Charge. 20th – Supreme Charge.
Tactician (Ex)
At 1st level, the tactician gains a teamwork feat he qualifies for as a bonus feat. As a standard action, he may grant one teamwork feat he possesses to all allies that see or hear him (limited to within 60 feet if there are more than 10 allies). Allies gain the benefit of the granted feat even if they don’t meet its prerequisites/requirements, lasting until the end of combat. This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to (3, +1 per five chocobo knight levels). The tactician may still take the Tactician (or Master Tactician) mounted talent any amount of times – instances of it simply grant an extra teamwork feat and 1 extra use of this ability per day.
This ability replaces challenge.
Tactical Awareness (Ex)
At 2nd level, a tactician gains a +1 bonus on initiative checks. This bonus increases by +1 for every four chocobo knight levels after 2nd level (to a maximum of +5 at 18th level).
This ability replaces steadfast mount.
Greater Tactician (Ex)
At 9th level, the tactician gains a teamwork feat he qualifies for as a bonus feat. He may grant up to two teamwork feats with one usage of Tactician. He may use Tactician as a standard or move action. He may also use Tactician as a swift action to grant one feat with it.
This ability replaces rider’s bond.
Cooperative Combatant (Ex)
At 11th level, when a tactician uses the aid another special attack, he may affect one additional ally per point of Charisma modifier. For each ally that a tactician aids, he can pick whether to grant that ally the +2 bonus on its next attack against the opponent or the +2 bonus to AC against the opponent’s next attack on that ally, and can grant different allies different bonuses.
This ability replaces dual aura.
Battle Insight (Ex)
At 15th level, as a swift action, a tactician can grant his Charisma modifier as an insight bonus on the attack rolls made by a single ally within line of sight that can both see and hear the tactician. That ally gains the bonus until the end of the tactician’s next turn. The tactician can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces protect the meek.
Supreme Tactician (Ex)
At 17th level, the tactician may use his Tactician ability as part of making an initiative check, without expending a use. He only grants one feat with this usage of Tactician, and cannot apply Strategic Supremacy to it.
This ability replaces erratic charge.
Tactical Genius (Ex)
At 20th level, the tactician is a maestro of the battlefield, commanding and moving troops like so many game pieces. The tactician gains a teamwork feat he qualifies for as a bonus feat. He may grant up to three teamwork feats with his Tactician ability, or two if used as a swift action.
This ability replaces supreme charge.