Some Knights seek glory, some seek redemption, and some live long enough to see themselves become the villain. The fallen knight is a paladin who has given into his anger and darkness within corrupting him irrevocably.
The fallen knight is an archetype of the paladin class.
Alignment
Fallen knights are no longer restricted to non-evil alignments.
Falling Light
If for any reason a base paladin, or a paladin of any other archetype, loses his Holy nature by becoming evil, he may choose to become a fallen knight, rather than stop gaining levels in paladin. He keeps all of the options and features that a fallen knight keeps, as well as weapon proficiencies, but loses and must change out features that a fallen knight does not gain access to.
Limit Break (Su)
At 1st level, the fallen knight receives the Limit Break (Unholy Crusade).
Unholy Crusade (Su): This Limit Break allows the fallen knight to unleash all his rage against the foes who have wronged him. As a full-round action, the fallen knight may make a single attack at his full base attack bonus, after this attack he may designate an additional creature to make an attack against. He may designate one additional target plus an additional target per four paladin levels after first, the fallen knight may not ever designate the same foe more than once as part of this ability. Any foe the fallen knight attacks with this ability grants the fallen knight’s attack a bonus as if he was flanking the target. The fallen knight may move as part of this ability to put each of his targets within reach, but his total movement this turn may not exceed 3x his movement speed. This movement may provoke attacks of opportunity as normal but creatures the fallen knight designates as part of this ability get a -4 on any attacks of opportunity they make against the fallen knight as part of this movement.
This ability replaces the Limit Break (Brightest Day).
Darklight (Su)
Any class abilities that deal holy damage have half of his damage converted to shadow. If a creature would absorb the fallen knight’s holy or shadow damage but not both elements at once, the creature does not receive healing from that damage type, but also takes no damage from it.
Oathbreaker (Su)
At 1st level the fallen knight changes his paladin oath stances.
- Unholy Shield (Su): While under the unholy shield stance, the fallen knight learns to retaliate against his foes. Anytime the fallen knight is hit by an enemy within his reach, he may make an attack of opportunity against the enemy before that they roll damage; if he successfully hits them, he does not deal damage, instead he reduces the incoming damage of that attack by an amount equal to the fallen knight’s Charisma modifier. At 10th level, the attack of opportunity deals damage equal to the fallen knight’s Charisma modifier as well as reducing damage.
- Wrathful Sword (Su): While under his wrathful sword stance, the fallen knight learns to throw even more of his might behind his attacks. As part of an attack before he rolls, he may choose to spend two uses of his lay on hands ability, that foe is denied its Dexterity bonus against all of the fallen knight’s attacks until the start of his next turn. At 10th level, this lasts until the end of the fallen knight’s next turn instead.
This ability modifies shield oath.
Holy Pool (Su)
The fallen knight may use his holy pool to activate abyssal arts abilities.
This ability modifies holy pool.
Abyssal Arts (Su)
At 3rd level and every three paladin levels thereafter, the fallen knight gains an abyssal art as a dark knight of his paladin level. In addition, the fallen knight may treat his levels in paladin as dark knight levels to determine the power of any Abyssal Arts.
These abilities replace divine arts.
Underhanded Tactics (Su)
At 3rd level, the fallen knight gains the sneak attack class feature as a thief, dealing shadow damage instead of additional precision damage. This ability still counts as the sneak attack class feature for any feats or abilities relating to sneak attack. The fallen knight gains an additional sneak attack die every three paladin levels after 3rd.
This ability replaces blessings.
Coordinated Vengeance (Su)
At 4th level, the fallen knight has learned that self-sacrifice is not always the answer, and sometimes he must let others experience the same cruelty he has to truly flourish; allowing the fallen knight may use his cover ability in a new way. Anytime any ally within range of his cover ability is hit by an attack from an enemy also within range of his cover ability, and the fallen knight has chosen not to use his cover ability on the attack, he may spend an immediate action to move adjacent to the foe, provided his total movement before his next turn does not exceed his speed (his movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal). After doing so, both the fallen knight and his ally may make a single attack against the foe at their highest base attack bonus, they are both considered to have flanked against the target for this attack.
This ability replaces aura of excellence.
Wrathful Hands (Su)
At 5th level, a fallen knight has forgotten how to soothe the wounds of his allies. The fallen knight can no longer use his lay on hands ability to heal anyone except himself. Instead, as a standard action, he may spend a use of his lay on hands ability to grant them some of his wrath, granting an ally within the fallen knight’s reach 1d6 points of shadow damage on a number of attacks equal to the fallen knight’s Charisma modifier. This additional shadow damage he grants allies increases by an additional 1d6 when his lay on hands ability reaches 3d6, 6d6 and 9d6 healing. The fallen knight may spend 10 hit points as part of activating this ability to instead activate it as a move action.
At 10th level, this ability may be used on an ally within reach as a move action; and may spend 10 hit points to reduce it to a swift action.
This ability replaces unwavering confidence.
Any Means Necessary (Su)
At 8th level. the fallen knight learns to dig deep into the darkness within to bring out his true power, even if this power could destroy him. As a swift action. the fallen knight may spend a use of his lay on hands ability, gaining a bonus to his attack and damge rolls equal to his Charisma modifier. Additionally, when he makes a full attack, he makes an additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. (This latter effect is not cumulative with haste or other effects that grant additional attacks.) Upon activating this ability and at the start of each turn thereafter until this ability ends, the fallen knight sacrifices 10 hit points, this hit point loss bypasses temporary hit points and cannot be reduced in any way. This ability lasts a number of rounds equal to the fallen knight’s Charisma modifier and cannot be ended early by the fallen knight. If this ability drops the fallen knight to -1 hit point or below, it deactivates and the fallen knight is stabilized.
This ability replaces aura of good.
The Abyss Stares Back (Su)
At 10th level, the fallen knight learns to don a terrifying visage that can shake any to their very foundations for anyone who would dare cross his path. As a swift action, for a duration of 1 minute, he becomes shrouded in shadow gaining concealment (20% miss chance), a +4 competence bonus on Intimidate checks, and any creature who starts their turn next to the fallen knight must make a Will save (DC 10 + the fallen knight’s level + his Charisma modifier) or take 1d6 points of shadow damage.
Additionally, depending on the fallen knights current stance, he gains an additional effect.
- Unholy Shield: Anytime an enemy successfully hits the fallen knight while this ability is active, the creature is subjected to an Intimidate check to demoralize that creature as a free action that may be taken even when it’s not the fallen knight’s turn. Intimidate checks to demoralize a creature in this way bypass any immunities to fear the creature may possess.
- Wrathful Sword: Anytime the fallen knight successfully hits a creature with a melee attack while this ability is active, the creature is subjected to an Intimidate check to demoralize that creature as a free action that may be taken even when it’s not the fallen knight’s turn. Intimidate checks to demoralize a creature in this way bypass any immunities to fear the creature may possess.
The fallen knight may use this one time per day plus an additional time per day for three paladin levels after 10th.
This ability replaces cleansing flame.
Master of Fear (Su)
At 9th level, the fallen knight gains Skills Focus (Intimidate) and Signature Skill (Intimidate) even if he does not meet the prerequisites for these feats. If he has one of these feats, he gets a +2 circumstance bonus to his Intimidate checks, if he has both of these feats, he may treat his ranks in Intimidate as 2 higher for the purpose of any skill unlocks or saving throws related to the Intimidate skill unlocks.
This ability replaces flash of light.
Knight Transformed (Su)
At 20th level, the fallen knight has learned to become a true juggernaut of darkness. Once per day, as a move action, for a number of rounds equal to the fallen knight’s Charisma modifier, the fallen knight increases his reach and weapon damage as if he was two size categories larger, he does not occupy an additional squares nor does he adjust his statistics in any other way as part of this ability.
If the fallen knight has “The Abyss Stares Back” ability active, the fallen knight gains cover against both melee and ranged attacks in addition to the concealment, the shadow damage dealt to adjacent creates increases to 2d6, and creatures within his reach count as adjacent to him for the purpose of the shadow damage this ability does.
Additionally, this ability provides a different effect depending on which stance the fallen knight is in.
- Unholy Shield: Any creature who strikes the fallen knight in melee while this ability is active takes an amount of shadow damage equal to the fallen knight’s class level.
- Wrathful Sword: Any creature who is under the effects of a fear effect such as from a demoralize grants a flanking bonus to the fallen knight.
This ability replaces holy champion.