General Prestige Class : Knight Of The Pearl
"On my oath, I shall defend this kingdom beneath the sea and all its people, from that which threatens them, whether from the abysses, the shoals, the lands, or even the planes beyond. Upon my life I swear it." - Timora Argareth, a knight of the pearl
The knight of the pearl is a loyal defender of the aventi people, dedicated to the service of Aventernus and his appointed kings. Not all paladins of the aventi people are meant to become knights of the pearl, for many of them have other obligations. A knight of the pearl is a paladin who has taken the defense and prosperity of her people as her sacred charge. For that sacrifice, Aventernus grants her the Blessings of the Pearl, a secret technique for infusing the very waters that surround the paladin with positive energy, causing them to glow with a pearlescent sheen.
The paladin who seeks entry into the Order of the Pearl must demonstrate a strong knowledge in the manipulation and channeling of positive energy. She must also be an exemplary paladin with a history of defending the aventi people and using her strength to benefit those who are weaker than she. In short, the Order of the Pearl requires uncompromising heroism from those who would join their ranks.
This is undeniably a class for paladins, given the strict alignment and special ability requirements. The Order of the Pearl has also been known to attract young clerics or fighter/clerics, drawn by the heroic nature of the knights.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Knight of the Pearl, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Lawful good
- Skills: Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks
- Feats: Extra Turning,
- Base Attack Bonus: +5.
- Special: Turn undead, proficiency with at least one martial weapon and with heavy armor.
Special: Must be accepted as a member of the Order of the Pearl.
Class Skills
The knight of the Pearl's class skills are Concentration, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (religion), Profession, Ride, and Swim.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no weapon or armor proficiencies.
Lay on Hands: You can heal wounds by touch if your Charisma score is 12 or higher. Each day you can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to your knight of the pearl level x your Charisma modifier. This ability works just like the paladin class feature of the same name.
If you already gained this ability from another class, your levels in both classes stack to determine the total number of hit points of damage you can heal each day.
Blessed Soul: You can freely take levels in this prestige class without restricting future advancement as a paladin. Your knight of the pearl levels stack with paladin levels for the purpose of your aura of good and stack with cleric and paladin levels for the purpose of turning undead.
Buoyant Armor (Su): At 2nd level, you can use positive energy to buoy up your armor in the water. You take no armor check penalty on Swim checks, and the weight of your armor does not count toward your carrying capacity. This effect only functions while you are in the water.
Pearl's Blessing (Su): At 3rd level, you can use the positive energy-imbued waters around you to deliver extra damage with your melee attack. As a free action, you spend a turn undead attempt to focus positive energy into your weapon; the next successful strike with that weapon deals an extra 2d6 points of damage from positive energy. if the energy is not used within a number of rounds equal to your class level, it fades and is lost.
At 5th level, you can focus more energy into your weapon, dealing an extra 4d6 points of damage on your next strike.
The damage does not stack with itself. When not in a body of water, you deal half as much extra damage (+1d6 at 3rd level, +2d6 at 5th level).
Pearl Blade (Su): At 4th level, your slashing weapons develop a pearlescent sheen when you wield them, and you ignore the normal penalties for using slashing weapons in the water. This ability only functions in the water.
Water's Blessing (Su): At 5th level, you gain the ability to affect evil water-dwelling creatures with your turn undead attempts. Furthermore, when in water you can spend a turn undead attempt to deal 4d6 points of damage to all evil or undead creatures within 30 feet, while simultaneously healing good creatures of 4d6 points of damage. All the creatures damaged and healed must be in contact with the water for the water's blessing to take effect.
| The Knight Of The Pearl | Hit Die: d10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Lay on hands, blessed soul |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Buoyant armor |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Pearl's blessing |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Pearl blade |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Water's blessing |
Ex-Knights Of The Pearl
Rare is the knight of the pearl who strays from the path of service to the aventi, but it has been known to happen. A knight of the pearl who ceases to be lawful good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all knight of the pearl abilities (and likely loses all paladin abilities as well). She cannot progress any farther as a knight of the pearl. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description) in appropriate fashion.
Playing A Knight Of The Pearl
A knight of the pearl has dedicated herself to her people first and foremost - even the religious organization of your church is second, though you consider your service to the aventi the highest of sacred callings, so there is no conflict in your mind.
Every knight of the pearl is a member in good standing of the Order of the Pearl. You can hold one of two statuses in the order: active or questing. If active, you are expected to remain in your assigned court, ready to defend it and the aventi king you have sworn to serve. If you have taken an oath of questing, you are permitted to be away from those regular duties, so long as your quest fulfills your sacred duty of defending the aventi people.
Combat
A knight of the pearl is devastating in the water. You are capable of wearing heavier armor than can be commonly found in an aquatic environment. As such, you enjoy a higher Armor Class than most characters you will encounter in maelstrom adventures. Likewise, your special abilities grant you the use of weapons normally limited in the water, a fact you should take advantage of. You also have the Blessings of the Pearl (as your positive energy channeling techniques are called in the order).
A knight of the pearl is usually an up-close warrior. You should be careful to see that your allies are protected. Do not hesitate to disengage from a foe in order to aid a comrade in grievous danger, even if that means exposing yourself to harm in the process - the defense of the good is always more important than the destruction of evil to a knight of the pearl, especially if the comrade in question is one of the aventi.
Knights of the pearl wield great powers against both undead and creatures with the water subtype (including water elementals, black dragons, and some mephits). Establish an agreed-upon signal for your allies to converge on your position in order to take advantage of your water's blessing, particularly when fighting undead: Do not hesitate to damage your foes while simultaneously healing your allies.
Advancement
The Order of the Pearl does not actively recruit members, Instead, those who feel that their duties as a paladin are in line with those of the order seek out membership. Your own kingdom's assigned knight, or a questing knight of the pearl you encounter while adventuring, will be only too happy to offer advice on how to gain the order's approval and will even act as your de facto mentor, suggesting missions to prove your dedication to the order's goals and providing training in channeling positive energy and weapons.
The first and foremost duty is service. Younger knights are expected to pay respect to older and more experienced knights when their paths cross, but beyond this teaching the higher secrets and skills of this prestige class tends to be quite informal. As a knight of the pearl, you are a front-line fighter, and your choices should reflect that. As a focused channeler of positive energy, taking the Extra Turning feat grants you the ability to use your powers more often each day. Additionally, the use of divine feats will get even more out of your already prodigious channeling abilities.
Resources
Just as you can certainly expect to be called upon to aid other members of the Order of the Pearl in pursuit of their duties, you can expect to receive aid as well. The members of Aventernus's priesthood are naturally very sympathetic to the order's goals and will often aid its knights when they can with spellcasting and other assistance. The aventi kings are almost always willing to lend their aid as well, when they can do so. Many knights of the pearl with the Leadership feat attract cohorts from among the king's household guard, who tend to idealize these knights and their sacrifices for the aventi people. You should invest in the best armor you can acquire - many knights favor heavy armor and weapons crafted of pearlsteel. Likewise, your pearl blade ability allows you to use weapons normally very limited in use in the water, so don't hesitate to take advantage of this benefit.
Knights Of The Pearl In The World
The knights of the pearl are an order of civic-focused paladins sworn to defend the aventi people from threats. They serve as captains and champions of the Royal Guard and don't hesitate to undertake adventuring when it can benefit their people. Many aventi kings have a level or two in his prestige class, as well. A knight of the pearl makes a perfect emissary from a nearby aventi kingdom or a guide for PCs visiting the aventi people. A knight of the pearl could also serve as opposition to a group of PCs who find themselves at odds with the aventi.
Organization
The Order of the Pearl maintains a chapterhouse in each aventi kingdom. These chapterhouses are usually located on royal grounds, with its members dedicated to defending the aventi king and his people.
Each chapterhouse is led by a Master Sergeant, usually a mid- to high-level knight of the pearl. The Master Sergeants answer directly to the Master of the Pearl Sword, the head of the Order of the Pearl as a whole, who dwells in a fortified monastery outside of the domain of any of the aventi kings. The Master of the Pearl Sword and her direct lieutenants act as defenders for the Royal Moors of the aventi kings, but their ultimate loyalty is to the aventi people as a whole.
Younger paladins joining the Order are given the title of Aspirant until they gain their first level in the knight of the pearl prestige class, at which time they are knighted by the local aventi king.
Knights of the pearl in active service train troops, guard their king, and carry out missions on his behalf. Knights of the pearl not in active service are either questing or in medical recovery of some kind.
PC Reactions
The knights of the pearl are well loved by the aventi people, usually eliciting a friendly or helpful reaction from most aventi. By contrast, the Order of the Pearl is also well known to the aventi's enemies; kuo-toas, sahuagin, and other such folk are almost always hostile toward the Knights.
Knight Of The Pearl Lore
Characters with Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (religion), or Gather Information can research knights of the pearl to learn more about them.
- DC 10: It is said that the strange aventi, an undersea race of humanlike folk, are guarded by knights much like the paladins of surface races, though they ride aquatic mounts.
- DC 15: These knights of the pearl actually act primarily as defenders, guardians, and champions of the aventi kings. They are also known for wearing impressive armor and wielding weapons that aren't really feasible to use underwater, normally. They serve the god Aventernus, the patron deity of the aventi.
- DC 20: These knights are called the knights of the pearl because they have the ability to infuse the water around them with the holy power of their god, giving it a pearlescent glow.
- DC 30: The kings of the aventi are often initiates into the Order of the Pearl.
Source: Stormwrack