Maztican Prestige Class : Jaguar Knight
by David Schwartz, Dragon #315
Jaguar knights are associated with the temple of Zaltec, god of war. Although this temple is opposed to that of the eagle knights in philosophy, the two knightly orders are generally friendly. To the knights, nationality is more important than religion.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Jaguar Knight, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any non-good.
- Skills: Perform (dance) 1 rank, Survival 2 ranks.
- Base Attack Bonus: +5.
- Special: An aspiring jaguar 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 jaguar knight's class skills are Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Handle Animal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Move Silently, Perform, Spellcraft, Survival, Swim, and Use Rope.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the jaguar knight prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Jaguar knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as with light armor, hide armor, and all types of shields. Additionally, a jaguar knight has the right to buy and wear jaguar knight armor (see Maztican Armor).
Hishina Spells: At each jaguar knight level, the character chooses one hishina spell (see the Hishina Spell List), which she can use once per day as a spell-like ability. If she chooses the same spell more than once, she can use it one additional time per day. Her spell choices are limited according to her level, as indicated on the Jaguar Knight Advancement table. Thus, an 8th-level jaguar knight can use eight hishina spells per day as spell-like abilities, one up to 3rd level, four up to 2nd level, and three of 1st level. Her caster level is equal to her eagle knight class level. The save DCs are Wisdom-based.
Jaguar Form (Su): A jaguar knight can assume the form of a jaguar (use leopard statistics) while wearing jaguar knight armor. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except that the jaguar knight is limited to the form of a jaguar (or a dire jaguar at higher level). This ability is usable once per day at 1st level, and one additional time per day every two jaguar knight levels thereafter (at 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th levels). At 5th level and above, the jaguar knight can choose to take the form of a dire jaguar (use tiger statistics).
Poison Use (Ex): At 2nd level, a jaguar knight is trained in the use of poison and never risks accidentally poisoning herself when applying poison to a blade.
Cat Eyes (Ex): At 4th level, a jaguar knight gains darkvision to a range of 60 feet and low-light vision.
Spell Resistance: At 6th level, a jaguar knight gains spell resistance equal to 10 + her Charisma modifier. At 10th level, her spell resistance increases to 15 + her Charisma modifier. If she already has spell resistance, the benefits do not stack, and she uses this value or her other spell resistance value, whichever is higher.
Pounce (Ex): At 8th level, a jaguar knight can make a full attack after a charge, even though she has moved.
| Jaguar Knight | Hit Die: d10 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Hishina Spells |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Jaguar form 1/day | +1 1st level or lower hishina spell |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Poison Use | +1 1st-level or lower hishina spell |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Jaguar form 2/day | +1 1st-level or lower hishina spell |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Cat eyes | +1 2nd-level or lower hishina spell |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Jaguar form 3/day (dire Jaguar) | +1 2nd-level or lower hishina spell |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Spell resistance (10 + Cha modifier) | +1 2nd-level or lower hishina spell |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Jaguar form 4/day | +1 2nd-level or lower hishina spell |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Pounce | +1 3rd-level or lower hishina spell |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Jaguar form 5/day | +1 3rd-level or lower hishina spell |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Spell resistance (15 + Cha modifier) | +1 3rd-level or lower hishina spell |
Hishina Spell List
Jaguar knights choose their spell-like abilities from this list.
- 1st-Level: Alarm, animate rope, calm animals, cause fear, death watch, detect animals or plants, detect snares and pits, disguise sell; hypnotism, identify, magic fang magic weapon, message, pass without trace, protection from good, silent image, spider climb, summon nature's ally I, true strike.
- 2nd-Level: Alter sell; animal messenger, animal trance, barkskin, cat's grace, charm animal, charm person, bull's strength, darkness, hold animal, invisibility, minor image, mirror image, misdirection, scare, silence, speak with animals, spiritual weapon, summon nature's ally II, summon swarm, web.
- 3rd-Level: Bestow curse, charm monster, deeper darkness, dominate animal, displacement, fear, greater magic fang, greater magic weapon, haste, invisibility sphere, Leomund's tiny hut, magic vestment, major image, poison, scrying, sculpt sound, slow, snare, speak with plants, summon nature's ally III.
Source: Dragon #315