Knights of Solamnia
by James O’Rance
[email protected]
Summary of Conversion: This document converts the Knight of Solamnia class from Dragonlance Adventures (AD&D 1st Edition) and Tales of the Lance (AD&D 2nd Edition). Here you will find a unique class and two prestige classes for Dragonlance® Saga campaigns that use the new Dungeons & Dragons® rules.
Posted: 17 September 2000
Last Updated: 31 January 2001
Knight of the Crown
Solamnic Knights champion the cause of justice and honour. They follow a strict code of honour called the Oath and the Measure, which they enforce with their very lives. The Oath of these Knights, Est Sularus oth Mithas (“My honour is my life”), is widely imitated and serves as the standard for knightly conduct almost everywhere.
Game Rule Information
Class Skills
Skill Points at 1st level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Class Features
Ex-Knights
Knight of Solamnia Class Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save 1 +1 +0 +0 +2 2 +2 +0 +0 +3 3 +3 +1 +1 +3 4 +4 +1 +1 +4 5 +5 +1 +1 +4 6 +6/+1 +2 +2 +5 7 +7/+2 +2 +2 +5 8 +8/+3 +2 +2 +6 9 +9/+4 +3 +3 +6 10 +10/+5 +3 +3 +7 11 +11/+6/+1 +3 +3 +7 12 +12/+7/+2 +4 +4 +8 13 +13/+8/+3 +4 +4 +8 14 +14/+9/+4 +4 +4 +9 15 +15/+10/+5 +5 +5 +9 16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +10 17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11 19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11 20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12
Knight of Solamnia Starting Package
Ranks Ability Armour 4 Cha 4 Cha 4 Str –5 4 Int 4 Dex 4 Wis 2 Cha 2 Wis 2 Int –5 2 Str –12
Level Bonus Save Save Save 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1 +1 +2 +0 +2 — — — — 2 +2 +3 +0 +3 0 — — — 3 +3 +3 +1 +3 1 — — — 4 +4 +4 +1 +4 2 0 — — 5 +5 +4 +1 +4 3 1 — — 6 +6 +5 +2 +5 4 2 0 — 7 +7 +5 +2 +5 5 3 1 — 8 +8 +6 +2 +6 6 4 2 0 9 +9 +6 +3 +6 7 5 3 1 10 +10 +7 +3 +7 8 6 4 2
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Three distinct orders form the Solamnic Knights: the Knights of the Crown, Knights of the Sword, and Knights of the Rose. Characters with this class are members of the Order of the Crown (the Order of the Sword and Order of the Rose are prestige classes).
Before the Cataclysm, the Knights of Solamnia were the greatest order of chivalry in Ansalon. For centuries, the Knights had kept the peace and safety of the realm. Between the Cataclysm and the War of the Lance, the knights became reviled and scorned by the common people for their inability (or unwillingness) to combat the horrors of the Age of Despair. In the hour of the most desperate need, the Knights seemed powerless. Rumours began to spread that the Knights had foreseen the coming of the Cataclysm and had done nothing to stop it. Some Knights, it was said, actually intended to profit by the disaster and increase their land holdings.
So it was that the Knights found themselves forced to roam the countryside in secret and under false names, lest they be discovered. Still, they kept their ideals and their honour, and did what they could to fight the growing evil in the world. After the War of the Lance, the Solamnic Knights regained their status. They sought to revise their code of honour and apply it to the changed face of Krynn.
Adventures: Solamnic Knights do not adventure for glory or riches; rather, they undertake dangerous quests to strike at the heart of evil, seek to protect the good folk of a village from marauding goblins, or ride secretly into enemy lands to discover secrets necessary for the defense of a realm. Solamnic Knights steadfastly refuse to pursue goals that they see as petty or ignoble, but when the cause is worthy, no task is beneath the true Knight’s pride.
Characteristics: Solamnic Knights are respected on the battlefield due to their bravery and skill at arms. Bedal Brightblade is said to have fought the desert nomads to a standstill, holding a pass into Solamnia single-handedly until help arrived. Such tales of fearlessness and legendary valour inspire many Knights.
All Knights are trained warriors, skilled horsemen, and educated scholars. What they are not, however, are ambushers or assassins. Solamnic Knights refuse to strike down an enemy by treachery or deception; only honourable combat is acceptable.
Alignment: Knights of Solamnia must be lawful good in alignment, and swear to follow a strict code of conduct called the Measure. The Measure is a set of rules that defines how to put the Oath into effect in one’s daily life. The Knight must obey his superiors within the Order and remain steadfastly true to those who have earned his loyalty through station or past deeds. Solamnic Knights will make valiant sacrifices on behalf of the weak, the oppressed, the poor, the falsely imprisoned, and fellow Knights. He commits his life to justice and compassion.
Religion: The Solamnic Knights are loyal to Habbakuk, Kiri-Jolith, and Paladine, and all the gods of good. The Measure recognises the three deities as patrons of the Knighthood who are entitled to the loyalty and worship of the Solamnic Knights. Knights of the Crown revere Habbakuk, Knights of the Sword dedicate their prayers to Kiri-Jolith, and Knights of the Rose follow the greatest god of good, Paladine.
Background: Traditionally, only well-born individuals of Solamnic heritage were admitted to the Order. An obscure technicality in the Measure prevented Knights from recruiting outside of their lands of origin. However, in 382 AC the Grand Master, Lord Gunthar Uth Wistan inducted the first Crown Knights not native to Solamnia, Ergoth, or Whitestone.
All 1st-level Knights of the Crown are assumed to have undergone a period of training and service as a squire not less than three years. If a character wishes to join the Knighthood during play, he must stand before a Knightly Council to determine if he is a worthy candidate. Candidates who do not have proper martial training (proficient in simple and martial weapons) or do not meet up with the strict ethical standards of the Knighthood (lawful good alignment), will not be accepted as a squire. After being approved by the Knightly Council, the character must serve as a squire to another Knight of Solamnia for at least one level before he may acquire this class.
Races: Almost all Solamnic Knights are human. A very few half-elves have been admitted to the Order over the years, however, and there is a story of a kender squire in Xak Tsaroth, in the years before the Cataclysm. Nonhuman aspirants to the Order will only be admitted under the most extraordinary circumstances, however.
Other Classes: Solamnic Knights are born team players, and happily cooperate with clerics of the good gods, monks, and honourable warriors of all types. They are less comfortable with the ways of bards, druids, and rogues, whose conduct often fails to live up to the high standards of the Oath and the Measure. Many Knights are distrustful of arcane magic at best, and their dealings with sorcerers and wizards are characterised by the utmost caution and misgivings.
Knights of Solamnia have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Strength is important for a Solamnic Knight because they frequently get involved in personal combat, and may need to protect less able companions. Several Solamnic Knight skills are based on Charisma. Knights of Solamnia who become Knights of the Sword (a prestige class) require a Wisdom score of 11 or higher to cast Knight spells, and a Wisdom score of 14 or higher is required to gat access to the most powerful Knight spells.
Alignment: Lawful Good.
Hit Die: d10.
The Knight of Solamnia’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (history, nobility, and religion, each purchased as a separate skill) (Int), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier
All of the following are class features of the Knight of Solamnia class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The knight is proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons and all armour (heavy, medium, and light) and shields. Note that armour check penalties for armour heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armour and equipment carried.
Bravery: When engaged in honourable combat, a Solamnic Knight applies his Charisma modifier (if positive) as a bonus to his Fortitude saving throws. No true Knight will retreat from a battle once it has begun or refrain from attacking the Order's foes, unless he considers the fight foolish or pointless.
Favoured Enemy: At 1st level, a knight may select a type of creature (dragons, goblinoids, undead, etc.) as a favoured enemy. A knight can only select evil creatures as a favoured enemy, and are loath to retreat from or refuse combat with these foes. Due to his experience with such creatures and steadfast dedication to opposing their evil ways, the Solamnic Knight gains a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks when using these skills against this type of creature. Likewise, he gets the same bonus to weapon damage rolls against creatures of this type. However, this damage bonus does not apply to missile weapons, for Solamnic Knights cannot attack a favoured enemy from a distance if he can instead close to personal melee. The bonus doesn't apply to damage against creatures that are immune to critical hits.
At 5th level and at every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the Solamnic Knight may select a new favoured enemy, and the bonus associated with every previously selected favoured enemy goes up by +1. For example, a 15th-level Solamnic Knight will have four favoured enemies, with bonuses of +4, +3, +2, and +1.
Typical categories for a Solamnic Knight's favoured enemy include Beasts, Dragons, Giants, Magical Beasts, Shapechangers, and Undead. Solamnic Knights may not select “humanoid” or “outsider” as a favoured enemy, bu they may select a more narrowly defined type of humanoid (such as goblinoids or reptilian humanoids) or outsider (such as devils, efreet, or slaadi). See the Monster Manual for more information on types of creatures.
Mounted Combat: Knights of Solamnia gain Mounted Combat as a bonus feat. Once per round when the knight’s mount is hit in combat, he may make a Ride check to negate the hit. The hit is negated if the character’s Ride check is higher than the attack roll (essentially, the Ride check becomes the mount's Armour Class if it is higher than the mount's regular AC).
Weapon Specialisation: On achieving 4th level or higher as a Solamnic Knight, the character may take Weapon Specialisation as a feat (as though he were a fighter). The knight must have Weapon Focus with that weapon to take Weapon Specialisation. The weapon chosen may be any lance, any mace, any sword, or the longspear.
Code of Conduct: A Solamnic Knight must be of lawful good alignment. Additionally, a knight must follow the precepts of the Measure, which vary according to the specific Order that the Knight belongs to. Knights of the Crown should show unquestioned obedience to those whose authority is righteously maintained in the Knightly Councils, dedication to the ideals of the Measure, loyalty to brother Knights of all Orders, and protect, serve, and give aid to any kingdom on the List of Loyalty. Using arcane magic is not entirely prohibited, but it is frowned upon by the measure and is generally consider dishonourable. Knights of the Crown tithe 10% of all wealth accrued to the Order.
A Solamnic Knight who ceases to be lawful good, who willfully commits an act of evil, or who grossly violates the Measure, loses the Bravery and Favoured Enemy abilities, and can no longer progress in levels as a Solamnic Knight. He can progress as a Solamnic Knight once more if he atones for his violations (see the atonement spell, page 176 of the Player's Handbook), as appropriate.
Special
Bravery, favoured enemy, mounted combat
2nd favoured enemy
3rd favoured enemy
4th favoured enemy
5th favoured enemy
Race: Human.
Armour: Scale mail +4 AC, small metal shield +1 AC, armour check penalty –5, speed 20 ft., 36 lb.
Weapons: Longsword (1d8, crit 19-20/x2, 10 lb., Medium-size, Slashing)
Longspear (1d8, crit x3, 9 lb., Large, Piercing)
Dagger (1d4, crit 19/20/x2, 1 lb., Tiny, Piercing)
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 5 + Int modifier.
Skill
Diplomacy
Gather Information
Jump
Knowledge (history)
Ride
Sense Motive
Disguise (cc)
Listen (cc)
Search (cc)
Swim (cc)
Feat: Weapon Focus (longsword).
Bonus Feat: Expertise (if Int 13+) or Endurance.
Gear: Backpack with waterskin, one day's trail rations, bedroll, sack, flint and steel. Hooded lantern, three pints of oil. Medallion of the Kingfisher, symbol of the Knighthood.
Gold: 4d4 stl.
Class
Base Attack
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Spells
per
Week
Detect evil, blessed
Aura of courage
Turn undead
Smite evil
Smite evil 2/day
Smite evil 3/day
