The Class Acts PDFs introduce new class options for the base classes and core classes featured in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Every PDF contains two full pages of high quality content (no fluff or filler)!
Class Acts: Cavaliers includes three new cavalier orders: the Order of the Fang, the Order of the Justicar, and the Order of the Thrall.
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All right, you know the drill - 4 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page SRD, 2 pages of content, this time depicting 3 new orders for cavaliers, so let's take a look!
The first order we get is the Order of the Fang, a cavalier sworn to the service of a dragon or a similarly powerful monstrous overlord. They may demoralize does when issuing challenges, but have a hard time versus foes larger than they are. Furthermore, they may combine drawing weapons with their feints and are hard to vanquish since they fear their master more than death. At higher levels (15+), they don't have to confirm crit-rolls and deal additional damage when criting foes provoking AoOs via certain circumstances.
The second order is the order of Justicars, who are not impeded by moving through spaces of indifferent creatures, make escaping from the cavalier harder and gain the stand still bonus feat at 15th level or improve its benefits further. A solid cop/law-enforcement-style feeling order. While I'd usually get more of an inquisitor-vibe from this, it works well to represent riding cops.
The final new order is the order of the thrall, and this is the order that Illithids, Phrenic Scourges and similar beings would endorse: Granting benefits for acting under charms and compulsions, the cavaliers of this order gain an option to make a special attack that makes its target provoke AoOs if it moves in any way from the cavalier. They may also throw themselves into harm's way. Very cool, especially for enslaved NPCs or if your campaign setting has nations of magic-enhanced slaveholders.
Conclusion:
Editing and formatting are very good, I didn't notice any significant glitches. Layout adheres to Abandoned Art's 2-columns no-frills standard and the pdf has neither bookmarks, nor artworks, nor does it need any.
The three cavalier-orders herein are solid and interesting, with especially the order of the fang standing out as potentially rather exciting for the character opting to join it. All in all, though, while in no way bad, the orders herein also are simply not that exciting. They are good, solid orders, but they don't really stand out. With more unique abilities/signature abilities at lower levels, these could have been more compelling, but as written, I feel I can't go higher than 4 stars on them: They are good, after all, though not necessarily excellent.
"Granting benefits for acting under charms and compulsions" so cast Heroism (a compulsion effect) on the Cavalier and watch him charge smash things into itty-bity pieces? That sounds like fun :)
Actually, that sounds about fitting for the theme of the order. Heroism inspires the subject to zealous bravery, fighting more fiercely and with more vigor. A subtle, insidious form of enthralling, (if you're the villain).
