Director of Brand Strategy
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The cavalier's description, both in the playtest document and the final book's description, mentions that they are as at-home on the battlefield as they are in high society. Are they really? Other than a few class skills, what class benefit do they have in social situations? Am I missing something?
A cavalier is just as good in social situations as a rogue is. In 3rd edition D&D, skills are usually how non-combat aptitudes are defined. Knowledge skills are conspicuously lacking, but he does have Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate and Sense Motive.
Though several of his oaths grant bonuses that would be useful out of combat as well.
Seeing as the Cavalier get 4 skill points plus intelligence they can afford to skills like diplomacy and it's a class skill as well. As well they could take knowledge or two. Personally I think Knowledge(Nobility) should be class skill though. I mean the Paladin gets it why not the Cavalier?
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Director of Brand Strategy
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I understand the additional skill points and class skills making them better in society than a fighter, but it's touted as being a major part of the class. I don't think comparing them to a similarly leveled rogue is fair, since rogues both get more skill points and can thus have a lot of skill overlap with numerous classes but also because rogues aren't described as being "thieves, spies and members of high society" or whatever.
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A couple things could play a part of that, I think. A rogue only has reason to take charisma because they want to increase their social skill bonuses, but a cavalier has several abilities that get some boosts due to charisma(not to mention them wanting it for handle animal as well), and I think that would lead to your average cavalier to have a higher charisma then your average rogue, and thus be naturally better in social situations.
Also in a more fluff way, the idea of someone who owns heavy(and thus expensive) armors and a horse, works for a noble or is out for self promotion, are all things that would encourage one to spend his time among higher society.
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Director of Brand Strategy
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A couple things could play a part of that, I think. A rogue only has reason to take charisma because they want to increase their social skill bonuses, but a cavalier has several abilities that get some boosts due to charisma(not to mention them wanting it for handle animal as well), and I think that would lead to your average cavalier to have a higher charisma then your average rogue, and thus be naturally better in social situations.
How does that distinguish a cavalier from a paladin or sorcerer, then, who both should (in theory) have high Charisma scores? They have Diplomacy and Sense Motive and Bluff as class skills. I can see the high Cha argument applying to bards, who are supposed to be able to easily move through high society, but other high Cha characters aren't explicitly described as such, so what distinguishes the cavalier in this regard? It just seems like all their powers are combat focused, while their intent is to have social abilities in addition to skills.