All a cavalier has to do to qualify for the Hellknight prestige class is be 5th level, lawful, and kill a devil of equal or greater Hit Dice. Since cavaliers are already classic knight-types, it's an obvious entry into the Hellknights that gives you a slightly different (and arguably more appropriate) base skill set than fighter or paladin.
This raises the question: if you're a cavalier-type training as an armiger within a Hellknight Order, with or without the intention of formally qualifying for full knighthood, would it not be appropriate to have a cavalier order package to reflect that training? Those who flunk out completely could still function as support troops for the Knights, and full knights of the Measure who don't advance all the way into Chain or Hellion could fall back on their base class advancement while retaining some hellish flavor.
At least some of the Hellknight Orders can probably be represented by the existing cavalier order writeups -- a Godclaw cavalier by the Star, for example.
I'm gonna try a writeup for one or two, see if it works without either making the resulting Knights too uber or unnecessarily duplicating their abilities.
Order of the Chain
Edicts: The cavalier must obey the Measure and the Chain at all times, and must never stand aside and allow a slave or convict to escape justice if it is within his power to prevent it.
Challenge: Whenever a cavalier of the Order of the Chain issues a challenge, he receives a +1 morale bonus on all nonlethal melee damage rolls made against the target of his challenge as long as he is threatening the target. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the cavalier possesses.
Skills: An Order of the Chain cavalier adds Perception (Wis) and Survival (Wis) to his list of class skills. In addition, whenever an Order of the Chain cavalier uses Survival to track an escaped slave or prisoner, he receives a bonus on the check equal to 1/2 his cavalier level (minimum +1).
Order Abilities:
...and right now I have too much of a headache to figure those out. >.<; Tracking, capturing, nonlethal damage, that sort of thing. I'll get back to this later, just wanted to throw it on the mercy of the forum...
Awesome. Since it doesn't have an alignment restriction, cavaliers could make some very cool Hellknights. I don't know when or if we'd ever get around to doing Hellkinght specific orders, but until then I'd love to see what folks come up with here. Or, if you just want a generic Hellknight stop gap, I think you could probably re-theme some of the flavor of the Order of the Star or Sword to get something pretty close. Looking a little closer, the best stop gab might be to just use the Order of the Sword, but to switch out the 8th level ability with Stem the Tide from the Order of the Shield and recast the whole theme as super law devoted.
But again, I'd be WAY more interested in seeing what folks come up with here!
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I thought remaking the Hellknight prestige class into cavalier orders would be much cooler. It will be hard to do all the orders though. So here is a stab at it:
Order of the Pyre
A cavalier who belongs to this order has pledged himself to reason and ending corruption. Cavaliers of this order are willing to go to any length to remove corruption from the world and ensuring the rule of law prevails.
Edicts: The cavalier must enforce laws and end corruption. He must obey the commands of the Order of the Pyre leadership with unfailing diligence.
Challenge: Whenever an order of the pyre cavalier issues a challenge, he receives a +1 insight bonus to his CMB against the target of his challenge. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the cavalier possesses.
Skills: An order of the pyre cavalier adds Knowledge (history) (Int) and Knowledge (local) (Int) to his list of class skills. In addition, an order of the pyre cavalier adds his Charisma modifier on opposed Sense Motive checks versus Bluff to detect lies (in addition to his Wisdom modifier, as normal).
Order Abilities: A cavalier belonging to the order of the pyre gains the following abilities as he increases in level.
Purity of Mind (Ex): At 2nd level, an order of the pyre cavalier gains the ability to strengthen the minds of his allies. As a standard action, he can give an encouraging speech which grants all allies within 60 feet an insight bonus on their saving throws against enchantment spells and abilities equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 1) for a number of rounds equal to his cavalier level. If an ally within range is under the effect of an enchantment spell or ability, he can immediately make another saving throw to resist the effect (if allowed). This ability can be used once per challenge.
Eyes of Revelation(Ex): At 8th level, an order of the pyre cavalier's eyes can easily pierce deceit. All enemies within 30 feet receive a penalty to Bluff equal to 1/2 his cavalier level during in combat.
Hellfire Strike(Ex): At 15th level, an order of the pyre cavalier can strike quickly at unprotected enemies. He can move 5 feet to make an attack of opportunity as an immediate action with a bonus to attack equal to his Cha modifier. He can only make the attack of opportunity if he can make an attack of opportunity and has not moved his full movement for the round. He can only use this ability once per round.