A cavalier / rogue buld

[ChrisLKimball]

Okay so just a bit of build craft. I have been thinking about playing a roguish knight probably of Qudiran decent, also Camel because I have never seen one in my games!

Currently I am thinking cavalier with the Gendarme archetype to level 4 for with expert trainer and horse master in the mix.

Combined with mostly rogue levels with the scout and possibly the swashbuckler archetypes.

I have been thinking what to do with such a character, don't want to focus too much on mounted but want to have it an option, are their any clever mounted tricks a rogue could take advantage of?

on foot i am a bit torn, i was thinking of polearm mobile controller feats, but could I still make more of a damage build?

I have crafted it a bit , but I'd love ideas or opinions on how to optimize a character like this.

[Sir Thugsalot]

Be a small race, and make that mount work for you.

[Nazrelle]

Hey there!
I actually played such kind a character.
To be honest, I just wasnt interested in the mount, but it's easy to push it, if you want.

The core of my build was a Two-Handed Warrior, intimidating his foes.
For the roguish Knight, you want Order of the Cockatrice.
I took 2 Levels Cavalier (Gendarme) and then straight Rogue (Thug).

We started on Level 4, so the Character got a lot out of the Multiclassing:

- Dazzling Display for free without Weapon needed and the most important thing - as a standard action.
- Free Power Attack from Gendarme Bonus Feat.
- +2 to Hit against shaken foes.
- A mini Challenge - not that great
- Easier intimidating from Thug Archetype and the possibilty to make enemies frightend (most of the time you want shaken still)
- Intimidating Prowess from Rogue Talent.

As Race I took Half-Orc. He was a Ex-Knight from Taldor.
I gave him the Fate's Favored and the +2 Intimidate Trait.
With the +1 to all saves Racial Traits it's +2 for all saves (Fate's Favored).

For later you want to work towards Cornugon Smash (Hitting with Power Attack = free intimidate check) and Shatter Defenses (shaken foes are flat-footed - so easier to hit and you can sneak them).

You can either push Intimidate more with Persuasive or Skill Focus, or get to Level 4 Cavalier and push your Mount with Horse Master, grabbing Mounted-Combat Chain.

Greetings!
Naz

[gourry187]

If you don't really want the mount, have you considered the huntmaster archetype? You lose the mount for dog and/or bird animal companions.

[XMorsX]

The low Templar is an interesting PrC for a 5th lvl order of the Cockatrice cavalier, it gives rogue-like abilities and the capstone is amazing.

Take spirited charge and use a lance for a strong charge, then fast dismount and take positioning in order to flank with your mount. Use dazzling display in the meantime, make sure you eventually take shatter defences with your prefered weapon too. A falcata is great to have in a Low Tamplar build, because of the Dirty Fighting feature. Couple it with a quickdraw shield for optimum results. Other than that, since you are going to invest in intimidate with such a PC, cornugon smash and dreadful carnage are both great choices. If you go with reach (a bardiche probably, unless you invest for a fauchard), lunge, combat reflexes and pushing or dazing assault (depends on if you are going to reach the lvls when dazzing assault becomes available or not) are great choices too.

The emissary archetype is probably prefered.

[storyengine]

I like the idea of cavalier mixed with the rogue scout archetype who can sneak attack at the end of a charge. I'd like to give him the surprise follow through feat so he can charge, cleave through to an adjacent and sneak attack him too. Or maybe just cleave through and trip the second guy for the mount to maul.

But can't do it. I always feel the beck of the alchemist shouting, "pair me with cavalier and you can throw bombs from the saddle!". A mad dashing grenadier gnome on a wolf maybe.

[Wrong John Silver]

The character is only level 1 right now, but I've got a half-orc Skulking Stalker/Scout Rogue who's going to go into Order of the Land Cavalier and then into Low Templar. Basically, he'll be able to start a fight with anything on hand.

[Wrong John Silver]

Here's how I'm considering advancing the character. The B is Bluff, the R is Ride, and the K is Knowledge(Nobility), noted to make sure I had the ranks for Low Templar.

Potential Advancement:

1: Rogue(Skulking Slayer, Scout). SA +1d6, Pass for Human, Underhanded Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, B1 R1
2: Rogue. Evasion, Weapon Focus(Falchion), B2 R2 K1
3: Cavalier(Gendarme). Challenge (+cav damage, +1 ranged attack) 1/day, Mount: Horse, Order of the Land, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, B3 R3 K2
4: Rogue. SA +2d6, Bold Strike, B4 R4 K2
5: Cavalier. Adaptive Strike, Catch Off-Guard, Cleave, B5 R5 K2
6: Rogue. Scout's Charge, Surprise Follow-Through
7: Cavalier. Cavalier's Charge Low Templar. Crusader +1, Flag of Convenience, Improved Feint
8: Cavalier. Expert trainer, Challenge 2/day
9: Low Templar. Crusader +1, Flag of Convenience, Horse Master
10: Low Templar. Dirty Fighting
11: Low Templar. SA +3d6, Leadership
12: Low Templar. Crusader +2
13: Low Templar. Live to fight another day, Path of Light, Feat
14: Low Templar. Ruthless
15: Low Templar. Crusader +3, Feat
16: Low Templar. SA +4d6
17: Low Templar. Parting Shot, Feat
18: Low Templar. Crusader +4, Damnation/Redemption
19: Cavalier. Improved Bull Rush, Feat, Banner
20: Cavalier.

Feats to consider: Greater Feint, Improved Dirty Trick, Greater Dirty Trick, Swift Aid, Demon Hunter, Diehard, Great Cleave, Stunning Assault

Your thoughts are most welcome.

[XMorsX]

Take Leadership, the dirty trick related feats, power attack + furious focus and mounted-combat, ride-by attack and spirited charge for the first charge.

[Wrong John Silver]

Something like this?
.
(It's for Wrath of the Righteous, so I kept Demon Hunter, and I subbed Great Cleave for Furious Focus mainly because of the effect of Surprise Follow-Through with Sneak Attack)
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.
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1: Rogue(Skulking Slayer, Scout). SA +1d6, Pass for Human, Underhanded Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, B1 R1
2: Rogue. Evasion, Weapon Focus(Falchion), B2 R2 K1
3: Cavalier(Gendarme). Challenge (+cav damage, +1 ranged attack) 1/day, Mount: Horse, Order of the Land, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, B3 R3 K2
4: Rogue. SA +2d6, Bold Strike, B4 R4 K2
5: Cavalier. Adaptive Strike, Catch Off-Guard, Cleave, B5 R5 K2
6: Rogue. Scout's Charge, Surprise Follow-Through
7: Cavalier. Cavalier's Charge Low Templar. Crusader +1, Flag of Convenience, Leadership
8: Cavalier. Expert trainer, Challenge 2/day
9: Low Templar. Crusader +1, Flag of Convenience, Horse Master
10: Low Templar. Dirty Fighting
11: Low Templar. SA +3d6, Improved Dirty Trick
12: Low Templar. Crusader +2
13: Low Templar. Live to fight another day, Path of Light, Great Cleave
14: Low Templar. Ruthless
15: Low Templar. Crusader +3, Greater Dirty Trick
16: Low Templar. SA +4d6
17: Low Templar. Parting Shot, Demon Hunter
18: Low Templar. Crusader +4, Damnation/Redemption
19: Cavalier. Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Banner
20: Cavalier.