Cantankerous Cavalier

This class is only available to Small Races.

 

"Many claim that the Cantankerous Cavalier has fought in every campaign that legions have waged, has “acquired” every military title, and has never once backed down from a fight. Though the truth of the matter is often questionable, one part of their legend is undeniable: Charging into battle on their strange steeds, the Cantankerous Cavalier fights to protect what's theirs...and to take whatever they can get."

Unlike the archetypical knight in shining armors, Cantankerous Cavaliers are a bit more like a combination of a strange mad scientist, a dishonored knight, and a tinkerer with a love for bear traps and bombs. These "knights" are more often found on pirate ships and in seedy bars, getting drunk on shoddy mead and yelling at cheating bards. Rarely born in places of prestige, these cavaliers eck out their story by finding or stealing strange mounts, taming them on their own, and using their crazy array of traps and tools to beat their enemies into submission and take their loot. These fighters come from the hard knock life, rarely one of knighthood, but still hold a sense of nobleness and prestige and a drive to make something of themselves.

Because of this, many Cantankerous Cavaliers often find themselves drawn to the winds of adventure, often by the chance of loot, fame, or something else, charging wildly into battle and spurring on their allies with their infectious frenzy.

Bonus Proficiency

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in a skill of your choice, showcasing that cantankerous cavaliers come from different places. Alternatively, you can learn a language of your choice.

Un-Trusty Steed

Starting at 3rd level, you managed to tame a strange mount, like a lizard. You gain a special mount known as an Un-Trusty Steed.

You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid falling off your Un-Trusty Steed. If you fall off your mount and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you’re not incapacitated.

Finally, mounting or dismounting the Un-Trusty Steed costs you only 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed.

Being mounted on the Un-Trusty Steed grants a variety of benefits, but only while mounted on the Un-Trusty Steed; their reckless nature makes it impossible to mount other creatures. However, other creatures cannot mount the Un-Trusty Steed.

While the Cantankerous Cavalier is mounted on the Un-Trusty Steed and combat begins, they gain temporary hitpoints equal to [Fighter Level + Charisma modifier + Proficiency modifier]. These temporary hitpoints are not added if the Cantankerous Cavalier is surprised during a surprise round, but will come into affect on the next round.

The Un-Trusty Steed cannot attack and only move, do not have any special abilities, share the AC and health of their rider, is one size larger than their rider, and have a movement speed of their rider's movement speed + 10 (at a minimum of 40 feet). They share the same stats as their rider, can understand all languages that their rider can understand, but cannot speak. They also tend to run away in the face of danger.

The Un-Trusty Steed has a resource known as Courage, equal to [half your maximum health + Charisma modifier + Proficiency modifier]. 
While their Courage is above 0, the Un-Trusty Steed will stay with the rider, but all damage taken to the rider also damages the mount's Courage. When the mount reaches 0 Courage, the mount throws off its rider and runs away (the rider automatically lands on their feet). When the Un-Trusty Steed lacks a rider, it cannot be targeted and moves at the end of the rider's initiative.

In order for the Cantankerous Cavalier to call their mount back to them, they must demonstrate their Courage. After five successful hits to any enemy, the Un-Trusty Steed is recalled back with its full Courage, dashing to them and remounting its rider, and grants its rider temporary hit-points equal to[ Fighter Level + Charisma modifier + Proficiency modifier]. The mount also comes back at the end of combat.

Tricks of a Scrapper

As an action while mounted, the Cantankerous Cavalier can throw a Bear Trap on a Rope, targeting one creature in a 15 foot range. The target creature must make a Dexterity Saving Throw equal to [8 + Proficiency Modifier + Charisma Modifier]. On fail, the target takes [1d6 + STR] piercing damage and their movement speed is halved. Otherwise, nothing happens. The Cantankerous Cavalier can only have one bear trap out at one time.

At the beginning of their turn, the target can use an action to attempt to break free of the bear trap, remaking the saving DC as a Strength or Dexterity Saving Throw. On fail, the target takes an extra [1d6 + STR] piercing damage. They also automatically break free of the bear trap if they move farther than 15 feet away from the Cantankerous Cavalier.

At the start of the Cantankerous Cavalier's next turn, if the target still has a bear trap on them and the target is one size larger than the mount or smaller, the Cantankerous Cavalier can bring themselves 10 feet close to the target as a free action.

Beginning at 7th, 11th, and 17th level, the die number increases by 1, to 2d6, 3d6, and 4d6 respectively.

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As an action while unmounted, the Cantankerous Cavalier can instead use Fire in the Hole. If they have a weapon with the loading and ranged property, the Cantankerous Cavalier can fire the weapon with unbridled velocity, shredding the ammo to hit in a 15 foot cone.

All enemies within the cone must make a Constitution Save equal to [8 + Strength Modifier + Proficiency Modifier]. On a failed save, the target takes [1d6 + STR] damage, half on success. Each enemy hit counts as 1 hit to regain Courage.

The blast knocks the Cantankerous Cavalier back 5 feet if they can, not provoking any attacks of opportunity and not provoking Sentinel.

Beginning at 7th, 11th, and 17th level, the die number increases by 1, to 2d6, 3d6, and 4d6 respectively.

Violent Tendencies

After landing three attacks against enemies, your next attack deals 1d8 extra damage.

If you are unmounted, you gain temporary hit-points equal to the bonus damage.

This bonus damage increases as you level [2d8 at level 11, 3d8 at level at level 17].

Jousting

While mounted as a bonus action, the Cantankerous Cavalier is able to move up to half their movement speed without provoking opportunity attacks while whirling their weapon around. Each enemy within 5 feet of their path must make a Dexterity Saving Throw equal to [8 + Charisma + Proficiency Modifier], taking [1d8 + STR] of the weapon's damage on failure, half on success.

This effect cannot be activated while unmounted.

CHAAAAAAAARGE!!!

While mounted and once per short rest, the Cantankerous Cavalier can spend a bonus action to charge into battle. They are able to move double their movement speed to dash towards an enemy.

If the Cantankerous Cavalier has moved at least 40 feet and end within 5 feet of a creature, the target creature must make a Strength Saving Throw equal to [8 + Charisma Modifier + Proficiency Modifier]. On failure, they take 3d8 bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone. On success, they take half damage and are not knocked prone.

Until the beginning of the Cantankerous Cavalier's next turn, all allies can spend a bonus action to dash, following the same path that the Cantankerous Cavalier has taken.

Infectious Courage

When you remount on your Un-Trusty Steed, all allies within 60 feet of you gain temporary hit-points equal to [Fighter Level + Charisma Modifier + Proficiency Modifier]. This ability can only activate once per short rest.

Get Off My Lawn!

Starting at 18th level, you become a master of locking down your enemies and attacking everything in sight. Creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they move 5 feet or more while within your reach.

You respond to danger with extraordinary ferocity and a desire to hit everything. In combat, you get a special reaction that you can take once on every creature's turn, except your turn. You can use this special reaction only to make an opportunity attack, and you can't use it on the same turn that you take your normal reaction.