Arcane Knight – Magus Archetype

Design Notes: Adapted from Owlcat’s Wrath of the Righteous arcane rider archetype, flavored for our setting. Changed the dimensional ride abilities to arcana, retaining the magus’ armor proficiencies and abilities.

Arcane knights originated with the mounted cavalry of Aryvandaar before the age of the Crown Wars, and passed their traditions down millenia including the Eagle Knights of Evermeet. Mounted elven knights melded techniques decended from bladesong, with the husbandry of a specially bonded mount. This bond forged them into a single arcane entity — able to sense each other’s emotions, and share the magus’ arcane pool and arcana to become a fleet juggernaut upon the battlefield. While their techniques have found their way outside of elven communities, much as the magus descended from the bladesinger, they are still a reminder of a glorious period of the elven knights of ancient kingdoms.

Companion Steed: At 1st level, the arcane knight gains the service of a loyal steed. This mount is usually a heavy horse (for a Medium magus) or a pony (for a Small magus), although more exotic mounts with GM permission are also suitable. This mount functions as a druid’s animal companion, using the paladin’s level as her effective druid level. Bonded mounts have an Intelligence of at least 6.

At 11th level, this companion steed gains the celestial creature simple template and becomes a magical beast for the purposes of determining which spells affect it. Alternately, elves or half-elves may gain the service of a giant eagle as their companion steed, by dismissing their previous companion; likewise elven or half-elven females may gain the service of a unicorn as their companion steed.

At 15th level, the companion steed gains spell resistance equal to the magus’ level + 11.

Should this companion steed die, the arcane knight cannot find another for 30 days or until she gains a level, whichever comes first, until which time she suffers a -1 to attack and weapon damage rolls.

This replaces Spell Recall, Improved Spell Recall and Counterstrike. Further, an arcane knight may not select the Familiar magus arcana.

Arcane Mount (Su): Any benefits gained by magus arcana that cost points from the arcane knight’s arcane pool affect the arcane knight’s steed as well as him.

Coordinated Spell Combat (Ex): The arcane knight and his steed have honed the melding of sword, spell and hoof to become a harmonized unit. By taking a -2 penalty on his attack rolls, the arcane knight may cast a spell in the same round in which he takes a move action to control his mount, and makes a standard attack action. As with the magus spell combat ability, the arcane knight can take an additional penalty on his attack rolls to gain the same number of points as a circumstance bonus on both Concentration and Ride checks. This replaces and otherwise functions as spell combat, and is modified by effects and items which modify spell combat.

Bonus Feats: Starting at 5th level, an arcane knight may choose from any mounted feat as a bonus feat in addition to those considered combat feats.

Improved Spell Combat (Ex): This functions as the magus ability of the same name, except the bonus also applies to the arcane knight’s Ride checks.

Greater Spell Combat (Ex): This functions as the magus ability of the same name, except the bonus also applies to the arcane knight’s Ride checks.

Arcane Knight Arcana: In addition to the standard magus list of magus arcana, the arcane knight may select from the following arcana.

• Dimensional Ride: The arcane knight can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as part of a move action to contol his mount, to create a dimensional rift that they can step through to reach another location. This ability is used as part of a move action or withdraw action, allowing steed and rider to move up to 10 feet per magus level to a location the magus can see. He can only use this ability once per round. He does not provoke attacks of opportunity when making this movement, but any other movement attempted in that round provokes as normal. The magus must be 9th level to select this arcanum.
• Greater Dimensional Ride: The arcane knight can spend an additional arcane point to use dimensional ride as a swift action. The magus must be 15th level and have the dimensional ride arcanum to select this arcanum.