Ghost riders are conflicted warriors who use the powers of the phantasmal dead even while seeking out and banishing the corruption of undeath from plagued communities. Their strange abilities mark them as outsiders and stoic loners, and they stay in one place only long enough to help the afflicted before riding off to unknown destinations.
The ghost rider is an archetype of the chocobo knight class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The ghost rider mainly focuses on STR for martial combat and STR and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Challenge, Chocobo Mount. 4th – Expert Trainer. 6th – Master Feeder. 7th – Improved Chocobo Mount. 9th – Rider’s Bond. 10th – Burst of Speed. 15th – Superior Chocobo Mount.
Ghost Mount (Su)
At 1st level, a ghost rider gains the ability to manifest a special mount of conjured ectoplasm rather than one of flesh and bone. The phantom takes the form of a ghostly creature analogous to a chocobo. The GM might approve other animals as suitable mounts. A ghost mount is treated as a summoned creature from the Ethereal Plane, except it is not sent back to the Ethereal Plane until it is reduced to a negative amount of hit points equal to or greater than its Charisma score. The ghost mount does not heal naturally, and can be healed only with magic.
The mount shares the ghost rider’s alignment. Though the mount cannot speak, it understands its master’s verbal commands and gains the link ability. The ghost mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves, and can have ranks in any of the following skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
The ghost rider does not take an armor check penalty on Ride checks while riding her mount. The mount is always considered combat trained, and begins play with Great Fortitude as a bonus feat.
STARTING STATISTICS
Type undead (phantom); Size one size category larger than the ghost rider; Speed 50 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d8), claw (1d6); Ability Scores Str 16, Dex 13, Con -, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 15. Special Qualities: Undead traits.
At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels, the ghost rider can apply one of the following at each interval, to her mount:
- +2 Strength
- +2 Dexterity
- +2 Charisma
- +2 Natural Armor to AC
This ability modifies chocobo mount.
Frightful Gaze (Su)
At 1st level, a ghost rider can use this ability on opponents within 30 feet as a standard action, which acts as a gaze attack until the ghost rider’s next turn. Creatures within range that meet the ghost rider’s gaze must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half of the chocobo knight’s level + his Charisma modifier) or stand paralyzed in fear for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. Creatures that successfully save against that ghost rider’s frightful gaze are immune to it for 24 hours. At 9th level, this ability can affect creatures that are mindless or immune to mind-affecting effects, though it still counts as a fear effect. The ghost rider can use this ability a number of times each day equal to her Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces challenge.
Spirited Mount (Su)
At 4th level, the ghost rider’s mount ignores difficult terrain. At 7th level, it gains the ability to use water walk at will.
This ability replaces expert trainer and improved chocobo mount.
Fearless (Su)
At 6th level, a ghost rider becomes immune to fear. Each ally within 10 feet of the ghost rider gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions only while the ghost rider is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.
This ability replaces master feeder.
Incorporeal Rider (Su)
At 9th level, the ghost rider can make her mount go incorporeal, taking her with it. The ghost rider and mount gain the Incorporeal subtype, gaining all the benefits and penalties, for a duration of 1 minute per chocobo knight level for a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces rider’s bond.
Ghost Wind (Su)
At 10th level, the ghost rider’s ghost mount can use air walk (as the spell, no action required) at will for up to 1 round at a time, after which it falls to the ground. At 15th level, the mount can fly at its speed with a bonus on Fly skill checks equal to the ghost rider’s chocobo knight level.
This ability replaces burst of speed and superior chocobo mount.
