Black knights make pacts with fiends, take the lives of the innocent, and put nothing ahead of their personal power and wealth. Champions of evil, they often lead armies of evil creatures and work with other villains to bring ruin to the holy and tyranny to the weak.
The black knight is an archetype of the dark knight class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The black knight mainly focuses on STR for martial combat and CHA for their class features and spells.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Grit Stance. 2nd – Shared Offense. 4th – Dark Knight Talent. 5th – Soul Eater. 8th – Dark Knight Talent. 11th – Aura of Cowardice. 12th – Dark Knight Talent, Defile. 13th – Aura of Crushing Despair. 15th – Shadow Wall. 16th – Dark Knight Talent. 19th – Aura of Rage. 20th – Dark Knight Talent, Dark Champion.
Alignment
Must be of an evil alignment.
Sense Good (Su)
At 1st level, at will, a black knight can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 30 feet and determine if it is good, with a successful Sense Motive skill check. The DC for an item is equal to 10 + the caster level of the item. The DC for an individual is equal to 10 + the CR of the creature.
Smite Good (Su)
Also at 1st level, once per day, a black knight can call out to the dark powers to crush the forces of good. As a swift action, the black knight chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is good, the black knight adds his Charisma modifier (if any) to his attack rolls and adds his dark knight level to all damage rolls made against the target of his smite. If the target of smite good is an outsider with the good subtype, a good-aligned dragon, or a good creature with levels of white mage or holy knight, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the black knight possesses. Regardless of the target, smite good attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess. In addition, while smite good is in effect, the black knight gains a deflection bonus equal to his Charisma modifier (if any) to his AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the black knight targets a creature that is not good, the smite is wasted with no effect. The smite good effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the black knight rests and regains his uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the black knight may smite good one additional time per day to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.
This ability replaces grit stance.
Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 2nd level, if a black knight can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
The black knight’s attacks deal extra precision damage anytime his target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the black knight flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 2nd level, and increases by 1d6 every 3 dark knight levels thereafter. If he gains the sneak attack ability from another source, the bonuses stack.
This ability replaces shared offense.
Nimbus of Darkness (Su)
At 4th level, a black knight learns to use the power of evil to lower his opponents’ defenses and plague them with darkness. As a standard action, he can call upon his dark power to cause a nimbus of darkness to emanate from the black knight in a 30-ft.-radius. The black knight can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. This power lasts for 1 minute.
Bane (Su): At 4th level, the black knight’s nimbus of darkness affects all enemies in this area with a -1 penalty to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against fear as long as they remain in the area of darkness.
Plague (Su): At 8th level, the black knight’s nimbus of darkness also causes enemies to be affected by the Disease status, a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the dark knight’s level + his Charisma modifier) negates the status effect, and while in the area of darkness, enemies take 2 points of shadow damage per round.
Decadence (Su): At 12th level, the black knight’s nimbus of darkness also grants the black knight and his allies concealment. In addition, the nimbus lowers resistance by 10 to one type of elemental damage, selected by the black knight when this power is activated to enemies within the area of darkness.
Ferocity (Su): At 16th level, the black knight’s nimbus of darkness grants the black knight and his allies the ability to deal more critical hits. The critical hit threat range of the black knight and his allies’ weapons are increased by +1 (applied after Improved Critical).
Corruption (Su): At 20th level, the nimbus of darkness increases in size out to a range of 60 feet. In addition, all of its penalties increase. The penalty to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against fear increases to -2. The amount of shadow damage dealt increases to 4. The elemental resistance decreases by 20 against one elemental damage type. Finally, the critical hit threat range increases to +2.
This ability replaces dark knight talents gained at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level.
Channel Dark Energy (Su)
When a black knight reaches 5th level, he gains the supernatural ability to channel dark energy like a cleric. Using this ability consumes two uses of his harm touch ability. A black knight uses his level as his effective cleric level when using channel dark energy. This is a Charisma-based ability.
This ability replaces souleater.
Aura of Desecration (Su)
At 11th level, a black knight radiates a 10-foot-radius aura of evil power. This aura increases the DC of channeled negative energy by +1 and the turn resistance of undead by +1. At 13th level and every 2 levels thereafter, the radius of the aura increases by 5 feet, to a maximum of 30 feet at 19th level.
This ability replaces aura of cowardice.
Terrifying Visage (Su)
At 12th level, a black knight can emit a fiendish aura in a 30-foot-burst. Enemies within the area of effect take 1d6 points of shadow damage per two dark knight levels and are immobilized for 1 round. Good humanoids and outsiders are immobilized for 1d4 rounds on a failed save. A Reflex save halves this damage and negates the immobilization. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + half of the dark knight’s level + his Charisma modifier. Allies within this burst receive a +2 profane bonus on ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for 1 round. Evil humanoids, undead and outsiders receive this bonus for 1d6 rounds instead. A black knight can use this ability once per day at 12th level plus one additional time per day at 15th and 18th level.
This ability replaces a defile gained at 12th level.
Aura of Putrefaction (Su)
At 13th level, a black knight radiates an aura that causes the wounds of enemies within 10 feet to weep blood. Injured enemies in the area take points of bleed damage equal to the black knight’s Charisma modifier per round. Fast healing or any kind of regeneration negates this aura’s effects. This ability functions only while the black knight is conscious, not if he is unconscious or dead.
This ability replaces aura of crushing despair.
Aura of Vengeance (Su)
At 15th level, a black knight can expend two uses of his smite good ability to grant the ability to smite good to all allies within 10 feet, using his bonuses. Allies must use this smite good ability by the start of the black knight’s next turn and the bonuses last for 1 minute. Using this ability is a free action. Good creatures gain no benefit from this ability.
This ability replaces shadow wall.
Aura of Depravity (Su)
At 19th level, a black knight gains DR 5/good. Each enemy within 10 feet takes a –4 penalty on saving throws against dark spells and effects. This ability functions only while the black knight is conscious, not if he is unconscious or dead.
This ability replaces aura of rage.
Champion of Evil (Su)
At 20th level, a black knight becomes a conduit for the power of evil. The black knight gains DR 10/good. Whenever he casts Dark spells or uses harm touch to damage a creature, he deals the maximum possible amount. In addition, any weapon the black knight wields is considered Evil aligned for purposes of bypassing damage reduction, dealing an additional 1d6 points of shadow damage against all good opponents and an additional 2d6 points of shadow damage against good outsiders and good-aligned white mages and holy knights.
This ability replaces dark champion.
