These gallant lancers serve in the vanguard of many armies or as knights-errant. They are born leaders and masters of the mounted charge.
The lancer is an archetype of the dragoon class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The lancer mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and STR and DEX for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Limit Breaks, Deadly Lancer, Pole Fighting, Strengthened Agility. 3rd – Lancet 4th – Elusive Jump. 6th – Wyrmkiller. 7th – Swoop of the Dragon. 9th – Wall Jumping. Ride the Wind. 12th – Dragoon Talent, Spinning Lance. 19th – Piercing Critical.
Limit Break (Su)
At 1st level, the lancer receives the Limit Break (Fight as One).
Fight as One (Su): This Limit Break allows the lancer and his mount to fight as if they were one mind and one body. They both receive a +2 morale bonus on Attack rolls, Saving Throws, and Skill checks + an additional +2 bonus per four dragoon levels after 1st. The mount can full-attack after a charge. This limit break lasts for a duration of 1 round + 1 round per four dragoon levels after 1st. This limit break requires only a swift action.
This ability replaces the Limit Break (Bahamut Leaps).
Chocobo Mount (Ex)
A lancer gains the service of a loyal and trusty yellow chocobo to carry him into battle. This chocobo functions as a beastmaster’s animal companion, using the lancer’s level as his effective beastmaster level. A lancer’s mount does not gain the shared saves special ability. If a lancer enhances his chocobo mount with chocobo food, all permanent food buffs carry over in advancements. But if the lancer’s chocobo mount dies, all permanent food buffs are lost if he summons a new one.
Unlike normal chocobos of its kind, a chocobo’s Hit Dice, abilities, skills, and feats advance as the lancer advances in level. If a character receives a companion from more than one source, his effective lancer levels stack for the purposes of determining the statistics and abilities of the companion. Chocobos are relatively tame and docile for magical beasts, and are treated as animals for the purpose of Handle Animal checks.
Table: Chocobo Mount Base Statistics
| Class Level | HD | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Skills | Feats | Natural Armor Bonus | Str/Dex Bonus | Bonus Tricks | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | 1 | 1 | +0 | +0 | 1 | Link, Endurance |
| 2nd | 2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | 2 | 1 | +0 | +0 | 1 | — |
| 3rd | 3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | 3 | 2 | +2 | +1 | 2 | Evasion |
| 4th | 3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | 3 | 2 | +2 | +1 | 2 | Magic Attacks |
| 5th | 4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | +1 | 2 | Ability score increase |
| 6th | 5 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | 5 | 3 | +4 | +2 | 3 | Devotion |
| 7th | 6 | +6 | +5 | +5 | +2 | 6 | 3 | +4 | +2 | 3 | — |
| 8th | 6 | +6 | +5 | +5 | +2 | 6 | 3 | +4 | +2 | 3 | Multiattack |
| 9th | 7 | +7 | +5 | +5 | +2 | 7 | 4 | +6 | +3 | 4 | — |
| 10th | 8 | +8 | +6 | +6 | +2 | 8 | 4 | +6 | +3 | 4 | Ability score increase |
| 11th | 9 | +9 | +6 | +6 | +3 | 9 | 5 | +6 | +3 | 4 | — |
| 12th | 9 | +9 | +6 | +6 | +3 | 9 | 5 | +8 | +4 | 5 | — |
| 13th | 10 | +11 | +7 | +7 | +3 | 10 | 5 | +8 | +4 | 5 | — |
| 14th | 11 | +11 | +7 | +7 | +3 | 11 | 6 | +8 | +4 | 5 | — |
| 15th | 12 | +12 | +8 | +8 | +4 | 12 | 6 | +10 | +5 | 6 | Ability score increase, Improved Evasion |
| 16th | 12 | +12 | +8 | +8 | +4 | 12 | 6 | +10 | +5 | 6 | — |
| 17th | 13 | +13 | +8 | +8 | +4 | 13 | 7 | +10 | +5 | 6 | — |
| 18th | 14 | +14 | +9 | +9 | +4 | 14 | 7 | +12 | +6 | 7 | Blood Bond |
| 19th | 15 | +15 | +9 | +9 | +5 | 15 | 8 | +12 | +6 | 7 | — |
| 20th | 15 | +15 | +9 | +9 | +5 | 15 | 8 | +12 | +6 | +7 | — |
Chocobo, Yellow
starting statistics
Size: Large; Speed: 60 ft.; AC: +4 natural armor; Attack: bite (1d8), talon (1d6); Ability Scores: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6; Special Attacks: Critical Attack; Special Qualities: darkvision 60 ft., scent.
Critical Attack (Ex)
The yellow chocobo can inflict more pain than normal. If they succeed at hitting with their bite attack, the damage is 1d8 x 1.5 for total damage.
7TH-LEVEL ADVANCEMENT
AC +2 natural armor; Ability Scores Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2.
A lancer does not take an armor check penalty on Ride checks while riding his mount. The mount is always considered combat trained, and begins play with Endurance as a bonus feat. A lancer’s bond with his mount is strong, with the pair learning to anticipate each other’s moods and moves. Should a lancer’s mount die, the lancer may find another chocobo to serve him after 1 week of mourning. This new mount does not gain the link, evasion, devotion, improved evasion, or blood bond special abilities until the next time the lancer gains a level.
Class Level: The character’s lancer level. The lancer’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to a companion for the purpose of determining the companion’s statistics.
HD: This is the total number of ten-
BAB: This is the animal companion’s base attack bonus. Chocobos do not gain additional attacks using their natural weapons for a high base attack bonus.
Fort/Ref/Will: These are the chocobo’s base saving throw bonuses. A chocobo has good Fortitude and Reflex saves.
Skills: This lists the total skill ranks for the chocobo. Chocobos can assign skill ranks to any skill listed below. If a chocobo increases its Intelligence to 10 or higher, it gains bonus skill ranks as normal. Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can purchase ranks in any skill. A chocobo cannot have more ranks in a skill than it has Hit Dice.
Chocobos 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).
All of the skills marked with an (*) are class skills for chocobos. Chocobos with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can put ranks into any skill.
Feats: This is the total number of feats possessed by a chocobo. Chocobos should select their feats from those listed below. Chocobos can select other feats, although they are unable to utilize some feats (such as Martial Weapon Proficiency).
Chocobos can select from the following feats:
Acrobatic, Agile Maneuvers, Armor Proficiency (light, medium, and heavy), Athletic, Blind-
Chocobos with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can select any feat they are physically capable of using. GMs might expand this list to include feats from other sources.
- Natural Armor Bonus: The number noted here is an improvement to the chocobo’s existing natural armor bonus.
- Str/Dex Bonus: Add this value to the chocobo’s Strength and Dexterity scores.
- Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of “bonus” tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the lancer might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the chocobo. The lancer selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.
- Link (Ex): A lancer can handle his companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if he doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The lancer gains a +4 competence bonus on all Handle Animal checks made regarding his chocobo.
- Evasion (Ex): If the chocobo is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
- Devotion (Ex): The chocobo gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enfeebling spells and effects.
- Ability Score Increase (Ex): The chocobo adds +1 to any one of its ability scores.
- Multiattack: The chocobo gains Multiattack as a bonus feat even though it does not have three or more natural attacks. The chocobo instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a –5 penalty.
- Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, the chocobo takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.
- Blood Bond (Ex): After a lancer has achieved 18th level, the bond between him and his chocobo grows so strong that the chocobo gains a +2 bonus on all attack rolls, checks and saves if it witnesses the lancer being threatened or harmed. This bonus lasts as long as the threat is immediate and apparent.
This ability replaces pole fighting, wyrmkiller, spinning lance, and piercing critical.
Skilled Rider (Ex)
At 1st level, a lancer gains Mounted Combat as bonus feat.
This ability replaces strengthened agility.
Deadly Lancer (Ex)
At 1st level, instead of being granted the benefits of a long jump Deadly Lancer attack, the lancer gains the following:
Mounted Charge: Whenever the lancer charges while on a mount at least 10 feet from his opponent and strikes his foe using a spear, lance, or polearm, the lancer deals an extra 1d6 points of damage on his attack, increasing by an additional 1d6 for every two dragoon levels after 1st. This additional damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or any class feature that multiplies damage.
Additionally, the lancer may high jump into a dive attack at any point during his mounted charge. After a successful dive attack, the lancer may choose to land back in the saddle of his mount with a successful Ride skill check (DC 20); failure causes the lancer to land in the nearest eligible square next to his mount. While using his dive attack in this manner, the lancer does not receive the circumstance attack bonus from altitude differences and counts his dive attack as a mounted charge for the purposes of qualifying for feats and determining the respective attack bonus and AC penalty (if any).
The lancer uses his mounted charge Deadly Lancer damage in place of any ability that references long jump Deadly Lancer damage.
This ability modifies deadly lancer.
Challenge (Ex)
At 3rd level, by spending 1 point of dragon blood as a swift action, the lancer can challenge one target within sight. The lancer’s melee attacks deal extra damage whenever the attacks are made against the target of his challenge. This extra damage is equal to the lancer’s level. Challenging a foe requires much of the lancer’s concentration. The lancer takes a –2 penalty to his Armor Class, except against attacks made by the target of his challenge. The challenge remains in effect until the target is dead or unconscious or until the combat ends.
This ability replaces lancet.
Battlefield Agility (Ex)
At 4th level, a lancer learns to be more aware of the threats that surround him in combat, and shares this awareness with his loyal steed. Both the lancer and his mount gain Mobility as a bonus feat. If the lancer already has this feat, he may take another Combat feat that he must meet the prerequisites for.
This ability replaces elusive jump.
Lancer’s Charge (Ex)
At 7th level, a lancer learns to make more accurate charge attacks while mounted. The lancer receives a +4 bonus on melee attack rolls on a charge while mounted (instead of the normal +2). In addition, the lancer does not suffer any penalty to his AC after making a charge attack while mounted.
This ability replaces swoop of the dragon.
Relentless Steed (Ex)
At 9th level, a lancer’s mount does not reduce its speed when wearing medium or heavy barding or carrying a heavy load. The lancer may also reroll a saving throw made by the mount once per day before the results are determined, but must use the second roll even if it is worse.
This ability replaces wall jumping.
Mounted Expertise (Ex)
At 10th level, a lancer is highly skilled at fighting while riding his mount. Before making any rolls when using the attack action or the full attack action while mounted on his mount in melee, a lancer may shift points between his attack rolls and his Armor Class. A penalty subtracted from an attack roll applies as a dodge bonus to his AC; a penalty subtracted from Armor Class applies as a bonus on all attack rolls for that round. The points adjusted with the mounted expertise ability may not exceed the lancer’s base attack bonus. All changes to attack rolls and AC persist until the lancer’s next turn.
This ability replaces ride the wind.
Agile Lancer (Ex)
At 12th level, a lancer’s mount takes no penalties caused by difficult terrain while charging. His movement is still hampered by obstacles, poor visibility, and other conditions. This ability doesn’t allow him to move through impassible terrain.
This ability replaces a dragoon talent gained at 12th level.
