The knight errant is a wandering knight who enjoys the sights and sounds of foreign places. Less dedicated to being a champion on the battlefield and more to refining his skills and strengthening his friendships, the knight errant is nonetheless committed to his order and honor. As he gains levels, his abilities as a bard, diplomat, and figurehead come to the fore. Where other cavaliers might solve all their problems by blindly charging their foes, the knight errant can use his knowledge of the world and its inhabitants to convince others to join his cause, rallying mobs or armies to serve his order at his side, all with a cocky arrogance befitting the far-striding champion.
Primary Class: Cavalier.
Secondary Class: Bard.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Dice: d10.
Saves: good Fortitude and Will, poor Reflex.
Bonus Skills and Ranks: Knight errants may select three bard skills to add to their class skills in addition to the normal cavalier class skills, one of which must be Perform. The knight errant gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Knight errants are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, light, and medium) and with shields (except tower shields).
Bardic Performance: At 1st level, a knight errant gains this ability, which functions as the bard class feature of the same name, except that the knight errant can only use it on the following performances.
Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, a knight errant can use fascinate as a bard of his level. This ability, along with inspire courage, replaces tactician.
Inspire Courage (Su): At 1st level, a knight errant can use inspire courage as a bard of his level. The bonuses from this ability increase by +1 at 5th level, and every six levels thereafter.
Inspire Competence (Su): A knight errant of 3rd level or higher can use inspire competence as a bard of his level. The bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the knight errant has attained beyond 3rd (+3 at 7th, +4 at 11th, +5 at 15th, and +6 at 19th). This ability replaces cavalier's charge.
Gather Crowd (Ex): At 6th level, the knight errant is skilled at drawing an audience to his performances. If he is in a settlement or populated area, he can shout, sing, or otherwise make himself noticed in order to attract an audience to his impromptu stage. The size of the crowd depends on the local population, but typically is a number of people equal to 1/2 the knight errant’s class level × the result of the knight errant’s Perform check. The crowd gathers over the next 1d10 rounds. If the bard fails to engage the crowd (such as by performing, kissing babies, trying to use fascinate, and so on), it disperses over the next 1d10 rounds. This ability replaces the cavalier's 6th-level bonus feat.
Inspire Greatness (Su): A knight errant of 9th level or higher can use inspire greatness as a bard of his level. This ability replaces greater tactician.
Boastful Song (Su): A knight errant of 12th level or higher can begin this performance as a free action upon declaring his challenge. The target of his challenge must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the knight errant’s level + the knight errant’s Charisma modifier) or enter a rage, as the spell, for as long as the knight errant performs. Boastful song is an enchantment (compulsion), mind affecting, language-dependent ability and relies on audible components. This ability replaces demanding challenge.
Righteous Cause (Ex): At 18th level, the knight errant can lift a crowd's emotions and turn them toward a common purpose. First, he must gather and fascinate the crowd. Then he can use righteous cause. Fascinated creatures must make Will saves (DC 10 + 1/2 the knight errant’s level + the knight errant’s Charisma modifier) to resist. Those who fail are affected by mass suggestion of a plausible idea that lingers with them for one day. Typical uses of this ability are to spark rebellion, overthrow a king, build a beneficial structure such as an orphanage, or donate money to a cause. This ability replaces the cavalier's 18th-level bonus feat.
World Traveler (Ex): A knight errant gains a bonus equal to half his level on Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nature), and Linguistics checks. This ability replaces mount.
Versatile Performance: At 3rd level, the knight errant receives versatile performance, as the bard ability of the same name. He selects an additional type of Perform to substitute at levels 10 and 17. This ability replaces master tactician.
Mount: At 4th level, the knight errant receives mount, as the cavalier ability, using his knight errant level - 3 as his effective druid level for purposes of determining the strength of the mount. This ability replaces expert trainer.
Banner: At 5th level, the knight errant receives banner, as the cavalier ability of the same name, except that instead of granting a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls made as part of a charge, it grants a +2 morale bonus on Diplomacy skill checks. This bonus, along with the normal bonus on saving throws against fear, increases by +1 at 10th level and every five levels thereafter.
Jack-of-all-Trades (Ex): At 11th level, the knight errant can use any skill, even if the skill normally requires him to be trained. At 17th level, the knight errant considers all skills to be class skills. At 20th level, the knight errant can take 10 on any skill check, even if it is not normally allowed. This ability replaces mighty charge.
Sporting Challenge (Ex): A knight errant of 12th level or higher knows how to use his pride, sportsmanship, and multifaceted competence when competing with others outside of the battlefield. The knight errant may declare a creature as the target of a sporting challenge by expending one of his daily uses of challenge. Then the knight errant and his target begin their competition—for example: racing, arm wrestling, debate, performance—and the knight errant receives a bonus on all checks made as a part of this competition equal to his level. The knight errant receives the normal -2 penalty to his AC while using a sporting challenge, but his order's challenge effect is not invoked. This ability replaces the cavalier's 12th-level bonus feat.
Supreme Hubris (Ex): When using boastful song, all enemies within 30 feet are affected. The knight errant receives his challenge's bonus on damage against all enemies enraged by this ability, as well as whatever bonuses or effects his order grants his challenge. He receives his challenge's penalty to AC against all enemies when using supreme hubris. This ability replaces supreme charge.