Post by Darth Kairos on Mar 10, 2019 13:49:19 GMT
Millennia ago in the days of the Old Republic, the Knights of Zakuul carved a bloody crusade across the galaxy and conquered both the Republic and the Sith Empire in the name of the Immortal Emperor. The Knights have fallen far since those great days, and only faint tinges of their previous glory survives to modern times. Since the rediscovery of Zakuul and its alliance with the Obsidian Union, the Knights have begun to emerge back onto the Galactic stage. Many Knights are little more than idle aristocrats, but a few keep to the old ways of honour, loyalty, and supreme sacrifice - notions that can cause them to clash with their Sith allies. Wielding great shields along with their lightsabers and clad in sleek armour, the Knights of Zakuul eschew traditional Sith and Jedi views of the Force and view it instead it as nothing more than a tool to be used. The Knight's fighting style is built around their peculiar weapons and harnessing the Force in ways other Force-users never considered possible.
HP/Force Well Progression: On every level up, Knights of Zakuul gain 1d10 hit points + their Constitution Modifier; the die roll defaults to the character's Constitution Modifier if it rolls lower than that Con Mod. They also increase their Force Well by 10 + Spirit Modifier.
Special Abilities:
Expert Defence: Determined to live up to their glorious past, Knights of Zakuul forge themselves into determined warriors, hardy soldiers, and insightful mystics. On entering their Advanced Path, a Knight of Zakuul gains a +2 Path bonus to all three Saves (Reflex, Fortitude, Will).
Knight's Effects: A Knight is defined by his armour, sword, and shield. The Knights of Zakuul practice an almost spiritual reverence of their shield and armour, and forging and donning these effects is considered a Knight's final trial. At level 5, a Knight gains several Skills. First, if she does not already possess it the Knight gains Proficiency with Single-bladed Lightsabers, a rank in the Shii-Cho Lightsaber Form, and a rank in the Craft (Lightsaber) Skill. Second, the Knight gains a free rank in the Craft (Armoursmith) Skill. Third, a Knight learns the unique methods of forging and wielding the Shield and Armour of a Knight of Zakuul.
When forging their armour, the Knight chooses whether to forge Medium or Heavy Armour. Medium Armour has the following properties: 7 Soak, +1 Fortitude Save, +3 Max Dexterity Bonus. Heavy Armour has the following properties: 10 Soak, +3 Fortitude Save, +1 Max Dexterity Bonus. Additionally, the Knight tailors the armour to their own Skills and can install sophisticated packages into the helmet, gaining a bonus Rank to two of the following Skills while the armour is worn, chosen when the helmet is forged: Awareness, Endurance, Intimidate, Ride, Treat Injury.
The Shields of the Knights of Zakuul are much less individualised but no less important. Far more than a basic Riot Shield, a Knight's Shield has a Soak of 5, 30 Hit Points, and a break DC of 35. The Shield has a weight of 10kg and grants the following benefits when the following Actions are taken:
* Hunker (Full-Round): The Knight plants their Shield firmly in place and takes cover behind it to resist attacks. They add 5 to their Reflex and Fortitude Saves against enemy attacks; this includes area attacks so long as the Knight is facing towards the source of the area attack. Against area attacks, a Hunkered Knight takes half damage if the attack connects, and no damage if the attack misses.
* Fight Defensively (Standard): A Knight's Shield grants you Cover (+5 Cover bonus to your Reflex Save) against all ranged attacks on any turn during which you Fight Defensively.
* Guard (Move): The Knight concentrates on defending themselves with their shield rather than evading attacks or moving around the battlefield. While Guarding, if an attack succeeds but does not exceed the Knight's Reflex Save by 5 or more the Knight intercepts the attack with his shield which takes the brunt of the damage.
* Ward (Swift): The Knight skillfully interposes her shield between herself and her foes while moving, preventing enemies in front of her from taking Attacks of Opportunity when she leaves their threatened space.
However, the shield is a uni-directional weapon and can only protect the Knight's front; the Knight suffers a -5 penalty to Reflex Save against any attacks made to his back or side. Finally, the Knight may wield their shield as a Melee Weapon; when used in this way, it has the same statistics as a Mace.
Phalanx: In the Golden Age of the Eternal Empire, ranks of Knights advanced on their foes behind an impenetrable wall of shields. The secret to this Phalanx' success was the power of the Knight's shields, and even a lone Knight can empower his shield as an extension of himself. At level 6, a Knight implants into their shield a crystal and attunes it to himself in much the same way as a Lightsaber; once attuned, a Knight can imbue his shield with defensive Force Powers (such as Absorb, or Dissipate Energy). A Knight can activate the Power for himself as normal, imbue the shield instead of himself, or spend a Force Boon to apply the Power to himself and the shield simultaneously.
Knight's Morale: The Knights of Zakuul fight as a unit, and the success of their allies bolsters the Knight's morale and ability to fight. When an ally within 12 squares of you and within your line of sight hits with a Lightsaber attack, you gain a +1 morale bonus to all your Saves until the end of your next turn. This ability is gained at level 7.
Force Supremacy: The cornerstone of the Knights' conquest during the Great Galactic War is their odd view on the Force that allowed them to crush Jedi and Sith alike. At level 8, the Knight of Zakuul comes to the same understanding his progenitors did and discovers a potent Force technique. By spending a Force Boon and doubling the normal Force Pool cost of a Force Power, a Knight of Zakuul can increase its Rank by 1 for one turn; this can allow them to exceed the normal maximum Rank for Force Powers.
Armoured Augmentation: Though their Shields are what actively wards their person, a Knight's Armour must be an invincible last line of defence to be effective. Once per short rest, you may spend a Force Boon as a Reaction to augment your own ability to withstand damage by imbuing the Armour you are wearing with the Force. This allows you to add your Armour's Soak your Damage Threshold until the end of the encounter. This ability is gained at level 9.
Armoured Phalanx: At level 10, a Knight's relationship with his shield and his attunement to its crystal has deepened to an almost intimate level. Not just a tool of defence, the Knight can now use it as a fearsome offensive armament by imbuing it with the Force. By spending a Force Boon, the Knight may imbue his shield with one of the following offensive Force Powers as a Standard Action (they must possess at least two ranks in the Power in question to imbue it): Force Push, Force Stun, Force Blast, Force Repulse. When triggered, the Force Power radiates outwards in a cone from the Shield up to its normal range (regardless of the Power's normal affected area). When imbuing her shield with the Force Power, the Knight must select which of the following conditions will trigger the Power's release: immediately, when the Shield is struck by an attack, when the Shield's HP falls to a chosen number or below, or when the Knight spends a Move Action to plant the Shield into the ground.
Oath of Duty: When the Knights of Zakuul fight together, they fight as one, and even the smallest of victories by one Knight imbues the whole with a tenacious fighting drive to win the day. When an ally within 12 squares of you and within your line of sight hits with a Lightsaber attack, you may take a free action to gain bonus Hit Points equal to 3 x your Advanced Path Level until the end of your next turn. Damage is subtracted from the bonus Hit Points first, and any bonus Hit Points remaining at the end of the encounter go away. Bonus Hit Points from different sources do not stack, this ability recharges after a short or long rest. This ability comes into effect at level 11.
Invincible Phalanx: In the old days, the Knights of Zakuul had a simple mantra: "The Knight is the Shield of the Emperor. The Knight is the Emperor of their own Shield." At level 12, a Knight of Zakuul finally understands the truth of these old worlds, and their shield becomes a loyal servant implacably guarding their person. The Knight gains the ability to enhance their shield with the Force and allow it to withstand strikes from Lightsabers; this functions the same way as the Dark Force Adept's Force Weapon ability but can only be applied to the Knight's Shield. While enhanced, the Knight's Shield also gains an additional 5 Soak for a total of 10, its HP increases to 45, and its break DC increases to 40.
Zakuul Knight Special Abilities by Level
Lvl5: Expert Defence, Knight's Effects
Lvl6: Phalanx
Lvl7: Knight's Morale
Lvl8: Force Supremacy
Lvl9: Armoured Augmentation
Lvl10: Armoured Phalanx
Lvl11: Oath of Duty
Lvl12: Invincible Phalanx
Zakuul Knight Proficiency Points
C: 5, 7, 9, 10, 12
S: 6, 8, 12
P: 8, 11, 12
F: 5, 7, 8, 10, 12
HP/Force Well Progression: On every level up, Knights of Zakuul gain 1d10 hit points + their Constitution Modifier; the die roll defaults to the character's Constitution Modifier if it rolls lower than that Con Mod. They also increase their Force Well by 10 + Spirit Modifier.
Special Abilities:
Expert Defence: Determined to live up to their glorious past, Knights of Zakuul forge themselves into determined warriors, hardy soldiers, and insightful mystics. On entering their Advanced Path, a Knight of Zakuul gains a +2 Path bonus to all three Saves (Reflex, Fortitude, Will).
Knight's Effects: A Knight is defined by his armour, sword, and shield. The Knights of Zakuul practice an almost spiritual reverence of their shield and armour, and forging and donning these effects is considered a Knight's final trial. At level 5, a Knight gains several Skills. First, if she does not already possess it the Knight gains Proficiency with Single-bladed Lightsabers, a rank in the Shii-Cho Lightsaber Form, and a rank in the Craft (Lightsaber) Skill. Second, the Knight gains a free rank in the Craft (Armoursmith) Skill. Third, a Knight learns the unique methods of forging and wielding the Shield and Armour of a Knight of Zakuul.
When forging their armour, the Knight chooses whether to forge Medium or Heavy Armour. Medium Armour has the following properties: 7 Soak, +1 Fortitude Save, +3 Max Dexterity Bonus. Heavy Armour has the following properties: 10 Soak, +3 Fortitude Save, +1 Max Dexterity Bonus. Additionally, the Knight tailors the armour to their own Skills and can install sophisticated packages into the helmet, gaining a bonus Rank to two of the following Skills while the armour is worn, chosen when the helmet is forged: Awareness, Endurance, Intimidate, Ride, Treat Injury.
The Shields of the Knights of Zakuul are much less individualised but no less important. Far more than a basic Riot Shield, a Knight's Shield has a Soak of 5, 30 Hit Points, and a break DC of 35. The Shield has a weight of 10kg and grants the following benefits when the following Actions are taken:
* Hunker (Full-Round): The Knight plants their Shield firmly in place and takes cover behind it to resist attacks. They add 5 to their Reflex and Fortitude Saves against enemy attacks; this includes area attacks so long as the Knight is facing towards the source of the area attack. Against area attacks, a Hunkered Knight takes half damage if the attack connects, and no damage if the attack misses.
* Fight Defensively (Standard): A Knight's Shield grants you Cover (+5 Cover bonus to your Reflex Save) against all ranged attacks on any turn during which you Fight Defensively.
* Guard (Move): The Knight concentrates on defending themselves with their shield rather than evading attacks or moving around the battlefield. While Guarding, if an attack succeeds but does not exceed the Knight's Reflex Save by 5 or more the Knight intercepts the attack with his shield which takes the brunt of the damage.
* Ward (Swift): The Knight skillfully interposes her shield between herself and her foes while moving, preventing enemies in front of her from taking Attacks of Opportunity when she leaves their threatened space.
However, the shield is a uni-directional weapon and can only protect the Knight's front; the Knight suffers a -5 penalty to Reflex Save against any attacks made to his back or side. Finally, the Knight may wield their shield as a Melee Weapon; when used in this way, it has the same statistics as a Mace.
Phalanx: In the Golden Age of the Eternal Empire, ranks of Knights advanced on their foes behind an impenetrable wall of shields. The secret to this Phalanx' success was the power of the Knight's shields, and even a lone Knight can empower his shield as an extension of himself. At level 6, a Knight implants into their shield a crystal and attunes it to himself in much the same way as a Lightsaber; once attuned, a Knight can imbue his shield with defensive Force Powers (such as Absorb, or Dissipate Energy). A Knight can activate the Power for himself as normal, imbue the shield instead of himself, or spend a Force Boon to apply the Power to himself and the shield simultaneously.
Knight's Morale: The Knights of Zakuul fight as a unit, and the success of their allies bolsters the Knight's morale and ability to fight. When an ally within 12 squares of you and within your line of sight hits with a Lightsaber attack, you gain a +1 morale bonus to all your Saves until the end of your next turn. This ability is gained at level 7.
Force Supremacy: The cornerstone of the Knights' conquest during the Great Galactic War is their odd view on the Force that allowed them to crush Jedi and Sith alike. At level 8, the Knight of Zakuul comes to the same understanding his progenitors did and discovers a potent Force technique. By spending a Force Boon and doubling the normal Force Pool cost of a Force Power, a Knight of Zakuul can increase its Rank by 1 for one turn; this can allow them to exceed the normal maximum Rank for Force Powers.
Armoured Augmentation: Though their Shields are what actively wards their person, a Knight's Armour must be an invincible last line of defence to be effective. Once per short rest, you may spend a Force Boon as a Reaction to augment your own ability to withstand damage by imbuing the Armour you are wearing with the Force. This allows you to add your Armour's Soak your Damage Threshold until the end of the encounter. This ability is gained at level 9.
Armoured Phalanx: At level 10, a Knight's relationship with his shield and his attunement to its crystal has deepened to an almost intimate level. Not just a tool of defence, the Knight can now use it as a fearsome offensive armament by imbuing it with the Force. By spending a Force Boon, the Knight may imbue his shield with one of the following offensive Force Powers as a Standard Action (they must possess at least two ranks in the Power in question to imbue it): Force Push, Force Stun, Force Blast, Force Repulse. When triggered, the Force Power radiates outwards in a cone from the Shield up to its normal range (regardless of the Power's normal affected area). When imbuing her shield with the Force Power, the Knight must select which of the following conditions will trigger the Power's release: immediately, when the Shield is struck by an attack, when the Shield's HP falls to a chosen number or below, or when the Knight spends a Move Action to plant the Shield into the ground.
Oath of Duty: When the Knights of Zakuul fight together, they fight as one, and even the smallest of victories by one Knight imbues the whole with a tenacious fighting drive to win the day. When an ally within 12 squares of you and within your line of sight hits with a Lightsaber attack, you may take a free action to gain bonus Hit Points equal to 3 x your Advanced Path Level until the end of your next turn. Damage is subtracted from the bonus Hit Points first, and any bonus Hit Points remaining at the end of the encounter go away. Bonus Hit Points from different sources do not stack, this ability recharges after a short or long rest. This ability comes into effect at level 11.
Invincible Phalanx: In the old days, the Knights of Zakuul had a simple mantra: "The Knight is the Shield of the Emperor. The Knight is the Emperor of their own Shield." At level 12, a Knight of Zakuul finally understands the truth of these old worlds, and their shield becomes a loyal servant implacably guarding their person. The Knight gains the ability to enhance their shield with the Force and allow it to withstand strikes from Lightsabers; this functions the same way as the Dark Force Adept's Force Weapon ability but can only be applied to the Knight's Shield. While enhanced, the Knight's Shield also gains an additional 5 Soak for a total of 10, its HP increases to 45, and its break DC increases to 40.
Zakuul Knight Special Abilities by Level
Lvl5: Expert Defence, Knight's Effects
Lvl6: Phalanx
Lvl7: Knight's Morale
Lvl8: Force Supremacy
Lvl9: Armoured Augmentation
Lvl10: Armoured Phalanx
Lvl11: Oath of Duty
Lvl12: Invincible Phalanx
Zakuul Knight Proficiency Points
C: 5, 7, 9, 10, 12
S: 6, 8, 12
P: 8, 11, 12
F: 5, 7, 8, 10, 12