This is the most basic knightly order in my campaign world, they are an elite group of griffon riders that protect their homeland. Many of them live in the spirelands, mile high mountain plateau which are very similar to islands in terms of personality and needs. These are defenders, but also messengers and an early warning system. Many of the griffons have specific coloured feathers, as they are groomed to match the colours of their paladin riders.
Order of the Griffon
Description The Order of the Griffon is a group devout members of the Church of Japeth who work as the military arm of the Church found in the spirelands. Most members are clerics or paladins, but fighters and rangers join as well.
Responsibilities They are responsible for protection of holy sites and devout petitioners in remote sites, primarily in the Spirelands. They protect the Quadrane (4 High Holy Good Aligned Gods) followers but they have many allies, not just those within these groups.
Mount Many paladins choose a griffon as their steed in the spirelands, but members of the Griffon Order welcomes anyone that meets their requirements. The hardest is to find a griffon willing to serve. The creatures cannot be enspelled or tricked; they must choose to serve.
Requirements:
Base attack bonus: +3
Skills: Knowledge (religion): 5 ranks; Ride: 5 ranks
Oath: Loyalty to the Order of Griffon
Alignment: Any non-chaotic and non-evil
Quest: Find a griffon who agrees to serve
Class Skills: Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (history, planes, religion), Ride & Spellcraft (Int).
Skill points per level: 2 + Int modifier
Class Features
Hit die: d10
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Members of the Order of the Griffon are proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons and medium and light armor but not shields. They do not lose proficiency if they already had them.
Special Mount: Beginning on their 1st level and every other level thereafter, a Member of the Order of the Griffon may add one level to calculating the abilities of their special mount if they have one. If no prior class gives them a special mount, they do not gain such an ability.
Spells: Beginning on their 2nd level and every other level thereafter, Members of the Order of the Griffon gain new spells per day as they would have in a divine spellcasting class that they belonged to before adding the prestige class. They do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning undead, special abilities of a paladin's mount, and so on).
Class BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Griffon Mount
2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Griffon-Back Combat
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Dive, Divine Dispel
4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Flyby Attack
5th +5 +4 +1 +4 Special mount level Flyby Attack, Aura of Valor
Special abilities
Griffon Mount: Upon joining the Order of the Griffon (or at some later point in time), you may choose to gain a Griffon Mount. Depending upon the services you have rendered for the order, you may gain up to 50% of a reduction compared to the costs given in the Monster Manual.
If you have a special mount or a familiar, you may choose to exchange it for a griffon with the proper rituals. For special mounts, you must dismiss the old mount in a ritual (typically including a night of fasting and appropriate sacrifices). For familiars, there is half the normal experience loss (100 xp, 50 xp on a successful save) and you must pay the cost for calling a familiar as normal. In both cases, it takes about one month for the character to bond with the griffon (though at GM's discretion it may be faster depending on the character's Charisma, Animal Empathy skill and piety).
If you have animal companions, you may add one griffon to your animal companions. The gp costs and hit dice limitations still apply as normal.
Divine Flame: By expending one of your turn undead attempts, you sheath your weapon with sacred flame, inflicting +1d6 divine damage agaisnt evil or undead opponents for one round per level. These flames do not give off heat or ignite flammable objects, though they give off light equal to a torch.
Griffon-back Combat: When fighting from the back of her griffon, the character gains the Mounted Combat feat.
Divine Dispel: By spending one of your turn undead attempts, you can dispel or counter a magic spell by making a turning check as if turning an undead creature of the opposing spellcaster's level. You can only dispel spells with the 'evil' descriptor. A spell that is dispelled as it is being cast has no effect whatsoever; otherwise, it ends as if it's duration had run out. This power cannot affect spells immune to dispel magic.
Flyby Attack: When riding her griffon, the character and her griffon may use the Flyby Attack, as per the feat. If the partial action is used for an attack, both the griffon and rider may attack.
Aura of Valor: Allies within 300 feet of the character gain a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This is a supernatural ability.
Order of the Griffon
Description The Order of the Griffon is a group devout members of the Church of Japeth who work as the military arm of the Church found in the spirelands. Most members are clerics or paladins, but fighters and rangers join as well.
Responsibilities They are responsible for protection of holy sites and devout petitioners in remote sites, primarily in the Spirelands. They protect the Quadrane (4 High Holy Good Aligned Gods) followers but they have many allies, not just those within these groups.
Mount Many paladins choose a griffon as their steed in the spirelands, but members of the Griffon Order welcomes anyone that meets their requirements. The hardest is to find a griffon willing to serve. The creatures cannot be enspelled or tricked; they must choose to serve.
Requirements:
Base attack bonus: +3
Skills: Knowledge (religion): 5 ranks; Ride: 5 ranks
Oath: Loyalty to the Order of Griffon
Alignment: Any non-chaotic and non-evil
Quest: Find a griffon who agrees to serve
Class Skills: Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (history, planes, religion), Ride & Spellcraft (Int).
Skill points per level: 2 + Int modifier
Class Features
Hit die: d10
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Members of the Order of the Griffon are proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons and medium and light armor but not shields. They do not lose proficiency if they already had them.
Special Mount: Beginning on their 1st level and every other level thereafter, a Member of the Order of the Griffon may add one level to calculating the abilities of their special mount if they have one. If no prior class gives them a special mount, they do not gain such an ability.
Spells: Beginning on their 2nd level and every other level thereafter, Members of the Order of the Griffon gain new spells per day as they would have in a divine spellcasting class that they belonged to before adding the prestige class. They do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning undead, special abilities of a paladin's mount, and so on).
Class BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Griffon Mount
2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Griffon-Back Combat
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Dive, Divine Dispel
4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Flyby Attack
5th +5 +4 +1 +4 Special mount level Flyby Attack, Aura of Valor
Special abilities
Griffon Mount: Upon joining the Order of the Griffon (or at some later point in time), you may choose to gain a Griffon Mount. Depending upon the services you have rendered for the order, you may gain up to 50% of a reduction compared to the costs given in the Monster Manual.
If you have a special mount or a familiar, you may choose to exchange it for a griffon with the proper rituals. For special mounts, you must dismiss the old mount in a ritual (typically including a night of fasting and appropriate sacrifices). For familiars, there is half the normal experience loss (100 xp, 50 xp on a successful save) and you must pay the cost for calling a familiar as normal. In both cases, it takes about one month for the character to bond with the griffon (though at GM's discretion it may be faster depending on the character's Charisma, Animal Empathy skill and piety).
If you have animal companions, you may add one griffon to your animal companions. The gp costs and hit dice limitations still apply as normal.
Divine Flame: By expending one of your turn undead attempts, you sheath your weapon with sacred flame, inflicting +1d6 divine damage agaisnt evil or undead opponents for one round per level. These flames do not give off heat or ignite flammable objects, though they give off light equal to a torch.
Griffon-back Combat: When fighting from the back of her griffon, the character gains the Mounted Combat feat.
Divine Dispel: By spending one of your turn undead attempts, you can dispel or counter a magic spell by making a turning check as if turning an undead creature of the opposing spellcaster's level. You can only dispel spells with the 'evil' descriptor. A spell that is dispelled as it is being cast has no effect whatsoever; otherwise, it ends as if it's duration had run out. This power cannot affect spells immune to dispel magic.
Flyby Attack: When riding her griffon, the character and her griffon may use the Flyby Attack, as per the feat. If the partial action is used for an attack, both the griffon and rider may attack.
Aura of Valor: Allies within 300 feet of the character gain a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This is a supernatural ability.
