Cavalier Orders (Overall)

Order Basics

Order Abilities

(5/5)* Order of the Asp

God okay look look. The edict isnt that bad, the challenge is a good boost and everything is great BUT YOU HAVE TO BE SUCH AN ASSHOLE.

So this is GREAT if you have disposable bodies. So a summoner, or very excitable druid. Otherwise, skip.

• Edict: Must be a villain. Seek money, power, profits and efficiency, and be cooler than everyone. A little annoying but it works for an adventurer. We take it!
• Challenge: When you challenge, get +1 morale bonus to attack and damage plus 1 for every 4 levels. against someone who is...inhale...entangled, exhausted, fatigued, flanked, nauseated, prone, shaken, staggered, or denied its Dexterity bonus to AC. Wow. So just...debuff them and then beat their ass.
• Skill: Know. Local and Sleight of Hand. You also get a bonus to Know. Local checks related to your patron or organization.

(2nd) Indiscriminate: SO you get a bonus to saves...IF you intimidate your allies. Pass. We want our team up and ready, BUT it does let you do dirty tricks without provoking, and dirty tricks are great.

(8th) Command The Meek: So solo tactics if you demoralize your homie. This is really good...if you have sacrifices. Summons and the like. Do not do this to your party members. If you really wanna maximize the dickery, try Betrayal Feats.

(15th) Better You Than Me: oh my...okay. As an immediate action, you can pull an adjacent ally who is shaken, or half your hit die in front of you to take an attack. They make a reflex save to deny you (which they can choose to fail). You get cover, and if the attack hits you still, you split the damage. This has no cooldown.

(4/5) Order of the Beast (ACG)

You CONTROL a beast. Very good abilities for animal companion lovers. If you wanna be a green knight? Here’s how.

• Edict: Protect nature from civilization. When fighting animals, magical or otherwise, you pacify first, murder second. Could be annoying at times, but not the worst edict in the world.
• Challenge: Your mount gets +1 + lvl/4 circumstance bonus to attack rolls against threatened targets. Totally fits with the teamwork playstyle, and helps shore up Animal companion Accuracy.
• Skill: Know. Nature and Surviva, and you get lvl/2 to survival for tracking.

2nd Level: Wild Empathy. Look you can use this for your edict but like...i’ve never seen this be good. It’s not bad, i’ve just never seen it be good.

8th Level: ANIMAL WILD SHAPE!!!! You get to change your mount, get extra attacks, and get bonuses? Fuck. The hell. Yes.

15th Level: Ferocious charge! If you charge, attempt to intimidate as a free action and if it works, they are FRIGHTENED. Meaning that if it works, they immediately remove themselves from the battle. GREAT ability.

(2/5) Order of the Beast (ISC)

You ARE a beast. But like...everything is so disconnected, it can’t be used well. Damage bonus for cleave, but sunder? It’s just not a good look. Not horrible, but not great either...we can do better.

• Edict: NO FUN ALLOWED. If you cant have it, nobody can have it. You have to look for conflict and there is no mercy. Go hard or go home, and burn everything in your way...which isnt great for teamwork.
• Challenge: Bonus to damage target of cleave or great cleave...which this does not give you....and you already do lots of damage.
• Skill: Disable Device and Stealth. +lvl/2 bonus to fuck something up with disable device

2nd Level: Improved Sunder WITH +lvl/2 to damage rolls to damage objects AND if you break something you get +2 morale bonus to attack rolls until the end of next turn...so cut off their pants and go in.

8th Level: Trample is nice but overrun isn’t a great manuever type and if people can make your saves, you don’t deal the damage. Good against minions.

15th Level: The sorta stoppable ravager. So you don’t stop being able to do stuff at negative hitpoints and you can keep fighting for a bit...but you also can’t be magically healed so you are basically doomed.

(3-4/5) Order of the Blossom

Sneaky sneak magical team. Very good for fey team, magic is sick and talent. Better for longer term campaigns or gestalts

• Edict: Can’t refuse a request from fey...unless it specifically interferes with your plans. Don’t let fey gates be abused and kill corrupt fey. This is super easy. Take it, love it
• Challenge: So uh debuff saves against your spells and spells from fey. Potentially very strong for a gestalt. This bonus basically doesn’t matter levels 1-7, but goes up a lot when you can take advantage of it. (also cant challenge fey)
• Skill: Disguise and Know. Nature and make untrained Know. Nature checks. Also if you use bluff to feint, add lvl/2 to the roll. This is all great for who you are, what you do and your flavor.

2nd Level: You get sneak attack. Yay! As always, stacks with all other sneak attack, and works like all other sneak attack.

8th Level: Spells????? HELLLL YEAHHHH. They arent super powerful spells, but they are helpful and have a pretty strong dc that will come in handy in a pinch. Also now your challenge works.

15th Level: Chaos aligned weapon? Meh. Crit confuse? Actually kinda neat. They have to be under an enchantment (but doesn’t specify anything besides the school) and could be really good tagging with your team caster.

 (2-3/5) Order of The Blue Rose

Good for a VERY specific playstyle...and even then not the best. If, for some reason, you want to be doing nonlethal damage and reward for pacifist behavior, take the dip. Otherwise, probably not worth the time.

• Edict: Be a pacifist. Because this is DND, this can range from being really neat to absolutely impossible.  
• Challenge:1+lvl/4 moral bonus to attack rolls against any intelligent creature you give a chance to surrender (standard action). Bonuses to attack are ALWAYS great, and hard to come buy, so this is pretty solid. Shame about that action economy though.
• Skill: Know History/Nobility. Lvl/2 to diplomacy checks when helping two people make a peaceful agreement.

2nd Level: Do nonlethal damage without penalty and with +2 to damage. At low levels, this is kinda lame, but if you want to be the nonlethal person, i mean this is integral.

8th Level: So...once per day you can avoid some damage for one attack. Not...it’s not horrible but not particularly useful.

15th Level: So less good Crane Style. Gives everyone +2 ac, but at this level, you need to be pulling out the big guns. This doesn’t cut it.

(3-4/5) Order of the Cockatrice

So this is pretty okay. Not amazing, not horrible. Has some neat stad out abilities and can do some serious damage. Good for shonen protags.

• Edict: Be selfish and always on your grind. As an adventurer, this fits in very well, and can be represented as determination. Definitely good.
• Challenge: 1+lvl/4 damage when you are the only one threatening them. 1v1 me bro!!! Still it only adds MORE damage. Other bonuses might be better.
• Skill: Appraise and Perform. You probably aren’t going to use either of these. Also charisma to dc to be demoralised by intimidate...which isn’t too common either.

2nd Level: Dazzling Display, +2 damage against demoralized targets. Should be a standard action but wording is dumb.

8th Level: Depends entirely on team composition. If no one is crit build this is garbage. If everyone can crit consistently, this is amazing. Usually? It’s meh.

15th Level: Once per day, for one round ADD CHARISMA TO EVERYTHING: Ability checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. This bonus is also added to his AC.

(5/5) Order of the Dragon

Easy edict, Great challenge, helpful abilities make this the gold star standard for Cavalier/Samurai orders. You don’t know what you are going to do? The Order of the Dragon welcomes all allies with open arms!!!

• Edict: Be A GOOD TEAMMATE. Protect the team and help them out. Wow. So Wholesome.
• Challenge: ALL TEAMMATES GET AN ATTACK ROLL BONUS AGAINST CHALLENGED FOE. (remember you are your own ally) Got a summoner? They all get the bonus. This is an amazing team ability and makes challenge super useful.
• Skills: Perception and Survival.

2nd Level: Whenever you use aid another, they ALSO get +3 to armor class, saving throws, or their next attack roll. With the helpful trait and swift aid feat, you can pass around some serious buffs...aND it gets better as you level. SCORE!!!!

This goes down to blue-green if your DM interprets this to mean that it replaces the inherent aid another bonus. It’s not a reading I agree with based on the way other Aid another boosting abilities are worded, but if so, there ya go.

8th Level: Basically Banner-lite. Spend a standard action to give everyone different neat little buffs...but the kicker is that each buff is limited to once per character...per combat. Meaning this can get a LARGE variety of use, over and over.

15th Level: Duh duh DUHH. CHARGE! So you can basically get the wHOLE TEAM TO CHARGE as an immediate action. So coordinated charge lite. Also everyone gets a bonus +2 to attack. Also a little AC. Look action economy is action economy and if you have even ONE other charger, this can do some serious damage. Oh and it’s usable once...PER COMBAT. YEAAAH.

(3/5) Order of the Eastern Star

So...if you want to make a build in light armor, and focus on fighting defensively...this is for you. It’s green for that specific build. Otherwise? You can probably skip

• Edict: Be the MIB. Hide the otherworldly horrors of the worlds. Easy peasy
• Challenge: Get dodge bonus to AC and Insight to saves against the one target so long as you are wearing light armor. Good bonuses but armor would probably feel better.
• Skills: Know. Arcana/Planes. Get half level to checks so long as it involves the occult or supernatural...which they almost always do.
• Feat???: Get Psychic Sensitivity for free. Yay skill unlocks

2nd Level: Again, light armor. Okay so DR/- is good but you don’t get a lot of it but the bonus to saves is great. With combat expertise, and challenge you will have sO MUCH DODGE BONUS.

8th Level: Furious Focus, but for combat expertise/fighting defensively. I mean...it’s nice...I guess.

15th Level: Okay so now your mount gets the bonuses from your 2nd level ability. So that’s nice.

(3/5) Order of the Eel

Oh my god...it’s the social justice warrior. Okay all jokes aside this one is...weird but okay? It’s all about diversity and teamwork and is totally not a queer icon sitting here for some reason. Totally...

• Edict: Be open minded and willing to cooperate or negotiate. Beat up people who don’t respect boundaries negotiated...just saying.
• Challenge: Bonus to attack rolls to...races different than yours...huh...okay...the power of diversity...very ally. Just pick a really weird race and you are set???
• Skills: Know Local and Perception. Add half level to diplomacy checks with negoitating...okay now they are just doing it on purpose.

2nd Level: Temporary alliance. While mechanically it’s cool, a +1 to attacks and saves isn’t really worth writing home for. Basically, pick your battle buddy for the day, set it and forget it.

8th Level: Okay so LITERALLY THE POWER OF DIVERSITY HOLY SHIT. Okay...okay sorry i just…Okay so this ability busted...if you have some sort of weird summoner or minion master. Getting up to charisma added to damage rolls is nice BUT requires some...planning? Help??? But this is sorta hard to rate because it relies on your party. But if you can get some help. It can be a strong team buff.

15th Level: AYE Taking one for the team. Now that’s TRUE allyship. Back a battle bond with your homie and both of you get your charisma as a deflection bonus to ac (hope you don’t have rings of protection). Also both of you split HP damage between the two of you. Tank for your wizard, or have your barbarian buddy tank for you!!!

(2/5) Order of the Ennead Star

Look if you want to be Judge Dread, and are in a campaign of like...sheriff vs outlaws? Or bounty hunting? This might be okay. For general play I’d probably avoid it.

• Edict: Be Lawful Rude as Hell. Also, a Hellknight. Pick an Order of Lawmaker, and get all of the rules with none of the boons...also they REALLY REALLY dont like rule breaking...being an adventurer well…this is a bit...difficult.
• Challenge: Get Bonus to attack rolls and intimidate checks vs intelligent crime doers or chaotic beings. This can either be really silly, with your character being the WAR LAWYER and just spouting every fucking law in existence or much less useful if you are fighting like a golem in a dungeon...where there are no laws. You could do the real world cop thing of assaulting an officer-
• Skills: Know. Local and Perception. Oh hey and half level bonus to perception checks to avoid surprise rounds. Heck yeah!!!

2nd Level: ARE YOU CHAOTIC??? Smack ARE YOU BUDDY? Meme’s aside, its meh, you learn if they are the chaos and if they are you get +1 to attack..that’s it.

8th Level: If you CRIT with a MELEE WEAPON against an INTELLIGENT CHAOTIC/CRIMINAL CREATURE...add charisma to that crit’s total damage...and if they die intimidate everyone...yeah uh...this is kinda lame.

15th Level: +2 to charge, ignore difficult terrain and if you demoralize someone they are slightly more shaken for CHARISMA rounds per combat. Not horrible but...at this level? We need something with a little bit more bang.

(1/5) Order of the First Law

So here is the thing. This is entirely around beating Divine Spellcasters, but You are far more likely to have a divine casting ally than enemy so...yeah this just sucks.

• Edict: FUCK GOD! ALL MY HOMIES HATE GOD. Protect atheists and don’t serve a god. Ever. Does not mean you have to punch your cleric friend, so that’s good.
• Challenge: Each round where you attack your challenged foe, get 1 + ¼ level...as temp HP...This is like nothing. You are melee. This is like getting paper armor.
• Skills: Heal and Know. Religion. Also get half you level to Religion checks when identifying people who have been to church.

2nd Level: Get a +2 to one save so long as you haven’t had ANY divine magic cast on you...or just let the cleric buff you and become a god. Not worth it.

8th Level: If you are standing next to a divine caster, make it harder for them to do their jobs...but not like...impossibly hard. Too specific and weak.

15th Level: Add Charisma to Attack and Damage against challenged divine spellcaster. Okay this is actually good...it’s a shame that it HAS to be a divine spellcaster, because otherwise this would be godly. Well...I supposed we couldn’t have that.

(3/5) Order of the Flame

Not awful...but not great either. If you are consistently putting out good damage. This can be nice. Weirdly good for a two level dip, as your challenge mechanic does not scale with level.

• Edict: Glory and conquest!!! Get boons for you bois and smite foes for the hoes. Heck yeah.
• Challenge: Dynasty warriors combo counter. Basically, if you kill one guy, you can challenge another, taking -2 to AC and +2 to damage for every consecutive combo challenge. So great for lots of tiny mobs, but can get dangerous quickly. Rare challenge ability that does not scale with Cavalier level.
• Skills: Know. Local and Surival. Also when at full health, get a bonus to intimidate checks.

2nd Level: When you roll initiative, as an immediate action. GET UP IN THAT GRILL. You’ll have to get an 11 or higher, but with Noble Scion + Improved Initative, we can make this pretty easy and who doesn’t liek going first?

8th Level: Once per combat, if you crit, do dazzling display lite. Unless you are doing a crit intimidate build, this is eh.

15th Level: Once per combat you are slightly better for Charisma Mod number of rounds. +10 speed, +2 to charging and ignore difficult terrain. This is cute but at this level like...look you gotta turn into a T-REX dude or something.

(2/5) Order of the Green

So if you are in an anti-undead campaign this goes up to green. Otherwise, it’s uh...well it’s not really that good. I mean it sorta does its job well but you could also play a ranger, or better yet, a druid or a hunter.

• Edict: Protect Nature, Slay the unclean. Climate change is real and you will be an eco terrorist if people don’t wise up. Caaan be a little problematic depending on the story.
• Challenge: Bonus to attack rolls, and if it’s undead or aberration, your first attack against the creature lets you roll twice and take the highest. Can’t target Animals or plants though...but that’s usually okay.
• Skills: Know. Nature and Survival. Ya know. The druid ones. Also half level on survival checks to track undead and aberrations

(2nd) Favored Terrain: Favored Terrain is always Meh because while it gives cute bonuses, those bonuses are requisite on being in a specific type of place...meaning generally, outside of your control.

(8th) Cut The Corruption: 1d6 damage...for one minute...once a day...only against aberrations or undead...pass.

(15th) End of the Cycle: AND STAY DOWN. Killed by a death effect and sanctified. No one is getting up unless you say so. That said uh...you can probably just let the cleric handle this one...and ya know...better than you.

(3-4/5) Order of the Guard

Well it does what it says on the tin. It will never be outrageously powerful, but it works well if you want to build around Bodyguard or the like.

• Edict: Protect your ward, do your job, and get paid. Hell yeah.
• Challenge: In the morning, choose a person or object as your ward.  When you challenge, get a morale bonus to AC so long as you are in between the challenged thing and your ward. Could require position, or be cheesed by like a backpack. Either way, great choice.
• Skills: Know. Geo. and Perception. Get half level bonus to Know. Nobility

(2nd) Prepared for the Journey: Improved favored terrain. Wait I thought favored terrain was always meh? Normally yes, because its hard to control where a narrative will go. THIS however, allows you to adapt to the narrative...and honestly should be what the ranger has.

(8th) Close At Hand: Get a small bonus to attack, damage and saves while within 30 feet of your ward. These bonuses are never going to be huge, but they are nice. Also, if someone steals your ward, you get some neat SLA’s to check on them.

(15th) Quick Retort: This...can get silly. You attack my friend? I attack you. Get combat reflexes or something similar and have fun ending someone before they even get a chance to try.

(4/5)* Order of the Hammer

Okay if for SOME REASON you looked at the cavalier or the samurai and thought “man I wish it could GRAPPLE” then look no further! If you aren’t grappling, please look further!

• Edict: Prove you and your bois are pretty strong...that’s it.
• Challenge: Whenever you do a full attack (which you will be doing) get a free grapple or sunder attempt against the target. This is AMAZING. Hey another non-scaling order for multiclassing. Nice.
• Skills: Acrobatics and Know Local...also you are like REALLY good at jumping...for some reason.

(2nd) Mighty Bash: You do monk damage with your unarmed attacks...so long as they are nonlethal. This DOES NOT count as Improved Unarmed Strike. (unarmed strike is a nonlethal weapon, so you dont take the penalty to attack.) So i mean...if you plan to do unarmed takedowns, this is pretty good!

(8th) Crushing Grapple: You get the Chokehold feat for free AND don’t take the penalty for starting the chokehold. I mean, combined with your challenge, this can be devastating for an enemy spellcaster.

(15th) Inspiring Flex: Weird Flex but okay. As a standard action give your team +4 to being fighty boi’s for half your level in rounds. Is this amazing? No. Is it more numbers? Hell yeah.

(3/5) Order of the Hero

So long as you are playing a small race, this is pretty good. Not stellar in any way, but it’s a monster hunter. You wanna hunt monsters? This guy does it.

• Edict: Protect a nation or settlement from a monster and do everything in your power to slay it. If you have a BBEG, this is great! If not, a little harder.
• Challenge: Get bonus to damage against challenge targets that are bigger than you. Play a small creature and go to town!
• Skills: Know. Arcana and Know. Nature, and adds half your level to any knowledge check to identify a monster. You'll get a lot of work out of this.

(2nd) Monster Expert: Add Charisma to Fort and Ref against Aoe attacks. Okay GREAT START.

(8th) Resist Energy: Once per day, choose some elemental resistance for a minute. Now...this is never going to be as much as you need, but it’s not HORRIBLE because you get to pick what you want. So eh it is.

(15th) Counterstriking Challenge: Once per day, as part of your challenge, upgrade it to a FUCK YOU challenge. If they use any ability based attack (not spells or sla’s) then it provokes AoO. If you hit, they have to make a will save or it fails to use it and loses its action. You can’t use it often, but when does it work? You’ll love it.

(1/5) Order of the Land

This order has no idea what it’s doing. None of its abilities really work together and aren’t good enough on their own to stand out so...no yeah just no.

• Edict: Fight tyrants and don’t back down just because you aren’t ready. Pretty easy.
• Challenge: Gain bonus on RANGED ATTACK ROLLS against target. Huh...okay that’s a first. Sweet.
• Skills: Know Local and Survival...also you are very good at not getting lost.

(2nd) Adaptive Strike: You get Catch Off Guard and once per combat, can make a guy flatfooted for a round against an improvised weapon. Uh...I guess? But...Why?

(8th) Terrain Training: Favored Terrain, Mass. Why still meh, even with the higher bonuses? Can’t be used often and it still only works in certain settings.

(15th) Wild Charge: Can charge despite dificult terrain and get a small bonus to some combat manuevers. On its own, not bad, at this level, sorta meh.

(3/5) Order of the Lion

Do you wanna be a knight in shining armor? This is how you do it. It’s group buffs aren’t the best, but it’s very much for leading the charge.

• Edict: Be a knight. Why isn’t this great? Well you basically have to value your lord and lands over your party so...can lead to conflict if not played right.
• Challenge: Get a dodge bonus to act against the challenge target. Dodge bonuses are hard to come by and stack with everything. Gold.
• Skills: Know. Local and Know. Nobility

(2nd) Lion’s Call: Your team gets charisma vs fear affects and a +1 to attack and damage. This uh...isn’t a lot. Let the bard do it.

(8th) For the King: This gives a Charisma to ATTACK AND DAMAGE to ALL ALLIES within 30 feet for...1 round per combat….make it count I guess???

(15th) Shield of the Liege: Okay actually good tank abilities. As an immediate action (with no per day limit) if an attack were to be made against someone next to you, you can take it instead. Nice.

(3/5) Order of the Monument

WHY SO MANY BONUSES TO SAVES??? So okay um this isn’t...great but man if you have saving throws, i guess pop off...or just play a paladin.

• Edict: Rep your city always. Follow your cities laws, rep your homies. Deadass.
• Challenge: You get a bonus to your ac...when you are being flanked??? Yeah no we don’t want to reward a bad situation. Luckily we also get a bonus against mind affecting so...it’s not...the worst.
• Skills: Know. Local and Know Religion. One can be used untrained and you get half your level as a bonus if you are talking about your city.

(2nd) Sworn Defender: Get a +1 to saves against creatures who are 2 steps from your alignment (so if you are Lawful evil, neutral good, true neutral and chaotic evil all count). +2 if three steps or more. This is small and lame.

(8th) Protector of the People: For one round per day all homies from your city, or people with alignments within 1 step of your add your CHA mod to saves. If both, this doubles. Strong bonus, tiny duration.

(15th) Bastion of the Monument: As a swift action, get a +4 to basically everything for up to half your level in rounds.

(4/5) Order of the Paw

Okay well if you want to be a halfling on a dog, it’s pretty good. Not amazing by any mean, but it does its job.

• Edict: HALFLINGS ONLY. Protect halflings and people who are threatened by the wild.you have to have a dog or wolf mount.
• Challenge: Your mount gets an ac bonus so long as its threatening and you are riding. Not amazing but nice.
• Skills: Know Nature, and Survival.

(2nd) Danger Ward: Choose a save. For next minute, if a teammate fails that type of save, they can reroll it as an immediate action with a +4. Can do this once for each fight each day...so as long as you know what you are up against this can be a pretty devastating power.

(8th) Canine Ferocity: Your dog is treated as one size bigger for bullrush and overrun and gets a free feat you should probably already have by now.

(15th) Giant Slayer: Improved challenge! When you challenge something Large or bigger, add half your cavalier level for even more damage.

(2/5) Order of the Penitent

Hard to upkeep, but possibly good dip. Still all over the place though and that hurts it a lot.

• Edict: Be merciful and fair with everyone. If they can be given a trial, let them have one. No being an executioner. Can be...inconvenient to the story if you have to be a bad guy taxi.
• Challenge: Bonus to CMD against threatened challenge target. Actually pretty helpful against a lot of monsters.
• Skills: Escape Artist and Sense Motive. You can use strength for Escape Artist.

(2nd) Expert Captor: You can tie up any grappled opponent, so long as you have rope, and don’t take the massive penalty. Actually a great dip option for high level, because a tied up target is “helpless”.

(8th) Adept Disarmer: You get Improved Disarm and if you have a hand free can just...take whatever they drop. I mean its good but sorta out there.

(15th) Saving Grace: You can um...decide not to kill people when you would kill them...ooor just do nonlethal damage.

(5/5) Order of the Reins

Okay hell yes. PACK MASTER ORDER. Super powerful, great action economy. The only issue is that you can’t buff all of these animals you have, or give them enhancement bonuses, but it’s great action economy and we love that. If you have a druid friend? This is horrifying.

• Edict: Protect your caravan once you take a job. Don’t let your animal homies suffer. Heal them if you can, kill them if you can’t.
• Challenge: All animal companions, mounts, allied animals or familiars get a bonus to attack rolls and AC. Considering you plan to have a lot of those, this is awesome!
• Skills: Appraise and Perception. Any animal the cavalier rides can use his handle animal instead of their acrobatics or swim.

(2nd Level) Control The Herd: As a move action, you can use the handle animal to perform a trick on up to cavalier’s level. If they dont know the trick you command them, it’s a full round action as you are pushing them. YOU WANNA BE THE PACK MASTER? THIS IS HOW YOU PACK MASTER. Let’s get to some silly action economy tricks.

(8th Level) Teamwork Tricks: Control the herd? Free action now and friendly animals? Treated as knowing all the tricks your mount knows. You know? Your main animal that should know all the tricks. INSANELY POWERFUL packmaster shit.

(15th) Stampede: Give a bunch of riderless animals half level to damage, the trample ability, and +4 to ac for 1 round...and there doesn’t seem to be a limit to the amount of times you can do this.

(2/5) Order of the Scales

Okay so it really does capitalize on like making sure everyone keeps up their end of the deal. So if you aren’t tracking down dealbreakers often or facilitating deals often, this will uh fall behind. The abilities are strong but are limited by the premise.

• Edict: Be a Lawful Judge. Make a deal? Keep it. Can’t keep it? Make up for it. Mediating? Be impartial. Enforcing? Be unstoppable. Be the ideal law.
• Challenge: Get bonus to combat maneuvers and attacks of opportunity against the target...weird but not bad. Doesn’t really synergize.
• Skills: Know Local and Linguistics. Also half your level to sense motive to tell if someone is lying (the one thing ya know we use it for) or if they are under an enchantment.

(2nd) Mobile Wall: You get Step Up, can move your mount instead of yourself and get a scaling bonus to CMD for tumbling through threatened squares. Nice!

(8th) Seek Retribution: Once per day, if the cops or someone as part of a deal asks you to track down the dealbreaker, you can add your charisma to attack and damage as well as opposed checks. Would be a lot better if the starting condition didn’t revolve around breaking promises.

(15th) Sworn Oathkeeper: You can formally witness an oath, and if either party breaks it, you immediately get Seek Retribution and its active at all times. It only ends when their shit together. Again, this would be amazing if it were something that...is more commonly an issue?

(2/5) Order of the Seal

You are protecting a thing but aren’t...very good at it frankly. Play Order of the Guard instead.

• Edict: You are in charge of protecting a secret thing. Don’t let anyone have it, steal it or break into it. Can actually be really juicy story hook wise.
• Challenge: Make free bull rush or trip anytime you full attack (Which is still a good idea). Nice! Also hey look doesn’t scale, it’s dip time :3
• Skills: Disable Device and Linguistics. Also add half your level to lie about your secret thing.

(2nd) Keeper: So you either get +2 to attack...when defending that specific place directly or +2 to saves...to hide info about the place. Eh not gonna cut it.

(8th) I Shall Not Be Moved: +2 dodge bonus to cmd to bull rush, overrup, reposition, and trip when you don’t take a 5 foot step...bruh at this level the Rein’s samurai is leading an army of ferrets and you are just slightly less moveable. Pass.

(15th) Staggering Assault: As a full round action you bap someone and do a hopefully very silly bull rush as you add half your damage to the check...but this is bad like it’s a full round action for A bull rush, just kill it.

(2-3/5) Order of the Shield

Ya know im noticing a weird trend where an order may have a great challenge mechanic and skills and just awful order abilities...anyway, you could do better.

• Edict: Can’t harm or cause problems for those who can’t defend themselves and must protect the common folk from exploitation. Be charitable and kind. Nice.
• Challenge: Gain a bonus to attack if the target attacks someone else. Last’s for a minute, so even if they only do it once, it’s still up.
• Skills: Heal and Know Local. Also whenever you heal anyone else, you get half your level to the check. This is purple because skill healing is DUMB now, so that last bonus rocks.

(2nd) Resolute: Turn 1 point of lethal damage into nonlethal every time you take damage….yep even if that grows, it’s pretty garbage.

(8th) Stem the Tide: If a guy tries to run past you, bap them and force them to stop. It’s Senniteal for my 5e players out there. With good AoO’s and range, this can be useful, but rarely devastating, especially as movement evolves.

(15th) Protect The Meek: As an immediate action (that leaves you staggered next round) move and bap the enemy. This CAN be good...can be. But stagger sucks...and you have a banner that does this better?

(4/5)* Order of the Shroud

Fuck the undead. Are you playing a campaign with undead? This is the undead fighting order. Fuck dracula. All my homies hate castlevania. If you aren’t in an undead focused campaign, skip.

• Edict: Fuck the undead...wait-
• Challenge: bonus to attack against challenged undead. You know who you are...
• Skills: Know Local and Know Religion. Also bonus to Know Relgion when asking about undead.

(2nd) Spiritual Shield: Once per day get Charisma to AC against one attack from an undead as an immediate action. Too few uses to be amazing but nice when you need it...I guess?

(8th) Destroyer of the Undead: Weapons are aligned to your alignment for DR against undead. Challenged undead are denied ALL DR to you. Woo!

(15th) Stand Against The Darkness: Challenged undead creature hit you or your friend nearby? That provokes! Well that sounds very strong so why is this...green? Well they have to be challenged...and doing melee attacks...and actually have to hit you for this to proc. It’s still really good but at this level, one wrong hit could hurt!!!

(3/5) Order of the Staff

If you have a team with a lot of spell casters, this can be fun. It’s not amazing but it won’t be useless either.

• Edict: Must help spellcasters...unless it disrupts existing duties OR directly stops your goals. Yay!
• Challenge: Penalty on all saves against spells equal to your usual challenge bonus. If you have caster teammates, they’ll love this.
• Skills: Know Arcana and Know Nature. Can use these skills to identify spells from arcane and divine casters.

(2nd) Spell Aid: When you do aid another, they can get a +2 to concentration, dispel checks, or caster level (which ever comes first). Okay so this isnt huge but at level 2, a +2 to caster level is really nice, and the dispel checks are nice later.

(8th) Arcane Vessel: Whenever you get buffed, get temp hp equal to the spell level. Stacks but only to level. Honestly, could do much better. Also the worst.

(15th) Synchronized Smash: If you are next to someone who gets hit with a spell, bap them.

(4/5) Order of the Star

Paladin Cavalier. If you wanna be a different type of holy figure, a full bab cleric esque character, this is a go to. Would HIGHLY suggest a two level dip into paladin for free saves, some smites and lay on hands.

• Edict: Join a church, help the church. Just don’t pick and asshole one and we are good.
• Challenge: bonus to saves so long as your are threatening your challenged target. ALL saves.
• Skills: Heal and Know religion. Also get half level when making checks about your faith.

(2nd) Calling: Get bonus equal to charisma mod to an ability check, attack roll, save or skill check. Can use it once for each option. Also as a footnote for some reason, add half your cavalier level to paladin or cleric for lay on hand or channel energy. Useful boost, crazy possible builds.

(8th) For The Faith: once per day as a free action, get charisma to attack rolls for one round. Also if your teammates share your faith, they get half the bonus. It’s duration keeps it from being higher, but when you need it, it hits.

(15th) Retribution: Once per round whenever anyone makes a successful melee attack on you, or your faith buddy beside you, they provoke an AoO. Strong ability for a melee mix up.

(4/5) Order of the Sword

CHARGE GOD. The 8th level ability is so good that the whole thing is basically worth it for that. This is your go to for Spirited Charge Builds and pretty good for anyone else who charges ever and well...that’s what these classes do!!!

• Edict: Courage in danger, Mercy in justice, Charity in all things. Honor, and glory. Be a MOTHER FUCKING KNIGHT OF THE ROUND.
• Challenge: bonus to attack rolls so long as you are on your mount. EASSSSY
• Skills: Know Nobility and Know Religion. Also add half level when using sense motive to counter bluff.

(2nd) By My Honor: So long as you don’t change alignments, you get a +2 to one save. This isn’t a huge bonus but this is also a super easy thing so...yeah okay.

(8th) Mounted Mastery: When charging get +4 dodge bonus to ac AND YOU CAN ADD YOUR MOUNTS STRENGTH TO YOUR OWN FOR THE DAMAGE. Jesus. Also here take a free feat. Become lord of the charge.

(15th) Knight’s Challenge: Once per day do a SUPER challenge. Add charisma mod to all attack and damage. Also +4 to confirm crits. Sucks that you can only use it once but the damage is great.

(3/5)* Order of the Tome

So okay this entire rating is based around the insane 8th level ability. If it’s a normal adventuring party, then it’s okay. If you have a dedicated crafter though...you can become a monster.

Consider taking a level of wizard/arcanist and going into Cyphermage for a few levels.

• Edict: PROTECT/DESTROY BOOKS AT ALL COSTS.
• Challenge: +2 to saves against challenged target’s spells and SLA’s. Oddly, does not scale...weird.
• Skills: Know Arcana and Know Religion. Also half level to linguistics. Why is this purple? You will be using ALL of these.

(2nd) Specialized Knowledge: Pick Know Arcana or Know religion. Add half your level to that skill so long it pertains to something on paper. You will be using this too for…

(8th) Powerful Knowledge: You can cast from ANY divine or arcane scroll, depending on your specialized knowledge, with Caster Level = Class Level -4. Also +1 to INT or WIS for every 5 levels, for the sake of seeing what spells you can cast.  

So this is hard to rate since you don’t really have a way of...creating scrolls. Just using them.idk if you have a crafter buddy, this can be nutty. meh on it’s own, outstanding if you have a crafter or a way to keep getting scrolls.

(15th) Defensive Knowledge: While adjacent, they get a +2 to saves against challenged target and INT or WIS times per day, as an immediate action, you can have said ally reroll a failed save. The adjacent part is kinda annoying but otherwise, can be very powerful, especially when save or dies are around.

(2/5) Order of the Whip

It’s good, not amazing, and to use it you kinda have to be a bastard. It’s better in evil campaigns...but not my much.

• Edict: Uh be just a horrid bastard. Cause pain and suffering all over the place, just make things worst. Hard pass. But good for an evil campaign.
• Challenge: Bonus to melee damage if you hurt them last round. Easy to upkeep.
• Skills: Know Local and Know Nobility. Also half level to intimidate to get someone to do what you want.

(2nd) Whip Crack: You get whip proficiency and if you whip something that has less than half your HD, it’s shaken. If you like whips, yak now this is whips.

(8th) Inspiring Pain: Once every five minutes you can...let your teammates do nonlethal damage? I...this doesnt even go with your thing.

(15th) Asserting Authority: Melee attacks against you...or…*your slaves* provoke attacks of opportunity. Sigh. It’s good and has no limit it’s just...gross.

(3/5) Order of the Waves

Are you underwater? Yes? Then this is pretty good. If you aren’t underwater, skip skip skippity skip.

• Edict: Okay is it an underwater campaign? Great. Not? Probably bad.
• Challenge: Bonus to saves underwater.
• Skills: Know Geo and Perception. Half level to know geographic

(2nd) Waverider: You get a swim speed. Niceuuuuu

(8th) Current’s Rush: Bonus to attacks when charging with the current….uhhh

(15th) Explore the Seas: Favored terrain underwater.

(3/5) {CAV} Order of Vengeance 

So it’s okay. Nothing about it works together really or stands out, so even if it has good features, they are all over the place.

• Edict: You MUST seek revenge for unjustified harm or insult. No forgiveness. Could cause issues.
• Challenge: bonus to attack rolls against creature whose...kind she’s seen in the past 24 hours..which i guess means always?
• Skills: Know Local and Know Nobility. When using Diplomacy to gather info, get half level to skill check.

(2nd) Air Grievances: Add half level to intimidate checks to demoralize and increase the penalties. Okay, this is good for intimidate builds!

(8th) Eye for an Eye: Get Critical Focus and you can share critical feats instead of a teamwork feat for tactican

(15th) Retribution: Once per round whenever anyone makes a successful melee attack on you, or your faith buddy beside you, they provoke an AoO. Strong ability for a melee mix up.

Samurai Orders (Overall)

Order Basics

Order Abilities

(2/5) Order of the Eclipse

So honestly? I think this is an NPC order. This could work really cool for a bunch of bad guys but for PC’s? I wouldn’t unless you REALLY REALLY hate darkness or are in a campaign obsessed with it.

• Edict: Okay. Must belong to a military order, be totally obedient to those above and demand total obedience from those below. This almost inevitably WILL cause a problem.
• Challenge: Bonus to intimate checks against challenged foe.
• Skill: Perception and Survival. Add half level to perception to notice an invisible creature or object

(2nd) Dark Rider: Share darkvisions, low light vision, and scent between you and your mount (no matter the source) while riding. You both get the best versions. The senses are helpful but not amazing.

(8th) Eclipsing Blade: Once per day, you can cast darkness on your weapon. You and people of your order aren’t blinded but uh...everyone else is. This is cool...if you are with homies who can see. Otherwise kinda a dick move.

(15th) See in Darkness: You can see in magical darkness. Woooo. 

(2/5) Order of the Songbird

Order of the shitty bard. Wait but none of the abilites are awful? Yeah sure but not really amazing either. If you want to do it, go for it but otherwise, just play a bard. They are better at this and actually get spells.

• Edict: Don’t destroy art, not disrespect people and if you kill something, make art in it’s honor.
• Challenge: Gain bonus to ac and saves while wearing light armor and no shield
• Skills: Know Religion and Perform. Also...and half level to...profession...gardener????

(2nd) Versatile Performance: It’s the same as the bard one. Replace certain skill checks with performance checks.

(8th) Poetic Inspiration: Very short inspire courage. As a swift action give everyone Charisma mod to attack and damage for one round, once per combat.

(15th) Beautiful Strike: Once per day, when you crit against a challenged target, you can convert the damage from lethal to nonlethal and instead force a will save. If it fails, it’s charmed as per CHARMED MONSTER.

(3-4/5) {SAM} Order of the Black Daimyo/Warrior

So it’s not...bad but it is dreadfully boring. Like horrendously terribly boring. It’s order abilities go together sorta, but it’s the most basic of the basic samurai orders.

• Edicts:
• Warrior: Protect life and lands of his lord. Be truthful, courageous, and respectful of elders and loyal to your friends. It’s the bushido code.
• Black Daimyo: War and glory, just be an evil warrior guy.
• Challenge: Gain your bonus as DR/- against the challenged target. DR is good but it’s not much and only against one guy.
• Skills: Know History and Know Nobiltiy. Also add half level to Know Nobiltiy for politics.

(2nd) Honor in All Things: You can call upon your honor (jesus christ) to get a +4 to a skill check or saving throw once per day for every 4 levels after level 2. This isn’t amazing but it’s nice when you have it.

(8th) Way of the Samurai: As a standard action, can spend one resolve to activate the ultimate. Within the next minute, you can choose one attack roll, skill check or save, roll three times and take the best result. It’s only one roll, but when do you need it? You’ll love it.

(15th) Strike True: Once per day, hit someone with your ultimate move. Make a normal attack. If it hits, it’s a critical threat. Also it deals max damage (though sneak attack and crit dice are rolled normally). Damage ignores all DR AND they are blinded, deafened, sickened or staggered, no save. God if there was anything worth using your 8th level ability on, its this Hit a dude and end his whole career.

(3/5) Order of the Ronin/Knight Errant

So the abilities are pretty good, very much focused around not failing your will save. I’d honestly consider this best as a dip for Self Reliant.

• Edict: You make your own! Score!!! It has to have three provisions but they can be whatever.
• Challenge: So you get bonus to attack and ac...if you are targeted by a smite, challenge or quarry. Which are PC abilities...that monsters and npcs rarely have...so-
• Skills: Know Local, and Survival..that’s it.

(2nd) Self Reliant: When rolling will save against an effect with a duration longer than a round, you can roll again the second round. This will be useful basically always so yeah take it.

(8th) Without Master: Once per combat, get alternate resolve. As an immediate action, don’t die, reroll crit confirm, or take 10 on skill in combat.

(15th) Chosen Destiny: Roll twice against charm and compulsion effects and take the better. Also once per day, pick one d20 roll to be a nat 20

 (4/5) Daring Champion [Swashbuckler Cavalier]

What you gain

What you lose

• Swashbuckler’s Finesse, for free weapon finesse.
• Free dodge bonus to AC when in light armor.
• Get Swashbuckler deeds! You don’t get parry and riposte, but you get all the other ones, including precise strikes and Advanced Deeds.

• Mount and all your charging goodness.
• Expert Trainer

Overview: So if you don’t want to charge and don’t want an animal companion, this is basically a BETTER swashbuckler. Challenge + Precise Strikes is twice your level to damage EVERY HIT, and you keep your order, your banner, and your Bonus feats, and tactician ability so while you are definitely losing something, you can still chunk really hard! Start with a 1 level dip into fighter to get Amatuer swashbuckler and Combat stamina, in order to get parry and riposte (as well as ya know enjoying combat stamina). So if you wanna focus on melee and display, and not so much on the mount stuff, this is actually great!!!

(6.5/5) Daring General [Leadership x3: HOW TO HAVE AN ARMY???]

What you gain

What you lose

• Aides-De-Camp: What. The. Fresh. Fuck...okay okay okay okay. You get leadership...three times. All of your followers are warriors. All of your cohorts have to be fullbab and 4 levels below you…..YOU STILL GET TRIPLE LEADERSHIP. WHAT THE FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
• Also if you somehow are allowed to get to level 20, God tactician
• You get to be this guy.

• 3 feats, Demanding Challenge, and a capstone...thats it...for let me remind you *inhales* LEADERSHIP THREE TIMES.

Overview: This….okay this okay...so leadership...THREE TIMES...in exchange for 3 feats and like two class features we can live without. Doesn’t get rid of expert trainer. Not mount. Not any order abilities, or challenge or any tactician abilities. Actually improves some of these things. So like...okay having only full bab classes and having them be 4 levels below you isn’t ideal...but you also get AN ENTIRE FUCKING ARMY. WITH GENERALS???? In exchange for like...NOTHING. Esquire at least, is a good tradeout and is just a better cavalier. This? This is like...a boss. I’m legitimately having a hard time rating this because it’s so ridiculous.

If someone is crazy enough to let you play this, remember that leadership technically scales with character level, so does horsemaster, and just keep your charisma as high as possible. Also this is basically triple nerfed leadership and esquire gets you double, basically full leadership so...make your choices based around that.

 (5-6/5) Esquire [Leadership???]

What you gain

What you lose

• A COHORT HOLY SHIT. It’s only requirement is that is has to use a class that is proficient in all martial weapons and it’s 2 levels below you. This is a billion times better than a mount and is completely dumb. THIS ALSO SEEMS TO STACK WITH NORMAL LEADERSHIP???
• Your homie always shares your teamwork feats. Amazing.
• Your homie gets half your bonus whenever you challenge.
• Your homie can carry your banner and gets DOUBLE the bonus for doing so
• If you are unable to act, your homie gets all your order abilities and full challenge to wield against whoever downed you.

• You lose mount, charge and expert trainer...which usually sucks but this honestly is a fine trade out.

Overview: Trade your mount for a cohort and better abilities, this is an objective super upgrade. Getting a whole character on it’s own would be completely worth it, but with all of the extra abilities, you get a true unstoppable battle buddy. If allowed, this should be the default cavalier, but uh don’t bet on it. God why do the weakest classes get the silliest archetypes??? If you rule that this doesn't stack with leadership...then it might be okay.

(3-4/5) Ghost Rider [Haunted Horseman]

What you gain

What you lose

• Get a ghost mount! Counts as a phantom, not animal companion.
• Frightful Gaze! Will save vs paralyze at level 1 is actually really scary and never stops being scary.
• Immune to fear!
• Ignore difficult terrain, and water walk, then air walk, and fly...oh like PHANTOM STEED.

• Mount, Banner, Tactician. OUCH. That’s most of what makes this class. Only leaves challenge and Order abilities.

Overview: So a phantom mount is really cool, and frightful gaze is really powerful when it works, but does that make up for losing banner and tactician? Hard to tell. If you want to make Nicolas Cage proud, this is a very fun archetype and can probably keep up as well as anything else.

 (2-3/5) Huntmaster [Pack Tactics]

What you gain

What you lose

• New skills but no heavy armor. We will live
• BESTIAL CHALLENGE: All of your beasts get all of your challenge bonuses. FUCKKKK Yes.
• Hunting Pack: OKAY. You can only have bird or dog as animal companion BUT you can have more than one. In fact you can have as many as your character level allows, distributing them as you see fit.
• Hunting packs get free dirty tricks!!!! HELL YEAH
• Expert trainer still works for some reason.
• Your pack is flanking so long as they are next to eachother
• They all get step up
• They get Quarry, Track and Swift Tracker

• All your charge stuff
• All your banner stuff
• All your bonus feats
• TECHNICALLY mount but you get a bunch of animal companions so whatever.

Overview: Okay team, so I’m going to level with you. I have NO idea how to rate this. Like none, not even a little. Because like...animal companions have a hard enough time scaling as is, without being drugged. So like...if you wanted to have like a handful of little dudes, go off I guess. I can’t tell you if it’s particularly powerful or not but hey, if you want to be a melee beast master...this is an option. That said uh...better ways to do this...so...⅗ eh?

 (4/5) Luring Cavalier [Ranged Rider]

What you gain

What you lose

• Far challenge! NOW you can do challenge at range...kinda dumb you needed an archetype for that but ya know! Progress. Shame if you get bapped it turns back into melee mode…
• Careful Aim: Hit someone very far away.
• Infuriating Aim: If you crit specifically using your HIGHEST BAB, cause enemy to waste their turn

• Charing boosts but frankly if you are playing the ranged archetype, you probably weren’t going to charge.

Overview: Do you intend to be a ranged cavalier, for some insane reason? This one gets you basically what you need. I wouldn’t suggest it but like hey if you wanna do it, here’s some free damage. Not doing ranged? Skip.

Stack with Musketeer to be a cowboy because why the fuck not I guess.

(4/5) Sister-in-Arms [Maximum Teamwork]

What you gain

What you lose

• DUAL WIELDING ORDERS. THATS RIGHT! Order of the Dragon AND Order of the Lion at the same time, both fully leveled. SOOOO many boosts.
• Bodyguard as a bonus feat.
• A little better action economy later on with your team abilities

• Mount and expert trainer! Again! Why do they keep stealing our horse!!!
• Half your challenge damage. This actually isn’t that bad because it doesn’t effect any other challenge bonuses.

Overview: Did you want to play a team buffer and that’s all your cared about? This does that. You keep your banner and tactician and get frankly hilarious amounts of team play abilities...but may not multiclass well.

(4/5) Standard Bearer [Banner++]

What you gain

What you lose

• Get banner at first level and faster progression
• Get mount still but now at 5th level...still fully leveled though and this is when paladins get their mounts so its still fine
• Banner of Solace is tiny bonuses that are kinda whatever
• Wow this is the most trash capstone ive ever seen. Luckily its a capstone and you have alternates, so it doesnt really matter.

• Mighty charge and supreme charge...yeah okay.

Overview: Not much to say here. Basically if you wanna focus more on being a support without giving away all of your stuff, this is just a straight upgrade to the base cavalier that basically gives up nothing so like...yeah pop off. Enjoy better banner!

 (3-4/5) Verdivant [Flower Power]

What you gain

What you lose

• Plant Mount! Note this is not a plant companion, but a normal mount with the plant type and leshy subtype. What does that mean?

• Darkvision + Low Light vision 60
• Immunity to lightning and sonic
• Plant Speech + Tree shape
• Druidic and Slyvan Languages
• Immunity to paralysis, mind effecting, poison, polymorph, sleep or stunning.
• Also if you dont like it’s type or wanna switch it out, at level 4 it only takes a day to get a new one for free.

• Frankly, this is a raw upgrade to the base mount
• Efflorescence! Tiny Aoe Buffs that can be really nice. Are they better than what they replace? Debatable. Are they good on their own? Definitely.
• Woodland Stride: Always meh.

• Tactician, Banner, And Charging. Ouchie mama thats a lot. The only thing you really keep is your order and your mount. 

Overview: So this is harder to rate because losing your banner AND tactician is a lot, leaving only your Challenge, Mount and Order. That said...If didn’t want to sift through teamwork feats, I think this archetype is really cool, and the mount you get is AWESOME. Take Order of the Rein’s or Order of the Beast to have the druid eat their heart out. Basically falls into the same issues as Ghost Rider

(4/5) Brawling Blademaster [Unarmed TWF]

What you gain

What you lose

• Monk Unarmed Progression!
• Two Weapon Fighting AND the ability to ignore ANY dex requirements for TWF Feats. NICEEEE. Also with fewer penalties!
• Some free AC via nimble

• Banner. The bonuses aren’t major but still nice to have!
• MOUNT Gdi they KEEP TAKING OUR HORSE
• Mounted Archer and Weapon Expertise

Overview: You take this, if for some reason, you just want to do silly damage with a strength based, unarmed TWF build with challenge. Honestly I’d say take 4 levels of this, and 1 level of unchained monk and try to get into Student of Perfection. I can’t say for sure that this is better than other unarmed TWF options, but it’s pretty good for what it is. For those who want to have a hilarious time with grapples, go Order of the Hammer, take one level of maneuver master monk and just GO TO TOWN.

(5/5) Ironbound Sword [The One True Blade]

What you gain

What you lose

• You are good at doing nonlethal attacks well thats nice.
• Big Bap, once per day, save or lose a creature. It’s a fort save, but if it works, it basically just takes them out of the fight.
• Neat little Parry trick, that only requires a full defense action and some AoO’s. Can be really neat I think.
• Was I forgetting anything...oh right that little tidbit that says ALL OF YOUR SAMURAI LEVELS AND FIGHTER LEVELS STACK FOR PREREQS AND CLASS FEATURES. With the most restrictive reading this means that you need 5 levels of fighter to basically have a full gestalt. This is a footnote in the last sentence of the third level ability. WTH

• Weapon expertise. We can just get better.
• Banner. Sucks but we will live.

Overview: This is the best archetype, don’t ask questions, don’t look around just believe me. All Samurai should be ironbound and take their 5 levels in fighter to get all of their class features to level up with your samurai levels. It’s JUST broken enough to make the samurai cool as hell, without being ya know….leadership. Read this guide, and enjoy being the best martial in the game.

(1/5) Sword Saint [One Strike, No Kill]

What you gain

What you lose

• Iaijutsu Strike. As a full round action, attack an enemy with a sheathed weapon and get...basically sneak attack dice. Or...here me out...just full attack them with that same action. You are full bab, you get lots of attacks
• Add half you level to confirm crits...on the lame ability.
• Dazzling Display but only with shaken
• Fort save or be deafened.

• Mount. AGAIN. FACK COME ON MAN AND FOR WHAT???? BAD SNEAK ATTACK??

Overview: IAIJUTSU STRIKE STRIKE IS BAD. You are trading your mount for worse sneak attack and EVERYTHING revolves around this ability that is blatantly inferior to just fighting normally. Even at its strongest, this adds 60 damage (assuming all of the stars align) to a single attack...rather than full attacking which could potentially add hundreds of damage pretty consistently. I am a weeb. I want this to be cool. It is bad. Do not pick.

 (3/5)* Ward Speaker [Kami Magic]

What you gain

What you lose

• Propitiation: Free feats, abilities and SLA’s. This is an AMAZING Ability that only has one thing holding it back...everytime you use your abilities, you have to pray to a shrine for one minute to get them back. Meaning that A.) if you dont have the shrines, you are much more limited, and B.) even if you do, you are kinda locked for any one combat scenario and can only use your best abilities once.
• Reliable Stand: Oh cool you can reroll without having to pray.

• Resolve. All of it! This is your major feature that differentiates you from the cavalier, so losing it is uh well not awesome. Like resolve is a REALLY good ability.
• Honorable Stand, we’ll live.

Overview: So this archetype actually doesnt take that much from you and what you get in exchange is super interesting and can be really cool. I wish you didn’t need to spend one minute praying to get your fortunes back each time, like if you pray once per day its just kinda locked in and you can just keep using your ability. MOREOVER, unlike resolve, which can be regained through beating a challenged foe, there isn’t really a way to get back propitiation. This makes it hard to rate. At the end of things, all considered, I’d say it’s pretty good, with the knowledge that if you have constant access to your shrines it’s much better and if you don’t get ANY portable shrines it’s much worse. Assuming your DM let’s you stick with your current kami until you pray to a different one, so you don't have to spend time refreshing your abilities, then it can be amazing.

 (4/5) Warrior Poet [Spring Attack]

What you gain

What you lose

• Dancer’s Grace: When unarmored and without shield get Charisma to AC, and you are full bab. Oracle and Scaled Fist monk, you’ve got some competition
• Flourishes: You get a bunch of little feat equivalents that can be actually pretty good! You’ll become INCREDIBLY mobile, and it lets you pull of some great tricks.
• Weapon Finesse even on Katana’s, Glaives and Naginata’s. We love ot see it.
• Specifically when you use dex for attack rolls and strength to damage, you get half your level back in damage to make up for it i guess...or just take slashing grace
• You get Spring Attack, no Prereq’s needed. Heeellll yeah.

• Mount, AGAIN GOSH DARNIT. WHYYYY UGGGH look i get why for this archetype but fucking losing a mount succcckksss.
• Medium armor, heavy armor AND shields. YIKES.
• Banner And weapon expertise
• Half your challenge damage. It doesnt affect your other bonuses so this can be okay.
• You only apply your challenge bonus to the first attack against a challenged target

Overview: Look if you are playing a Warrior Poet, you are here to have a highly mobile, skirmishing spring attack/shot on the run build. That’s what you are here for. You are dex to attack and hopefully damage and are just...here to dance around. If you arent here for that, leave now. And if you are here for that, this is great! You get lots of speed, and lots of neat abilities. Is it better than just being ironbound? No. Objectively not. But if you can’t do that, this is a pretty fun archetype for what it does.

Note:  It actually makes for a pretty good dip, giving Weapon Finesse, and a Flourish, and a Use of Resolve.

 (3/5) Yojimbo [Tank-urai]

What you gain

What you lose

• Resolve Ally. As long as your are adjacent, you can use resolve on a teammate, which can be incredibly helpful.
• Armor Training, as the fighter. Advanced Armor Training is great, and now you have access to it. Enjoy!
• Intercept, you now have the Bodyguard feat.

• Mount, AGAIN GOSH DARNIT.
• Weapon Expertise, eh we’ll live
•  Mounted Archer, eh we’ll live.

Overview: So if for some reason you wanna play a tank, I won’t say this is the best way to do it but it is A way to do it. Use this with Order of the Guard and basically whoever you are protecting is untouchable.