Horselord

A skillful look into the barbarian using mounted combat to corral foes and deal swift damage while using their battle ecstasy instead of rage to fuel their combat on.

Role: DPS Tank

Characteristics: As Barbarians using battle ecstasy and mounted combat to deal damage instead of rage.

Source: Dragon Magazine #338

Game Rule Information

The Horselord has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Strength for combat use and class skills, Constitution to rage and live longer, Wisdom for class skills as well. Dexterity is important if you're going for a light armored Barbarian

Alignment: Any Nonlawful

Hit Die: d12

Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 gp

Class Skills

The Horselord's class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Wilderness Lore (Wis)

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Horselord.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Horselord is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor, all shields except tower shields

Illiteracy: Barbarians are the only characters who do not automatically know how to read and write. A barbarian may spend 2 skill points to gain the ability to read and write all languages he is able to speak. A barbarian who gains a level in any other class automatically gains literacy. Any other character who gains a barbarian level does not lose the literacy he or she already had.

Riding Proficiency: A horselord takes no penalty on Ride checks for riding bareback and gains a +2 bonus when using any kind of saddle (which stacks with the normal +2 bonus on Ride checks when using a military saddle). A horselord must choose a kind of animal he knows of and has ridden as a mount at least once. He receives a +2 bonus on Handle Animal checks whenever dealing with the selected kind of animal (most horselords choose the animals their tribes routinely use).

Battle Ecstasy Ex: Traditional cultures from the Celts to the Sioux speak of warriors able - through special prayers, protective garments, or even nakedness in battle - to become invulnerable to the weapons of the enemy. A horselord who enters battle ecstasy becomes difficult to harm. He temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Dexterity, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and damage reduction 1/-. The horselord's damage reduction while in battle ecstasy stacks with the damage reduction he receives at higher levels (thus, a 7th-level horselord has DR 2/- while in battle ecstasy). A horselord can use any skill or feat while in battle ecstasy, but all skill checks except for Handle Animal and Ride take a -2 penalty. Battle ecstasy lasts as long as a barbarian's rage and has the same fatiguing effect. Beginning at 17th level, the horselord is no longer fatigued after leaving a battle ecstasy. The horselord's battle ecstasy has no greater rage or mighty rage equivalents.

Uncanny Dodge Ex: At 2nd level, a barbarian retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a barbarian already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Animal Companion Ex: At 4th level, the horselord's mount becomes an animal companion as per the ranger abilitiy of the same level. The horselord must own and ride the horse for at least two months before he can bond with it in this way. Treat the mount in all ways as the animal companion of a ranger of the same level as the horselord, except the horselord's mount retains the animal type and is not considered a magical beast. If the mount is killed or otherwise lost, the horselord can find a new companion mount after 1d4 months of searching and a successful DC 15 Handle Animal check.

Improved Uncanny Dodge Ex: At 5th level and higher, a barbarian can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the barbarian by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has barbarian levels. Classes similar to rogue such as ninja or mandrake also have this distinction. If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level a rogue must be to flank the character.

Improved Mounted Archery Ex: At 6th level, the horselord gains Improved Mounted Archery as a bonus feat.

Damage Reduction Ex: At 7th level, a barbarian gains Damage Reduction. Subtract 1 from the damage the barbarian takes each time he is dealt damage from a weapon or a natural attack. At 10th level, and every three barbarian levels thereafter (13th, 16th, and 19th level), this damage reduction rises by 1 point. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0 but not below 0.

Indomitable Will Ex: While in battle ecstasy, a barbarian of 14th level or higher gains a +4 bonus on Will saves to resist enchantment spells. This bonus stacks with all other modifiers, including the morale bonus on Will saves he also receives during his ecstasy.

Tireless Ecstasy Ex: At 17th level and higher, a barbarian no longer becomes fatigued at the end of his battle ecstasy.

Table 1-1: Horselord Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Riding proficiency, illiteracy, battle ecstasy 1/day
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Uncanny Dodge
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1	—
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Battle ecstasy 2/day, animal companion
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	Improved uncanny dodge
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2	Improved mounted Archery
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+2	Damage reduction 1/—
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+2	Battle ecstasy 3/day
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+3	—
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+3	Damage reduction 2/—
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+3	—
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+4	Battle ecstasy 4/day
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+4	Damage reduction 3/—
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+4	Indomitable will
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+5	—
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+5	Damage reduction 4/—, battle ecstasy 5/day
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5	Tireless ecstasy
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+6	—
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+6	Damage reduction 5/—
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+6	Battle ecstasy 6/day