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Cataphract
It is said the stirrup, after the chariot and the saddle, changed warfare forever, and bound horses to war for centuries to come. Also known as knights, hussars, lancers, or dragoons, the tradition of heavy cavalry persists as a powerful force of shock, awe, and raw damage against enemy forces with its mobility and devastating mounted charges.
Born to the Saddle
When you take this archetype at 3rd level, you gain several benefits that represent your enormous cavalry training.
- It only takes 5 feet of movement for you to mount or dismount a mount.
- You can choose to have attacks that target your mount target you instead.
- If you fall off your mount and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you're not incapacitated.
- You gain proficiency in Animal Handling
Saving Throw DC
Whenever one of your cataphract features requires a saving throw, its DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier.
Lancer's Charge
Also at 3rd level, you can exploit the ultimate heavy cavalry attack: the charge. If you move at least 20 ft. straight toward a creature and hit it with a melee weapon attack, you deal an extra 2d6 damage and can force it to make a Strength saving throw. If they fail, your momentum carries it 5 ft. away from you in the same direction you moved. If this shove causes them to enter another creature's space, that creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and both fall prone.
Lancer's Charge allows your mount to take a bonus action on your turn, and acts as a triggering attack for trampling charge and similar features that allow creatures to make an additional attack as a bonus action.
Companions on Campaign
At 7th level, you support your companions, humanoid and animal, on long and lonely marches. You and other creatures traveling with you have advantage on saving throws against exhaustion imposed by a forced march, and you and your mount alike no longer suffer movement penalties for wearing heavy armor.
Finally, any creature you use as a mount gains temporary hit points equal to twice your fighter level whenever it rolls initiative. You cannot grant this temporary HP to humanoids.
Shock Tactics
The psychological effect of a powerful cavalry charge cannot be overstated. Starting at 10th level, whenever you hit with Lancer's Charge, the creatures you damage and all creatures of your choice within 10 feet of them must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. A creature that succeeds on this save is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
Once per turn, you can choose to make a weapon attack roll with advantage, so long as the attack is made against a creature smaller than you, or a creature that is unmounted and smaller than your mount.
Wheel Around
At 15th level, any creature you damage during your turn cannot take opportunity attacks against you or your mount until the end of your turn, allowing you to position yourself for powerful charges as you see fit.
Mounted Mountain
Beginning at 18th level, you become the ultimate mobile juggernaut. You gain the same temporary hit points your mount does from Companions on Campaign when you roll initiative, whether you are mounted or not. Additionally, your speed and the speed of any creature you use as a mount increases by 10 feet.
Catafracta, Marta Danecka
Gáe_Dearg, Fate/Zero
