The elven theosopher knight is a respected advisor, leader, and defender of the elven people. She taps the greater power of life and goodness to protect, heal, trick, and chastise, as the situation demands. More duty-bound than an ordinary theosopher, the theosopher knight takes vows to support people in need and to serve the leaders of the elven communities they serve. In return for their greater commitment, the elven nobility bestow additional training, favors, and marks of respect upon these knights.

Requirements

Theosopher knight candidates must be sponsored by a noble elven house. Demonstrated dedication, good deeds, and character are required, as well as the signs that the elf has a calling for this path.

• Alignment: Must be of Good alignment
• Spellcasting: Ability to cast Divine spells
• Base Attack bonus: +4
• Leadership Ability: must have a Charisma ability bonus of at least +1
• Diplomacy Ranks: 6
• Ride ranks: 3
• Knowledge (religion) ranks: 3
• Knowledge (war) ranks: 3
• Heroic Feats: Iron Will, Leadership, Weapon Focus
• Good Deeds: The applicant must be able to cite three good deeds of valor verified by reliable witnesses.

Before beginning training the knight must also take an Oath of service to her patron.

Class Features

• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Theosopher knights have proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, and with light and medium armor, and shields. They prefer the traditional elven weapons and proudly wear their elven chainmail, as tokens of service to their lords and the elven people.

• Spellcasting: Theosopher knights advance as spellcasters according to their original Divine spellcasting classes, gaining one level of casting ability for each level as a theospoher knight. This means that the knight adds his level as a theosopher knight to the level of some other spellcasting class to determine spells per day and class level for casting.

• Code of Conduct: The knight must be of good alignment and loses all spellcasting ability if she ever willingly commits an act of evil. Additionally, the knight’s code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor, help those who need help, and punish those who threaten or harm innocents. The knight also strives to remain free of such flaws as selfishness, greed, callousness, and using her abilities in a way which causes or allows harm to come to innocents.

• Elven Chainmail: A theosopher knight is given a custom-made suit of masterwork elven chainmail by her patron. As the knight progresses in level, the patron will typically have the armor enchanted for the knight as a reward for service or valor. Alternatively, the knight may also have the armor enchanted herself, with permission from her patron.

• Followers: Theosopher knights gain followers at an early level. The knight gains a +6 situation bonus to her leadership score, as described in the Dungeon Master's Guide (p.45). Followers will typically be elven warriors, but may include other types, at the discretion of the player and DM. The knight is responsible for the well-being and upkeep of her followers.

• Tithe: The theosopher knight must support her lord and community by tithing 10% of income gained.

• Vow: The white knight must make and keep vows of knighthood, in addition to the general code of conduct. These generally entail service to her patron, faithfulness, and dedication to the elven people.

• Bladesong Style: (Ex) The theosopher learns techniques of the elven fighting style known as bladesong. When wielding a sword in one hand (and nothing in the other), the knight gains a dodge bonus to AC equal to her Wisdom modifier. If the knight wears medium or heavy armor, she loses all benefits of the bladesong style. Only light and medium swords can be used with bladesong, typically rapiers and longswords.

• Precise Strike: (Ex) As an advanced technique of the bladesong style, the knight learns to strike with great precision. When using a one-handed melee weapon with which she has the Weapon Focus feat, the knight gains +1d6 bonus damage. This bonus increases at 6th and 9th level. The same restrictions on wielding her sword in one hand and nothing in the other still apply, and creatures that are immune to a rogue's sneak attack bonus damage are likewise immune to the bonus damage conferred by this ability.

• Stopping Arrow: (Ex) The knight learns to strike enemies with arrows in ways that stop their advance. When using a bow (but not a crossbow or other missle weapon), the knight may declare any attack to be a stopping strike. The attack is made with all relevant modifiers and a -2 situational penalty. If the attack succeeds, the target must make a Fortitude save against a DC of 10 + the character's theosopher knight level + the knight's Wisdom ability bonus. If this save fails, the target is stunned for one round, in addition to suffering normal damage.

• Stopping Blade: (Ex) This ability functions exactly like the stopping arrow ability, but must be used with a one-handed melee weapon that the knight may use to make precise strikes. The knight must meet the conditions for use of the precise strike ability to use the stopping blade technique, and inflicts the precise strike bonus damage regardless of whether or not the target saves against the stunning effect.

• Quickened Curing: (Sp) All of the theosopher knight's curing and healing spells may be cast as free actions, as if quickened by the metamagic feat. The actual level of the spell is unaffected, and takes up a normal spell slot, as opposed to one of a higher level. This ability is limited to one spell per round, as the metamagic feat.