Holy Strategists, clergy of the Red Knight, devote themselves to mastering military tactics

and strategy. These militant warrior-priests and paladins hone their minds and bodies into
the deadliest weapons on Faerûn.

Entry Requirements

Alignment: Lawful good, lawful neutral, or lawful evil

The Holy Strategist

Hit Die: D8

Base
Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells per Day
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Art of war, Issue commands (I) +1 level of divine spellcasting class
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Feared and Respected +1 level of divine spellcasting class
3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Bonus feat +1 level of divine spellcasting class
4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Master of Tactics +1 level of divine spellcasting class
5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Issue commands (II) +1 level of divine spellcasting class
6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Bonus feat +1 level of divine spellcasting class
7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Battlefield Mastery +1 level of divine spellcasting class
8th +6 +6 +2 +6 Fight as One +1 level of divine spellcasting class
9th +6 +6 +3 +6 Bonus feat +1 level of divine spellcasting class
10th +7 +7 +3 +7 Issue commands (III). +1 level of divine spellcasting class

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) — Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana)
(Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Ride (Dex), and Spellcraft (Int).

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the holy strategist.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: As a holy strategist, you are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with all types of
armor and shields. As a supplicant to the Red Knight, the weapon of choice is usually the one that provides the most advantageous
outcome depending on the situations. Often times it’s the Longsword, as that is the Red Knight’s signature weapon. But polearms for
reach, bows and crossbows for range, or even daggers and short swords in narrow situations are not uncommon in the hands of a holy
strategist.
 Spellcasting: At each level indicated on the holy strategist table, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and
spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the
prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one
divine spellcasting class before becoming a holy strategist, they must decide which class gains each level for the purpose of
determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Art of War (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, you gain a realization of using your wits while taking measure of your opponents. Whether this
is a mental analysis or a commanding presence, it helps you determine the best place to apply force or utilize your surroundings to
better effect. From now on, you add your Charisma or Intelligence modifier as an insight bonus on opposed rolls when making these
special attacks: Bull Rush, Disarm, Feint, Grapple, Sunder, and Trip. This bonus also applies to your opposed rolls when these attacks
are used on you.

Issue Command (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, you know how to motivate your troops. As
a full-round action, you can issue one of the following commands. You can only issue
one such command per round and it only affects one ally within range. At 5th, and again
at 10th level you may have your commands affect one additional ally within the effect’s
range per round:

- Charge: You issue a Command to an ally of yours within 30 feet of you, allowing
them to move and attack on your turn. Your ally uses their immediate action to move up
to half their speed, and if they end their movement within reach of an enemy, they can
make a single melee weapon attack against that enemy. Your ally can add your
Charisma or Intelligence modifier to the damage roll of their attack.

- Formation: You issue a Command to an ally within 30 feet of you, improving their
defenses while they group together. Until the start of your next turn, if two or more allies
(including yourself) are within 5-feet of each other when they are attacked, the first
attack roll made against each ally takes a -5 penalty.

- Let Fly: You issue a Command to an ally of yours within 60-feet of you, allowing
them to make a ranged attack on your turn as an Immediate Action. Your ally can target
any creature within line of sight of both you and your ally. Your ally can add your
Charisma or Intelligence modifier to the damage roll of the attack.

- Regroup: You issue a Command to one of your allies within 30 feet of you,
bolstering their resolve and stamina. The ally gains temporary hit points equal to number
of levels of holy strategist you have + your Charisma or Intelligence modifier. These
temporary hit points go away at the end of combat.
- Retreat: you issue a Command to one of your allies within 30 feet of you, allowing
them to fall back safely. Until the start of your next turn, the ally’s movement does not
provoke attacks of opportunity when leaving a threatened square.

- Unleash: You issue a Command to one of your allies within 30 feet of you, allowing
them to cast a spell on your turn. Your ally can use their immediate action to cast a spell
of 1st level against a creature within line of sight of both you and your ally. Spells that
allow multiple attack rolls can only make half of those attack rolls (rounded up) as part of
their immediate action. At 5th level, allies can cast up to a 2nd level spell. At 10th level,
they can cast a spell up to 3rd level.

As a holy strategist, you can issue a number of Commands per day equal to 3 + your
Charisma or Intelligence modifier.

Feared and Respected (Ex): At 2nd level, your ability to inspire your troops or
intimidate your foes becomes even more powerful. You gain a +5 competence bonus to
your Diplomacy and Intimidation checks. If you use your ability to demoralize an
opponent, the effects remain for 24-hours.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd level, you further train in the ways of unique combat forms and styles. Choose any feat in which Combat Expertise
or Combat Focus is a prerequisite for. You may gain that feat as a bonus feat. You must still meet the prerequisites before obtaining the
feat. You gain an additional bonus feat this way at 6th and again at 9th level.

Master of Tactics (Ex): As a student of battle, you know that coordination and planning are key elements to winning any strategic
campaign. Even on a smaller scale, skirmishes are won because of quick reactions and teamwork. Capitalizing on your knowledge of
old battles and war, you’re more quickly able to lend aid to your enemies in a fight. Starting at 4th level, you may use the Aid Another
action in combat as part of a full-attack action. The bonus to your ally’s next attack roll, bonus to AC, or to assist in another character’s
skill check is equal to 1 + your Charisma or Intelligence modifier.
Battlefield Mastery (Ex): Movement and position is just as important in any battle or skirmish as the strength of one’s arm or the
precision of your arrow or the placement of a spell. Movement keeps your enemy guessing while you reach areas that are better
defensible or easier to attack from. Starting at 7th level, you and each ally within 30 feet of you gains a bonus to their Initiative equal to
your Charisma or Intelligence modifier. Additionally, any ally (including yourself) within the same radius reduces the speed penalty of
medium and heavy armor by 5-ft due to the grueling training you put yourself and your troops though on a constant basis.

Fight as One (Ex): Knowing how to fight as a single unit and remain strong in the face of adversary is one of the greatest aspects you
strive to display. This show of strength and unison is seen in how you brave deadly perils and come out the other side still fighting. At
8th level, whenever you and any ally that you can see and hear within 60 feet, fails a Fortitude, Reflex, or Wisdom saving throw, you
may reroll the die. You must take the results of the second roll, even if they’re worse than the first.

You may perform this ability twice per day.

Notes on Immediate Actions:

Immediate Action: Much like a swift action, an immediate action consumes a very small amount of time, but
represents a larger expenditure of effort than a free action. However, unlike a swift action, an immediate action can
be performed at any time—even if it’s not your turn. Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a
swift action, and counts as your swift action for the turn.

You cannot use another immediate action or a swift action until after your next turn if you have used an immediate
action when it is not currently your turn (effectively, using an immediate action before your turn is equivalent to
using your swift action for the coming turn).
You cannot use an immediate action if you are currently flat-footed.