Quick Links
The Cavalier is an iconic class archetype in the history ofDungeons & Dragonsto the extent that for some time paladins were a subclass of cavalier. The archetypical mounted knight has a precious place in the memories of many of the game’s current and new players who wish to channel that Don Quixote energy.
While no longer its own class and now a subclass of fighter, the cavalier retains its identity as being the paragon of mounted combat while also becoming more capable in the unfortunate scenarios where you cannot reasonably bring along a 1,400 pound warhorse in full plated armour.
What Are The Best Species For A Cavalier?
When it comes to selecting the most suitable species for a Cavalier, the right choice can make all the difference. It’s crucial to consider factors such asability scores,size,weapon proficiencies,mount compatibility, and the intended role within the party.
Benefits and drawbacks
Small humanoids (halflings, gnomes, kobolds)
Small species can make use of smaller mounts. A halfling or gnome riding a war mastiff is able to fit into places that a horse mounted cavalry simply cannot go.
The drawback of this is that they are unable to use heavy weapons such as polearms.
Winged humanoids (aarakocra, tieflings, aasimar)
Winged creatures such as aarakocra and fairies canmake use of an additional dimension of space when considering their positioning and formations.This can make clever use of features such as Hold The Line.
Flying species will have to choose between mounted and flying combat or swap between them as the situation demands.
Bugbear (bugbear)
The Long-Limbed trait of a bugbear extends the reach of all weapons by five feet.Your Hold The Line feature benefits from a longer melee reach, allowing a bugbear cavalier to protect a wider area than any other.
Non-humanoids (plasmoids, thri-kreen, satyr)
Non-humanoid species are immune to effects that specifically target humanoids, such as many spells and charm effects. A Cavalier can protect their team more effectively if they are immune to effects that would turn you against them. The thri-kreen is treated as a monstrosity, while fairy, centaurs and satyrs are treated as fae.
Be aware that this does also impose new weaknesses, such as spells that specifically protect against fae or monstrosities.
A centaur cavalier sounds like clever idea: you can never be dismounted because you are your own mount.Unfortunately official rulings are that centaurs are unable to make use of any mounted features unless they are riding another larger horse.
Discuss with your DM their stance on centaur cavalry. They might allow it outright or create a homebrewed feat that enables centaurs to qualify for mounted combat benefits.
What Are The Best Ability Scores For A Cavalier?
Fighters typically have theversatility to spend their ability scores more freely due to their increased number of Ability Score Increasesand the ability to choose between strength and dexterity weapons.
The Cavalier gains multiple features thatscale to specific ability scores, limiting their ability to make these substitutions.
Strength
First priority
Strength improves your Unwavering Mark,allowing you to use its special attack more frequently. This makes thecavalier well suited to using strength weapons, but you can choose to favour dexterity if you do not care strongly about using this special attack. If so swap the placement of the two when ranking your ability scores.
Strength also improves youranimal handling skill,which is important to a class that heavily relies on mounted combat.
Constitution
Second priority
Constitution improves your survivability and Warding Maneuver feature. Your Unwavering Mark taunts enemies into attacking you, requiring a strong investment in your personal survivability.Warding Maneuver gains additional uses the greater your constitution modifier.
Charisma
Third priority
Charisma is not directly utilised by the Cavalier fighter but is an important part of their roleplay.Cavaliers are equal parts courtiers and soldiers, and charisma will allow a cavalier to play at court intrigue and politics effectively.
Intelligence
Fourth priority
Intelligence is similar to charisma. A Cavalier fighter might be expected through roleplay to have had an upper class education and upbringing,being proficient in history or familiar with military strategy.
Dexterity
Fifth priority
Dexterity does not benefit most cavaliers, who will favour heavy armours and strength based weapons. Dexterity will still be required for most ranged weapons, butyour mounted speed should reduce your reliance on ranged weapons compared to other melee fighters.
Wisdom
Last priority
It is said that discretion is the better part of valour, but the cavalier falls more in the tradition ofCharge of the Light BrigadeorDon Quixotethan an accurate depiction of cavalry’s role in military history.Wisdom will improve your ability to resist mind-altering effects and should be prioritised higher if playing a module that heavily features them.
What Are The Best Weapons For A Cavalier Fighter?
Cavaliers gain several unique features that can be strengthened by the use of specific weapons and fighting styles.
One-handed weapon with a shield
Unwavering Mark
The Unwavering Mark ability at level three requires you to remain within five feet of an opponent but taunts them to have disadvantage attacking anyone other than you. A one-handed weapon alongside a shield improves your own defences to make better use of this taunt.
Reach Weapons
Hold The Line
At level ten Cavaliers gain Hold The Line, which grants an opportunity attack whenever an enemy moves five feet while within your reach and allows you to stop their movement if the attack hits. This ability benefits from a weapon with the reach trait, as it allows you to cover a larger area with this feature. Most reach weapons are two-handed however and cannot be used with a shield.
Lance
Born To The Saddle
Born To The Saddle allows the Cavalier to make use of the Lance, a weapon that can only be properly used when mounted. This special weapon has the reach trait but struggles to attack enemies that close within five feet.
It is lighter than most reach weapons and can be used alongside a shield.
A Cavalier canselect versatile weaponsandadapt their combat stylebased on the situation. In tight corridors,long-reach weaponsareless useful, but on anopen battlefield, ahalberd’s extended reachcan defend inmultiple directions, safeguarding the team.
One weapon that is both one-handed and has the reach trait is the whip, although it has a lower damage than any other weapon.
What Are The Best Feats For A Cavalier Fighter?
Fighters gain a much greater number of feats than other classes, allowing you to customise them more heavily and refine their playstyle further.
Application
Mounted Combatant
This feat leans into the traditional theme of the cavalier as a mounted class. Previous editions had the cavaliers mount be as important as a beastmaster ranger’s animal companion, so people trying to recapture that feeling should invest heavily in a quality mount. A quality mount however can easily die without the ability of Mounted Combatant to redirect attacks to themselves.
Polearm Master
Polearm master gives you a new way of making opportunity attacks that benefits a cavalier. It overlaps in its utility with Hold The Line, so you could ask your GM about retraining the feat once you reach level ten.
Shield Master
Shield Master can completely negate the damage from area spells such as fireball.Since many cavaliers will already be fighting with a shield, this empowers them in doing what they are already specialised at.
Fighting Initiate
Additional fighting styles allow you to make use of a larger array of weapons.Since a Cavalier might need to change quickly between fighting with a lance, sword or glaive this allows them to gain the benefits of multiple fighting styles that improve only a subset of their weapons.
What Are The Best Backgrounds For A Cavalier?
The Cavalier has several choices for background that lean into different ways of roleplaying the class.
Roleplay
Noble
The Noble background has several variants that are well suited for a cavalier.
A noble background can also explain the higher expense of training a cavalier: A noble can be expected to learn horse riding, several martial disciplines, and courtly etiquette.
Entertainer
Leaning more into the Cavalier as a larger than life figure an entertainer can embody the exaggerated role of a fighter with stage presence.Reciting or exaggerating tales of heroic battlescan allow a cavalier to play the role of a more legendary hero while still being at the same level and skills as the rest of the party.
Folk Hero
The Folk Hero background lets you work with your GM to create a dramatic moment that defines your characters legacy and reputation.Rather than tilting at windmills your Knight Errant could have faced off an actual invasion of giants.
Soldier
A Cavalier with a high intelligence or other form of strategic prowesscould reasonably hold a position of military leadership. Your character could also have been a message runner, mounted scout of heavy cavalry depending on other decisions you’ve made while building your character.
