Scaled Rider (Ophiduan)

The scaled rider forges a strong psychic link with a karaan, the serpentine mounts bred by the ophiduan race, utilizing the common blood that is shared between ophiduans and all reptiles to bind a loyal steed to his side.

Class Skills

The scaled rider adds Survival as a class skill.

Reptile Mount

The scaled rider gains a karaan (see below) as an animal companion, as a druid of the same level, but the karaan gains the share powers ability of a psicrystal instead of the share spells ability of an animal companion.

Karaan

Starting Statistics: Size Large; Speed 50 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 claws* (1d6); Ability Scores Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6;

Special Qualities combat trained (see the Handle Animal skill), low-light vision, scent. *This is a secondary natural attack.

This ability replaces warrior’s path.

Rider’s Bond (Su)

A scaled rider is always under the effects of mindlink with his mount. In addition, the scaled rider gains Mounted Combat as a bonus feat.

This ability replaces the bonus feat normally gained at 1st level.

Warrior’s Path

At 9th level, the scaled rider gains the warrior’s path ability and can choose a warrior’s path, gaining one path power and the class skill associated with that path. At 11th level, he gains access to the second path power and the path’s trance and maneuver.

This ability replaces secondary path.

Focused Mount (Su)

At 12th level, the scaled rider’s mount gains the Wild Talent feat as a bonus feat. In addition, the scaled rider and his mount are treated as maintaining psionic focus if either one is maintaining psionic focus. At 15th level, the scaled rider can expend his mount’s psionic focus to power a psionic feat he possesses. Should the scaled rider have an additional focus available, such as from the Psicrystal Containment feat, he can use it in conjunction with this ability.

This ability replaces twisting paths and pathweaving.