Source: Polished Leadership
Note: This archetype is an alternate of the daring general (Ultimate Intrigue).
Knight captains are the foremost of a knightly order, taking a number of squires under their wing to learn the chivalric arts.
Proficiencies
A knight captain receives a martial tradition, gaining proficiency with simple weapons, light armor, and bucklers, in addition to the combat talents granted by their martial tradition.
This modifies proficiencies.
Combat Training (Ex)
A knight captain is considered an adept practitioner, gaining combat spheres and talents as appropriate.
This replaces tactician, greater tactician, master tactician, and bonus feats.
Aides-de-Camp (Ex)
At 1st level, a knight captain gains the Leadership sphere, selecting the (cohort) package. The knight captain cannot choose any sphere-specific drawback that trades the ability to recruit a cohort, such as the drill sergeant drawback. At 9th level, and again at 17th level, the knight captain gains the Extra Cohorts legendary talent.
Each cohort the knight captain recruits must have the squire job and must select the same cavalier order as the knight captain. Each of the knight captain’s cohorts are referred to as their squires for the purposes of other knight captain class features.
In addition, the knight captain grants each of their squires a special role as one of their direct aides. Each role is granted when a squire is first recruited, and may only be granted to the knight captain’s squires (not conscripted allies or other temporary cohorts). The knight captain may only assign each role once. A squire’s additional abilities granted from a special role are granted based on the knight captain’s level, not the squire’s cohort level.
The knight captain may grant the following roles to their squires:
Attendant
A squire with the attendant role can help the knight captain don or remove their armor or shield in 1/2 the normal time. In addition, the attendant can remove the broken condition from the knight captain’s equipment in 15 minutes.
At knight captain 6th level, the attendant squire gains the Artifice sphere as a bonus sphere, selecting the (gear) package, plus 1 additional Artifice sphere talent at knight captain 12th and 18th level.
Groom
A squire with the groom role may spend 15 minutes to care for the knight captain’s mount and the mounts serving any of their squires (such as purchased horses, etc.). This special care increases the mount’s base speed by +10 feet and grants a +2 bonus to their Dexterity for 1 hour. The groom may provide this care any number of times each day, but must spend an additional 15 minutes each time they do (30 minutes the second time, 45 minutes the third, and so on).
At knight captain 6th level, the groom gains the Beastmastery sphere as a bonus sphere, selecting the (ride) package, plus 1 additional Beastmastery sphere talent at knight captain 12th and 18th level. The groom cannot gain the tame ability or an animal companion through the Beastmastery sphere. Each round, the groom may grant the knight captain the ability to use one of their (ride) options, even if they do not possess the Beastmastery sphere (ride) package. The knight captain must be able to hear or see their groom to benefit from one of their (ride) options.
Shieldbearer
A squire with the shieldbearer role increases their shield bonus to AC against the subject of the knight captain’s challenge by an additional +2. If the shieldbearer is adjacent to the knight captain or another squire, as a free action, the shieldbearer may transfer this bonus to that ally for 1 round.
At knight captain 6th level, the shieldbearer squire gains the Shield sphere as a bonus sphere and the Cover Ally talent as a bonus talent, plus 1 additional Shield sphere talent at knight captain 12th and 18th level. Once per round, the shieldbearer may move up to 1/2 their speed to move adjacent to the knight captain or another squire before using active defense on behalf of that ally.
Standardbearer
A squire with the standardbearer role can carry the knight captain’s banner as though they were the knight captain. If the knight captain could wave their banner for an additional effect, the standardbearer may do so as well.
At knight captain 6th level, the standardbearer squire gains the Warleader sphere as a bonus sphere, plus 1 additional Warleader talent at knight captain 12th and 18th level. The standardbearer cannot select a drawback that trades away the (tactic) package. While carrying the knight captain’s banner, the standardbearer grants their tactical presence to allies benefitting from the banner.
Battlefield Mentorship (Ex)
At 6th level, the knight captain may assign their squires to armies (under their own command or allied armies). When one or more squires are part of an army, that army gains a +2 bonus to their ACR, +1 at 12th level and every 6 levels thereafter.
See Ultimate Campaign, Mass Combat for more details.