Exemplars of the Protectorate are the esteemed knights of the Temple, protectors of the faith acting as the sword of righteousness. They outnumber paladins and are the preferred martial servants of the leading scrutators. These knights comprise an elite segment of the Protectorate military. Before Loyal’s initiation of the Order of the Fist, they assisted in policing the populace and punishing lawbreakers. While other groups took over this role, the exemplars retain certain powers useful for rooting out heretics.
In communities with a scrutator, exemplars serve as that individual’s protectors and agents, enforcing Temple law among the faithful. Exemplars are trusted with tasks requiring ruthlessness and unquestioning obedience.
Exemplars are initiated in a ceremony overseen by one or more priests, including a ranking scrutator. The initiate must make solemn oaths offering his life in the service of the True Law. The initiate is blindfolded for a day and a night to symbolize the death of his old self and the birth of the new. All family allegiances and inheritances are stripped away—from this point forward, an exemplar’s only allegiance is to the Protectorate and the Canon of the True Law.
While the exemplar knights are the Protectorate’s preeminent fighting force, their code and training limit their numbers. Not every pious man or woman who would serve the Temple is suited to swearing the oath of the Exemplar.
Code of Conduct: An exemplar must obey orders of Temple superiors, but an exemplar following orders is absolved of moral responsibility for those acts. In most circumstances, exemplars have little leeway in interpreting orders, disobeying only in very clear instances of a superior asking them to act against the Temple. By their code, exemplars seek out and punish lawbreakers and heretics, bringing them to justice—or death if they resist. Exemplars are forbidden to raise arms against members of their Temple (including clerics, fellow exemplars, paladins, scrutators, reclaimers, and monks) unless specifically ordered to do so by a high-ranking Temple priest (sovereign or higher rank). Any act against the code causes an exemplar to face expulsion from the order in addition to any other punishments.
Associates: Exemplars prefer the company of those belonging to their faith, but they may cooperate with others in the service of the faith. They will not voluntarily continue any association with those they believe worship the Unholy Covenant.
Exemplar Training
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Religion skill if you don’t already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses this skill.
Iron Conviction
Starting at 3rd level, you gain advantage on saving throws to avoid being charmed, frightened, or stunned. When you reach 10th level in this class, you instead become immune to the charmed, frightened, and stunned conditions.
Divine Fortitude
At 7th level, your faith and devotion empower you to shrug off harm that would cripple others. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Righteous Anger
At 10th level, your fervor in battle allows you to deal extra damage. When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you can add twice your proficiency bonus to the damage roll. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Sanguine Bond
Also at 10th level, you form a divine bond with an ally, allowing you to share the burden of pain. As a bonus action, choose one ally within 30 feet of you. When either you or your bonded ally takes damage, you can use your reaction to split the damage evenly between you. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
Relentless Advance
At 15th level, your determination makes you unstoppable on the battlefield. When you take the Dash action, you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action. In addition, your movement is not reduced by difficult terrain.
Inhuman Resolve
At 18th level, your faith shields you from harm. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
EXEMPLAR FEATURES
| Fighter Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Exemplar Training, Iron Conviction |
| 7th | Divine Fortitude |
| 10th | Righteous Anger, Sanguine Bond |
| 15th | Relentless Advance |
| 18th | Inhuman Resolve |
KNIGHTS OF THE SACRED TOMB
| Few men have commanded the kind of loyalty Loyal did. Even before his elevation to the position of hierarch, countless faithful pledged themselves to him and his cause. When he was grand scrutator, the exemplar he selected to join him on his pilgrimage of faith were among the most devout, hastening to fulfill his every command and ready to put all of Faerun to the torch at his decree. After Loyals’ passing, these exemplar now stand as the hierarch’s funerary guard, keeping his tomb untouched by those of too little faith and ready to strike down any who would profane his resting place. |