Rider Conclave
Riders develop a close connection with a beast, that they strengthen through the use of magic. When they mount their companion, the two of them become a tremendous team that is hard to outrun.
Meet Your Mount
At 3rd level, when choosing this archetype you learn to use your magic to create a powerful bond with a creature of the natural world. You gain a beast companion that becomes your faithful mount. Choose a beast that has a challenge rating of 1 or lower and is Large or smaller. You spend 8 hours magically bonding with a creature that isn't hostile to you, after which it gains the following benefits.
Your mount uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, a mount also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC and to its damage rolls. Your mount gains proficiency in all saving throws and two skills of your choice. For each level you gain after 3rd, your mount gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly.
Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your mount’s abilities also improve. Your mount can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your mount can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.
Your companion counts as a controlled mount and obeys your commands as best as it can. You can command it where to move, take the Dash, Disengage or Dodge action (no action required by you) or use choose to have your creature make an attack when you take the Attack action. However, your mount loses its ability to use the Multiattack action.
If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The beast never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack. Your mount also shares the benefits of your Natural Explorer, Favored Enemies, Land's Stride and Vanish features.
If your mount is ever slain, your magical bond allows you to return it to life. You call forth your animal's spirit and use your magic to form a new body for it over the course of 4 hours. You can also bond with a new creature at any time, following the original ritual. If you bond with a new beast, your current mount leaves you and is replaced by your new companion.
You mount shares your alignment and ideals, but has its own personality traits and flaws. Its bond is always “The ranger who travels with me is a beloved companion for whom I would gladly give my life.”
Mount Personality Traits
| d6 | Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m dauntless in the face of adversity. |
| 2 | I get bored easily and will find myself something to do. |
| 3 | People see my rider and overlook me. I use that to my advantage. |
| 4 | I stay on alert so that others can rest. |
| 5 | Threaten my friends, threaten me. |
| 6 | I always try to arrive first, even if we aren't competing. |
Mount Flaws
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'm skittish around narrow doorways and exits, I often require a tempting treat to go through. |
| 2 | If there’s food left unattended, I’ll eat it. |
| 3 | I growl at strangers, and all people except my ranger are strangers to me. |
| 4 | I sometimes forget I have a ranger riding me and dash under low branches and objects. |
| 5 | I panick when I'm not with my ranger. |
| 6 | I crave attention from my ranger and party. |
Squeezing into a Smaller Space
Even though your mount may be Large, it is still able to squeeze through Medium passages, at the following cost.
While squeezing through a space, a creature must spend 1 extra foot for every foot it moves there, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage while it’s in the smaller space.
Rider Conclave Spells
You learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know.
| Ranger Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | animal friendship |
| 5th | beast sense |
| 9th | phantom steed |
| 13th | dominate beast |
| 17th | awaken |
Regular Rider
Beginning at 3rd level, if you fall off your mount and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you are not incapacitated. Mounting and dismounting takes you only 5 feet instead of half your movement.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Magical Mount
Starting at 7th level, attacks made by your mount count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Additionally, when you cast a spell targeting yourself while mounted, you can also affect your mount with the spell.
Ravenous Ride
At 11th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Atrocious Arrow. While you are mounted and your mount moves at least 20 feet straight towards a creature, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when making ranged weapon attacks targeting that creature. When making the attack, the creature must be within 30 feet of you.
Bodacious Break. When your mount uses the Dash action while you are mounted, you can make a melee weapon attack using your bonus action after using the Attack action.
Ferocious Foray. While you are mounted, you can use your bonus action to allow your mount to use the Attack action.
Judicious Joust. While you are mounted, you can force a creature to succeed a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone when you hit it with a melee weapon attack after your mount moves at least 20 feet straight towards it.
Velocious Volley. After taking the Attack action using a ranged weapon, you can use your bonus action to make an additional ranged weapon attack while you are mounted.
Tenacious Team
At 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Daunting Duo. When a creature makes a melee attack against you or your mount while you are mounted, it has disadvantage on the attack roll when it is of a size smaller than your mount.
Protective Parry. While mounted, you can use a reaction to impose disadvantage on an attack that targets your mount, and your mount can use its reaction to impose disadvantage on an attack that targets you.
Shifting Stance. When your mount takes the Dodge action while you are mounted, you can use your bonus action to use the Dodge action as well.
Credits
Created by Rhaenon
Special thanks to Leuku and metaBot
Artwork: Orc Overlord by RAPHTOR
Artwork: Lizard Rider by LordHannu
Image Blending: Background Templates by AeronDrake