Dragon Knight

THE DRAGON KNIGHT CLASS HAS BEEN UPDATED, YOU CAN FIND v8 HERE

A human clad in gleaming plate armour stares down a snarling owlbear, slowly reaching for the lance strapped across her back. The owlbear charges before she can reach her weapon, but a gout of fire from the sky stops the owlbear in its tracks. The gold dragon lands in front of the human, its eyes burning with a fiery vengeance as it snorts, causing flames to billow from its nostrils. Mounting her dragon, the human lets out a war cry as the dragon takes off into the air.

Pulling the bowstring back, the elf whispers a few hushed words as an arcane fire erupts around the goblins below. Lightning sparks at the tip of his arrow, and he grins to himself as he fires at the goblin chief. The arrow finding its mark, the goblin chief can barely cry for help as lightning explodes from his body, arcing off to his nearby guards.

Shouting a war cry, the dwarf waves his banner in the air, a wave of energy flowing over the battlefield as his allies, a human and a halfling, harass an ogre. The ogre, seeing the origin of this magic, stampedes towards the dwarf, but is quickly stopped as a dragon, its scales shining a brilliant bronze, spews lightning forth from its maw.

Reaching her hand out, the halfling brushes the hair out of the eyes of the small boy who lies in the rubble of the collapsed building. A shield of divine magic wraps around his small frame as the halfling pulls him into her arms, carrying him to safety.

Scowling to himself, the half-orc looks around the darkened cave for his quarry. Letting out a short whistle, a dark dragon, onyx in colour, seems to appear from the shadows with a dead drow in its maw. Rolling his eyes, the half-orc makes a motion with his hands, and the dragon spits out the drow, a sheepish expression on its reptilian face as a shadow begins to rise from the corpse.

While different in personality and fighting styles, all of these heroes are dragon knights, a champion who fights alongside a dragon companion. Tough, relentless and unyielding, dragon knights and their dragons never give up, fighting to either heroic or devious ends.

Quick Build

You can make a dragon knight quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength your highest ability score. Your next highest ability score should be Constitution if you plan to focus on melee combat, or Charisma if you want to improve your overall subclass features. Second, choose the Soldier background.

Covenant

Each dragon knight has a different story to tell when it comes to how they met their dragon. The way a dragon and knight first meet often set up how they interact for the rest of their lives, and a bad first impression can prove disasterous to their bond.

When you consider the creation of this covenant, also consider the following: were you and your dragon both willing, and does your character ever regret the bond?

Class Features

As a dragon knight, you gain the following class features.

Dragon Covenant

Also, as an action, you can create small sensory effects appropriate to the colour of your dragon, similar to the ones described under the prestidigitation spell.

A dragon knight who makes a covenant with a red dragon might be able to create small puffs of smoke or sparks.

Finally, you can speak, read, and write Draconic.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a fighting style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Draconic Nature

Beginning at 11th level, the dragon's claw attacks deal an additional 1d4 slashing damage, you gain resistance to the damage type appropriate to your dragon, and can choose one of the following benefits:

Scales. A thin layer of scales covers your body. While you are not wearing armour, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier. You can still wield a shield and get this benefit.

Eyes. Your eyes become dragon-like, and you gain proficiency in the Perception and Investigation skills. You also have advantage on any (Wisdom) Perception or (Intelligence) Investigation checks based on sight.

Tail. Your spine extends and you grow a scaled, muscular tail. Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, you can whip around and attempt to shove a creature within 10 feet of you as a bonus action.

Legacy of the Dragon

At 13th level, you have taken on a dragon's extended lifespan. You age only one year for every ten years that pass, and can't be aged magically.

Titanic Roar

Starting at 14th level, your dragon can let loose a vicious roar, filling nearby creatures with dread.

As an action on its turn, your dragon can roar. Any number of creatures of its choice within 20 feet of the dragon must make a Wisdom saving throw against the dragon's breath weapon DC. On a failed save, creatures are frightened by the dragon for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn, ending the effect on a success.

Once your dragon has used this ability, it can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Ancient Resistance

At 17th level, you can shrug off even the most dangerous effects. Whenever you or your dragon would fail a saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Essence of the Covenant

At 20th level, the bond between you and your dragon is so strong that you can suffer each other's blows. Whenever you or your dragon would take damage, if you are within 30 feet of each other, either of you can take the damage for the other, causing them not to take the damage. Instead, the one who used the ability takes the damage. This damage can’t be reduced or prevented in any way.

Additionally, you automatically succeed on the ability check you make to restore your dragon to life.

Rider Practice

The bond between a dragon knight and their dragon is strong, but those of the Rider Practice take that even further beyond. They seek to live and to die beside their dragon, a sentiment shared by the dragon itself. While not all riders mount their dragons, those who don't are rare. Those of the Rider Practice fight in tandem with their dragon, and win in tandem with them.

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you heighten your battle ferocity with the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 of the Player's Handbook for the sorcerer spell list.

Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn an additional sorcerer cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots. The Elemental Practice Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spells level or higher. You regain all expended slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the first level spell chromatic orb and have a 1st-level and 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast chromatic orb using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. You know two 1st-level sorcerer spells of your choice, one of which you must choose from the evocation and transmutation spells on the sorcerer spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Elemental Spellcasting table shows when you can learn more sorcerer spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an evocation or transmutation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st of 2nd level.

The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the sorcerer spells you know with another spell of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an evocation or transmutation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 8th, 14th, or 20th level.

Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells, since your magic draws from the power and dominance of dragons. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Valiant Banner

Additionally at 3rd level, you can imbue a glaive, halberd, pike, spear or trident with your magic. During the course of a short or long rest, you can spend 1 hour to create this special weapon. You can only have one special weapon made this way at a time; if you create a new special weapon, the previous weapon loses its magic.

The weapon's damage type is the same as the dragon's relevant damage type (e.g. a dragon knight with a red dragon will have a weapon that deals fire damage), rather than its normal damage type.

Symbol of Inspiration

Also at 3rd level, you can use your banner to inspire your allies to greater feats of strength. As an action, you can wave your banner until the start of your next turn. When you do so, an allied creature can use a bonus action while within 10 feet of you to gain one of the following effects, which you choose when you wave your banner.

Banner of Might. While in this banner’s range, an ally can activate the effect of the banner to add 1d4 damage to any weapon attacks they make until the start of their next turn. The additional damage's type is the same as your dragon's relevant damage type.

Banner of Resilience. While in this banner’s range, an ally can activate the effect of the banner to increase its AC by 1 until the start of its next turn.

Banner of Agility. While in this banner’s range, an ally can activate the effect of the banner to double its movement speed until the end of its turn.

Alternatively, you can choose to plant the banner in the ground after choosing an effect, placing it in an empty space within 5 feet of you. When you do so, an you and your allies can interact with your banner in the same way as though you were waving it using a bonus action. The banner remains for 1 minute, and can't be reclaimed or used as a weapon during this time. After you plant your banner, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Battle Standard

Beginning at 7th level, whenever you use your action to wave your valiant banner, if your dragon companion can see you, it can use its reaction to make a melee attack.

In addition, the banner’s range while planted increases to 30 feet. Its range is also increased to 30 feet if you wave it while you are within 5 feet of your dragon.

Valiant Strike

At 10th level, whenever a creature would make an attack against you while you are waving the banner, you can make an attack against that creature as a reaction.

Platinum Practice

A few dragon knights worship the Platinum Dragon, Bahamut. These few are members of the Platinum Practice, and are dedicated to preserving the lives of their allies and the innocent.

Shadow Practice

Dragon knights who revere dark magic, or even strive to cause suffering in others, make up members of the Shadow Practice. Dark and elusive, these dragon knights use misdirection and guile to gain the upper hand in battle.

Black Dragon

Medium dragon, (alignment same as knight)

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• Armour Class 15 (natural armour)
• Hit Points 9 (1d10 + 3)
• Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft., swim 20 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	10 (+0)	8 (-1)	12 (+1)

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• Saving Throws Same as knight
• Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
• Damage Immunities acid
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
• Languages Draconic

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Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.

Actions

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.

Green Dragon

Medium dragon, (alignment same as knight)

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• Armour Class 15 (natural armour)
• Hit Points 9 (1d10 + 3)
• Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft., swim 20 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	10 (+0)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	8 (-1)	12 (+1)

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• Saving Throws Same as knight
• Skills Perception +4, Stealth +3
• Damage Immunities poison
• Condition Immunities poisoned
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
• Languages Draconic

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Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.

Actions

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.

White Dragon

Medium dragon, (alignment same as knight)

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• Armour Class 15 (natural armour)
• Hit Points 9 (1d10 + 3)
• Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 30 ft., swim 20 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	8 (-1)	10 (+0)	14 (+2)

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• Saving Throws Same as knight
• Skills Perception +5, Stealth +3
• Damage Immunities cold
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
• Languages Draconic

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Ice Walk. The dragon can move across across and climb icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra movement.

Actions

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.