Dragon Knight
Returning from combat, a battered and exhausted human kneels in front of a dragon. Hands trembling as they lay down their cold steel blade. Their dissonant breathing harmonizes slowly with the breadths of their master.
A stoic half-orc stands tall as purple plasma bursts from the night sky, vaporizing the front gates to the city. Moments later, guards are being struck down by his blinding blade.
Emerging from the salt flats, a human laughs as her traps disable a royal's wagon of supplies. Breathing flames on what remains of the royal and guards, she sends these supplies through the cold tunnels she carved all the way to aid the slums.
A half-elf flies above a pack of goblins with draconic wings. He surprises them, raining down oil that only angers them before the oil ignites. Creating a thunderous roar of explosions and screams.
Dragon knights, whomever they are, carry around a strong connection to a dragon. One that has impacted their life and has allowed them to fight like a dragon themselves. They know what it is like to be the weak and the strong. To strike the balance between good and bad is their virtue and their ruthlessness is their mercy.
Emissaries of Wyrms
Dragon knights have peculiar fighting styles because they have peculiar masters. It is not uncommon for dragon knights to be the most effective and cherished minion of dragon. It is because of their consistent, positive results towards aiding the dragon that they have been able to spend time being close enough to observe and imitate their masters. This means that the hands of any given dragon knight are dirtied beyond the standard measure and hated by those that once fell victim to their master's wishes.
A dragon knight may be sent to a village in order to negotiate the terms of surrender or tribute to the dragon. In times of resistance it would be the dragon knight's responsibility to tame and suppress the rowdy village for disobedience.
Life of Fear
After surviving the fear of dragon first hand, dragon knights are able to carry themselves in a similar manner. Inflicting fear among their victims and extorting them for their worth. Or the dragon knight can carry themselves with great stoicism, being the pillar that those who have yet to fear as they had lean against.
Not all dragon knights are dragon knights because they want to. Some have become dragon knights out of fear for their own life. Grasping at any opportunity to survive. A dragon giving an individual the opportunity to serve or be killed can barely be called a choice.
A dragon knight could have become one by witnessing multiple fights between two dragons. Knowing how dangerous draogns are they could have imitated each of the dragons skills and putting them to use through mercenary or bandit work.
Creating a Dragon Knight
As you create your dragon knight think of who their master is and the dynamic that your dragon knight has with their master. A good dragon knight is not guaranteed to come from learning how to fight from a good dragon. Likewise an evil dragon knight could have come from learning from a good dragon. It depends on how the dragon knight first came into contact with the dragon that they learn from and the events that unfolded after.
Another thing to heavily think about is why your dragon knight is by themselves, away from the dragon they learned from. Are they on mission for their dragon? Did they finally find an opening in the dragons trust to run away for good? Did they observe and study dragons in order to become a dragon knight?
Quick Build
You can make a dragon knight quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the outlander background for a more rugged and survivor oriented dragon knight or noble (knight variant) for a more decorated and celebrated dragon knight.
Art Credit: Knight
Dragon Knight
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Dragon's Fang | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Dragon's Fang, Spellcasting | 1d4 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Dragon Knighthood | 1d4 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Scale Guard | 1d4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 1d4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Instill Resolve | 1d6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Dragon Knighthood Feature | 1d6 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d6 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | ─ | 1d6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Banner of Valiance | 1d6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Dragon Knighthood Feature | 1d8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | ─ | 1d8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Domination | 1d8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Blind Sense | 1d8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | ─ | 1d10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Dragon Knighthood Feature | 1d10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Wings of Desolation | 1d10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Class Features
As a Dragon Knight, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per Dragon Knight level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Dragon Knight level after 1st.
Proficiencies
- Armor: light armor, medium armor, shields
- Weapons: simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Strength, Intelligence
- Skills: Choose two from skills from Athletics, Acrobatics, Arcana, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion, Stealth, Survival, and Nature
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) scale mail or (b) leather armor
- (a) A battleaxe and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
- (a) Five javelins or (b) Any simple melee weapon
- (a) A diplomat's Pack or (b) An explorer's Pack
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
- Ability Score Minimum: Strength 13, Intelligence 13
- When you gain a level in a class other than your first, you gain only some of that class's starting proficiencies.
- Armor: light armor
- Weapons: simple weapons
Dragon's Fang
The power of dragons begin to manifest through you. You learn to speak, read, and write Draconic or one other language of your choice.
Once per turn after casting a spell of any level or when you have more than one hostile creature within reach, you gain a bonus to your next attack equal to 1d4.
Additionally you may change the type of damage that this attack deals deals, which can be chosen between acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder.
This die changes as you gain Dragon Knight levels, as shown in the Dragon's Fang column of the Dragon Knight table.
Art Credit: Dragon
Spellcasting
By 2nd level you learn to draw upon the might of dragons and speak their ancient language to cast spell. See chapter 10 (Players Handbook) for the general rules of spellcasting.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Dragon Knight table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Dragon Knight spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of Dragon Knight spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Dragon Knight spell list. When you do so, choose a number of Dragon Knight spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Dragon Knight level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 3rd-level Dragon Knight, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cause fear, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of Dragon Knight spells requires time spent meticulously planning and changing your body: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Dragon Knight spells. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Dragon Knight spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell Save DC
Spell attack modifier
Fighting Style
Beginning level 2, you adopt a particular 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.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Blind Fighting
You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Unarmed Fighting
Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8.
At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.
Dragon Knighthood
At 2nd level, you become part of a dragon's knighthood. Committing yourself fighting with the power and style of a type of dragon, gaining like minded brothers and sisters in the process.
Your choice grants features at 2nd level, and again at 7th, 11th, and 18th level.
Scale Guard
Beginning 3rd level you draw on the defensive strength of dragons. As a bonus action or reaction, you may create a protective ward that lasts for the next minute once per long rest. Scale guard wards can be created additional times per day by expending one spell slot of any level.
Upon reaching 6th level, you may create a ward around an ally that you can see within 30 feet of yourself.
The ward has hit points equal to that of twice your proficiency modifier. Whenever you take damage, the ward takes the damage instead. If this damage reduces the ward to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage and the ward vanishes.
Upon being reduced to 0 hit points, the ward will explode around you, dealing twice your dragon fang damage die to hostile creatures around you in a 5ft radius as force damage.
Art Credit: Purple Dragon
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Instill Resolve
Starting at 6th level, you can use either your action or bonus action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you or an ally to be charmed or frightened.
Domination
At 14th level, all things are yours to wield and they themselves reveal how to use them effectively to you.
- You ignore all class, race, spell, and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item.
- You may add half of your proficiency rounded down to all saving throws you are not proficient in.
Blind Sense
You gain acute senses that help you fight creatures you can't see. When you attack a creature you can't see, your inability to see it doesn't impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it. You are also aware of the location of any invisible creature within 15 feet of you.
Wings of Desolation
Starting 20th level, you are bestowed an honor among all Dragon Knights that represent your conviction. You gain the ability to sprout a pair of dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed. You can create these wings as a bonus action on your turn. They last until you dismiss them as a bonus action on your turn.
You can't manifest your wings while wearing armor unless the armor is made to accommodate them, and clothing not made to accommodate your wings might be destroyed when you manifest them.
Art Credit: Dragoborne
Orange Dragon Knight
The popping noise of the orange dragon's oil breath still rattles in your head. A dangerous and torturous death, being soaked in oil and flames. That must be why you've learned it to hear your enemies pop like fresh popcorn has some how awakened a new sadistic joy within you. Watch how they struggle to move and escape you before igniting and joining the sea of flames.
Amphibious
Beginning 2nd level, your power will conquer and command creatures no matter the location. You gain the ability to breath underwater.
Oil and Fire
Upon reaching 2nd level all of your melee attacks now Drench enemies in oil. As a bonus action you may Ignite a drenched creature within 30 feet of you. After two rounds, drenched creatures will automatically ignite.
This oil is extremely viscous, and almost impossible to remove, save perhaps the application of an entire vial of universal solvent.
-
Drench. This creature is covered in oil and can be ignited.
-
Ignite. Your attack ignites drenched targets, dealing two dragon fang die as fire damage. If multiple targets are within 5 feet of each other. When one target ignites, all hostile creatures within a 5 foot radius of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take two dragon fang die damage as well. If the creature is drenched, and they fail the saving throw. They are then ignited themselves.
Quagmire
Starting 7th level, creatures that are drenched find the oil to be fighting their movements, slowing them by 15 feet of movement.
Additionally Oil and Fire's ignition deals an additional damage die to targets.
As an action you may also create a 15 foot cone of oil. All creatures within the area must make a Dexterity saving throw or become drenched. You do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.
Conflagration
Upon reaching 11th level, when a drenched creature makes an attack towards you or an allied creature that you can see. You may expend your reaction to ignite the oil early. Upon doing so the targeted creature must also make a Constitution saving throw against your Spell Save DC or miss their attack and ignite. On a successful save, the attack still goes through and the creature takes half the ignition damage.
This must be done before their attack is counted to have hit or not.
Additionally Oil and Fire's ignite deals an additional damage die to drenched targets.
Fissure Flame
Starting 18th level when a creature reduces a scale guard ward to 0 hit points, all hostile creatures within a 15 foot radius of the protected creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell Save DC or become drenched.
The radial blast of ignitions also increase to a 15 foot radius.
Yellow Dragon Knight
You've been in to many fights that have gone south to play fair now. Every trick is on the table and there is no end to your creativity. Be faster than your enemies, be as resourceful as can be, punish the unaware and remember that not everybody plays by the rules.
Quick Footed, Quick Minded
At 2nd level, your speed becomes one more tool for you to exploit, you gain an additional 10 feet of movement speed and proficiency in tinker's tools and an artisan's tool of choice.
Inquisitive Traps
At 2nd level your take the wit and ingenuity of dragons, crafting traps that can be laid down for enemies to activate.
To use this ability, you must have tinker's tools or a set of artisan's tools in hand.
All traps have 5 hit points and an AC 10. These traps can be thrown out to 30 feet and will activate once a creature is within 5 feet of the trap unless otherwise stated.
You may have a maximum of traps created by this feature equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum one) at any one time. If you make more than your maximum number of traps, the oldest trap breaks. Upon finishing a long rest you may make one type of trap a number of times up to your maximum number of traps.
Ambush
Starting 7th level, you learn how to set ambushes and burrow through the earth in order to catch your prey. You gain a burrow speed equal to your movement speed.
Once per turn upon attacking a creature, you may add an additional 2 Dragon's Fang die to the attack if you have advantage on the attack roll.
You don't need advantage on the attack roll if you unburrow within reach of the targeted creature.
You gain an additional Dragon's Fang die at 11th and 18th level.
Salting Wounds
Beginning 11th level, your attacks bring more pain to wounded creatures. When dealing damage to a creature that is below their maximum hit points, your additional damage from Ambush and your Inquisitive Traps increases in dice size.
For example: at 11th level, Ambush will deal 3d8 Dragon's Fang damage which is increased to 3d10 when attacking a creature below their maximum hit points.
Burrow Maker
At 18th level your mind grows sharper as you see the ways to carefully construct natural tunnels. Carefully using your dragon's might to carve through the earth.
- You can burrow through solid stone as if it were difficult terrain.
- You can choose to create a supported mineshaft, when using this feature you move 10ft. every minute creating a 5ft. wide tunnel behind you as you move.
Traps
- Salt Sprinkler The sprinkler blankets the area with salt, turning all terrain within a 15 foot radius into difficult terrain. Any time a creature walks through this blanketed area, they must make a Dexterity check against your spellcasting modifier or fall prone due to the uneven and slippery terrain.
- Razorwire Mine Steel wire explodes in a tornado around the mine. All creatures within a 5 foot radius of the mine must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking three dragon's fang die slashing damage or half as much on success.
- Saline Smoke You create a 15 foot radius area of salted smoke, heavily obscuring the space for all creatures within the area. Creatures that start their turn or enter this area while below their maximum hit points take one dragon's fang die force damage.
- Blinding Trap When the creature touches this trap it explodes in a flash of light and any creature within 15ft of the trap must make a Constitution saving throw or be blinded for the next turn.
- Harpoon Trap The creature that touches this trap are met with a large spike and must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 2 dragon fang die piercing damage and be restrained for the following turn.
- Deafening Trap The trap explodes in a deafening sound, all creatures within 15 feet of the mine must make a Constitution saving throw or become deafened and take 2 dragon fang die thunder damage. This mine also creates sound audible out to 500 feet.
Purple Dragon Knight
Wield your intelligence with blinding efficacy, domineer the weak during the day. At night cut down the strong and foolish with your brilliant flame. Know your strength, but do not give concessions to their transgressions. Burn your enemies down with heated rage and plasma.
Subsurface Seer
Starting 2nd level, your eyes become accustomed to dark lighting of caverns and the night sky. You gain darkvision out to 60 feet.
Master of Tactics
Starting at 2nd level, you can use the Help action as a bonus action. Additionally, when you use the Help action to aid an ally in attacking a creature, the target of that attack can be within 30 feet of you, rather than within 5 feet of you, if the target can see or hear you.
Blinding Flame
At 7th level, you gain resistance to lightning and fire damage. In addition, whenever you start casting a spell of 1st level or higher that deals lightning or fire damage, a blinding light bursts forth. All creatures of that you can see within 10 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw or become blinded for the next minute.
A creature blinded by this effect makes another Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, it is no longer blinded.
Insightful Tactician
Beginning 11th level, your dragon's fang die can be used any number of times per turn, and may use it when you have advantage on the attack roll as well.
When making an attack, you may also forgo the additional bonus to your roll to hit from dragon's fang and instead gain additional elemental damage to your attack equal to your dragon fang die.
Plasmatic Burn
Starting 18th level, when you use your dragon's fang to increase your damage instead of your roll to hit. The amount of dragon's fang die damage doubles to two dragon's fang die.
Additionally, spells of 1st level or higher level that deal fire and lightning damage, cast by you, ignore elemental resistances. This resistance mitigation also applies to your dragon's fang die damage when dealing fire or lightning damage.
1st Level
- Absorb Elements
- Burning Hands
- Catapult
- Ceremony
- Command
- Detect Magic
- Detect Poison and Disease
- Disguise Self
- Expeditious Retreat
- Feather Fall
- Jump
- Longstrider
- Searing Smite
- Thunderous Smite
- Wrathful Smite
- Zephyr Strike
2nd Level
- Aganazzar's Scorcher
- Barkskin
- Branding Smite
- Continual Flame
- Darkvision
- Dragon's Breath
- Enhance Ability
- Enlarge/Reduce
- Locate Animals or Plants
- Locate Object
- Magic Weapon
- Nathair's Mischief
- Rime's Binding Ice
- Silence
3rd Level
- Ashardalon's Stride
- Blinding Smite
- Conjure Barrage
- Fear
- Flame Arrows
- Intellect Fortress
- Lightning Bolt
- Lightning Arrow
- Protection from Energy
- Speak with Dead
- Thunder Step
- Tidal Wave
- Wind Wall
4th Level
- Confusion
- Dominate Beast
- Fire Shield
- Ice Storm
- Raulothim's Psychic Lance
- Staggering Smite
- Stoneskin
5th Level
- Cone of Cold
- Conjure Volley
- Control Winds
- Hold Monster
- Immolation
- Maelstrom
- Steel Wind Strike
- Swift Quiver
Art Credit: through the fire and flames ;)
