Dragoon (3.

5e Prestige Class)
By Monte Cook

"You can fly?!?"

Last words of the Elder Blue Dragon Karnifax. The Dragoons are a group of warriors dedicated to slaying large monsters. Of course, they are most famous for taking on dragons, to the point that many of them have a definite dragon motif to their armor. Armed with a the unique Dragoon Spear, Dragoons leap fearlessly into battle. It is hypothesized that the amazing physical abilities shown by a Dragoon are the result of natural talent for magic combined with a strict training regimen, and channeled towards something other than magic.

Requirements
Skills: Jump 8 Ranks Feats: Skill Focus: Jump Special:Heavy armor proficiency, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus in a spear-type weapon. Table: The Dragoon Hit Die: d8 Saving Throws Base Level Special Attack Bonus Fort Ref Will Evasion, Dragoon Combat Style, Dragoon Spear 1st +1 +2 +2 +0 +1 2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 Dragons Reach, Shape Dragoon Spear +1 3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Dragoon Spear +2, Imbue Dragoon Spear 4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Dragons Claw, Shape Dragoon Spear +2 5th +5 +4 +4 +1 Dragoon Spear +3, Improved Dragoon Style 6th +6 +5 +5 +2 Dragons Bite, Shape Dragoon Spear +3 7th +7 +5 +5 +2 Improved Evasion, Dragoon Spear +4 8th +8 +6 +6 +2 Shape Dragoon Spear +4 9th +9 +6 +6 +3 Master Dragoon, Dragoon Spear +5 10th +10 +7 +7 +3 Double Jump, Quicksilver Spear Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex)

Unless otherwise noted, all attack abilities of the Dragoon class may only be used against creatures at least one size larger than themselves. Evasion (Ex): Large creatures can often unleash really big blasts of fire or acid or some other unpleasantness. For this reason, Dragoons are trained in the arts of evasion. Should a Dragoon already have Evasion, the Dragoon gains any bonus feat from the Warrior bonus feat list except Weapon Specialization. Dragoon Combat Style (Ex): At 1st level, Dragoons learn the basics of the Dragoon Combat Style. Jump DCs are halved and the vertical jump check now uses the same rules as the horizontal jump check. In addition, the Dragoon may choose to add up to five feet per Dragoon class level to any jump at no penalty. Similarly, Dragoons jump extraordinarily quickly, letting them complete an entire jump no matter how far it is as a move action. Armor Check penalties no longer apply to Jump checks. Dragoons are always considered to benefit from a running start on Jump checks and gain immunity to falling damage and always land on their feet as long as the Dragoon is conscious, and Jumping out of combat does not provoke an attack of opportunity. This ability also forms the backbone of the Dragoon combat style: The Jump Attack. As long as the Dragoon jumps at least thirty feet, the Dragoon may perform a single attack at the end of the jump as a Full Round Action. He does double damage on a successful hit; if he's wielding a Dragoon Spear, he does triple damage and ignores point of armor or natural armor per 10 feet jumped, to a maximum of five. Note: Critical hits do not multiply jump attack damage. Rather, the damage multiplier of the weapon is added to the attack as if the Dragoon had used a normal attack with the weapon. Additionally, if the Dragoon wields a spear-type weapon, he may throw it using the standard rules for throwing weapons the Dragoon may add 5 feet per Dragoon class level to the distance of the throw, and reduces armor or natural armor by 1 per 10 feet thrown (maximum of 5). Thrown weapons do not benefit from jumping bonus damage. Dragoon Spear: Through their extensive experience fighting large creatures, Dragoon Orders have developed the ideal weapon to defeat them. The Dragoon Spear is a unique double weapon with a spear-like blade on one end, and a light melee weapon on the other. As part of their initiation into the Order, Dragoons design a spear that best fits their fighting needs. This spear is forged by master arcane craftsmen. Designed to reflect its wielders mastery, the Dragoon Spear continues to improve as the Dragoons soul continues to be refined by his training. The spear itself does not look like two weapons stuck together. Rather, it appears as an exquisitely crafted single-mold weapon unique to the wielder. All Dragoon Spears are made from mithral. This does not imbue any special qualities to the weapon in and of itself except that the shaft of the weapon is made from mithral instead of wood. Rather, the material is used as a focus through which the weapons magical qualities may be imbued. They are often scrawled with runes of power in Draconic and the wielders native language. In game terms, a Dragoon Spear is a double weapon with two different weapon types on each end. When wielded, the weapon may be used as either a two-handed weapon with reach or as a double

weapon. The player may choose which weapons make up his/her spear, with a few limitations. The primary weapon is the spear end, which must be made from a piercing or piercing/slashing polearm type weapon (Shortspear, Trident, Glaive, etc.), though Longspear and Halberd are the most common. The secondary weapon must be a light melee weapon (Dagger, Handaxe, Kukri, etc.). Scimitar and Shortsword are the most common choice, however Dragoons who often face undead sometimes choose blunt weapons such as the light mace. Beginning at level 1, the Dragoon Spear gains a +1 enchantment bonus. This bonus improves by +1 per 2 levels of Dragoon the character gains. Note: One cannot take feats or use powers with the target name Dragoon Spear. Rather, each end must be selected separately. For example, if a Dragoon had a Longspear/Shortsword Dragoon Spear, he would need to be proficient in both weapons to wield it effectively. The Dragoon must take feats like weapon focus for each end if s/he wanted the bonus for both, and with the exception of the Shape Dragoon Spear ability, below weapon enchantments only affect one end of the spear at a time. Dragons Reach (Ex): Dragoons are masters of their craft, and the reach of their spears makes it easier to damage vital points on their chosen foesbig, big monsters. At 2nd level, a Dragoon may use a reach weapon to attack adjacent squares as if it were not a reach weapon. The critical threat range with spears and lances and other piercing polearms is increased by 1. This stacks with other feats and abilities that increase the weapons critical threat range. Shape Dragoon Spear: Because of the magical enhancements built into the Dragoon Spear, the Dragoon learns how to shape the weapons properties. Beginning at Level 2 and increasing by +1 per two levels gained, the Dragoon may apply melee weapon special abilities (called Shapes by Dragoons) from the following list to his/her Dragoon Spear. +1: Bane (Large or greater only, Animals, Dragons, Giants, Elementals, Monstrous Humanoids, Magical Beasts and Undead only), Defending, Distance, Returning, Flaming, Frost, Shock, Corrosive, Thundering, Mighty Cleaving, Brutal Surge, Sudden Stunning +2: Anarchic, Axiomatic, Holy, Unholy, Flaming Burst, Icy Burst, Shocking Burst, Acidic Burst, Wounding, Fiercebane (Large or greater only, Animals, Dragons, Giants, Elementals, Monstrous Humanoids, Magical Beasts and Undead only), +3: Speed +4: Brilliant Energy, Dancing At higher levels, the Dragoon may imbue higher-power Shapes or multiple lower level Shapes to the Dragoon Spear. Multiple energy types (including alignment energy types) may only be placed on each end of the Dragoon Spear. Otherwise a single energy type and all other bonuses apply to both ends. To Shape his/her Dragon Spear requires a 2 hour ritual per +1 of the bonus applied. If interrupted, the Dragoon must begin the ritual again from the beginning. The Shapes applied to the spear remain until changed by the wielder.

Imbue Dragoon Spear: At third level, Dragoons learn the ability to combine martial prowess with Arcane might. While the Dragoon cannot cast spells of his own, he may imbue his spear with a single spell from another source. This source may be from a wand, a scroll, or even from a willing spellcaster (if cast by a spellcaster, he loses the spell slot used until the spell is triggered). The Dragoon may imbue a single spell whose level cannot exceed half of his Dragoon Class Levels (to a Maximum of 5). The Dragoon must declare he is using the Imbued Spear (Su) ability before he uses it. If the spell is a touch spell, the Dragoon must perform a jump attack; however if the spell is a ranged spell, he may instead throw the spear as a standard action using the rules for a thrown weapon under Dragoon Combat Style regarding armor negation and attack damage. The Dragoon may throw the spear a distance equal to the spells range as if he were making a standard melee attack. On a successful attack, the weapon deals Combat Style damage. When thrown, the Imbued Dragon Spear releases the stored spell. If the attack hits, the spell goes off on the target. If it misses, the spell is lost. Spells that usually offer a reflex save no longer allow a saving throw, however Will and Fortitude saves are made normally. Dragons Claw (Su): Dragoons with this ability have honed their ability to locate and exploit their foes weaknesses. As a full-round action, the Dragoon may make a devastating jumping attack against a single target. First, the Dragoon makes a Jump check with a DC +5 to land standing on the target, albeit briefly. When s/he lands on the target, s/he makes a touch attack. This attack functions just like a Dragoon Combat Style attack, however the Dragoon adds 1d6 damage for every 10 feet he fell. The Dragoon then leaps up to 10 feet away from the target. S/he may do this a number of times equal to half his/her Dragoon class levels. Improved Dragoon Style (Ex): All jump attacks, including Dragons Reach, are now considered Standard actions. The initial attack may now ignore up to 7 points of armor or natural armor per 10 feet jumped. The dragoon may make his appropriate number of offhand attacks or jump away per Dragoon Style jumping as a move action. Additionally, the Dragoon may now add up to 10 feet per Dragoon class level to any Jump check and any Throw check using a spear-type weapon. Giantkiller (Ex): A 6th-level Dragoon has some experience with killing big creatures, and has discovered a very interesting fact--big creatures have big vital areas. Of course, having a long weapon helps in exploiting these areas. When using a Dragoon Spear, both weapons critical threat ranges increase by one. This stacks with any other ability or weapon property that increases critical threat range. Improved Evasion (Ex): As the Rogue. If the Dragoon already has Improved Evasion, he gets a bonus feat from the list of Warrior bonus feats (except Weapon Specialization) for which he meets the prerequisites. Master Dragoon (Su):At this level, the Dragoons capacity for jumping and throwing knows no bounds. The dragoon may now add 20 feet per Dragoon class level to any throw or jump attack with a spear and these attacks may ignore 1 armor or natural armor per ten feet jumped/thrown to a maximum of 10. Thrown Dragoon Spears now deal double damage as if they were jump attacks with normal weapons. Jump attacks are now considered move actions, and the Dragoon may make a Full Attack action or make offhand attacks only and jump away after a successful jump attack.