[Final Fantasy] Revised Dragoon Knight - Feedback Please

Angelsboi

First Post
Dragoon Knight
The Dragoon Knights are a powerful force in the world of Ry'ia. Many rulers employ them for their armies. They come fromt he Order of Dragoon, a mystical, secret sect that no one knows where it originated or even is. People who need to employ the dragoon knights send word of their plight and soon enough, a dragoon knight comes calling.

Adventures: Most dragoon knights see adventures as adventures. They seek out training and self-discipline while trying to fulfill their contract to their employer.

Characteristics: All dragoon knights honor their contracts and never back out of it. They are stoic and always thinking. Some speak only when spoken too, but all dragoon knights share one quality. They are dealy with a lance-like weapon.

Alignment: Dragoon knights may be of any alignment. Good dragoon knights follow the teachings of the Order of Dragoon and help others where they may while fulfilling their contracts. Lawful dragoon knights follow the laws of Dragoon first and foremost and then the laws of their contractor second. Evil dragoon knights twist the laws to their own desires and will backstab their contractor if a better offer comes up.

Religion: Dragoon Knights worship one of three forgotten gods. Bahamut, the god of metallic dragons; Tiamat, the goddess of chromatic dragons or Sasha, the goddess of gem dragons. All dragoon knights worship one of these three deities, which, dictates their alignment of good, evil or neutral. They usually worship another god to cover up their true deity.

Background: Dragoon knights are all born and raised normally. When they come of age and show talent, a dragoon knight comes to the childs parents and ask them to take the child for training with the Order. The child very rarely sees his parents ever again.

Races: Anyone can become a dragoon knight if they have the potential. There is no racial boundries in the Order of Dragoon.

Other Classes: A dragoon knight can not focus on becoming anything other than a dragoon knight. If the dragoon knight chooses to make a pilgrimage to find their forgotten god, they can choose to become a dragoon priest, a dragoon knight who keeps all his abilities and classes over to cleric.

Game Rule Information
Abilities:
Strength is a good quality for a dragoon knight to have as it deals with their jump ability. Dexterity and Constitution are also good stats to have for a higher armor class and higher hit points.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d10
Skill Pts per level: 4 + Int Mod
Class Skills: The dragoon knight's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb(Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A dragoon knight is proficient with the following weapons: Duom (Sword and Fist), Shortspear, Ranseur, Longspear, Glaive, Guisarme and Halberd. Dragoon knights can not use any other weapons than those listed above. Dragoon knights are proficient with light and medium armor and also proficient with shields.

TABLE: The Dragoon Knight

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
------- ------- ------ ------ ------ -----------

1 +1 +0 +2 +0 Dragoon Blessing, Inner Training, Leap
2 +2 +0 +3 +0
3 +3 +1 +3 +1 Inner Training
4 +4 +1 +4 +1
5 +5 +1 +4 +1 Leap +1d4
6 +6/+1 +2 +5 +2 Inner Training
7 +7/+2 +2 +5 +2
8 +8/+3 +2 +6 +2
9 +9/+4 +3 +6 +3 Inner Training
10 +10/+5 +3 +7 +3 Leap +1d4
11 +11/+6/+1 +3 +7 +3
12 +12/+7/+2 +4 +8 +4 Inner Training
13 +13/+8/+3 +4 +8 +4
14 +14/+9/+4 +4 +9 +4
15 +15/+10/+5 +5 +9 +5 Inner Training, Leap +1d4
16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 +10 +5
17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5
18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 Inner Training
19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6
20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Leap +1d4

Dragoon Blessing: When a dragoon knight leaves the order and heads out to fulfill the contract, they are given a spear (a weapon of their choice that they can use) blessed by the High Dragoon priest. The Dragoon Blessing increases as per the table below. You must be the appropriate character level and spend the required XP in order to 'invoke' a new Dragoon Blessing.

Table: Dragoon Blessing
Weapon Level XP Cost Character Level
-------------------- ------------ ----------------------

1 80 4
2 320 7
3 720 9
4 1280 11
5 2000 13
6* 2880 14
7* 3920 15
8* 5120 16
9* 6480 17
10* 8000 18

* weapons cannot gain higher than +5 but additional abilities are used as per making a magic weapon

Inner Training: At 1st level, the dragoon knightd gets a bonus feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to humans. The dragoon knight gains an additional bonus feat at 3rd level and every three levels thereafter (6th, 9th, 12th, etc.). These bonus feats must be drawn from the following list: Ambidexterity, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge (Mobility, Spring Attack), Expertise (Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Whirlwind Attack), Improved Critical*, Improved Initiative, Mantis Leap, Power Attack (Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Sunder, Great Cleave), Quick Draw, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization*.

Some of the bonus feats available to a dragoon knight cannot be acquired until the fighter has gained one or more prerequisite feats; these feats are listed parenthetically after the prerequisite feat. A dragoon knight must still meet all prerequisites for a feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.

*Weapon Specialization: On achieving 4th level or higher, as a feat the dragoon knightmay take Weapon Specialization. Weapon Specialization adds a +2 damage bonus with a chosen weapon. The fighter must have Weapon Focus with that weapon to take Weapon Specialization. The dragoon knight may take this feat as a bonus feat or as a regular one.

Leap: At 1st level, the dragoon knight gains the ability of leap of the clouds. His jumping is no longer limited by his height. Also, at 1st level, a dragoon knight can declare a leap attack. A leap attack is a Charge attack that the dragoon knight can perform in any direction, be it skyward, vertically, or even upside-down. Like a Charge, a Leap attack requires the dragoon knight to move at least 10 feet (at most, double move), but this requirement is easily circumvented by the fact that a dragoon knight needs to leap upwards for at least ten feet before they can descend as an attack. A Leap attack provokes an attack of opporunity ONLY from the target of the attack, and only at the end of the attack. In addition to usual Charge benefits, the dragoon knight deals double damage when using a his weapon as if he were mounted. Lastly, the dragoon knight deals an extra amount of damage (+1d4 at first level, +1d4 every additional five levels) as well as a +1 attack bonus for attacking from a higher vantage point. Note that opponents with reach can strike at the dragoon knight only AFTER the attack, effectively losing the benefits of their reach.

A dragoon knight must move at least 10 feet + the target's height to get the benefits of their special attack. If they don't, it counts as a miss. Example: A dragoon knight must leap 48 feet vertically if he wishes to attack a monster that is 38 feet high. Evidently, Large creatures and even bigger ones might require the dragoon knight to get close enough normally so they can jump attack the next turn, using double move distance to get high enough.

In exchange for the Leap attack, a dragoon knight suffers the Charge penalties for the next two rounds. Also, upon landing, the dragoon knight must succeed a Reflex save (DC 1/2 of Distance travelled) or be flat-footed for the round.

A Spot check (DC 20) can permit the player to receive a hint on the height of the target. The player must then guess what the height would be.

Another note, a Dragoon who loses his spear cannot use his Leap ability.
 
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Too many 1st level abilities. Let's compare to Fighter:

Bonus Feat

And now, Dragoon:

Dragoon Blessing, Inner Training, Leap

I don't think the trade of a few weapons/armors for 2 skill points is balanced, either. Maybe, if you put Inner Training at 2nd level?

Oh, and I was really having fun with the PbP. It would be great if you wanted to start Tomorrow People up again. :)
 


The Dragoons Blessing is much like the Samurai's ancestrial diasho and Leap of the clouds doesnt do much really.

I used the Class Construction Kit. I also made it so that if they lose their weapon, they dont have access to their leap ability (this includes damage and leap of the clouds)
 

Have you made any changes to the other classes in your campaign? Also, have you introduced other FF classes?

The reason I ask is that the Dragoon Knight is unbalanced to the core classes, however, if you've house-ruled the cores and added new classes, the DK's may be balanced for them, and that is the real question.
 

it was used by the Class Construction kit. I revised Sorcerrers in my world but its hardly unbalanced. They lose their spear, they are pretty much SOL
 

Another good conversion Angelsboi,

I think the Dragoon's Leap Attack ability is underpowered though. At most, a dragoon gains +5d4 damage but with charge attacks, he gives up every other attack action he has. Not only this, but he also has twice the chance to fail, as jumping compared to charging takes a check which the dragoon can fumble. I would suggest to perhaps change either the damage to the rogue's progression, although d4's (but you're not stepping on a rogue's territory since it can't apply to every attack), perhaps make it at 12th level a Knight can double the damage he does from his strength modifier with each attack.

Also, I don't know how this mechanic would work but perhaps allow Dragoons to benefit from Spring Attack while using Leap Attack, which is what it looks like they do from the FF games.

That's all from me, hope I could help.
 


As with the Runic Knight, I'd consider Dragoons to be a 10 level PrC- probably one that can be jumped into (guffaw) around 5th level, with reqs being ranks in Jump, a decent bab so rogues don't go flippy over it as fast as fightin types do. Like celes turning heads with her status as a RK, everyone's head would turn as Kain walked through the castle alongside Cecil (whose Dark Knight status is also PrC imo)... hell, I pretty much most classes are PrCs in FF world- save Fighter, Black, White, Red wizard, Monk, Rogue. hehe

I'd also consider some other qualities/alternatives:
1- Perhaps a Dragoon's leap attack's bonus dragon is variable by how high he jumps each time he does so... so if he jumps 11-15 ft = +1dX. 16-20 ft = +2dX... so on. I recommend this so that a Dragoon focusing on jumping will benefit for it, and so that some things, like jumping around in dungeon areas with 10 ft high ceilings, doesn't become ridiculous. Your dragoons will hoot with joy when your main-boss guys enjoy high-domed lairs.

2- Dragoons in the game were pretty much immune to everything up in the air. A tac-nuke could go off, wiping out the rest of the party and the Dragoon would land and go "What the heck happened?" If you wanted to make this effect come to life in the game, consider giving dragoons either straight bonuses to their saves and ac while in flight, or even cover for really jumping high (although rationalizing the cover would be hard.)
 

1- Perhaps a Dragoon's leap attack's bonus dragon is variable by how high he jumps each time he does so... so if he jumps 11-15 ft = +1dX. 16-20 ft = +2dX... so on. I recommend this so that a Dragoon focusing on jumping will benefit for it, and so that some things, like jumping around in dungeon areas with 10 ft high ceilings, doesn't become ridiculous. Your dragoons will hoot with joy when your main-boss guys enjoy high-domed lairs

I was thinking about suggesting that as well, but keep in mind, if you're using DnD items, a Ring of Jumping would easily double, or even triple the damage a dragoon could do if it was based off of height...
 

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