pathFinal Fantasy

Masters of the skies, Dragoons are known for their incredible ability to launch themselves into the air at heights unimaginable to anyone else, then using the force of gravity to deliver deadly strikes to their opponents, while also expertly dodging out of harm's way.

Role: Dragoons are mobile damage dealers with some unique utility options

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: D10

Starting Wealth: 5d6 x 10 gp (average 175 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Knowledge (Martial) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis)

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier

Table: Dragoon

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

A dragoon is proficient with all simple weapons and all weapons from the Spears and Polearms weapon groups (Including exotic weapons). Dragoons are proficient with light and medium armour. Dragoons are not proficient in shields.

Limit Break

At 1st level, a Dragoon gains the ability to use limit breaks. At the start of each day the Dragoon chooses Battle, Daredevil or Arcane (A dragoon counts his Dragonforces as spells for this purpose) as his limit break mode. When a Dragoon's Limit Break Gauge is filled, they may use a limit break from their chosen mode or the following limit break, unique to them:

Dragoon’s Pride: As a full round action, the Dragoon expends all charges of their limit break gauge as part of a charge. For each charge expended, the Dragoon counts their land speed as 10 feet higher for the purposes of Jump, and adds one progression of Lancet Damage per charge expended, up to a max of one charge per level of Dragoon. Lancet damage added by this manner cannot exceed the Dragoon’s current maximum Lancet damage from the class feature.

Mental Focus

At 1st level, the Dragoon selects Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, to determine what ability score his saving throw DCs and class features will use. Once made, the choice cannot be changed.

Pseudomagic

Though not an outright caster of spells, at 1st level, a dragoon can still tap into a reserve of raw, unrefined magic and use it in its rough form for general purposes. She gains a pool of magic points, as listed on the table, and gains bonus MP based on her focus modifier, using her class level as an effective caster level for such purposes. Additionally, her dragoon levels count as caster levels when meeting prerequisites for feats, and if she ever gains a caster level from another class, her dragoon levels stack with the caster level of the other class for the purposes of qualifying for and making use of item creation feats.

When the dragoon reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points while in combat, they regain a number of MP points equal to their Focus modifier + 1/4 their dragoon level. Destroying an unattended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the dragoon’s character level to 0 or fewer hit points doesn’t restore any magic points.

Lancet (Su)

Dragoons are able to imbue an energy into their weapon known as the Dragon Blade, or Lancet. Once per round, as part of a melee or thrown attack the dragoon may enhance their damage with that attack should it hit, dealing 1d6 points of non-elemental damage, plus another 1d6 every four levels thereafter. As part of declaring the use of Lancet, the dragoon must decide on a secondary effect listed below. This secondary effect can be halved with a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the dragoon's level + their Focus modifier):

• The dragoon is healed for an amount equal to the damage dealt by Lancet alone.
• If the target is dealt damage they lose a number of MP equal to the number of Lancet dice rolled, and the dragoon regains half that amount (minimum 1), up to their maximum MP.

This damage and the secondary effects are not affected by critical hits.

Jump (Ex)

Dragoons are incredibly adept at launching themselves into an airborne assault. As part of a charge action or move action, the Dragoon can jump, counting half their land speed as either vertical movement, horizontal movement, or both. They may also make an acrobatics check to jump, adding 25% of the total of that check to their maximum distance (rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5) of their jump, both vertical and horizontal.

For every 5 feet of height gained through this special charge, the dragoon can either add a +1 to the attack roll, or +1d4 precision damage. They ignore difficult terrain in the area through which they jump, but are still affected by difficult terrain in the area that they jump from or land in. If a barrier would prevent the dragoon from achieving the height of their charge they are treated as if they had achieved that height anyways for the purposes of Jump.

In addition, dragoons treat all falls as being 10 feet shorter to determine fall damage.

At 9th level, they use their full speed to determine distance on jumps instead of half. They also treat falls as being 30ft shorter to determine fall damage.

At 12th level, the dragoon may jump up to double their land speed horizontally. They take no fall damage.

Dragonforce (Su)

Dragoons can expend MP to perform feats of impressive emulation of their draconic heritage. Dragonforce counts as casting for the purposes of feats and item crafting, using Dragoon level as Caster Level for this purpose only. Most Dragonforces cost MP to use, and Dragoons can spend MP up to their level on a dragonforce.

All Dragoons can make use of the following Dragonforces:

Dragon Breath: Dragoons learn how to channel their draconic visage into a bellow of energy. As a standard action, the dragoon can perform a breath attack in a 15 foot cone, dealing 1d6 points of elemental damage (Ice, Fire, Lightning, Water, Earth or Wind, chosen upon using this ability) with a reflex save (DC 10 + half the dragoon's level + their Focus modifier) for half. At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the damage of this breath weapon increases by an additional 1d6. Each time the dragoon uses this ability, he must wait 1d4+1 rounds before using it again.

The dragoon can augment this ability by spending MP. For each additional point of MP spent, the damage increases by an additional 1d6 points (To a maximum number of damage dice equal to his caster level). Starting at 2MP spent and every 2MP thereafter, the cone increases by an additional 5ft. At 5, 10, 15 and 20 MP spent the damage dice increase by one step, to 1d8, 1d10, 2d6 and 2d8 respectively.

Deep Breath: The dragoon takes in a deep breath to center his inner ferocity. As a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity, the dragoon can take a deep breath to increase his caster level by +1 until the end of his turn or until he uses another Dragonforce; which then discharges the effect. Should he choose to use a standard action and spend 1 MP, he can choose to increase his caster level by an amount equal to his Focus modifier until the end of his next turn. This increase allows the dragoon to spend more MP on his Dragonforces than what is normally allowed. However, no matter which he chooses, the dragoon is fatigued for 1 round. The dragoon cannot use this Dragonforce while fatigued, nor can this fatigue be ignored with natural or magical immunities.

Ancient Circle: The dragoon quickly twirls his spear and makes the area around him layered with minor protective magicks. As a standard action at the cost of 1 MP, the dragoon can mark a 15ft area within 30ft as a "safe" zone of sorts. This creates a semi-solid, mildly translucent dome. Creatures within this zone receive a +1 cover bonus to AC and a +1 cover bonus to Reflex saves. For each additional MP spent, the dragoon can increase the cover bonus to AC and Reflex saves by 1, up to a maximum equal to his Focus modifier. The barrier cannot stop creatures from entering the vicinity, however, it counts as cover for the purposes of line and effect. The ancient circle lasts for a number of rounds equal to the MP spent on this ability.

Additionally at 1st level and every 3 levels thereafter, the dragoon may learn an additional Dragonforce from the following list: (A list of all Dragonforces is located here.)

Dragon Talent (Ex)

At 2nd level and every even level afterwards, the Dragoon can select one Dragon Talent. These modify and improve on other class features, or grant new ways for the Dragoon to maneuver and fight.

Dragon Talents can be found here.

Evasion (Ex)

At 2nd level and higher, a dragoon can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, they instead take no damage. Evasion can be used only if the dragoon is wearing light armor, medium armor or no armor. A helpless dragoon does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Gungnir (Ex/Su)

At 3rd level, the dragoon adopts deadly spear throwing techniques. These techniques were created in tandem with their aerial maneuvers to pierce dragon hide. As part of an attack action, a dragoon can declare the use of Gungnir. Make a thrown weapon attack roll with a -2 penalty. You treat the thrown weapon as having a range increment equal to his normal Jump distance. The dragoon may add an additional +1 circumstance bonus to his attack roll or +1d4 circumstance bonus to his damage roll per 10ft between the dragoon and his target. In addition, the dragoon may spend 1MP as a swift action to empower his next use of Gungnir or his next melee weapon attack. This effect is supernatural. Should a dragoon hit a hostile creature within 1 round after receiving this benefit, they ignore 1 point of damage reduction the creature may have; increasing by 1 for each MP spent after the first. If the dragoon makes a thrown weapon attack as part of this ability, the weapon returns to his hand at the end of his turn, even if the dragoon has moved since using Gungnir. Gungnir can only be performed with weapons from the Spear and Polearm weapon groups.

Armored Flexibility (Ex)

Starting at 3rd level, a dragoon learns to be more maneuverable while wearing armor. Whenever he is wearing armor, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1. Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, 15th and 19th), these bonuses increase by +1 each time, to a maximum –5 reduction of the armor check penalty and a +5 increase of the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed. The benefits of this ability do not stack with leather body, agility training or armor training.

In addition, a dragoon can also move at his normal speed while wearing medium armor. At 7th level, a dragoon can move at his normal speed while wearing heavy armor. (Though he does not become proficient in it.)

Jump Mastery (Ex)

At 5th level, the Dragoon gains a bonus to their Acrobatics equal to half their dragoon level (rounded down), does not suffer armor check penalties for armor when making acrobatics checks, and may use their Strength or Dexterity modifier for acrobatics skill checks. If the armor the dragoon is wearing inherently doesn't possess an armor check penalty (Such as due to being masterwork, made of special materials or due to his armor training class feature), he instead gains an additional bonus on acrobatics checks equal to the excess reduction. (For example, a chain shirt normally has an armor check penalty of -2. A 5th level dragoon wearing a mithral chain shirt would reduce the armor check penalty by 5, resulting in an excess reduction, and thus a bonus, of +3).

At 9th level, the bonus to Acrobatics becomes equal to their dragoon level, and they may add half of their total acrobatics check bonus to their Jump distance.

Anti-Air Strike (Ex)

At 6th level, The Dragoon can ready a charge action against a flying creature. As part of this readied action, the Dragoon may make a charge, using Jump, as normal, except they count their base land speed as 10ft higher for the purposes of jump, and the dragoon ends up a distance away from their starting position equal to their Jump movement, in the direction of the flying creature. If the flying creature is charging, the dragoon’s attack counts as though they were braced against the charge and their weapon had the brace feature.

Super Jump (Ex)

At 8th level, when using Jump as part of a charge, the dragoon may declare two different targets at least 10 feet apart, during the movement. The second attack gains half the same bonuses (rounded down) from Jump as the initial attack but is made at a -5 penalty to hit. Whilst using Super Jump, the dragoon does not need to charge in a straight line.

Fang And Claw (Ex)

At 11th level, the Dragoon's mastery of obliterating exposed weaknesses becomes apparent. Whenever the Dragoon is flanking a foe, both the dragoon and the ally the dragoon is flanking with adds his focus modifier to the normal +2 bonus.

Ultra Jump (Ex)

At 12th level, when using Jump as part of a charge, the dragoon may declare three different targets at least 10 feet apart from each other, during the movement. The second attack gains the same bonuses (rounded down) from Jump as the initial attack and is made at their highest bonus, whilst the third attack gains half the bonuses of the initial attack and is made at a -5 to hit. Whilst using Ultra Jump, the dragoon does not need to charge in a straight line.

Jumping Reposition (Ex)

At 14th level, when landing a charge improved with Jump, the dragoon may reposition themselves at any point around the target where they would still have the creature in reach of their weapon. This additional movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Battle Litany (Ex)

At 15th level, the Dragoon may let out a howl of battle, as a swift action. For a number of rounds equal to the Dragoon's focus modifier, all allies within 30 feet of the dragoon add the dragoon's focus modifier to confirming critical hits, and increase their critical threat range by 1 (20 becomes 19-20). This ability stacks with keen or other effects that boost critical threat range but is applied after. After the effect has ended, the dragoon must wait a number of rounds equal to 1d4 + his Focus modifier before using it again.

Blood Of The Dragon (Ex)

At 17th level, when the Dragoon uses his dragon breath ability, for the duration of the cooldown, they gain Strong: (Element) against that element. This applies only to the latest Elemental Breath Dragonforce used.

Gierskogul (Su)

At 18th level, as part of using Lancet, the Dragoon may extend it's area of effect to a 5ft wide line, with 15ft length plus an additional 5 ft length per +2 in the dragoon's Focus modifier. Creatures in that line that are not the target of the attack take the Lancet damage with no saving throw. Doing so reduces the damage to d4s, and the dragoon can use secondary effects only on the target of the attack as per normal.

Immense Dragonforce (Su)

At 20th level, the dragon’s energy flows freely through the dragoon. Whenever the dragoon spends MP on his Dragon Breath ability, the cooldown only applies to that element's cooldown, not to his other elements, though if he uses another element on his next turn, the new element shares the first element's cooldown, rather than rolling for a new cooldown. (For example, the dragoon uses fire breath and has a cooldown of three rounds, on his next turn he can use an ice breath, now both his fire breath and ice breath have a cooldown of two rounds. Likewise, if, on his third turn, he uses lightning breath, he only needs to wait one round to use his fire, cold and lightning breaths again.)

Archetypes