pathFinal Fantasy

Powerful warriors capable of manipulating ki to great extremes. Their signature technique is known as “power transformation”, allowing them to utilise the ki within their bodies to strengthen themselves. Rarely at ease during peacetime, dragon warriors are always looking for the next big fight.

Dragon warrior is a pop-culture archetype of monk, based on various characters from the Dragon Ball series, but primarily Goku and Vegeta.

Limit break

At 1st level, a dragon warrior gains the ability to use limit breaks. At the start of each day the dragon warrior chooses Battle or Stoic as his limit break mode. When a monk uses a limit break, they may use a limit break from their chosen mode or the following limit break, unique to them:

Limit Breaker Transformation (Su): A dragon warrior pushes past the normal limits his body can handle, empowering himself beyond seemingly all reason. A limit breaker transformation is his highest level power transformation (See below, at 1st level he still uses double the power transformation normally gained at 2nd) with the numerical values doubled, while effects that can be used only once per turn can be used twice per turn. This heightened transformative state does not cost ki points, but only lasts for a number of rounds equal to the number of consumed limit break stacks. One the limit break ends, the dragon warrior can choose to maintain the transformation, spending the normal upkeep costs.

This ability replaces the normal monk’s limit break ability.

Mental Focus (Ex)

At 1st level, the dragon warrior selects Wisdom or Charisma, to determine what ability score his saving throw DCs and class features will use (Including his normal monk abilities, such as his AC bonus ability). Once made, the choice cannot be changed. Wisdom-based dragon warriors tend to rely on their instincts in battle who train to hone their natural talents, while Charisma-based dragon warriors are generally far more egotistical who train so that they will never be defeated.

Ki Pool (Su)

While he still regains ki from defeating an opponent (See Yeah! of the normal Ki Pool ability), he loses access to the other methods for regaining ki. Instead, he gains the following way to regain ki instead:

• Power Charge: By spending a full-round action, the dragon warrior regains a number of ki points equal to his Focus modifier. For each consecutive full-round action, he regains 1 additional ki point per round, (So, on the second round of charging he recovers Focus Mod + 1 ki points, on the third Focus Mod + 2, on the fourth Focus Mod + 3 and so forth), to a maximum of double his Focus modifier per round.

This ability modifies ki pool.

Blitz

A dragon warrior must take Destructo Disc, Ki Beam, Ki Blast, Masenko or Special Beam Cannon as his 1st level blitz technique.

Power Transformation (Su)

Starting at 2nd level, provided he is not fatigued or exhausted, the dragon warrior can make use of a technique that boosts his power level, known as the power transformation. These transformations require him to spend an amount of ki as a move action to enter, but also causes him to lose ki automatically at the start of each subsequent turn in order to maintain them. Each transformation states both its upfront ki cost and its upkeep cost.

If he runs out of ki, or spends a free action at any time, the transformed state ends and he becomes fatigued for 1 minute. If the dragon warrior runs out of ki due to using a blitz technique, he is instead exhausted for 5 minutes. A dragon warrior can use power charge (see above) while transformed. If he does so, he loses ki at the end of his turn, rather than at the start, theoretically meaning he can remain transformed indefinitely.

By spending 2 ki points, the dragon warrior can make use of the first level of the transformation, signified by a pale red aura. While in this state the dragon warrior gains a +2 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with his unarmed strikes or blitz techniques that require an attack roll and treats his monk level as two higher for the purposes of determining level-based effects of his other blitz techniques (This allows him to treat his monk level as greater than 20. “Level-based effects” includes both the scaling effects of blitz techniques as well as the saving throw DC). The first level costs 1 ki point per turn to maintain.

At the dragon warrior’s 6th level, he may spend 6 ki points to enter the second level of the transformation, signified by his hair lengthening and turning a golden colour, as does his aura. In this state he gains a +3 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with his unarmed strikes or blitz techniques that require an attack roll, gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC, a +1 resistance bonus to his saving throws and treats his monk level as four higher for the purposes of determining level-based effects of his other blitz techniques. The second level costs 1 ki point per turn to maintain.

At the dragon warrior’s 9th level, he may spend 9 ki points to enter the third level of the transformation, signified by a similar physical transformation to the previous one, but his hair and aura turn magenta rather than gold. In this state, he gains a +5 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with his unarmed strikes or blitz techniques that require an attack roll, gains a +3 deflection bonus to AC, a +3 resistance bonus to his saving throws and treats his monk level as six higher for the purposes of determining level-based effects of his other blitz techniques. This third level costs 2 ki points per turn to maintain.

At the dragon warrior’s 12th level, he may spend 12 ki points to enter the fourth level of the transformation, signified by a similar physical transformation to the previous two, except his hair and aura turn a pale blue rather than magenta or gold. In this state, he gains a +7 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with his unarmed strikes or blitz techniques that require an attack roll, a +5 deflection bonus to AC, a +5 resistance bonus to his saving throws and treats his monk level as ten higher for the purposes of determining level-based effects of his other blitz techniques. The fourth level costs 3 ki points per turn to maintain.

Lastly, at the dragon warrior’s 15th level, he may spend 15 ki points to enter the fifth and final level of the transformation. The final level has the same effects as the fourth level of the transformation, but has a different appearance and provides an additional benefit based on which ability score the dragon warrior uses as their Focus modifier:

For a Wisdom-based dragon warrior, the final level is signified by his hair and aura turning a pale silver in colour, as do his irises. The dragon warrior automatically dodges the first attack* made against him each round. If it's an effect with an attack roll, the dragon warrior dodges as if he had a 100% miss chance, while an ability that requires a saving throw is treated as though he rolled a natural 20. Effects that normally have a lesser effect on a successful save are instead negated entirely. Each subsequent attack still has a 50% chance of being negated entirely, as per above (check for negation before making the attack roll/saving throw).
*(Defined as any ability that requires an attack roll, requires a saving throw to avoid or reduce the amount of damage taken/ avoid a status effect or has the chance of killing him instantly)

For a Charisma-based dragon warrior, the final level is signified by his hair and aura turning a vibrant purple, as do his irises. For every 10% of his total hit points he is missing, the dragon warrior gains an additional +1 enhancement bonus to his attack and damage rolls with unarmed strikes and blitz techniques, an additional +1 deflection bonus to his AC, an additional +1 resistance bonus to his saving throws and treats his monk level an additional level higher for the purposes of determining the level-based effects of his blitz techniques, to a maximum of an additional +10 bonus to attack, damage, AC, saving throws and monk level when at 0 or fewer hit points. While in this state, the dragon warrior reduced to -1 hit points or fewer and is not dead automatically stabilises, does not fall unconscious or become staggered and may continue to take actions without risking further harm.

Regardless of their Focus modifier, the final level costs 5 ki points per turn to maintain.

At the dragon warrior’s 18th level, their mastery over the final level of the transformation grants them additional benefits.

Wisdom-based dragon warriors automatically dodge the first two attacks each turn and have a 75% chance to dodge each subsequent attack.

Charisma-based dragon warriors gain an additional +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, an additional +1 deflection bonus to AC, an additional +1 resistance bonus to saving throws and treats his monk level as an additional level higher for every 20% of his total hit points he is missing, effectively taking his maximum bonus from +10 to +15.

A dragon warrior may activate any transformation he is a high enough level to use, but can obviously only gain the benefits of one transformation level at a time.

This ability replaces both the bonus style feats and the fuse styles abilities.

Sense Energy (Su)

At 4th level, the dragon warrior has learned to sense the power levels of creatures around him. Dragon warriors can automatically sense the presence of creatures within 30ft of himself. When a dragon warrior detects a creature, the exact location of the source is not revealed—only its presence somewhere within range. The dragon warrior can take a move action to note the direction of the creature. When the dragon warrior is within 5 feet of the source, it pinpoints the source’s location. This ability only functions against living creatures, undead creatures or constructs cannot be detected in this manner. Dragon warriors can recognize familiar creatures based on their power level alone.

In addition to detecting the presence of a creature, the dragon warrior can also gauge its rough power level as per the following table:

*_{For NPCs, use their actual hit dice, rather than their challenge rating.}

Dragon warriors that are transformed (as per power transformation) use their effective monk level + their levels from other classes as their power level for the purposes of this ability, both when being detected by other dragon warriors as well as determining if the dragon warrior would consider another creature to have an “overwhelming” power level.

This ability replaces ready for anything.

Quick Charge (Su)

At 5th level, the dragon warrior can use power charge as a Standard action, rather than a full-round action.

This ability replaces combat style master.

Ki Flight (Su)

At 6th level, provided the dragon warrior has at least 3 ki points and he is wearing light or no armour and is unencumbered, he gains a fly speed equal to his base land speed with poor maneuverability.

At his 12th level, if he has at least 5 ki points, his fly speed increases to double his base land speed and his maneuverability increases to average.

At his 18th level, if he has at least 7 ki points, his fly speed increases to quadruple his base land speed and his maneuverability increases to perfect.

This ability replaces the extension, blocking swipes and whirlwind abilities.

Transformation Efficiency (Su)

At 10th level, the dragon warrior’s ki control allows him to maintain his lesser transformations without a noticeable drain in energy. The dragon warrior can enter the first or second level of his transformations without needing to pay either the upfront or the upkeep ki costs to do so, nor does leaving those forms cause him to become fatigued.

However in order to gain the benefits of this free transformation, the dragon warrior must have a minimum amount of ki in his pool equal to the transformation’s upfront cost (2 ki points for the first level, 6 ki points for the second). Dropping below this amount due to using a blitz technique causes the transformation to end but does not cause him to become exhausted.

At the dragon warrior’s 16th level, he can enter the third level of his transformation for free in the same way, requiring at least 9 points in his ki pool to do so.

This ability replaces the blocking swipes and quivering palm abilities.

Swift Charge (Su)

At 14th level, the dragon warrior can use power charge as a move action. This allows the dragon warrior to spend both his standard and move actions to charge twice in the same round, treating the second charge as if it were a new “round” for the purposes of gaining ki (So, if he double charges for two rounds, his fourth charge grants him an amount of ki points equal to his focus modifier +3, as normal for charging four times in a row).

This ability replaces ajna.

Enduring Transformation (Su)

At 20th level, when entering a transformation normally (not for free via the transformation efficiency feature), the dragon warrior does not need to pay the upkeep cost of the transformation for a number of rounds equal to his Focus modifier.