Fighter

Martial Archetype: Dragoon of the Ninefold Path

Steel is not enough. To stand against the azhra, one must wield the will of dragons, and pray that will does not consume you.

— A scarred veteran of the Drakemetal Vanguard, observing a Dragoon in training

Dragoons are elite warriors trained in ancient martial disciplines derived from the Ninefold Dragon’s teachings—a synthesis of elemental mastery, aerial combat, and disciplined fury. Whether inducted into an ancient, forgotten order, trained by reclusive Chiryu war-masters, or gifted by metallic dragonkin, these fighters blend precision, power, and elemental resonance into a style that is both elegant and devastating. However, wielding such primordial forces comes at a steep, often personal, cost, for the raw power of Novendragos is untamed, and its consequences are absolute.

Dragonbound barbarians are rare, often feared, and sometimes hunted. Their very existence is a living testament to the dangers of the Dragonfall Crisis and the untamed power of the world. In Kendron, the Drakemetal Vanguard might seek to recruit them, or regulate their dangerous abilities. The Chiryu Sovereignty views them with suspicion, seeing their uncontrolled elemental rages as a threat to their ordered society. Some Dragon Overlords might see them as valuable tools, others as dangerous aberrations.

Core Fighter Traits

Starting Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) chain mail or (b) leather armor, longbow, and 20 arrows
• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Dragoon of the Ninefold Path Features

Draconic Origin (3rd Level)

When you choose this path, your primal bond to dragonkind manifests. Choose one of the following origins. This choice cannot be changed.

• Ancestral Bloodline: You gain proficiency in the History skill. When you make a Wisdom (Insight) check to discern the true intentions of a dragon, you have advantage on the roll.
• Dragocite Exposure: You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. When you take damage from Dragocite Instability, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus.
• Ancient Pact: You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. Once per long rest, when you fail a Charisma (Intimidation) check against a dragon, you can reroll the check and must use the new roll.

Additionally, choose a dragon type and an associated element from the table below. This choice reflects the dominant draconic essence that fuels your power, and subtle physical signs of your bond may begin to manifest, such as faint scales appearing on your skin, an odd shimmer in your eyes mirroring your chosen element, or a faint static crackle in the air around you when you grow agitated.

Elemental Stance (3rd Level)

You learn to channel one of the six elemental paths of the Ninefold Dragon. At the end of a long rest, choose one. Your chosen stance grants you specific benefits, but also comes with a subtle drawback, reflecting the inherent cost of channeling such raw power. When you change your stance, you might feel a sudden, jarring shift in ambient temperature, hear faint, echoing elemental sounds, or perceive the world's raw elements with startling clarity.

• Flame Stance:
• Benefit: You gain resistance to fire damage. Once per turn when you hit with a weapon attack, you can deal an extra 1d4 fire damage. As you channel this stance, your attacks might spark with vivid fire, accompanied by the scent of ozone and char.
• Drawback: Your body generates subtle heat. You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks in cold environments, and you have disadvantage on saving throws against effects that would cause you to overheat or suffer exhaustion from extreme heat.
• Tide Stance:
• Benefit: You gain resistance to cold damage. You gain a +1 bonus to your AC while moving. This stance often manifests as a subtle shimmer or the faint sound of distant waves accompanying your swift actions.
• Drawback: You are highly susceptible to emotional currents. When you are within 30 feet of a creature under the effect of a powerful emotion (e.g., fear, rage, charm), you have disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to discern their true intentions, as their emotion washes over you.
• Stone Stance:
• Benefit: You gain resistance to bludgeoning damage. You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks and advantage on Strength saving throws against being moved or grappled. Your presence in this stance feels unyielding, as if the very earth reinforces your form.
• Drawback: Your connection to the earth makes you resistant to rapid change. You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks, and your speed is reduced by 5 feet when you are not on solid ground (e.g., climbing, flying, on a boat).
• Gale Stance:
• Benefit: You gain resistance to lightning damage. You gain a +10 bonus to movement speed. A faint wind seems to follow your movements, subtly rustling your clothes and hair.
• Drawback: Your body is subtly influenced by ambient air currents. You have disadvantage on Strength saving throws against effects that would push or pull you, and you are susceptible to strong winds (e.g., disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks in strong wind).
• Void Stance:
• Benefit: You gain resistance to necrotic damage. Once per turn when you hit with a weapon attack, you can deal an extra 1d4 necrotic damage. This stance may cause the air around you to feel strangely cold and still, or objects in your periphery to seem to briefly dim.
• Drawback: Your connection to the void can be draining. When you finish a long rest, you must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion. This exhaustion can only be removed by another long rest. Additionally, you have disadvantage on saving throws against effects that would drain your life force (e.g., a vampire's life drain).
• Radiant Stance:
• Benefit: You gain resistance to radiant damage. Allies within 5 feet of you who can see you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. In this stance, your movements might leave a faint, shimmering afterglow, inspiring courage in those nearby.
• Drawback: Your radiant nature attracts creatures of darkness. When you are in dim light or darkness, any creature with Darkvision has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to detect you. Additionally, you are vulnerable to damage from spells or effects that create magical darkness (e.g., darkness spell).

You can change your chosen stance at the end of a long rest.

Dragoon's Flight (7th Level)

You gain the ability to manifest spectral draconic wings, allowing for powerful leaps and glides. As a bonus action, you can cause spectral draconic wings to manifest from your back for 1 minute. While these wings are active, you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed, but you cannot wear heavy armor or wield a shield. If you end your turn in the air and nothing else is holding you aloft, you gently descend 60 feet per round until you land.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest. After these wings dissipate, you must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion, as the immense elemental strain briefly overwhelms you. This exhaustion can only be removed by a long rest and a successful DC 10 Constitution saving throw during that rest, or by a greater restoration spell.

Resonant Strike (7th Level)

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can unleash a surge of elemental energy based on your current stance. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per short or long rest.

• Flame: The target takes an additional 1d6 fire damage and ignites, taking 1d4 fire damage at the start of its next turn until it or another creature uses an action to extinguish the flames.
• Tide: You can push or pull the target 10 feet horizontally.
• Stone: The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone.
• Gale: You can immediately move 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Void: You regain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1).
• Radiant: The target has disadvantage on its next attack roll.

Elemental Reversal (10th Level)

Your connection to elemental power allows you to turn an enemy's elemental assault against them, but this act can be jarring. When you take damage of the type you are resistant to from your current stance, you can use your reaction to absorb and redirect it. Choose one:

• Regain hit points equal to half the damage taken.
• Deal the same damage type as the triggering damage to a creature within 30 feet of you. That creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking the same amount of damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

After using this feature, you must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1d6 psychic damage as the elemental backlash briefly disorients your mind.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Ninefold Aspect (15th Level)

Your bond with draconic power deepens, allowing you to temporarily embody a more potent aspect of the Ninefold Dragon's elemental might. As a bonus action while raging, you can activate your Ninefold Aspect for 1 minute. For the duration:

• You gain immunity to your chosen elemental damage type.
• When you use your Dragoon's Flight, the exhaustion save DC is reduced by 3 (to a minimum of 10).
• Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can choose to apply one additional effect from your Elemental Stance's benefits (e.g., if in Flame Stance, you could apply the 1d4 damage again, or if in Stone Stance, you could apply the forced movement/prone effect).

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. After this feature ends, you must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.

Ninefold Ascension (18th Level)

You achieve ultimate mastery over the Ninefold Path, becoming a temporary avatar of the Ninefold ideal, but the cost is immense. As an action, you can enter the Ascendant State for 1 minute. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. For the duration:

• You gain resistance to all six elemental damage types (acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, radiant).
• You gain a +2 bonus to your AC.
• You can change your Elemental Stance at the start of each of your turns (no action required).
• Your Dragoon's Flight feature no longer requires a bonus action to activate and its exhaustion save DC is reduced by 5 (to a minimum of 8).
• Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can force that creature to make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
• After this feature ends, you must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or gain 3 levels of exhaustion, as the immense influx of primordial power shatters your mortal form. If you fail this save by 5 or more, you also suffer a permanent scar (e.g., a patch of scales, an eye that glows faintly with elemental energy, or a voice that echoes) and you attract the attention of a powerful elemental entity or a Dragon Overlord (DM's discretion).