DracoDei
2010-02-23, 08:56 PM
I have seen various versions of this over the years, both here and in my pre-GitP days. I made this version because none of the ones previous to this really fit my vision. In any case, HERE (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/printthread.php?t=168962) is a link for cross-reference purposes to a base class that M-Bark made in September of 2010.
Did this for a contest, giving it its own thread for people who didn't read that one, or who skipped it because of its length and the large number of entries in that contest.
LEAP DRAGOON
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs26/300W/f/2008/040/a/e/Freya_Crescent_by_Ajehy.jpg
"The day will come, maybe not in your life-time, but it will come, when some threat will become great enough that my beloved and I shall gather our students together, and give the signal to attack. At that moment, the forces of evil will have less than 10 seconds to run." - Sir Fratley
HISTORY
There once was a world where airships drew their energy from a perpetual fog. In this world there was a race of pious folk whose features combined that of a mouse with those of a white-furred jackal with powerful digging fore-limbs, they were taller than men, and were anything but timid. Their best warriors would vanish into thin air, only to come crashing down into their foes spear-points first a moment later. At one time the greatest of them was Sir "Iron-Tail" Fratley. So great was he that he had learned all he could of the arts of war in Burmecia. But still he did not feel himself strong enough to do all he wished to defend the Burmecian people (for he felt that other nations were gaining in military might compared to Burmecia). So he left to seek other warriors who he could learn new techniques from. He left, despite the pleas of his lady-love, Freya Crescent, also a initiate of the way of the Dragoon, although not nearly as skilled as he was (at that time). He swore he would return in 2 years time.
Two years passed, and Sir Fratley did not return. Freya set out to find him, traveling... traveling... always at his heels, never finding him. Her skill grew great, although she lacked the training in the grand-mastery techniques that only a few other than Sir Fratley had ever mastered. Thus she grew in more mundane techniques.
In her three years of faithful searching for her wayward love, Freya made the acquaintance of a monkey-tailed thief with a heart of gold. Later she became caught up with him in a quest that started with a protective kidnapping, escalated to the devastation of most of every large city on the planet, and would take them, along with other companions, beyond the world they thought they knew to confront a plot to usurp the cycle of life and death that reigned on that world. Along the way she briefly found Sir Fratley, but they were parted again after only a few words between them which explained nothing to her. I would tell you more about that, but I would not spoil the story for those of you who would hear it from the lips that wrote their ballad, rather than in a second hand and diminished version from mine own lips.
But if you insist, then lean close, while those who would take my advice place their fingers in their ears. ((Translation: Spoiler for Final Fantasy IX follows.))
The refugees of Burmecia, fled to Cleyra, a hidden city of their kind, protected by a continuous sandstorm swirling around it.
The same weaker troops who had assaulted Burmcia before its destruction made it into Cleyra the hidden city, thanks to a the childish prince who was the last remaining of the Burmecian Royal line. Well... it was PARTLY his fault at the least...
Freya and the other heroes tried to protect the refugees, but in the end were hopelessly outflanked... Then, Sir Fratley showed up.
With his superior Burmecian techniques of the Dragoon (which is the warrior path that Freya also followed) he defeated all the attackers before they could harm the refugees. They then all retreated to the temple of Cleyra.
Freya confronted Sir Fratley, asking him where he had been... how she had sought after him but heard only rumors, looked for him but found only footprints...
His response to this was a confused "Excuse me, ma'am, have we met?"
Neither did he remember his king, who he had served faithful in his years in Burmecia, he must have suffered a blow to the head or some fel spell during his adventures that wiped his memories.
In any case Sir Fratley then leaves, and some of the other heroes are about to pursue him, but Freya says to leave the matter...Then Cleyra is also destroyed...
Later it would be the fact that she continued to show her love for him that would cause her to fall in love with her all over again from the beginning.
After the world was saved, she returned to Burmecia, where she and Sir Fratley worked to aid the rebuilding. No magic, no miracle, but only the humble power of devotion won the day for her, and despite everything that had happened they were eventually wed with joy.
Many years later, their city was a true city again, rather than squatters in the ruins of their past, and the couple grew hungry for another adventure. They heard of a great beast guarding a place. Such could only mean some mystery or treasure to be discovered, but none who had tried could get close enough to discover what it was that the beast kept.
Such a beast stood no chance against the lady who had aided in destroying one who had set out to challenge Death itself, and her lover who still had a trick or two to exchange the teaching of with her in the sparring ring even after she had done so. But no sealed evil nor power for good, no heaped jewels did the beast guard, but a treasure stranger still... a swirling disk of vapor through which could be seen a fair land that they, world-travelers that they were, knew was no place on their sphere of existence. Sending messages back to tell others what they had found, and probing as best they could, lest the very air burn their lungs, they claimed their prize and entered the dimensional portal to the realms where Pelor's sun gives life to the ground.
The wilderness of this new world was rather tame by their standards. Their contact with the locals was peaceful, and was made much easier by the fact that there appeared to be some sort of language translating magic available in this world.
Finding that their techniques were like nothing else in this world, they elected to move to it permanently and establish a training place to spread their art to those who were worthy. Naming it "The Falling Thunderbolt Academy" they were quickly in high demand, despite their strict ethical and moral standards as to who they would teach.
Of especial note were three siblings of the Mirumoto Family, a long line of honorable Sohei Adepts. They were the brothers Shuji and Yohachi, and their sister Misato. The Fratleys tested them and found them most worthy of training in every way, the husband was about to inform them of this, and accept their tuition when Freya stopped him.
"You have passed the test, and we will accept your gold, but, I hope, only for a time. Tell me, from where did you get this money."
Yohachi, as the senior replied, "Surely we know not, it was drawn from the treasury of our Family, and all we can say is that it was earned by them honestly."
"Then you yourselves did not earn this money directly, it belongs to your family as a whole. This is good and right, but we can not accept this money, except maybe as collateral against an alternate payment. There is an imbalance in the universe that must be corrected, and it falls to your family to do so."
"A quest then... the three of us are at your disposal."
"One might call it a quest, but I think it is not one that is efficient for you to undertake. Quite simply, we require that your family find, within a year, someone of at least your own level of skills, and with a spirit inclined to giving instruction, to go through a gateway to another plane of existence, there to remain in our home-city, training our people in the ways of the Sohei Adept for one third the time as the three of you, added up, remain with us. If your family will not do this for us, then at the end of a year we shall open the purses you give us, and you shall depart. If this is done however, we shall return your payments to your family."
"I can not speak for my family, but to my simple mind this seems as if it would give both our families great honor to do this thing."
And so it was. Today many of the soldiers of Burmecia are sohei adepts, and visiting Mirumoto sensei's are granted great respect.
Having a sizable store of personal funds from Freya's adventures, and a sizable reward from King Puck of Burmecia for enabling inter-dimensional commerce (the portal was not actually in Burmecian lands, Queen Garnet was personal friends with the Fratley's so "to the victor go the spoils" was in full effect), and being much in demand, within a few years they were able to afford the price of a magical door that approximately duplicated the effects of a Rod of Security (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#security). Leaving some of their students to train the others, they relocated (a few hundred steps and a world away) to agelessness within that pocket paradise, with their children (who, because of the modified nature of the world could actually gestate and grow up), a rotation of the students who were skilled enough to warrant their direct training, and assorted friends visiting for a while. The dimension collapses every week, expelling those inside, just before it can be recreated. At this time the Fratleys exchange their correspondence, with an especial emphasis on any developing crises that are severe enough that they might need to accept growing a bit older to deal with, for the greater good.
BECOMING A LEAP DRAGOON
Most Leap Dragoons are Sohei Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7465208#post7465208)/Clerics/Rogue or Fighter/Cleric/Rogue hybrids. Those whose inner focus is not sufficient to clerical pursuits may substitute wizard for cleric. Although the path is longer, leaving out the rogue aspect is probably more effective in the long run. The bizarre interaction of personal defense, but offense from a unit tactics point of view makes Leap Dragoons very odd birds as far as the personality type that would pursue it.
Definition: A Dragoon Weapon is any two-handed pole-arm capable of piercing damage with the point(s) that deal said damage collinear with or parallel to the shaft.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Alignment: Lawful Good or Neutral Good
Feats: Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (Any 1 Dragoon Weapon)
Skills: Jump 10 Ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 2 ranks
Special: Acrobatic Feat OR Skill focus (Jump) OR Tumble 5 ranks
Special: Proficient with Heavy Armor
Special: Weapon Specialization (Any 1 Dragoon Weapon) OR Two Maneuvers from the either the Mystic Cobra Discipline (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7472221&posted=1#post7472221) or Piercing Point (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/printthread.php?t=141042) discipline, at least one of which of is of at least third level
Maneuvers OR Spell Casting: Some form of dimensional travel or means of melding one object into another, be it from feats, racial abilities, spells (from any form of magic), maneuvers, psionics, and/or class features. Examples include but are not limited to:
-
Any Maneuver with the [Teleportation] Descriptor
The Distracting Ember Maneuver
Any one of the following spells: Absorb Weapon, Astral Projection, blink, Dimension Door, Ethereal Jaunt, Etherealness, Gate, Greater Planar Ally, Greater Planar Binding, Lesser Planar Ally, Lesser Planar Binding, Maze, Meld into Stone, Planar Ally, Planar Binding, Plane Shift, Shadow Walk, Summon Instrument, Summon Nature’s Ally (Any), Summon Monster (any), Teleport, Teleport, Greater , Teleportation Circle, Transport Via Plants, Tree Stride, and Word of Recall
One of the following Psionic Powers: Assimilate, Astral Caravan, Astral Traveler, Baleful Teleport, Catfall?, Dimension Slide, Dimension Swap, Dream Travel, Ethereal Jaunt,Psionic, Teleport Circle,Psionic , Teleport,Psionic , Teleport Trigger, Time Hop, Time Hop,Mass , Time Regression
-
Equipment: At least one Dragoon Weapon of at least masterwork quality, Armor that is Heavy Armor or Armor that would be Heavy Armor would be if it was made out of ordinary materials (So Mithril Full-Plate, Half-Plate, etc count). If the character later loses such equipment, they do NOT lose the benefits of this class, but they require said equipment to properly train to advance as a Leap Dragoon and thus can't gain levels in this class until they replace it.
Class Skills
Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge [Geography] (Int), Knowledge [History] (Int), Knowledge [Nobility and royalty] (Int), Knowledge [The Planes](Int), Martial Lore(Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Tumble (Dex)
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + Int
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Alter Impact Point|Special|0th|1st|2nd|3rd|4th
1st |
+1 |
+2|
+0|
+0|10 ft|Greater Leap of the Clouds, Safe fall, Leap Attack (Float), Holy Order, Item Affinity|1|-|-|-|-
2nd |
+2 |
+3|
+0|
+0|15 ft|Leap Attack (Ethereal)|2|-|-|-|-
3rd |
+3 |
+3|
+1|
+1|20 ft|Shish-kabob|3|0|-|-|-
4th |
+4 |
+4|
+1|
+1|25 ft|Spears of the Heavens 1/day|4|1|-|-|-
5th |
+5 |
+4|
+1|
+1|30 ft|Leap Attack (Astral)|4|2|0|-|-
6th |
+6 |
+5|
+2|
+2|35 ft|Vocalize|4|3|1|-|-
7th |
+7 |
+5|
+2|
+2|40 ft|Spears of the Heavens 2/day|4|3|2|0|-
8th |
+8 |
+6|
+2|
+2|45 ft|Improved Item Crafting|4|3|3|1|-
9th |
+9 |
+6|
+3|
+3|50 ft|Fast Movement +10 feet|4|3|3|2|0
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|55 ft|Leap Attack (Time Leap), Safe Fall 500 ft, Spears of the Heavens 3/day, Leapfrog|4|3|3|3|1[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: A Leap Dragoon gains proficiency with all dragoon weapons.
Spells: Some Leap Dragoons (those who chose this option over a focus on the Sublime Way) have the ability to cast a small number of divine spells. To cast a spell the Leap Dragoon must have a Charisma score of at least 10+ the spell’s level, so a Leap Dragoon with a Charisma of 9 or lower can not cast these spells. Leap Dragoon bonus spells are based on Charisma and saving throws against these spells have a Difficulty Class of 10 + spell level + Charisma Modifier. When the Leap Dragoon get 0 spells of a given level, such as 0 1st-level spells at 3rd level, the Leap Dragoon gets only bonus spells (as per Table 1-1 in the PHB). A Leap Dragoon with out a bonus spell for that level cannot yet cast of spell of that level. The Leap Dragoon’s spell list follows later in this document. A Leap Dragoon has access to any spell on the list and can freely choose which to prepare, just as a Paladin can. A Leap Dragoon prepares and casts spells just as a Paladin does. A Leap Dragoon’s caster level is equal to her ECL.
A Leap Dragoon who chooses this option gains the Item Affinity ability at first level, and the Improved Item Crafting ability at 8th level.
Maneuvers: For those who chose to continue to train in the hybrid techniques that were developed from combining the classic leap-dragoon techniques with those of the Sohei Adepts (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7465208#post7465208) they may gain full initiator level progression, and new maneuvers known, prepared, and stances known on the following table.
{table="head"]Level|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Readied|Stances Known
1st|
0|
0|
0
2nd|
Replace 1|
0|
0
3rd|
+1|
0|
0
4th|
Replace 1|
+1|
0
5th|
0|
0|
+1
6th|
+1, Replace 1|
0|
0
7th|
0|
0|
0
8th|
Replace 1|
0|
0
9th|
+1|
0|
0
10th|
Replace 1|
+1|
0
[/table]
The Disciplines available to a Leap Dragoon are Army of One (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5710173), Devoted Spirit, Mystic Cobra (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7472221&posted=1#post7472221), Shadow Hand, Tiger Claw (obviously duel-wielding is NOT emphasized, but Sudden Leap and Rapid X Strike are in-theme), and Piercing Point (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141042).
At every even-numbered leap dragoon level the leap dragoon can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one that they already know. In effect, they lose the old maneuver in exchange for a new one. They can choose the maneuver from any level they like, as long as they observe the restriction on the highest-level maneuvers they know; they need not replace the maneuver with a maneuver of the same level. They can swap only a single maneuver at any given level.
A Leap Dragoon who chooses this option does not gain the Item Affinity or Improved Item Crafting abilities, nor the spellcasting abilities of the leap dragoon class.
Alter Impact Point (Su): See Leap Attack(Float). The Leap Dragoon may alter the impact point by up to this distance when performing any Leap attack.
Safe Fall (Su): When determining damage from falling reduce the distance by 10 ft for each Leap Dragoon level up to level 9. Unlike Slow Fall the Leap Dragoon being near a wall is unnecessary. This stacks with the reductions for intentional jumping, tumble checks etc but not with Slow Fall, Cat Feet or the like. Note that this does NOT reduce the Leap Dragoon’s falling speed it is simply that they are not injured by the landing and don’t do damage as a falling object to things (including creatures) they land on except as covered by Ethereal Leap Attack. Use of this ability is NOT optional and it is active even when the character is asleep, unconscious etc. Note also that a Leap Dragoon doesn’t take falling damage for the distance they rose up when performing any Leap Attack.
At 10th level the distance becomes 500 feet.
Example: Geoff the 6th level Leap Dragoon is peering over the edge of a 50 foot cliff when he spots a Troll directly below him looking around. He quickly stands and launches. Since the troll is only 10 feet forward of him this is a high jump. No matter how high he Leaps he will still only count the 50 ft of the cliff for calculating whether he takes damage. Since his 60ft of Safe fall is more than the height of the cliff he is in no danger.
Greater Leap of the Cloud (Su): A Leap Dragoon is in no way penalized for load carried or armor worn on their jump checks. This includes reduction to movement rate from these sources. In fact, if the only movement they perform in a turn is via jumping, then there movement rate is not reduced by load or armor. In addition to this they they always make their Jump checks as if they had a running start.
At second level they also always make their jump checks as if they have the Run feat.
At third level in addition they make their jump checks as if under the effects of an Expeditious Retreat spell.
None of these effects stack with any of these things. Note that the Dash feat (Song and Silence) is always considered to increase their base movement and thus their jumping distance regardless of armor worn.
The above bonuses also apply to any Balance or Tumble checks related to jumping or falling. For instance if the floor gives way beneath them and the GM calls for a Balance check to control the direction of the Jump to clear the area then they don’t have any Armor check penalties.
Leap Attack (Float) (Su): You leap in a high arc toward your target, spear first. At the apogee of your jump you mystically cache your momentum, and latch onto the Ethereal Plane, just enough to access its property of weightlessness. In this state you meditate on your attack before recovering your momentum... with interest.
This is the signature of the Dragoon. An attack from above that defies gravity and often the very nature of space and even time itself. This consists of three stages: Launching, "In the Air", and the Landing Attack.
Launching: The Dragoon takes a full round action to leap toward a target enemy (They may instead just pick a target impact point and not be doing an attack if they just want to use this for transportation, but they can’t change their minds later and turn it into an attack.). They select a point of impact within ½ of their Alter Impact Point distance from that target. I recommend marking this point with a counter that says "A.I.P. Center", but your group can use whatever method works best for them (a die that has the number of squares the point of impact may be altered, or whatever). Note that nobody but the Dragoon really knows where it is. Also mark the point they jumped from.
"In the Air": At the apogee of your jump you pause, hovering in midair in a battle-meditation that shares some characteristics with some of the less physically oriented stances found in the sublime way. In this state you focus your energy for the attack. This lasts until the beginning of your next turn. During this phase you are considered to be taking full defense and to have the Expertise Feat and using it fully. These effects stack to an extent. This means you get a +7 to AC (+9 if you have at least 5 ranks of tumble). You trance also grants you a +3 Focused bonus to all saves (and yes you can bob and weave in place in the air well enough to get reflex saves normally). They are dazed while in this state (except for using [i]Spears of the Heavens). Spears of the Heavens may extend this time, but other than that, no known technique can allow them to avoid the end of this state.
Landing Attack: On their turn the round after launching they roll a jump check. If they resulting distance would be enough to carry them from the marked launch point to their original target creature, and that creature is within Alter Impact Point distance of the A.I.P. Center (the other marker in my recommended methodology) they perform this attack on them (unless they were merely using the jump for transportation, or were using Spears of the Heavens), called (mundanely enough) the landing attack. If the selected target is not within the geometric requirements described above, then you may select any hostile target that meets both geometric requirements, but the attack is at a –4 to hit because your focus is somewhat disrupted. In either case this is their first attack of the round (so either an attack action, or the first attack of a full-attack as they decide AFTER the landing attack itself is resolved).
A landing attack is always considered a charge and thus always puts them at +2 to hit and –2 to AC for that reason.
If no enemy is within the geometric requirements then you impact on any area that meets both geometric requirements. If they are using a dragoon weapon you get special damage multipliers as per the chart. You then touch down in any unoccupied area where you target is within you threatened area. After landing you may perform the rest of your actions for that round but they may not leap again until the following round (so, no, they can’t stay permanently up in the air if True Haste-d). Note especially that ‘any actions’ can include turning the impact attack into a full round attack starting with the second attack bonus in their sequence of attacks. The following feats are ineffective in combination with the impact attack (but may be applied to attacks later in the round): Cleave, Great Cleave1, Supreme Cleave1, and Whirlwind Attack. Due to the extremity of their focus they can only apply their bonus from the Dodge Feat to the target of the landing attack.
1 Except as provided by Shish-kabab.
Damage from a Leap Attack has its final amount of piercing damage multiplied as followed. This is separate from any other multipliers (thus a doubled doubling is NOT a tripling, it is a quadrupling).
{table=head]Normal BAB|Leap Attack Damage Multiplier
+1 to +18|x2
+18 to +20|x3[/Table]
Holy Order (Ex): Paladins may multi-class freely as Leap Dragoons.
Item Affinity (Sp): A leap dragoon who chooses the classical path, the one involving spellcasting rather than the Sublime Way, is considered to have the Scribe Scroll, Brew Potion, and Craft Wand feats, but ONLY for spells that are either on his or her spell-list, or the extended item list. Furthermore, they are not limited to 4th level spells or lower for wands, nor to 3rd level spells when creating potions. A sufficiently powerful leap dragoon can create a potion which when poured on the ground by someone else (the leap dragoon themselves could just hold it and will its activation) duplicates the effects of True Resurrection. When using such an item (whether or not they made it themselves), the character need only hold the item, and (in the case of a wand) know the command word. Speaking, drinking, deciphering a scroll, or extensive motion are never necessary. The action used is still the same, but the Leap Dragoon automatically succeeds on any caster level or ability score checks involved.
Leap Attack (Ethereal) (Su): When Leap Attacking they may choose to enter the Ethereal Plane after the first 10’ of the arc of their jump or just before they impact with any solid surface whichever comes first. They float there in the trance until they resume the arc and come out to the plane where they were just before they impact. The exception to this is when attacking Ethereal creatures this executes as a Float Attack with the Leap Dragoon only returning to the plane they started the Leap Attack from after they complete the impact attack. Any opponent that cannot perceive them while they are Ethereal is considered to be flat footed against this attack.
Shish-Kabob (Ex): This functions in like Cleave and Great Cleave but ONLY for Leap Attacks (and yes it DOES function for them), and only if attacking enemies directly over top of one another starting at the top and working downward. The most common use of this would be to kill a mount (including say, a griffin or dragon) after slaying the rider.
Spears of the Heavens (Sp): If a leap dragoon of at least 4th level has taken hit-point damage from a true foe (GM's descression to prevent cheese including, for example, bring along rabid badgers to taunt, and getting caught by "friendly fire" NEVER counts), in a given battle since the last time they used this ability then they may use this ability, allowing them to attack multiple foes at once in a small area, and at higher levels even stay "up in the air" for multiple rounds at once, attacking with virtual impunity. This replaces the normal landing attack of one leap attack. A spectral copy of the leap dragoon's weapon strikes at one enemy plus one enemy per 2 Leap Dragoon levels within Alter Impact Point distance of their target point (they do NOT need to specify an enemy, just the center for their A.I.P.). These attacks are each resolved separately as per the landing attack of the leap dragoon, except that no counter-attack is possible and every target is considered the original target (thus avoiding the to-hit penalty for changing targets). This effect lasts lasts 1 round per 3 Leap Dragoon levels. At the end of this time they land at their A.I.P. Center point. The attacks repeat each round on the leap dragoon's turn, with the leap dragoon free to chose a new set of targets each round. Injuries sustained within 10 rounds of last launching for this ability don’t count for allowing activation of this ability.
Initially a leap dragoon may use this ability once per day, but this increases by one for every 3 leap dragoon levels past 4th. Thus a 7th level leap dragoon can use this ability twice per day, and a 10th level leap dragoon three times per day.
Leap Attack (Astral) (Su): When Leap Attacking they may now choose to be on a deserted but safe part of the Astral Plane rather than the Ethereal. This has the advantage of avoiding Ghost Touch weapons Etc. It also means that they make their attacks ‘in passing’ against ethereal creatures passing from the Astral to the Ethereal and then to whatever plane they started the Leap Attack from. Any opponent that cannot perceive them while they are Astral is considered to be flat footed against this attack.
Vocalize (Sp): You and a number of companions equal to half your leap dragoon level may speak and be heard, when magical or supernatural effects effects would prevent them from doing so. You may dismiss one or more people from the set of people that this affects at any time as a full round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Adding someone to the effect is a full round action that requires touching them. This ability may be dispelled on a given individual (use your ECL as the caster level) but you can add them back to the set of people by touching them again.
This ability allows communication (from screams of pain and animalistic grunts all the way up to eloquent oratory), it does NOT allow spellcasting, True-Speaking, activating command word magic items, or any such thing. It is ineffective against psychological difficulties, including compulsion effects.
Improved Item Crafting (Su): If a leap dragoon has chosen magic over the Sublime Way then upon reaching 8th level when using Item Affinity to craft magic items, the XP, GP, and time required are all reduced by 25%.
Fast Movement (Ex): At 9th level a Leap Dragoon gains an untyped +10 foot bonus to their base speed.
Leap Attack (Time Leap) (Su): The Leap Dragoon may now elect to move through time itself when executing a Leap Attack. They do not exist anywhere on any plane between the time they launch and the time they land. Time spent like this is not counted against the durations of any spells on them. They may even move their spiritual spears into the timestream to perform Spears of the Heavens in combination with Time Leap. All opponents are considered flatfooted against this attack.
Leap Frog (Sn): This is the ultimate technique of the Leap Dragoon enabling them to rapidly dispatch many enemies. This attack is a full round action. The Leap Dragoon designates as many enemies as they like in a specific order. They then roll a single jump check and note the distance granted. They then jump to any square they could make a melee attack on the first target (provided they can jump that far) and make a charging attack at normal highest BAB and with a damage multiplier one less than it would be for a Leap Attack. Subtract the distance jumped so far from the total distance allowed by the jump check and proceed on down the list in order. If at any time the distance remaining on the jump check is insufficient to allow the Leap Dragoon to make it to the next target then they must jump the remaining distance directly toward that target. Does not stack with Cleave/Great Cleave/Supreme Cleave and is unlike them in that dropping each target is not necessary to move on to the next one. Use of this skill counts as two daily uses of Spears of the Heavens but it does not require the Leap Dragoon to have been injured.
Leap Dragoon Spell List
Leap Dragoons choose their spells from the following list:
Level 0 - Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Guidance, Light, Read Magic, Resistance
Level 1 – Alarm, Comprehend Languages, Endure Elements, Expeditious Retreat(Self Only), Feather Fall, Goodberry, Jump (Self Only), Identify, Protection From Evil, Protection From Chaos, Magic Weapon, Tenser’s Floating Disk, True Strike
Level 2 - Levitate, See Invisible, Daylight
Level 3 – Lancer's Power, Luna's Call(New Spell), Mass Lesser Vigor (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?id=4795)(Complete Divine on page 186, or see Regenerate Ring in Masters of the Wild page 93)
Level 4 - Cherry Blossom, Greater Magic Weapon, Lesser Spell Turning, Tongues, Vigorous Circle (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=4796)(Complete Divine on page 187, Or see Regenerate Circle in Masters of the Wild on page 92)
When making a scroll, potion, or wand a Leap Dragoon is also considered to have access to the following spells for purposes of item crafting, provided their ECL is at least the listed amount and their leap dragoon level is equal to or greater than the spell level:
Level 1 (ECL 1)- Cure Light Wounds, Joyful Noise (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=5495)(Complete Adventurer on page 154, Song and Silence on page 93, Spell Compendium on page 127)
Level 2 (ECL 3)- Calm Emotions, Create Food and Water, Cure Moderate Wounds, Delay Poison, Remove Paralysis, Restoration, Lesser , Rope Trick
Level 3 (ECL 5)- Cure Serious Wounds, Neutralize Poison, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Tiny Hut
Level 4 (ECL 7)- Cure Critical Wounds, Death Ward, Mnemonic Enhancer, Restoration, Secure Shelter, Stone to Flesh, Lesser(New Spell)
Level 5 (ECL 9)- Break Enchantment, Phoenix Down(new spell), Raise Dead
Level 6 (ECL 11)- Mage’s Lucubration, Stone to Flesh
Level 7 (ECL 13)- Mage's Magnificent Mansion, Resurrection, Restoration, Greater
Level 8 (ECL 15)- Elixer(New Spell)
Level 9 (ECL 17)- True Resurrection
Helpful links used in development:
Reference for in game abilities. (http://www.eternalrain.org/freya/abilities.php)
http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Final_Fantasy_IX_Items
http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/
Ex-Leap Dragoons
A Leap Dragoon who becomes of Chaotic alignment cannot gain more levels as a Leap Dragoon. He retains all the benefits of the class. A Leap Dragoon who willfully commits an evil act or is no longer of good alignment loses all spell casting abilities, item creation capabilities, initiator level, maneuvers and stances known, and maneuvers readiable granted by the class, has a reduced leap attack capability, and is no longer automatically considered to be under the effects of a Expeditious Retreat spell nor to automatically have the Run feat for the purposes of Greater Leap of the Cloud. She also may not progress in levels as a Leap Dragoon. She regains her abilities if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description, page 176 PHB), as appropriate, and may there after advance in this class once again.
{table=head] Previous|Ex-Leap Dragoon
Float|Can jump as part of a charge
Ethereal|Float
Astral|Ethereal
Time Leap|Astral[/table]
New Spells:
Cherry Blossom
Evocation
Level: Ldg 4*
Components: V, S
*This spell counts as a 7th level arcane spell for purposes of cross-class learning, or imitation via Wish, Miracle, Limited Wish, and most purposes other than a Leap Dragoon actually casting it, or a Leap Dragoon crafting a scroll, potion, or wand of it, and its ability to overcome Globes of Protection etc.
This spell functions like Chain Lightning, except as noted above and that the damage is untyped, rather than electricity.
Elixer
Conjuration (Healing)
Level: Ldg (Craft Only) 8
Range: Touch
This spell functions like Mage's Lucubration, except as noted above and that it allows a spontaneous caster to return a spell slot of the appropriate level to availability and cures (regardless of the target) 10 hit points of damage per level of the caster, to a maximum of 200 points at 20th level.
Lesser Spell Turning
Abjuration
Level: Ldg 4
Range: Self
Duration: 1 minute/level
As Spell Turning, but only turns 1d3+4 levels and if they are attacked with a spell by a caster who also has a Spell Turning or Lesser Spell Turning active then the result is always that the attackers Spell Turning is reduced by the level of the attack spell and the attack spell ignores the defendersr Lesser Spell Turning. This means that their Lesser Spell Turning remains in full force.
Lesser Stone to Flesh
Transmutation
Level: Ldg (Craft Only) 4
As Stone to Flesh, but only effective if the target was turned to stone not more than 1 round per caster level before this spell is cast.
Luna's Call
Enchantment
Level: Ldg 3
Targets: All creatures in range
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving throw: Will Negates
As per Rage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/rage.htm) except as above and that targets need not be willing.
Lancer's Power
Necromancy
Level: Ldg 3
As per Enervation but subject only loses one level and it can effect even undead. Caster is healed for as may hit points as the subject would gain from gaining an additional hit-die, and the subject loses that many. If the target loses any spell casting ability then the caster may regain the ability to cast a spell of any level lower than the spell that they lost.
Phoenix Down
Conjuration (Healing)
Level: Ldg (Craft Only) 5*
Components: V, S, M, DF, XP
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature Touched
Duration: Instantaneous
*This spell counts as a 6th level divine spell for purposes of cross-class learning, or imitation via Wish, Miracle, Limited Wish, and most purposes other than a Leap Dragoon actually crafting a scroll, potion, or wand of it, and its ability to overcome Globes of Protection etc.
The caster restores to life a deceased creature. The caster can raise creatures who have been dead up to one round per 4 caster levels. In addition the subject’s soul must be free and willing to return (see Bringing Back the Dead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/castingSpells.htm#bringingBacktheDead)). If the subjects soul is not willing to return the spell does not work; therefore, subjects who want to return receive no saving throw. The subject loses NO levels or constitution.
Phoenix Down cures hit point sufficient to raise the creature total hit-point to a total of 1 hit point per 2 caster levels but not to more that one tenth of the creature’s maximum nor more than 1 hit point per creature’s hit die. Any ability scores damaged or drained to 0 are raised to 1. Normal Poison and normal disease are cured in the process of raising the subject, but magical diseases and curses are not undone. While the spell closes mortal wounds and repairs lethal damage of most kinds, the body of the creature to be raised must be whole. Otherwise, missing parts are still missing when the creature is brought back to life. None of the dead creature’s equipment or possessions are affected in any way by this spell.
A creature who has been turned into an undead creature can’t be raised by this spell, but one who has been slain by a death effect can. Constructs, elementals, outsiders, and undead creatures can’t be raised. This spell cannot bring back a creature who has died of old age. A character who died with spells prepared has a 50% chance of losing any given spell upon being raised, in addition to losing spells for losing a level. A spellcasting creature that doesn’t prepare spells (such as a sorcerer) has a 50% chance of losing any given unused spell slot as if it had been used to cast a spell, in addition to losing spell slots for losing a level. If Phoenix Down is cast within 1 round of the creature’s death these chances drop to 25%.
Material Component: One or more diamonds worth at least 500 gp total, and a feather (even a pinfeather) from a Phoenix.
XP Cost: 100 XP.
Note to those linked directly to this specific post:
Due to length limitations on individual posts, this prestige class is continued in the next post, including:
Playing a Leap Dragoon
Leap Dragoons in the World
Daily Life
Notables
Organizations
NPC Reactions
Leap Dragoons in the Game
Adaptation
Encounters
Feats
Sample Encounter
Burmecian Race
Did this for a contest, giving it its own thread for people who didn't read that one, or who skipped it because of its length and the large number of entries in that contest.
LEAP DRAGOON
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs26/300W/f/2008/040/a/e/Freya_Crescent_by_Ajehy.jpg
"The day will come, maybe not in your life-time, but it will come, when some threat will become great enough that my beloved and I shall gather our students together, and give the signal to attack. At that moment, the forces of evil will have less than 10 seconds to run." - Sir Fratley
HISTORY
There once was a world where airships drew their energy from a perpetual fog. In this world there was a race of pious folk whose features combined that of a mouse with those of a white-furred jackal with powerful digging fore-limbs, they were taller than men, and were anything but timid. Their best warriors would vanish into thin air, only to come crashing down into their foes spear-points first a moment later. At one time the greatest of them was Sir "Iron-Tail" Fratley. So great was he that he had learned all he could of the arts of war in Burmecia. But still he did not feel himself strong enough to do all he wished to defend the Burmecian people (for he felt that other nations were gaining in military might compared to Burmecia). So he left to seek other warriors who he could learn new techniques from. He left, despite the pleas of his lady-love, Freya Crescent, also a initiate of the way of the Dragoon, although not nearly as skilled as he was (at that time). He swore he would return in 2 years time.
Two years passed, and Sir Fratley did not return. Freya set out to find him, traveling... traveling... always at his heels, never finding him. Her skill grew great, although she lacked the training in the grand-mastery techniques that only a few other than Sir Fratley had ever mastered. Thus she grew in more mundane techniques.
In her three years of faithful searching for her wayward love, Freya made the acquaintance of a monkey-tailed thief with a heart of gold. Later she became caught up with him in a quest that started with a protective kidnapping, escalated to the devastation of most of every large city on the planet, and would take them, along with other companions, beyond the world they thought they knew to confront a plot to usurp the cycle of life and death that reigned on that world. Along the way she briefly found Sir Fratley, but they were parted again after only a few words between them which explained nothing to her. I would tell you more about that, but I would not spoil the story for those of you who would hear it from the lips that wrote their ballad, rather than in a second hand and diminished version from mine own lips.
But if you insist, then lean close, while those who would take my advice place their fingers in their ears. ((Translation: Spoiler for Final Fantasy IX follows.))
The refugees of Burmecia, fled to Cleyra, a hidden city of their kind, protected by a continuous sandstorm swirling around it.
The same weaker troops who had assaulted Burmcia before its destruction made it into Cleyra the hidden city, thanks to a the childish prince who was the last remaining of the Burmecian Royal line. Well... it was PARTLY his fault at the least...
Freya and the other heroes tried to protect the refugees, but in the end were hopelessly outflanked... Then, Sir Fratley showed up.
With his superior Burmecian techniques of the Dragoon (which is the warrior path that Freya also followed) he defeated all the attackers before they could harm the refugees. They then all retreated to the temple of Cleyra.
Freya confronted Sir Fratley, asking him where he had been... how she had sought after him but heard only rumors, looked for him but found only footprints...
His response to this was a confused "Excuse me, ma'am, have we met?"
Neither did he remember his king, who he had served faithful in his years in Burmecia, he must have suffered a blow to the head or some fel spell during his adventures that wiped his memories.
In any case Sir Fratley then leaves, and some of the other heroes are about to pursue him, but Freya says to leave the matter...Then Cleyra is also destroyed...
Later it would be the fact that she continued to show her love for him that would cause her to fall in love with her all over again from the beginning.
After the world was saved, she returned to Burmecia, where she and Sir Fratley worked to aid the rebuilding. No magic, no miracle, but only the humble power of devotion won the day for her, and despite everything that had happened they were eventually wed with joy.
Many years later, their city was a true city again, rather than squatters in the ruins of their past, and the couple grew hungry for another adventure. They heard of a great beast guarding a place. Such could only mean some mystery or treasure to be discovered, but none who had tried could get close enough to discover what it was that the beast kept.
Such a beast stood no chance against the lady who had aided in destroying one who had set out to challenge Death itself, and her lover who still had a trick or two to exchange the teaching of with her in the sparring ring even after she had done so. But no sealed evil nor power for good, no heaped jewels did the beast guard, but a treasure stranger still... a swirling disk of vapor through which could be seen a fair land that they, world-travelers that they were, knew was no place on their sphere of existence. Sending messages back to tell others what they had found, and probing as best they could, lest the very air burn their lungs, they claimed their prize and entered the dimensional portal to the realms where Pelor's sun gives life to the ground.
The wilderness of this new world was rather tame by their standards. Their contact with the locals was peaceful, and was made much easier by the fact that there appeared to be some sort of language translating magic available in this world.
Finding that their techniques were like nothing else in this world, they elected to move to it permanently and establish a training place to spread their art to those who were worthy. Naming it "The Falling Thunderbolt Academy" they were quickly in high demand, despite their strict ethical and moral standards as to who they would teach.
Of especial note were three siblings of the Mirumoto Family, a long line of honorable Sohei Adepts. They were the brothers Shuji and Yohachi, and their sister Misato. The Fratleys tested them and found them most worthy of training in every way, the husband was about to inform them of this, and accept their tuition when Freya stopped him.
"You have passed the test, and we will accept your gold, but, I hope, only for a time. Tell me, from where did you get this money."
Yohachi, as the senior replied, "Surely we know not, it was drawn from the treasury of our Family, and all we can say is that it was earned by them honestly."
"Then you yourselves did not earn this money directly, it belongs to your family as a whole. This is good and right, but we can not accept this money, except maybe as collateral against an alternate payment. There is an imbalance in the universe that must be corrected, and it falls to your family to do so."
"A quest then... the three of us are at your disposal."
"One might call it a quest, but I think it is not one that is efficient for you to undertake. Quite simply, we require that your family find, within a year, someone of at least your own level of skills, and with a spirit inclined to giving instruction, to go through a gateway to another plane of existence, there to remain in our home-city, training our people in the ways of the Sohei Adept for one third the time as the three of you, added up, remain with us. If your family will not do this for us, then at the end of a year we shall open the purses you give us, and you shall depart. If this is done however, we shall return your payments to your family."
"I can not speak for my family, but to my simple mind this seems as if it would give both our families great honor to do this thing."
And so it was. Today many of the soldiers of Burmecia are sohei adepts, and visiting Mirumoto sensei's are granted great respect.
Having a sizable store of personal funds from Freya's adventures, and a sizable reward from King Puck of Burmecia for enabling inter-dimensional commerce (the portal was not actually in Burmecian lands, Queen Garnet was personal friends with the Fratley's so "to the victor go the spoils" was in full effect), and being much in demand, within a few years they were able to afford the price of a magical door that approximately duplicated the effects of a Rod of Security (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#security). Leaving some of their students to train the others, they relocated (a few hundred steps and a world away) to agelessness within that pocket paradise, with their children (who, because of the modified nature of the world could actually gestate and grow up), a rotation of the students who were skilled enough to warrant their direct training, and assorted friends visiting for a while. The dimension collapses every week, expelling those inside, just before it can be recreated. At this time the Fratleys exchange their correspondence, with an especial emphasis on any developing crises that are severe enough that they might need to accept growing a bit older to deal with, for the greater good.
BECOMING A LEAP DRAGOON
Most Leap Dragoons are Sohei Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7465208#post7465208)/Clerics/Rogue or Fighter/Cleric/Rogue hybrids. Those whose inner focus is not sufficient to clerical pursuits may substitute wizard for cleric. Although the path is longer, leaving out the rogue aspect is probably more effective in the long run. The bizarre interaction of personal defense, but offense from a unit tactics point of view makes Leap Dragoons very odd birds as far as the personality type that would pursue it.
Definition: A Dragoon Weapon is any two-handed pole-arm capable of piercing damage with the point(s) that deal said damage collinear with or parallel to the shaft.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Alignment: Lawful Good or Neutral Good
Feats: Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (Any 1 Dragoon Weapon)
Skills: Jump 10 Ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 2 ranks
Special: Acrobatic Feat OR Skill focus (Jump) OR Tumble 5 ranks
Special: Proficient with Heavy Armor
Special: Weapon Specialization (Any 1 Dragoon Weapon) OR Two Maneuvers from the either the Mystic Cobra Discipline (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7472221&posted=1#post7472221) or Piercing Point (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/printthread.php?t=141042) discipline, at least one of which of is of at least third level
Maneuvers OR Spell Casting: Some form of dimensional travel or means of melding one object into another, be it from feats, racial abilities, spells (from any form of magic), maneuvers, psionics, and/or class features. Examples include but are not limited to:
-
Any Maneuver with the [Teleportation] Descriptor
The Distracting Ember Maneuver
Any one of the following spells: Absorb Weapon, Astral Projection, blink, Dimension Door, Ethereal Jaunt, Etherealness, Gate, Greater Planar Ally, Greater Planar Binding, Lesser Planar Ally, Lesser Planar Binding, Maze, Meld into Stone, Planar Ally, Planar Binding, Plane Shift, Shadow Walk, Summon Instrument, Summon Nature’s Ally (Any), Summon Monster (any), Teleport, Teleport, Greater , Teleportation Circle, Transport Via Plants, Tree Stride, and Word of Recall
One of the following Psionic Powers: Assimilate, Astral Caravan, Astral Traveler, Baleful Teleport, Catfall?, Dimension Slide, Dimension Swap, Dream Travel, Ethereal Jaunt,Psionic, Teleport Circle,Psionic , Teleport,Psionic , Teleport Trigger, Time Hop, Time Hop,Mass , Time Regression
-
Equipment: At least one Dragoon Weapon of at least masterwork quality, Armor that is Heavy Armor or Armor that would be Heavy Armor would be if it was made out of ordinary materials (So Mithril Full-Plate, Half-Plate, etc count). If the character later loses such equipment, they do NOT lose the benefits of this class, but they require said equipment to properly train to advance as a Leap Dragoon and thus can't gain levels in this class until they replace it.
Class Skills
Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge [Geography] (Int), Knowledge [History] (Int), Knowledge [Nobility and royalty] (Int), Knowledge [The Planes](Int), Martial Lore(Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Tumble (Dex)
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + Int
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Alter Impact Point|Special|0th|1st|2nd|3rd|4th
1st |
+1 |
+2|
+0|
+0|10 ft|Greater Leap of the Clouds, Safe fall, Leap Attack (Float), Holy Order, Item Affinity|1|-|-|-|-
2nd |
+2 |
+3|
+0|
+0|15 ft|Leap Attack (Ethereal)|2|-|-|-|-
3rd |
+3 |
+3|
+1|
+1|20 ft|Shish-kabob|3|0|-|-|-
4th |
+4 |
+4|
+1|
+1|25 ft|Spears of the Heavens 1/day|4|1|-|-|-
5th |
+5 |
+4|
+1|
+1|30 ft|Leap Attack (Astral)|4|2|0|-|-
6th |
+6 |
+5|
+2|
+2|35 ft|Vocalize|4|3|1|-|-
7th |
+7 |
+5|
+2|
+2|40 ft|Spears of the Heavens 2/day|4|3|2|0|-
8th |
+8 |
+6|
+2|
+2|45 ft|Improved Item Crafting|4|3|3|1|-
9th |
+9 |
+6|
+3|
+3|50 ft|Fast Movement +10 feet|4|3|3|2|0
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|55 ft|Leap Attack (Time Leap), Safe Fall 500 ft, Spears of the Heavens 3/day, Leapfrog|4|3|3|3|1[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: A Leap Dragoon gains proficiency with all dragoon weapons.
Spells: Some Leap Dragoons (those who chose this option over a focus on the Sublime Way) have the ability to cast a small number of divine spells. To cast a spell the Leap Dragoon must have a Charisma score of at least 10+ the spell’s level, so a Leap Dragoon with a Charisma of 9 or lower can not cast these spells. Leap Dragoon bonus spells are based on Charisma and saving throws against these spells have a Difficulty Class of 10 + spell level + Charisma Modifier. When the Leap Dragoon get 0 spells of a given level, such as 0 1st-level spells at 3rd level, the Leap Dragoon gets only bonus spells (as per Table 1-1 in the PHB). A Leap Dragoon with out a bonus spell for that level cannot yet cast of spell of that level. The Leap Dragoon’s spell list follows later in this document. A Leap Dragoon has access to any spell on the list and can freely choose which to prepare, just as a Paladin can. A Leap Dragoon prepares and casts spells just as a Paladin does. A Leap Dragoon’s caster level is equal to her ECL.
A Leap Dragoon who chooses this option gains the Item Affinity ability at first level, and the Improved Item Crafting ability at 8th level.
Maneuvers: For those who chose to continue to train in the hybrid techniques that were developed from combining the classic leap-dragoon techniques with those of the Sohei Adepts (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7465208#post7465208) they may gain full initiator level progression, and new maneuvers known, prepared, and stances known on the following table.
{table="head"]Level|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Readied|Stances Known
1st|
0|
0|
0
2nd|
Replace 1|
0|
0
3rd|
+1|
0|
0
4th|
Replace 1|
+1|
0
5th|
0|
0|
+1
6th|
+1, Replace 1|
0|
0
7th|
0|
0|
0
8th|
Replace 1|
0|
0
9th|
+1|
0|
0
10th|
Replace 1|
+1|
0
[/table]
The Disciplines available to a Leap Dragoon are Army of One (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5710173), Devoted Spirit, Mystic Cobra (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7472221&posted=1#post7472221), Shadow Hand, Tiger Claw (obviously duel-wielding is NOT emphasized, but Sudden Leap and Rapid X Strike are in-theme), and Piercing Point (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141042).
At every even-numbered leap dragoon level the leap dragoon can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one that they already know. In effect, they lose the old maneuver in exchange for a new one. They can choose the maneuver from any level they like, as long as they observe the restriction on the highest-level maneuvers they know; they need not replace the maneuver with a maneuver of the same level. They can swap only a single maneuver at any given level.
A Leap Dragoon who chooses this option does not gain the Item Affinity or Improved Item Crafting abilities, nor the spellcasting abilities of the leap dragoon class.
Alter Impact Point (Su): See Leap Attack(Float). The Leap Dragoon may alter the impact point by up to this distance when performing any Leap attack.
Safe Fall (Su): When determining damage from falling reduce the distance by 10 ft for each Leap Dragoon level up to level 9. Unlike Slow Fall the Leap Dragoon being near a wall is unnecessary. This stacks with the reductions for intentional jumping, tumble checks etc but not with Slow Fall, Cat Feet or the like. Note that this does NOT reduce the Leap Dragoon’s falling speed it is simply that they are not injured by the landing and don’t do damage as a falling object to things (including creatures) they land on except as covered by Ethereal Leap Attack. Use of this ability is NOT optional and it is active even when the character is asleep, unconscious etc. Note also that a Leap Dragoon doesn’t take falling damage for the distance they rose up when performing any Leap Attack.
At 10th level the distance becomes 500 feet.
Example: Geoff the 6th level Leap Dragoon is peering over the edge of a 50 foot cliff when he spots a Troll directly below him looking around. He quickly stands and launches. Since the troll is only 10 feet forward of him this is a high jump. No matter how high he Leaps he will still only count the 50 ft of the cliff for calculating whether he takes damage. Since his 60ft of Safe fall is more than the height of the cliff he is in no danger.
Greater Leap of the Cloud (Su): A Leap Dragoon is in no way penalized for load carried or armor worn on their jump checks. This includes reduction to movement rate from these sources. In fact, if the only movement they perform in a turn is via jumping, then there movement rate is not reduced by load or armor. In addition to this they they always make their Jump checks as if they had a running start.
At second level they also always make their jump checks as if they have the Run feat.
At third level in addition they make their jump checks as if under the effects of an Expeditious Retreat spell.
None of these effects stack with any of these things. Note that the Dash feat (Song and Silence) is always considered to increase their base movement and thus their jumping distance regardless of armor worn.
The above bonuses also apply to any Balance or Tumble checks related to jumping or falling. For instance if the floor gives way beneath them and the GM calls for a Balance check to control the direction of the Jump to clear the area then they don’t have any Armor check penalties.
Leap Attack (Float) (Su): You leap in a high arc toward your target, spear first. At the apogee of your jump you mystically cache your momentum, and latch onto the Ethereal Plane, just enough to access its property of weightlessness. In this state you meditate on your attack before recovering your momentum... with interest.
This is the signature of the Dragoon. An attack from above that defies gravity and often the very nature of space and even time itself. This consists of three stages: Launching, "In the Air", and the Landing Attack.
Launching: The Dragoon takes a full round action to leap toward a target enemy (They may instead just pick a target impact point and not be doing an attack if they just want to use this for transportation, but they can’t change their minds later and turn it into an attack.). They select a point of impact within ½ of their Alter Impact Point distance from that target. I recommend marking this point with a counter that says "A.I.P. Center", but your group can use whatever method works best for them (a die that has the number of squares the point of impact may be altered, or whatever). Note that nobody but the Dragoon really knows where it is. Also mark the point they jumped from.
"In the Air": At the apogee of your jump you pause, hovering in midair in a battle-meditation that shares some characteristics with some of the less physically oriented stances found in the sublime way. In this state you focus your energy for the attack. This lasts until the beginning of your next turn. During this phase you are considered to be taking full defense and to have the Expertise Feat and using it fully. These effects stack to an extent. This means you get a +7 to AC (+9 if you have at least 5 ranks of tumble). You trance also grants you a +3 Focused bonus to all saves (and yes you can bob and weave in place in the air well enough to get reflex saves normally). They are dazed while in this state (except for using [i]Spears of the Heavens). Spears of the Heavens may extend this time, but other than that, no known technique can allow them to avoid the end of this state.
Landing Attack: On their turn the round after launching they roll a jump check. If they resulting distance would be enough to carry them from the marked launch point to their original target creature, and that creature is within Alter Impact Point distance of the A.I.P. Center (the other marker in my recommended methodology) they perform this attack on them (unless they were merely using the jump for transportation, or were using Spears of the Heavens), called (mundanely enough) the landing attack. If the selected target is not within the geometric requirements described above, then you may select any hostile target that meets both geometric requirements, but the attack is at a –4 to hit because your focus is somewhat disrupted. In either case this is their first attack of the round (so either an attack action, or the first attack of a full-attack as they decide AFTER the landing attack itself is resolved).
A landing attack is always considered a charge and thus always puts them at +2 to hit and –2 to AC for that reason.
If no enemy is within the geometric requirements then you impact on any area that meets both geometric requirements. If they are using a dragoon weapon you get special damage multipliers as per the chart. You then touch down in any unoccupied area where you target is within you threatened area. After landing you may perform the rest of your actions for that round but they may not leap again until the following round (so, no, they can’t stay permanently up in the air if True Haste-d). Note especially that ‘any actions’ can include turning the impact attack into a full round attack starting with the second attack bonus in their sequence of attacks. The following feats are ineffective in combination with the impact attack (but may be applied to attacks later in the round): Cleave, Great Cleave1, Supreme Cleave1, and Whirlwind Attack. Due to the extremity of their focus they can only apply their bonus from the Dodge Feat to the target of the landing attack.
1 Except as provided by Shish-kabab.
Damage from a Leap Attack has its final amount of piercing damage multiplied as followed. This is separate from any other multipliers (thus a doubled doubling is NOT a tripling, it is a quadrupling).
{table=head]Normal BAB|Leap Attack Damage Multiplier
+1 to +18|x2
+18 to +20|x3[/Table]
Holy Order (Ex): Paladins may multi-class freely as Leap Dragoons.
Item Affinity (Sp): A leap dragoon who chooses the classical path, the one involving spellcasting rather than the Sublime Way, is considered to have the Scribe Scroll, Brew Potion, and Craft Wand feats, but ONLY for spells that are either on his or her spell-list, or the extended item list. Furthermore, they are not limited to 4th level spells or lower for wands, nor to 3rd level spells when creating potions. A sufficiently powerful leap dragoon can create a potion which when poured on the ground by someone else (the leap dragoon themselves could just hold it and will its activation) duplicates the effects of True Resurrection. When using such an item (whether or not they made it themselves), the character need only hold the item, and (in the case of a wand) know the command word. Speaking, drinking, deciphering a scroll, or extensive motion are never necessary. The action used is still the same, but the Leap Dragoon automatically succeeds on any caster level or ability score checks involved.
Leap Attack (Ethereal) (Su): When Leap Attacking they may choose to enter the Ethereal Plane after the first 10’ of the arc of their jump or just before they impact with any solid surface whichever comes first. They float there in the trance until they resume the arc and come out to the plane where they were just before they impact. The exception to this is when attacking Ethereal creatures this executes as a Float Attack with the Leap Dragoon only returning to the plane they started the Leap Attack from after they complete the impact attack. Any opponent that cannot perceive them while they are Ethereal is considered to be flat footed against this attack.
Shish-Kabob (Ex): This functions in like Cleave and Great Cleave but ONLY for Leap Attacks (and yes it DOES function for them), and only if attacking enemies directly over top of one another starting at the top and working downward. The most common use of this would be to kill a mount (including say, a griffin or dragon) after slaying the rider.
Spears of the Heavens (Sp): If a leap dragoon of at least 4th level has taken hit-point damage from a true foe (GM's descression to prevent cheese including, for example, bring along rabid badgers to taunt, and getting caught by "friendly fire" NEVER counts), in a given battle since the last time they used this ability then they may use this ability, allowing them to attack multiple foes at once in a small area, and at higher levels even stay "up in the air" for multiple rounds at once, attacking with virtual impunity. This replaces the normal landing attack of one leap attack. A spectral copy of the leap dragoon's weapon strikes at one enemy plus one enemy per 2 Leap Dragoon levels within Alter Impact Point distance of their target point (they do NOT need to specify an enemy, just the center for their A.I.P.). These attacks are each resolved separately as per the landing attack of the leap dragoon, except that no counter-attack is possible and every target is considered the original target (thus avoiding the to-hit penalty for changing targets). This effect lasts lasts 1 round per 3 Leap Dragoon levels. At the end of this time they land at their A.I.P. Center point. The attacks repeat each round on the leap dragoon's turn, with the leap dragoon free to chose a new set of targets each round. Injuries sustained within 10 rounds of last launching for this ability don’t count for allowing activation of this ability.
Initially a leap dragoon may use this ability once per day, but this increases by one for every 3 leap dragoon levels past 4th. Thus a 7th level leap dragoon can use this ability twice per day, and a 10th level leap dragoon three times per day.
Leap Attack (Astral) (Su): When Leap Attacking they may now choose to be on a deserted but safe part of the Astral Plane rather than the Ethereal. This has the advantage of avoiding Ghost Touch weapons Etc. It also means that they make their attacks ‘in passing’ against ethereal creatures passing from the Astral to the Ethereal and then to whatever plane they started the Leap Attack from. Any opponent that cannot perceive them while they are Astral is considered to be flat footed against this attack.
Vocalize (Sp): You and a number of companions equal to half your leap dragoon level may speak and be heard, when magical or supernatural effects effects would prevent them from doing so. You may dismiss one or more people from the set of people that this affects at any time as a full round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Adding someone to the effect is a full round action that requires touching them. This ability may be dispelled on a given individual (use your ECL as the caster level) but you can add them back to the set of people by touching them again.
This ability allows communication (from screams of pain and animalistic grunts all the way up to eloquent oratory), it does NOT allow spellcasting, True-Speaking, activating command word magic items, or any such thing. It is ineffective against psychological difficulties, including compulsion effects.
Improved Item Crafting (Su): If a leap dragoon has chosen magic over the Sublime Way then upon reaching 8th level when using Item Affinity to craft magic items, the XP, GP, and time required are all reduced by 25%.
Fast Movement (Ex): At 9th level a Leap Dragoon gains an untyped +10 foot bonus to their base speed.
Leap Attack (Time Leap) (Su): The Leap Dragoon may now elect to move through time itself when executing a Leap Attack. They do not exist anywhere on any plane between the time they launch and the time they land. Time spent like this is not counted against the durations of any spells on them. They may even move their spiritual spears into the timestream to perform Spears of the Heavens in combination with Time Leap. All opponents are considered flatfooted against this attack.
Leap Frog (Sn): This is the ultimate technique of the Leap Dragoon enabling them to rapidly dispatch many enemies. This attack is a full round action. The Leap Dragoon designates as many enemies as they like in a specific order. They then roll a single jump check and note the distance granted. They then jump to any square they could make a melee attack on the first target (provided they can jump that far) and make a charging attack at normal highest BAB and with a damage multiplier one less than it would be for a Leap Attack. Subtract the distance jumped so far from the total distance allowed by the jump check and proceed on down the list in order. If at any time the distance remaining on the jump check is insufficient to allow the Leap Dragoon to make it to the next target then they must jump the remaining distance directly toward that target. Does not stack with Cleave/Great Cleave/Supreme Cleave and is unlike them in that dropping each target is not necessary to move on to the next one. Use of this skill counts as two daily uses of Spears of the Heavens but it does not require the Leap Dragoon to have been injured.
Leap Dragoon Spell List
Leap Dragoons choose their spells from the following list:
Level 0 - Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Guidance, Light, Read Magic, Resistance
Level 1 – Alarm, Comprehend Languages, Endure Elements, Expeditious Retreat(Self Only), Feather Fall, Goodberry, Jump (Self Only), Identify, Protection From Evil, Protection From Chaos, Magic Weapon, Tenser’s Floating Disk, True Strike
Level 2 - Levitate, See Invisible, Daylight
Level 3 – Lancer's Power, Luna's Call(New Spell), Mass Lesser Vigor (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?id=4795)(Complete Divine on page 186, or see Regenerate Ring in Masters of the Wild page 93)
Level 4 - Cherry Blossom, Greater Magic Weapon, Lesser Spell Turning, Tongues, Vigorous Circle (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=4796)(Complete Divine on page 187, Or see Regenerate Circle in Masters of the Wild on page 92)
When making a scroll, potion, or wand a Leap Dragoon is also considered to have access to the following spells for purposes of item crafting, provided their ECL is at least the listed amount and their leap dragoon level is equal to or greater than the spell level:
Level 1 (ECL 1)- Cure Light Wounds, Joyful Noise (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=5495)(Complete Adventurer on page 154, Song and Silence on page 93, Spell Compendium on page 127)
Level 2 (ECL 3)- Calm Emotions, Create Food and Water, Cure Moderate Wounds, Delay Poison, Remove Paralysis, Restoration, Lesser , Rope Trick
Level 3 (ECL 5)- Cure Serious Wounds, Neutralize Poison, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Tiny Hut
Level 4 (ECL 7)- Cure Critical Wounds, Death Ward, Mnemonic Enhancer, Restoration, Secure Shelter, Stone to Flesh, Lesser(New Spell)
Level 5 (ECL 9)- Break Enchantment, Phoenix Down(new spell), Raise Dead
Level 6 (ECL 11)- Mage’s Lucubration, Stone to Flesh
Level 7 (ECL 13)- Mage's Magnificent Mansion, Resurrection, Restoration, Greater
Level 8 (ECL 15)- Elixer(New Spell)
Level 9 (ECL 17)- True Resurrection
Helpful links used in development:
Reference for in game abilities. (http://www.eternalrain.org/freya/abilities.php)
http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Final_Fantasy_IX_Items
http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/
Ex-Leap Dragoons
A Leap Dragoon who becomes of Chaotic alignment cannot gain more levels as a Leap Dragoon. He retains all the benefits of the class. A Leap Dragoon who willfully commits an evil act or is no longer of good alignment loses all spell casting abilities, item creation capabilities, initiator level, maneuvers and stances known, and maneuvers readiable granted by the class, has a reduced leap attack capability, and is no longer automatically considered to be under the effects of a Expeditious Retreat spell nor to automatically have the Run feat for the purposes of Greater Leap of the Cloud. She also may not progress in levels as a Leap Dragoon. She regains her abilities if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description, page 176 PHB), as appropriate, and may there after advance in this class once again.
{table=head] Previous|Ex-Leap Dragoon
Float|Can jump as part of a charge
Ethereal|Float
Astral|Ethereal
Time Leap|Astral[/table]
New Spells:
Cherry Blossom
Evocation
Level: Ldg 4*
Components: V, S
*This spell counts as a 7th level arcane spell for purposes of cross-class learning, or imitation via Wish, Miracle, Limited Wish, and most purposes other than a Leap Dragoon actually casting it, or a Leap Dragoon crafting a scroll, potion, or wand of it, and its ability to overcome Globes of Protection etc.
This spell functions like Chain Lightning, except as noted above and that the damage is untyped, rather than electricity.
Elixer
Conjuration (Healing)
Level: Ldg (Craft Only) 8
Range: Touch
This spell functions like Mage's Lucubration, except as noted above and that it allows a spontaneous caster to return a spell slot of the appropriate level to availability and cures (regardless of the target) 10 hit points of damage per level of the caster, to a maximum of 200 points at 20th level.
Lesser Spell Turning
Abjuration
Level: Ldg 4
Range: Self
Duration: 1 minute/level
As Spell Turning, but only turns 1d3+4 levels and if they are attacked with a spell by a caster who also has a Spell Turning or Lesser Spell Turning active then the result is always that the attackers Spell Turning is reduced by the level of the attack spell and the attack spell ignores the defendersr Lesser Spell Turning. This means that their Lesser Spell Turning remains in full force.
Lesser Stone to Flesh
Transmutation
Level: Ldg (Craft Only) 4
As Stone to Flesh, but only effective if the target was turned to stone not more than 1 round per caster level before this spell is cast.
Luna's Call
Enchantment
Level: Ldg 3
Targets: All creatures in range
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving throw: Will Negates
As per Rage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/rage.htm) except as above and that targets need not be willing.
Lancer's Power
Necromancy
Level: Ldg 3
As per Enervation but subject only loses one level and it can effect even undead. Caster is healed for as may hit points as the subject would gain from gaining an additional hit-die, and the subject loses that many. If the target loses any spell casting ability then the caster may regain the ability to cast a spell of any level lower than the spell that they lost.
Phoenix Down
Conjuration (Healing)
Level: Ldg (Craft Only) 5*
Components: V, S, M, DF, XP
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature Touched
Duration: Instantaneous
*This spell counts as a 6th level divine spell for purposes of cross-class learning, or imitation via Wish, Miracle, Limited Wish, and most purposes other than a Leap Dragoon actually crafting a scroll, potion, or wand of it, and its ability to overcome Globes of Protection etc.
The caster restores to life a deceased creature. The caster can raise creatures who have been dead up to one round per 4 caster levels. In addition the subject’s soul must be free and willing to return (see Bringing Back the Dead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/castingSpells.htm#bringingBacktheDead)). If the subjects soul is not willing to return the spell does not work; therefore, subjects who want to return receive no saving throw. The subject loses NO levels or constitution.
Phoenix Down cures hit point sufficient to raise the creature total hit-point to a total of 1 hit point per 2 caster levels but not to more that one tenth of the creature’s maximum nor more than 1 hit point per creature’s hit die. Any ability scores damaged or drained to 0 are raised to 1. Normal Poison and normal disease are cured in the process of raising the subject, but magical diseases and curses are not undone. While the spell closes mortal wounds and repairs lethal damage of most kinds, the body of the creature to be raised must be whole. Otherwise, missing parts are still missing when the creature is brought back to life. None of the dead creature’s equipment or possessions are affected in any way by this spell.
A creature who has been turned into an undead creature can’t be raised by this spell, but one who has been slain by a death effect can. Constructs, elementals, outsiders, and undead creatures can’t be raised. This spell cannot bring back a creature who has died of old age. A character who died with spells prepared has a 50% chance of losing any given spell upon being raised, in addition to losing spells for losing a level. A spellcasting creature that doesn’t prepare spells (such as a sorcerer) has a 50% chance of losing any given unused spell slot as if it had been used to cast a spell, in addition to losing spell slots for losing a level. If Phoenix Down is cast within 1 round of the creature’s death these chances drop to 25%.
Material Component: One or more diamonds worth at least 500 gp total, and a feather (even a pinfeather) from a Phoenix.
XP Cost: 100 XP.
Note to those linked directly to this specific post:
Due to length limitations on individual posts, this prestige class is continued in the next post, including:
Playing a Leap Dragoon
Leap Dragoons in the World
Daily Life
Notables
Organizations
NPC Reactions
Leap Dragoons in the Game
Adaptation
Encounters
Feats
Sample Encounter
Burmecian Race