PDA

View Full Version : Chevalier, a Fighter Archetype for mounted combat



SkipSandwich
2017-11-08, 01:01 AM
Hi all, I was doing some reading earlier about mounted combat in 5th edition and realized that there just isn't much support for it at current. To this end I ended up making a Fighter Martial Archetype to help those that want to specialize in mounted combat.

Chevalier
This archetype is designed for Fighters who want to embrace mounted combat.
You gain the following benefits at 3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th level, respectively

3rd Level
Trusty Steed: At 3rd level you obtain a riding animal that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to act as your mount. Choose a large or medium animal of challenge rating ¼ or lower suitable for use as your mount (so a Medium-size Chevalier would choose a Large animal, while a Small Chevalier would choose a Medium animal). Some examples of appropriate animals would be; Axe Beak, Camel, Draft Horse, Elk, Giant Lizard, Goat, Mastiff, Mule, Pony, Riding Horse, Wolf.

Your Trusty Steed gains additional benefits due to your training, as follows;

Your steed gains additional hit points equal to your Fighter level
Your steed adds your proficiency bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls, as well as any skills or saving throws it is proficient in.
If you are wielding a shield, your steed applies your shield bonus to its own AC so long as you are riding it and not incapacitated.

Even while unmounted, your Steed obeys your commands as best it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, and though it typically takes no action unless you command it, it will defend itself normally if attacked, fleeing or counterattacking as appropriate for a creature of its type. On your turn you can verbally command your Steed where to move (no action required by you). You also gain a Bonus action each round which you may use to direct your mount to take the Dash, Disengage or Dodge actions.

While mounted, you may control your steed as normal (see Mounted Combat in the Player's Handbook) or you may choose to have it act independently, in which case it behaves as detailed above. So long as you are mounted on your Trusty Steed, whenever you make an attack action, you may direct your steed to attack instead of making a weapon attack. If you have more than one attack through the Extra Attack feature, you may freely mix weapon and mount attacks, up to your normal maximum. (So if you had Extra Attack(2), you could make up to three attacks, any of which you could choose to be either a weapon or mount attack).

If your Trusty Steed is ever lost or killed, you must spend at least 8 hours training a replacement mount before it gains the benefit of being your Trusty Steed. You may have only one Trusty Steed at a time.

Mounted Combatant: At 3rd level, you gain Mounted Combatant as a bonus feat, if you already possess this feat, choose another feat for which you qualify. In addition, you have learned how to take full advantage of the extra leverage and height your mount affords you. So long as you are mounted any one-handed weapon you wield with the Versatile trait is treated as if you were wielding it with two hands for the purpose of determining its base damage. For example, while mounted, your Longsword deals 1d10 base damage no matter if you wield it with one or two hands.

7th level
Shock Cavalry: You are truly terrifying when on the charge. Starting at 7th level, when your Trusty Steed uses the Dash action while you are mounted, you may make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action at any point during its movement. If your mount moves at least 20ft in a straight line immediately before you take this bonus action, your weapon deals +1d8 damage on this attack. This damage improves as your fighter level increases. At class level 11th you deal +2d8 damage, at 15th you deal +3d8 damage and at 19th level you deal +4d8 damage.
10th Level

Deft Control: Beginning at 10th level, you may use your bonus action granted by Trusty Steed to command your mount to take the Help command or make a single Attack at your option. Additionally, your mount has Advantage on saving throws made to resist being Frightened or Charmed.

15th Level
Mounted Retaliation: Beginning at 15th level, so long as you are mounted on your Trusty Steed, whenever you take damage from a creature within 5ft of you, you may use your reaction to have your mount make a single attack against that creature.

18th Level
Dire Charge: Beginning at 18th level, whenever you attack using your Shock Cavalry feature, your bonus attack may target any number of additional creatures within 5ft of your initial target, with a separate attack roll for each. If your mount moved at least 20ft in a straight line immediately prior to your attacks, you deal bonus damage as described under Shock Cavalry.


Mounted Archery variant
As above, but replace Shock Cavalry and Dire Charge with the below

7th Level
Mounted Skirmisher: Whenever a creature of your mount's size or larger within 5ft misses you or your mount with an attack you can use your reaction to immediately direct your mount to move up to its speed in any direction. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks from the creature that missed you, but any other creatures within reach may make opportunity attacks against you as normal.

18th Level
Suppressing Fire: beginning at 18th level, while mounted you can use your action to make a ranged weapon attack against any number or creatures within 10ft of a point you can see within your weapon's range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, but instead of an attack roll, affected targets must succeed on a Dexterity save (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + dexterity modifier), taking only half damage on a successful save. On a failed save, in addition to taking damage targets hit suffer Disadvantage on all attack rolls for 1 round.

Knitifine
2017-11-08, 01:07 AM
Seems like a smart opponent would just 1 shot your steed every single round for your entire career.

SkipSandwich
2017-11-08, 02:43 AM
Seems like a smart opponent would just 1 shot your steed every single round for your entire career.

Monted combatant as a bonus feat means that any single target attack that hits your mount can be forced to hit your more durable self Instead at your option. Plus your mount gets evasion for AOE attacks.