How to convert a dragon knight from the Dragonlance setting from 3.5 to 5th edition

[dehro]

Not sure if I should put this in the 5ed. subsection or in the 3.5 subsection.
I'll do both, just in case... I trust the mods will remove one, if need be.

As per title.. We're doing something a bit unorthodox. We started a 3.5 campaign some time ago and we've hit roughly level 13. I started out with a human, 10 levels of fighter and then took Dragon knight as a prestige class. Plot-wise, the DM handed me a bronze dragon.

In the meantime we've all sort of fallen in love with the fifth edition (especially me and the DM)... and since we've sort of blown our world saving mission, he's sent us back in time to "back to the future" ourselves out of trouble.
We succeded, I'm told (I missed the last session)... and returned to a present that apparently has seen some things altered. The DM decided that one of these changes was going to be the rules edition.

so..

how do I best transpose the Dragonlance Dragon Knight into 5th edition using only Core Books?
I can of course provide further details on the original character, if need be. just assume that he's got all the prerequisites necessary for the Dragon Knight in the first place.

[Nifft]

A Paladin gets the spell Summon Greater Steed (in a splatbook which might not be core), and that seems to be the closest thing to the Dragon Knight.

I would recommend homebrew.

[dehro]

getting the dragon isn't much of an issue.. it's mostly creating a build that has comparable features, such as, for instance, improved abilities using a dragonlance from the back of a dragon..

Edit: If there's some other archetype or sub-class in books other than the core books, I'm open to it, but will need directions

[ATHATH]

getting the dragon isn't much of an issue.. it's mostly creating a build that has comparable features, such as, for instance, improved abilities using a dragonlance from the back of a dragon..

Edit: If there's some other archetype or sub-class in books other than the core books, I'm open to it, but will need directions
There is a Purple Dragon Knight subclass for Fighters in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, but it doesn't really have any features related to dragons.

Maybe a Beastmaster Ranger? You wouldn't be riding a dragon, and you'd have to be small, but you could ride a pterodactyl (that could be refluffed into being a dragon) or something. You could beg your DM for an item (or a 3 level dip into Wizard (I recommend Diviner) or Sorcerer) that lets you cast Dragon's Breath once per combat and use that on your (refluffed) mount, I guess. Take the Mounted Combatant feat, of course.

[Blood of Gaea]

I would take a look at the Cavalier Fighter from XGtE.

The Mounted Combatant Feat should also be a good pickup.

[dehro]

There is a Purple Dragon Knight subclass for Fighters in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, but it doesn't really have any features related to dragons.

Maybe a (Revised) Beastmaster Ranger? You wouldn't be riding a dragon, and you'd have to be small, but you could ride a pterodactyl (that could be refluffed into being a dragon) or something. You could beg your DM for an item that lets you cast Dragon's Breath once per combat and use that on your (refluffed) mount, I guess.
nah.. thanks, but that won't work.. I'm using an established character which I must convert.. not creating a new character with wildly different features (small for instance).

[ATHATH]

nah.. thanks, but that won't work.. I'm using an established character which I must convert.. not creating a new character with wildly different features (small for instance).
I made some edits to my post before you quoted it.

This IS an alternate future, though, right?

[Nifft]

getting the dragon isn't much of an issue.. it's mostly creating a build that has comparable features, such as, for instance, improved abilities using a dragonlance from the back of a dragon..

Edit: If there's some other archetype or sub-class in books other than the core books, I'm open to it, but will need directions

You could do something like give Champion Fighter full benefits with extra-crit range when mounted on his dragon, but otherwise he's not as good at combat. Remarkable Athlete might help with riding checks.

The compensation would be having a dragon -- which provides mobility, flight, and magical energy attacks.

It's probably over-compensated but the Champion was originally a bit light, so you've got room to give it nice things (i.e. a dragon).

[dehro]

I made some edits to my post before you quoted it.

This IS an alternate future, though, right?
yes, but one where we return much the same as we were when we left. the only difference for us is in game mechanics, allowing for the differences between the two editions, but still keeping true to the characters.

edit... I like your edits.

[dehro]

I found something that I believe to be a homebrew retooling of the Cavalier... it sounds really close to what I'm looking for, but I have no idea if it's balanced, and before I bring a homebrew solution to my "by the book" DM, I'll post the link here
https://www.kurry.fi/viki/images/4/49/Dragonlance_Classes_5e.pdf

[Kadesh]

The Dragon Rider was a Prestige Class and had the following;

Prerequisite; BAB of +10
Skills; Handle Animal, Ride 8 Ranks
Feats; Leadership, Mounted Combat, Resist Dragonfear
Special; Must have Ridden a Dragon.

Abilities provided;
- Specific Dragon Follower for the Leadership Feat
- Feat from a specific list for the Draconic Follower
- Line of Sight reliant Sign/Body Language that the Rider and Dragon can understand
- Exchange Action to give bonus to Dragon's Attacks
- Neither Dragon nor Rider can be flanked while the Rider is in the Saddle
- passive bonuses to rider and mount

For those not aware, the BAB in 3.5 is a Base Attack Bonus, essentially proficiency modifier provided by a class to its attacks, and every 5 points provides an additional attack, capping out a +20. None martial classes like a Wizard would have a +10 at 20th level, a Fighter or other Martial would have a +20. This would suggest a class or Archetype with the Extra Attack class feature.

Also, the Leadership feat is now roleplayed out, and is reliant on your DM giving you the Dragon to keep around you. Jeremy Crawford has been explicit in saying that you do not need to have a Class Feature giving you an animal (or in this case, Dragon) companion to stop you from seeking one out, and that the DM should feel completely free in being able to give it increases in abilities, such as actual levels in a class, or perhaps a Feat. One of the published Dragons in an Adventure also has a-typical abilities for even a Spellcasting Dragon of its race. However, a Dragon is essentially a DMPC, and is capable of being a very powerful and considerable aid to the party, and therefore likely to take a share of both wealth and experience, and should be something a DM is happy to manage as well as any other allied party member. Your ability to give it instructions is entirely based on whether it likes you and wants to follow those instructions.

The Skills are basically rolled into "Animal Handling" in this edition, and Mounted Combat is in the same vein of feats. Resist Dragonfear is Proficiency in Wisdom Saves.

The Body Language can either be turned into Telepathy - there are yet to be true Sign Language rules, but Observant allows you read lips when speaking a language you understand (so mouthing Draconic at your Dragon, and it doing the same in response should be all but unintelligible save for a very select few - although it's not as effective a hidden communication as the 3.5 version), and Linguist allows you to create a written cypher a feat - so perhaps a more somatic one could equally be a homebrew feat. An intelligent creature can make its own attacks in combat, but you can give your action by using the Help Action anyway.

Flanking is no longer in the rules.

Mounted Combat provides an effective bonus on Saves while you're in the saddle, allowing it to target you (and if you have Adamantine Armour, no nasty Crits), while the Fighter (Cavalier) has Warding Maneuver for Con mod/long rest. Paladins have the Aura of Protection to keep both of you upright. Both have Protection Fighting Style to force disadvantage on the attack.

If it was me; Fighter (Cavalier) 10/Paladin 7/Mastermind 3 is a pretty good representation, if not an outright copy.

[ATHATH]

The Dragon Rider was a Prestige Class and had the following;

Prerequisite; BAB of +10
Skills; Handle Animal, Ride 8 Ranks
Feats; Leadership, Mounted Combat, Resist Dragonfear
Special; Must have Ridden a Dragon.

Abilities provided;
- Specific Dragon Follower for the Leadership Feat
- Feat from a specific list for the Draconic Follower
- Line of Sight reliant Sign/Body Language that the Rider and Dragon can understand
- Exchange Action to give bonus to Dragon's Attacks
- Neither Dragon nor Rider can be flanked while the Rider is in the Saddle
- passive bonuses to rider and mount

For those not aware, the BAB in 3.5 is a Base Attack Bonus, essentially proficiency modifier provided by a class to its attacks, and every 5 points provides an additional attack, capping out a +20. None martial classes like a Wizard would have a +10 at 20th level, a Fighter or other Martial would have a +20. This would suggest a class or Archetype with the Extra Attack class feature.

Also, the Leadership feat is now roleplayed out, and is reliant on your DM giving you the Dragon to keep around you. Jeremy Crawford has been explicit in saying that you do not need to have a Class Feature giving you an animal (or in this case, Dragon) companion to stop you from seeking one out, and that the DM should feel completely free in being able to give it increases in abilities, such as actual levels in a class, or perhaps a Feat. One of the published Dragons in an Adventure also has a-typical abilities for even a Spellcasting Dragon of its race. However, a Dragon is essentially a DMPC, and is capable of being a very powerful and considerable aid to the party, and therefore likely to take a share of both wealth and experience, and should be something a DM is happy to manage as well as any other allied party member. Your ability to give it instructions is entirely based on whether it likes you and wants to follow those instructions.

The Skills are basically rolled into "Animal Handling" in this edition, and Mounted Combat is in the same vein of feats. Resist Dragonfear is Proficiency in Wisdom Saves.

The Body Language can either be turned into Telepathy - there are yet to be true Sign Language rules, but Observant allows you read lips when speaking a language you understand (so mouthing Draconic at your Dragon, and it doing the same in response should be all but unintelligible save for a very select few - although it's not as effective a hidden communication as the 3.5 version), and Linguist allows you to create a written cypher a feat - so perhaps a more somatic one could equally be a homebrew feat. An intelligent creature can make its own attacks in combat, but you can give your action by using the Help Action anyway.

Flanking is no longer in the rules.

Mounted Combat provides an effective bonus on Saves while you're in the saddle, allowing it to target you (and if you have Adamantine Armour, no nasty Crits), while the Fighter (Cavalier) has Warding Maneuver for Con mod/long rest. Paladins have the Aura of Protection to keep both of you upright. Both have Protection Fighting Style to force disadvantage on the attack.

If it was me; Fighter (Cavalier) 10/Paladin 7/Mastermind 3 is a pretty good representation, if not an outright copy.
That requires a 20th level build, though, no?

[dehro]

I don't think we'll get much further than possibly 15th level before we run out of plot (we're running a few things together and are looking to see things through in this campaign so that we can drop it and focus on the other one)

[Kadesh]

That requires a 20th level build, though, no?

Requires is a strong word. Mastermind can be dropped, you don't need Bonus Action help, but it is there to mirror the effect of assisting without being worthless. Paladin can cap at 6 if you want the Cha Aura effect, or entirely sacked. 7 was a fitting break point for the Oath ability: Conquest would have been okay for the Fear = 0 Move, but largely irrelevant for mirroring the prestige class.

A straight Fighter Cavalier with appropriate feats and Skills does what you need between Warding Bond, Mounted Combat, Resilient Wis, and the DM giving you the Dragon.

Fighter 7/Paladin 6 is a similar representation i quite like for 13th though.

[Torzen]

Go to Google and type in "d&d 5e dragon knight build". Type that in word for word and the second link will be a pdf from DMs Guild of exactly that.
I have somebody I DM for doing the same build for a new PC and that's the one we used.

[dehro]

Go to Google and type in "d&d 5e dragon knight build". Type that in word for word and the second link will be a pdf from DMs Guild of exactly that.
I have somebody I DM for doing the same build for a new PC and that's the one we used.

I checked it.. it seems rather focused on giving me dragon-like qualities and abilities.. but maybe workable, especially the dragoon sublass..

I still think the cavalier variant in the link I posed a few posts ago has a better adherence to the character and what it's meant to do...