Oriental Prestige Class : Dragon Warrior
by Clifford Horowitz, Dragon #292
The rank and file of the Dragon clan's troops are taken from peasantry, the ancient tradition of warriors coming only from noble stock dead along with the empire. However, masters of the training halls still watch for students with the unmistakable passion that can only mean they've touched the spirit of the Dragon and taken it into their hearts. These exceptional individuals are separated from the others and put through a unique training regimen that relies heavily on meditation and self-mastery. Those who emerge take the field as dragon warriors.
Strange combinations of berserker fury and monk mysticism, dragon warriors are a people apart. They carry within them the seething power of the dragon, and its stormy urges make them somewhat capricious. Yet to contain and truly harness this power requires immense discipline, which reins in their more outlandish urges. While they might seem calm at a distance, with muted body language and soft speech, up close their voices betray hints of strain, and their small movements tremble to become more. They appear locked in an eternal, invisible struggle, and indeed, they are. The only time they let go completely is in battle, where they release the Dragon in all its fury, roaring like a storm as their giant swords cut through the opposition in a torrent of steel.
Monks and barbarians who have forsaken their former lives often take up the dragon warrior path for its familiarity. Fighters, rangers, and martially minded clerics are also common.
Class Requirements
To qualify to become a Dragon Warrior, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any nonchaotic, nonlawful.
Dragon warriors who become lawful or chaotic, lose all dragon warrior class abilities. - Skills: Concentration, 3 ranks; Knowledge (Religion), 3 ranks.
- Feats: Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greatsword).
- Base Attack Bonus: +6 or better.
Class Skills
The dragon warrior's class skills are Climb, Concentration, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (religion), Ride, and Swim.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the dragon warrior prestige class.
Weapons and Armor: Dragon warriors gain no new proficiency with weapons, armors, or shields. Wearing armor inhibits the dragon warrior's connection with the spirit of the Dragon, and a dragon warrior who dons armor loses access to all her dragon warrior class abilities. All such abilities return to the dragon warrior as soon as the armor is removed.
Body of Soul (Su): The dragon warrior's first step in harnessing the power of the Dragon is to quell it completely. Until they come to grips with the roiling rages that now reside in their hearts, those first touched by the Dragon must either quell the spirit or be consumed by it. However, in burying the essence of the Dragon within themselves, the fledgling dragon warriors learn an inner strength so intense that it radiates outward. As a result, dragon warriors add their Wisdom bonus to their hit points at each dragon warrior level. Wisdom damage or drain, depletes these extra hit points.
Chi Shield (Su): The intense meditation continues, as does the growth of the dragon warrior's power. By this point, the energy of the Dragon has soaked the dragon warrior through with mystical power, imbuing her with supernatural toughness. At 2nd level, the dragon warrior gains a deflection bonus to Armor Class equal to her Wisdom modifier.
At 5th level, the resilience of the warrior increases, and she gains damage reduction 1/- .
At 8th level, the essence of the Dragon has so thoroughly permeated the warrior that her mind and body share the same infallible staying power. The dragon warrior's damage reduction increases to 2/- , and she develops spell resistance equal to 10+ her Wisdom modifier.
Dragon's Fire (Su): At 3rd level, the dragon warrior learns the first outward means of expressing the Dragon's rage. Using her sword as a focus for the power, the warrior learns to make the giant blade more than a metaphorical representation of the Dragon's fiery breath. As a free action, the dragon warrior can, once per day, imbue a greatsword she wields with the flaming magic weapon enhancement (see Magic Weapons). As long as the weapon is held in her hands, the enhancement lasts for a number of rounds equal to the dragon warrior's level plus her Wisdom modifier. At 6th level, the dragon warrior can use dragon's fire twice per day, and at 9th level, the warrior can use the ability three times per day.
Dragon's Fury (Ex): A 4th-level dragon warrior finally learns the rudiments of letting the Dragon flow through herself. By allowing a bit of the Dragon's essence out of her tightly controlled heart, the dragon warrior can throw herself into a mystically induced rage. This rage lasts a number of rounds equal to the dragon warrior's Wisdom bonus, but in all other respects it is identical to a barbarian's rage ability. While so enraged, the dragon warrior loses her chi shield, as the spiritual energy is shunted from protection to offense. The dragon warrior can use dragon's fury twice per day. If the dragon warrior has rage from some other source, its bonuses do not stack with those provided by the dragon's fury ability.
Dragon's Grip (Ex): At 7th level, the dragon warrior learns to wrap herself in the power of the Dragon. No longer simply inspired by it, she can now totally immerse herself in it. When she uses the dragon's fury ability, she now gains a +6 to her Strength and Constitution and a +3 to all Will saves. This increases the bonus hit points to 3 per character level. In addition, the dragon warrior can use the dragon's fury ability 3 times per day and no longer loses her chi shield abilities while raging.
Dragon's Release (Ex): At the pinnacle of her development, the dragon warrior becomes an avatar of the great Dragon spirit. She no longer channels its power when enraged, but she becomes more like a direct gateway for the primal force to act upon the world.
When the warrior uses the dragon's fury ability, she gains a +8 to both Strength and Constitution and a +4 to Will saves. This increases the bonus hit points to 4 per character level. In addition, she can use the dragon's fury ability 4 times per day.
While her dragon's fury lasts, her sword bursts into supernatural flames, granting the weapon the flaming magic weapon enhancement, as per the dragon's fire ability. If the dragon warrior chooses to use her dragon's fire ability while so enraged, her weapon is treated as though it also has the flaming burst magic weapon enhancement.
| Dragon Warrior | Hit Die: d10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Body of soul |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Chi shield (deflection bonus) |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Dragon's fire 1/day |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Dragon's fury 2/day |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Chi shield (damage reduction 1/-) |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Dragon's fire 2/day |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Dragon's grip (dragon's fury 3/day) |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Chi shield (damage reduction 2/-, spell resistance) |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +~ | +6 | Dragon's fire 3/day |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Dragon's release (dragon's fury 4/day) |
If the prestige classes from Battle Realms sound like fun to you, ask your DM if she'll include them in her campaign and allow you to take one or bothkabuki warrior). Here are some ideas for how your character might use them:
- Your character comes from a family cursed with terrible tempers that cause them to lash out and wound those they love. Many relatives have given in to the rage and taken up the barbarian life, but your PC has tried to control it. Your character is always on the verge of disastrous anger, but that struggle has given the PC the powers of the dragon warrior.
The prestige classes from Battle Realms fit well into an Oriental Adventures campaign, and with a little modification, they can be a part of any campaign world.
- The dragon warriors could be just that: warriors who devote themselves to the service of red dragons. These warriors gain powers as the mystic bond with the dragon they serve grows stronger.
- The dragon warrior and kabuki warrior could be two opposing mystic orders: one devoted to the wild expression of feelings; the other devoted to controlling emotion.
Source: Dragon #298