Dragoon (Fighter archetype)
Goodness knows we all love the stupid leaping plate mail spear guys from Final Fantasy, and we’ve all been trying to make one work in D&D for as long as we’ve known about both things. Here’s my latest attempt.
Battle Leap: At 3rd level, as a bonus action on your turn, you can become Jump Ready. You ignore all falling damage and are always considered to have a running start when making a long or high jump. In addition, your maximum long jump distance is equal to your movement speed, and your maximum high jump distance is equal to half your movement speed. You gain advantage on all Athletics and Acrobatics checks to clear obstacles and land safely. Jump Ready lasts until the beginning of your next turn.
--At 10th level, your maximum high jump distance is equal to your movement speed, and your maximum long jump distance is equal to twice your movement speed, taking up movement at half the normal rate.
Jump: At 7th level, as an action on your turn while you are Jump Ready, you can make a single attack against a target within your movement range (using movement as normal for a long jump) and return to your starting position without using additional movement. This attack requires line of affect to the target, but does not provoke opportunity attacks.
High Jump: At 10th level and while Jump Ready, as an action that ends your turn, you can leap gracefully into the air up to your maximum high jump distance, remaining there until the beginning of your next turn. You must resolve High Jump at the beginning of your next turn, and Jump Ready remains in effect until you have done so. As an action, you land on a target within a distance equal to the height of your High Jump (e.g. if you jumped 20' up, your range for this is 20') and attack. If this attack is successful, you automatically deal critical damage. You land next to your target, or begin to fall if your target is midair.
Chain Jump: At 15th level, after a successful Jump attack, you may Jump to another target and make an additional attack, up to the maximum number of attacks you can make in an attack action. Each target may only be attacked once during this action. You may only travel as far as your long jump distance allows, cumulative between targets, and you return to your starting position as normal. There must be line of affect between all targets and your starting position.
Dragon Knight: At 18th level, you are always considered to be Jump Ready, and no longer have to use a bonus action to become so. After a successful Jump or High Jump attack, you may use a bonus action to make an additional attack with the same weapon. Your maximum high jump distance is equal to twice your movement speed, and your maximum long jump distance is equal to four times your movement speed, taking up movement at a quarter the normal rate.
High Jump is kind of confusing, so here's an example.
Ghole (Lv10 dragoon) and Nafiya (Lv10 paladin) are fighting an ogre in its cavern lair (maximum clearance approximately 25 feet). Nafiya has been keeping the ogre at bay with her shield while Ghole makes Jump attacks from a distance, but Nafiya is beginning to look battered. They had discussed a tactic beforehand, and try to implement it now.
On his turn, Ghole uses a bonus action to become Jump Ready, moves to within 20' of the ogre, and executes a High Jump, ending his turn. The ogre is next. Realizing something strange is going on, it swipes at Nafiya, which she barely deflects with her shield, then backs away -- but Nafiya has Sentinel. Here, the scenario will split into two.
In scenario one, the Sentinel attack misses, and the ogre backs up a further 20' (total of 40' away from Ghole). Nafiya holds her ground, using her action to heal herself during the brief reprieve.
Ghole's turn comes up again. The first thing he must do is resolve High Jump from the previous round, but there are no hostile targets within the 20' distance he's allowed due to the low ceiling. He instead lands next to Nafiya, taking no damage due to Jump Ready, which then immediately wears off. Ghole now has a bonus action available, if he can make one, and can move up to 10 feet less than his maximum movement (due to moving 20' horizontally during the jump).
In scenario two, the Sentinel attack misses, doing a small amount of damage, but reduing the ogre's movement to zero. Nafiya still opts to heal herself, as her HP is still low, and hunkers down to prepare to defend.
Ghole's turn comes up again. The first thing he must do is resolve High Jump from the previous round. This time, there is a hostile target within range, so Ghole uses his action to land on the ogre, making a single attack. The attack connects, and is automatically considered a critical hit. At this point, Ghole is no longer Jump Ready. He has a bonus action available, if he can make one, and can move up to 10 feet less than his maximum movement (due to moving 20' horizontally during the jump).
I'm considering making High Jump work with Chain Jump, as well, so that a single Bonus action immediately after a successful attack lets you become Jump Ready and initiate another High Jump, but the action economy seems broken on that. I'd welcome any suggestions.
