Dragoon archetype needs reworking?

[KainPen]

I still going through a lot of archetypes but tell if any others do anything strange like this. All the fighter ones I saw replace this for that at the same level. There is never any level jump or it is complete replacement of classed feature not a partial.

Dragoon still gets armor training 1 and armor mastery. That makes no sense how one becomes a master of wearing armor without any of the others.

You get banner at level 9 to replace the excess weapon training since you are limited to one group(this fits with other archetypes I have seen so far), but it does not increase in power at the same intervals as weapon training. It leaves a strange uneven level bonus. You get the next bonus at the same time you get bravery increase and the last one same time you get armory mastery. The weapon training that they replace happens at level 13 and 17.

Also why are limited to only one weapon, for spinning lance skill should this not be like the other two lance skill useable with any weapon, or at lease spear group. The other two do not mention lance other than in the title. Banner skill is limited to just a lance as does weapon mastery. But shouldn’t this be any spear weapon? I get it use the lance cause it optimum for mount combat which brings me to leaping lance

Leaping lance??? If these guys are mounted specialist using lances why the hell would they leap off their mount unless the mount was going to fall on them because it was dying? Why would you dismount take greater ac loss for a +2 to attack roll only to be in a weaker position the next round. Because you lose any shield bonus because the lance has to be used in two hands and the ability to x3 damage. Yes you get to keep all your mount feats for the charge. You can do this by just staying on the mount. You still have the advance of your entire mount feat the round after. All this archetypes ability’s and strengths are mostly depend on being mounted why would they ever give that up by choice.

[ChaiGuy]

Leaping Lance: obviously a reference to Kain from Final Fantasy 4, well OK probably not ;P.

Name: Kain Highwind
Class: Dragoon
Age: 21
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 184 lbs
Equipment: Spears, Shields, Guantlets, Helmets, Armor
Skill(s): Jump

Kain is Cecil Harvey's best friend, and a loyal dragoon for King Baron. He fights for Rosa's attention and is jealous of Cecil. He wields spears and is powerful with his ability to Jump in battle.

Note
Kain's Jump ability powerful. Kain will Jump into the sky for about 1 round, and then he will impale the enemy with the spear for massive damage.

[Nicos]

KainPen wrote:

Dragoon still gets armor training 1 and armor mastery. That makes no sense how one becomes a master of wearing armor without any of the others.

mechanically speaking armor mastery have nothing to do with armor training.

[KainPen]

I know I played the game. It is my favorite one. I was guessing that but ability does not really fit the flavor the archetype seems to be going. All FF Dragoons are foot solider not mount combated. I know mechanically they do different things, but you can see a progression of how the relate to each other logically and flavor wise. Armor training keep teaching you how to move in armor making it more flex able and maneuverable, mastery mean you perfected this, in return you know how to move the armor so well use it to deflect damage.

If it meant to be mounted charging specialist does it make more sense for leaping lance to do something like make your mount make a leaping charge add your .5 your class levels to the mounts jump check. If mount jump at least 10ft you do x more damage or give the mount the ability to pounce for the charge. This is level 15 ability also would it be something that makes you weaker?

If not mounted specialist the effect could be gain the effects of spirited charge without mount if you succeed a jump check that lets you travel at least 10ft. Make them useful on and off mount. The other ability does not require a mount.