i made this eons ago. one of my players has taken an interest in playing something along these lines.
The Dragoon.
BAB: as fighter
Saves: fortitude good
HD: d10
Class Skills: (4+Int Modifier, x4 at first level, yada yada yada)Balance, Climb, Craft, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Nobility), Tumble
WP: Simple, All non-mercurial Polearms
Armor: All, non-tower shields
Class Abilities (explanations at end):
1st level: Plummeting Strike (+1d6), Skill Focus - Jump
2nd level: Armored Jumper (Light)
3rd level: Plummeting Strike (+2d6, +1 attack)
4th level: Steady Leap
5th level: Plummeting Strike (+3d6)
6th level: Dragonslayer (d8)
7th level: Plummeting Strike (+4d6, +2 attack)
8th level: Armored Jumper (Medium)
9th level: Plummeting Strike (+5d6)
10th level: Jump Mastery, Meteor Strike (10ft radius)
11th level: Plummeting Strike (+6d6, +3 attack)
12th level: Improved Dragonslayer (d10)
13th level: Plummeting Strike (+7d6)
14th level: Armored Jumper (Heavy)
15th level: Plummeting Strike (+8d6, +4 attack)
16th level: Armored Mobility
17th level: Plummeting Strike (+9d6)
18th level: Master Dragonslayer (d12)
19th level: Plummeting Strike (+10d6, +5 attack)
20th level: Meteor Strike (30ft radius)
Plummeting Strike:As a full-round action, the dragoon can leap into the air, and strike the enemy with increased force. Per 5ft increment (rounded down), the dragoon does 1d6 of damage, in addition to his weapon damage. This maximum damage allowed increases per level. (For example, at 5th level, if the dragoon jumps 15ft, he will do an additional 3d6 damage. Even if he jumps 20ft, he will not get the extra damage.) At all even numbers (+2d6, +4d6, etc,) a +1 attack bonus is granted while using the ability. Can only be done with a polearm weapon.
Skill Focus - Jump: The dragoon gains this feat. If already possessed, another feat that the dragoon qualifies for may be taken.
Armored Jumper:The dragoon may ignore armor check penalites associated with Jump checks while wearing the listed armor type.
Steady Leap: The dragoon can make running jumps from a standing position.
Dragonslayer: Due to ancient rivalries against dragons, the dragoon has gained a special bonus against them. The damage die used for Plummeting Strike is changed to the listed type, but only against creatures of the Dragon subtype. For each new level of mastery in the ability, you gain an additional +1 to attack, but only against Dragon subtype creatures.
Meteor Strike: The dragoon can make a Plummeting Strike against all foes within the listed radius (Reflex DC10+1/2 class levels + str mod for half.)
Jump Mastery: The dragoon can Take 10 on Jump checks, no matter the situation.
Armored Mobility: As the dragoon gets used to wearing heavier armor, he becomes better at moving while wearing it. Heavy armor counts as medium for purposes of movement.
New Feats for Dragoon characters:
Plummeting Axe:
Prereqs: Plummeting Strike +1d6, proficiency with axe in question
Benefits: Can use Plummeting Strike with an axe.
Plummeting Fist:
Prereqs: Plummeting Strike +1d6, Improved Unarmed Strike
Benefits: Can use Plummeting Strike with an unarmed attack.
Plummeting Sword:
Prereqs: Plummeting Strike +1d6, proficiency with sword in question.
Benefits: Can use Plummeting Strike with a sword
Obviously, the skills would need reworked, seeing as how most of them are combined into one now. My other issue was how to properly balance Plummeting Strike. As it was, you would almost need to be a Thri-kreen to get the max damage out of it. And I know the weapon proficiencies would be reworded to something closer to "Simple, all weapons from the Polearm weapon group." My old group used a lot of Mercurial weapons at the time, so we needed specific flags for it.
Besides that, whatever other critiques are most welcome.
The biggest problem I see with this class (and every dragoon-inspired hombrew class I've reviewed before) lies with scope. This class has almost no class features. You might be better off making it an archetype.
Plummeting Strike's mechanics are also very vague and somewhat unwieldy. I recommend turning it into a special type of charge attack uses elevation. For example, a charge that deals bonus damage if you have the high ground on your attack. Then at later levels, maybe he gets something like the Barbarian's mighty leap rage power where he gets a fly speed during a charge.
I know the FF dragoon uses polearms, but it doesn't make much sense to me to restrict it to one group of weapon.
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This is what I had. It's very close to the fighter, probably a bit more powerful, but it was made for the player to have fun:
Dragoon:
Hit Die: d10
Full BaB
Good Fortitude and Reflex saves
Skills: 4 + intelligence
Class Skills: Acrobatics, craft, Climb, Diplomacy, Fly, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (Dungeoneering, Engineering), Profession, Ride, Survival
Proficient with All martial weapons, armor, and shields (except tower shields)
1 Strength in the Legs
2 Bonus Feat
3 Airborne Assault
4 Bonus Feat
5 Gathering Strength
6 Bonus Feat
7 Airborne Polearm Master
8 Bonus Feat
9 Airborne Assault: size increase (med, heavy)
10 Bonus Feat
11 Confined Jumper
12 Bonus Feat
13 Jump in the Air
14 Bonus Feat
15 Airborne Assault: size increase (heavy)
16 Bonus Feat
17 Improved Strength Gathering
18 Bonus Feat
19 Penetrating Force
20 Bonus Feat, Unstoppable
Strength in the Legs - The Dragoon makes up for his lack of flight by performing powerful jumps. His acrobatics check may be modified by strength instead of dexterity for the purposes of vertical and horizontal jumps. He ignores armor check penalties when jumping. The dragoon also ignores any damage caused by a fall from a high jump, up to the distance up he jumped. Finally, armor does not affect movement for the purposes of the max distance a dragoon may jump.
Airborne Assault - The Dragoon is a master at focusing his downward momentum into his weapon. When he attacks an enemy while falling from above with a melee weapon wielded with both hands or an unarmed strike, he may roll additional attack rolls equal to the number of additional iterative attacks granted by BaB. For every one of these rolls that hit, he deals additional damage as if the dragoon were a *falling object. This damage is counted as additional damage dice and do not multiply on a critical hit. If the dragoon misses with every attack roll, he falls prone and takes falling damage.
*For a medium creature, 3d6 damage when above 30 feet, or 1/2 of that below, or 2x that when above 150 feet.
Fighter Bonus Feats: At level 4, and every 4 levels thereafter, the dragoon gains a feat listed as a fighter bonus feat.
Gathering Strength: By gathering his strength, a Dragoon may perform greater feats of strength. The dragoon may delay his action by up to his strength modifier in the initiative order. He gains a temporary pool of energy equal to the initiative order lost that may be used for the following abilities. These points expire at the end of his delayed turn.
-High Jump: For every point expended, the Dragoon may add 10 to any acrobatics check made to jump (including long jumps). If 2 points or more are spent, the dragoon may ignore the maximum jump imposed by movement speed.
-Up Swing: After successfully landing an Airborne Assault, the Dragoon may make a second attack with his weapon by spending 2 points.
-Flying Tackle: By spending 1 point, the dragoon can jump into an enemy rather than onto. His Airborne Assault damage is then governed by *horizontal distance traveled to the target. Additionally, if his acrobatics check exceeds the distance to the target and his target is no more than 1 size category larger than himself, he moves the rest of the distance with his target. If he didn't hit with his airborne assault, he does not move the target with him.
*So, instead of having to fall 30 feet to deal 3d6 damage as a medium creature, you need to jump forward 30 feet before you hit the target to get 3d6.
-Determination: By spending 2 points, the Dragoon ignores any fear effect for 3 rounds.
-Dragon Spirit: By spending at least 4 points, the Dragoon is able to maintain consciousness even when taking lethal damage. For 2 rounds, he doesn't die unless he takes his constitution score plus the number of points spent. Additionally, he maintains consciousness when at negative hit points, although he may only use standard actions. Finally, if the dragoon is still conscious at the end of this effect, but has suffered otherwise lethal damage, he falls unconscious, stabilized at -1 hit points. This may only be used once per day.
Airborne Polearm Mastery - The Dragoon may land in any square that allows him to threaten the target of his airborne assault.
Confined Jumper - By making a DC 20 acrobatics check, a Dragoon may use the ceiling as a jumping pad so long as the ceiling is at least 15 feet high. This allows the dragoon to use the full height of a jump check for the purposes of airborne assault.
Improved Airborne Assault - The Dragoon counts as one size category larger for the purposes of airborne assault damage when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Master Airborne Assault - The Dragoon counts as an additional size category larger when wearing heavy armor (for a total of 2 size categories larger).
Penetrating Force: When the dragoon uses airborne assault and is using a piercing weapon, his first attack may be treated as a touch attack.
Improved Strength Gathering: The Dragoon now gains two points per initiative place lost.
Jump in the Air: If the Dragoon is able to fly, the Dragoon may treat any position as if it had solid ground for the purposes of jumping.
Unstoppable: The Dragoon is immune to stun, daze, nauseated, and any other effect that prevents him from taking all of his normal actions in a turn.
The main idea is that the Dragoon jumps on his target (duh). He probably has a little too high of damage output compared to fighters, but definitely not as high as a magus. The pool ability is unique, and in my group's play worked well.
This is what I had. It's very close to the fighter, probably a bit more powerful, but it was made for the player to have fun:
** spoiler omitted **...
thats a little closer to how i think i wanted it to work out. i might use it, if youre ok with it, and my player in question is still interested in it.
also, on the listing, youve got bonus feats listed at every 4, but your table has them at every other. which one were you leaning towards more?
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We ended up going with every even level, simply because there were more feats and items needed to really get damage up.
And as a starting point, the player had two options going for him. He got the vital strike chain which he could use on the jump attack (but not the follow up, if there was any) but he also got dodge/mobilty/spring attack so he could move after landing if he had any movement left (which happened when he didn't want to sacrifice initiative count). He turned really tanky, but got countered fairly hard by will saves and confined spaces.
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ALso check out the Zepyrus Base Class from ARMR Studios. The art is questionable (looks ripped straight off of FF by all accounts), and the mechanics could use some work, but, hey - it's free.
Also, if you do a search in the subforum for "Dragoon" you'll get this many OTHER DRAGOON THREADS many of which are for leaping assault fighters akin to that seen in FF.