Dragonslayer - Dragon (Character Kit)

Dragonslayers are fanatical enemies of all dragonkind, often as the result of some tragic incident in their past.
Role: The dragonslayer is often a knight errant or a specialized mercenary; he is excellent as a lone NPC who may seek PC help for “the big one.”
Secondary Skills: Riding.
Weapon Proficiencies:
* Recommended: Lance, crossbow, two-handed sword, pike.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Bonus: Dragon lore.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Recommended: Animal trainer, blacksmith, armorer, riding, land-based.
Equipment: Field plate armor, body shield, jousting shield, large warhorse.
Distinctive Appearance: Charred, scarred, and marred.
Special Benefits: Dragonslayers know their foe and gain benefits accordingly. Whenever attacking a dragon with a melee weapon, the dragonslayer’s Strength and magical bonuses are doubled for both attack and damage rolls. These benefits apply only to dragons in their true form, not to those who have assumed human or other shape.
Furthermore, their fanaticism makes it possible for dragonslayers to fight their foe on even terms. Dragonslayers can issue a mortal challenge to any dragon simply by bellowing their threats to the sky; the dragonslayer must fight alone for the challenge to work. Magic resistance provides the dragon with no protection; if it fails a saving throw vs. death magic, it must land and engage the dragonslayer on the ground. However, cowardly dragons may still choose to fight their foes on home terrain; a dragon that fails its saving throw against a mortal challenge may still retreat to fight in its lair.
Finally, dragonslayers suffer less damage from dragon’s breath weapons, both because they can anticipate the moment when a dragon chooses to use one and because they know the best countermeasures to avoid harm from each one (grounding, wetting clothes, holding one’s breath, and so on). On a successful saving throw vs. dragon breath, dragonslayers suffer only one quarter damage. Even a failed result means only one half damage to these warriors.
Special Hindrances: Dragonslayers tend to have short lives, since they are often hunted by dragons whose eggs or young they destroyed. They are sometimes considered soldiers of ill omen, since when they fail, a dragon’s wrath often falls on the nearest village or town. They suffer a -2 modifier to all reaction checks because of the air of gloomy, unbending fanaticism that surrounds them.
In addition, a dragonslayers’ squires and companions are magically affected by the dragonslayer’s aura. If they enter combat with a dragon at the dragonslayer’s side, they suffer a -2 penalty to AC for the duration of the combat, as the dragon furiously seeks to knock them aside to concentrate on its primary foe the dragonslayer. For this reason, most dragonslayers work alone.
A dragonslayer may never attack to subdue nor work with those who do. He is obliged to meet any attempt to do so with force. Showing mercy to a dragon under any circumstances results in the loss of all kit bonuses and makes the former dragonslayer an ordinary fighter again. Good-aligned dragons are no exception to this rule.
Wealth Options: Dragonslayers begin the game with 4d6 (×10) gp, as they are usually supported by a town or patron for their first dragonslaying efforts. They are expected to spend all their money and effort hunting dragons, and any funds not spent on equipment are lost
Category:Character Kit
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