Dino Rider (5e Class)

Dino Rider

A tall Elven woman walks out of her house to the edge of a cliff. She pitches her fingers to her mouth and whistles, A moment later a pteranodon comes flying up and lands next to her. She places it’s saddle and bridle onto it's back. She mounts the gracious creature and takes a deep breath, prepared to take flight.

A Halfling man rides down a dirt road on the back of a Pachyrhinosaurus. The big animal lumbers down the road as the Halfling blows on a small pipe.

A man in some dark brush stalks his prey, a small deer, roughly 6 months old; this man has been tracking this particular deer for weeks. As he carefully steps around, he turns to face his Allosaur, and he slowly nods at it. It takes a step back, and prepares to run. The man draws his bow, cracks a cocky grin, and fires. The arrow whizzes along with an excited Allosaur close behind.

Dino Riders Ride!

Sometime in your past you were given/found a dinosaur egg and by hand you raised this beast. You and this Dinosaur are bonded to each other to the point that both you and the dinosaur are much like family. When you travel, you are often not seen apart, either walking side-by-side, or you are mounted on your scaled companion.

Note 1: This should be done on games with dinosaurs before using. Seek DM Approval.

Note 2: While the prehistoric creatures of the sea and of the sky were not dinosaurs, for this class they count as dinosaurs.

Creating a Dino Rider

Think about who you are. Why have you become a Dinosaur Rider? Was it something you were born into? Are your family Dino Riders and trained you into becoming one? Was it something you only have recently discovered?

What made them start adventuring? Did they decide to do this for the thrill? Was is by pure chance you were in the wrong place at the right time? Are you looking for something existential or personal? All these questions will lead to better understanding your character and their motivations.

Quick Build

You can make an Dino Rider quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution if you want more Hit Points or Wisdom if you want to be more in touch with nature. Choose the Folk Hero background. Choose Acrobatics, Insight, Stealth, and Perception as your skills. Choose a polearm of your choice and Explorer's Pack for your starting equipment in addition to anything granted by your background.

Class Features

As a Dino Rider you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Dino Rider level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Dino Rider level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Leather Armor, Medium Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
Tools: Explorer's Pack or Dungeoneer's Pack
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Strength
Skills: Choose four from Athletics, Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Insight, Persuasion, Investigation, Stealth, and Perception

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) One Simple Weapon or (b) 2 Daggers or (c) Any Polearm
• (a) leather armor or (b) Scale Mail
• (a) A Scholar's Pack or (b) A Dungeoneer's Pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 1d10 x 30 gp in funds.

Table: The Dino Rider

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Egg Archetype, Born to Ride, Ferocious Rider
2nd	+2	Polearm Master, Fighting Style
3rd	+2	Archetype Feature, Double Trouble
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Might
6th	+3	Archetype Feature
7th	+3	Throw Master
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Indomitable
10th	+4	Mental bond
11th	+4	Archetype Feature
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Tracking
14th	+5	Senses of the beast
15th	+5	Archetype Feature
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Indomitable, Extra Attack
18th	+6	Elemental Enhancement
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Immortal Bond

Egg Archetype

At 1st level, choose Egg of Air, Egg of Earth, or Egg of Water their detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd, 6th, 11th and 15th level.

Born to Ride

Beginning at 1st level, you have advantage on saving throws made to avoid falling off your mount. If you fall more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you're not incapacitated, taking no damage. Additionally, mounting or dismounting your bonded mount costs only 5 feet of movement, instead of half your speed.

Pouncing Mount

Starting at 1st level, at any time when you are mounted, if your mount moves at least 10 feet in a straight line right before you hit a creature with an attack, that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength Modifier or be knocked prone. You can only use this feature once per turn.

In addition, you gain advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks while mounted.

Polearm Expert

At 2nd level, whenever an ally is attacked, if you are wielding a glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, Lance, or spear, you can make an opportunity attack if the attacker is in range.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to Attack rolls you make with Ranged Weapons.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other Weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to Damage Rolls with that weapon.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second Attack.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or a 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Double Trouble

At 3rd level, you have advantage on attack rolls against any creature within 5 feet of your bonded dino.

Extra Attack

At 5th level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Might

At 5th level, you become tougher as you improve as a dino rider. When being attacked by a creature, you can use your reaction to add your Strength or Wisdom modifier to your AC until the start of your next turn. Once you have used this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Independence

At 7th level, you're mount has learned the techniques that you often use in combat, as such they gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Mount's Strength or Dexterity score by 4, or each by 2.
• Your mount gains an int score of 6 if it didn't already have that.
• Your mount may now be controlled by you without actions or bonus actions, it has it's own init.

Indomitable

Beginning at 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can't use this feature again until you finish a Long Rest.

You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level.

Mental Bond

At 10th level, you and your dinosaur gain a telepathic link within a 10 mile radius. Additionally, your mount can alert you of any information it has learned without difficulty.

Together

At 13th level, when you need to make a saving throw, both you and your dino attempt the save, if ether of you pass you both do.

Senses of the beast

At 14th level, you gain blindsense within 30 feet, and your dinosaur gains blindsense within 60 feet. If it already had blindsense, it gains 60 more feet.

Extra Attack

At 17th level, you can Attack 3 times, instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.

Elemental Enhancement

Starting at 18th level your creature becomes so in tune with nature that it now takes on one aspect of the elements. Their attack's deals 1d6 extra damage of the chosen type. The Dino damage is considered magical to overcome resistance.

• Flames. Deal fire damage.
• Ice. Deal cold damage.
• Storm. Deal lightning damage.
• Corrosion. Deal acid damage.
• Venom. Deal poison damage.

Immortal Bond

At 20th level, your bond with your bonded dino can never be broken. Your bonded beast can't fall unconscious as long as you're still conscious.

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Air Egg

Important Note: when you first select this egg archetype, you do NOT have the capability to fly on your Dino, for balance purposes, this will come later.

You were given/found an egg that belongs to a prehistoric flying creature. Your raised this creature to be your mount. The dino obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn't take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can make one weapon attack yourself when you command the beast to take the Attack action.

The DM should approve the creature.

Take Flight!

Upon reaching 3rd level, your dinosaur has bonded with you to a point in which it has become comfortable enough to let it fly with you. When mounted, the dinosaur may take flight, and move at normal aerial speed. Additionally, when falling from a height less than or equal to 45 feet, you take no damage from the landing.

Skilled Flyer

At 6th level, All check with Athletics and Acrobatics have advantage while mounted on your dino.

Gale Force

At 11th level, your dinosaur gains the ability to create great winds with it's wing-beats. As an action, your dinosaur can begin to charge while in midair. The dinosaur can charge a number of turns equal to your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus. While charging, the dinosaur make take no actions, except charge, until the charge is manually ended. Upon ending the charge, the Dinosaur blasts out a 50 foot long cone of air in a 30 degree radius. Creatures caught in the blast Must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 3 x the number of turns charged + 2). On a failed save, the creature is knocked back a number of feet equal to the number of turns spent charging times 10, and is dealt Xd8 bludgeoning damage where X is the amount of turns spent charging. On a successful save, the target takes half damage and knockback. Your dinosaur can not use this again until it takes a long rest.

Chilled Air

At 15th level, Both the Dino Rider and Mount gain immunity to natural cold and resistance to magical cold damage.

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Earth Egg

You were given/found an egg that belongs to a prehistoric land creature. Your raised this creature to be your mount. The dino obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn't take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can make one weapon attack yourself when you command the beast to take the Attack action.

The DM should approve the creature.

Stealthy

At 3rd level, you and your mount may use the Hide action as a bonus action in light cover. You also gain advantage on Stealth checks. (Only with theropod dinos) In addition when you or your mount are making an attack at advantage you gain 1d10 of extra damage, this damage does not increase at later levels.

In The Saddle

At 6th level, when an enemy makes an attack against your mount while you're mounted, you may use your reaction to attempt to stop it and counter attack. Make an attack at the target, the target must succeed a Dexterity saving throw(DC player attack to hit roll - target attack to hit roll). On a failed save, your attack hits, and prevents the attack. On a success, the target's attack succeeds, and your attack misses.

Mounting

At 11th level, The Dino Rider can mount his/her Dino as a bonus Action.

Perfect Sync

At 15th level, your dinosaur now can accept specific commands. Your dinosaur will obey your commands to the finest detail, if you choose to include them. Additionally, when your dinosaur makes an attack with advantage while hidden, the attack will automatically Critically hit.

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Water Egg

You were given/found an egg that belongs to a prehistoric water creature. Your raised this creature to be your mount.

The DM should approve the creature.

Deep Dive

At 3rd level, you can cast the spell Water Breathing three times between a long rest.

Water Breathing

Transmutation Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 feet Components: V S M (A short reed or piece of straw) Duration: 24 hours

This spell grants up to ten willing creatures you can see within range the ability to breathe underwater until the spell ends. Affected creatures also retain their normal mode of respiration.

Swimming

At 6th level, The swim speed is equal to his/her run speed.

Surf

At 11th level, All check with Athletics and Acrobatics have advantage while mounted on your dino.

From Below

At 15th level, When attacking something from below in the water while mounted on your mount, your mount gets +5 to attack and damage.

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Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Dino Rider class, you must meet these prerequisites: 12 Dexterity proficiency in the Animal Handling Skill, and have found a dinosaur egg from a species big enough to ride(i.e. Allosaur).

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Dino Rider class, you gain the following proficiencies: Nature, Survival, Polearms.

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