Rider (5e Class)

The Rider

Warriors from an unknown land, said to be able to forge a bond with beasts and fight together with them. These warriors have a connection to nature that is almost equal to a druid but instead of calling the elements of nature, they instead call for the aid of the wild's beasts. Riders are strong, both in strength and willpower. They can bond with various beasts with the use of subjugation, friendship or intimidation. Individually they are a challenge. But together they are a force to be reckoned with.

Bestial Warriors

These warriors have spent much of their lives in the wild, learning to fight like beasts themselves. In time, this allowed them to gain senses akin to beasts; meanwhile, without becoming beasts.

The ability to bond with beasts is the result of the Rider's unique magic. Most Riders can only use this magic pool in order to create a bond or to harness an element; however, there are some Riders who have chosen to pursue a deeper understanding of this magic and have learned ways to channel this magic.

Partners of Beasts

The 'Bond' is what makes the Rider differ from most warriors, the connection that binds the Rider and a beast. The bond can be established either out of respect, friendship, service or fear. The method is different for all Riders but the result stays the same for all, they are now partners.

Creating a Rider

Rider by Sergey Avtushenko

As you create your rider, think of how you discovered your unique ability to understand and connect to a beast. Did you fight in a battle that left you barely alive and a beast came and helped you, impressed on how bravely you fought? Were you trying to save a beast from being killed? Or did you encounter one in the wild while you were resting? This event leads you to the discovery of your unique gift and while most beasts would rather kill you, you have this special way of being able to connect to them. This often lead to a bond that is not established by a magical gift, but a natural one that was built from understanding.

Quick Build

You can make a rider quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, depending on whether you want to focus on melee or ranged and finesse weapons. Make Wisdom your next highest for Animal Handling checks for the Bestial Bond. Lastly, choose Constitution if you want more hit points or Intelligence if you plan to choose the Mystic Rider archetype.

Class Features

As a Rider you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, Medium armor, Shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, Martial weapons
Tools: Herbalism Kit, Poisoner's Kit
Saving Throws: Strength, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) Dungeoneer's Pack or (b) Explorer's Pack
• (a) Leather Armor or (b) Hide Armor
• (a) Any bow/crossbow and 20 arrows/bolts or (b) Martial melee weapon and shield
• (a) 2 Simple melee weapons or (b) Martial melee weapon

Table: The Rider

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Element Die	CR Maximum
1st	+2	Rider's Companion	—	—
2nd	+2	Fighting Style, Rider's Blade	1d4	1/4
3rd	+2	Rider Archetype	1d4	1/4
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	1d4	1/4
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Elemental Fangs	1d4	1/2
6th	+3	Combined Might	1d4	1/2
7th	+3	Rider Archetype Feature, Rider's Blade Element (2)	1d6	1/2
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	1d6	1
9th	+4	Bestial Combat	1d6	1
10th	+4	Rider Archetype Feature	1d6	1
11th	+4	Superior Bond	1d8	1
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	1d8	2
13th	+5	Beast Sense	1d8	2
14th	+5	Rider's Blade Element (2)	1d8	2
15th	+5	Rider Archetype Feature	1d8	2
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	1d10	3
17th	+6	Beast Nature	1d10	3
18th	+6	Rider Archetype Feature	1d10	3
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	1d10	3
20th	+6	Immortal Bond	1d10	4

Rider's Companion

You gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that is one size larger than you, and that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower the CR increases as you gain levels in this class. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills in which it is proficient. Its hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or four times your Rider level, whichever is higher. Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points.

You can control the beast using your bonus action. The beast act on your turn, and you decide if it will act before, after or simultaneously to you. If the beast has a multiattack option, it cannot use it. If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts as you wish.

Your companion understands your speech, and you can intuit basic concepts and statements as long as you can see or hear it.

If the beast die, you can obtain a new companion by spending 8 hours magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

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.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 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.

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Two-Weapon Fighting

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

In addition, you can make this second weapon attack as part of the same Bonus Action used to control your Rider's Companion.

Rider's Blade

Beginning at 2nd level, you gain the ability to harness the essence of nature and imbue your weapons. As a bonus action, you can activate any element you know on one melee weapon you’re holding. The effect of the element lasts until you finish a short or long rest.

While the element is active, attacks you make with this weapon are magical, and deal extra damage equal to your element die of the type determined by the chosen element. A weapon can hold only one active element at a time. Other creatures can’t gain the benefit of your rider's blade. You choose one element from the list below when you first gain this feature. You learn an additional element at 7th level, and again at 14th level.

You can use this feature to enchant your weapon with the elements a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), and you regain your uses of this feature after completing a long rest.

Elements

Flames. Deal fire damage.

Ice. Deal cold damage.

Storm. Deal lightning damage.

Corrosion. Deal acid damage.

Force. Deal force damage.

Radiant. Deal radiant damage.

Venom. Deal poison damage.

Rider Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate in your combat styles and techniques. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of you choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can now attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Elemental Fangs

When you reach the 5th level, whenever Rider's Blade is active while you are within 5 feet of your companion, their natural attacks also gain the benefits of the Rider Blade.

Combined Might

At 6th level, when riding your beast, you are able to brace for impact, withstand powerful blows against your body. While riding your companion, when you or the beast are hit by a non-magical attack you can see, you can use your reaction to your proficiency bonus to your Armor Class, potentially causing that attack to miss.

Bestial Combat

At 9th level, you can choose to gain Advantage on a attack roll. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain the ability to do so after a long rest.

Superior Bond

At 11th level, you can direct your beast with your thoughts alone. Your beast can act on its own, taking his turn on your initiative count, before or after you.

Alternatively, you can use your Action to allow your beast to use its Multiattack option, if it has one. When you do so, you can make a single attack using your Bonus Action.

Beast Sense

Starting at 13th level, you gain the abilities of the beasts. You gain any of the Senses possessed by your current beast companion.

Senses are the following traits: passive Perception (if it is higher than yours), Keen Hearing, Keen Smell, Keen Sight, Darkvision, Web Sense, Blindsight and Echolocation.

Beast Nature

At 17th level, you start to assume a trait of a beast. Whenever you take a long rest, you can either choose to change or keep your Beast Nature.

Bear

You gain +1 to AC.

Wolf

You gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Tiger

You can Dash or Disengage as a bonus action.

Spider

You can climb difficult surfaces without needing to make an ability check.

Panther

Your speed increases to 40 feet.

Immortal Bond

At 20th level, your bond with your bonded beast can never be broken. Whenever your bonded beast would take damage that would reduce it to zero hit points, it can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead. You must be conscious to grant this bonus. You can use this a number times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) and regain all uses after a short or long rest.

Rider Archetypes

Every Rider has their own approach to combat. Your chosen archetype indicates your most favored approach.

Bladerunner

A Rider that has mastered the use of their Rider's Blade, being able to fight equally against foes that are more powerful than they are.

Dance of the Rider

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, whenever you hit a creature with your Rider's Blade, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls (to a maximum of +3). Your beast gain this benefit, if it is within 5 feet of you.

While you have this bonus, your movement speed increases in 5 feet for each +1 bonus, and creatures you hit can't make opportunity attacks against you.

If you miss an attack or take damage, the bonus goes back to 0. You also lose all the bonus if you haven't made an attack since your last turn.

Blade Adept

Starting at 7th level, the additional elemental damage caused by your Rider's Blade ignores resistance and immunity to damage.

In addition, you gain resistance to the damage type active on your Rider's Blade.

Blade Defense

At 10th level, when you take damage from the type active on your Rider's Blade, you can use your reaction to gain immunity to that damage type, including the triggering type, until the start of your next turn.

In addition, when you use this reaction, you can choose to spend one use of your Rider's Blade to swap the active element on the weapon.

Unnatural Blade

Starting at 15th level, you gain one additional element, which you can choose from the Unnatural Elements list below. Additionally, you regain your uses of the Rider's Blade after finishing a short or a long rest.

Unnatural Elements

• Roar: Deal thunder damage.

• Death: Deal necrotic damage.

• Light: Deal radiant damage.

Blademaster

At 18th level, while the Rider's Blade is active, you can use your bonus action to swap the active element, without spending uses of the feature, as a Bonus Action.

In addition, whenever you activate the Rider's Blade, you can make an attack against a creature of your choice within 5 feet, as part of that Bonus Action.

Mystic Rider

Riders that have focused on the mastery of the magical arts, deploying deadly spells on enemies or supporting their bonded beast and party members.

Mystic Rider Spellcasting

Rider Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
			1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3rd	2	3	2	—	—	—
4th	2	4	3	—	—	—
5th	2	4	3	—	—	—
6th	2	4	3	—	—	—
7th	2	5	4	2	—	—
8th	2	6	4	2	—	—
9th	2	6	4	2	—	—
10th	3	7	4	3	—	—
11th	3	8	4	3	—	—
12th	3	8	4	3	—	—
13th	3	9	4	3	2	—
14th	3	10	4	3	2	—
15th	3	10	4	3	2	—
16th	3	11	4	3	3	—
17th	3	11	4	3	3	—
18th	3	11	4	3	3	—
19th	3	12	4	3	3	1
20th	3	13	4	3	3	1

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you learn how to draw the magical power from nature to enhance your and your companion's abilities.

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid's spell list. You learn an additional druid cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Mystic Rider Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. you regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level druid spells of your choice. The Spells Known column of the Mystic Rider spellcasting table shows when you learn more druid spells of 1st level or higher.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells he know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for the druid spells, since you gain this power through attunement with nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to his spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Natural Acolyte

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature skill.

In addition, if you currently have no Rider's Companion, you can spend a spell slot to summon a rider's companion, with a CR equal to your maximum possible. This rider companion is made out of plant life around the area you summoned it, and it must be from a creature you had as companion already. The creature is considered a plant, rather than a beast. This creature lasts for 24 hours, until you use this feature again or until you bond with a new companion.

Natural Emphasis

At 7th level, you can choose to specialize in one type of natural magic: plants, beasts, cure or elements, gaining the appropriated benefits below:

Plants. Whenever you cast a druid spell that targets, conjures or somehow affect or create plants, you can use your bonus action to cause plants to snare one creature of your choice within 30 feet. That creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC, or be restrained until the end of your next turn. On his own turn, the creature can use its Action to make another Strength save.

Beasts. Whenever you cast a druid spell that targets, conjures or somehow affect or create Beasts, you can use your bonus action to allow your companion to attack. If the companion have the multiattack trait, it can use the trait with this bonus action.

Cure. Whenever you cast a druid spell that restore hit points or remove negative conditions, you regain hit points equal to 2 + the spell's level, and can end one harmful condition currently affecting you.

Elements. Whenever you cast a druid spell that causes cold, fire, lightning, thunder or acid damage, or that targets, conjures or somehow affect or create earth, water, fire or air, you can make an attack with the Rider's Blade, if active, using a bonus action.

Mystic Recovery

At 10th level, you can now recover expended spell slots. During a short rest, you can choose a total of spell slot levels to regain, equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). You may use this feature once and regain the ability to do so after a long rest.

Share Spells

Beginning at 15th level, when you cast a spell targeting yourself, you can also affect your beast companion with the spell if the beast is within 30 feet of you.

Nature Secrets

At 18th level, you unearth one the magical secrets of nature. Choose one 6th-level and one 5th-level spell from the druid spell list as your secrets. You can cast each secret spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

Beast Knight

One soul with two bodies, both Rider and beast bonded together to be a deadly force.

Synchronized Attack

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you not only learned to fight with your bonded beast but you also learned to fight alongside them. When you make a melee attack a creature that is within reach of your companion, your beast can make an opportunity attack against that creature.

Bestial Assault

At 7th level, you and your companion have gotten used to fighting alongside each other. When your companion hit a creature with an attack, you gain Advantage on your next attack against that creature, made until the end of your turn.

Bestial Fury

Starting at 10th level, your beast can avenge strikes with mighty anger. Whenever you beast takes damage from an attack, it enters in Fury until the end of your next turn. Record the damage taken. The next attack made by the beast causes additional damage equal to the number recorded, on a hit.

Feral State

At 15th level, you can channel your anger through the bond to turn your bonded beast feral. While feral, your bonded beast gain the following benefits:

• It can attack twice, rather than once.
• It becomes immune to the charmed and frightened conditions.
• Gain resistance to bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage.
• Make a d20 roll after your feral bonded beast's turns. On a 20, each hostile creature within 30 feet of your bonded beast must make a Wisdom Saving Throw DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + the beast Constitution modifier, or be frightened for 1 minute.

Your bonded beast stays feral for 1 hour or if there is no hostile creatures left. They must take a long rest for them to turn feral again.

Strength of the Beast

Starting at 18th level, your bond strengthens the beast you bond with. The beast Strength score increases by 4, and the beast adds your Wisdom modifier as a bonus to all its saving throws.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Rider class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Strength/Dexterity

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Rider class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, Medium armor, Simple weapons, Martial weapons

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