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Writer's pictureJustin Handlin

Class Analysis: Fighter Purple Dragon Knight


In this episode we cover the Fighter archetype Purple Dragon Knight found in Wizards of the Coast's Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.


Purple Dragon knights are warriors who hail from the Cormyr kingdom. Pledged to protect the crown, they take the fight against evil beyond their kingdom’s Borders.


A Purple Dragon knight inspires greatness in others by committing brave deeds in battle. The mere presence of a knight in a hamlet is enough to cause some orcs and bandits to seek easier prey. A lone knight is a skilled warrior, but a knight leading a band of allies can transform even the most poorly equipped militia into a ferocious war band.

Restrictions: Knighthood

Purple Dragon knights are tied to a specific order of Cormyrean knighthood.


Rallying Cry

At 3rd level, you learn how to inspire your allies to fight on through their injuries.

Heal others with second wind.


Royal Envoy

A Purple Dragon knight serves as an envoy of the Cormyrean crown. Knights of high standing are expected to conduct themselves with grace.


Double your proficiency bonus on any Persuasion check. You gain it regardless if you're trained in the skill.


Inspiring Surge

At 10th level, when using action surge feature, choose one ally they can make a melee or ranged weapon attack with its reaction.


Bulwark

At 15th level, you can extend the benefit of your Indomitable feature to an ally.


Segment 4: Unearthed Tips and Tricks! (We give you creative content for your next adventure)


Character Concept: My Missing Half.

Character experiences visions during their sleep - experiences another's life

Visions show first person perspective of horrible conditions; abuse, torture, servitude,

Character is seeking out the source of the visions

When they finally discover the source of the visions, it turns out to be a long lost twin the character was unaware off.

Do they arrive too late to save their twin?


Monster Variant: King Fisher

Origin: Alpha Grick

Feature: Stone Lure

The king fisher chooses a spot within 10 feet of itself; the end of the tail has what appears to be a valuable glowing gem. All creatures that can see the light at start of their turn must make a successful DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the start of their turn. A creature charmed this way must take the dash action toward the glowing gem by the most direct route. The target fails the saving throw automatically if restrained or has a movement of grappled. The charmed creature treats the king fisher as invisible.


Encounter: Jumper

A young woman(monster race?) is on the edge of a tower about to jump. Players must try to persuade her not to jump.

Reasons:

Family could have been massacred

Lost all her wealth

Is stuck in servitude

This is an opportunity to humanize your NPC’s


Magic Item: Neuralizer Wand

This small wand is made of an obsidian rod with a small red jewel in a recess on the end. When activated it releases a flash of bright red light.


One creature that you can see must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. If you’re fighting the creature, it has advantage on the saving throw. On a failed save, the target becomes charmed by you for 1 minute. The charmed target is incapacitated and unaware of its surroundings, but can still hear you. If it takes any damage or is targeted by a spell, this spell ends, and none of the target’s memories are modified.


While this charm lasts, you can effect the targets memory of an event that it experienced within the last hour that lasted no more than 10 minutes. You can permanently eliminate all memory of the event, change its memory of the details of the event, or create a memory of some other event.


You must speak to the target to describe how its memories are affected, and it must be able to understand your language for the modified memories to take root. Its mind fills in any gaps in the details of your description. If the spell ends before you have finished describing the modified memories, the creature’s memory isn’t altered. Otherwise the modified memories take hold when the spell ends.

A modified memory doesn’t necessarily affect how a creature behaves, particularly if the memory contradicts the creature’s natural inclinations, alignment, or beliefs. An illogical modified memory, such as implanting a memory of how much the creature enjoyed dousing itself in acid, is dismissed, perhaps as a bad dream. The DM might deem a modified memory to nonsensical to affect a creature in a significant manner.

A remove curse or greater restoration spell can restore the true memories.


Dungeon Master Tip: Change Monster Hit Points

Average HP is good for quick and dirty - but not all monsters are created equal

Changing it up can add surprise to combat

First Bandit goes down in 1 hit, while the next takes 2 or three strikes

Players might suspect something else is going on.

Can add flavor to your bandits to make them a bit different, one wearing nice shiny armor, other wearing rusted armor.

Changing it dynamically can all be used to speed up slower encounters


Player Tip: Don’t be a Dick!

Give your character Scars

Tie it to your background such as Heroic deeds. Or if your character was imprisoned, punished, or enslaved. Of course, we can't forget the most important part is describing near death experiences with deadly monsters. This is really great for rangers with favored enemy flavor.


If you have any feedback, unearthed tips and tricks or topics you would like us to discuss, please send them to us. You can email them to us at critacademy@gmail.com or find us on twitter and facebook @critacademy.


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