The Drakeblood Knight - A Fighter Archetype for 5e

Race Restriction

This subclass is restricted to Dragonborn, due to its reliance on the Breath Weapon feature.

Any references to "Breath Weapon" in the subclass are referring to the Dragonborn racial ability "Breath Weapon". Please see your racial features for details. The same rules apply for any mention of Draconic Ancestry.

Variant: Ancestry Ask your DM if you can play this subclass as a different race. You will need to negotiate between the two of you as to which racial feature to trade out for Breath Weapon. Thematically, you could re-flavour this subclass as a fighter with draconic ancestry that they have sharpened by training their martial prowess.

Draconic Warriors

A Drakeblood Knight is a member of the Dragonborn elite within BahaRa. Whilst most Dragonborn are capable of breathing elemental energies, a Drakeblood Knight trains theirs like a muscle, sharpening it and honing it, augmenting it with ritualistic magic passed on through ancient tradition.

In fact, Legions of Drakeblood Knights are the second line of defence against the mega-fauna that hammer Dratha's Iron Walls, outside of the Iron King's royal court itself. Their ability to strip these creatures of their natural elemental resistances earns them the name "drakelungs" amongst the common-folk and wall-workers.

Some say that the chromatic nomads of the deserts outside of Dratha also practice this tradition - but it is a cultural artefact, passed down through a select few. These more nomadic methods of obtaining a more powerful draconic lung often involve brutal trials that spell certain death for most... But depending on who you talk to, the difference between their trials and the ones of the Knights of the Iron Court are not so different.

Dragon Lore

When you select this archetype at 3rd level, you begin the path of scholarship that is key to a Drakeblood Knight's martial prowess.

You may gain proficiency in either the History or Nature skill, and you have advantage on Intelligence checks to recall information about dragons or draconic creatures, such as pseudodragons or drakes.

Martial Breath Weapon

A Drakeblood Knight has learnt to use their breath in tandem with their martial prowess. Like all warriors, a Drakeblood Knight views their breath weapon as an extension of their body, and as such has become adept and weaving it into their swordplay.

At 3rd level, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you may use your breath weapon as a bonus action.

You may now use your breath weapon twice before requiring a short or long rest to use it again. At 7th level, you may use your breath weapon three times before requiring a short or long rest to use it again.