The Purple Dragon Knight is regarded as one of the least impressive Fighter subclasses: its abilities are situational, clunky, too specific, and don't fully fulfill the fantasy it's going for. What is the fantasy it's aiming towards? It seems to be a Fighter subclass that goes in the direction of team support and a commander style of play- something that is done much better by the Battle Master archetype with the right build. I have seen reworks of this subclass that revolve around giving it Superiority Dice, which now I feel does not fit this subclass- I believe the Battle Master alone should be the only subclass with Superiority Dice (though the Superior Technique Fighting Style and Martial Adept feat should still be options). With this limitation I have placed on myself for my own redesign, I looked to see what the Banneret might look like with a more modern coat of paint.

I present an attempt to remake the Banneret in a manner that would not look out of place against the current Battle Master, Champion, Eldritch Knight, and Psi Warrior. I am curious as to your thoughts. Text within block quotes is commentary I make on the aforementioned abilities.

Banneret

A Knight of Chivalry

Bannerets take the fight against evil beyond their kingdom’s borders. They are tasked with wandering the land as knights errant, relying on their judgment, bravery, and fidelity to the code of chivalry to guide them in defeating evildoers. They inspire greatness in others by committing brave deeds in battle. The mere presence of a knight in a hamlet is enough to cause some thieves 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. A knight prefers to lead through deeds, not words. As a knight spearheads an attack, the knight’s actions can awaken reserves of courage and conviction in allies that they never suspected they had.

Restriction: Knighthood

Some Bannerets are tied to a specific order of Cormyrean knighthood. Purple Dragon Knight serves as the specific name for this archetype if you use it in the Faerun campaign setting.

Banneret Features

Commanding Order

3rd-level Banneret feature

When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace any number of your attacks to direct one of your companions within 90 feet of you to use their Reaction to do one of the following (their choice):

• Attack. Make an attack with a weapon or Unarmed Strike. This attack has a bonus to damage rolls equal to half your Fighter level (rounded up).
• Move. Move half their Speed which does not provoke Opportunity Attacks.
• Act. Take the Help, Search, Study, or Utilize action.

Taking inspiration from the Battle Master's Commander's Strike, I thought it befitting to provide more options that can be triggered in the same manner. Pair the Attack option with a Rogue's Sneak Attack, or a Barbarian's attack empowered by their Rage- sometimes the best form of team support is ensuring a target is downed quickly. The Move option could be useful to get allies out of tricky situations, it could also ensure your allies get to you or each other to provide support. The Act option is situational- perhaps you need to command others to help barricade the doors with the Help action. Maybe an arrow from the shadows strikes an ally in the middle of battle, and so you command an ally to Search for them. Perhaps a puzzle has turned lethal and you desperately need your ally to think of a solution quickly so you command them to Study. The Utilize action could be taken to switch off a machine, or drop the gates on some targets.

The more options there are the better, though I fear there may be uses with some of the actions in particular that could be detrimental with optimization.

Easily the biggest change in regards to this feature is that you get it at 3rd level instead of 10th. Why the commander style subclass got their commanding at 10th level is beyond me, but this helps to fulfill the fantasy just a bit better.

Rallying Cry

3rd-level Banneret feature

Whenever you use your Second Wind to regain Hit Points, you can choose up to three creatures within 90 feet of you. Each creature regains Hit Points equal to your Fighter level. Any excess healing instead becomes Temporary Hit Points.

At 10th level, this improves to up to six creatures.

Much of the issue I initially had with this feature was that sometimes when you needed the healing, your allies did not, and sometimes when your allies needed the healing, you did not. Excess healing becoming Temporary Hit Points just seemed right to be- your Rallying Cry could be just that, a cry, or it could even be a speech said before battle (similar to the Inspiring Leader feat). This feature is also further empowered by improvements to the base 2024 Fighter which now has multiple uses of Second Wind.

Royal Envoy

7th-level Banneret feature

You gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses Persuasion. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in a skill of your choice.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, History, Investigation, Insight, Intimidation, or Performance.

Like many, I considered giving this at 3rd level, but decided it more befitting here since the Samurai subclass gets a similar feature at this level. I also added History and Investigation as options because of the Battle Master's Commanding Presence and Tactical Assessment maneuvers.

Inspiring Surge

10th-level Banneret feature

Whenever you use your Action Surge or make an Initiative roll, you gain Heroic Inspiration.

This is my route to get around using Superiority Dice- Heroic Inspiration. It's thematic to the subclass, and also quite effective. At minimum, you have two uses of it per combat between Short Rests. It also means if you already have Heroic Inspiration, you can grant it to your allies meaning it helps further with team support. More on this idea at 18th level.

Bulwark

15th-level Banneret feature

So long as you do not have the Incapacitated condition, whenever a creature within 90 feet of you fails a saving throw, you can expend a use of Indomitable to let the creature reroll the save with a bonus equal to your Fighter level. The creature must use the new roll. If the save still fails, this use of Indomitable isn’t expended.

Additionally, you now regain one expended use of Indomitable whenever you finish a Short Rest.

This was originally clunky, specific, and difficult ability to use. It used to only work on Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saves, and works only if you used it yourself. So if you succeed the save, then your ally cannot benefit from this, so now you have to choose: do I want to succeed and my ally not? Or do I want to potentially not fail and my ally potentially not fail? This just makes it easier to use- it is used when a creature fails, and if they still fail, its use is not expended.

Now the new Indomitable is, effectively, a Legendary Resistance for the Fighter. It's a really good ability, and being able to use it on allies as well is further thematic and extremely useful. That ally not failing their save could potentially turn the tide of battle in your favor. I am debating whether I want to keep the Short Rest regain one Indomitable use, it's there to mainly encourage use of this ability, but I could go with removing it since it is quite powerful. That said, you are level 15 so maybe it should be powerful.

Awakened Courage

18th-level Banneret feature

Anytime you or a creature within 90 feet of you uses their Heroic Inspiration, a different creature of your choice (can include yourself) within 90 feet of you gains Heroic Inspiration at the start of their next turn.

So minimum two, now three, uses of Heroic Inspiration per combat between Short Rests right? Now you and your allies are essentially sharing these benefits- it's super thematic, potent, and a fun little game to play of who needs it more? Does the party healer really need it to provide more potent healing? Does that ally have particularly bad saves against this specific ability? Do I need to really ensure I can get this enemy down? Does the Barbarian really need this Grapple check to succeed?

Now, is this a powerful capstone for this subclass? I feel it is. That said, literally putting anything here is automatically better than the Purple Dragon Knight- which didn't get an 18th level feature (it got scaling for another feature at this level but eh).

well now you have a new version of the purple dragon knight in the latest UA - what do folks think odf it?

Quote from Wi1dBi11 >>

well now you have a new version of the purple dragon knight in the latest UA - what do folks think odf it?

I like what it is trying to do, though it does have its problems. With it being such a departure from what the original was, I hope they make the Banneret its own subclass with its commanding and team support improved. There are some lore problems with it (at least with what's been established), but a dragon companion subclass for Fighter is neat- and I would be all for it if the Ranger didn't already have such a subclass in the Drakewarden, and it's better there.

So I like it, but it could be a lot better.

Quote from AaronATWik >>

Quote from Wi1dBi11 >>

well now you have a new version of the purple dragon knight in the latest UA - what do folks think odf it?

I like what it is trying to do, though it does have its problems. With it being such a departure from what the original was, I hope they make the Banneret its own subclass with its commanding and team support improved. There are some lore problems with it (at least with what's been established), but a dragon companion subclass for Fighter is neat- and I would be all for it if the Ranger didn't already have such a subclass in the Drakewarden, and it's better there.

So I like it, but it could be a lot better.

 100% right.

Awakened Courage should probably be limited by PB, as this version would allow every roll outside of combat to be made with inspiration.

Quote from Jurmondur >>

Awakened Courage should probably be limited by PB, as this version would allow every roll outside of combat to be made with inspiration.

 Nh buff it. Martials need all the help they can get.

Quote from ThatOneCoolThrikreen >>

Quote from Jurmondur >>

Awakened Courage should probably be limited by PB, as this version would allow every roll outside of combat to be made with inspiration.

 Nh buff it. Martials need all the help they can get.

 But it almost completely removes the need for anybody to get heroic inspiration any other way.

Quote from Jurmondur >>

Quote from ThatOneCoolThrikreen >>

Quote from Jurmondur >>

Awakened Courage should probably be limited by PB, as this version would allow every roll outside of combat to be made with inspiration.

 Nh buff it. Martials need all the help they can get.

 But it almost completely removes the need for anybody to get heroic inspiration any other way.

Perhaps a simple "While in Initiative" line, or even a temporary use would do the trick (though I wouldn't tie it to PB), maybe even a limit for certain attacks, saves, or specific ability checks. It was not intended to basically cause rerolls over and over again outside of combat. I do not mind capstones being quite powerful, but I want their potency to come from what is said in the feature rather than how it can be exploited in what isn't said.

Appreciate you pointing that out, thanks for the feedback!

Quote from AaronATWik >>

Quote from Jurmondur >>

Quote from ThatOneCoolThrikreen >>

Quote from Jurmondur >>

Awakened Courage should probably be limited by PB, as this version would allow every roll outside of combat to be made with inspiration.

 Nh buff it. Martials need all the help they can get.

 But it almost completely removes the need for anybody to get heroic inspiration any other way.

Perhaps a simple "While in Initiative" line, or even a temporary use would do the trick (though I wouldn't tie it to PB), maybe even a limit for certain attacks, saves, or specific ability checks. It was not intended to basically cause rerolls over and over again outside of combat. I do not mind capstones being quite powerful, but I want their potency to come from what is said in the feature rather than how it can be exploited in what isn't said.

Appreciate you pointing that out, thanks for the feedback! 

I love the design direction going for this, feels way more of how banneret was supposed to play during 2014 5e, I agree with Banneret and Purple Dragon Knight splitting up. Commander Versus Dragon Knight shtick.

A couple changes I think are fair.

• Possibly Giving a Resource cost (X/rest) for Commanding Order for reaction attacks, especially since it adds bonus damage to another creatures attack. Maybe Using Charisma, as this is an honorable knight kind of deal. Another solution is removing the bonus damage, as I am just basing this off of the Cavaliers Mark/strike feature.
• I think for Bulwark personally going a bit closer to 2014 and having it be when you make any saving throw, you choose an additional creature to benefit indomitable with you. Obviously follow the see or hear rule as per usual. As Indomitable is a powerful feature and short resting to get it back is quite the oomph regardless of helping others. That's a whole feature on its own compared to other subclasses. Especially with the change to prayer of healing (if you have a cleric to cast it as an action using divine intervention oh my dear lord!)
• And yeah definitely as mentioned, limiting Awakened Courage, I like the idea that instead you make it whenever you use heroic inspiration you give a free use to an ally, the whole "me achieving great things inspires you forward" which resonates well with the subclass Actions speak louder than words.

Just my two cents. Cool homebrew rendition of this though, awesome stuff!

Quote from Wi1dBi11 >>

well now you have a new version of the purple dragon knight in the latest UA - what do folks think odf it?

 I disliked it.  I'm not a pet fan.  I liked the initial direction in 2014, if not the implementation.  I'm not interested in playing "Dragonrider of Pern".