Oath of the Dragon Rider

The Oath of the Dragon Rider calls to paladins who harness a connection with their steeds to inspire hope and courage on the battlefield. A common choice for holy cavalry, these paladins form deep bonds with their warrior mounts, forging a path of glory through the thickets of bloody combat.

To these paladins, a steed is more than a mere tool of war. They see great spiritual value in the preservation, study and defense of beasts and nature. Fiercely protective of their companions, Oath of the Dragon Rider Paladins train ceaselessly in mounted combat, and take pride in treating their mounts with the same respect and dignity as any other warrior. They are more than transport, a steed is one’s first and last ally, and most powerful weapon.

Tenets of the Dragon Rider

A paladin who takes this oath commits these tenets to memory.

Strength in Unity: The one who fights alone is the first to fall. Against the terrible forces of darkness and chaos, only together can those who stand against them prevail. Be thankful for all allies where you can find them. Strength is numbers.

Loyalty unto Death: Once trust is earned, it is kept forever. To abandon one’s people, or betray one’s Oath, is the most terrible crime one can commit. Better to die standing with honor alongside your allies than to flee alone and live as a coward.

Discipline: In the heat of battle, it is discipline which cuts through the terror and blood. Only through vehement training and order can one develop the skills to survive. Do not trust in instinct; trust in discipline.

Friendship: It is the bonds formed between friends and family that will save us at the last. There is little point to fighting if not to protect those whom you love. The best path to resolving conflict is to find ways to forge bonds and understand one another. Rarely is lasting peace forged with the sword.

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Dragon Summoner. When you finish casting the Find Familiar spell, you can expend a use of your Channel Divinity to modify the spell in the following ways to turn the creature into your Draconic Companion:

• The Familiar you summon uses the stat block of a dragon with a CR as stated in the Summoning Dragons table.
• Its alignment changes to match yours.
• In combat, the dragon shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the companion can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
• The dragon cannot fly while mounted until you reach Paladin Level 7.
• The dragon remains until it is reduced to 0 hit points, until you use this feature to summon your companion again, or until you die. Anything the dragon was wearing or carrying is left behind when the companion vanishes.

Dragon Burst. As a reaction to seeing your Dragon Companion be reduced to 0 hit points you can expend a use of your Channel Divinity. Your Dragon Companion regains a number of hit points equal to three times your Paladin Level and can immediately make a Breath Weapon attack.

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. *These spells may have to be managed by the player.

Oath of the Dragon Rider

Draconic Compainion

The Oath of the Dragon Rider lets your familiar use the stat block of a dragon. There are many dragon stat blocks with varying CRs that you can choose from as you gain paladin levels.

Paladin Level	Max CR
3rd Level	1
6th Level	3
9th Level	5
12th Level	8
15th Level	11
18th Level	14*

 

* Your Draconic Companion is unable to use the Legendary Actions and Legendary Resistances they would normally gain.

Aura of the Rider

Starting at 7th level, your Dragon Companion's attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. They, along with friendly creatures you have summoned may use your Spell Save DC when they force another creature to make a saving throw. Also, While mounted on your steed, you can make any spell you cast that targets only you also target your steed.

Moreover, you emanate an aura of command while you are not incapacitated. The aura extends 10 feet from you in every direction, but not through total cover.

You and friendly creatures in your aura gain temporary hit points equal to your half your paladin level, rounded up, at the start of each of their turns.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Unconquerable Bond

Beginning at 15th level, while you are concentrating on a spell that includes your Draconic Companion as a target, such as bless or haste, you gain a bonus to Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration equal to one third its CR, rounded up. Furthermore, you now share your Draconic Companions natural damage resistances and immunities.

Additionally, when your Draconic Companion would take damage, you can choose to end concentration on a spell that includes it as a target (no action required), and it takes no damage instead. Once you prevent damage in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a Short or Long Rest.

Master of the Mount

At 20th level, your mastery of combat imbues you with divine power while mounted. As an action while mounted, you gain the following benefits for one minute: 

• You and your mount gain a +2 bonus to AC.
• Your mount gains resistance to all damage.
• Creatures of your choice in the area of your Aura of the Rider have disadvantage on saving throws forced by your mount.
• You may treat any roll for your mount to regain a recharge action as a 6.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.