Base Class: Ranger
The sun shines warm on your balloon and you look down to the vast forest deep below and the mountain range at the horizon and the band of dark clouds coming quickly closer. Any other time you would land and wait it out, but today you have urgent cargo. There is no choice, but to go through the storm. The wind picks up and it grows colder. As the clouds block out the sun, like flipping a switch, heavy rain pours down drenching you despite the big enchanted sphere above you. You ponder switching your balloon to be weatherproof, but the cargo is too valuable and the current safeguard preventing it - and you - from falling in case of an accident, seems the better choice.
As you battle with the elements, being tossed left and right, but making steady progress, you hear a shriek and out of nowhere a big storm eagle - on the hunt for anything, that gets caught in the weather - emerges in front you, hacking and clawing at the gondola of the balloon. To your right, blue light starts to glow and arcane force crackles over a rim mounted ballista, that swiftly moves in front of you, aims and fires directly at the storm eagle. With a screech it reels back, dives and makes a wide arc to attack again. You grab a your rifle and steady it on the rim of the gondola. Inhale. Calmly you aim for the bird's neck - its weak spot - and account for its motion and the wind. Exhale... Bang.
Your weapon and the bird both recoil, but the bird stays silent and with a tumble starts to sink in the lower clouds.
A balloon pilot is a ranger at heart, but rather than trudging through the mud or snow, they soar through the sky to find far away lands or tough to reach places. Their purpose can be as varied as the landscapes they pass over. They are messengers, couriers, surveyors, collectors or simply sick of all the drama down on the surface.
The AHAB (Ashmael's Haught Arcane Balloon) is a pilots most prized possession and always personalized in design, although every balloon works the same way. After a while it can be upgraded with useful functions, that ensure the survival of balloon and passengers in dangerous circumstances. Although there are faster and safer ways to travel, nothing beats the view and serenity of drifting in a light summer breeze.
Being highly mobile and airborne early in a campaign can be a challenge for the DM to balance. Please talk to your DM before using this archetype. If your game is suitable for firearms, you can exchange your starting longbow and arrows for an appropriate firearm and shots, when choosing this archetype.
The AHAB can be found in the homebrewed magic item section.
Lord of the Skies
At 3rd level, the skies are your domain.
You gain the additional favored terrain "Sky". It is in effect whenever you are at least 30 ft above the surface.
You gain the additional favored enemy "Flying creature". This includes every creature with a natural flying speed, regardless of type.
You gain proficiency with firearms. Talk to the DM, if and how this could be suitable to your setting.
Balloon Pilot Spells
You gain additional Spells. These spells are ranger spells for you, but they don't count against the number of spells you know.
| RANGER LEVEL | SPELL |
|---|---|
|
3rd |
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5th |
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|
9th |
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|
13th |
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|
17th |
Magic Balloon
At 3rd level, you gain access to a magic item. Ashmael's Haught Arcane Balloon (AHAB). You can attune to this item for free, as if you had an additional attunement slot.
The balloon comes as a 1 cubic foot package. Unpacking and packing takes 10 minutes (free action), while the package/balloon is on the ground. You have to be within 30 ft of the package or balloon, when issuing the command, but after that no interaction is needed. You can unpack and pack as often as you want. If you pack, while the balloon is not empty, the contents are shunted to an adjacent spot. When you unpack, you can designate one creature besides you, that can operate the balloon (steer and change flight mode).
Operation: With a bonus action, you (or the designated person) can issue instructions to the balloon to change flight mode, sink or rise, and, if in powered flight, direction and speed. You can issue multiple instruction with one bonus action. Only you can use advanced features.
The balloon has two flight modes: powered and drifting. While drifting you fly with the wind. In powered flight, you have a speed of 60 ft, but wind influences your flight. After 12 hours of powered flight, the balloon needs to recharge for 6 hours in packed state to use powered flight again, but you can keep drifting.
The balloon consists of a sphere with 20 ft radius and a 10x10 ft gondola fitting 6 medium creatures (1000 pounds) giving them half cover. The two can't be separated and act as one target. The balloon has an AC of 13 and hit points equal to 10 times your character level. It is immune to poison and psychic damage and resistant to bludgeoning. If the balloon has to make any saving throw, add your Proficiency Bonus to the roll.
If the balloon's hit points are below 1/5 maximum, it starts to sink in the fastest and safest way possible, unless you choose to override this. If the hit points are zero it automatically packs itself instantly, leaving the passengers and cargo in free fall.
The balloon regains 1/10 of its maximum hit points per hour in packed state.
Quick Transfer
Beginning at 7th level, you get more experienced in boarding your vessel.
As an action, while you are in the gondola and at most 20 ft above the surface, you can take a creature or cargo, that is directly under the gondola, on board or safely drop a passenger or cargo on that spot.
Minor Upgrade
Beginning at 7th level, you can improve your balloon.
When unpacking, you can choose one of the following upgrades:
- If the balloon packs itself while in the air due to zero hitpoints, it casts Feather Fall on all passengers and cargo
- Every creature gets temporary hitpoints equal to your Ranger Level on entering the gondola or while in it, when this upgrade is chosen while in the air. They vanish, when the creature leaves the gondola or this upgrade is exchanged for another. A creature can benefit from this feature only once per unpacking.
- Every passenger is shielded from environmental effects like extreme heat, cold, moisture etc.
Stormrider
Starting at 11th level, you take the power of the clouds wherever you go.
Once per turn, when you hit with a weapon attack, you can deal an additional 2d10 lightning damage.
Major Upgrade
Starting at 11th level, you can improve your balloon even further.
When unpacking, you can choose a second upgrade from the following:
- The balloon has a defensive arcane ballista. If the balloon takes damage, you can use your reaction to immediately let it fire at the source. 200 ft ranged weapon attack, +5 attack, 4d8 force damage
- Once while in the air, you can turn the balloon including its passengers and cargo invisible for 10 minutes.
- Increase the AC of the balloon by 2
- Increase the powered flying speed to 90 ft
Tamer of winds
Starting at 15th level, you mastered the ever changing winds in the heights.
You can choose to ignore the effects of wind, while in powered flight.
Castle in the Sky
Starting at 15th level, your balloon is your home in the sky.
When unpacking your balloon automatically gains all of the following:
- You can be in powered flight indefinitely
- A creature taking a rest in the balloon while in the air can't be surprised and finishing a long rest nourishes for a day
- While in the air you can spend 1 minute concentrating (as per rules) to switch one upgrade to another of the same tier.
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