Redscale (Conclusion)

[Faction subclass construction complete.] [Redscale Conqueror:] [Redscale Conquerors are a unique order of knights loyal to the master of Cinder Nest—the red dragon Cassius. They can serve as rangers and outriders patrolling the red dragon's vast territory, scouting out any enemies who might arrive at any time, whether they be the armies of kingdoms or adventurers harboring foolish dreams of slaying a dragon. When war comes, they will also prove to be fearsome conquerors. To become a Redscale Conqueror, one must possess draconic blood, which also signifies that they are the red dragon's most faithful minions. When they charge in formation, fire, tooth, and claw become their weapons. No enemy in the world wishes to face these dragon-tainted terrors. When the dragon's roar echoes from afar, the Redscale Conquerors will descend from the skies mounted upon massive, brutal dragon-blooded beasts, bringing endless flames and total annihilation to their foes.] [In addition to the base features of a fighter, Redscale Conquerors gain extra features.] [Features unlocked at 3rd level: Born to the Saddle, Dragon Roar Charge] [Born to the Saddle: Your expertise as a mounted warrior becomes unmistakable. You gain an additional +3 bonus to your Riding proficiency. You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid falling off your mount. If you fall off your mount and drop to the ground, you can land on your feet provided you are not incapacitated.] [Dragon Roar Charge: You and your mount unleash a terrifying draconic roar as you charge. All enemies in the path of your charge must make a saving throw; on a failure, they become panicked. While charging, you and your mount fear neither death nor pain, your Strength increases, and you become immune to most status conditions.] [Features unlocked at 7th level: Sky Conqueror, Dragon's Minion] [Sky Conqueror: With superb riding skills, you have conquered the skies. You gain an additional +3 bonus to your Riding proficiency. You and your mount share a mental link, allowing you to perform maneuvers such as sudden stops, course corrections, barrel rolls, climbs, and dives in midair.] [Dragon's Minion: You are the red dragon's most faithful claw and fang. Your draconic transformation deepens, mutating you from a humanoid dragon-blooded creature into a fully draconic creature—a half-dragon. You gain draconic feats, your claw and bite attacks are enhanced, and you can unleash a breath of fire while airborne. However, you also take additional damage from weapons designed specifically against dragons.] [Current Redscale Conqueror level cap: 8] [Remaining features await further construction and unlocking...] *With stats like these, it's definitely the strongest fighter subclass in the early game.* *Add to that the sheer advantage of flight, and... tsk, tsk.* *It's practically broken.* Cassius marveled inwardly. *I'm definitely going to fleece those players for every coin they're worth.* He was already scheming how to exploit the players who would arrive in the future. In Version 1.0, where the player level cap was only set at level 8, physical martial classes were bound to be popular. The overwhelming features of the Redscale Conqueror would undoubtedly have countless min-maxers clamoring to join. Besides, in the eyes of certain players with peculiar tastes, turning into a half-dragon was hardly considered turning ugly—it was a symbol of sheer appeal. After all, in his previous life, once the "dragonborn" race appeared, a certain black-and-yellow website was flooded with bizarre videos. That alone spoke to just how fanatical and terrifying those dracophiles could be. Furthermore, during an era when Fly and gravity magic were not yet widely accessible, flying monsters were an absolute nightmare for players—something made abundantly clear by how utterly helpless thousands of players had been against that red dragon world boss. A flying mount and a slew of aerial abilities from the Redscale Conqueror subclass would drive players into a mad frenzy. The red dragon browsed the panel for a long time. Throughout the entire process, having received no further orders, the half-dragon remained kneeling on the ground without the slightest complaint. Only after Cassius finished reading through every detail did he finally speak. "Rise." Alger stood up slowly. His original clothes had been shredded to pieces by his expansion, leaving his body covered only in crimson scales. Cassius looked at his half-dragon, half-human frame and said, "For now, your duty is to patrol. Furthermore, I need you to train more riders like yourself here in Cinder Nest. Humans, hobgoblins, lizardfolk, tieflings—anyone you deem talented is yours to select." "Master, that will be exceedingly difficult. It may take a very long time, and the chances of success are minuscule." "I underwent ten years of training at Northwind Keep. Our batch started with over a hundred candidates, but in the end, only six of us survived the cut to remain." "And your vassals..." "If I may speak frankly, they wouldn't even qualify for my former initial screening," Alger answered honestly. "Just do as you are told. In the future, many... special people will join us." "They will make you understand what true natural talent really means," Cassius said with supreme confidence. Though Alger knew nothing of the impending arrival of players, seeing his master's unwavering certainty, he took the order to heart and obeyed. "Understood, Master." Alger immediately mounted the dragon-blooded giant eagle, launched into the air, and flew out of the cavern. *Skreeee—* About to see the sun after a prolonged absence, the dragon-blooded giant eagle cried out in sheer excitement. Its ringing screech now carried a trace of draconic majesty. Cassius watched Alger soar away on the giant eagle, exhaling a breath tinged with the scent of sulfur. [The target is your vassal, Alger. Based on your status, you can discern the following information:] Redscale Conqueror - Alger Name: Alger Yeoman Type: Medium dragon (half-dragon human), Neutral Evil Armor Class: 17 (Natural Armor) Speed: Fly 90 ft., walk 40 ft. Strength: 20 Dexterity: 16 Constitution: 18 Intelligence: 11 Wisdom: 14 Charisma: 13 Class & Level: Fighter (Redscale Conqueror) 8 Mount: Dragon-Blooded Giant Eagle (Level 5) Martial Weapons: Longsword, Shortsword, Greatsword, Longbow, Heavy Crossbow, Lance Simple Weapons: Dagger, Shortbow, Light Crossbow Skill Proficiencies: Riding +15, Military Tactics +9, Hunting +7, Athletics +6, Perception +6, Leadership +4, Survival +4, Investigation +2, Tracking +4, Stealth +4 Senses: Passive Perception 14 Languages: Common Actions: Dragon Roar Charge, Fire Breath, Commander's Strike, Slashing Attack, Piercing Attack, Action Surge, Second Wind Class Features: Born to the Saddle, Sky Conqueror, Dragon's Minion Feats: Alert, Cleave, Great Weapon Master, Mounted Combatant, Master of Flight, Draconic Hide Equipment: Eagle Screech Silver Sword Challenge Rating: 10 (5,900 XP) Description: Once an Eagle Guard, he has now become the dragon's most faithful minion. Reborn in flames, he walks the path of vengeance. Should you be so unfortunate as to incur the wrath of the red dragon, he may descend from the heavens astride his dragon-blooded giant eagle, granting you death by blade and fire.