Last Updated on November 29, 2023
A banneret is a knight who inspires greatness in others by committing brave deeds in battle. The mere presence of one in a hamlet is enough to cause some orcs and bandits to seek easier prey.
A lone banneret is a skilled warrior, but a banneret leading a band of allies can transform even the most poorly equipped militia into a ferocious war band.
A banneret prefers to lead through deeds, not words. As a banneret spearheads an attack, their actions can awaken reserves of courage and conviction in allies that they never suspected they had.
Banneret serves as the generic name for the Purple Dragon Knight archetype if you use it in campaign settings other than the Forgotten Realms or to model warlords other than Purple Dragon Knights.
Source: Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
Rallying Cry
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn how to inspire your allies to fight on past their injuries.
When you use your Second Wind feature, you can choose up to three creatures within 60 feet of you that are allied with you. Each one regains hit points equal to your fighter level, provided that the creature can see or hear you.
Royal Envoy
Knights of high standing are expected to conduct themselves with grace.
At 7th level, you gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill. If you are already proficient in it, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Insight, Intimidation, or Performance.
Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses Persuasion. You receive this benefit regardless of the skill proficiency you gain from this feature.
Inspiring Surge
Starting at 10th level, when you use your Action Surge feature, you can choose one creature within 60 feet of you that is allied with you. That creature can make one melee or ranged weapon attack with its reaction, provided that it can see or hear you.
Starting at 18th level, you can choose two allies within 60 feet of you, rather than one.
Bulwark
Beginning at 15th level, you can extend the benefit of your Indomitable feature to an ally. When you decide to use Indomitable to reroll an Intelligence, a Wisdom, or a Charisma saving throw and you aren’t incapacitated, you can choose one ally within 60 feet of you that also failed its saving throw against the same effect.
If that creature can see or hear you, it can reroll its saving throw and must use the new roll.
Purple Dragon Knight Fighter (Banneret)
Words to the Wise
The banneret, also known as the Purple Dragon Knight, is an awful subclass of fighter, and you should not take it. I mean it.
That’s the harshest review I will (likely) ever give anything, and it doesn’t come without a great deal of forethought.
This martial archetype is intended to be an elite commander who leads their allies into battle with deeds rather than words.
As a concept, I absolutely love the “lead from the front” fighter, and it’s unfortunate that this doesn’t live up to its promises.
Purple Dragon Knight Race Choices
You want for this class what you would want for any fighter, high strength and high constitution.
You can throw anything else you have in charisma if you want, giving you an extra reason to actually use your persuasion.
Triton – CHA +1, CON + 1, STR +1. This race will give you some spells to use, since you’ll need all the help you can get.
Mountain Dwarf – STR +2, CON +2. Great set of bonuses. The dwarf also gives you some good resilience.
Skill Choices for a Banneret / Purple Dragon Knight
We tend to choose these based on our highest stats, but choosing a different route based on how you want to roleplay isn’t a bad idea, especially since adding your proficiency bonus might compensate for a not-so-good ability modifier.
The fighter class is given the ability to choose two skills from: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival.
- Acrobatics (DEX) – If you decide to do a dexterity build this is an option.
- Animal Handling (WIS) – No.
- Athletics (STR) – Great for any fighter, might as well.
- History (INT) – No.
- Insight (WIS) – Nope.
- Intimidation (CHA) – If you’re focusing on charisma you might as well.
- Perception (WIS) – Great for any class. If you want it, grab it up.
- Survival (WIS) – Pass on this one.
Purple Dragon Knight (Banneret) Fighter Progression
Filling out the Character Sheet (Level 0)
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Fighter level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per fighter level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: All armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival
Equipment:
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) chain mail or (b) leather, longbow, and 20 arrows
- (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes
- (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
1st Level
Choose from among a list of fighting styles. If you are for some reason choosing this subclass, please choose the superior technique style so you can at least use battle maneuvers.
While you’re at it, take the battlemaster subclass instead.
The other fighting style options are as follows:
- Archery
- Blind Fighting
- Defense
- Dueling
- Great Weapon Fighting
- Interception
- Protection
- Superior Technique
- Thrown Weapon Fighting
- Two-Weapon Fighting
- Unarmed Fighting
Second Wind:
You can use a bonus action on your turn to heal 1d10 + your fighter level hp. Once you use this action you have to take a short or long rest before using it again.
2nd Level
Action Surge:
This lets fighters take an additional action once per short or long rest. Note that you get boosted up to two uses at 17th level.
3rd Level
Rallying Cry:
Whenever you use your Second Wind, you can choose up to three allies within 60 feet of you to regain hit points up to your fighter level.
4th Level
ASI:
You can either increase one ability by 2 points or two abilities by 1. Alternatively, you can choose a feature, if you already have great stats this is a great choice.
5th Level
Extra Attack:
This allows us to make two attacks in an attack action. That can be confusing, but we need to recognize the difference between the two terms. An attack action is one of the actions we can take on our turn. As a part of the attack action, we can typically make one melee or ranged attack.
The extra attack feature allows us to make not one, but two attacks as a part of one action.
There is also no limit on how often we can use this feature, so you’ll likely use it every time you take the attack action.
At 11th level, this goes up to three attacks, and at 20th it goes up to four.
6th Level
ASI
7th Level
Royal Envoy:
You gain proficiency in Persuasion, and your proficiency bonus is doubled for Persuasion checks.
If you already have proficiency in Persuasion, choose another ability from this list: Animal Handling, Insight, Intimidation, or Performance.
That’s right, when other fighter subclasses are cool echo attacks, tactical information and more, you’re just getting a bit more persuasive.
8th Level
ASI
9th Level
Indomitable:
If you fail a saving throw you can reroll the save. You must take the new roll.
You can use this feature once per long rest. At 13th level, this goes up to twice, and at 17th it goes up to three times.
10th Level
Inspiring Surge:
When you use your Action Surge, you can choose one creature within 60 feet of you to make a ranged or melee weapon attack as a reaction.
You can choose two creatures with this ability at level 18.
12th Level
ASI
14th Level
ASI
15th Level
Bulwark:
When you use the Indomitable feature to reroll an Intelligence, a Wisdom, or a Charisma saving throw and you aren’t incapacitated, you can choose one ally within 60 feet of you that also failed its saving throw against the same effect.
16th Level
ASI
19th Level
ASI
As always, happy adventuring.
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As a kid, I was often told to get my head out of the clouds and to stop living in a fantasy world. That never really jived with me, so I decided to make a living out of games, stories, and all sorts of fantastical works. Now, as an adult, I aspire to remind people that sometimes a little bit of fantasy is all you need when life gets to be too much.
