Fighters

Blade, Bow, and Bone. At the end of the Ninth Century, Galifar was a single united kingdom. Decades of civil war drove each nation to develop unique military strategies and forces that harnessed national traditions and resources. In this unit we study some of the exotic traditions of the elite soldiers of the Five Nations, from the Bone Knight to the Silverbow.

— Talaen Tolaoi Professor of Military Studies

A fighter is more than just adept with arms and armament. With a second wind of determination, willpower, or sheer physical stamina, a natural born fighter takes decisive action beyond the limits of normal soldiers. When others would falter, the indomitable spirit to champion of revolution or act as a bulwark of the weak is what ultimately defines the fighter.

MILITARY RANK IN EBERRON

The last war was a defining moment in the history of Eberron. Nearly every individual was affected in some way, and most fought, or lost friends and family, over the hundred years leading to the Mourning. Though a logical background choice, you don't have to have been a soldier or mercenary just because you fought in the Last War. Outlander could suffice for a former scout. A deserter might be considered a charlatan or criminal. However, the benefit of the soldier background is your Military Rank and service, and it means that you served with such distinction that your former comrades still honor your service, and that you can exert influence over other soldiers from your nation. If you do follow the soldier background, first identify the nation you served, and perhaps all the way down to the type of unit, a glorious victory you enjoyed, and several defeats you suffered. The Military Rank benefit only applies to “soldiers loyal to your former military organization” from Thrane, Breland, Karrnath, and Aundair but all are sound choices for established traditions and a concrete hierarchy in Eberron. However, while the nation of Cyre has fallen, it might prove quite useful. Cyran soldiers are spread among the refugees and can be found across Khorvaire and beyond, which means help might never be far away. Furthermore, as a Cyran soldier there's no mystery as to why you've left military service. Whether you served your nation with distinction or simply say that you did, the nation fell and you must establish a new path on your own. Another unusual choice for the soldier background is House Deneith. The Blademarks of House Deneith are likewise found across Khorvaire and helped to supply all nations with mercenaries and coordinate their movement from one employer to another. Perhaps your former service to the house can get you shelter and respect at a Deneith enclave without having a dragonmark of your own. No matter which background you choose, if you've decided to link yourself to military service, you should consider what you did to earn such respect, why you left, and what horrors you experienced. Did you leave voluntarily? Did political positioning cause your nation to discharge you for killing an enemy aristocrat, or are you celebrated for it? Were you severely injured in a courageous act and released from service for an extended recovery? Have you been discharged, on an important mission for a general, or are you simply on leave? A final thing to establish when taking the soldier background is your military rank and the confidence that carries sway in the confidence of your gain, as well as the competency others assume you maintain. It could be an asset when you're dealing with people loyal to your nation, and could endear you to higher ranking officers, but it might have unpredictable results when interacting with your former enemies. If you served Cyre with distinction in the war, it's possible that a Karrnathi general will show respect for your former rank but the Karrnathi corporal might look to take revenge for a friend lost on the battlefield.

ELITE FORCES OF KHORVAIRE

Martial archetypes reflect specialized training and styles of combat. Champion and Battle Master are flexible archetypes that have a place in any culture. But there are other archetypes that have a narrow focus and more closely reflect the martial traditions of a particular culture. If your backstory involves military service, you might have been selected to one of these elite units during the Last War, might still in good standing, and receive ongoing specialized training directly from the source. Otherwise, you might decide that you received instruction of full abilities of an archetype during the Last War, and while you practice them daily in your morning routines, you refuse to put them to work until you have perfected the motions for fear of getting your allies killed. In any case, members of this force will likely recognize your talents and regard you accordingly, if not friendly. As a Karrn, you served with the Ebon Skull but have only recently been able to utilize the full potential of Bonecraft, and one of the Ebon Skull would certainly recognize your efforts.
Aside from the backstory potential, these elite forces are still active in the world, and could be potential allies or enemies during your adventures.

AUNDAIR: THE KNIGHTS ARCANE

Wizardry is the lifeblood of the kingdom of Aundair. The smallest of the Five Nations, Aundair relied on arcane superiority to hold its own on the battlefield. Aundair was the first nation to field squads of soldiers trained in the use of destructive cantrips, called wandslingers. The Knights Arcane are among the finest forces in the Aundairian arsenal and are feared as warriors who can strike down the enemy with steel, spell, or both simultaneously. The Knights Arcane are the predominant Eldritch Knights of Eberron and the pride of Aundair. Their garrison is attached to the floating towers of Arcanix, and Aundair continues to build their ranks in preparation for whatever conflicts lie ahead. The Knights recruit nobles and sages from the aristocracy and the most promising students of Aundair, and both are logical backgrounds in lieu of the soldier. While the Knights Arcane are fighters, on the battlefield they are supported by wizards, magewrights, and powerful mystical artillery, giving them an edge working with more magical allies in their travels. Aside from the Knights Arcane, Aundairians favor grace and cunning over brute strength. Aundairian Battle Masters often specialize in Disarming Attack, Evasive Footwork, and Feinting Attack. While not by name specifically, the Samurai reflect the considerate dedication and discipline that is valued throughout the nation. Many Aundairians prefer light armor and finesse weapons, often with a wand in one hand. Even if an Aundairian fighter isn't an Eldritch Knight, the Magic Initiate feat can categorize their aptitude appropriately.

BRELAND: THE KING’S SHIELDS

The most elite soldiers of Breland are drawn to the King's Citadel, and those with arcane talent are assigned to the King's Wands, while those who work best in the shadows join the King's Dark Lanterns. The King's Swords fight in the vanguard, and fighters in this force are typically Champions. However, the finest soldiers in Breland are the King's Shields, entrusted with the defense of the royal family and anyone the nation can't afford to lose. The Swords are celebrated for their courage, but the Shields are renowned for their skill with sword and shield, whether mounted or on foot. Most Cavaliers aspire to this charge, and a character who learns to use Unwavering Mark and Warding Maneuver to draw attacks and defend their allies will be quickly noticed. Finally, with the longest borders of all the nations, and threats coming from nations and raiding bands of outlaws and monsters, those folk hero types who can't help but stand against the tide find themselves labeled Vigilante for taking matters into their own hands. These brawlers are rarely concerned with their own personal safety, and years of standing up for their neighbors have made them tough as nails and stalwart in conviction. Vigilantes can even be found on the dark streets of Sharn, with rivulets of temperate rains accented by the glow of magical neon lights drizzling from their weapons or armored trench coats.

CYRE: RESURGENT

Cyre's military was shattered by the Mourning, its leadership was lost, and units scattered to the corners of Khorvaire. Prince Oargev has established himself in New Cyre, but not all of the loyal soldiers of Cyre believe that the prince is the best hope for a reborn Cyre and some fear that he is too focused on his own narratives of glory rather than what is truly best for the scattered refugees of his crippled nation. To be a Resurgent is to follow an ideal. A soldier still willing to fight for the good of the Cyran people and possessing the determination and charisma to keep the spirit of the nation alive. Not drawn from a single unit, and no true sigillary to bear, the symbol of the movement is the golden Cyran crown wreathed in green flames. It's fire represents the spirit of the Cyran people and the crucible that will restore the nation. Former rank means little to a Resurgent; a general might follow a foot soldier, if that soldier shows sufficient courage and tact. A Resurgent with the soldier background is respected for their deeds in the Last War and might have held a high rank but folk heroes are equally common, reflecting the common soldier who has fought to protect the refugees and earned their respect and love. The Resurgents don't have a strict hierarchy, and even a Vigilante can be a respected Resurgent while still following their own path as an adventurer, simply by keeping their eyes open for ways to aid and inspire Cyran refugees through action.
The Resurgent is an inspiring figure who gives the downtrodden courage and hope. Most Resurgent these days are Vigilantes fighting in the alleys of cities, battling criminals and others who prey on refugees, as well as throughout the countryside. Those who spent more time in service, or exemplified the teachings of their instructors, follow the techniques of the Battle Master and specialize in the maneuvers like Commander's Strike, Distracting Strike, Rally, and others that help facilitate their allies to victory. No matter the path, the Resurgent focus on directly defending the people of their once beloved nation, even at great personal cost.

KARRNATH: THE EBON SKULL

Karrnath is renowned for a martial discipline that strikes fear into the hearts of their enemies. Menacing Attack is the signature maneuver for Karrnathi Battle Masters, most Karnns can tell one of their soldiers by the posture and confidence that their extensive training demands. Cavaliers and Champions can be found throughout its army and special forces reflecting the same tenacity and poise of their leadership. No matter how impressive the Karrn's mundane skills are, Karrnath is infamous for its use of undead on the battlefield, and as the ranks of these skeletal legions swelled, the nation needed a new kind of soldier who could marshal the dead and forge them into an effective weapon. Years of perfecting this call to arms produced the Bone Knight, a fearsome warrior who stands between life and death. Through the secrets of the religion, the first Bone Knights learned bonecraft as followers of the Blood of Vol. In the hands of an ambitious military, the religious devotion once required is now more of a daunting matter of discipline, but still one many patriotic Karrns struggled to master. Bone Knights were spread among a number of units to provide the vital techniques necessary to muster the undead, and a single Bone Knight could turn the tide of a battle. The two most distinguished units were the Order of the Emerald Claw and the Order of the Ebon Skull and both were disbanded at the end of the Last War. The Emerald Claw has since been revived as a force of violent extremists, warriors who serve the Queen of the Dead instead of the King of Karrnath. By contrast, the members of the Ebon Skull have remained loyal to their nation. Stories of the victories attributed to the Ebon Skull echo throughout Karrnath, and even if their unit has been disbanded, its members are still respected. Many continue to serve at Fort Bones, waiting for the day that the war begins again, and the ivory legions are called from the crypts. As a Bone Knight, consider that those who trained you came from the Ebon Skull or the Emerald Claw. If you were part of the Emerald Claw, your former allies are now outlaws and terrorists, but members of the Ebon Skull still have comrades and a home base in the Fort Bones. Either unit might seek to defeat established traitors and or heretics to redeem their storied reputation? Either might follow the faith of the Blood of Vol or see necromancy as a martial tool disconnected from any faith, wielded the same as any weapon.

THRANE: THE SILVERBOWS

Archery is a devotional practice of the Silver Flame, and many practiced on the range daily, regardless of their station on the battlefield. The people of Thrane take pride in their archery, and peasant archers played a major role in the Last War. While such informal Vigilante militias are surprisingly effective, the Church of the Silver Flame also fielded elite units of exceptional archers behind their frontlines. These archers were the envy of every other major power and the magical capabilities they could deliver with a volley of arrows far exceeded that of any other nation. As much of Thrane's conflict during the war was with the neighboring Karrnath, the training of the Silverbows focused on infusing their arrows with the power of the Flame itself, blasting their undead foes with radiant energy or using beguiling arrows to control the battlefield or halt a fight all together. Those with the soldier background are first and foremost aligned with the martial wing of the Silverbows, tied directly to the army, and fought specifically to defend Thrane from the advancing undead hordes. The acolyte background would indicate service with the templars, dedicated to the Church of the Silver Flame to protect the nation and defend all innocents from supernatural threats. Different backgrounds tied to the Silverbows might be tenuous, operating either as a solo operative who mastered the techniques through study and practice, or left the order after some great travesty or faith shaking realization.
Silverbow or not, Thrane fighters typically specialize in Archery or Protection. Rally, Goading Strike, and Distracting Strike are common techniques for Thrane Battle Masters. In the service of Thrane, a Silverbow is nearly indistinguishable from an Arcane Archer of another nation, with a few distinct changes that identify its service to the theocratic nation. When a Silverbow fires the Banishing Arrow, the victim is pulled into the bindings of the Flame itself, while the Beguiling Arrow calls on the compassion of the Flame to soothe aggressors. Finally, and perhaps the most telling, Magic Arrows loosed from the Silverbow’s strings radiate with a translucent blue flame.

VALENAR WARBANDS

The Valenar elves devote their long lives to martial excellence, and even the least among the Valenar is a match for the elite warriors of other nations. Each Valenar elf is sworn to emulate the life and deeds of a heroic ancestor, a champion of legend. These ancestral heroes embraced every path of war. Cavaliers of the Valenar are the finest cavalry in Khorvaire. Arcane Archers and Eldritch Knights weave magic into their warfare with hypnotic movements, and Valenar Battle Masters overwhelm enemies with Sweeping Attacks and unerring precision. Ancestry and patronage are paramount to each Valenar fighter, as is their equine prowess. An Eldritch Knight might come from a long line of battle mages, and might be excited to join the line or furious their path has been chosen already. The Samurai archetype is a good choice for a Valenar who wants an especially close relationship with their patron ancestor, drawing on his ancestors for guidance in battle as exemplified by their Fighting Spirit. The Valenar nation is one vast army. This roving army is grouped into camps made up of around 500 elves, called warclans, which are broken down into independent warbands of 8 to 12 soldiers. What is your relationship with your warclan? What position did you have within your warband? Is your clan assigned to Valenar, or are its members serving as mercenaries across the Five Nations? Are you the last survivor of a devastating battle? Work with your DM to establish the story of your past and relationship with your ancestors as a Valenar, no matter your path.

MARTIAL HEROES

As a fighter, you’re a fierce combatant, but you don’t have to be a soldier, and you might not have fought in the Last War. Here’s a few additional ideas for fighters in Eberron.

THE ENFORCER

You grew up on the mean streets of one of the great cities of Khorvaire. You never fought in the Last War, and you never gave a damn about nations or who sits on a throne. Your interest was always surviving another day and taking vengeance on your enemies. You had to fight to survive, fell in with a gang, and even worked your way up to working for one of the major criminal organizations. What is it that caused you to leave this life behind to become an adventurer? Did you fall out with your employer? Did a rival gang wipe out your former comrades? Or do you yearn to do something better with your life to redeem your bloody past? The criminal background is a good start for an enforcer, and gives you contacts in the underworld. The Battle Master can give you a few dirty tricks—Disarming Attack, Menacing Attack, Trip Attack—from your back-alley brawls and the Vigilante embodies the archetypical lone wolf.

THE FALLEN PALADIN

You were once a truly devout champion of the light, perhaps a templar of the Silver Flame or a paladin of Dol Arrah, but your faith was shattered by something you saw or did during the Last War. Perhaps it was simply the relentless cruelty and suffering you witnessed daily, a massacre, or the Mourning itself. Whatever it was broke your faith so completely that you turned away from the divine and never looked back. This would be a story decision and wouldn't change how fighters normally work but is driven by the idea that your shattered faith is the core of your character. It's not just that you have pragmatic doubts or made a mistake once upon a time, it's that the things you've seen or done have made you bitter, cynical, or pessimistic. In the past, your faith might have produced miraculous victories but that really might have been just steel and muscle. These days, your sword and shield are all you can believe in—at least, they've never let you down. As a Fallen Paladin, you're unlikely to be an acolyte or a soldier, because you turned away from the life you once led well before your adventures began. Now you might be a wandering urchin, a sailor, even a criminal. On the other hand, you could be a folk hero who's seen the ugliness of the world, and though you don't believe there's a divine plan or great purpose, you can still bring your own justice to the streets.

THE WAR MACHINE

A warforged fighter is a living weapon, literally made for battle. As a warforged fighter, your class abilities might be manifestations of your design. Second Wind activates a self-repair routine. If you take the Samurai archetype, the temporary hit points from Fighting Spirit could be temporarily shift your armor for better durability. As a Rune Guard (Xanathar’s Lost Notes), your spells could be enchantments etched into your plating. Whatever your path, it's an opportunity to explore the idea that you were built for this purpose, and with that in mind, what drives you now? You were made to be a weapon, but can you stomach the bloodshed or do you hunger for battle?

LEGACY WEAPON

No one becomes a fighter overnight. Many seem carry to on a family tradition learned from a parent or wise mentor, and further honed during years of military service. Perhaps you weren't a protégé but a prodigy, feeling the length of a blade or the weight of armor as an extension of your own body, and the drive to innovate where the teaching of others lulls them into predictable patterns, and predictable flaws. If you've chosen the path of a fighter, whatever battles you've fought, your mind, arms and armor are the tools that saw you through it, and your favorite weapon might have a story of its own, forged by your sweat, or handed down through millennia. Perhaps a family sword has innate powers that will only be revealed when the blade tastes the blood of a dragon, proving the heir's mettle. A rescued artificer might offer to enchant the bow left by a dying mentor. By working with your DM to craft a lineage defined by your armor, weapons, or shield, you two might build a narrative bond over that item and might choose to unlock magic properties in this weapon of legacy, rather than placing magical weapons in your path. Pick one of your weapons and use the table below to enhance the history of your weapon.
d8 Story 1 The weapon has been handed down in your family for generations. 2 You took the weapon from a dangerous enemy. 3 Your dying mentor entrusted you with the weapon. 4 You received the weapon when you joined the army, and carried it through the war. 5 The weapon was a mysterious gift, supposedly from a secret admirer. 6 You received the weapon as a prize in a grand tournament. 7 You made the weapon yourself. It's not pretty, but it works. 8 You stumbled upon a forgotten ruin as a child, and found the weapon there.