To all of you who backed this project a HUGE THANK YOU!!!
In the coming weeks, more information will become available. Please don't forget... if you haven't already, go do...
9
0
1
Chris Lindsay, 5E Director, Goodman Games
5 days ago
It's the Final Countdown (24 Hours Remaining)
Heya Folks! Chris Lindsay here to remind you that if you haven't yet backed this project, our time in crowdfunding is coming quickly to an end. To the 1,000 backers that ha...
9
0
1
Chris Lindsay, 5E Director, Goodman Games
5 days ago
It's the Final Countdown (48 Hours Remaining)
Heya Folks!!!
Chris Lindsay here... and I'd like to thank ALL of our backers for helping us get past our FIFTH stretch goal... considering this is for 5E, it seems fitting...
8
0
2
Chris Lindsay, 5E Director, Goodman Games
6 days ago
Take the Oath of the Aeronaut (A Paladin Subclass)
Heya Folks!
Chris Lindsay here to SMITE you with an exciting new subclass. Funny thing about the Oath of the Aeronaut was that I came up with this name without thinking a...
4
0
2
Chris Lindsay, 5E Director, Goodman Games
7 days ago
Design Diary: Chris Lindsay plus Circle of Storms (A Druid Subclass)
Heya Folks!
Chris Lindsay here with a story about the evolution of the Dragon Rider's Primer!
Joseph Goodman and I first began talking about a dragon rider project bef...
5
0
3
Chris Lindsay, 5E Director, Goodman Games
8 days ago
Design Diary: Toni Winslow-Brill plus Aerial Mount: Gorecrest Raptor
Heya Folks...
Chris Lindsay here with a Design Diary from the Brilliant Toni Winslow-Brill!
It's not every industry today where you get to work with your favorite people...
To all of you who backed this project a HUGE THANK YOU!!!
In the coming weeks, more information will become available. Please don't forget... if you haven't already, go download the BETA rules and provide any feedback you might have. This will be helpful as we complete the project and prepare all of this wonderful content for your enjoyment!!!
Heya Folks! Chris Lindsay here to remind you that if you haven't yet backed this project, our time in crowdfunding is coming quickly to an end. To the 1,000 backers that have, on behalf of Goodman Games, I humbly thank you for your support!
For the rest of you... NOW is the time to get all of the Dragon Riding Deliciousness plus character upgrades, aerial bestiary, and all the trimmings to make aerial mounts soar in your 5E or 5.5E campaign.
As you're perusing the options, also don't forget to pick up Issue #1 of the OG5E Journal featuring a host of content, including (but certainly not limited to) the following...
Notes from the Gnome. Wherein I'll answer hand selected questions from all y'all and address gaming concerns with advice and guidance.
Monster Mayhem. A regular feature with a rotating cast of designers who will show off their creature creation skills, not only for stats, but also for placing their critters in the functional ecology of a fantasy setting.
Sezrekan's Archive of Ancients. Wherein our famous archlich will describe all manner of previously undiscovered spells, magic items, and other oddities.
Eldritch Explorations. Including feature articles with exploratory content for your consideration and even feedback once you've had the opportunity to dig in.
Goodman Games 5E Organized Play. An update from our Weird Uncle Brendan on all things OP.
And this is just the beginning... we're going to have additional feature articles, comic strips, and other gamer goodness throughout.
Don't be shy on this one. We're currently only planning to print enough copies to fulfill the crowdfunding, and while it will always be available digitally, if you want to collect them all, I'd advise you to get in now!
ADD-ON PAWNS and MAT!!!
Finally... don't forget to get this gorgeous playmat and the tokens you'll need to make this entire experience come to life! Tracking combat in 3-D will be a cinch with this incredible accessories!
Chris Lindsay here... and I'd like to thank ALL of our backers for helping us get past our FIFTH stretch goal... considering this is for 5E, it seems fitting that we AT LEAST do that... though I won't complain if we get further along however!
Perhaps to assist with that, now that we're in the final 48 hours, I'd very much like to shed some light on all the dark corners of this wondrous tome that we might have mentioned, but haven't shown off yet. Check out the HOTNESS!!!
Feats...
35+ New Feats to round out your character and really make them unique. Such as...
Tooth and Magic
General Feat (Prerequisite: Level 8+, Aerial Spellbound, Spellcasting)
Your bond with your mount has grown to the point where your spellcasting has become its signal to strike. The moment your arcane energy flares, your mount is stricken with a glowing ripple of magic and together you can weave spellcraft and physical combat together seamlessly. Few achieve such harmony but those that do shape the air around them with their combined assaults and dangerous accuracy. You gain the following benefits.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Spell and Strike.When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher on your turn, your mount may make one melee attack as part of the same action. If the spell targets or affects a creature within your mount’s reach, your mount may make its attack with Advantage.
Arcane Pressure. If the target of the spell was required to make a saving throw, your mount gains a bonus to the attack roll made through Spell and Strike equal to your proficiency bonus.
Spells...
45+ New Spells from Cantrips through 9th level spells with something new for every caster in your party. Such as...
Sky Fortress
Level 6 Conjuration (Wizard)
Casting Time 10 minutes
Range 120 ft.
Components V, S, M (a crystal carving of a castle worth at least 250 gp)
Duration 24 hours
You cause an unoccupied 100-foot Cube of open air to form into a stationary floating fortress made of glass. You can create walls, doors, floors, towers, or even a keep. When you cast the spell, you choose whether the walls of the structure are transparent or as opaque as a storm cloud. Each wall has AC 13 and 20 hit points per 10-foot section. Reducing a 10-foot section of wall to 0 hit points destroys it and leaves a hole in the structure.
Casting this spell on the same spot every day for a year makes this effect permanent.
When you create the castle, you may imbue it with up to three additional effects:
Changeable Walls. As a Magic action, you can change the transparency of the fortress walls, change the layout of the fortress by adding or removing a 10-foot section of wall, or create a door or window where there was not one before.
Dancing Lights. You can summon dancing lights in any room or corridor with a wave of your hand. The lights repeat a pattern you choose without requiring Concentration until you dismiss them.
Divination Interference. Divination spells of Level 3 or lower cast from outside the fortress cannot detect or scry upon anything or anyone within the fortress.
Doors. All doors in the within the fortress are magically locked, as if sealed by the Arcane Lock spell. You can create one glass key that can open them which you may hand off to another, and you may open any door without the key.
Healing Rest. Creatures that complete a Long Rest and spends one or more Hit Dice regain extra Hit Points equal to your Magical Ability bonus.
Turret. You create a magical turret upon a wall, roof, or tower. Any creature you designate can take the Utilize action to fire the turret. The turret uses your Ranged Spell Attack bonus to fire an arcane bolt at a create or object with 200 feet. If the target is hit, the bolt does 3d6 Force damage.
Using a Higher Level Spell Slot. You may imbue the fortress with an additional effect or expand the size of the cube by 50 feet for each spell slot level above 6.
Magic Items...
40+ New Magic Items that will take your character to the next level, providing the edge they need to succeed. Such as...
Barding of Silent Wing Armor (Leather Barding), Uncommon
This masterfully crafted dark leather barding is stitched with images of nighthawks and owls. It is unnaturally light and makes almost no sound as it moves. While your mount is wearing this barding, it gains a +1 bonus to AC and has Advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
An Adventure Path...
If you're short on time to generate ideas or are simply looking for an adventure spark you can fan into the flame of a full campaign. We provide a complete series of springboards and hooks, and starting with the 1st level outline for Madam Phorvia's Menagerie, ending with the 17th level concept for Fortress of the Skylords, and everything in between. There's an entire campaign worth of concepts to pick and choose from, and weave into a story all your own.
Aerial Threats!!!
We're including the Book of Aerial Threats and Hazards* that starts with such threats as the Vultyra, a species of demon worshipping anthropomorphic vulture-folk... to Crypt Spores, a sentient necrotic cloud of fungal spores that drift en masse on the winds, disrupting life wherever they go. Don't forget that with your generous backing, we're adding MORE to this beautiful bestiary every day! *Title not final!
Chris Lindsay here to SMITE you with an exciting new subclass. Funny thing about the Oath of the Aeronaut was that I came up with this name without thinking about the actual design. However, when Greg Marks came to me and said... "I have this idea... it's inspired by the Firefly series." I was like... "Say no more... go forth and design what I'm sure will be awesome..." and the rest is history.
Oath of the Aeronaut (Paladin)
Paladins of the Oath of the Aeronaut swear an oath to protect the freedom of the open sky. By upholding the tenets of their oath, these paladins fight against tyranny and any power that would cage those who fly free. Soaring warriors against oppression, they are constantly on the move, acting as liberators for all who are chained.
Tenets of the Aeronaut
Though the exact words and strictures of the Oath of the Aeronaut vary, paladins of this oath share these tenets.
Safe Skies. Anyone traveling the sky-lanes or common trade routes deserve to do so safely and without fear. Individuals have the right to travel without excessive laws, controls, or taxes.
The Sky is for All. The sky has no borders. Individuals deserve to be free, especially in the sky. Do not judge others by their kingdom, race, or whether they were born with wings or ride a flying mount. Everyone deserves to soar.
Offer a Hand, Not a Chain. Empower others to rebel against oppression. It is your duty to oppose authoritarian governments and violent criminals who rule by fear. Offer aid and guidance, but never a new set of chains.
Keep the Wind at Your Back. Never become stagnant. You must move forward to be the change the world needs. Seek out injustice and keep pushing for a better world. Resting on your laurels or accepting the status quo is to let tyranny take root.
Oath Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.
Oath Spells
Paladin Level Spells 3rd Concussive Burst*, Feather Fall 5th Pack Animal*, Wind Lance* 9th Fly, Heart of the Griffon* 13th Freedom of Movement, Sirocco* 19th Passwall, Wings of the Pegasus*
*New spells presented in the Dragon Rider's Primer.
Channel Divinity
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Free Skies. As an action, you present your holy symbol and issue a divine decree of liberation. Each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you that has the Grappled, Restrained, or Frightened condition has that condition end immediately. If a target is falling, flying, or hovering, they gain a bonus equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum +1) to the next Saving Throw made before the end of your next turn.
Push the Tyrant from the Sky. As an action, you can use Channel Divinity to imbue one weapon you are holding with the power of the rushing wind. For 1 minute, when you hit a creature with this weapon, you can push that creature up to 5 feet times your Proficiency Bonus. This movement can be in any direction, including downward, and does not provoke opportunity attacks.
You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.
Aura of Safe Skies
By 7th level, you and friendly creatures that begin falling while within 10 feet of you have resistance to bludgeoning damage caused by falling until the end of their turn. Additionally, when an affected creature begins falling while within your aura, its rate of descent slows to 30 feet per round. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Break the Chain
Starting at 15th level, when an ally you can see within 60 feet of you fails a Saving Throw against the Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, or Stunned condition, you can use your Reaction to allow that ally to reroll the Saving Throw, adding your Charisma modifier to the new roll.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Lord of the Sky
At 20th level, you can assume the form of swirling winds. If you are mounted when you transform, you can share the affects with your mount.
Using your action, you undergo a transformation. For 1 minute, you (and your mount if you are mounted) gain the following benefits:
You gain a flying speed of 60 feet and the ability to Hover. Your body becomes translucent and wreathed in swirling winds, causing all Ranged Attacks against you to have Disadvantage.
You are immune to being moved against your will.
As a Bonus Action, you can create a line of powerful wind 100 feet long and 10 feet wide originating from you. Each creature in the line must make a Strength Saving Throw against your spell save DC or be pushed 30 feet away from you. On successive turns, as a Bonus Action, you can reorient the line.
Chris Lindsay here with a story about the evolution of the Dragon Rider's Primer!
Joseph Goodman and I first began talking about a dragon rider project before I even came on at Goodman Games. It was early summer 2025 and I had very recently left WizKids. For a company that manufactured everything in China, tariffs had hit them hard, and that meant budget cuts.
Joseph had reached out to pick my brain in a series of consultations, and one of the side topics I brought up was the brilliant trilogy of novels I had just finished reading by Rebecca Yarros. Starting with the novel Fourth Wing, and on through Iron Flame and Onyx Storm… it was a whirlwind of dragon riding, romance, and derring-do not to be missed.
When Joseph asked me to join his crew in August, we renewed our conversation about these books, since he had taken the recommendation to heart and read them himself. At this point, with imaginations on fire, the idea for a supplemental rulebook for 5E that included mounted aerial combat was born.
However… when I stopped to consider what this might look like in practice at the game table, several challenges came to mind.
Challenge #1: Giving each character an actual dragon to ride will throw game balance right in the waste basket. We needed to create the opportunity without overburdening GMs.
Challenge #2: If one character only has an aerial mount, then splitting the party becomes inevitable… they all need aerial mounts, and the villains too!
Challenge #3: When do characters get their mounts? How are they connected? Are they all dragons or can we provide a wider variety of options?
[Really, that last one is more than a single challenge, but who’s counting?]
Ultimately, it seemed to me that a holistic approach was not only appropriate, but incredibly necessary to pull this off. Include mounts in the game as early as possible to get everyone used to their presence and use in the game and then advance their utility as the characters themselves grow in power.
Some of you are already asking if this book is for low level characters as well as high level characters… to which I must respond… ABSOLUTELY!!! It is entirely possible for the characters to have mounts at 1st level and keep them for the duration of the campaign.
It probably comes as no surprise that the first thing I looked at for rules guidance was the Find Steed spell, followed shortly by the rules for regular mounted combat. This brings me to my next challenge.
Challenge #4: What happens when all the characters can fly?
I mean… usually GMs don’t have to contend with flying characters until 5th level at the earliest. For this, I had a solution, however. Create “young” versions of each mount, one incapable of bearing a rider into the air, but still useful as a cool companion for each character. Then, when the characters hit 5th level, they can take to the not-so-friendly skies. Speaking of which…
Challenge #5: Overland travel???
We can’t just let players skip the adversity associated with traversing the wilderness, but since we were going up, up, and away, I have to look skyward for a means to throw seemingly random encounters their way. Something that prevents travel from simply being straight lines on a map ala Indiana Jones. Aerial travel should be just as (if not more) dangerous than simply walking, and so we devised a set of guidelines for that as well. As you can see, out proverbial bases are starting to appear to be fairly covered. Throw in some subclasses, a bunch of new spells, feats, backgrounds, and other goodies… and viola!
Well… I could probably go on and on to talk about aerial maneuvers and mounted combat and weather patterns and a whole lot more, but I really gotta get back to working on this veritable smorgasbord of rules and character options. In the meantime, secure your saddle and flap for all your worth. We’ll see you in the skies soon!
Good Gaming!!!
Also... if you're looking for more fun Dragon Rider's Primer content... see me chatting HERE with my good friend Ben Riggs, author of Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons and Dragons.
... and now the Circle of Storms!!!
Let the Thunder Roll!
Heya Folks!
Chris Lindsay here with another AWESOME subclass. Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE playing druids? With the possible exception of the wizard, no other class has the capacity to cast a single spell and bring an encounter to a screeching halt like a druid does. When I was at Wizards of the Coast, one of my favorite characters to play at conventions for Adventurers League was a peace loving tortle druid named Amble. I love Amble so much that I dropped him into an adventure I wrote "Locathah Rising" as an NPC for others to enjoy as well. So here's a new druid subclass with a STORMY disposition... welcome the Circle of Storms!
Circle of Storms (Druid)
Many have come to revere storms as manifestations of both destruction and rebirth, but druids of the Circle of Storms have developed a far more intimate relationship with these violent atmospheric phenomena. Not only have they learned to create storms, but also to shape them the way that other druids manipulate roots and stone.
Level 3: Gathering Skies
You have learned how to not only coax the first signs of a storm into being but to exert subtle control over its unpredictable weather.
As a bonus action, you collect moisture and air pressure around yourself, creating a localized pattern of gentle rain and chilled fog that extends outward from you in a 15-foot radius that moves with you and lasts for 1 minute, until you are incapacitated, or until you dismiss it as a bonus action. The following effects, to which you’re immune, also apply.
Uncertain Distance. The area is lightly obscured and ranged attacks made into or out of this area, or that pass through this area, are made at Disadvantage.
Heavy Atmosphere. The area within is considered difficult terrain. Abilities and spells that negate the effect of difficult terrain do not function in this area.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to half your Wisdom modifier (rounded up) and must complete a short or long rest to regain these uses.
Level 3: Circle of Storms Spells
You have learned how to not only coax the first signs of a storm into being but to exert subtle control over unpredictable weather.
You gain the Shocking Grasp cantrip if you don’t have it. Additionally, when you reach a Druid level specified in the Circle of Storms table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared.
Druid Level Spells 3rd Gust of Wind, Shatter 5th Call Lightning, Sleet Storm 7th Freedom of Movement, Ice Storm 9th Commune with Nature, Cone of Cold
Level 6: Blood that Knows the Sky
The storm no longer simply gathers at your call. It settles into your very flesh and no longer moves around you but instead moves through you. Your muscles thicken slightly, you become partially insubstantial, rain beads and drips off your body while lightning aggressively shoots under your skin.
Living Weatherform. When you use Gathering Skies you can choose to expend a use of Wild Shape, to become a manifestation of the storm. While in this state you retain your normal statistics, equipment, general appearance, though you can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You can’t be grappled, restrained, or knocked prone and you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. While in this form you cannot take the Attack action, except as noted below.
Storm Skin. While Gathering Skies is active, you can make a single attack each round, using the Shocking Grasp cantrip. Additionally, you benefit from the effects of the Pass Without Trace spell (self only).
Level 10: The Storm Takes Precedence
The storm continues to swell within you, pushing your presence and form as you grow in power. The storm no longer fits cleanly inside of your mortal form and demands more room than your flesh can offer. It fills your blood and your presence begins to leak outward into the air around you.
The Sky Without Center. When you activate Gathering Skies, in addition to the other effects, you gain a Fly speed equal to your normal movement speed and you gain the Invisible condition. In this state, you have immunity to both Blindsight and Tremorsense, though Truesight can detect you normally.
Additionally, each round at the end of your turn, you choose where you are physically located within the area of your Gathering Skies effect. Though you use movement as normal to shift positions, you no longer have to remain in the center of that area.
Level 14: When the Storm Breaks Through
Each breath grows visibly heavier as nature’s power pulses inside of you. The light bends and splits across your form in a kaleidoscope of refracting colors as your outline fractures into soft doubles and warped edges.
The area of your Gathering Skies ability increases to encompass a 30-foot radius, and the area is now heavily obscured. When you use this ability, in addition to yourself, you may designate any number of creatures in that area you can see as sheltered by it. Those creatures can see and move normally inside the area, and immune to Thunder or Lightning damage it might otherwise cause them.
At the start of each of your turns, creatures in the area that are not sheltered by it, make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. Failure: 4d8 Thunder or Lightning damage (your choice). Success: Half damage only.
For the duration, creatures can’t teleport, plane shift, or use portals into or out of the area.
