Aviator, Variant (5e Class)

Aviator

Aviators are at one with the sky, not only traveling through it as their plane of movement but implementing it into their battle tactics. They can fly at incredible speeds and are skilled acrobats, performing impossible feats of movement and dexterity while flying.

Masters of the Air

Aviators fight best while using their flying speed, raining down swift strikes in quick succession as they soar through the air. They are some of the fastest creatures on earth, focusing on out-speeding and out-maneuvering the opponent rather than using brute strength. Because the ability of flight is particularly rare in the Material Plane, Aviators are not commonly seen as adventurers. Aviators also hold strong beliefs in freedom and independence, using the winds themselves as their only guide through the world. They generally aren't the ones to start fights and prefer escaping from dangerous situations, but they will still practice self-defense if needed.

Creating an Aviator

When creating an Aviator, you must consider in your backstory how your character gained the ability of flight. Are they a member of race naturally born with wings, or did a spell-caster magically give your character a permanent pair of wings? Perhaps this is their only means of movement, and they will perish if they touch the ground by any means? Have fun with your reasoning behind your character's flight. Having the ability to fly at all times is absolutely necessary for an Aviator. If your character does not start at the beginning of the game with the ability of flight, it is recommended to choose a different class. Because of the rarity of Aviators, it is recommended to also discuss your character's proficiency and training in the arts of flying. Once you have explained your character's experience with flight, you'll be creating a wonderful Aviator character in no time at all!

Quick Build

You can make an Aviator quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, as it is the basis of your character’s success in this class. Your next highest score should either be Charisma, Strength, or Constitution depending on what type of Aviator you want your character to be and the specialization that you choose. Lastly, choose the outlander background.

An Aviator descending from the sky. Source

Class Features

As a Aviator you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Aviator level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 1d10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Aviator level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor, Shields
Weapons: Finesse weapons, bows
Tools: One type of artisan's tools or thieves' tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Strength
Skills: Acrobatics and choose two from Athletics, Perception, Stealth, Survival, and Sleight of Hand.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a longbow with 15 arrows or (b) a shortbow with 25 arrows
• (a) a shortsword or (b) a rapier or (c) a scimitar
• (a) one type of artisan's tools or (b) thieves’ tools
• a pair of Aviator's Goggles
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
• studded leather armor

Table: The Aviator

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Gale Wings, Aviator Specialization
2nd	+2	Winged Savior, Air Embodiment
3rd	+2	Aviator Specialization Feature
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Adept Flyer, Extra Attack
6th	+3	Gale Wings (2), Improved Durability
7th	+3	Aviator Specialization Feature
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Winged Windstorm
10th	+4	Gale Wings (3), Aviator Specialization Feature
11th	+4	Sky's Grace, Extra Attack (2)
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Roost
14th	+5	Gale Wings (4), Winged Windstorm (2)
15th	+5	Aviator Specialization Feature
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Feather Blessing
18th	+6	Aviator Specialization Feature
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Mach IV, Gale Wings (5), Extra Attack (3)

Gale Wings

Your ability to fly gives you fantastic speed in combat. Starting at Level 1, you gain 5 extra feet of flying and walking speed. In addition, while you are not unconscious, you can slow your rate of descent while falling, allowing you to land on your feet as if you were under the effect of the feather fall spell. You gain 5 additional feet of only flying speed at the 6th, 10th, and 14th levels. At the 20th level, you gain 10 additional feet of flying and walking speed.

Aviator Specialization

Starting at the 1st Level, you also gain the ability to choose a kind of specialization of flight your character strives to pursue. Choose Aerialist, Admiral, or Marksman, all detailed at the end of the class description. The specialization you choose grants you features at the 1st Level and again at the 3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th levels.

Winged Savior

At the 2nd level, your flight ability has grown in strength to support additional weight while flying. During your turn, if you are flying or hovering, you can use a bonus action to pick up a willing creature of your size or smaller within 5 feet of you, and if you do, they travel the same distance and in the same direction as you do. You also share a space with the creature you pick up. At any time during your turn, you can safely place the creature back onto the ground 1-5 feet away from your current location in any direction. The space where you place the carried creature back onto the ground must be an open space and cannot be occupied by another creature or object. When your turn ends, or when you run out of flying speed, you must drop the carried creature or they fall. You cannot take the Attack action while you are carrying a creature.

Air Embodiment

Also at the 2nd Level, you have learned how to use the air around you as protection from incoming attacks. You gain a +2 bonus to your AC. The AC from this feature is treated as natural armor. You do not gain this bonus while you are wearing medium or heavy armor.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach the 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Adept Flyer

Starting at the 5th Level, you can no longer be Petrified, Stunned, Grappled, or Restrained while flying or hovering in the air. In addition, all one-handed weapons you use gain the Finesse property.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach the 11th Level in this class and to four when you reach the 20th Level in this class.

Air Dodge

At the 6th Level, you gain the ability to use your flight to maneuver out of harm's way. While you are airborne, if a creature attempts to attack you, you can use a reaction to roll a Dexterity saving throw against their to hit score before modifiers. On a success, your attacker automatically misses the attack. Sky's Grace (11th level) does apply to this saving throw. On a fail, you take half damage.

Improved Durability

At the 7th Level, your time flying has made you stronger against colder temperatures and high alititudes. You are now acclimated to Extreme Cold, as described on page 110 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Additionally, you can hold your breath for twice as long and the number of rounds you can survive after running out of breath and suffocating are doubled.

Winged Windstorm

Beginning at the 9th Level, you've perfected the Aviator technique of infusing your weapons with the force of a blusterous tornado. On a hit, each of your attacks deal a bonus 1d6 wind damage. This includes attacks made and/or enhanced by features found in this class. At the 14th level, the bonus damage increases to 1d8.

Sky's Grace

Starting at the 11th level, the gods of the sky favor you as their champion, and as a result reward you with impossible speed. You gain advantage on initiative. In addition, you gain advantage on all Dexterity saving throws while you are using flying speed and/or hovering. You also automatically succeed any saving throws against an attack, spell, creature, terrain, or feature that uses air, deals wind damage, or is made of air.

Roost

Starting at the 13th Level, the crisp, clean air begins to have a healing effect on you. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain Hit Points equal to 1d12 + your Aviator level. You must be outdoors or have access to fresh air in order to use this feature. After you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Feather Blessing

At the 17th level, you have gained the ability to share your power of flight with others. During your turn, you can use an action to have all party members within 50 feet of you magically sprout a pair of feathered wings from their backs, allowing them to gain a flying speed of 50 feet. If an ally in your party already has a flying speed, including yourself, they gain an additional 5 feet of flying speed instead. The wings disappear and the bonus flying speed ends during the end of your next turn after using this feature. After using this feature, you must complete a long rest before you can use this feature again.

Mach IV

At the 20th level, you are immune to all conditions and are resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage while airborne. As normal, you still fall from the sky and become unconscious when you drop to 0 Hit Points. In addition, you may take the Dash action as a bonus action.

Finally, you can use an action to break the sound barrier with your flying speed. Until the end of your turn, you can only make unarmed strikes or attacks with natural weapons, but they deal 3d8 wind damage instead of their normal value. You can also attack up to five times and can move an extra 5 feet of flying speed in-between each attack. The damage from this feature is unaffected by a creature's damage immunities and resistances. Additionally, you must use your Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. The aftermath of traveling at such a fast speed causes a wind-like aura to engulf you. Until the end of your next turn after using this feature, if a Large or smaller creature moves within 10 feet of you, or if you move within 10 feet of a Large or smaller creature, they must make a Constitution saving throw or become incapacitated until the end of their next turn. You must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again.

Aviator Specialization

Although flying is a feat in itself, many have gone above and beyond to specialize in a fighting style based around their use of the sky. The specialization you choose also reflects your personality and opinion on fighting and conflict.

Marksman

The Marksman is a balance between the Admiral and Aerialist specializations, focusing on powerful ranged attacks while swiftly moving out of harm's way.

Speedy Flight

When you choose this specialization at the 1st Level, you gain a +2 bonus to your attack and damage rolls while using ranged weapons that you are proficient with. Additionally at the 1st level, you don't provoke opportunity attacks when you fly out of an enemy's reach.

Arrow Manoeuvering

At the 3rd Level, being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls. In addition, the normal and long range of your ranged weapons increases by 10 feet.

Airborne Stealth Tactics

At the 7th Level, you have learned how to use the wind to hide yourself from enemies. While airborne, you can use a bonus action to become invisible until you successfully hit a creature, use an Aviator class feature, or take damage from another creature's attack. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or a long rest before you can use it again. In addition, you gain the ability to use a diving attack. When attacking a creature with a melee weapon while flying or hovering, you can choose to exit flight and add an additional die of damage to the attack (two additional die starting at the 16th level).

Wind Arrows

At the 10th Level, you gain an additional +1 bonus to your attack and damage rolls while using a ranged weapon. In addition, you can use the air around you as ammunition for your ranged weapons. You can use a bonus action to magically conjure 20 wind arrows or wind bolts from the air. Arrows created from this feature deal wind damage instead of their normal damage type. Arrows created in this way deal an additional 1d6 wind damage and push the creature back ten feet. You can use this feature three times (four times starting at the 13th Level and five times starting at the 16th Level), afterwards you cannot use it again until you finish a short rest.

Feather Dance of the Arrow

At the 15th Level, you have masted the art of flying ranged combat. The damage die of all ranged weapons you have proficiency in increases by one size. When a hostile creature moves within 20 feet of you, you can use a reaction to fly 10 feet in the opposite direction and make a ranged attack against that creature. You can use this feature twice (three times starting at the 17th Level and four times starting at the 20th Level), afterwards you cannot use it again until you finish a short rest. In addition, you learn how to attack with so much force that it sends opponents flying backward. The damage die of all melee weapons you have proficiency in increases by one size. Until you exit combat, each time you hit a creature with the enchanted weapon they must make a Strength saving throw or take 1d6 wind damage and be pushed 5 feet away. Creatures that fail the saving throw are pushed back in a straight line and in the opposite direction of where the attack originated.

Feather Dance of the Chilling Skies

At the 18th Level, you have ascended in your ranged weapon capabilities while flying to match that of the gods. While flying or hovering, you have advantage on all attack rolls while using a ranged weapon you are proficient in. In addition, you no longer have disadvantage while attacking a creature within your ranged weapon's long range. You can use an action to mark a circular area with a 40-foot radius within your ranged weapon's range. Once the circular area is determined, you can make a wind arrow/bolt for each creature in the circular range, then make a ranged attack against all hostile creatures within that area using the created wind arrows/bolts. When firing wind arrows/bolts created from this feature, you have a +5 bonus to your damage roll and deal a bonus 2d6 wind damage. As normal, you must make a separate attack and damage roll for each creature. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Aviator class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity 15, Charisma or Strength 13, and a permanent flight speed.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Aviator class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor and Finesse weapons.

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