Dragoon

Learn about the Dragoon class in Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth, focusing on damage mitigation skills like Line Guard and Mana Guard, and offensive options like Gunmount.

Recommended Race(s): Earthlain, Brouni (High TP, good VIT, High WIS)

Possible equipment: Cannon, Heavy Armor, Light Armor, Shield

The Dragoon focuses on keeping the party alive by reducing received damage as much as possible. This class can equip Heavy Armor and Shields, which greatly enhance physical defense, and also has multiple damage mitigation skills to keep other members alive. Line Guard gives protection toward physical-based attacks, Mana Guard gives protection toward element-based attacks, and Healing Guard heals the user's health when taking damage. Dragon Roar is a buff that increases the chance that enemy attacks will target a specific party member, Decoy Bunker summons Bunkers which serve as decoys with a high chance to be each enemy’s primary target for attacks, and Defense Form increases the party's defense against physical attacks, although bunkers have to be present on the field to use it. One particularly useful skill is Gunmount, which deals damage to an enemy and replicates the Guard Skill used in the previous turn at no additional cost. Lastly, Barrage Wall is a skill that damages all enemies and reduces their physical attack with a debuff.

Dragoon can pretty much fit into any team, and it’s recommended to place Dragoon in the front row so it is more likely to be targeted by enemy attacks. If you intend to use Bunkers, Bunkers are considered summons which are limited by 3 slots, so it's discouraged to bring another class which can also summon like Rover or Necromancer. Although this class is built to protect your team, it can't always do the job. If there are multiple enemies with various physical and element-based attacks, the user must choose between Line Guard and Mana Guard, and let your party members deal with other types.

Skills:

• Shield Mastery (Passive): Increases physical DEF by 15% only if the user equips a shield.
• Cannon Mastery (Passive): Increases physical ATK by 15% only if the user equips a cannon. Also increases damage done by shield-based attack (Shield Throw).
• Line Guard (Support, 5 TP): Increases physical DEF by 50% until the end of turn. Always activates at the start of turn. Also takes effect on incapacitated allies so the damage will be mitigated when they are revived. Must equip a shield.
• Mana Guard (Support, 6 TP): Increases elemental DEF by 67% until the end of turn. . Doesn't stack with Warlock's Magic Shield; Magic Shield will override this skill. Unlike Line Guard, this skill doesn't take effect on incapacitated allies. Must equip a shield.
• Healing Guard (Support, 3 TP): Increases physical DEF by 34% and heals the user by 40 + 10% of maximum HP when taking any damage. Lasts until the end of turn. . If the user takes multi-hit damage, the recovery only happens at the end of attack. Works well with Dragon Roar. Must equip a shield.
• Gunmount (Attack, 2 TP): Replicates any Guard skill used last turn and deals bash damage. Can only be used after performing any Guard skill last turn, except Divide Guard. Must equip a cannon.
• Barrage Wall (Debuff, 10 TP): Deals bash damage and decreases physical ATK by 20% for 6 turns. Must equip a cannon.
• Dragon Roar (Buff, 5 TP): Increases DEF by 10% and chance of being targeted by 45% for 6 turns.
• Decoy Bunker (Support, 3 TP): Summons one Decoy Bunker which has 10 HP, 255 DEF, 99% damage reduction, and 350% chance of being targeted. Bunkers can't recover HP, can't receive buffs and debuffs, and can't protect allies or other summons from splash, line-piercing, row or party-wide attacks.
• Defense Form (Buff, 4 TP): Increases physical DEF by 34% for 6 turns. Requires a bunker on the field. Will fail to activate if all bunkers on the field are destroyed.