Converting True Dragons

[RavinRay]

I forgot to mention that we could add a sidebar for using the cobra dragon in an Oriental Adventures setting. If using that book, cobra dragons can have the spirit subtype modifier and speak the Spirit Tongue as well as Draconic. If the adventure's cosmology includes the Spirit World, maybe it can plane shift to the Spirit World at will like lung dragons (though it might not be necessarily be part of any Celestial Bureaucracy the DM is using).

 

[Shade]

I forgot to mention that we could add a sidebar for using the cobra dragon in an Oriental Adventures setting. If using that book, cobra dragons can have the spirit subtype modifier and speak the Spirit Tongue as well as Draconic. If the adventure's cosmology includes the Spirit World, maybe it can plane shift to the Spirit World at will like lung dragons (though it might not be necessarily be part of any Celestial Bureaucracy the DM is using).

Interesting...

 

[Shade]

I started putting it together in homebrews.

 

[Shade]

In order to not frontload these fellas too bad, we should probably move the bleeding wounds to a later age category than wyrmling.

Since these dragons get no spellcasting or spell-lke abilities, we should consider any other abilities to gain at later ages:

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Major breath weapon, poisonous bite, exceptional damage from bite, four attacks per round, to-hit bonus with age, smoke cloud
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magic resistance, immune to fire, high intelligence, detects hidden/invisible beings, fear aura, saving-throw bonus with age

Perhaps we could equate the "exceptional damage from bite" into either dealing bite damage as a size category larger, or as augmented critical.

For the "detects hidden/invisible beings", all dragons have blindsense 60 ft. Perhaps we could give them scent as well, like normal vipers?

We could also make the "shape breath" ability come at a later age category.

Thoughts?

 

[BOZ]

hmm, interesting! i always figured these guys were FR-related, but never really realized the OA/KT connection as well!

 

[Mortis]

Perhaps we could equate the "exceptional damage from bite" into either dealing bite damage as a size category larger, or as augmented critical.

I could see it having both.

Regards
Mortis

 

[Shade]

hmm, interesting! i always figured these guys were FR-related, but never really realized the OA/KT connection as well!

I was delightfully surprised as well.

I could see it having both.

Perhaps...

 

[RavinRay]

Since these dragons get no spellcasting or spell-lke abilities, we should consider any other abilities to gain at later ages:

Thoughts?

Here's an idea. The king cobra of south and southeast Asia (they still thrive in primary tropical forests in my country) can spit its venom, and is good at aiming at the eyes of its targets to blind them. Why not give them the guardian naga's spit poison ability, only with an added effect that if it makes a successful roll or check (can't figure out which) it hits the target's eyes and blinds it for a number of rounds (not to mention that it may also be nauseated or sickened due to the painful agony of venom in its eyes).

 

[Shade]

Here's an idea. The king cobra of south and southeast Asia (they still thrive in primary tropical forests in my country) can spit its venom, and is good at aiming at the eyes of its targets to blind them. Why not give them the guardian naga's spit poison ability, only with an added effect that if it makes a successful roll or check (can't figure out which) it hits the target's eyes and blinds it for a number of rounds (not to mention that it may also be nauseated or sickened due to the painful agony of venom in its eyes).

That's a definite possibility.

 

[RavinRay]

Let's give it Scent as a class skill. All snakes sample the air with their tongues and bring the tip in contact with their Jacobson's Organ in the palate of their mouths. It seems that this is the most snake-like of all true dragons as regards abilities.