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Psionic Xorvintaal Dragons?

Juomari Veren

Adventurer
I was wondering today as my schoolday drew to a close, would it be possible for a psionic dragon to play Xorvintaal, assume the necessary template, and not lose it's PR or psionic capabilities, because it all applies to spells and magic
only?
 
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Runestar

First Post
That would be attempting to work around the template's limitations.

You could add on the extra abilities and retain its powers, I suppose, but it would probably necessitate an increase in cr (similar to if you had added said template to a dragon lacking spellcasting, such as a pyroclastic dragon), since it is clearly stronger than just a normal psionic dragon.

Roughly +1cr per ability.
 

Eldritch_Lord

Adventurer
If you add Xorvintaal to a psionic dragon, I'd say it loses PR (as SR == PR under transparency) but retains its psionics. As Runestar said, though, it would require a CR increase.
 

Juomari Veren

Adventurer
If you add Xorvintaal to a psionic dragon, I'd say it loses PR (as SR == PR under transparency) but retains its psionics. As Runestar said, though, it would require a CR increase.

Plausibly so. As the Manifester level gets higher , so does the CR. Sounds sensible, right? Also, I was thinking Level Adjustment +2 or so.
 

Ahnehnois

First Post
Personally, I always took the point of the template as making dragons simpler and easier to run by taking away the spells, as well as all the in-game reasons. Personally, I would take their manifesting as well, and then the power level of the resulting creature wouldn't be an issue.
 

Eldritch_Lord

Adventurer
Personally, I always took the point of the template as making dragons simpler and easier to run by taking away the spells, as well as all the in-game reasons. Personally, I would take their manifesting as well, and then the power level of the resulting creature wouldn't be an issue.

That was the original purpose, yes, but given the template's benefits I could see wanting to add those and still keep the psionics as an ace in the hole, even if it is a bit more complex to run.
 

Eloi

First Post
That was the original purpose, yes, but given the template's benefits I could see wanting to add those and still keep the psionics as an ace in the hole, even if it is a bit more complex to run.

Ah. So it's benefits you're seeking. Well, then.

Sounds like you might want your Dragon to spend some of the time he's in town, Polymorphed into another form and eavesdropping, to look into any Prophecies that may exist in the land. You're looking for the key words, "..Guarded by a Dragon, or so the legends say."

You may have to emplace a new lair (but a Xorvintal player's doing some of those anyway), get your hands on a mystic artifact (great for sending your humanoid servants on long training trips, too), and fulfill some pre-requisites to keep up appearances, but if you work at it long and hard, you can become the Draconic guardian of some mighty portal/key/chalice-doodad.

Then you can burn three CR on appending "Dragon of Legend" to your titles.
This has a very nice benefits package(Monster of Legend). I'd caution you not to take the part that lets you cast Clerical spells, as that does get us back into trouble with "No Casting!", but the rest is gravy.

Please discuss your intentions with the GM before you initiate this course of action. If legends talk about "A Dragon" guarding the fabled Widget of Bad Judgement, expect every mother's son lookie-lou wandering about your lair's environs to be a Dragon Slayer, carrying a Dragon Bane weapon (and probably gargling Draco-Fresh mouthwash to boot). Of course, if you *are* the GM, good hunting.

And do have the good sense to adopt a Kobold tribe or three to be your tripwire scouts and perimeter guards at your different lairs. Just a minor investment in just one 2/day Truestrike Eternal Wand, used on the Humanbane Ballista, can mean the difference between your valiant servants knocking down that pesky Mage before he immobilizes you.. or you discovering the next phase of existence. And they worship you. Won't someone please think of the Kobolds?
 


Eloi

First Post
Very well, then.

I was wondering today as my schoolday drew to a close, would it be possible for a psionic dragon to play Xorvintaal, assume the necessary template, and not lose it's PR or psionic capabilities, because it all applies to spells and magic
only?

Since the Dragon was Psionic as their special characteristic, rather than a spellcaster, I'd say the Dragon lost Psionics as part of the Xorvintaal ritual.

This is a "lose something, get something" tradeoff, not "something for nothing." There's no such thing as a free lunch here.
 

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