Converting True Dragons

Shade · Oct 13, 2009

Updated.

What do do with this?

Crystal drakes are very fond of jewels, gems, and crystals. They each have two cheek pouches, much like hamsters, in which they can store up to four gems. Their senses of smell and taste are very keen, and they can actually sense the presence of precious stones within 10’. Indeed, crystals, gems, and jewels are a necessary part of a crystal drake’s diet. Each drake must consume at least 5 gp of gems per week, or its hide loses its crystalline sheen and the powers associated with it. A crystal drake loses one point of armor class per week without the diet of gems, down to a minimum of AC 5. Once its proper diet is reestablished, it gains its armor class back at the same rate. For each week without a gem diet, there is a cumulative 25% chance that its spellreflecting power will not function. After one month without eating the required amount of gemstones, the crystal drake’s immunity to the spells given above is lost, and its hide becomes a dull gray. Even if the specific spell immunity is lost, the crystal drake still retains its natural resistance to magic.

Ingesting certain gemstones has strange effects upon crystal drakes. They are aware of these effects and often carry some of these gems in their mouth pouches for emergencies. For a gemstone to affect a crystal drake, a minimum amount of that particular gem must be consumed. These gems and effects are given in Table 3. Only one of these gem effects can be in effect at one time. If a new gem is ingested before the effects of the last gem is over, the prior effects are lost.

Table 3
Crystal Drakes. Special Gem Powers
Gemstone type Min. gp value consumed Effect and duration
Alexandrite 100 Adds +2 to saving throws for one turn
Amber 100 Grants immunity to disease for 3 rounds, or cures same
Amethyst 100 Grants immunity to paralysis and poison for 1 turn, or cures same
Beryl 100 Improves armor class by two steps for 1 turn
Carbuncle 100 Allows use of polymorph self into dragon form 10 X larger in size, once per week
Chrysoprase 100 Grants improved invisibility (as per the illusionist spell) for 2-8 rounds
Coral 100 Grants immunity to insanity for 10 turns, or cures same
Hematite 10 Heals 1-4 hp damage, up to four times per day
Jacinth 250 Grants a + 1 on all saving throws and armor class for 2-8 hours
Jasper 50 Grants +4 to saving throws vs. poison for 1 turn, or allows for a new saving throw at + 4 if consumed after eater was poisoned
Lapis lazuli 50 Adds + 1 to to-hit scores for 1 turn
Peridot 250 Adds +4 to all saving throws for 1 turn
Ruby 100 Adds + 2 to saving throws, and acts as a luckstone, for 1 turn
Sapphire 250 Allows the casting of known spells only as if one level higher, only once per day
Topaz 250 Creates a minor globe of invulnerability around the eater for 1 turn
Note: See the 1st Edition Dungeon Masters Guide, pages 26-27, for the possible effects of other consumed gems.

freyar · Oct 14, 2009

I really don't know. This is extremely complicated.

Well, the first part isn't so bad. First off, we need to decide if we're giving them some reflective spell immunity (per original text) or something simplified. Then not eating enough gems could just negate that (and maybe unearthly grace) until they eat (or we could even go for negative levels).

As for specific gem effects: perhaps we can simplify a bit. Or, if people really want, just mostly copy that table.

RavinRay · Oct 14, 2009

We might make it mechanically similar to potions, because it involves ingesting something. (BTW for the purposes of psionics-magic transparency, potions are equivalent to psionic tattoos.)

Activation

Drinking a potion or applying an oil requires no special skill. The user merely removes the stopper and swallows the potion or smears on the oil. The following rules govern potion and oil use.

Drinking a potion or using an oil on an item of gear is a standard action. The potion or oil takes effect immediately. Using a potion or oil provokes attacks of opportunity. A successful attack (including grappling attacks) against the character forces a Concentration check (as for casting a spell). If the character fails this check, she cannot drink the potion. An enemy may direct an attack of opportunity against the potion or oil container rather than against the character. A successful attack of this sort can destroy the container.

A creature must be able to swallow a potion or smear on an oil. Because of this, incorporeal creatures cannot use potions or oils.

Any corporeal creature can imbibe a potion. The potion must be swallowed. Any corporeal creature can use an oil.

A character can carefully administer a potion to an unconscious creature as a full-round action, trickling the liquid down the creature’s throat. Likewise, it takes a full-round action to apply an oil to an unconscious creature.

Assuming that the drake already has the said gems in its cheek pouches, would it really take a standard action to swallow it, or could it be just a free action?

Cleon · Oct 14, 2009

Shade said:
Updated.

What do do with this?

Crystal drakes are very fond of jewels, gems, and crystals.

*SNIP*

Ingesting certain gemstones has strange effects upon crystal drakes.

Wince and back away slowly?

I'm tempted to drop the "strange effects" bit and just have them need to eat gemstones to keep in trim.

If you want the strange effects bit, an easy solution is to say they can make potion-like ingested magic items out of gems which only work on dragons with the Earth subtype (or any creature with the Earth subtype?). Only specific psionic powers can be put in a particular gem, and they can use the gems value to offset the creation cost.

Maybe make it a Feat, which the older drakes learn?

Shade · Oct 14, 2009

That could work.

Alternatively, rather than give them SLAs at various levels like most dragons, perhaps we can give them a "digest gem" power that grants specific benefits at certain age categories, regardless of the type of gems consumed?

For example, an old crystal drake could consume 100 gp in gems to apply the Empower Power metapsionic feat to the next power it manifests. An adult crystal drake could consume 50 gp in gems to manifest the expansion power on itself. And so on...

freyar · Oct 14, 2009

Shade said:
That could work.

Alternatively, rather than give them SLAs at various levels like most dragons, perhaps we can give them a "digest gem" power that grants specific benefits at certain age categories, regardless of the type of gems consumed?

For example, an old crystal drake could consume 100 gp in gems to apply the Empower Power metapsionic feat to the next power it manifests. An adult crystal drake could consume 50 gp in gems to manifest the expansion power on itself. And so on...

Now that I like!

Also keep the minimum 5 gp per week to keep AC up? And where do we stand on the reflective spell immunity?

RavinRay · Oct 15, 2009

I'm all for giving it this unusual diet for the AC, just like the beljuril dragon has that seismic metabolism. For the light effects reflection, do you want to still use that 25% cumulative chance of not reflecting by rolling a d% or d20 (though if its SR succeeds, it becomes immune to the effect without reflecting it)? That works for me.

freyar · Oct 15, 2009

I think I missed the % chance in the text. I'd kind of like to use Reflective Spell Resistance like the Aoa (anything resisted gets targeted at the caster), but limiting to certain spells.