Alternate class features for dragons?

[JPL]

Now that's something that would be nice if they ever did Draconomicon Volume II.

As it stands, some class abilities (such as a paladin's mount, or heavy armor proficiency, or ranger fighting styles) don't make much sense as applied to a dragon.

Even spellcasting classes could be rejiggered so that there's a more natural progression from the dragon's inherent spellcasting abilities, rather than making them start at the ground floor 1st level like puny humans.

Just a thought.

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

For spellcasting, one could easily just add the new class levels to the preexisting spellcasting ability. One or two level wouldn't be a problem, but a younger dragon with high level spells might be hard to CR. This could be even more of a problem if the dragon took levels in a combo PrC, like mystic theurge.

The 3.5 paladin mount is really just a spell, but you could alter it to an animal companion. A dragon blooded creature with the bonuses from animal companion or familliar would be a great gaurdian that would be completely loyal.

Alternate class features for races have been as simple as replacing an ability for a feat or as complex as granting a unique ability (spell reflection), or nearly rewriting a class (stalwart sorcerer), both from complete mage. So long as you are actually giving up some power, you could do just about anything you like.

 

[Corsair]

Now that's something that would be nice if they ever did Draconomicon Volume II.

As it stands, some class abilities (such as a paladin's mount, or heavy armor proficiency, or ranger fighting styles) don't make much sense as applied to a dragon.

Even spellcasting classes could be rejiggered so that there's a more natural progression from the dragon's inherent spellcasting abilities, rather than making them start at the ground floor 1st level like puny humans.

Just a thought.

Dragon Paladin: Summon Poke-human.

Dragon Sorcerer: Already stacks. For CR purposes, any other casting class is probably non-associated. For dragon PCs, you're pretty much out of luck. I don't know that I would change it much.

Dragon Ranger: Put in monstrous combat feats, or metabreath feats.

 

[JPL]

Sorcerer already stacks? I didn't realize that. Of course, I never bought MM 3.5, so I probably miss a lot of that kind of stuff.

I sorta like the poke-human idea, actually. A celestial human (or humanoid) appears, along with a saddle and a dragonlance and such...