Alternate Totems for Dragon Shaman

[freyar]

Faerunian Dragons

These are all from Monsters of Faerun and all have updates in the Player's Guide to Faerun web enhancement. A couple have updates in Draconomicon as well (though mysteriously missing class skills). Please especially tell me what you think of the Fang and Shadow Dragons, as they were a bit weird. Should I give them more traditional but arbitrary breath weapons?

I'll eventually get around to adding some of the other FR dragons from other sources; I don't have Dragons of Faerun (DrF), so someone else is welcome to do those or else I'll just do what I can based on 3e versions from WotC and other sources. Edit: Mercury and Steel dragons will be under "Metallic Dragons" and the Mist Dragon is below now. These might change if I ever get DrF.

Faerunian Dragons

• Brown Dragon; Mon 38; LE, NE, CE; Bluff, Hide, Survival; Endure Elements (Sp): As the spell, except that you can target yourself only. At will.; Line of acid
• Deep Dragon; Mon 40; CN, NE, CE; Hide, Move Silently, Swim; Treasure Seeker (Ex): You gain a +5 competence bonus on Appraise and Search checks (always active).; Cone of acid
• Fang Dragon; Mon 41, Dra 159; CG, CN, CE; Bluff, Jump, Survival; Ventriloquism (Sp): As the spell (at will).; Instead of a breath weapon, you gain a claw attack as a primary natural weapon; your claw attack deals as much damage as the breath weapon of other dragon shamans does (Instead of an energy immunity, you gain immunity to ability drain, and your resistance aura gives a bonus to saving throws against ability damage or drain)
• Shadow Dragon; Mon 42, Dra 191; CN, NE, CE; Hide, Jump, Move Silently; Mirror Image (Sp): As the spell (at will).; Cone of energy drain; you deal as one negative level for every two hit dice of damage other dragon shaman deal with their breath weapons (Your associated immunity is to energy drain, and your resistance aura provides a bonus to saves versus illusions)
• Song Dragon; Mon 44; NG, CG, CN, CE; Bluff, Disguise, Jump; Feather Fall (Sp): As the spell, except that you can target yourself only (at will).; Cone of electricity
• Mist Dragon; Monster Mayhem, DrF; NG, LN, N, CN, NE; Bluff, Sense Motive, Survival; Water Breathing (Ex): You can breathe underwather indefinitely and can freely use spells and other abilities underwater (always
  active).; Cone of steam (deals fire damage; associated immunity and resistance are to fire)

 

[freyar]

Gem Dragons

Here are the gem dragons from MMII. These don't have an official 3.5e version for psionics, so I'm using the unofficial version by EN World (and WotC forum) member RavinRay, found here. Someday I may come back and add other gem dragons that have appeared on the web. I've lost a bit of momentum what with the 4e announcement and all, but I'd like to leave a nice resource. Of course, encouragement helps.

Edit: Of course these got a 3.5 update (except for psionics) in the MM2 update booklet! I've changed the skills to reflect that.

Edit: The psionic bestiary articles below are in the WotC archives, linked on my web page of these.

Gem Dragons

• Amethyst Dragon; MM2 79; NG, LN, N, CN, NE; Bluff, Hide, Move Silently; Body Equilibrium (Ps): As the psionic power (at will); Line of force
• Crystal Dragon; MM2 81; CG, CN, CE; Gather Information, Jump, Swim; Resilient Mind (Ex): You gain a +2 bonus on saves vs enchantment effects (including psionic powers from the telepathy discipline) (always active); Cone of light (associated immunity is to cold, as is your resistance aura)
• Emerald Dragon; MM2 82; LG, LN, LE; Gather Information, Hide, Swim; Defensive Precognition (Ps): As the psionic power (at will); Cone of sonic energy
• Sapphire Dragon; MM2 84; LG, LN, LE; Jump, Knowledge (history), Move Silently; Wall Walker (Ps): As the psionic power (at will); Cone of sonic energy
• Topaz Dragon; MM2 85; CG, CN, CE; Hide, Survival, Swim; Water Breathing (Ex): You can breathe underwather indefinitely and can freely use spells and other abilities underwater (always active); Cone of dehydration (Your associated immunity is to cold, as is your resistance aura)
• Ectoplasmic Dragon; Psionic Bestiary; CG, CN, CE; Knowledge (psionics), Knowledge (the planes), Use Psionic Device; Chameleon (Ps): As the psionic power (at will); Glob of flaming ectoplasm with a range given by the length of a dragon shaman's breath weapon line at your class level. This glob then explodes as a energy burst of fire of radius equal to 1/4 the range (round down to the nearest 5 ft) as the psionic power (nonaugmentable) with the damage given by your dragon shaman level. Associated immunity and resistance aura is to fire.
• Obsidian Dragon; Psionic Bestiary; LE, NE, CE; Appraise, Psicraft, Survival; Inertial Armor (Ps): As the psionic power, except not augmentable (at will).; Cone of fire

 

[avr]

The Shadow dragon shaman's breath weapon is possibly too much - do you think 1 level of energy drain / 2 HD damage would be better? A level of energy drain reduces your HP by 5 in addition to other nasty effects. Also, I think the dragon shaman shouldn't gain 5 HP for each energy level inflicted & it might be worth noting this.

I think the Fang dragon could do with a more traditional breath weapon. A cone of sonic energy would do I think (think a mighty roar), otherwise that would make a wierdly big claw for a medium sized creature IMO.

I like the others. I've always had a soft spot for the gem dragons.

 

[freyar]

The Shadow dragon shaman's breath weapon is possibly too much - do you think 1 level of energy drain / 2 HD damage would be better? A level of energy drain reduces your HP by 5 in addition to other nasty effects. Also, I think the dragon shaman shouldn't gain 5 HP for each energy level inflicted & it might be worth noting this.

That's probably a good idea. I'm certainly not playtesting these things and don't have a huge amount of practical experience. You're certainly right about the no extra 5HP.

I think the Fang dragon could do with a more traditional breath weapon. A cone of sonic energy would do I think (think a mighty roar), otherwise that would make a wierdly big claw for a medium sized creature IMO.

Could do that. It just seems weird to give a shaman a breath weapon when the totem doesn't have one. Maybe some other special ability? Or the claws could just be really sharp.

I like the others. I've always had a soft spot for the gem dragons.

Glad you like them. I just realized today that the MM2 3.5 update booklet from WotC has the class skills, so I may end up tweaking those a bit. Anyway, I guess this is most of the dragons out there, other than a few in WotC web articles and a number in the Creature Catalog. Will try to get around to those sometime...

 

[JiCi]

Planar Dragons

• Chaos Dragon;Dra 179; CG, CN, CE; Bluff, Hide, Move Silently; Entropic Shield (Sp): As the spell, except you can target yourself only (at will).; Line of random energy (20% chance of acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic chosen randomly at character creation; your resistance aura and energy immunity are to this energy type also)

Hmmm... not too sure about this one.

The choas dragon doesn't have the choice about its breath weapon. How about that instead:

Line of random energy (20% chance of acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic chosen randomly) [Like a true choas dragon]

 

[freyar]

Hmmm... not too sure about this one.

The choas dragon doesn't have the choice about its breath weapon. How about that instead:

Line of random energy (20% chance of acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic chosen randomly) [Like a true choas dragon]

That's actually what I had at first, but it just seemed a bit complicated when it came to the resistance aura and energy immunity features that are associated with the chaos dragon. When I had energy chosen randomly each breath, I gave immunity to confusion and a +2 "resistance" bonus on saves against charms (I think). What would you do about that?

 

[freyar]

Tonight I just tweaked things:

• Made the chaos dragon breath determined randomly each time, but the resistance and immunity determined randomly at character creation
• Reduced the energy drain on the shadow totem dragon breath weapon
• Changed the gem totem dragon skills to reflect the dragon class skills in the MM2 3.5e update booklet

I also reorganized the web page detailing these a bit to make it cleaner; feel free to take a look!

 

[Aleolus]

I wrote up another base class that uses the DS's list of totem Dragons as well, and I'm looking for opinions and assistance with it, here's the link! Please help!

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=206840

 

[Aleolus]

I just posted this list on the WotC forums at Gleemax. Hope you don't mind, just thought spreading your idea was a good idea. I gave you credit, don't worry!

 

[freyar]

I just posted this list on the WotC forums at Gleemax. Hope you don't mind, just thought spreading your idea was a good idea. I gave you credit, don't worry!

Cool, thanks! Can you post a link to that thread? I should go over there and put up the web link to the list; I have an account, but I just can't get myself to spend any time over there. EN World is just too friendly.