Are there some good class or something for a ridden dragon?

[Shin Okada]

Well, I am planning to use D&D Miniature's Githyanki Dragon Knight in my future game. But only the miniature, not the stats of it.

That encounter will be fought by L17-18 PCs and thus I want to increase CRs of both the dragon and the rider some, maybe to CR 15 each or so. I can easily create a CR 15 Githyanki (Say, Fighter/Dragon Rider). But the strongest large red dragon is Juvenile and CR 10. I can add some class levels such as sorcerer, but are there any class, template, etc. specifically tailored for mounts?

If I could, I want to avoid something which gives armor proficiency to the dragon, as the mini is not wearing armor.

 

[frankthedm]

The riding PRC in complete warrior is one of the few PRCs that deal with mounts. Not sure if it specifically works with dragons though. But if it does just abuse that PRC, power attack and the MIC property that lets a piercing weapons ignore armor to one shot just about any character.

There is a dragonrider prc in the dragonlance campaign setting however.

 

[Shin Okada]

Sorry for my description.

I want something the ridden mount (the dragon) can take.

Not the ones the rider (Githyanki) can take.

 

[frankthedm]

Sorry for my description.

I want something the ridden mount (the dragon) can take.

Not the ones the rider (Githyanki) can take.

Uhm, my mistake actually, the idea of someone needing to power up a red dragon did not register in my mind for some reason.

1. You can add 2HD & 1CR once to improve the dragon while still staying large.

2. If you just want to max out the power of a single mini, scope out Dungeonscape's "Dungeonbred" Template. It shrinks the monster one size class, but the monster loses very little. An example of this template is in my advanced monster thread. CR stays the same so a mature adult wil be a large CR 18.

3. Feral Template [savage species] is brutal IIRC. Pounce is quite nasty.

BTW Double check the rules for riding and be certain you have decided on how you will rule the conflicting issues of riding. If you have not noticed any conflicting issues in those rules, re-read them.

 

[Runestar]

I say just go with more class lvs. Abjurant champion is a good choice, IMO.

Can't think of any class which a creature can take to improve its capabilities as a mount. That would be a most under-utilized prc, IMO, considering that most mounts are typically barred from taking class lvs for one reason or another.

 

[Shin Okada]

Hmm. Abjurant Champion seems to be too good for a dragon. A dragon with caster level = BAB seems to be broken.

By the way, can a dragon lean martial weapon proficiency when it has no hands or similar appendages to wield weapons?

 

[s-dub]

The draconomicon has a prestige class named Dragonrider, that might be a good place to check.

 

[javcs]

Hmm. Abjurant Champion seems to be too good for a dragon. A dragon with caster level = BAB seems to be broken.

By the way, can a dragon lean martial weapon proficiency when it has no hands or similar appendages to wield weapons?

Yeah - it just normally doesn't do much for a dragon in it's natural form.
There is a magic item that gives a creature 2 arms+hands but it's got some pretty strict limits on it's usefulness for weapon wielding (Savage Species, I believe). Also, the polymorphed (or other similar effect) into humanoid form dragon can easily use martial weapons if it's proficient.

 

[Runestar]

Hmm. Abjurant Champion seems to be too good for a dragon. A dragon with caster level = BAB seems to be broken.

By the way, can a dragon lean martial weapon proficiency when it has no hands or similar appendages to wield weapons?

Well, there aren't really that many useful spells which can take advantage of this high caster lv (21). The dragon will have access to just 4th lv spells. It just ensures that its buffs are more resistant to dispelling and help keep the dragon alive longer. It won't be spamming blasphemies for one.

Ideally, you want the dragon to actually survive long enough to be of use as a mount, and not knocked out of the fight in the 1st round.

 

[Shin Okada]

It's tempting. But while it may be not so broken for a juvenile dragon, it will be certainly broken for older dragons who can cast, say, blasphemy. Current campaign is full of true dragons.

It is for monsters and of course players can't use it to abuse. But as a DM ... I need to restrain myself some, I guess