Converting True Dragons

[Shade]

Excellent list!

I think I prefer dissolving touch to body adjustment.

I'm torn between inertial barrier and suspend life.

 

[freyar]

I like dissolving touch, too. Somehow it seems like it's probably under-utilized, at least with monsters.

Inertial barrier is more useful in combat, but suspend life has a really wonderful draconic feel. I'd go with suspend life, I think.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Earth and Fire subtypes?

Burrow 20 ft. like an amethyst?

This dragon really has a unique metabolism, it seems that it has something like energy adaptation that enables its draconis fundamentum to convert seismic vibratory energy into metabolic energy, however in game terms SFP really is. I wonder if it gains a boost in hp if caught in the effect of earthquake, stomp, earthbolt, and similar effects.

This might be a nice juvenile ability, since it lacks one (and most other gem dragons possess one).

You know, I guess my suggestion is like giving it Expanded Knowledge a lot as a bonus feat...

Maybe at every third level, it gains Expanded Knowledge as a bonus feat, but may only select from psychometabolism discipline?

 

[freyar]

All that sounds good, though the thing about boosting hp when in "seismic" spells will require DM adjudication. We should try to list all the core effects that will do that.

 

[RavinRay]

Here's a rough and partial draft for its metabolism, which we need to re-word.

Seismic metabolism (Su): Beljuril dragons derive sustenance from seismic energy, and they must stay in a seismically active environment to remain healthy. They don’t actually consume gems and minerals, but surround themselves with them by filtering the seismic energy need to survive through the crystalline structures of the stones. Beljuril dragons are surrounded by an effect similar to energy adaptation, except that it extends to a range of x feet (per age category of the dragon?) and it assimilates only effects from earthquake, stomp, and other earth-based effects, as well as fire effects directly related to earth such as lava flows. Fire from other sources is not assimilated. Any earth-based effect that deals damage heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage it would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the dragon to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points.

I based the last part on the golems' abilities to heal damage from certain attacks.

 

[freyar]

Seems pretty reasonable, but we might want to be clear that we don't mean spels with the earth descriptor exclusively.

I kind of like a range of 10 ft per age category.

 

[Shade]

That looks great, and I agree with 10 feet per age category.

Lets revisit the breath weapon next...

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: Beljuril dragons have two breath weapons. One is a burst of energy, which discharges as a beautiful green, violet, or blue lozenge with sparkles of flashing light. This blast absorbs heat, light, and vibratory energy at random and releases 25 SFPs. The charge is silent, cold, and generates a powerful electrical discharge. The blast sometimes (10% chance) produces 1d6 fist-sized beljuril gems worth 5,000 gp, base value. The dragons can use their breath weapon only in a seismically active environment. Their other breath weapon is a gout of magma. (Occasionally, this magma is of an unusual quality, with game effects different from that given for lava). Like other gem dragons, beljurils have psionic ability.

This breath weapon is unique, it shares some similarities with the amethyst dragon's explosive gem attack (or the 2e lozenge) that seems to transform some types of energy to another (there's a power we can refer to for that effect).

I think we can express SFP in 3e terms as non-lethal vibratory damage, like the non-lethal damage of the stomp power.

The main purpose of the SFPs appears to be to buildup to eventual earthquakes/volcanic eruptions. I like your idea, though, and perhaps we could couple the nonlethal damage with a chance of a localized earthquake, maybe increasing with repeated use?

 

[RavinRay]

First thing, do we keep both as breath weapons, or do we do it like the amethyst dragon which has the force breath weapon and the explosive gem PLA? Going the latter route makes it resemble the amethyst. It's like the case between the emerald and sapphire dragons, both LN dragons with sonic breath weapons, except that the emerald's also causes deafness while the sapphire's causes panic.

Either case, the lava breath weapon (cone or line) can either do half fire and half bludgeoning damage; or it does fire damage but clings to a target for an extra number of rounds to do extra damage similar to either the orange or yellow dragons' breath weapons. I guess it depends on how viscous we want the lava to be.

Here's how I converted the amethyst dragon's explosive gem:

Explosive Gem (Ps): Once per day, an amethyst dragon can spit a violet, crystalline lozenge up to 75 feet away with pinpoint accuracy. This is similar to hail of crystals, except that it is manifested as if it was a 3rd-level power with a range equal to the dragon’s breath weapon. The gem explodes on impact, dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage per manifester level to all creatures within a 20-foot radius. A target that succeeds at a Reflex saving throw takes half damage.

How's this for the lozenge?

A beljuril dragon can spit a green, violet, or blue crystalline lozenge with pinpoint accuracy. This lozenge converts fire, light, or vibratory (sonic?) energy into electricity (in a manner similar to energy conversion). It disintegrates on impact, but 10% of the time it breaks apart into 1d6 fist-sized beljuril gems worth 5,000 gp base value. (Beljuril gems are described in Magic of Faerûn.)

Fized range like the 75 feet of the amethyst dragon's lozenge, or same range as a line-shaped breath weapon?

 

[freyar]

I like the lozenge. We should probably give it a #/day limitation (1 or 3?) and a power level, like you did in the amethyst case.

 

[Shade]

I like it too, and think I'd prefer the "clinging" damage like typical magma for the breath weapon.