Converting True Dragons

[Shade]

Here are the tables. Note that the demon drake does not have a table indicating magic progression.

 

[freyar]

But there is this:

Spellcasting demon drakes gain spells at the same rate that illusionists do, each hit die equaling a level. One in 24 magic-using demon drakes is a lair shaman and gains both cleric and illusionist spells at the same time, like a multiclassed character. Spell-casting demon drakes also gain one first-level wizard spell at old, very old, and ancient ages each. All demon drakes (even those that do not normally use spells) gain a first-level cleric spell at ancient age, including lair shamans, who have that spell in addition to their others. Most spells are taught by the elders of the demon drake group, except for the cleric spells, which appear to be gained from an unknown source.

Well, I just don't know. I guess I'd lean toward a slow caster level progression for all of them, but we'll probably want to strip out the SLAs from the faerie drake. On the other hand, we had this logic about the faerie dragons:

Hmmm...as long as the gap between CR and caster level isn't too great, we may be OK.

Still, looking at other true dragons at 12 HD or less, the caster level is usually 1st. That's an enormous difference.

I think I'd be more comfortable if we either reduced the caster level progression, doubled the HD at each age category, or just stuck with a robust spell-like ability progression.

The more I think about it, I think I prefer the last option, as it is closest to the original flavor, and keeps them realistic at HD for their sizes.

This is fairly convincing logic, actually.

Here's yet another proposal: give them all 1 effective sorc level/ 2 age categories. That probably won't throw off the CR much. Then we can see about dialing back the faerie SLAs again.

I'm feeling torn. Maybe I'll have a stronger opinion in the morning. In the meantime, anyone else? RavinRay?

 

[RavinRay]

This is a toughie. I'm getting close to bedtime so if random things just pop into my head then bear with me awhile. Since it is a demon drake I wildly think of giving it nasty warlock invocations but then that's not core. At what age should we start them off as 1st-level sorcerers? White dragons are the last to start and they end up as 13h-level sorcerers at great wyrm. Maybe a late starting age?

 

[freyar]

Ok, what about a CL progression for all of them like 0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5? Then we can revisit the faerie drake SLA progression and see if we need to tone it down?

 

[Shade]

That might work...with each "specialized" in different areas of magic.

The crystal drakes should probably be psionic like the gem dragons, though.

 

[freyar]

I was thinking the same about specializations. And good call on the crystal. Making it psionic also reduces problems associated with trying to mimic that weird spell slot list!

 

[demiurge1138]

I like the warlock thing, actually. Perhaps we give it SLAs that mimic warlock abilities? Ray of doom, beguiling voice, protection of the fiends, etc?

The limited sorc progression would, however, be much simpler.

 

[freyar]

I don't think anyone is saying dump the SLAs completely...

Or we could just go back to the strong SLA progression again.

 

[Shade]

I like the warlock thing, actually. Perhaps we give it SLAs that mimic warlock abilities? Ray of doom, beguiling voice, protection of the fiends, etc?

The limited sorc progression would, however, be much simpler.

While I'm a fan of trying to utilize flavorful expansion rules, in this case I think if might not be the best fit.

Demon drakes are actually "not really vicious in nature", and are just as often chaotic neutral as chaotic evil. Also, they tend to use their magic more for practical jokes, and warlock abilities tend more toward causing harm.

Just my $.02.

 

[freyar]

Nasty practical jokes, though. Still, I think I agree. We should just keep warlock-like stuff in mind if we add SLAs. Maybe some of the less damaging ones.