Converting True Dragons

[Cleon]

Sounds good to me.

Based on the always neutral dragons listed, skills should include
Appraise, Bluff, Climb, Gather Information, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Spellcraft, Survival, Swim.
That leaves 6 more. Concentration, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot?

Let's see, what did we give Pearl the Moon Dragon:

Skills: Appraise +36, Balance +6, Bluff +62, Concentration +63, Diplomacy +74, Disguise +37 (+43 acting), Gather Information +62, Intimidate +68, Jump +37, Knowledge (arcana) +35, Knowledge (history) +35, Knowledge (nature) +17, Knowledge (religion) +35, Knowledge (the planes) +35, Listen +61, Search +61, Sense Motive +61, Spellcraft +65 (+71 decipher scrolls), Spot +61, Survival +61 (+65 aboveground, +65 on other planes), Tumble +51, Use Magic Device +62 (+68 with scrolls)
​

That's twenty two skills in all, with only some of them at full rank.

We can do the same with the Sun Dragon. I don't think he needs full ranks in Climb, Jump or Swim.

Of Pearl's skills that you haven't suggested for Opal, the Knowledges, Tumble and Use Magic Device seem the most useful.

Not bothered about Disguise. Did we give the Moon Dragon that to make it easier to pretend to be another dragon? Seems a bit pointless.

Does Opal really need Intimidate as he has Awesome Presence? We could cut that one too.

Putting it together would make:

Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate?, Jump, Knowledge (arcane), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device
​

That's 22 if we remove Intimidate like I propose, or 23 if we leave it in.

Twenty two skills could be 10 full-rank skills plus 12 half-rank skills or 13 full-rank skills plus 9 third-rank skills and cost the same SPs as 16 full-rank skills.

 

[freyar]

Let's go with your proposal minus Intimidate with 10 full-rank and 12 half-rank. At full ranks, perhaps Concentration, Diplomacy, Listen, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, and 4 of the Knowledge skills?

 

[Cleon]

Let's go with your proposal minus Intimidate with 10 full-rank and 12 half-rank. At full ranks, perhaps Concentration, Diplomacy, Listen, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, and 4 of the Knowledge skills?

I see little point in going full rank for the Knowledge skills, so here's a counterproposal.

Full Ranks: Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Listen, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Tumble, Use Magic Device

Half Ranks: Appraise, Climb, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (arcane), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Move Silently, Survival, Swim

I'm not convinced we need half ranks in Climb, Jump and Swim so if you want to squeeze a few SPs out of those to boost another skill I'd be fine with it.

 

[freyar]

That would be fine. It's probably easier to deal with if we keep full or half ranks in everything, so let's just stick with this.

Pearl's 17 feats are
Automatic Quicken Spell×3, Dire Charge, Flyby Attack, Hover, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved Multiattack, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken Spell, Snatch, Spell Penetration, Superior Initiative, Wingover.
I'd be ok with keeping that, but do you want to change any?

 

[Cleon]

That would be fine. It's probably easier to deal with if we keep full or half ranks in everything, so let's just stick with this.

Y'okay.

Let's see…

The half rank ones would come to 26×6 and 27×6 if we divided them evenly, but I think instead I'll put 25 ranks in each, since it's the minimum for a +4 synergy bonus.

That leaves 18 ranks, so I'll put 16 ranks in Hide to cancel the Colossal size penalty and the leftover 2 ranks in Appraisal.

That'd make:

Full Ranks (53×10): Bluff 53R+Cha11, Concentration 53R+Con13, Diplomacy 53R+Cha11+4syn+4syn, Disguise 0R+Cha11 [+4syn act in character], Gather Information 53R+Cha11, Intimidate 0R+Cha11+4syn, Listen 53R+Wis11, Sense Motive 53R+Wis11, Spellcraft 53R+Int10+4syn [+4 deciphering scrolls], Spot 53R+Wis11, Tumble 53R+Dex0+4syn, Use Magic Device 53R+Cha11 [+4syn with scrolls]
Halfish Ranks (25×10 plus 27 & 41): Appraise 27R+Int10, Climb 25R+Str21, Hide 41R+Dex0, Jump 25R+Str21+spd12, Knowledge (arcane) 25R+Int10, Knowledge (history) 25R+Int10, Knowledge (nature) 25R+Int10+4syn, Knowledge (religion) 25R+Int10, Knowledge (the planes) 25R+Int10, Move Silently 25R+Dex0, Survival 25R+Wis11 [+4syn aboveground, +4 on other planes], Swim 25R+Str21+8racial
​

Which comes to:

Skills: Appraise +37, Bluff +64, Climb +46, Concentration +66, Diplomacy +72, Disguise +11 [+15 act in character], Gather Information +64, Hide +25, Intimidate +15, Jump +58, Knowledge (arcane) +35, Knowledge (history) +35, Knowledge (nature) +39, Knowledge (religion) +35, Knowledge (the planes) +35, Listen +64, Move Silently +25, Sense Motive +64, Spellcraft +63 [+67 deciphering scrolls], Spot +64, Survival +36 [+40 aboveground, +40 on other planes], Swim +54, Tumble +57, Use Magic Device +64 [+68 with scrolls]
​

Pearl's 17 feats are
Automatic Quicken Spell×3, Dire Charge, Flyby Attack, Hover, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved Multiattack, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken Spell, Snatch, Spell Penetration, Superior Initiative, Wingover.
I'd be ok with keeping that, but do you want to change any?

I'm happy to use Pearl's feats too.

Updated the Opal the Sun Dragon Working Draft.