Creature by Poll #7 - Dragon Discussion!

[EldonG]

Nasssty!
I like it...mmmmm...I may be able to use this beastie...Thanks, Knight Otu, for the heads-up!

 

[Knight Otu]

No problem! Do you happen to have a (or better up to three) name suggestion for our last poll?

 

[Conaill]

Oh, and please let us know if and when you actually wind up using it in a game!

We could always use some playtesting, plus I'd love to hear how this thing would actually play out in a real encounter. With something as off-the-wall as this beastie, I'm sure there will be plenty of unexpected effects...

 

[Tonguez]

This monster is way cool although unfortunately too high level (and too braintwisting)for me to ever use it

as for names - I think Void Dragon is perfect (make that another three votes)

 

[Knight Otu]

This monster is way cool although unfortunately too high level (and too braintwisting)for me to ever use it

Ever seen the Tempus Twins from the Creature Collection II? Our dragon is easy compared to those guys.

as for names - I think Void Dragon is perfect (make that another three votes)

We're not voting yet, we're still trying to gather names.

Final version attached.

 

[Conaill]

Looking good!

I'll see if I can find anymore nits to pick at this afternoon, when I can spend some more time on. For now, here's something to think about:

If the dragon is on the Astral Plane, all it's spells would already be quickened, so why do we need the Auto-Quicken special ability?

Also, someone should check the rules on casting spells through a gate etc. I believe gates and the like actually stop magical effects. In that case, we should probably add a line that spells from the Material plane can affect the dragon normally, and the dragon can cast spells into the Material plane normally, because of it's close connection with that plane. (But perhaps not Quickened, so it would need the Auto-Quicken ability to use the Quicken effect from the Astral plane on spells it casts on the Material plane.)

 

[Knight Otu]

I'll see if I can find anymore nits to pick at this afternoon, when I can spend some more time on. For now, here's something to think about_:

Hey, I said FINAL version!

If the dragon is on the Astral Plane, all it's spells would already be quickened, so why do we need the Auto-Quicken special ability?

A few reasons. The skin is not on the Astral. The dragon can cast spells "on" the material plane, and we want them to be quickened too. Some people need it spelled out. It was part of your idea.

Also, someone should check the rules on casting spells through a gate etc. I believe gates and the like actually stop magical effects. In that case, we should probably add a line that spells from the Material plane can affect the dragon normally, and the dragon can cast spells into the Material plane normally, because of it's close connection with that plane. (But perhaps not Quickened, so it would need the Auto-Quicken ability to use the Quicken effect from the Astral plane on spells it casts on the Material plane.)

Of course, our dragon is mostly a creature, and it happens to be also a gate/rift. A few spells are noted to affect it differently due to its strange nature, and I think that it is enough to notify that other spells should affect it normally (then again, maybe I should really add that line). The fact that it can cast into the material plane should already be covered by the fact that it can split its actions between the two planes.

 

[Conaill]

The skin is not on the Astral. The dragon can cast spells "on" the material plane, and we want them to be quickened too. Some people need it spelled out. It was part of your idea.

I know. It's just a little ambiguous, in the sense that some people might assume from this ability that they cannot quicken spells even on the Astral before Juvenile age (say, as a Young dragon Wiz1).

Definitely falls into the "nit" category, not in the "major oversight" category....

Hey, I said FINAL version!

Aw all right, all right...

<cue soundtrack of fat lady singing>

 

[EldonG]

Oh, and please let us know if and when you actually wind up using it in a game!

We could always use some playtesting, plus I'd love to hear how this thing would actually play out in a real encounter. With something as off-the-wall as this beastie, I'm sure there will be plenty of unexpected effects...

Will do...though with its special abilities...I dunno if it'll be used in the standard way.
The game I'm running will involve plenty of extra-dimensional movement...and the players never took the hint! I may have to lead 'em to water.

 

[Conaill]

I was thinking about combat tactics this beastie might use, and I got stuck on the following:

Suppose the dragon wants to actively send someone to the Astral plane by moving "through" them... what combat action would that be?

Seems like it should be something like a Bullrush or Overrun. Both start with an AoO from the target, which is fine. In an Overrun, the target next has the option to simply step aside. No defense roll of any kind required, which is rather lame. If we call it a Bullrush and the target passes through the dragon's "skin" as soon as you get to the opposed Str checks, then the target gets *no* defense, which doesn't seem right either.

Do we need to add a special "move through" action, with a Reflex save (or tumble check) to avoid? Or is there simpler way of doing this? Swallow Whole wouldn't work because it's incorporeal, and it would be too much of a hassle anyway (we want the rift effect to come into play more often than that). And I don't think we want it to happen on every Claw attack either, it should probably be a separate action.