CW 16 and Dragon Disciple

[Borlon]

All the recent questions about FAQs and racial prerequisites and what not reminded me of an issue I had noticed some time ago- about what happens to a Dragon Disciple who reaches level 10. The dragon apotheosis special ability grants the half-dragon template which, among other things grants the dragon sub-type.

The prerequisites section for Dragon Disciple says, among other things, Race: any nondragon (cannot already be a half-dragon).

Complete Warrior, page 16, says "If a character no longer meets the requirements for a prestige class, he or she loses the benefit of any class features or other special abilities granted by the class. The character retains Hit Dice gained form advancing in the class as well as any improvements to base attack bonus and base save bonuses that the class provided."

So what happens to a Dragon Disciple who achieves Dragon Apotheosis?

For that matter, what happens if a 9th level Dragon Disciple shapechanges into the form of a dragon?

 

[CyberSpyder]

Strange. It didn't work like that before, unless I'm mistaken.

Even the previous paragraph seems to pose a bit of a contradiction - it says that "An alignment change, levels lost because of character death, or the loss of a magic item that granted an important ability are examples of events that can make a character ineligible to advance farther in a prestige class."

That, personally, seems like a more reasonable way to handle it. Prestige classes are a bit 'full' to suddenly drop everything if you lose a prerequisite. If a Black Flame Zealot becomes good, does it make sense that he suddenly forgets how to use poison safely? If a hospitaler becomes chaotic, does it make sense that he loses his fighter-like bonus feats?

And, of course, if you go by the implication of that paragraph, then there's no contradiction with Dragon Disciple. You can't take any more levels in it, but you've already taken all ten.

 

[CM]

Wouldn't that preclude epic levels in Dragon Disciple though?

I think cases like this are an oversight that can be safely ignored. That's part of the job of being DM after all.

 

[the Jester]

Where's Hypersmurf with his shillelagh example??

I'd rule that the restriction no longer applies once the character has reached dragon apotheosis.

 

[CyberSpyder]

Does dragon disciple actually have an epic progression? It seems rather complete, by level 10. Unless you actually want to turn into a regular dragon, I suppose.

 

[the Jester]

Does dragon disciple actually have an epic progression? It seems rather complete, by level 10. Unless you actually want to turn into a regular dragon, I suppose.

There's a 3.0 epic progression for it on the WotC website.

 

[Knight Otu]

There's a 3.0 epic progression for it on the WotC website.

There's a 3.5 epic progression for it in the SRD.

As for the question at hand, technically, the character should lose the benefits, and I believe that was a problem with the Tome and Blood version too. Of course, it would be stupid if a class invalidated itself, so...

 

[Borlon]

Of course, it would be stupid if a class invalidated itself, so...

This is why I want to throw out CW 16. (Not the whole page, just that stupid rule.)

 

[the Jester]

This is why I want to throw out CW 16. (Not the whole page, just that stupid rule.)

Why throw out the baby with the bathwater? It's a fine rule (imho), you just need to make sure that you spell out that there are exceptions (such as the one we're discussing).

imho, at least.

 

[Terath Ninir]

If a rule seems stupid, and leads to impossible situations, chances are the rule is just stupid.