Savage Species and Dragons..

[Bodah]

I have a question regarding a dragons spellcasting abilities in relation to the new monstrous feat in the Savage Species called 'Surrogate spellcasting'. While the dragon meets the prerequisites for this feat.. I was always under the impression dragons were able to cast spells even in dragon form due to the fact that they are so closely tied to magic. Now according to these new monstrous rules a dragon either has to take this feat in order to cast spells in dragon form or has to polymorph to a more humanoid form. My overall question here is.. do you agree with this? Do you think a dragon should either have to take this feat or polymorph to a human form in order to cast spells? Or do you think a dragon is an exception to this and has the ability to cast spells in dragon form due to its nature?

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I think dragons can cast spells in their natural form. If they had to change forms, only Silver and Gold dragons could cast at all, since they're the only ones I remember off-hand with the natural ability to take a human form.

Of course, that's something I immediately changed.

 

[shilsen]

I think you are extrapolating too much from the feat. There is no mention of dragons in the feat, and I see no reason to suppose that a dragon without it cannot cast spells in dragon form. And not just dragons either. Nagas can cast spells in naga form, despite not having limbs. This feat, IMO, is specifically designed for a DM using a non-spellcasting monster and giving it caster levels (like the giant eagle example in the feat), to answer the question of how it performs the S and V components.

 

[Gez]

I think this feat is for creatures that are not intended to cast spells (like, say, an awakened gorilla, or a girallon, etc.) to be able to cast spells nonetheless. Certainly, creatures that are natural casters (like dragons, sphinxes, most outsiders, phaerimms, and so much more) may cast their spells in their natural form.

Besides, dragons may speak, and their paws are usually depicted as being hand-like (able to grasp things and move each finger individually). What else is required, anatomically speaking ? Dragons have everything humans have, and even more (wings, tail).

If anything, it's the humanoids that would need a feat to cast certain dragon spells whose S component involve flapping of wings or twitching of tail.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I agree, Gez, though I think any kind of primate shouldn't need any of those feats. If you want to be a stickler about vocalizations and Verbal components, Silent Spell should cover it, though I wouldn't be that bad about it.