Variant Half-Dragon Template

[Nifft]

HALF-DRAGON

Half-dragon creatures are always more formidable than others of their kind that do not have dragon blood, and their appearance betrays their nature: scales, elongated features, reptilian eyes, and exaggerated teeth and claws. Sometimes they are able to grow wings.


CREATING A HALF-DRAGON: Half-dragon is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A half-dragon uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: The creature s type changes to dragon. Size is unchanged. Do not recalculate base attack bonus or saves.

Hit Dice: Increase base creature's racial HD by one die size, to a maximum of d12. Do not increase class HD.

Speed: A half-dragon does not possess wings unless the base creature possess wings, but see Prestige Classes below.

Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +2.

Attack: A half-dragon has two claw attacks and a bite attack, and the claws are the primary natural weapon. If the base creature can use weapons, the half-dragon retains this ability. A half-dragon fighting without weapons uses a claw when making an attack action. When it has a weapon, it usually uses the weapon instead.

Full Attack: A half-dragon fighting without weapons uses both claws and its bite when making a full attack. If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack and its bite as a natural secondary attack. If it has a hand free, it uses a claw as an additional natural secondary attack.

Damage: Half-dragons have bite and claw attacks. If the base creature does not have these attack forms, use the damage values in the list below. Otherwise, use the values below or the base creature's damage values, whichever are greater.

Size: Bite / Claw (damage)
Fine: 1 / --
Diminutive: 1d2 / 1
Tiny: 1d3 / 1d2
Small: 1d4 / 1d3
Medium: 1d6 / 1d4
Large: 1d8 / 1d6
Huge: 2d6 / 1d8
Gargantuan: 3d6 / 2d6
Colossal: 4d6 / 3d6

Special Attacks: A half-dragon retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains a breath weapon based on the dragon variety (see the list below), usable once per minute. A half-dragon's breath weapon deals 3d8 points of damage. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 half-dragon's HD + half-dragon's Con modifier) reduces damage by half. Note that, for most player races, the character's HD will be equal to the character's level.

Dragon Variety: Breath Weapon
Black: 60-foot line of acid
Blue: 60-foot ine of lightning
Green: 30-foot cone of corrosive (acid) gas
Red: 30-foot cone of fire
White: 30-foot cone of cold
Brass: 60-foot line of fire
Bronze: 60-foot line of lightning
Copper: 60-foot line of acid
Gold: 30-foot cone of fire
Silver: 30-foot cone of cold

Special Qualities: A half-dragon has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. A half-dragon has immunity to sleep and paralysis effects, and an additional immunity based on its dragon variety.

Dragon Variety: Immunity [Subtype]
Black: Acid [Ooze]
Brass: Fire [Fire]
Blue: Electricity [Storm]
Bronze: Electricity [Storm]
Green: Acid [Ooze]
Copper: Acid [Ash]
Red: Fire [Fire]
Gold: Fire [Fire]
White: Cold [Ice]
Silver: Cold [Ice]

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Con +2, Cha +2.

Skills: A half-dragon gains skill points as a dragon and has skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier) x (HD + 3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation the half-dragon gains dragon skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature's list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.

Environment: Same as either the base creature or the dragon variety.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature + 2 (minimum 3).

Level Adjustment: Same as base creature +2.

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Big Changes:

• Nobody gets wings
• Breath weapon does 3d8, not 6d8
• Class levels count towards breath weapon DC
• Breath weapon can be used once per minute, not once per day
• +4 Str instead of +8 Str
• Level Adjustment of +2, not +3
• EDIT: +2 Natural Armor instead of +4.
• EDIT: removed +2 Int, kept +2 Con.

Many of the above items, such as low breath weapon damage and lack of wings, can be rectified by taking levels in Prestige Classes which I'll present later.

Comments on the template?

-- Nifft

 

[Technik4]

Ok, I think regardless of how strong the +3 was (in your opinion) you have definitely made a strong +2.

+10 to stats is far and away better than anything else you will find for 2 levels (I believe) without taking racial HD. See Also - Drow and other +2 ECL races.

Remember this is a template, you still get a whole other racial package stacked on top. This is huge, and why the half-dragon is already (imo) a very strong +3

Your reduction of dice on the breath weapon is roughly balanced (imo) with giving many more breath attacks per day. At high levels it will still be weak, but if you pick something like fire or acid it will always be useful for getting past certain damage reductions. On the other hand, reducing it to 3d8 (without opportunity to increase it) makes it an ability almost not worth having.

How to Make it +2:

Stats: +4 Str, +2 Cha
Breath: 4d8 1/hour (once an encounter basically, unless they are closely run encounters. Yours allowed for potentially 2+ times per encounter per day, with the same 2+ even if encounters are back to back. Of course I also raised the damage a little). Class levels count towards DCs.
Natural Armor: +2
Wings: None

Just some criticism....

Technik

 

[Nifft]

See Also - Drow and other +2 ECL races.

Your reduction of dice on the breath weapon is roughly balanced (imo) with giving many more breath attacks per day. [...] reducing it to 3d8 (without opportunity to increase it) makes it an ability almost not worth having.

Stats: +4 Str, +2 Cha
Natural Armor: +2
Wings: None

Drow get Spell Resistance. That's huge. They also get Darkvision 120 ft., which is quite an advantage.

Anyway... I'd already removed the wings, and now I've reduced the Natural Armor and Ability Bonuses to what you've suggested. Strength and Charisma are really the key to a Dragon. As for ways to improve the half-dragon's breath weapon, see below...

(Note: I really don't like the 1/hour idea. I fully expect that PCs will have a chance to use their breath weapons once or twice per encounter. I don't want to have to arbitrate whether it's been 59 minutes since the last encounter or 61 minutes... that's just the sort of thing that I tend to fudge, and I don't want to give my players any reason to fight with me about it. Furthermore, it gives them a good reason to kill monsters with the template quickly -- "Hurry up! She's gonna breathe again!")

Thanks for the thoughtful critique. My general goal is to reduce the variance in the Half-Dragon Template -- make it less of an "egg with a hammer", so to speak.

-- Nifft

 

[Nifft]

Half-Dragon Prestige Classes

Draconic Wing (DrW) -- special 1-level PrC

Role: Flight
Draconic Aspects: HD, Wings and Skill Points
Prerequisites: Half-Dragon, must lack wings

HD: d12
BAB: +0 (as Wizard)
Good Saves: None / Bad Saves: Fortitude, Reflex, Will
Skill Points: 6 + Int bonus
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Knowlege (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Special Ability: gains Wings and a Fly speed, which depends on the character's size:

• Tiny or smaller: 20 ft. (Good)
• Small: 30 ft. (Average)
• Medium: 40 ft. (Average)
• Large: 50 ft. (Poor)
• Huge: 60 ft. (Poor)
• Gargantuan: 80 ft. (Clumsy)
• Colossal: 100 ft. (Clumsy)

The Winged can improve her manuverability with the Hover, Wingover and Flyby Attack Feats.

Mechanical Excuse: Winged is a +1 Level Adjustment Template according to Savage Species. That's a little harsh IMHO.


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Drake Blood Warrior (DBW)

Role: straightforward battle-main.
Draconic Aspects: HD, BAB, Strength, Constitution and Natural Armor.
Prerequisites: Half-Dragon, BAB +8, Power Attack, Great Fortitude, Ability Focus (Breath Weapon)

HD: d12
BAB: Good (as Fighter)
Good Save: Fortitude / Bad Saves: Reflex, Will
Skill Points: 2 + Int bonus
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowlege (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str).

[color=lightblue]
[u]Level   BAB   Fort	Ref	Will	Special Abilities[/u]
 1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Natural Armor +1
 2	+2	+3	+0	+0	BW Damage +1d8
 3	+3	+3	+1	+1	Natural Armor +2, Constitution +2
 4	+4	+4	+1	+1	BW Frequency 1d8+2, BW Damage +2d8
 5	+5	+4	+1	+1	Natural Armor +3, Strength +2
 6	+6	+5	+2	+2	BW Frequency 1d6+1
 7	+7	+5	+2	+2	Natural Armor +4, BW Damage +3d8
 8	+8	+6	+2	+2	Constitution +2
 9	+9	+6	+3	+3	BW Frequency 1d4, Natural Armor +5
10     +10	+7	+3	+3	BW Damage +4d8, Strength +2, Natural Armor +6
[/color]

Special Abilities: Note that Natural Armor and BW Damage bonuses granted by this class supercede related bonuses granted by this class. For example, the Natural Armor +2 bonus granted at level 3 replaces (does not stack with) the Natural Armor +1 bonus granted at 1st level.

• Natural Armor (Ex): The Drake Blood Warrior gains an additional Natural Armor bonus as indicated.
• BW Damage (Su): The Drake Blood Warrior's breath weapon does additional damage.
• BW Frequency (Su): The Drake Blood Warrior need not wait a full minute between breath weapon attacks. Instead, the DBW waits for a number of rounds indicated by rolling the specified die and adding the specified modifier.
• Ability Increases (Ex): The Drake Blood Warrior gains a total of +4 Constitution and +4 Strength. These bonuses are gained as if through level advancement.

Mechanical Question: Is this enough stuff? Maybe the DBW should get some weak Damage Reduction (5/magic at level 5, and 10/magic at level 10)?


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Drake Blood Sorcerer (DBS)

Role: Niche spellcaster.
Draconic Aspects: HD, Skills, Sorcerer Spellcasting Progression, and Charisma.
Prerequisites: Half-Dragon, ability to cast 2nd level Arcane spells as a Sorcerer, any Metamagic Feat

HD: d12
BAB: Poor (as Sorcerer)
Good Save: Will / Bad Saves: Fortitude, Reflex
Skill Points: 4 + Int bonus
class Skills: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowlege (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Use Magic Device (Cha).

[color=lightblue]
[u]Level   BAB   Fort	Ref	Will	Special Abilities[/u]
 1	+0	+0	+0	+2	+2 Charisma
 2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Breath Conversion
 3	+1	+1	+1	+3	+1 Level of Sorcerer, +1 Natural Armor
 4	+2	+1	+1	+4	+2 Charisma
 5	+2	+1	+1	+4	+1 Level of Sorcerer
 6	+3	+2	+2	+5	Improved Conversion, +2 Natural Armor
 7	+3	+2	+2	+5	+2 Charisma
 8	+4	+2	+2	+6	+1 Level of Sorcerer
 9	+4	+3	+3	+6	+3 Natural Armor
10      +5	+3	+3	+7	+2 Charisma, +1 Level of Sorcerer, Elemental Augmentation
[/color]

Special Abilities:

• Spellcasting: At 3rd, 5th, 8th and 10th level, the Drake Blood Sorcerer gains new spells known and spell-slots per day as if he had also gained a level in Sorcerer. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a Sorcerer would have gained (bonus metamagic Feats, familiar abilities, etc.). This essentially means that he adds up to four of his Drake Blood Sorcerer levels to his Sorcerer levels to determine his spells known, spells-slots per day, and caster level.
• Ability Increase (Ex): The Drake Blood Sorcerer gains a total of +8 Charisma. These bonuses are gained as if through level advancement.
• Breath Conversion (Su): As a standard action, a DBS may convert a spell-slot into a powerful breath weapon attack. The breath weapon deals additional damage: +1d8/level of the spell-slot. A DBS may convert a spell-slot into a breath weapon attack even if he can not use his normal breath weapon (due to having used it recently, for example).
• Natural Armor (Ex): The Drake Blood Sorcerer gains an additional Natural Armor bonus as indicated.
• Improved Conversion (Su): When converting a spell-slot to a breath weapon attack, the Drake Blood Sorcerer adds +1 to the breath weapon DC per level of the converted spell-slot.
• Elemental Augmentation (Su): Whenever a DBS casts a damaging Arcane spell with a descriptor that matches his Draconic subtype, that spell deals an additional two dice of elemental damage. For example, if a Half-Red Dragon Sor6/DBS10 cast Fireball, it would deal 12d6 Fire damage.

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Drake Blood Aerialist (DBA)

Role: Aerial acrobat.
Draconic Aspects: Flight, Constitution, Charisma and Skills.
Prerequisites: Half-Dragon (with Wings), BAB +4, Tumble 8 ranks, Jump 8 ranks, Hover, Endurance, Acrobatic

HD: d12
BAB: Medium (as Rogue)
Good Save: Reflex / Bad Saves: Fortitude, Will
Skill Points: 6 + Int bonus
class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowlege (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex).

[color=lightblue]
[u]Level   BAB   Fort	Ref	Will	Special Abilities[/u]
 1	+0	+0	+2	+0	+1 Natural Armor, Dive
 2	+1	+0	+3	+0	Flight Speed +10 ft.
 3	+2	+1	+3	+1	+2 Constitution, +1d8 BW Damage
 4	+3	+1	+4	+1	Improved Maneuverability
 5	+3	+1	+4	+1	+2 Natural Armor, +2 Charisma
 6	+4	+2	+5	+2	Flight Speed +10 ft., +2d8 BW Damage
 7	+5	+2	+5	+2	Improved Dive
 8	+6	+2	+6	+2	+2 Constitution
 9	+6	+3	+6	+3	Improved Maneuverability, +3 Natural Armor
10      +7	+3	+7	+3	+2 Charisma, Flight Speed +10 ft., +3d8 BW Damage
[/color]

Special Abilities:

• Natural Armor (Ex): The Drake Blood Aerialist gains an additional Natural Armor bonus as indicated.
• Dive (Ex): A Dragon Blood Aerialist can perform a charge action by flying at least 20 feet downward.
• Flight Speed (Ex): The Drake Blood Aerialist gains faster flight, as indicated.
• Ability Increase (Ex): The Drake Blood Aerialist gains a total of +4 Charisma and +4 Constitution. These bonuses are gained as if through level advancement.
• BW Damage (Su): The Drake Blood Warrior's breath weapon does additional damage.
• Improved Maneuverability (Ex): The Drake Blood Aerialist's maneuverability improves by one category (to a maximum of Perfect).
• Improved Dive (Ex): When Diving, the DBA inflicts double damage with a melee weapon (or triple with a lance). This is equivalent to the Spirited Charge Feat.

-- Nifft

 

[Krishnath]

Interresting variant of the half-dragon template, but I think I'll stick with the MM version

 

[Nifft]

Interresting variant of the half-dragon template, but I think I'll stick with the MM version

Noooooooo! My Evil Plan (tm) requires that you personally accept my templates into your heart as your saviour!

Seriously, any specific crtiques?

-- Nifft

 

[Krishnath]

No, not really, the template is well made, and it appears to be built on logic, which is a plus. I just personally like the MM version better.

Also, on the topic of dragons, check out the conversion I made of the Orange Dragon

 

[DWARF]

I really like this one. It really adresses many of the problems I had with the MM template and does a good job fixing it. BW once per day sucked, no wings unless your large or bigger. What, something bigger is MORE likely to be able to fly?

Take an elephant, and a bug. Which is more likely to fly?

So since I'm running a dragon hunt 1-shot tomorrow, guess what I'm using for it's wee liddle half-dragguns?!

 

[Nifft]

I really like this one. [...]
So since I'm running a dragon hunt 1-shot tomorrow, guess what I'm using for it's wee liddle half-dragguns?!

So, how did it go?

-- Nifft, eager for play-testing

 

[DWARF]

I didn't end up using it, they got the jump on the half-dragon and ambushed it. They had a really clever use of spells and such and just clobbered the thing, with quite a few criticals in there to boot, so it was dead before I had a chanvce to try it out.

But it was a really munchkinny 1-shot, so what should I expect?