Were-Dragon, Gold (3.5e Race)
Gold Were-Dragons
Dragons are beings of great power both physically and in the arcane arts. Lycanthropy is a contracted disease (sometimes hereditary) that attunes the infected towards the phases of lunar alignment. The mad transmogrifier known as Klaisman dur Voldst wanted to create an amalgam of these two life forms; the belief that the end product would be nearly unstoppable and easy to control were key components of his flights of fancy and dangerous research. Toiling for nearly five years Klaisman finally created a mostly stable union and had it infect a dozen individuals, as the process rendered the human-dragon fusion mad. To his elation the truth that they were nearly unstoppable indeed was accurate; to his disappointment (and later demise) he found that controlling them due to the dragons heritage was also nearly impossible.
These twelve individuals quickly scattered and attempted to return to their former lives with little success. Often driven away from fear the individuals would lash out in anger in their new forms causing great destruction and killing swaths of people. Eventually the eight women of the original batch of twelve decided to eliminate the more violent males and singled them out for slaughter. Deciding that this power was too great for men they created a pact that required all males to be slain immediately on discovery.
Through the actions of the destructive dragons the people of the land started to associate this behavior with the true dragons. This, and the high disdain that dragons held towards the magical mutation, something akin to an affront against nature, led the dragons to eventually declaring were-dragons as abominations. Since the beginning dragons would frequently hunt were-dragons for their own pleasure or profit but from on high came agreement that they should be destroyed completely; these events led to the Drasicut Exterminus the official declaration of the war on these creatures, which subsequently drove the race underground.
The reason that other were-dragon races exist is that sometimes when victorious in battle against true dragons the captured dragons would be afflicted with lycanthropy. After the affliction is confirmed they then force the captured newly turned were dragon to bite several women. Usually this is performed on a male dragon as the common practice is to put the afflicted true dragon to death following the spread of the lycanthrope state. At least one of every major dragon type currently exists and the total between all were-dragons in the world sits at about 10,000.
Between not possessing a stable breeding population the were-dragons have never been considered very populous. This does not mean that they are near extinction, simply that they are rare to encounter, and most individuals won't come across them during their lifetime. The oldest known were-dragon is barely old enough to be considered a young adult by dragon standards .
Personality
As with other dragons the were-dragon is closely aligned to their dragon form albeit they can deviate a single ethos away from it. In this example the gold were-dragon can be LG, LN or NG depending on the characters discretion. If the alignment for the character deviates more than one upon the next willful change to any alternate forms the characters alignment matches the base dragon (in this case LG.)
Were-dragons are naturally suspicious of those around them due to their heritage; no one in any society accepts them once they find out the true nature of these individuals. Due to the prevalence of other hostile were-creatures humans are uneasy around them even if they are obviously good. Dragons are offended by their very existence and seek to wipe them out where ever they spring up.
Physical Description
There are three forms that a were-dragon has and each will be addressed: the normal form, the hybrid form and the dragon form.
The normal form is just that, the normal appearance and ability of the base race. Outwardly there is no difference from the humanoid creature or giant than any other individual of that society.
The hybrid form is a combination of both the dragon and the base creature. This results in a dragon looking 8 to 9 foot (for a human were-dragon) tall humanoid shape. It possesses a long serpentine neck, wings that span twice its height, cat-like eyes and is solidly built. This shape looks extremely different from a half-dragon and would only be mistaken for one if the individual had only heard a rough description and never has seen one (even at a distance this form looks remarkably different.)
The dragon form resembles that of a normal dragon though they tend to be noticeably smaller than their true dragon cousins; were-dragons also have issues fitting in with other dragons due to differences in social customs and behaviors. In the event that a were-dragon was forced to pass as a dragon for a period of time it would be likely that observation would reveal the true nature of the creature in a short span of time (gather information or knowledge DC 20 every 2 weeks.)
Relations
Relations for were-dragons are often strained for a number of reasons. The first and foremost is almost every were-dragon that is encountered will be female - the race practices patricide. Secondly, dragons will attempt to kill them on sight and even upon hearing a solid rumor, will occasionally hunt for these individuals to remove them from the world. Finally whenever the individual resorts to a form that is not common in the community she is in, regular people will shun her under the belief that he is dangerous.
Alignment
Alignment is commonly LG, LN or NG. Any other alignments shift to LG upon a willful change to any other form (hybrid or dragon.)
Lands
As base creature.
Religion
As base creature or class.
Language
The base creature's plus draconic.
Names
As base creature.
Racial Traits
Unlike normal shape changers these abilities and adjustments affect all forms not just the hybrid and dragon forms. Due to the alternate form class feature this may seem pointless, however this dragon was created first because it was easier to transmute something that already changed form on a regular basis instead of one of the lower dragons without this ability.
Gold Were-Dragon Wyrmling
- Stat Adjustment: +6 Strength +4 Constitution +4 Intelligence +6 Wisdom +4 Charisma
- Race: ShapeChanger, Humanoid, Draconic
- Size: Medium
- Racial Hit Dice: A were-dragon begins with eight levels of dragon, which provide 8d12 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +8, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +6, Ref +6, and Will +6.
- Were-Dragons base land speed is as base creature; in hybrid and dragon form the creature has a movement speed of 60 ft and a flight speed of 200 ft. (Poor), swim speed is 60ft.
- Low-light vision
- Scent
- Darkvision of 120ft
- Blind Sense 60Ft
- Special Qualities: Immunity to Fire, Vulnerability to Cold, Water Breathing, Immune to Magic Sleep and Paralysis, Alternate Form
- Alternate Form (Su): A were-dragon can assume human form, hybrid form, and dragon form.
- Immunity to Fire (Ex): The creature takes no damage from any fire source.
- Vulnerability to Cold (Ex): The creature takes 50% more damage from cold sources.
- Water Breathing (Ex): A gold dragon can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use its breath weapon, spells, and other abilities while submerged (the cone of fire becomes a cone of superheated steam underwater).
- Breath Weapon (Su): A gold dragon has two types of breath weapon, a cone of fire (2d10 DC 16) and a cone of weakening gas (DC16). Creatures within a cone of weakening gas must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 1 point of Strength damage.
- Luck Bonus (Sp): Once per day an adult or older gold were-dragon can touch a gem, usually one embedded in the dragon’s hide, and enspell it to bring good luck. As long as the dragon carries the gem, it and every good creature in a 10-foot radius per age category of the dragon receives a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws and similar rolls, as for a stone of good luck. If the dragon gives an enspelled gem to another creature, only that bearer gets the bonus. The effect lasts 1d3 hours plus 3 hours per age category of the dragon but ends if the gem is destroyed. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.
- Detect Gems (Sp): An old or older were-gold dragon can use this ability three times per day. This is a Divination effect similar to a detect magic spell, except that it finds only gems. The dragon can scan a 60-degree arc each round: By concentrating for 1 round it knows if there are any gems within the arc; 2 rounds of concentration reveal the exact number of gems; and 3 rounds reveal their exact location, type, and value. This ability is the equivalent of a 2ndlevel spell.
- +3 natural armor bonus.
- Natural lycanthrope: damage reduction 10/silver (in dragon or hybrid form only).
- Automatic Languages: Base creature plus draconic Bonus Languages: Same as base creatures.
- Favored Class: Sorcerer.
- Level Adjustment:+5
Young Gold Were-Dragon
- Stat Adjustment: +10 Strength +6 Constitution +6 Intelligence +8 Wisdom +6 Charisma
- Race: ShapeChanger, Humanoid, Draconic
- Size: Medium
- Racial Hit Dice: A were-dragon begins with eleven levels of dragon, which provide 11d12 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +11, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +7, Ref +7, and Will +7.
- Were-Dragons base land speed is as base creature; in hybrid and dragon form the creature has a movement speed of 60 ft and a flight speed of 200 ft. (Poor), swim speed is 60 ft.
- Low-light vision
- Scent
- Darkvision of 120ft
- Blind Sense 60Ft
- Special Qualities: Immunity to Fire, Vulnerability to Cold, Water Breathing, Immune to Magic Sleep and Paralysis, Alternate Form
- Alternate Form (Su): A were-dragon can assume human form, hybrid form and dragon form.
- Immunity to Fire (Ex): The creature takes no damage from any fire source.
- Vulnerability to Cold (Ex): The creature takes 50% more damage from cold sources.
- Water Breathing (Ex): A gold dragon can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use its breath weapon, spells, and other abilities while submerged (the cone of fire becomes a cone of superheated steam underwater).
- Breath Weapon (Su): A gold dragon has two types of breath weapon, a cone of fire (4d10 DC 18) and a cone of weakening gas (DC18). Creatures within a cone of weakening gas must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 2 points of Strength damage.
- Luck Bonus (Sp): Once per day an adult or older gold were-dragon can touch a gem, usually one embedded in the dragon’s hide, and enspell it to bring good luck. As long as the dragon carries the gem, it and every good creature in a 10-foot radius per age category of the dragon receives a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws and similar rolls, as for a stone of good luck. If the dragon gives an enspelled gem to another creature, only that bearer gets the bonus. The effect lasts 1d3 hours plus 3 hours per age category of the dragon but ends if the gem is destroyed. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.
- Detect Gems (Sp): An old or older were-gold dragon can use this ability three times per day. This is a Divination effect similar to a detect magic spell, except that it finds only gems. The dragon can scan a 60-degree arc each round: By concentrating for 1 round it knows if there are any gems within the arc; 2 rounds of concentration reveal the exact number of gems; and 3 rounds reveal their exact location, type, and value. This ability is the equivalent of a 2ndlevel spell.
- +12 natural armor bonus, -1 size modifier to armor class.
- Natural lycanthrope: damage reduction 10/silver (in dragon or hybrid form only).
- Automatic Languages: Base creature plus draconic Bonus Languages: Same as base creatures.
- Favored Class: Sorcerer.
- Level Adjustment: +8.
Gold Were-Dragon Wyrmling as a level progression
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Hit Dice | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | Alternate Form, Water Breathing, Feat, +2 Strength, +2 Charisma, +2 Constitution, +1 Natural Armor | 1d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | Darkvision 30 ft., +1 Natural Armor | 1d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Low Light Vision, Scent | 2d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 Natural Armor | 2d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Immune to Fire, Weakness to Cold, Breath Weapon (Fire), Feat, +1 Natural Armor | 3d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Darkvision 60 ft., +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma | 3d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 Natural Armor | 4d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +2 Strength, +2 Charisma, Damage Reduction 5/Silver, +1 Natural Armor | 4d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +2 Constitution | 5d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 Natural Armor | 5d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +6 | +5 | +5 | +5 | Breath Weapon (Gas), Feat, +1 Natural Armor | 6d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +6 | +5 | +5 | +5 | Darkvision 90 ft. | 6d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +7 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +1 Natural Armor | 7d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +7 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma | 7d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +8 | +6 | +6 | +6 | Darkvision 120 ft., Damage Reduction 10/Silver, Blindsense | 8d12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vital Statistics
| Age Category | Age Range | Simple | Moderate | Complex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyrmling | 0-15 years | d3 | 1d4 | d6 |
| Very Young | 16-25 years | +2d4 | +2d6 | +2d8 |
| Young | 26-75 years | +4d4 | +4d6 | +5d8 |
| Juevenile | 76-150 years | +8d6 | +9d6 | +10d8 |
| Young Adult | 151-300 years | +13d6 | +14d6 | +16d8 |
Height is same as base creature.
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