Here Be a Dragon (A)

Game Master ThePuppyTurtle

Hello, everyone! After the positive response to the interest check, I have decided to go ahead and launch a recruitment for my Dragon Campaign.

You are the Neon Dragon. The Neon dragon is a mysterious creature, born from the greatest heights of the good-aligned planes, places as incomprehensible to mortals as the deepest pits of the lower planes and the deepest stirrings of the Maelstrom.

Your egg was fertilized at the moment of the last Neon Dragon’s death, celestial energies turning whatever would have hatched into a new champion of goodness. The resulting dragon retains many of the traits and abilities of its parent, as well as aspects of its appearance, though it is easily distinguished from its parents by the soothing glow from which it gets its name.

Each Neon dragon is unique, yet powerful. You will construct your base ability scores with a 45 point point buy. (Because you will receive no racial modifiers, you are permitted to buy a score up to 19 at a cost of 21 points or 20 at a cost of 26.) You will receive 8 hit dice (d12s) to begin with. You will receive max HP for one of these hit dice, and half+1 for the rest. Your natural armor bonus will be +8. Your BAB will be equal to the number of hit dice you possess, and you will receive 8 skill points + your intelligence modifier per hit die. You’ll also gain one feat for every odd-numbered hit die you possess.

In addition, you will choose one type of dragon to be your parent type. As you advance, you will gain the benefits of the ‘special abilities’ column corresponding to that type of dragon. Regardless of your track, you will gain spells as though you were on the fastest track available to dragons. (Wherein you receive spells as a first level sorcerer beginning at the ‘Young’ age category and gaining two more each level thereafter.) At the expense of one feat slot, you may choose to cast off of either intelligence or wisdom. If you do this, you lose the ability to cast off of Charisma like most dragons. You will receive a breath weapon which will do 2d10 damage, with the energy type and shape of your choice. Your starting size will be ‘Small.’

You will be required to select a good alignment. The Neon dragon is the embodiment of a primal goodness. He may no more be evil than water may be dry. His relationship to law and chaos, however, is infinitely varied, and you may choose to be Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. Note that none of this in any way forbids you from taking an evil dragon type as your parentage.

This will be a 1 on 1 ‘Duet’ PbP campaign. I will likely run it 2-3 times concurrently, however, to maximize the odds that at least one person doesn’t disappear on me before it finishes.

The game will be structured into 12 episodes, one taking place during each age category. It will take place over a timescale appropriate for such. As a result, you will see Golarion advance technologically and socially during the middle and later stages of the campaign.

While you will be permitted to seek positions of power and take the Leadership feat, this will not be a Kingdom Building campaign. Its structure is such that it will skip large stretches of time during which you will be assumed to be doing nothing of note for the purposes of the game. While an organization you found may persist through the ages, it will not advance or grow in any mechanically managed way.

However, your primary purpose is not to rule, but to guide and protect. You will see humanity fostered through this age and into the next, guiding them along the right path.

You will be expected to post within about twenty-four hours of my posting, and I will reciprocate in kind to the best of my abilities.

Regarding character fluff, please briefly describe your character’s personality in your application. Do not, however, elaborate on your character’s backstory, as the campaign will open with your hatching.

I think that's it. Please ask me any questions you have. Dragons have so many bells and whistles I almost certainly missed something.

Eenteresting. Allow me a clarification on what you're looking for?

In addition to starting build, you would like us to describe how we believe our character will be - i.e. what sort of protector they will become, how they'll manage mortals, their basic personality (barring complications), that sort of thing?

Edit: Oh, and should we stick with the regular metallic and chromatic base dragon types?

Wow, yea, this is totally something I would be interested in, and I second Viscount's question regarding dragon types.

Neon linnorm could be pretty cool... And a Neon time dragon opens some interesting possibilities.

Hmmm. Sounds like a VERY different game. (not a bad thing, mind you)
Well let me think about it and see what I can scrounge up :)

Eenteresting. Allow me a clarification on what you're looking for?

In addition to starting build, you would like us to describe how we believe our character will be - i.e. what sort of protector they will become, how they'll manage mortals, their basic personality (barring complications), that sort of thing?

Edit: Oh, and should we stick with the regular metallic and chromatic base dragon types?

Yes, I would like all that information. As for dragon types, you may use anything from the first 4 bestiaries. In other words, you have access to Chromatic, Metalic, Imperial, Primal and Outer dragons.

Dotting for interest, since I actually have time to commit to a pbp character now.

I've tried to play a chaotic good opponent of slavery a few times, but it's never really panned out because of campaign direction. A protector of the enslaved/champion against slavery would really seem to fit in this game.

Personality wise, since we'll be starting as hatchlings, I can see him starting almost as a precocious child who bristles at being told what to do (he's a dragon after all). He's exceptionally curious, especially about humanity and the other good/neutral races, he wants to learn as much about them as possible, especially how they have fun and how creatures capable of such good can turn so evil they force others to their will. He will probably start out a bit too confident in his abilities as well. If he survives, well, live (I hope) and learn.

His involvement with mortals is hard to figure at this point. He will definitely be interested in joining their celebrations, particularly those that celebrate freedom from oppression. He will also be interested in living as a slave at some point, if possible, to better understand the plight of those he is tasked to protect and aid.

I'll try to come up with a build over the weekend, feel free to pm me if you have any ideas that might help better fit your idea for the game or to help with a build.

I've tried to play a chaotic good opponent of slavery a few times, but it's never really panned out because of campaign direction. A protector of the enslaved/champion against slavery would really seem to fit in this game.

Personality wise, since we'll be starting as hatchlings, I can see him starting almost as a precocious child who bristles at being told what to do (he's a dragon after all). He's exceptionally curious, especially about humanity and the other good/neutral races, he wants to learn as much about them as possible, especially how they have fun and how creatures capable of such good can turn so evil they force others to their will. He will probably start out a bit too confident in his abilities as well. If he survives, well, live (I hope) and learn.

His involvement with mortals is hard to figure at this point. He will definitely be interested in joining their celebrations, particularly those that celebrate freedom from oppression. He will also be interested in living as a slave at some point, if possible, to better understand the plight of those he is tasked to protect and aid.

I'll try to come up with a build over the weekend, feel free to pm me if you have any ideas that might help better fit your idea for the game or to help with a build.

That definitely sounds good. Social progress will be a recurring theme in this game, and abolitionism is definitely a part of that. Many of your enemies will be slavers, both of the tyrant devil kind and the chaotic raider kind.

As for help with the build, I will say that that personality reminds me of a copper dragon, or, to a lesser extent, a brass dragon.

What kind of challenges would a character be expected to face in this campaign?

What kind of challenges would a character be expected to face in this campaign?

There will be a grab bag of enemies, but the stars of the show will be evil outsiders, followed by giants.

One more question regarding the Dragon Types...does the Alignment of the "Base Form" matter, or is the Neon Dragon inherently good? The part regarding the Celestial powers altering what would have hatched sounds like it?

Regardless, I would probably go with an Imperial Sky Dragon.
The part about

Benevolent and noble, sky dragons, or tienlungs, are fearsome champions of good and protectors of those in need. They are often sought out for their wise council, which they grant only to the deserving and true.

seems like custom-made for this.

And I would probably follow that idea pretty closely. I do "know" that I'm better than them, after all. No sense in false modesty. But that just means it falls to me to help them where they would fail otherwise. If they come running to me for every problem they could solve themselves, though, they will never progress past the hardships they face. So they will be forced to fend for themselves, so they can grow stronger for it, while I will aid them in times of great need personally.

In this case, I would intend to take up leadership, built up a temple at a mountaintop, and have them revere me. People who take it upon themselves to visit this temple to ask for advice then may ask the head priest for an audience, which I may grant, and impart my wisdom on the mortals.(also to keep me known throughout the ages). As such, I would expect to be known throughout a whole country that may fare good or bad, while I have my mountaintop sanctuary and only descend in times of need to interfere directly.

In other words, I would be good, but distance myself from them, to help them grow up and solve things for themselves, only stepping in when there is real danger.

I'll be submitting a cave dragon later tonight then. I assume there aren't any problems with us giving our creatures some personal touches? I wanted to live in a swamp.

One more question regarding the Dragon Types...does the Alignment of the "Base Form" matter, or is the Neon Dragon inherently good? The part regarding the Celestial powers altering what would have hatched sounds like it?

Regardless, I would probably go with an Imperial Sky Dragon.
The part about

Quote:

Benevolent and noble, sky dragons, or tienlungs, are fearsome champions of good and protectors of those in need. They are often sought out for their wise council, which they grant only to the deserving and true.

seems like custom-made for this.

And I would probably follow that idea pretty closely. I do "know" that I'm better than them, after all. No sense in false modesty. But that just means it falls to me to help them where they would fail otherwise. If they come running to me for every problem they could solve themselves, though, they will never progress past the hardships they face. So they will be forced to fend for themselves, so they can grow stronger for it, while I will aid them in times of great need personally.

In this case, I would intend to take up leadership, built up a temple at a mountaintop, and have them revere me. People who take it upon themselves to visit this temple to ask for advice then may ask the head priest for an audience, which I may grant, and impart my wisdom on the mortals.(also to keep me known throughout the ages). As such, I would expect to be known throughout a whole country that may fare good or bad, while I have my mountaintop sanctuary and only descend in times of need to interfere directly.

In other words, I would be good, but distance myself from them, to help them grow up and solve things for themselves, only stepping in when there is real danger.

The base Alignment does not matter, you are corrext.

Are there other (non-Neon) Dragons?

Mogh wrote:

I've tried to play a chaotic good opponent of slavery a few times, but it's never really panned out because of campaign direction. A protector of the enslaved/champion against slavery would really seem to fit in this game.

Personality wise, since we'll be starting as hatchlings, I can see him starting almost as a precocious child who bristles at being told what to do (he's a dragon after all). He's exceptionally curious, especially about humanity and the other good/neutral races, he wants to learn as much about them as possible, especially how they have fun and how creatures capable of such good can turn so evil they force others to their will. He will probably start out a bit too confident in his abilities as well. If he survives, well, live (I hope) and learn.

His involvement with mortals is hard to figure at this point. He will definitely be interested in joining their celebrations, particularly those that celebrate freedom from oppression. He will also be interested in living as a slave at some point, if possible, to better understand the plight of those he is tasked to protect and aid.

I'll try to come up with a build over the weekend, feel free to pm me if you have any ideas that might help better fit your idea for the game or to help with a build.

That definitely sounds good. Social progress will be a recurring theme in this game, and abolitionism is definitely a part of that. Many of your enemies will be slavers, both of the tyrant devil kind and the chaotic raider kind.

As for help with the build, I will say that that personality reminds me of a copper dragon, or, to a lesser extent, a brass dragon.

With the breath weapon, we are not committed to the breath weapon of our parent dragon? Also, with the metallic types we would not get the second breath weapon (i.e. sleep or paralyzing gas)? Just making sure I'm correct on this, trying to set it up in Hero Lab and it's going to be a project. Also is the point buy initially based on the stats of a small creature with a higher dex and lower str and con?

And what about saves; any bonus progression there, or based on raw ability scores?

ThePuppyTurtle wrote:

Mogh wrote:

I've tried to play a chaotic good opponent of slavery a few times, but it's never really panned out because of campaign direction. A protector of the enslaved/champion against slavery would really seem to fit in this game.

Personality wise, since we'll be starting as hatchlings, I can see him starting almost as a precocious child who bristles at being told what to do (he's a dragon after all). He's exceptionally curious, especially about humanity and the other good/neutral races, he wants to learn as much about them as possible, especially how they have fun and how creatures capable of such good can turn so evil they force others to their will. He will probably start out a bit too confident in his abilities as well. If he survives, well, live (I hope) and learn.

His involvement with mortals is hard to figure at this point. He will definitely be interested in joining their celebrations, particularly those that celebrate freedom from oppression. He will also be interested in living as a slave at some point, if possible, to better understand the plight of those he is tasked to protect and aid.

I'll try to come up with a build over the weekend, feel free to pm me if you have any ideas that might help better fit your idea for the game or to help with a build.

That definitely sounds good. Social progress will be a recurring theme in this game, and abolitionism is definitely a part of that. Many of your enemies will be slavers, both of the tyrant devil kind and the chaotic raider kind.

As for help with the build, I will say that that personality reminds me of a copper dragon, or, to a lesser extent, a brass dragon.

With the breath weapon, we are not committed to the breath weapon of our parent dragon? Also, with the metallic types we would not get the second breath weapon (i.e. sleep or paralyzing gas)? Just making sure I'm correct on this, trying to set it up in Hero Lab and it's going to be a project. Also is the point buy...

You may pick a different breath weapon than your parent dragon. As for bonus breath weapons, if it's something your parent dragon gets in addition to their normal breath weapon, you will get it as well.

The point buy is unmodified. The bestiary specifically says not to factor a dragons size into calculation of its ability scores.

And what about saves; any bonus progression there, or based on raw ability scores?

You begin with a +6 to each save. Every time you advance to the next age category, you get an additional +1.

Do we use any of the Additional Dragon rules? Such as the fly speed determined by size, or possession of a Frightful Presence?

Do we use any of the Additional Dragon rules? Such as the fly speed determined by size, or possession of a Frightful Presence?

Yes. You get all of the dragon bells and whistles.

Alright then, here's my submission:

I tried my best to write a personality/description without cementing too many details depending on how the campaign actually goes.

Any feedback/commentary/criticism is welcome and appreciated.

Just one thing that came to mind, Johnny:
You are based on cave dragon, but you still list a fly speed. If you check with the older Cave Dragons on SRD: They don't seem to fly(getting burrow and earth glide instead).
Some dragons don't use the base rules, same as my Imperial Sky Dragon does not have wings(and as such lacks those attacks)...

Unless I misunderstood something, but AFAIK the dragons that "lose" something are balanced by getting additional other gimmicks. Clarification by GM would be interesting there.

I'm aware, but the description of a Cave Dragon also lists them as able to fly - albeit clumsily. Hence why I asked my question above.

I understand. You mean this part of flavor text, right:

Their wings have withered away to little more than another set of limbs, useful to rush down tunnels. They are barely able to fly, and the effort it requires makes them clumsy fliers at best.

Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft.; earth glide

not listing a fly speed for them...it could be an oversight, but unlike all other dragons I looked at, they also don't have skill ranks in fly.

Either way, it would be interesting to know if general dragon mechanics override specifics if thats to our benefit...if so, that would open a few more interesting loopholes, so I'll wait with submitting something until thats clarified.

Their base statistics are technically incorrect since a hatchling doesn't begin play with Earth Glide. Cave Dragons also aren't listed as having a frightful presence aura despite all dragons apparently having one. There's also a line in their description that implies that they can't fly at all.

I'm happy to hear any clarification but it is easier to delete lines of text then to add new ones in. Saves me ranks on fly, too.

Their base statistics are technically incorrect since a hatchling doesn't begin play with Earth Glide. Cave Dragons also aren't listed as having a frightful presence aura despite all dragons apparently having one. There's also a line in their description that implies that they can't fly at all.

I'm happy to hear any clarification but it is easier to delete lines of text then to add new ones in. Saves me ranks on fly, too.

I don't have access to Bestiary 5, which is why the Cave Dragon wasn't on my list of acceptable parent dragons. In other words, you can't use it regardless. I'm sorry.

The Cave Dragon isn't in bestiary 5...

You can view it Here. Unfortunately, it appears to be from an unmarked 3pp source which I assume we aren't allowed to use (though, obviously, at this point I'd prefer otherwise).

The Cave Dragon isn't in bestiary 5...

You can view it Here. Unfortunately, it appears to be from an unmarked 3pp source which I assume we aren't allowed to use (though, obviously, at this point I'd prefer otherwise).

My mistake, but even so, there is another problem. It doesn't have statistics going past 'old.'

Between that and it being third party, I am afraid I can't allow it.

It shouldn't take too much adjustment to turn your submission into another dragon type, though.

Yeah, when I realized it was 3pp I already started altering the statistics.

Here is the updated stat-block, using a Lunar Dragon as the parent species.

Again, feedback/commentary/criticism is welcome.

It doesn't have statistics going past 'old.' because they starve to death ;) It's right there in the flavor text.

Plenty of problems with it, too..since it only has blindsense, but darkness aura specifically shuts off most other vision, everything it pinpoints with the sense would have had concealment...while nasty evil outsiders with "see in darkness" could have easily seen it. ^_^

I'll try to stat my dragon out later, but dunno if I'll manage today :)

Dotting for interest. Will have something up soonish. :D

Yeah, when I realized it was 3pp I already started altering the statistics.

Here is the updated stat-block, using a Lunar Dragon as the parent species.

** spoiler omitted **...

Remember that your Dex will go down as you age.

Not saying to change it, just keep that in mind.

Remember that your Dex will go down as you age.

Great reminder...Base -8 near the end. Wouldn't want to become an immobile chunk of dragon because someone managed to get through my SR once with a Touch of Gracelessness(Reach)...I'd have forgotten about it if not for your hint.

Sorry, took me a bit longer to put together than I thought it would. If you notice any errors please let me know and I'll fix it ASAP.

Got her all finished here, I think. First time I've constructed a Dragon from scratch, so I may have missed something.

I picture her as the defender of Nature, which in her eyes includes the humanoid races as well as the traditional animal- and plant-life. As the world changes around her, she'll adapt her considerable skills along with it, providing clear solutions to concerns governing the natural world as the artificial one slowly takes over.

She'll function as a healer of all sorts, a semi-druid, and a wise woman to those nearby. As she ages, she'll likely extend her reach, establishing conservationist organizations and centers of higher learning rolled into one. If magic "dies" and Golarion's future looks more like Earth, she'll consider herself the last bastion of defense against both the encroachment of bastardized urban society and the decline of the sentient races as a whole.

All of these submissions are looking good. I've seen a few errors (your breath weapon does 2d10 damage regardless of heritage) but it still looks like I'll be making some hard choices.

As much as I want to make a character for this, as I have a deep abiding love of dragons(no seriously, my FB banner is a pic that says Dragon Lover, I wear a dragon necklace every day, and my front door bears a sign that says 'beyond this place there be dragons'.), I have too many other character's I gotta complete.

Thus, with immense sadness, I will likely not be making a PC for this game.

Could you verify that Sonic indeed is a valid choice?
With the utter lack of stuff resistant or immune, and the fact it usually deals less damage to compensate, getting a 2d10 sonic breath would easily be superior to other energy's, no matter if the breath uses a primal(half to immune, lowered resistance) energy form or not.

Since I've also not seen sonic among existing breath types, that would also invite the follow-up question: Are we limited to the regular energys? Or could we have force breath, or positive/negative energy breath(as actually present in e.g. umbral dragons)
And if so, could we "overload" creatures with positive energy(as in a positive-energy aligned plane)?

Here's an updated version in my profile, fixed the breath weapon damage and a couple of other copy/paste errors from Hero Lab.

Since I've also not seen sonic among existing breath types (...)

(Imperial) Sovereign Dragons have Sonic breath weapons.

MordredofFairy wrote:

Since I've also not seen sonic among existing breath types (...)

(Imperial) Sovereign Dragons have Sonic breath weapons.

Ah, sweet, thanks, completely missed that. In my defense, I stated I had not seen it, not that it did not exist.

The questions still stands though, if sonic was intended to be available as choice, and since negative energy definitely exists as well...leading to wondering if positive energy or force are also an option.(there was a force dragon as epic dragon...didn't make it to pathfinder yet though)
If we are creatures of celestial goodness, even "holy/divine" could be an option(as in flame strike). Kind of ruled out the option of Sonic at first...but since it seemingly is in, I may need to reconsider my submission. Sonic alone is plenty superior to "element+primal element". Not in a way of trying to "min/max" and going for all optimal choices(where's the fun in that), but needing to carefully weigh the options(as primal comes online pretty late, too).

If we are creatures of celestial goodness, even "holy/divine" could be an option(as in flame strike).

"Holy" damage breath weapon would be sweet! Talk about a "scourge of the undead."

MordredofFairy wrote:

If we are creatures of celestial goodness, even "holy/divine" could be an option(as in flame strike).

"Holy" damage breath weapon would be sweet! Talk about a "scourge of the undead."

Okay, for the record, something is a legal energy type for your breath weapon if at least one true dragon in the first four bestiaries has it as their primary breath weapon.

I'm not bothered by the lack of resistances to sonic damage, as you'll be alone, and so if anything, kind of need that.

Also, there won't be very many undead in this campaign. There will be a few, and one of the episodes will revolve around them, but by and large, they will not be prominent.

Whats your ruling regarding Umbral Dragons Breath weapon?

Umbral is alive with negative energy affinity, Breath weapon deals negative energy but does not heal actual undead in pathfinder(even though the flavor text on SRD still claims it does, funnily enough).

So would an Neon Umbral with negative energy breath get to heal itself with it's breath weapon?
Or is that a no-go?

Whats your ruling regarding Umbral Dragons Breath weapon?

Umbral is alive with negative energy affinity, Breath weapon deals negative energy but does not heal actual undead in pathfinder(even though the flavor text on SRD still claims it does, funnily enough).

So would an Neon Umbral with negative energy breath get to heal itself with it's breath weapon?
Or is that a no-go?

It'd be quite the act of contortionism to get a breath weapon pointed at yourself if it was a line. If it was a cone, though, you could heal yourself.

It wouldn't be an Alignment problem for the same reason good aligned clerics can use inflict spells.

In other words, negative energy is an acceptable option.

Thanks, great. In that case, I'll not hop on the sonic bandwagon, and instead will alter my submission to Neon Umbral, with conic negative energy breath.
I'll be very busy today and probably tomorrow, so it may be friday before I can post the new version, but attributes/feat/skill choices would likely be almost identical to the previous one-

However, your primary purpose is not to rule, but to guide and protect. You will see humanity fostered through this age and into the next, guiding them along the right path.

This right here sounds like a silver dragon is needed

Since I have 2 breath weapons, I would need to take ability focus twice to raise the DC for both of them, correct?