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Monk Archetype: Weeping Moon Ninja

When Eastern nobility clashes, many call upon the discrete profession of the ninja to slay their foe at a comfortable distance. When kings cross one another on hostile ground, they often require a more-skilled practitioner at their disposal. While many ninja are members of secret mercenary troupes, there is a very elect breed of assassin that come from centuries-old secret societies. As spiritual as they are secretive, these marauders carry a haunting aura about them; they demand a high price for their services, and it is rumored that the contracts they agree to contain payment in terms far beyond material wealth. As such, even monarchs do not lightly enlist their services.

Role: The Weeping Moon ninja stands apart from those that would call themselves 'ninja,' blending mystic spiritualism with martial arts perfected for death. Where the monk reaches perfection through nirvana and unity with the forces and spirits of nature, the Weeping Moon ninja learns martial mastery through the secrets held by long-dead spirits and demon marauders that have hunted mortals through the ages.

Alignment: Any evil.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills (same as Ninja)
The ninja's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Linguistics (Int),Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level (same as Ninja): 8 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Weeping Moon ninja.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency (same as Ninja, minus shortbow): Weeping Moon ninja are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the kama, katana, kusarigama, nunchaku, sai, short sword, shuriken, siangham, and wakizashi. They are proficient with light armor but not with shields.

(Loses AC Bonus)

Flurry of Blows (Ex): Starting at 1st level, a Weeping Moon ninja can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When doing so, he may make one additional attack, taking a -2 penalty on all of his attack rolls, as if using the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. These attacks can be any combination of unarmed strikes and attacks with a ninja special weapon (he does not need to use two weapons to use this ability). For the purpose of these attacks, the ninja's base attack bonus from his ninja class levels is equal to his ninja level. For all other purposes, such as qualifying for a feat or a prestige class, the ninja uses his normal base attack bonus.

At 8th level, the Weeping Moon ninja can make two additional attacks when he uses flurry of blows, as if using Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the ninja does not meet the prerequisites for the feat).

(Loses Greater Flurry at Lvl 15)

A Weeping Moon ninja applies his full Strength bonus to his damage rolls for all successful attacks made with flurry of blows, whether the attacks are made with an off-hand or with a weapon wielded in both hands. A ninja may substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for unarmed attacks as part of a flurry of blows. A ninja cannot use any weapon other than an unarmed strike or a special ninja weapon as part of a flurry of blows.

A ninja with natural weapons cannot use such weapons as part of a flurry of blows, nor can he make natural attacks in addition to his flurry of blows attacks.

Unarmed Strike (no change from monk): At 1st level, a ninja gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A ninja's attacks may be with fist, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a ninja may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a ninja striking unarmed. A ninja may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.

Usually a ninja's unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.

A ninja's unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

A Weeping Moon ninja's unarmed strike damage follows the same progression of monk unarmed damage progression.

Poison Use (Replaces Purity of Body, same as Ninja): At 1st level, a ninja is trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison herself when applying poison to a weapon.

Bonus Feat: At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a ninja may select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Combat Reflexes, Improved Grapple, Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Distance Thrower, Quick Draw. At 6th level, the following feats are added to the list: Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Improved Disarm, Mobility, Blind-Fight, Disorienting Maneuver. At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list: Improved Blind-Fight, Improved Critical, Spring Attack, Improved Precise Shot. (Same number of feats per level of accessibility as Monk, some changed to reflect ninja combat styles)

Quietus Touch (Loses Stunning Fist, replaces Sneak Attack) (Su): The ninja can call upon spiritual ether to empower her strikes and mold them to attack her foes weakness.

The ninja's attacks deal extra elemental damage to a single foe that the ninja has selected by spending a standard action to designate her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, 5th level, and every five levels thereafter. This damage is considered to be acid, cold, electricity, or fire. At 10th level, a ninja may add the following damage types to her list: negative energy, or Evil.

When the target is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the ninja flanks her target, the ninja benefits from the bonus damage of a quietus touch, even if that target has not been designated by the standard action described above. Additionally, when flanking or the target is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC, the ninja may chose a number of whole damage dice up to half her ninja level (dice that are already in her damage dice pool after a successful attack) to commit to the elemental damage type chosen for her attack; all flat damage modifiers (+2 from Str, +1 from enchantment, etc) are considered to be damage done in accordance to their type, or by weapon if not specifically declared. Should the ninja score a critical hit with a quietus touch, this elemental damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks count as quietus touches only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (such as a sap, whip, or unarmed strike), a ninja cannot make a quietus touch that deals nonlethal damage.

A ninja cannot benefit from converting her pooled damage dice into elemental damage while striking a creature that has concealment, but can designate that target to receive the standard extra elemental damage of a quietus touch.

Fast Stealth (Replaces Fast Movement, same as Ninja) (Ex): At 3rd level, A ninja with this trick can move at full speed using the Stealth skill without penalty.

Maneuver Training (Ex): At 3rd level, a ninja uses his ninja level in place of his base attack bonus when calculating his Combat Maneuver Bonus. Base attack bonuses granted from other classes are unaffected and are added normally.

Deadly Melody (Replaces Still Mind): At 3rd level, a ninja learns forbidden secrets granting her the frightening power to summon hungry wraiths of the underworld to do her killing for her. The ninja may use any instrument she has training in to achieve this effect (or singing, if she has training in that). The ninja must select a single target within sight and earshot; this includes hostile foes as well as enemies in combat. The ninja makes a Perform check opposed by her victim's Sense Motive, imposing a negative modifier equal to her ninja level to each Sense Motive roll. The haunting melody played - always unearthly in beauty - is actually a beck and call to her spiritual masters to come for their prey. Every success achieved allows the ninja to deal untyped damage equal to her unarmed monk damage to her target, or, deal 1d3 damage to her target's Wisdom score that is undetectable by the target (though onlookers may notice a darkening under the victim's eyes, a sudden nosebleed, or a heavy, exhausted slouch in their posture). Each success also causes the target to pause their actions (within reason - it will not stop the target from acting upon urgent tasks or continuing combat) and appreciate the music being played. If already in combat, the target is free to act normally, but will continue to take damage - even in an area of silence.

A failed Perform/ Sense Motive challenge results in the damage chosen by the ninja to occur, but the target of the deadly melody is able perceive the dread nature of the song even if they do not understand the power at work. The target of the dread melody is free to act after they have realized the song is a lethal threat, but unfortunately no one around them will understand this sudden hostility unless they can communicate what has happened. A successful Sense Motive roll does not grant understanding beyond the deadliness of the song, and does not allow the target to identify the player as a ninja. As such, only a successful Knowledge: Religion roll versus DC: 22 will allow the target to communicate the nature of the attack to her friends. After the target is aware of the deadly melody and reacts appropriately, her friends may make Knowledge: Religion checks at the same difficulty to understand the nature of the attack.

Because this attack is spiritual in nature and the attacking spirits always bear the Evil subtype, a protection from evil spell or spell-like effect on the target (or area that the target is in) negates all further damage even if the target is able to hear the deadly melody.

A deadly melody cannot be copied or memorized by a non-ninja - it is a gift from her spirit guides that has come with a lifetime of service. Victims whose Wisdom scores or hit points are reduced to 0 or lower are immediately slain and are unable to be resurrected, save by true resurrection. The caster performing the resurrection must oppose the dark, mystical forces that have taken the victim's soul with a caster level check versus 10 + 1/2 ninja level + Cha modifier.

Ki Pool (Su): At 4th level, a ninja gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in a ninja's ki pool is equal to 1/2 his ninja level + his Charisma modifier. As long as he has at least 1 point in his ki pool, he can make a ki strike. At 4th level, ki strike allows his unarmed attacks to be treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 7th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as cold iron and silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 10th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as evil weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 16th level, his unarmed attacks are treated as mithral (Loses adamantine) weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness.

By spending 1 point from his ki pool, a ninja can make one additional attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack. In addition, he can spend 1 point to increase his speed by 20 feet for 1 round. Finally, a ninja can spend 1 point from his ki pool to give himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round. Each of these powers is activated as a swift action. A ninja gains additional powers that consume points from his ki pool as he gains levels.

The ki pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive.

Acrobatic Master (Replaces Evasion, same as Ninja) (Su): At 4th level or higher, as a swift action, a ninja can focus her ki to grant her a +20 bonus on one Acrobatics check of her choice made before the start of her next turn. Using this ability expends 1 ki point from her ki pool.

Uncanny Dodge (Replaces Slow Fall, same as Ninja) (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a ninja can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A ninja with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against her.

High Jumper (replaces High Jump, same as Ninja) (Ex): At 5th level, When a ninja makes a high jump, the DC for that jump is half the normal DC. A ninja need not expend ki to achieve this effect.

Unseen Stalker (Replaces Wholeness of Body) (Su): At 7th level or higher, a ninja can spend a ki point as a swift action and can summon 1d4 shadowy clones. This ability functions as mirror image, using the ninja's level as her caster level. At 8th level or higher, a ninja can spend a ki point as a swift action and shroud herself from view with mystical deceptions. This ability functions as invisibility, using the ninja's level as her caster level. Both of these abilities cannot be active simultaneously.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Replaces Improved Evasion, same as Ninja) (Ex): At 8th level, a ninja can no longer be flanked. This defense denies another ninja (or rogue) the ability to sneak attack the ninja by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more ninja (or rogue) levels than the target does.

Invisible Blade (Replaces Diamond Body) (Su): At 11th level or higher, a ninja can spend a ki point as a swift action and can dissolve into a formless dark mist. This ability functions as gaseous form, but for the exception that the ninja is not subject to the effects of wind and may move at her normal movement (and may be modified by feats and supernatural effects); the ninja uses her ninja's level as her caster level. At 12th level or higher, a ninja can spend a ki point as a swift action and disappear entirely. This ability functions as greater invisibility, using the ninja's level as her caster level. Both of these abilities cannot be active simultaneously, nor can they be combined with the Unseen Stalker abilities.

Shadow Step (Replaces Abundant Step) (Su): At 12th level or higher, a ninja is mystically attuned to the shadows. As a move action the ninja can slip between shadows. This ability functions as shadow step, using the ninja's level as her caster level.

Hitodama (Replaces Diamond Soul) (Su): At 13th level, a ninja gains the dark boon of the hungry spirits she has allied with. The ninja gains a hitodama, a floating pale ball of frigid fire made from the bound souls of her victims. The hitodama is invisible to all but the ninja as a constant reminder of the mystical masters she serves, but may be called upon to allow the ninja to perform legendary feats of prowess.

At 13th level, the ninja can call upon the hitodama as a full round action to transform herself into a clay golem vaguely resembling the ninja's appearance for a number of rounds equal to her ninja level -4. While in this form, the ninja gains the following benefits:

* Considered a construct for all purposes (including hit points, immunities, resistances, weaknesses) but retain number of hit dice, BAB, number of attacks, class abilities, feats, and base saves (if applicable).
* +5 AC (equipment bonus and dexterity retained)
* +6 to hit, +12 to damage
* DR 10/ adamantine/ bludgeoning
* Gains Berserk (Ex), Cursed Wounds (Ex), Haste (Su), and Immunity to Magic (Ex) per the clay golem description.

At 15th level, the ninja gains a second hitodama. Calling upon both hitodamas as a full round action can transform the ninja into a rock golem resembling the ninja's appearance for a number of rounds equal to her ninja level -3. While in this form, the ninja gains the following benefits:

* Considered a construct for all purposes (including hit points, immunities, resistances, weaknesses) but retain number of hit dice, BAB, number of attacks, class abilities, feats, and base saves (if applicable).
* +8 AC (equipment bonus retained, Dexterity bonus does not apply for the duration of the change)
* +7 to hit, +14 to damage
* DR 10/ adamantine
* Gains Immunity to Magic (Ex) and Slow (Su) per the stone golem description.

At 17th level, the ninja gains a third hitodama. Calling upon three hitodamas as a full round action can transform the ninja into a bronze golem mostly resembling the ninja's appearance for a number of rounds equal to her ninja level -2. While in this form, the ninja gains the following benefits:

* Considered a construct for all purposes (including hit points, immunities, resistances, weaknesses) but retain number of hit dice, BAB, number of attacks, class abilities, feats, and base saves (if applicable).
* + 10 AC (equipment bonus retained, Dexterity bonus does not apply for the duration of the change)
* +8 to hit, +16 to damage
* DR 10/ adamantine
* Gains Immunity to Magic (Ex) and Breath Weapon (Su) per the Iron Golem description, but the breath weapon functions as a 10 hit dice fireball once every 4 rounds.

At 19th level, the ninja gains a fourth hitodama. Calling upon four hitodamas as a full round action can transform the ninja into an iron golem strongly resembling the ninja's appearance for a number of rounds equal to her ninja level -1. While in this form, the ninja gains the following benefits:

* Considered a construct for all purposes (including hit points, immunities, resistances, weaknesses) but retain number of hit dice, BAB, number of attacks, class abilities, feats, and base saves (if applicable).
* + 12 AC (equipment bonus retained, Dexterity bonus does not apply for the duration of the change)
* +9 to hit, +18 to damage
* DR 15/ adamantine
* Gains Immunity to Magic (Ex), Breath Weapon (Su), and Powerful Blows (Ex) per the Iron Golem description, but the Powerful Blows ability functions for all of the ninja's attacks that involve strength.

As long as the ninja possesses at least one hitodama, the ninja may spend one ki point as a swift action and reveal the unseen world to her eyes. This ability functions as see invisibility, using the ninja's level as her caster level.

Once spent, a hitodama remains expended until the ninja gains a level. Each level gained restores two hitodamas. A ninja may not acquire more than four hitodamas (or replenish them without gaining a level) without seeking out her spirit masters and petitioning that she be granted more. Such requests are always dangerous, and if granted, always involve a harrowing quest.

(Loses Quivvering Palm)

(Loses Timeless Body)

(Loses Tongue of the Sun and Moon)

(Loses Empty Body)

Hidden Master (same as Ninja) (Su): At 20th level, a ninja becomes a true master of her art. She can, as a standard action, cast greater invisibility on herself. While invisible in this way, she cannot be detected by any means, and not even invisibility purge, see invisibility, and true seeing can reveal her. She uses her ninja level as her caster level for this ability. Using this ability consumes 3 ki points from her ki pool. In addition, whenever the ninja deals sneak attack damage, she can sacrifice additional damage dice to apply a penalty to one ability score of the target equal to the number of dice sacrificed for 1 minute. This penalty does not stack with itself and cannot reduce an ability score below 1.

Hey everyone!

Well, as the title suggests I've spent the better part of a week mulling things over in my head and trying to come to grips with a ninja concept for a game I've been playing in.

I didn't know this when I started playing in this campaign, but I have become pretty dissatisfied with a ninja being treated like 'another rogue' with respect to mechanics. Some of you might ask what I mean by that.

Well, like many specialized, well-vetted military or quasi-military people in ancient Japan and China (Samauri, Monk, Ninja in specific) they were all thoroughly educated in the arts of unarmed combat before they picked up their weapons in earnest. When unarmed and armed combat were taught together, this style incorporated weapons, battle gear, clothing, and the practitioner's body to form a "complete" martial art. Armed or unarmed, clothed or unclothed, these people were deadly with their hands and the weapons they came to prefer.

As I look at the different classes, I can see this martial expertise built into the monk, especially when it comes to his unarmed fighting. Looking at the ninja class - that same deadly devotion to hand-to-hand fighting is completely absent. Shy of 10th level, you aren't going to come close to rivaling a monk at unarmed fighting (and that's spending your first Master Trick on Unarmed Combat Mastery and not Greater Invisibility), when arguably a ninja and a monk have overwhelmingly more in common when it comes to their unarmed fighting skill than they have that differs. The bigger division comes when we talk preferred fighting styles and chosen weapons, but that comes later.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that a ninja really isn't just another rogue. Rogue's get low Fort saves and low Will saves because they are rogues. Well, show me the weak-willed ninja. Show me the delicate ninja. It just doesn't 'ring the bell' in my humble opinion.

Looking at the lore surrounding ninjas (most of which is hopelessly contemporary...something that I fully embrace) they are a lot more than sneaky back-stabber rogue clones. Look at the cult classic Ninja Scroll for some inspiration - lots of awesomely gory, mystical, ninja-fied stuff! And a lot of it was exactly that - mystical, spiritual if you will - not blatantly arcane or magical. As a more recent example, there is Kung-Fu Hustle, and The Man with the Iron Fists - both rich backdrops to frame the role and relative powers that eastern martial artists (and, yes, ninjas) can look forward to.

Sure, there are dozens more examples that we can draw upon...heck, I'm sure Big Trouble in Little China qualifies, but as a confession I'm not a ninjitsu master, nor am I a kung-fu fanboy. I can easily be schooled on the asundry "kung-fu movies" that were produced through the 1980's, but I think these would only help my point. I'm comfortable with going forward with the examples I've presented because I believe they're relevant, salient, and sufficient.

Back to task, the above prompted me to look to the Monk class to 'archetype' into a ninja. All things considered, it is practically built to be a ninja (or a samurai for that matter) with the firm basis in unarmed combat that Monk already boasts. To be honest the unarmed combat progression was a big sticking point with me as I thought about this. Being a ninja that slaps and patters about with his D3 fists when he's unarmed just...created what I will call a 'logical incongruancy,' or for those of you in the bottom row, 'a problem' in my mind. A -real- ninja should be at very least an unarmed adept, if not a master in his own right. The cost in feats to try and make this happen is nothing short of monstrous. At the end of the day I was looking at a 12th level Ninja build with unarmed fighting, and 2/3 of Dragon Style (with the mandatory Stunning Fist feat) and I was out of feats. Forget going into the sufferably long ranged feat train to make shiruken worth my while, and forget any kind of Weapon Focus addons to make the katana just that much more valuable, or for that matter any utility or defensive feats like Evasion or Combat Reflexes.

So, I began sleuthing up an archetype that is based off of the Monk class (as written) but used as many of the Ninja class abilities and crossovers as I could to preserve the things that are definitively ninja (and to keep from re-inventing the wheel).

I dug into what I felt was a healthy level of eastern mysticism considering the earmarks of Japanese mythology and of course, references from the sources I listed before. The result - I feel - is what I was looking for all along. The Ninja - an assassin, but a dabbler in deadly, dread secrets that grant him mystical powers in his martial arts. Demons, ghosts, or spirit guides take the souls of the Ninja's victims as payment for the powers the Ninja masters, and as such, Ninjas become agents of death for hire but also for hungry forces that have hunted mankind for ages. He is a secretive warrior that walks the gray areas between two worlds, not a stabby rogue clone.

So! Please let me know what you think! If you disagree, I ask the kindness of providing suggestions so I can prefect this.

The Council of Wyrms doesn't have dragons taking class levels. It has dragons taking different dragon levels, ie. with more focus on spellcasting. The 'base dragon' is the 'fighter' of dragonkind.

The dragons only get more powerful by aging. THat's a big, big disadvantage. Yes, it's a major apex predator. But by it's very nature it's directed into x feats and spells as a manifestation of the primal nature of the universe. Willy-nilly altering everything about the base dragon goes against what dragons are.

Dragons are not INDUSTRIOUS. A Wyrm has probably spent most of its thousand years asleep on its horde, not busily power-gaming. It may run battlefield sceanrios over and over in its head, but mostly its probably communing with elemental powers that grant it all those skill ranks without, you know, actually having to attend a library or great training and stuff.

They don't make items for themselves because that's laborious, and dragons don't labor. Minions labor for them. Hoard treasure is hoard treasure, not something they barter and trade away for better gear. They aren't MERCHANTS...they are the EMPERORS OF REALITY PUNY HUMAN!!!

Remember that. Pride and arrogance are the CENTER of what it means to be a dragon. You're not some twerk gamer morphed into a dragon, looking to maximize your uberness. You're already uber. Nobody is better then you. WHen they come, you stomp them and crush them with your matchless draconic might and knowledge. There ain't no way such puny fleas can beat you. Then you take their gear, and maybe you wear some of it, and most of it goes on the pile for you to take more pride and proof of your uberness in.

Perhaps every dragon should be slightly different from the core to represent individuality, but they definitely shouldn't be optimized. They are dragons, and they are absolutely convinced they are naturally the most powerful creatures alive. They don't NEED to be optimized in their own mindsets.

===Aelryinth

Saying a dragon is what it is because it is a manifestation of the primal nature of the universe is severely shortsighted and deeply flawed. A dragon is sentient - it is intelligent, and according to the lore of most campaign settings, it is the first among beings created by the gods. It isn't a static collection of feats and powers.

A dragon can be industrious as it wants to be. Gold and red dragons didn't develop an anamosity that spans longer than recorded fantasy history by sleeping on their piles of treasure - they scheemed and fought, sponsored proxy armies through manipulating nations and gathered faithful servants whom they trained and groomed to be ruthlessly powerful assasins and guardians; thank you for proving part of my point. Before you want to kill a dragon, you need to off of all of its' servants first. What kinds of servants do dragons have? Well, don't be surprised if you find a 9th level spell-wielding mage in the employ and favor of your would-be prey, along with some rather powerful swordsmen and women - the kind that are master/ legendary blacksmiths and whom are capable of capping dragon teeth and talons in the rarest and most magical of metals.

Pride and arrogance are at the core of a red dragon's psyche, I will give you that, but with arrogance comes a restless, elitist, narcissistic determination to be the best. That might be manifest in eliminating the opposition before they become a challenge, or a simple dismissal of an opponent's credibility, but intelligent arrogance matures into suspicion, greed, and avarice. Granted, arrogance and ignorance are not mutually exclusive by any means, but a creature of such advanced age that notices a foe that could potentially harm him is resentful enough of that opponent's presence to do something about it with a savage certainty.

And yes, there are in fact class levels conferred to dragons in the CoW setting for 2nd Edition; their vassals have plenty of levels to boast too.

A dragon doesn't need to be optimized? Well, a dragon has needs. All living (especially sentient) things do. Ask yourself what a dragon loves, then ask yourself how they would go about getting that thing. A dragon will do what it wants to appease itself - directly or indirectly being a matter of preference or resources - including planning, strategizing, training, bargaining, allying, and fighting to advance their needs into satisfaction(s). That sounds like an active, intelligent, determined creature that won't exist in a blissfully deluded state of ignorance for thousands of years.

Declaring that a dragon will fatalistically accept whatever birth conferred to it comes from the narrowmindedness that shouts "game balance!" in a shrill voice while stabbing fingers at pages in rulebooks. I understand the necessity for balance in a good many things, but absolutely not in everything. There are creatures that exist in fantasy worlds that are far and away more powerful than many PC's will ever be. Want to prove that axiom wrong? Stick with a game and get your character to epic levels because you earned it - not because you bought an epic level game handbook and wanted to try it.

Then, you'll probably have a lot better ideas on how to kill a dragon solo.

Some of us prefer our Dragons to be, well, Dragons, rather than Wizards with a better chassis.

And like I said, you could be playing a much better game that you'll remember 15 years after you played it.

I don't have much to contribute to the 'tax documentation' level of analyzing the specific wording of rules and status effects; personally that stuff is not only boring, but it gets laughable fast. Granted, for any system there is a level of suspended disbelief, but I personally feel the first step in killing a dragon is like painting (a house).

90% prep, 10% finish.

You have to be able to out-think the dragon (not an easy task). Talking the specifics of exactly how to number-crunch stats before you've figured out how to circumvent a mind with more than a thousand years as not only an apex predator...but THE apex predator of all fantasy creation is a fool's errand. And no, this isn't a "you can't win because dragon," angle. Any GM/ DM that sets up a dragon fight with you in an arena-like setting that starts with a roll for initiative needs to brush up on GMing/ DMing. That actually IS the first step - you have to out-think the dragon.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the Council of Wyrms campaign setting a la 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons. Different game and at least a decade removed I know, but it gives people a good idea of what dragons DO with those thousands of years of life they have. They have levels in multiple classes. They have plated their talons and fangs in enchanted adamantite and mythril. They wear massive bracers and amulets that are intensely magical. They do their own spell research. They are literally the favored agents of deities and demigods when they are of sufficient age and notoriety.

So - how would you kill something like that solo? I would start with becoming the champion of a greater deity.

If creatures that cross your coffee table are simply a bland amalgamation of numbers and modifiers that provide nothing more than a statistical probability of success or failure to player characters...so be it. But you could be having a much better game that you'll remember 15 years after you played it.