Half-Dragons: Acquired Template?


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


I couldn't help but notice one small thing in the Bestiary about the half dragons.

PRD wrote:
“Half-dragon” is an inherited or acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Is this a left over from 3.5, or is this, as I hope, a sign of things to come?

I personally miss the PRC that allows obtaining the template, so I hope this might come in time.


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I would guess a left over text. Pretty cut and paste standard templet wording it seems.

Dark Archive

Just about any template could be theoretically 'acquired' by Miracle or Wish or something. For the Scarred Lands setting, there were True Rituals that allowed one to become a Vampire, for instance, without ever meeting another Vampire, by just performing a difficult ritual (using rules similar to the SRD Incantation rules), and I'd be completely in support of rituals / Incantations that allow someone to grant someone a half-elemental, celestial, fiendish or draconic template by taking out their heart and replacing it with fire or whatever.

Thoughts to that effect.

I should probably work the Heart of Power true ritual up as an Incantation, instead. Some day...


Well I can only hope that we get an official way to get the template, like though a PrC or something.

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Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:
Well I can only hope that we get an official way to get the template, like though a PrC or something.

Does Dragon Disciple (PathfinerRPG p. 380) do this?


Lord Fyre wrote:
Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:
Well I can only hope that we get an official way to get the template, like though a PrC or something.
Does Dragon Disciple (PathfinerRPG p. 380) do this?

No, that was gone from the DD sense their version came out.

I was rather pissed as that was always the entire original point of the PrC, mechanically speaking.


Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:
Lord Fyre wrote:
Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:
Well I can only hope that we get an official way to get the template, like though a PrC or something.
Does Dragon Disciple (PathfinerRPG p. 380) do this?

No, that was gone from the DD sense their version came out.

I was rather pissed as that was always the entire original point of the PrC, mechanically speaking.

Personally, I like the new PrC much better. Yes, you miss out on some of the stat bonuses. However, the fact that it continues to advance your spellcasting is FAR better. What would you rather have at 20th level? A bunch of stat increases and always-on claws? Or 6th, 7th and 8th level spells? Me, I'll take the spells thanks. Also note that previously you had to be large-size to get wings, now all Draconic Bloodline sorcerers get them, and Draconic Disciples get them a level early (probably).

Edit to add: The flight speed is far superior to the old DD (90' rather than base land speed), and you get a total of +7 natural armor (instead of just +4). Your breath weapon is going to be doing much more damage too (d6 per level, instead of max 6d8). In fact, the only things you're losing as far as I can see are +4 STR, +4 CON and +2 CHA. With belts of physical perfection now in the game, those attribute bonuses are not nearly as significant.


Got to agree with Zappo

As a 3/4 BAB PrC that required spontaneous casting ability to enter, for a pure combat build, it left something to be desired (unless you were playing Neverwinter Nights - then it rocked).

giving it spellcasting progression has made it a decent gish prestige class, an interesting choice for a Fighter/Sorcerer or a Bard.

Also, importantly, it still gives the female sorceress claws *RAWRRRR*


Back in 3.5, I always wanted to create a Warforged Barbarian 5/Sorcerer 1 going into Dragon Disciple. The very idea of a Warforged transforming into a draconic monster just screamed "awesome" to me. I had visions of him first getting his bite attack, and his mouth tearing open like Eva Unit 01. It would have been sweet.

Sadly, I can't really do this now. Kind of a bummer. But I'm sure I could persuade a DM to allow it, if I ever got the chance to play a Warforged...

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Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:

I couldn't help but notice one small thing in the Bestiary about the half dragons.

PRD wrote:
“Half-dragon” is an inherited or acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Is this a left over from 3.5, or is this, as I hope, a sign of things to come?
Bestiary, p.170 wrote:
Half-dragons are only rarely the result of dragons mating with other creatures--most are the result of strange magical experiments.

Being world-flavor, this is absent from the online PRD; but it explains the "acquired" bit quite clearly. :)


tejón wrote:
Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:

I couldn't help but notice one small thing in the Bestiary about the half dragons.

PRD wrote:
“Half-dragon” is an inherited or acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Is this a left over from 3.5, or is this, as I hope, a sign of things to come?
Bestiary, p.170 wrote:
Half-dragons are only rarely the result of dragons mating with other creatures--most are the result of strange magical experiments.
Being world-flavor, this is absent from the online PRD; but it explains the "acquired" bit quite clearly. :)

OOOH cool. thanks.


tejón wrote:


Bestiary, p.170 wrote:
Half-dragons are only rarely the result of dragons mating with other creatures--most are the result of strange magical experiments.
Being world-flavor, this is absent from the online PRD; but it explains the "acquired" bit quite clearly. :)

This explains why my breakfast omelette tasted funny. And the wings.

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Disciple of Sakura wrote:

Back in 3.5, I always wanted to create a Warforged Barbarian 5/Sorcerer 1 going into Dragon Disciple. The very idea of a Warforged transforming into a draconic monster just screamed "awesome" to me. I had visions of him first getting his bite attack, and his mouth tearing open like Eva Unit 01. It would have been sweet.

Sadly, I can't really do this now. Kind of a bummer. But I'm sure I could persuade a DM to allow it, if I ever got the chance to play a Warforged...

If you're playing a warforged, you're already playing with rules outside of the core Pathfinder rules set. So why shouldn't you be able to use a prestige class or effect that grants a half dragon template?


KaeYoss wrote:
tejón wrote:


Bestiary, p.170 wrote:
Half-dragons are only rarely the result of dragons mating with other creatures--most are the result of strange magical experiments.
Being world-flavor, this is absent from the online PRD; but it explains the "acquired" bit quite clearly. :)
This explains why my breakfast omelette tasted funny. And the wings.

Oh, and I sneezed, and the desk caught fire.

Well, I think this is great. Inflammatory sneezes are useful in this swine-flu-stricken time.


Disciple of Sakura wrote:

Back in 3.5, I always wanted to create a Warforged Barbarian 5/Sorcerer 1 going into Dragon Disciple. The very idea of a Warforged transforming into a draconic monster just screamed "awesome" to me. I had visions of him first getting his bite attack, and his mouth tearing open like Eva Unit 01. It would have been sweet.

Sadly, I can't really do this now. Kind of a bummer. But I'm sure I could persuade a DM to allow it, if I ever got the chance to play a Warforged...

Draconic warforged? So where do dragons order their sex toys?


Db3's Astral Projection wrote:
Which is better though, a half-dragon or a Dragon Disciple?

well, a dragon disciple gets half the benefits of the half-dragon templates, all the benefits of the draconic bloodline, and 3/4 the benefits of a full sorcerer

the half-dragon gets the full template. It depends on what you want, but typically higher level spells is more desireable for a spellcaster class than higher STR.


Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:

I am sorry you feel that way.

I'm sorry you don't. Your trolling is boring me.

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I removed some discussion of trolling.


grasshopper_ea wrote:
Db3's Astral Projection wrote:
Which is better though, a half-dragon or a Dragon Disciple?

well, a dragon disciple gets half the benefits of the half-dragon templates, all the benefits of the draconic bloodline, and 3/4 the benefits of a full sorcerer

the half-dragon gets the full template. It depends on what you want, but typically higher level spells is more desireable for a spellcaster class than higher STR.

I am sure the new DD is vastly better than the original one, and gets a lot more than the half dragon template. However that is not the point of this thread.

P.S. As I have said before, the DD does not get immunity to an element, +4str, and +2 cha. Type changes to dragon, and you are officially a half dragon. This is made up with a lot of other stuff though, but I miss the template.


tejón wrote:
Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:

I couldn't help but notice one small thing in the Bestiary about the half dragons.

PRD wrote:
“Half-dragon” is an inherited or acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Is this a left over from 3.5, or is this, as I hope, a sign of things to come?
Bestiary, p.170 wrote:
Half-dragons are only rarely the result of dragons mating with other creatures--most are the result of strange magical experiments.
Being world-flavor, this is absent from the online PRD; but it explains the "acquired" bit quite clearly. :)

The was a 5th or 6th level spell, Mineralize, in 3.0 Underdark that added the +3LA Mineral Warrior template to a character. Maybe something similar exists for dragons to use on their humanoid cohorts and agents.


I think the acquired wording is so that if you want you can acquire it, despite no rules for acquiring it in Pathfinder exist yet.

The campaign I'm currently in is allowing me to gain the Half-Dragon template, as a ritual of some sort. (We haven't hammered it out quite yet.)


Disciple of Sakura wrote:

Back in 3.5, I always wanted to create a Warforged Barbarian 5/Sorcerer 1 going into Dragon Disciple. The very idea of a Warforged transforming into a draconic monster just screamed "awesome" to me. I had visions of him first getting his bite attack, and his mouth tearing open like Eva Unit 01. It would have been sweet.

Sadly, I can't really do this now. Kind of a bummer. But I'm sure I could persuade a DM to allow it, if I ever got the chance to play a Warforged...

Well, warforged aren't in the Pathfinder RPG, but androids certainly are! (Check out www.d20pfsrd.com )


I have a half dragon template question.
Full dragons gain spell like ability and sorc lvl
So why done the half dragon template have any spell like abilitys?
Half fiends,half celestial do.

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