Are there any ways to do this? I'm open to any race/build options but it must be Paizo material. 3rd party content is not allowed.
The simplest, but most often banned way would be the leadership feat.
With sufficient level and charisma you can get a young true dragon (many of them may not be large enough to serve as a mount unless you yourself are small) and you will have to be pretty high level.
An easier way, if it doesn't have to have the dragon type, you could go with a summoner using a dragon-like eidolon. If you're using unchained summoners, Agathion or (I think) Psychopomps have variations that resemble dragons so they would fit.
most true Dragons are to small to use as a mount if earned with the leadership feat, try working with you dm to see if you could get a drake or a wyvern
Regarding the Dragonkin, I don't see any rules for acquiring one as a mount, only bonding with one. Is there something I've missed?
Order of the Beast Cavalier can turn his mount into Dragon at 15.
Otherwise I second the Familiar. Make Gnome/Halfling caster and you could do it at level 11 with Form of the Dragon I, because you could ride a medium mount.
I don't think Beast Shape lets you turn into a Dragon, as it isn;t an animal or a magical beast.
I'm jumping into this campaign at level 11 so the Form of the Dragon idea actually isn't a bad idea at all. Are there any particular builds that would optimize this concept?
Leaning moreso towards being the dragon rider not the dragon myself, ideally with a "combat" build, almost something of an Eldritch Knight type of character but I'm open to suggestions. I want my familiar-dragon to be a potent combat ally but I'm open to ideas.
Now that you mention it, a sorc/wizard with form of the dragon could target their familiar with it, since they are eligible targets for personal spells.
You can also do so with Animal Companions. Animal companions tend to be a bit better for these shenanigans. And you can get one either through a feat chain or by being a Sylvan Bloodline sorcerer. The Fey bloodline is amazing, so it's not at all a bad deal.
Evolved Companion and Evolved Familiar are also feats to keep your eye on. Better yet, humans can take an alternate racial trait that gives +2 to any stat of their companions. If you don't mind the transformation patron, Witches can do this mount trick too if that suits your fancy. (I really fancy Winter Witches with Synergist.)
Sylvan are dip friendly for up to one level since you will probably take Boon Companion. Animal Ally relies on your level and both can take the Mammoth Rider PrC for a level to get huge mounts for when they aren't in Dragon form.
I don't know Oracle very well unfortunately, so take this with a pitch of salt. But I remember Elf have some favored class bonuses that are obscene for increasing your Animal Companion. It's only kept in check by an intentional rule change. That might make them optimal if you can get Form of the Dragon on your spell list. (Dreamed Secrets. Ancient Lorekeeper archetype! Pathfinder Savant PrC?)
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Step 1: Track down a nesting dragon.
Step 2: Steal it's egg.
Step 3: You should probably kill the mommy dragon, just to be sure.
Step 4: Hatch the egg.
Step 5: Raise the young dragon from infancy to serve you. This may take some time.
OR.....
Step 1: Track down a dragon of suitable size and temperament
Step 2: Dominate Monster
OR.....
Step 1: Track down a dragon of suitable size and temperament
Step 2: Bribe, cajole, wheedle, beg and/or threaten it into your service
OR.....
Step 1: Hatch and raise a Pseudo-dragon as a companion
Step 2: Polymorph any Object. It'll probably take permanently.
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Leaning moreso towards being the dragon rider not the dragon myself, ideally with a "combat" build, almost something of an Eldritch Knight type of character but I'm open to suggestions. I want my familiar-dragon to be a potent combat ally but I'm open to ideas.
I basically did this with my first Character; a Summoner with an Eidolon that I built into a flying, mount of death with a lightning bolt for a ranged attack. At higher levels you can even use spells to summon a dragon.
Dragonkin aren't too shabby...
Creative use of a Summoner's Eidolon.
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At this point I'm convinced that riding a dragon is the stuff of mythology and legend. That leadership feat? It's really unlikely that someone works up to getting a large sized dragon and by the time you do you'll realize it's going to get annihilated in combat.
Dragons never want to let you ride on them anyway. Every character I've ever made has had the super secret goal of riding a dragon. They always end up insulted or boasting about something.
Slowly, as the madness sets in you'll realize you hate dragons. Always flying around, looking majestic, getting put on banners. They know it too... they know you want to ride around and look like an awesome dragon knight but no.
Still the dream persists until you become a dragon slayer...
Necromancy? Zombie/Skeletal Dragon?
Step 1. Learn high level mind control spells.
Step 2. Find a dragon.
Step 3. Profit.
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Step 1. Learn high level mind control spells.
Step 2. Find a dragon.
Step 3. Profit.
Step 4. Dragon blows will save out of the water.
Step 5. Dragon incinerates you.
A large red dragon's will save is +10. If you can't beat that your caster was built poorly and chose all the wrong spells. They don't even have SR at that point. Not saying it should be that easy, but if you are a caster who regularly deals with spells that allow saves, +10 isn't a particularly high bar. Especially if you are preparing for the encounter.
As much as I would like to dominate dragons into submission, I'd really prefer to just make a familiar riding/form of the dragon battle mage.
One question, does the Mauler archetype stack with the bonuses gained from Form of the Dragon 1? I'm envisioning a gnome wizard riding into combat on a draconic goat or some other familiar that can then have the spell cast on it to dragon form and wreck face.
I'm thinking Wizard 11/Cavalier 1/Eldritch Knight 8?
You can build a decent dragon at 11th level with Summoner. These evolutions:
Quadruped
Claws
Flight (winged) (+20')
Large
Breath Weapon (3/day)
Tail
Tail Slap OR Wing Buffet
Reach (Bite)
Mount
Cost 18 evolution points. If you take Extra Evolution 3 times, that's your whole build, and you're not doing devastating damage. If you play half-elf, you can squeeze out a couple more evo points. You wouldn't be a game-breakingly powerful pouncy murder-beast summoner, but you'd be a guy on a dragon, and how cool is that? A summoner is also a 3/4 BAB class with light armor, so you could use the other 3 feats to make yourself more combat-capable.
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A large red dragon's will save is +10. If you can't beat that your caster was built poorly and chose all the wrong spells. They don't even have SR at that point. Not saying it should be that easy, but if you are a caster who regularly deals with spells that allow saves, +10 isn't a particularly high bar. Especially if you are preparing for the encounter.Step 1. Learn high level mind control spells.
Step 2. Find a dragon.
Step 3. Profit.
Step 4. Dragon blows will save out of the water.
Step 5. Dragon incinerates you.
A large dragon? Who wants a large dragon? Great Wyrm or nothing, baby!
Seriously, though, unless you have access to magic way above your pay grade and that's how you are able to dominate a dragon of the appropriate CR, a large dragon isn't going to be able to handle the kind of encounters a 9th spell level caster will be dealing with. Plus, sooner or later, unless you have some way of making it permanent, the dragon will get free.
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Are there any ways to do this? I'm open to any race/build options but it must be Paizo material. 3rd party content is not allowed.
A level 10 beast bonded witch can pull this off with a real dragon. Once your level 10. Let your familiar die. But it doesn't die. It shares your head as if your head was the gem of a permanent magic jar spell. Get within range of a dragon and evil eye the dragon, cackle, and then do something else to reduce its saves, cackle again. Then force it to make a will save. If it fails. Your familiar is a full fledged dragon!
You then would need to cast disguise self so the familiar dragon looks like the appropriate aligned dragon.
A large red dragon's will save is +10. If you can't beat that your caster was built poorly and chose all the wrong spells. They don't even have SR at that point. Not saying it should be that easy, but if you are a caster who regularly deals with spells that allow saves, +10 isn't a particularly high bar. Especially if you are preparing for the encounter.Step 1. Learn high level mind control spells.
Step 2. Find a dragon.
Step 3. Profit.
Step 4. Dragon blows will save out of the water.
Step 5. Dragon incinerates you.
A large dragon? Who wants a large dragon? Great Wyrm or nothing, baby!
Seriously, though, unless you have access to magic way above your pay grade and that's how you are able to dominate a dragon of the appropriate CR, a large dragon isn't going to be able to handle the kind of encounters a 9th spell level caster will be dealing with. Plus, sooner or later, unless you have some way of making it permanent, the dragon will get free.
My way permanently gets rid of the dragon's mind.
My way permanently gets rid of the dragon's mind.A large red dragon's will save is +10. If you can't beat that your caster was built poorly and chose all the wrong spells. They don't even have SR at that point. Not saying it should be that easy, but if you are a caster who regularly deals with spells that allow saves, +10 isn't a particularly high bar. Especially if you are preparing for the encounter.Step 1. Learn high level mind control spells.
Step 2. Find a dragon.
Step 3. Profit.
Step 4. Dragon blows will save out of the water.
Step 5. Dragon incinerates you.
A large dragon? Who wants a large dragon? Great Wyrm or nothing, baby!
Seriously, though, unless you have access to magic way above your pay grade and that's how you are able to dominate a dragon of the appropriate CR, a large dragon isn't going to be able to handle the kind of encounters a 9th spell level caster will be dealing with. Plus, sooner or later, unless you have some way of making it permanent, the dragon will get free.
Oh, wow, that IS powerful, i never realized that the beast-bonded witch's twin soul ability actually got you the body permanently, but the life force of the creature is destroyed when it fails the will save because of the lack of receptacle, thats bonkers
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Become a gnome sorcerer with arcane bloodline and get a bat familiar. Paint it red, cast Enlarge Person on it (works thanks to share spells), take the Undersized Mount feat and get a saddle. It's time to ride a dragon!
Anybody tells you it's not a dragon? Who is the expert for magical stuff, that ignorant muggle or you, the sorcerer from the First World, with the dragon mount?
My way permanently gets rid of the dragon's mind.A large red dragon's will save is +10. If you can't beat that your caster was built poorly and chose all the wrong spells. They don't even have SR at that point. Not saying it should be that easy, but if you are a caster who regularly deals with spells that allow saves, +10 isn't a particularly high bar. Especially if you are preparing for the encounter.Step 1. Learn high level mind control spells.
Step 2. Find a dragon.
Step 3. Profit.
Step 4. Dragon blows will save out of the water.
Step 5. Dragon incinerates you.
A large dragon? Who wants a large dragon? Great Wyrm or nothing, baby!
Seriously, though, unless you have access to magic way above your pay grade and that's how you are able to dominate a dragon of the appropriate CR, a large dragon isn't going to be able to handle the kind of encounters a 9th spell level caster will be dealing with. Plus, sooner or later, unless you have some way of making it permanent, the dragon will get free.
Even if that were true (I'd need to see the FAQ that says the dragon's soul is lost, and just not 'inside' of something) and even if your familiar doesn't lose control of the dragon when the spell expires (in which case they die or return to you, depending on how you read it) your familiar still can't use any of the extraordinary, supernatural or spell-like abilities of a dragon. No flight, no breathweapon, no spells.
Even if that were true (I'd need to see the FAQ that says the dragon's soul is lost, and just not 'inside' of something)My way permanently gets rid of the dragon's mind.A large red dragon's will save is +10. If you can't beat that your caster was built poorly and chose all the wrong spells. They don't even have SR at that point. Not saying it should be that easy, but if you are a caster who regularly deals with spells that allow saves, +10 isn't a particularly high bar. Especially if you are preparing for the encounter.Step 1. Learn high level mind control spells.
Step 2. Find a dragon.
Step 3. Profit.
Step 4. Dragon blows will save out of the water.
Step 5. Dragon incinerates you.
A large dragon? Who wants a large dragon? Great Wyrm or nothing, baby!
Seriously, though, unless you have access to magic way above your pay grade and that's how you are able to dominate a dragon of the appropriate CR, a large dragon isn't going to be able to handle the kind of encounters a 9th spell level caster will be dealing with. Plus, sooner or later, unless you have some way of making it permanent, the dragon will get free.
No FAQ needed as Magic Jar states
If the host body is slain, you return to the magic jar, if within range, and the life force of the host departs (it is dead). If the host body is slain beyond the range of the spell, both you and the host die. Any life force with nowhere to go is treated as slain.
and the twin soul ability specifically states that there is no receptacle for the dragon's soul
and even if your familiar doesn't lose control of the dragon when the spell expires (in which case they die or return to you, depending on how you read it) your familiar still can't use any of the extraordinary, supernatural or spell-like abilities of a dragon. No flight, no breathweapon, no spells.
actually, you only cant use ACTIVATED abilities of the dragon specifically, so flight is good, but breath weapon is not, and spells actually left the door with the dragon's mind since spells and spell-like abilities are stated in the spell to be part of the soul
Edit: If nothing else its probably reasonable to take a fresh corpse (such as a dragon that had its soul ejected and whose magic jar spell ran out) as a "suitable vessel" for the soul, since a similar example is given regarding Clone