Hi There!
I have been playing around with an idea for players to play dragons as opposed to humanoids, but haven't gotten much past the initial idea. I was hoping for feedback!
Here is what I have so far:
-players begin playing a hatchling/wormling dragon that is in a menagerie of some rich nobel somewhere. They are treated as the show piece to any visitors, but they initially see the humans as worshiping them or paying tribute (because, you know, they are dragons)
-mix brood so they can pick what type of dragon they are
Problems:
-a great part of the game is character customization, so how would you go about customizing a dragon? Class levels, or something akin to the build-your-own-drake section in this book: Book of Drakes. (the section gives you a set number of points per level of your drake companion for you to 'buy' things like increased damage dice, increase size, special abilities like trample or tremor sense, etc), or level them up like a dragon but let them change feats, spells, etc?
-gear and loot, a lot of it assumes your a humanoid, suggestions on how to adjust for this?
-how to inform obsession with gold and wealth?
-leveling up: the dragons in the book increase in size and CR with age, but should I adjust that for experience reaching a new level?
Thanks!
Mixed brood is a bad idea because the CR of hatchling's ranges from 2 to 6(!). The Book of Drakes is a great way to mitigate this. I can tell you I'd love to play in this kind of game, personally.
Thats a good point on the hatchling stats and CRs. The Book of Drakes is where I was getting some customization ideas from.
I was also thinking of modified classes, so they can get some benefits of a class without actually taking class levels, and adding it to the point buy system from the Book of Drakes.
For an example:
Draconic Healer: 5 point cost: the first time this is selected it allows the dragon to channel positive energy like a cleric, using its HD as its caster level. The second time this is selected the dragon adds 1st level divine spells to the spells they can cast, etc.
Or perhaps increase the cost and have the ability increase as the dragon's level does?
Dragon issues 320 and 332 might help. If you go this route a couple of possibilities:
1) You can gestalt with one class being the dragon class each level. A little extra work for both player and GM, but I'd be willing in both cases.
2) Offer the classes as an option along with classes. Characters that want to progress primarily as dragons can, those that want to be a barbarian red wyrmling can, etc.
3) ???
4) Profit.
Also, I recommend 3.5s Draconomicon for Draconic feats and whatnot.
To simulate a dragon's obsession with wealth, I would recommend a hoard mechanic that ties some kind of progression to how valuable the hoard is. You could tie it to level, just like Wealth by Level but in reverse, or tie it to either their size and age progression or their spellcasting or some other reward like bonus feats or Leadership score. (Personally I would progress a casting class by XP gain, traditionally sorcerer but any class will do.) So you have multiple progression streams and the players have to balance/optimize them.
I haven't read the Book of Drakes, but the Dragon Companion Handbook balances all the colours and types of dragon, including Imperial and Outer dragons. It's designed for use as an animal companion or cohort, but has a perfectly usable class progression for PC's. It also has dragon feats that unlock abilities dragons normally get.
As for gear, I haven't play tested this extensively, but I doubt already very powerful dragons need it. So many natural weapons, plus breath, makes me a sad GM.
PS. Food for thought: Grey Dragons (assuming the default PF setting)
I was thinking about the progression of time too. Perhaps they have to hibernate for months or years to grow? That could be interesting from a story perspective.
I was thinking of getting them to choose a type of dragon to start with, but start as a very neutral version or it. Like mutts I guess with a predominant bloodline? As they level that bloodline gets stronger?
Everyone starts off grey is cool too.
I will have to look at the Dragon Companion Handbook! The reverse wealth by level is interesting. Their hoard needs to get so big to boost themselves up. That attracts both worshipers and thieves?
Rite Publishing has "In the Company of Dragons" in PDF and are currently working on a full book.
The party that obtained these eggs for the rich noble, contained an elf druid who cast awaken on each egg. The dragons still have instincts to hoard but choose their own alignment. Since they live in a treasury, what adventuring will they do. Prey on thieves?
I was assuming they would go a direction I was not expecting. Options I was going to prepare for was
-them escaping and seeing the world
-trying to take over the town
-deciding to go take treasure from other places and bring it back to the city
-if they decide to stay, eventually they will get to big for their 'home', or people would start to fear a small number of dragons living in a city close by
-perhaps other nobles would want to steal them and bring the dragons to their own city
I'm sure they will think of something else too.
Maybe this leveling system
1. Dragon class from Rite publishing
2.Variant multiclass rules.
3.Instead of XP use the reverse wealth system suggested above
4.???
5. Profit