I'm drawing inspiration from the 'Breath of Fire' video game series, where "Dragon" means a person who can turn into a dragon, seemingly from the get-go, for short periods of time (might be missing the point here, though). I plan on having them turn into Taninim ('In the Company of Dragons', Rite Publishing) to make it early level-friendly while they take the dragon shape, and have that form get stronger as they progress. Bloodrager seems like a good class to start from. Any suggestions?
Dragon Disciple -- eventually lets you turn into a Dragon even if you use the Sorcerer version of the Draconic Bloodline (which means you have the option to get much better spellcasting). If you go with the Sorcerer version and have the feats to spare, you can pick up Favored Prestige Class (feat tax for prerequisite, but still somewhat useful) and eventually 3 ranks of Prestigious Spellcaster to catch up on your spellcasting progression (Dragon Disciple has 3 non-progression levels). (These feats aren't worth getting if you go with the Bloodrager version, since Bloodrager casting is only 4/9.)
You can always go synthesist with an eidolon shaped like a dragon (four legs, head, tail, wings...) if you don't feel like sorcerer.
This might sound a bit strange, but I'd go with paladin. What happens when he turns into a dragon? He is still medium sized. He gets non functional wings and at low level isn't very powerful. Give him class (as per ranger natural fighting style). Give him natural armor equal to breastplate (cannot wear armor due to unusual shape. Otherwise give him natural armor +1) and give him a full round low power breathe weapon.
Upgrade power level as he levels up with minor spells as he does so.
^Not sure how that is supposed to work, but now that you mention a divine class, if you are a Kobold, you can take the Scaled Disciple feat and get spontaneous divine spellcasting to be counted as arcane for the purpose of qualifying for and being extended by Dragon Disciple. I don't know of any spontaneous casting Paladin archetypes off the top of my head, though -- this is intended more for an Oracle (could also work for an Inquisitor, but not as good).
Well I was presuming Lazaryus was making his own class (given this is homebrew and not advice). If I was wrong then you suggestion is completely unhelpful.
I had someone do this with Spheres of Power as a Shifter. At level one you can turn into a kind of s&@*ty dragon (aka balanced to other lvl 1 players) without wings but as you level up your dragon form gets bigger, learns to fly, better breath weapon etc.
^Not sure how that is supposed to work, but now that you mention a divine class, if you are a Kobold, you can take the Scaled Disciple feat and get spontaneous divine spellcasting to be counted as arcane for the purpose of qualifying for and being extended by Dragon Disciple. I don't know of any spontaneous casting Paladin archetypes off the top of my head, though -- this is intended more for an Oracle (could also work for an Inquisitor, but not as good).
With a nod to john's reply and Potato's suggestion, framing an AT based off of the summonses eidolon is a great way to approach this. If you can work out a decent frame, the AT can be modified to each class by swapping out abilities of a similar power.
Well I was presuming Lazaryus was making his own class (given this is homebrew and not advice). If I was wrong then you suggestion is completely unhelpful.
Oops -- for some reason I thought this was in the Advice or Rules forum . . . .
Dragon Disciple is still not a bad point of reference, but make a prestige class that is more martial and less spellcasting (like redesign it to be actually better for a Bloodrager or Eldritch Heritage user to enter than a Sorcerer, although that's going to be hard with the way D&D 3.x/PF prestige classes work -- maybe the best would be to go with full BAB, d12, and no spellcasting progression). Also keep an eye out for the upcoming Shifter class to see if it has a Draconic option.
The Shifter from Ultimate Wilderness, not Spheres of Power.
@Lazaryus: what are you hoping to accomplish exactly? Is that best defined as a race or racial bloodline that can be simply added to any character? Is it best defined as an archetype that, with more hacking an modding, can be used as an AT for any class? Or is it best defined as a PrC that can be accessed by a wide variety of race/ class combinations?
After you answer that, it's a matter of defining the flavor and parameters of the mechanics you envision. And after that it's all about balance and insertion. There are a plethora of possible approaches and enough interest from the community to help make it happen, but it all starts with your answers to the questions above.
I'm trying to make the ability work like this:
Available at first level(form of the dragon is out)
Balanced for power
Short duration(synthesist summoner is out, bardic performance, rage, or bloodrage would work well)
Sorry, that didn't come through any clearer for me.
You want a dragon form that grows more powerful with levels?
Sorry, that didn't come through any clearer for me.
You want a dragon form that grows more powerful with levels?
Yes, but not in a way that could last all day.
With the prestige class route, as long as you design the entry requirements so that they can't be cheesed, you don't have to worry about balancing somebody being able to turn into a Dragon at 1st character level -- by the time they can get into the prestige class, they have a few character levels on them.
PrCs typically require you to be at least level 6 to take.
I know of at least two attempts to make a balanced, full-time dragon ('In the Company of Dragons' by Rite Publishing, and 'Monster Class: True Dragon' by Dreamscarred Press). I'll go the Rite Publishing route since they have options for Imperial and Primal dragons as well as Metallic and Chromatic dragons.
If I go with Bloodrager, I'll require them to choose the Draconic Bloodline, replace some features with Dracomorphisis (size increase; Taninim start as small creatures with glide instead of flight, no breath weapon, and just a bite natural attack; first iteration of Dracomorphisis grants flight, and all iterations add a natural attack, with the exclusion of claws), and drop the flight bloodline power for another ability since the first Dracomorphisis should come earlier. I'll have Dracomorphisis only used when they are in dragon form.
Bump.
Well if you wanna homebrew it- go ahead, it's cool. If you're looking for an existing one, there isn't.
I'll replace Bloodrage with Dragon Form(transform into Taninim), and Greater Bloodrage and Mighty Bloodrage with Dracomorphisis. I was thinking about replacing Damage Reduction with Draconic Defence(adds protection options to Dragon Form) and Bloodline feats with Draconic Weaponry(adds extra attack options to Dragon Form). I'm pulling the Draconic Defence and Weaponry features from the Draconic Exemplar class from the same book as Taninim.
No clue what's going on, but it sounds good, whatever it is!
Here's a class feature table for the archetype. Questions?
1st Bloodline, bloodline power, taninim form, energy resistance 5, draconic essense
2nd Draconic influence
3rd Blood sanctuary
4th Blood casting, bloodline power, eshew materials
5th Greater lair
6th Draconic weaponry
7th Bloodline spell, Draconic defence
8th Bloodline power
9th Draconic weaponry
10th Bloodline spell, Draconic defence
11th Dracomorphisis
12th Draconic weaponry, bloodline power
13th Bloodline spell, Draconic defence
14th Dracomorphisis
15th Draconic weaponry
16th Bloodline spell, bloodline power, draconic defence
17th Dracomorphisis
18th Draconic weaponry
19th Draconic defence
20th Bloodline power, dracomorphisis
^Yes -- what does each of those terms mean? (Some you posted about a bit above, some not.)
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The stuff he posted is from the Draconic Exemplar class for a race of dragons.
Bloodline: must choose draconic with the type matching your draconic essense. If you change your draconic essense, your draconic bloodline also changes to match.
Taninim form: works as bloodrage, but instead of the normal effects, you assume the form of a Taninim and gain temporary access to Taninim racial traits. When you first bloodrage, you may choose alternate racial traits for this form. Once chosen, this form is assumed every time you assume a Taninim form, and cannot be altered in this way again without retraining (class feature). Your gear melds into this form.
Draconic influence: add half your level as a bonus on skills that true dragons commonly invest ranks in (I've yet to research this).
Greater lair: extra bonus for their lair bond or hoard (I've yet to decide what bonus exactly).
Draconic weaponry replaces bloodline feats, draconic defence replaces damage resistance, and dracomorphisis replaces greater bloodrage, indomitable will, tireless bloodrage, and mighty bloodrage. Draconic weaponry, draconic defence, and dracomorphisis only affect taninim form.
I made a homebrew class that's a take on the dragon knight from Divinity 2. They can turn into a dragon as per the dragon form line of spells.
I can send you the link if you're interested.
I made a homebrew class that's a take on the dragon knight from Divinity 2. They can turn into a dragon as per the dragon form line of spells.
I can send you the link if you're interested.
Alright, I'll bite. :)
Bump
Cool!
Linky
This is the latest version. I play tested this class in a game that went 1-20. It performed well amongst a pretty well rounded party.
I'm considering adding a little something to bolster it at earlier levels.
Not a big thing, but like a +1 damage per die for spells that share the same energy type as the breath weapon of the dragon they chose.