Size and Type: The creature (referred to as the base creature) gains the reptilian and shapechanger subtypes, as well as any subtypes possessed by the base dragon. The dracothrope takes on the characteristics of a type of true dragon (referred to as the base dragon) within one size category of the base creature’s size. A dracothrope’s hybrid form is the same size as the base creature.
AC: In dragon form, the dracothrope has the base dragon's full natural armor bonus. In hybrid form, the dracothrope has half the base dragon's natural armor bonus.
Defensive Abilities: In dragon form, the dracothrope has the base dragon's full DR/Magic. In hybrid form, the dracothrope has half the base dragon's DR/Magic.
Speed: Same as the base creature or base dragon, depending on which form the dracothrope is using. Hybrids use the base creature’s land speed and gains a 60 foot fly speed (poor maneuverability), as well as any climb, swim, or burrow speed that the base dragon possesses.
Melee: In dragon form, the dracothrope has the base dragon's natural attacks. In hybrid form, the dracothrope has the base dragon's natural attacks which deals damage as appropriate for the hybrid form's size.
Special Attacks: A dracothrope retains all the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base creature. In hybrid or dragon form it gains the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base dragon. A dracothrope also gains low-light vision, 60 ft. dark vision, and the following:
Change Shape (Su):
Dracothropes have three forms—a humanoid form, an dragon form, and a hybrid form. Equipment does not meld with the new form between humanoid and hybrid form, but does between those forms and dragon form. A dracothrope can assume dragon or hybrid form as a full-round action by making a DC 15 Constitution check, or humanoid form as a full-round action by making a DC 20 Constitution check. Whenever the dracothrope is at 50% of max HP or lower, an it gains a +5 morale bonus to Constitution checks made to assume dragon or hybrid form, but a –5 penalty to Constitution checks made to assume humanoid form. A dracothrope reverts to its humanoid form automatically after 8 hours of rest. A slain dracothrope reverts to its humanoid form, although it remains dead.
Ability Scores: +2 Wis, –2 Cha in all forms; +2 Str, +2 Con in hybrid and dragon forms. Dracothropes have enhanced senses but are not fully in control of their emotions and animalistic urges. In addition to these adjustments to the base creature’s stats, a dracothrope’s ability scores change when he assumes hybrid or dragon form. In human form, the dracothrope’s ability scores are unchanged from the base creature’s form. In dragon and hybrid form, the dracothrope’s ability scores are the same as the base creature’s or the base dragon's, whichever ability score is higher.
Special: A dracothrope's life span increases to that of a dragon and determines its base dragon stats with the equivalent age category. In dragon form, the dracothrope acts as the base dragon typically acts. In hybrid form, the dracothrope has a 50% chance of acting normally any given round, otherwise they act as the base dragon.
More to come!
What should the CR be?
Sorry for taking so long to reply, but I was planning on making an evil polymorph spell that forces a Will save, with failure turning the victim into a dragon in body and mind that is hostile towards their allies, and success making them something like an afflicted lycanthrope, but with dragons instead of animals. It would also allow for spell resistance so that the spell could fizzle, but it would come in different spell levels to allow for different age categories.
Any suggestions?
I'll go with the lycanthropy adaptation.
School transmutation (evil, polymorph)
Level ?
Casting Time 1 full-round action
Components V, S, M (a scale of the dragon type you plan to curse the target with, a drop of the caster's blood), DF (replaces the caster's blood as a component)
Range close
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will (see below)
Spell Resistance yes
The target is bombarded with draconic energy and must make a Will save to maintain a portion of their own nature. Failing their Will save turns them into a wyrmling dragon of the appropriate type, while succeeding on their Will save afflicts them with lycanthropy, save that all mentions of base animal are replaced with a wyrmling dragon of the appropriate type and can always be gained regardless of sizes, and transforms them into their hybrid form. The dragon ignores the caster for the first 1 round/level after the transformation, but otherwise acts as a normal dragon of its kind.
I'm planning on making higher level versions of this spell to curse targets with older dragons. Any advice on naming the spell or what level the spell should start at?
DF is short for Divine Focus (used by divine casters, except maybe oracle). I think I'll call it Dragon's Brand I (wyrmling), II (very young), III (young), and IV (juvenile). I might do a 10% chance of the dragon being one age category older than normal and a 5% chance of the dragon being two age categories older, but no chance of the dragon being younger or a different type.
With this in mind, is 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th spell levels still appropriate?
Careful with that spell level. Theoretically, one could cast the spell on a member of a good party, which not only removes the character from play but, depending on the choice of dragon, also force the remaining party members to fight the dragon while either being smacked around by the caster's spells or the caster escapes.
I came up with three more spells:
School ?
Level ?
Casting Time 1 full-round action
Components V, S, F (an unhatched dragon egg of the type you plan to imbue the target with), DF/M (a drop of the caster's blood)
Range touch
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will? (Harmless?)
Spell Resistance no
You create a draconic avatar bound to the target to be manifest with a casting of certain other spells. The draconic avatar starts as a wyrmling with an alignment within one step away from the target towards the normal alignment for a dragon of its type, sharing the Target's values, however altered toward a typical dragon's views of its type. The caster names the draconic avatar at the time of casting. Casting this spell does not make the draconic avatar manifest, and the draconic avatar can only be manifest through casting certain other spells while the target is alive. This spell has no effect on those who already have a draconic avatar.
Assume that spellcasters with Draconic abilities we're preexisting recipients of both this spell (they even got to name their own draconic avatars) and the following spell:
School ?
Level ?
Casting Time 1 hour per current age category of the target's draconic avatar
Components V, S, M (5,000 gp worth of gemstones per current age category of the target's Draconic avatar), DF/M (a drop of the caster's blood)
Range touch
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will (Harmless)
Spell Resistance no
The target's draconic avatar advances to the same age as the target and allows the draconic avatar to be manifest when the target is dead at the same age as when the target died.
School conjuration
Level ?
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF/M (a drop of the caster's blood)
Range touch
Target one creature
Duration permanent
Saving Throw see below
Spell Resistance no
The target is replaced with their draconic avatar, which gains all buffs, debuffs, and conditions currently affecting the target, including unconsciousness. If the target is dead, the draconic avatar becomes unconscious instead. This spell has no effect on those who don't have a draconic avatar.
Any advice?
Hello?
Suggestions?
What level should these new spells be?
The first spell doesn't actually summon the dragon. From the looks of it, the spell merely creates data of a specific dragon that can be used later on to summon that dragon and binds it to a creature, kinda like creating a game save on a memory card.
Loxsis is right.
Does that affect the spell level?
Any suggestions?
No more advice?