[3.5] Statting a cursed dragon

[Greymane]

I'm currently designing a back-up character for a game that's being run here at home, and I decided Dragon was the flavor of the evening.

I'm wondering how best to stat a black dragon who's been magically cursed to be stuck in a humanoid form. What sort of race/templates/classes can I pick to best represent this?

At first I thought a simple sorcerer might do the trick, after all it would make sense for the poor schmuck to focus on magic with his brute strength having been taken away. Though, that's rather bland and I'm wondering if there isn't a better way to represent this character?

I'd like to, preferably, emphasize the massive physical strength combined with innate magical might that dragons always have going for them.

The level is currently ECL 6 (though, it'll go much higher, probably into the late teens), I have access to just about every single 3.5 book, with the exception of Incarnum because none of us owns it.

Stats rolled: 18, 17, 16, 14, 11, 11

Noteworthy Houserules:

All level adjustments for races and templates have been reduced by one. (To a minimum of +1 for templates) If your chosen race had no LA to begin with, you instead get a +2 to the ability score of your choice.

Weapon Finesse is given to any character who has a higher Dex score than Str for free.

We begin play with three extra feats ('cause we like stuff for free).

Thanks in advance for any help, guys!

[Boci]

Free +1 LA is always better than +2 to a state. Take your pick from goliath, half-minotaur or Lolth-touched (all can be found on crystalkeep.com, the latter two are templates). Reflavour to make the strengths increaes due to your former dragon body and play a magical characters. A sorceror could work but dragonfire adept (from dragon magic) is another valid, if slightly weaker choice.

[BobVosh]

Dragon wrought kobold! 1 Commoner, chicken infested (side effect from the curse) Then whatever the current class combo is for throwing anything type builds.

[Runestar]

You could play a sorc with those draconic heritage feats. Flavourwise, this would represent him trying to break free of the curse, and the times when you use said abilities like draconic breath or claw could represent the brief moments when he manages to manifest his inherent dragon traits.

[Thurbane]

Maybe a Viletooth Lizardfolk?

[Anonymouswizard]

Human sorcerer with black dragon heritage and linage, and see if your DM will let you make a version of lesser dragonshape that lets you turn into a black dragon, sacrificing all your magic to completely ignore the curse for a short while.

I say draconic heritage+black dragon linage+draconic claw+draconic breath+draconic skin+draconic legacy+draconic vigor. You might want to find a way to add draconic armour or draconic knowledge into that, but keep draconic legacy as long as you have four other draconic feats.

Place your stats like this: Str 17 Dex 16 Con 14 Int 11 Wis 11 Cha 18 (+3 for 22).

OR drop one of the draconic feats and two points of Cha and pick any race with +1 LA and something useful for the build. Might be good to multiclass to fighter and gain dragonscale husk.

If you can find it one dragon magazine had rules for playing chromatic dragons, so you could just be a black dragon if you have it.

[Nate the Snake]

Maybe a Viletooth Lizardfolk?

Seconded. Viletooth lizardfolk just screams black dragon in humanoid form. Refluffed dragonborn is another option.

Class-wise, draconic sorcerer/dragonheart mage would fit. Lots of dragon flavor to reflect his true nature, and the focus on magic can represent his search for a way to remove the curse.

[arguskos]

Poison Dusk Lizardfolk would be a good cursed black dragon kinda thing, especially with free LA and for rogueish types. Might be worth checking out.

[Kylarra]

Dragonfire Adept is a good one to be too. >.>

[Greymane]

Wow, thanks for all the ideas, guys. A few things though...

Sorcerers in our games use the Battle Sorcerer variant from Unearthed Arcana. However, they don't suffer a penalty to spells known or spells per day.

Where can I find Viletooth Lizardfolk?

Are the Dragonspawn Templates in Dragonlance any good? I've heard those mentioned in the past.

[Quietus]

Viletooth lizardfolk are in Dragon Magic, page 9. The basic rundown is that they're weaker, but more cunning, they can breathe water at all times (rather than just hold their breath as regular lizardfolk), and gain the dragonblood subtype. No level adjustment, so you'd get your +2 stats as well. Otherwise, I'll second Runestar in the suggestion of "Sorcerer, take the feats that let you gain breath weapons/claws/whatever when you cast spells"; The fact that these are *feats*, which you gain three extra for free, certainly doesn't hurt.

[Kylarra]

Wow, thanks for all the ideas, guys. A few things though...

Sorcerers in our games use the Battle Sorcerer variant from Unearthed Arcana. However, they don't suffer a penalty to spells known or spells per day.

Where can I find Viletooth Lizardfolk?

Are the Dragonspawn Templates in Dragonlance any good? I've heard those mentioned in the past.White Dragonspawn are nifty, if cheesy.

[Nate the Snake]

Viletooth lizardfolk are in Dragon Magic, page 9. The basic rundown is that they're weaker, but more cunning, they can breathe water at all times (rather than just hold their breath as regular lizardfolk), and gain the dragonblood subtype. No level adjustment, so you'd get your +2 stats as well. Otherwise, I'll second Runestar in the suggestion of "Sorcerer, take the feats that let you gain breath weapons/claws/whatever when you cast spells"; The fact that these are *feats*, which you gain three extra for free, certainly doesn't hurt.

Actually, viletooth lizardfolk do have level adjustment. They're like normal lizardfolk except as noted otherwise, so they have 2 racial HD plus LA +1 since the viletooth stats don't change that.

Once again, a cool race is thwarted by RHD and/or LA. :smallyuk:

[Dusk Eclipse]

how about a poison dusk lizardfolk only LA +1 +2 DEX +2 CON and -2 CHA, small, +3 nat AC, 30 ft speed, bite and claw (1d3), some racial bonus (primary to stealth skills) chamelon skin, low-light vision

with the cha penalty you may want to pursue (sp?) another arcane path rather than sorcerer

[BenTheJester]

I once really wanted to play a Viletooth Lizardfolk but didn't want to lose 3 levels for it, so I proposed this to my DM:

Modified Viletooth Lizardfolk(No LA, No RHD):
Humanoid(Reptilian)
Medium Size, 30 ft move
+2 Con, -2 Dex
+1 Natural Armor
Dragonblood Subtype
Water Breathing
Natural Weapons: Bite (1d4 damage +2 acid damage)
+2 racial bonus on Balance, Jump, and Swim checks.
Favored Class: Sorcerer
Automatic Languages: Common, Draconic

[arguskos]

I realllllly recommend you play a Poison Dusk Lizardfolk instead. DuskEclipse just spelled them out above your post, and they are so much awesome, it's hard to contain.

[Runestar]

You have one free LA, don't you? Ask your DM if he will scrap the racial HD of the lizardfolk if you give up the natural armour. That is the only feature I would consider losing that didn't lose the inherent "flavour" of playing a lizardfolk.