[3.5] Intelligent Skeletal Dragon

[D4rkh0rus]

Hey GitP, This was in another thread of mine, but that one had another question which has been resolved, so as to not mix stuff I decided to create this thread.

The Thing in question is the Skeletal Dragon.

Is there any way to raise (from the dead) an Adult (Large)(Or bigger) skeletal dragon (I.e not a zombie) that retains its intelligence and its capability to fly while at the same time being loyal to you (the PC)

There were some suggestions in the last thread:

Create Undead (Bone Creature Template) + Rebuke is usually the main path, but im taking Ur-priest and those only get 10 lvls of rebuke. a simple adult dragon has around 20hd, meaning Id have to get a 22+ on the charisma check (10 levels of ur-priest + 4 from the check) then use items to reduce rebuke resistance/increase rebuke level by 26. Is there even that many?

Create Undead (Bone Creature Template) + Command Undead. would seem to work, but against an intelligent undead, its only a "charm" effect, also it allows a saving throw and only lasts a few days per casting. I'm Looking for a more permanent method.

Animate Dead (skeletal dragon) + maximized and empowered Awaken Undead was another suggestion, and while it does solve 2 problems like the first two options, one seems to evade. it makes a 15 Int skeletal dragon, but it can't fly

Polymorph Corpse into Humanoid + Animate Dread Warrior: I don't think this is possible.... Even if it was, I'd need lvl 20 char level to raise an adult dragon.

Create undead (Bone template dragon) + Polymorph any Object (something weak to mind affecting spells) + Mindrape would work, but... how would I go about doing it? Once raised, the dragon would be able to resist Polymorph any object (its a fort save, and dragons often have decent fort saves...), what would stop him from retaliating and so on? There is also a resource thing going on, since its not like I got dragon corpses to spare and stuff.

I think those are all. What I'm mainly wondering, is if there are any other ways. Or is it a lost cause? (For resource things, just assume I can cast lvl 9 cleric spells and have UMD maxed).

Thanks for reading :P

[Inevitability]

You can always craft a permanent item of Fly and put it on your awakened skeletal dragon. Or have someone do it for you. Wings of Flying should do the trick, and you'll only have to refluff a bit.

[OldTrees1]

Create undead (Bone template dragon) + Polymorph any Object (something weak to mind affecting spells) + Mindrape would work, but... how would I go about doing it? Once raised, the dragon would be able to resist Polymorph any object (its a fort save, and dragons often have decent fort saves...), what would stop him from retaliating and so on? There is also a resource thing going on, since its not like I got dragon corpses to spare and stuff.

Undead have terrible Fort Saves (Bad Base Save and no Con), they are just immune to most Fort Saves.

[ShurikVch]

Animate Dead (skeletal dragon) + maximized and empowered Awaken Undead was another suggestion, and while it does solve 2 problems like the first two options, one seems to evade. it makes a 15 Int skeletal dragon, but it can't fly

Polymorph Corpse into Humanoid + Animate Dread Warrior: I don't think this is possible.... Even if it was, I'd need lvl 20 char level to raise an adult dragon.
Animate Dead (skeletal dragon), PAO into living humanoid, Nar Fiendbond (http://dndtools.eu/spells/lost-empires-of-faerun--30/nar-fiendbond--1569/). When PAO dispelled, you will get Half-Fiendish Skeletal Dragon with functional wings. Awaken it!
Notes:
1. If you care about external appearance, then you can try to make Half-Fiend variant with Palrethee (MM2)
http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/mm2_gallery/88268_620_26.jpg
Are wings bony enough?
2. If you afraid Nar Fiendbond left your creature with outsider type, then during the PAO cast on it Undeath After Death (http://dndtools.eu/spells/magic-of-faerun--20/undeath-after-death--1726/), then kill it. As a result, you may get Awakened Crypr Spawn-Half-Fiend (Palrethee)-Skeletal Dragon

[D4rkh0rus]

Animate Dead (skeletal dragon), PAO into living humanoid, Nar Fiendbond (http://dndtools.eu/spells/lost-empires-of-faerun--30/nar-fiendbond--1569/). When PAO dispelled, you will get Half-Fiendish Skeletal Dragon with functional wings. Awaken it!
Notes:
1. If you care about external appearance, then you can try to make Half-Fiend variant with Palrethee (MM2)
http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/mm2_gallery/88268_620_26.jpg
Are wings bony enough?
2. If you afraid Nar Fiendbond left your creature with outsider type, then during the PAO cast on it Undeath After Death (http://dndtools.eu/spells/magic-of-faerun--20/undeath-after-death--1726/), then kill it. As a result, you may get Awakened Crypr Spawn-Half-Fiend (Palrethee)-Skeletal Dragon

Thats rather funky and roundabout. Does it actually work? :O

[ShurikVch]

Thats rather funky and roundabout. Does it actually work? :O
First:
Half-Fiendish: Creatures with this template retain their wings if, somehow, another template is layered on top of it. If that template has wings also, the creature’s wings look like those of the half-fiend. As with fiendish, half-fiendish can be added to outsiders in order to create a half-fiendish chaos beast, for example.

Second: creature must qualify for template at the moment of obtaining said template. What it was before or after doesn't matter. Same about the spells which were cast on creature.

Third: "Crypt Spawn" can be applied to any living creature, including Half-Fiend/Skeletal Dragon - outsiders are living creatures -, and doesn't lose anything except Con score

[D4rkh0rus]

First:

Second: creature must qualify for template at the moment of obtaining said template. What it was before or after doesn't matter. Same about the spells which were cast on creature.

Third: "Crypt Spawn" can be applied to any living creature, including Half-Fiend/Skeletal Dragon - outsiders are living creatures -, and doesn't lose anything except Con score

Well, quoting from the draconomicon entry for skeletal dragon:


Speed: The creature retains its land speed, but loses fly
and swim speeds. If it had a burrow or climb speed, it retains
that as well.

That half fiend template doesn't gain a fly speed, it gains a pair of wings. ><

[D4rkh0rus]

Also, Can an undead level up? (being an intelligent being, one would assume he has the capability to improve, but how does this translate to in game rules and so on)

[OldTrees1]

Also, Can an undead level up? (being an intelligent being, one would assume he has the capability to improve, but how does this translate to in game rules and so on)

Undead can gain levels in classes (if they have 3+ Int)

Undead can age (Each 100 years 1% chance to gain the Evolved Undead template. +1% per previous success, +1% per previous failure since the last success)
Ex: If an undead has gained the Evolved Undead template 2x and has aged 532 years since the last time, it has a 1+2+5=8% chance of evolving when it reaches 600 years.

[ShurikVch]

Another possibilities to keep fly speed:

1) Cauldron Spawn template doesn't say anything about loss of fly speed. So, if you can get access to the Cauldron of Corruption, you can make Cauldron Spawn dragon. Template limited up to Large size

2) Revived Fossil template (from the LM) says: "If the base creature fl ew magically, so can the revived fossil." Some of Lung dragons (Chiang Lung, Pan Lung, Shen Lung, T’ien Lung, and Tun Mi Lung) have Fly (Su). So, Revived Fossil made of one of those dragons may keep it's fly. The main problem is creation of RF