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Celestia
2019-08-06, 03:59 PM
May tales are told of the lycanthrope, people who turn into animals on nights of the full moon, but there exists an even greater beast shrouded in mystery and legend: the dracanthrope. Like the werewolf, this mythical creature adopts a more bestial appearance, but instead of turning into a lowly animal, they become the mightiest beings in the world: dragons. None are quite certain from where this affliction initially arose, whether it is a true disease, a polymorph spell gone wrong, a magical experiment, or something else entirely. Regardless, it spreads just like lycanthropy.

Creating a Dracanthrope
"Dracanthrope" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or giant (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The dracanthrope template can be inherited (for natural dracanthropes) or acquired (for afflicted dracanthropes). Becoming a dracanthrope is very much like multiclassing as a dragon and gaining the appropriate Hit Dice.

Size and Type
The base creature’s type does not change, but the creature gains the dragonblood and shapechanger subtypes. The dracanthrope takes on the characteristics of a creature of the dragon type (referred to hereafter as the base dragon). A dracanthrope is never classified as a true dragon.

This dragon must be within one size category of the base creature’s size (Small, Medium, or Large for a Medium base creature). Dracanthropes can also adopt a hybrid shape that combines features of the base creature and the base dragon. A dracanthrope’s hybrid form is the same size as the base dragon or the base creature, whichever is larger.

A dracanthrope uses either the base creature’s or the base dragon’s statistics and special abilities in addition to those described here.

Hit Dice and Hit Points
Same as the base creature plus those of the base dragon. To calculate total hit points, apply the highest Constitution modifier the dracothrope has in any form. A dracothrope's hit point total remains the same in all forms.

Speed
Same as the base creature or base dragon, depending on which form the dracanthrope is using. Hybrids use the base dragon's fly speed (if any) and the base creature's other speeds.

Armor Class
The base creature’s natural armor bonus increases by +1 (if afflicted) or +3 (if natural) in all forms. In hybrid form, the dracanthrope’s natural armor bonus is equal to the natural armor bonus of the base dragon or the base creature, whichever is better.

Base Attack/Grapple
Add the base attack bonus for the base dragon to the base attack bonus for the base creature. The dracanthrope’s grapple bonus uses its attack bonus and modifiers for Strength and size depending on the dracanthrope’s form.

Attacks
Same as the base creature or base dragon, depending on which form the dracanthrope is using. A dracanthrope in hybrid form gains two claw attacks and a bite attack as natural weapons.

These weapons deal damage based on the hybrid form’s size. A hybrid may attack with a weapon and a bite, or may attack with its natural weapons. The bite attack of a hybrid is a secondary attack.

Damage
Same as the base creature or base dragon, depending on which form the dracanthrope is in. In hybrid form, the dracanthrope deals damage based on the following table:



Hybrid Size
Claw
Bite


Tiny
1d3
1d4


Small
1d4
1d6


Medium
1d6
1d8


Large
1d8
1d10


Huge
1d10
1d12


Gargantuan
2d6
2d8


Colossal
2d8
2d10


Special Attacks
A dracanthrope retains the special attacks of the base creature or base dragon, depending on which form it is using, and also gains the special attacks described below. A dracanthrope’s hybrid form gains the base dragon's breath attack but does not gain any other special attacks. A dracothrope retains all class features in every form.

Curse of Dracanthropy (Su)
Any humanoid or giant hit by a dracanthrope’s bite attack in dragon or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract dracanthropy. If the victim’s size is not within one size category of the dracanthrope the victim cannot contract dracanthropy from that dracanthrope.

Special Qualities
A dracanthrope retains all the special qualities of the base creature and the base dragon, and also gains those described below.

Alternate Form (Su)
A dracanthrope can assume the form of a specific animal (as indicated in its entry).

Changing to or from dragon or hybrid form is a standard action.

A slain dracanthrope reverts to its humanoid form, although it remains dead. Separated body parts retain their dragon form, however.

Afflicted dracanthropes find this ability difficult to control (see Dracanthropy as an Affliction, below), but natural dracanthropes have full control over this power.

Damage Reduction (Ex)
An afflicted dracanthrope in dragon or hybrid form has damage reduction 5/silver. A natural dracanthrope in dragon or hybrid form has damage reduction 15/silver and in humanoid form has damage reduction 5/silver.

Dracanthropic Empathy (Ex)
In any form, dracanthropes are seen as unnatural abominations by full-blooded dragons. This gives them a -4 racial penalty on checks when influencing the dragon's attitude.

Darkvision
A dracanthrope has darkvision out to 60 feet in any form.

Low-Light Vision
A dracanthrope has low-light vision in any form.

Immunities
A dracanthrope is immune to magic sleep effects and paralysis in any form.

Frightful Presence
A dracanthrope that has frightful presence in dragon form retains it in hybrid form and receives a +2 racial bonus on intimidate checks in humanoid form.

Base Save Bonuses
Add the base save bonuses of the base dragon to the base save bonuses of the base creature.

Abilities
A natural dracanthropes gain +2 to Intelligence. In addition, when in dragon or hybrid form, a dracanthrope’s physical ability scores improve according to its kind. These adjustments are equal to the dragon's normal ability scores -10 (if even) or -11 (if odd).

In addition, a dracanthrope may also gain an additional ability score increase by virtue of its extra Hit Dice.

Skills
A dracanthrope gains skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die of its dragon form, as if it had multiclassed into the dragon type. (Dragon is never its first Hit Die, though, and it does not gain quadruple skill points for any dragon Hit Die.) Any skill given in the dragon's description is a class skill for the dracanthrope’s dragon levels. In any form, a dracanthrope also has any racial skill bonuses of the base creature and of the base dragon, although conditional skill bonuses only apply in the associated form. An afflicted dracanthrope that is aware of their dracanthropy also gains Control Shape as a class skill.

Feats
Add the base dragon's feats to the base creature’s. If this results in a dracanthrope having the same feat twice, and the feat normally cannot be taken more than once, the dracanthrope can pick any other feat for which they qualify. This process may give the dracanthrope more feats than a character of its total Hit Dice would normally be entitled to; if this occurs, any "extra" feats are denoted as bonus feats.

It’s possible that a dracanthrope cannot meet the prerequisites for all its feats when in humanoid form. If this occurs, the dracanthrope still has the feats, but cannot use them when in humanoid form. A dracanthrope receives Iron Will as a bonus feat.

Environment
Same as either the base creature or the base dragon.

Organization
Solitary.

Challenge Rating
By class level or base creature, modified according to the HD of the base dragon: 1 HD or 2 HD, +3; 3 HD to 5 HD, +4; 6 HD to 10 HD, +5; 11 HD to 20 HD, +6; 21 to 30 HD, +7; 31 HD or more, +8 .

Treasure
Double standard.

Alignment
A natural dracanthrope has the same alignment as the base dragon. An afflicted dracanthrope can have any alignment (see Dracanthropy as an Affliction, below).

Advancement
By character class.

Level Adjustment
A dracanthrope's level adjustment is based on the HD of the base dragon. 1 HD to 4 HD, +2 (afflicted) or +3 (natural); 5 HD to 9 HD, +1 (afflicted) or +2 (natural); 10 HD to 14 HD, +0 (afflicted) or +1 (natural); 15 HD or more, +0. In addition, a dracanthrope’s character level is increased by the number of racial Hit Dice the base dragon has.


Dracanthropy as an Affliction
When a character contracts dracanthropy through a dracanthrope’s bite (see above), no symptoms appear until the first night spent near a large amount of treasure (character level x 500 gp or more). On that night, the afflicted character involuntarily assumes dragon form and forgets their own identity, temporarily becoming an NPC. The character remains in dragon form, assuming the appropriate alignment, until the next dawn.

The character’s actions during this first episode are dictated by the alignment of its dragon form. The character remembers nothing about the entire episode (or subsequent episodes) unless they succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom check, in which case they becomes aware of their dracanthropic condition.

Thereafter, the character is subject to involuntary transformation every night spent near large treasure and whenever damaged in combat. They feel an overwhelming rage building up and must succeed on a Control Shape check (see below) to resist changing into dragon form. Any player character not yet aware of their dracanthropic condition temporarily becomes an NPC during an involuntary change, and acts according to the alignment of their dragon form.

A character with awareness of their condition retains their identity and does not lose control of their actions if they change. However, each time they change to their dragon form, they must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of times they have been in dragon form) or permanently assume the alignment of their dragon form in all shapes.

Once a character becomes aware of their affliction, they can now voluntarily attempt to change to dragon or hybrid form, using the appropriate Control Shape check DC. An attempt is a standard action and can be made each round. Any voluntary change to dragon or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character’s alignment to that of the appropriate dracanthrope.

Changing Form
Changing form is a standard action. If the change is involuntary, the character performs the change on their next turn following the triggering event. An afflicted character who is not aware of their condition remains in dragon form until the next dawn. An afflicted character who is aware of their condition (see above) can try to resume humanoid form following a change (voluntary or involuntary) with a Control Shape check, but if they fail the check, they remain in dragon (or hybrid) form until the following dawn.

Curing Dracanthropy
An afflicted character who eats a sprig of antirrhinum (also called snapdragon) within 12 hours of a dracanthrope’s attack can attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save to shake off the affliction. If a healer administers the herb, use the character’s save bonus or the healer’s Heal modifier, whichever is higher. The character gets only one chance, no matter how much antirrhinum is consumed. The antirrhinum must be reasonably fresh (picked within the last week).

However, fresh or not, antirrhinum is toxic. The character must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Strength damage. One minute later, the character must succeed on a second DC 13 save or take an additional 2d6 points of Strength damage.

A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of 12th level or higher also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the dracanthrope’s attack.

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character while lying atop a large pile of treasure (character level x 500 gp or more). After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). If the save fails, the process must be repeated.

Characters undergoing this cure are often kept bound or confined in cages until the cure takes effect.

Only afflicted dracanthropes can be cured of dracanthropy.

Rater202
2019-08-06, 04:36 PM
So, if a Dracothrope retains the special qualities of the base humanoid/giant and base dragon, does the Dracanthrope's DR Silver replace/supersede the base dragon's DR/Magic or do the normal rules for having multiple damage reductions apply?(they don't stack, only the best applies but the lower applies if the best is bypassed by something tat doesn't also bypass the lower.)

I mean, if my reading is right it would be entirely plausible to have a medium humanoid able to turn into a young adult dragon while a large humanoid or giant could depending on the base dragon become the equivalent of a Very Old Dragon. A troll or Hill Giant who was a were-black or were-white could have dr 15/silver and a separate DR/15 magic.

Celestia
2019-08-06, 05:05 PM
So, if a Dracothrope retains the special qualities of the base humanoid/giant and base dragon, does the Dracanthrope's DR Silver replace/supersede the base dragon's DR/Magic or do the normal rules for having multiple damage reductions apply?(they don't stack, only the best applies but the lower applies if the best is bypassed by something tat doesn't also bypass the lower.)

I mean, if my reading is right it would be entirely plausible to have a medium humanoid able to turn into a young adult dragon while a large humanoid or giant could depending on the base dragon become the equivalent of a Very Old Dragon. A troll or Hill Giant who was a were-black or were-white could have dr 15/silver and a separate DR/15 magic.
Yes. secret text

Remuko
2019-08-06, 07:45 PM
A dracanthrope spellcaster cannot cast spells with somatic components while in dragon form.

I love this so much, but I have to ask...why (at quoted bit)?

Dragons can perform somatic components in dragon form so why can't Dracanthropes?

Celestia
2019-08-06, 10:03 PM
I love this so much, but I have to ask...why (at quoted bit)?

Dragons can perform somatic components in dragon form so why can't Dracanthropes?
Because dragons are naturally dragons and are accustomed to having dragon bodies. A humanoid or giant is not. It's just like how polymorphing into something without a human-shaped body also prevents somatic components.

khadgar567
2019-08-07, 08:29 AM
okay this need few support feats and your party has rude enough awekening in their future

Glimbur
2019-08-07, 10:50 AM
Seems like more trouble than it is worth to have hit points change with shape change to a different con score. Druids just keep their base form hp, I would recommend that.

Celestia
2019-08-07, 12:26 PM
okay this need few support feats and your party has rude enough awekening in their future
I could make feats. Any suggestions?


Seems like more trouble than it is worth to have hit points change with shape change to a different con score. Druids just keep their base form hp, I would recommend that.
*shrug*
That's how normal lycanthropy works. You may notice that most of this was just copypasta'd from the SRD. :smallwink:
But, yeah. That is kinda dumb. I had considered changing it so that you just get the higher con mod for HP in all forms, but that seemed to strong. And the lower con mod in all forms not only seems too weak but also seems to work contrary to the fluff. A druid magically turns into an animal but is still, at core, a humanoid. Thus, it makes sense that they'd keep their own life force in animal form. A lycanthrope, meanwhile, becomes the animal and is permanently changed right down to the soul. It's just part of who they intrinsically are. So, there's no logical reason for them not to reap full benefit of the constitution.

I'm not sure there's a good way to handle this.

khadgar567
2019-08-07, 12:30 PM
I could make feats. Any suggestions?

technically no as this is already scary enough but if you can acces the magic of dragon in some way your party might be poop some 24k bricks of gold from shear fear this sucker gonna generate

Breccia
2019-08-07, 01:55 PM
Dracanthropy as an Affliction

I despise this idea and would never use it. But that's subjective, of course. Maybe in some worlds, being bitten by a dragon does have this effect.

My real comment regards the CR. It's awfully wordy and probably at risk to misfires. Might I suggest "CR: Higher of the dragon or the base creature, +2"?

Celestia
2019-08-07, 02:25 PM
I despise this idea and would never use it. But that's subjective, of course. Maybe in some worlds, being bitten by a dragon does have this effect.

My real comment regards the CR. It's awfully wordy and probably at risk to misfires. Might I suggest "CR: Higher of the dragon or the base creature, +2"?
Like with the hit point comment above, this I just took from the base template (though I did bump each stage by +1 and add another stage for 31+ HD). And while it may be cumbersome, I think it's the only method that works. A blanket +X has too much room for flaws. I don't think a were-young adult black dragon with 10 class levels should be only CR 12. I mean, even if you just stuck the class levels on the dragon, itself, it would still be CR 14, and the were- variety will also have better stats and all the template goodies.

Breccia
2019-08-07, 02:42 PM
A blanket +X has too much room for flaws

It's been a while since I did a 3.5 game, but I was working on my recollection that "double power is CR +2" and went with that.

faeriesaur
2019-08-07, 04:41 PM
Because dragons are naturally dragons and are accustomed to having dragon bodies. A humanoid or giant is not. It's just like how polymorphing into something without a human-shaped body also prevents somatic components.



*shrug*
That's how normal lycanthropy works. You may notice that most of this was just copypasta'd from the SRD. :smallwink:
But, yeah. That is kinda dumb. I had considered changing it so that you just get the higher con mod for HP in all forms, but that seemed to strong. And the lower con mod in all forms not only seems too weak but also seems to work contrary to the fluff. A druid magically turns into an animal but is still, at core, a humanoid. Thus, it makes sense that they'd keep their own life force in animal form. A lycanthrope, meanwhile, becomes the animal and is permanently changed right down to the soul. It's just part of who they intrinsically are. So, there's no logical reason for them not to reap full benefit of the constitution.

I'm not sure there's a good way to handle this.

These two things seem to contradict each other. Like, if you want it for game balance reasons or whatever then you do you, but saying that they're not used enough to their form to make somatic motions even though the change happens at the soul level strikes me as odd.

Also, probably just let them have the extra hit points in every form to avoid wonkiness. Sure, it'll make them a bit beefier, but at levels that are high enough to have it potentially cause issues attacks that skip hit points entirely are pretty common.

Celestia
2019-08-07, 06:52 PM
These two things seem to contradict each other. Like, if you want it for game balance reasons or whatever then you do you, but saying that they're not used enough to their form to make somatic motions even though the change happens at the soul level strikes me as odd.

Also, probably just let them have the extra hit points in every form to avoid wonkiness. Sure, it'll make them a bit beefier, but at levels that are high enough to have it potentially cause issues attacks that skip hit points entirely are pretty common.
You know, you're completely right. :smallconfused:
I'll change that.