Jervis
2022-01-05, 11:16 PM
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/29/ec/9b/29ec9ba043b11d0c55828d22e4f14b3f.jpg
Wait a minute, Black dragons don't have a fire breath weapon?
That's a maximized vile fireball, roll a reflex save.
Dragons are some of the most powerful creatures in existence, having incredible physical abilities and natural magical power. For some of them it's reasonable that they would sacrifice some of their physical development to develop their abilities in other aspects, such as magic.
This is designed as a way to allow a dragon to progress as a caster while not throwing off their scaling in relation to their hit dice. While players could theoretically qualify with half dragon or kobold this is ideally used to buff enemies, like a version of Beholder mage that won't entirely destroy the universe if a player does play one. The only major sacrifice a dragon makes is loosing their hit dice based progression on age category related abilities and some bab, while in return they get some major benefits to their casting.
I'll also say some design assumptions here. Mainly being that dragons can choose cleric or sorcerer spells for their sorcerer casting and just add the listed domains to their spells known. Strictly RAW the best assumption I've arrived at is that they just have all cleric spells as spells known but that's kind of stupid.
For inspiration i'll list the classic chestnut combo of loredrake + spellhoarding to get wizard casting on a dragon. That's kinda jank so i made this instead.
Spellhoarding Arcanist
Requirements
Type: Dragon
BaB: +6
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 3rd level sorcerer spells
Skill Ranks: Appraise +9, Spellcraft +9, Knowledge (Arcana) +9, Autohypnosis +4
Feats: Spellfocus (any), any metamagic feat, any Metabreath feat, and Arcane Preparation
Hit Dice: 1d10
Skill Points: 6 + Int
Class Skills: All skills you possesses as class skills previously.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Spellcasting
1st
+0
+2
+2
+2
Spellhoard, Arcane Breath
+1 level of Sorcerer
2nd
+1
+3
+3
+3
Additional Spell Known
+1 level of Sorcerer
3rd
+2
+3
+3
+3
Bonus Feat
+1 level of Sorcerer
4th
+3
+4
+4
+4
Additional Spell Known
+1 level of Sorcerer
5th
+3
+4
+4
+4
Draconic Metamancy
+1 level of Sorcerer
6th
+4
+5
+5
+5
Additional Spell Known
+1 level of Sorcerer
7th
+5
+5
+5
+5
Bonus Feat
+1 level of Sorcerer
8th
+6/+1
+6
+6
+6
Additional Spell Known
+1 level of Sorcerer
9th
+6/+1
+6
+6
+6
Bonus Feat
+1 level of Sorcerer
10th
+7/+2
+7
+7
+7
Additional Spell Known, Hoardkeeper
+1 level of Sorcerer
[tr]
Spellcasting
At each level a Spellhoarding Arcanist gains additional spells known, spells per day, and a increase in caster level as if they had gained a level in sorcerer. These stack with any levels in sorcerer you already have and with levels of sorcerer gained from racial hit dice. For example a Adult Gold Dragon with 10 levels in Spellhoarding Arcanist would cast spells as a 17th level sorcerer.
Additionally, a Spellhoarding Arcanist gains a bonus to their Sorcerer caster level equal to any dragon racial hit dice they posses. This bonus cannot allow their caster level to exceed their total hit dice. As such the Adult Gold Dragon mentioned above would have the spells per day and spells known of a 17th level sorcerer, but would have a caster level of 33 (23 racial hit dice + 7 racial sorcerer casting levels + 10 levels of Spellhoarding Arcanist, to a maximum of their hit dice, 33.)
Age Advancement
Spellhoarding Arcanist levels count as dragon racial hit dice for purposes unrelated to racial spellcasting. Effectively this allows a dragon who meets prerequisites for the class to take levels in this class instead of gaining racial hit dice for a increase in age category and a dragon's age category does not prevent them from gaining levels in Spellhoarding Arcanist. A Dragon still prgresses other abilities with age category though their BaB, hit dice, etc are still effected.
Magical Obsession
Spellhoarding is in many ways a mental obsession, a disease of the mind that drives dragons to seek out magic to the detriment of everything else. Once a dragon has begun advancing in Spellhoarding Arcanist, they cannot take levels in any other class or gain dragon racial hit dice until they have gained 10 levels in Spellhoarding Arcanist. Effectively this means that, once a dragon has gained levels in Spellhoarding Arcanist, they must take all 10 levels 0f the prestige class before progressing in any other class or gaining normal dragon racial hit dice.
Spellhoarding
At 1st level a Spellhoarding arcanist gains access to a mental library of magic they've accrued called a Spellhoard. A Spellhoard in many ways functions like spells known however they cannot cast spells directly from their spellhoard. Instead a Spellhoard serves as a method by which a Spellhoarding Arcanist can catalog their knowledge of magic and alter Sorcerer spells known.
When 1st taking a level in the class their Spellhoard contains all sorcerer cantrips, 4 + their intelligence modifier 1st level spells, and a amount of sorcerer spells of any level they can cast equal to twice their effective sorcerer level, as well as all of their sorcerer spells known. (Note dragons with access to other spell lists, such as a gold dragon's access to the cleric spell list, treat those spells as sorcerer spells for all intents and purposes) Whenever they gain a level they may select two additional sorcerer spells to add to their spell hoard. They also add any sorcerer spell they learn through any means to their spell hoard.
A Spellhoard can also be expanded through a number of ways. A Spellhoarding Arcanist can study a Arcane spell in written form, such as a wizard's spell book or a Arcane Scroll, to gain access to the spell written there or study with a Arcane spellcaster to gain access to a spell they know. Regardless of the method used a Spellhoarding Arcanist must succeed on a spellcraft check (DC 15 + Spell Level) and spend a number of hours equal to the spells level as well as ingest gems or gold pieces with a value of 100 GP per spell level.
At the beginning of each day a Spellhoarding Arcanist can meditate for 1 hour to change any of their Sorcerer spells known for any other spell of the same level. During this time they may also prepare spells from their Spellhoard using their arcane preparation feat.
Arcane Breath
Also at 1st level a Spellhoarding Arcanist gains the ability to deliver any spell which targets an area or multiple creatures through their breath weapon. Doing so expends their use of the spell, either a spell slot or the prepared spell, and changes the spell's area to that of their breath weapon. Doing this changes the spell into a supernatural ability, meaning it does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and allows it to be freely modified by metabreath feats. Saving Throws DCs and type of the spell are equal to the saving throw DC and type of the breath weapon or it's normal saving throw DC, whichever they choose. If the spell does not have a saving throw, it's saving throw DC is equal to the breath weapon's. Using this ability expends their use of the breath weapon, meaning it has to recharge as normal.
Additional Spell Known
At each even numbered level a Spellhoarding Arcanist level they gain an additional Sorcerer Spell Known from the Sorcerer spell list of any level up to 1 level lower than the highest level spell they can cast. This does not count against their number of spells known.
Bonus Feat
At each odd numbered level except 1st and 5th a Spellhoarding Arcanist gains a bonus feat, this must be a metamagic feat, metabreath feat, or the Extra Spell feat.
Draconic Metamancy
At 5th level a Spellhoarding Arcanist can alter the nature of their magical abilities more readily. Decrease the cost of all metamagic feats by 1 to a minimum of +1 and decrease the increased cooldown of metabreath feats by 1 to a minimum of +1.
Hoardkeeper
At 10th level the amount of time and gold needed to add a spell to your Spellhoard is halved. Additionally whenever a spell has a XP component, you can replace it's XP component with a consumed material component with a GP value equal to 4 times the amount of XP normally required.
Wait a minute, Black dragons don't have a fire breath weapon?
That's a maximized vile fireball, roll a reflex save.
Dragons are some of the most powerful creatures in existence, having incredible physical abilities and natural magical power. For some of them it's reasonable that they would sacrifice some of their physical development to develop their abilities in other aspects, such as magic.
This is designed as a way to allow a dragon to progress as a caster while not throwing off their scaling in relation to their hit dice. While players could theoretically qualify with half dragon or kobold this is ideally used to buff enemies, like a version of Beholder mage that won't entirely destroy the universe if a player does play one. The only major sacrifice a dragon makes is loosing their hit dice based progression on age category related abilities and some bab, while in return they get some major benefits to their casting.
I'll also say some design assumptions here. Mainly being that dragons can choose cleric or sorcerer spells for their sorcerer casting and just add the listed domains to their spells known. Strictly RAW the best assumption I've arrived at is that they just have all cleric spells as spells known but that's kind of stupid.
For inspiration i'll list the classic chestnut combo of loredrake + spellhoarding to get wizard casting on a dragon. That's kinda jank so i made this instead.
Spellhoarding Arcanist
Requirements
Type: Dragon
BaB: +6
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 3rd level sorcerer spells
Skill Ranks: Appraise +9, Spellcraft +9, Knowledge (Arcana) +9, Autohypnosis +4
Feats: Spellfocus (any), any metamagic feat, any Metabreath feat, and Arcane Preparation
Hit Dice: 1d10
Skill Points: 6 + Int
Class Skills: All skills you possesses as class skills previously.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Spellcasting
1st
+0
+2
+2
+2
Spellhoard, Arcane Breath
+1 level of Sorcerer
2nd
+1
+3
+3
+3
Additional Spell Known
+1 level of Sorcerer
3rd
+2
+3
+3
+3
Bonus Feat
+1 level of Sorcerer
4th
+3
+4
+4
+4
Additional Spell Known
+1 level of Sorcerer
5th
+3
+4
+4
+4
Draconic Metamancy
+1 level of Sorcerer
6th
+4
+5
+5
+5
Additional Spell Known
+1 level of Sorcerer
7th
+5
+5
+5
+5
Bonus Feat
+1 level of Sorcerer
8th
+6/+1
+6
+6
+6
Additional Spell Known
+1 level of Sorcerer
9th
+6/+1
+6
+6
+6
Bonus Feat
+1 level of Sorcerer
10th
+7/+2
+7
+7
+7
Additional Spell Known, Hoardkeeper
+1 level of Sorcerer
[tr]
Spellcasting
At each level a Spellhoarding Arcanist gains additional spells known, spells per day, and a increase in caster level as if they had gained a level in sorcerer. These stack with any levels in sorcerer you already have and with levels of sorcerer gained from racial hit dice. For example a Adult Gold Dragon with 10 levels in Spellhoarding Arcanist would cast spells as a 17th level sorcerer.
Additionally, a Spellhoarding Arcanist gains a bonus to their Sorcerer caster level equal to any dragon racial hit dice they posses. This bonus cannot allow their caster level to exceed their total hit dice. As such the Adult Gold Dragon mentioned above would have the spells per day and spells known of a 17th level sorcerer, but would have a caster level of 33 (23 racial hit dice + 7 racial sorcerer casting levels + 10 levels of Spellhoarding Arcanist, to a maximum of their hit dice, 33.)
Age Advancement
Spellhoarding Arcanist levels count as dragon racial hit dice for purposes unrelated to racial spellcasting. Effectively this allows a dragon who meets prerequisites for the class to take levels in this class instead of gaining racial hit dice for a increase in age category and a dragon's age category does not prevent them from gaining levels in Spellhoarding Arcanist. A Dragon still prgresses other abilities with age category though their BaB, hit dice, etc are still effected.
Magical Obsession
Spellhoarding is in many ways a mental obsession, a disease of the mind that drives dragons to seek out magic to the detriment of everything else. Once a dragon has begun advancing in Spellhoarding Arcanist, they cannot take levels in any other class or gain dragon racial hit dice until they have gained 10 levels in Spellhoarding Arcanist. Effectively this means that, once a dragon has gained levels in Spellhoarding Arcanist, they must take all 10 levels 0f the prestige class before progressing in any other class or gaining normal dragon racial hit dice.
Spellhoarding
At 1st level a Spellhoarding arcanist gains access to a mental library of magic they've accrued called a Spellhoard. A Spellhoard in many ways functions like spells known however they cannot cast spells directly from their spellhoard. Instead a Spellhoard serves as a method by which a Spellhoarding Arcanist can catalog their knowledge of magic and alter Sorcerer spells known.
When 1st taking a level in the class their Spellhoard contains all sorcerer cantrips, 4 + their intelligence modifier 1st level spells, and a amount of sorcerer spells of any level they can cast equal to twice their effective sorcerer level, as well as all of their sorcerer spells known. (Note dragons with access to other spell lists, such as a gold dragon's access to the cleric spell list, treat those spells as sorcerer spells for all intents and purposes) Whenever they gain a level they may select two additional sorcerer spells to add to their spell hoard. They also add any sorcerer spell they learn through any means to their spell hoard.
A Spellhoard can also be expanded through a number of ways. A Spellhoarding Arcanist can study a Arcane spell in written form, such as a wizard's spell book or a Arcane Scroll, to gain access to the spell written there or study with a Arcane spellcaster to gain access to a spell they know. Regardless of the method used a Spellhoarding Arcanist must succeed on a spellcraft check (DC 15 + Spell Level) and spend a number of hours equal to the spells level as well as ingest gems or gold pieces with a value of 100 GP per spell level.
At the beginning of each day a Spellhoarding Arcanist can meditate for 1 hour to change any of their Sorcerer spells known for any other spell of the same level. During this time they may also prepare spells from their Spellhoard using their arcane preparation feat.
Arcane Breath
Also at 1st level a Spellhoarding Arcanist gains the ability to deliver any spell which targets an area or multiple creatures through their breath weapon. Doing so expends their use of the spell, either a spell slot or the prepared spell, and changes the spell's area to that of their breath weapon. Doing this changes the spell into a supernatural ability, meaning it does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and allows it to be freely modified by metabreath feats. Saving Throws DCs and type of the spell are equal to the saving throw DC and type of the breath weapon or it's normal saving throw DC, whichever they choose. If the spell does not have a saving throw, it's saving throw DC is equal to the breath weapon's. Using this ability expends their use of the breath weapon, meaning it has to recharge as normal.
Additional Spell Known
At each even numbered level a Spellhoarding Arcanist level they gain an additional Sorcerer Spell Known from the Sorcerer spell list of any level up to 1 level lower than the highest level spell they can cast. This does not count against their number of spells known.
Bonus Feat
At each odd numbered level except 1st and 5th a Spellhoarding Arcanist gains a bonus feat, this must be a metamagic feat, metabreath feat, or the Extra Spell feat.
Draconic Metamancy
At 5th level a Spellhoarding Arcanist can alter the nature of their magical abilities more readily. Decrease the cost of all metamagic feats by 1 to a minimum of +1 and decrease the increased cooldown of metabreath feats by 1 to a minimum of +1.
Hoardkeeper
At 10th level the amount of time and gold needed to add a spell to your Spellhoard is halved. Additionally whenever a spell has a XP component, you can replace it's XP component with a consumed material component with a GP value equal to 4 times the amount of XP normally required.