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Norr
2008-09-10, 05:19 PM
Everyone knows half-dragons are too powerful for their LA, their mighty strength more than off-setting the attack bonus they lose, among other things. A half-dragon melee character actually surpasses a similar character from the standard races. Therefore I thought about making a powered-down half-dragon template, as well as readjusting the LA for the original one.

Whenever the text refer to the SRD, this is where it points to. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/halfDragon.htm)

Quarter-Dragon

Quarter-dragon creatures are the result of either one or, rarely two, half dragon parent(s). These dragon-blooded children retain much of their parents draconic features but to a lesser degree. Quarter-Dragons almost always have at least a few dragon-related features, including scales or thick scale-like skin, draconic eyes, sharp teeth and claws, horns or frills and a tail.
Quarter-Dragons are physically and mentally superior to their non-draconic counterparts, but not as imposing as their half-dragon brethren.

When a half-dragon mates with a non-half-dragon, there is a 50% chance the offspring is a quarter-dragon. When two half-dragons mate, there is a 5% chance the offspring is a quarter-dragon.

Size and Type

The creature’s type changes to dragon. Size is unchanged. Do not recalculate base attack bonus or saves.

Hit Dice

Increase base creature’s racial HD by one die size, to a maximum of d12. Do not increase class HD.

Speed

A quarter-dragon of 7 HD or less may glide using their wings, allowing 30 feet of forward movement for each 10 feet of descent for large or larger quarter-dragons, and 20 feet of forward movement for each 5 feet of descent for medium and small quarter-dragons.
Large or larger quarter-dragons glide at a speed of 60 feet, medium and small quarter-dragons glide at a speed of 40 feet.
Tiny and smaller quarter-dragons glide at a speed of 30 feet and descends 5 feet for every 30 feet of forward motion.

A quarter-dragon of 8 HD or higher may fly at the speed detailed below. Quarter-dragons may fly for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). They may fly for up to twice as long, but exceeding the limit of 1 round / con bonus renders the quarter-dragon fatigued after flight. If the quarter-dragon spends more than 10 minutes in active flight (not gliding) per day, it is likewise fatigued.

When a quarter-dragon reaches 12 HD, it may fly for as long as it wants without being fatigued. A quarter-dragon that is Large or larger can fly at twice its base land speed (maximum 120 ft.) with average manoeuvrability. A quarter-dragon that is Medium or smaller have a fly speed equal to their land speed with good manoeuvrability.

A quarter-dragon may not fly with a heavy load. A quarter-dragons fly speed is halved when carrying a medium load.

A quarter-dragon may 'run' at four times its speed as a full-round action as long as it is flying in a straight line.

A quarter-dragon with flight may make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the quarter-dragon must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. If the quarter-dragon wields a piercing weapon and hits, it deals double damage. Slashing and bludgeoning weapons deal damage as normal for a weapon of their type. A morningstar is not considered a piercing weapon for the purpose of making a dive attack.

A quarter-dragon with a dragon type that does not have wings, but is capable of flight, does not gain the ability to glide, but does gain the ability to fly as normal.
If the dragon type is not capable of flight the quarter-dragon does not gain flight either.

Armor Class

Natural armor improves by +1.

Attack

A quarter-dragon has two claw attacks and a bite attack, and the claws are the primary natural weapon. If the base creature can use weapons, the quarter-dragon retains this ability. A quarter-dragon fighting without weapons uses a claw when making an attack action. When it has a weapon, it usually uses the weapon instead.

Full Attack

A quarter-dragon fighting without weapons uses both claws and its bite when making a full attack. If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack and its bite as a natural secondary attack. If it has a hand free, it uses a claw as an additional natural secondary attack.

Damage

Quarter-dragons have bite and claw attacks. If the base creature does not have these attack forms, use the damage values in the SRD, as if the quarter-dragon was one size category smaller. Otherwise, use the base creature’s damage values if they are better.

Special Attacks

A quarter-dragon retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains a breath weapon based on the dragon variety (see SRD), usable once per day. A quarter-dragon’s breath weapon deals 1d4 points of damage per HD. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ quarter-dragon’s racial HD + quarter-dragon’s Con modifier) reduces damage by half.

Special Qualities

A quarter-dragon has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus low-light vision. A quarter-dragon has immunity to sleep and paralysis effects, and a resistance based on its dragon variety (see SRD). The energy resistance is equal to the quarter-dragons HD.

Abilities

Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2 OR Con +2. Int +2 OR Cha +2.

Skills

A quarter-dragon gains skill points as a dragon and has skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier) × (HD + 3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation—the quarter-dragon gains dragon skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature’s list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.

Environment

Same as either the base creature or the dragon variety.

Challenge Rating

Same as the base creature + 1 (minimum 2).

Alignment

Usually same as the dragon variety.

Level Adjustment / Adjustment levels (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89949)

Same as base creature +2 if noncaster melee class or gish, othewise +1.



On to the parent, which has an LA too small for its power. I intend to correct this, as well as tweak it to scale a bit better

Half-Dragon

Half-dragon creatures are always more formidable than others of their kind that do not have dragon blood, and their appearance betrays their nature—scales, elongated features, reptilian eyes, and exaggerated teeth and claws. Sometimes they have wings.

Creating A Half-Dragon

"Half-dragon" is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

A half-dragon uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type

The creature’s type changes to dragon. Size is unchanged. Do not recalculate base attack bonus or saves.
Hit Dice

Increase base creature’s racial HD by one die size, to a maximum of d12. Do not increase class HD.

Speed

A half-dragon of 5 HD or less may glide using its wings, allowing 30 feet of forward movement for each 10 feet of descent for large or larger half-dragons, and 20 feet of forward movement for each 5 feet of descent for medium and small half-dragons.
Large or larger half-dragons glide at a speed of 60 feet, medium and small half-dragons glide at a speed of 40 feet.
Tiny and smaller half-dragons glide at a speed of 30 feet and descends 5 feet for every 30 feet of forward motion.

A half-dragon of 6 HD or higher may fly at the speed detailed below. Half-dragons may fly for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). They may fly for up to twice as long, but exceeding the limit of 1 round / con bonus renders the half-dragon fatigued after flight. If the half-dragon spends more than 10 minutes in active flight (not gliding) per day, it is likewise fatigued.

When a half-dragon reaches 10 HD, it may fly for as long as it wants without being fatigued. A half-dragon that is Large or larger can fly at twice its base land speed (maximum 120 ft.) with average manoeuvrability. A half-dragon that is Medium or smaller have a fly speed equal to their land speed with good manoeuvrability.

A half-dragon may not fly with a heavy load. A half-dragon fly speed is halved when carrying a medium load.

A half-dragon may 'run' at four times its speed as a full-round action as long as it is flying in a straight line.

A half-dragon with flight may make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the half-dragon must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. If the half-dragon wields a piercing weapon and hits, it deals double damage. Slashing and bludgeoning weapons deal damage as normal for a weapon of their type. A morningstar is not considered a piercing weapon for the purpose of making a dive attack.

A half-dragon with a dragon type that does not have wings, but is capable of flight, does not gain the ability to glide, but does gain the ability to fly as normal.
If the dragon type is not capable of flight the half-dragon does not gain flight either.

Armor Class

Natural armor improves by +2.

Attack

A half-dragon has two claw attacks and a bite attack, and the claws are the primary natural weapon. If the base creature can use weapons, the half-dragon retains this ability. A half-dragon fighting without weapons uses a claw when making an attack action. When it has a weapon, it usually uses the weapon instead.

Full Attack

A half-dragon fighting without weapons uses both claws and its bite when making a full attack. If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack and its bite as a natural secondary attack. If it has a hand free, it uses a claw as an additional natural secondary attack.

Damage

Half-dragons have bite and claw attacks. If the base creature does not have these attack forms, use the damage values in the SRD. Otherwise, use the base creature’s damage values if they are greater.

Special Attacks

A half-dragon retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains a breath weapon based on the dragon variety (see table), usable once per day. A half-dragon’s breath weapon deals 1d8 points of damage per HD. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ half-dragon’s racial HD + half-dragon’s Con modifier) reduces damage by half.

Special Qualities

A half-dragon has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. A half-dragon has immunity to sleep and paralysis effects, and an additional immunity based on its dragon variety.

Abilities

Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Con +2, Int +2, Cha +2.

Skills

A half-dragon gains skill points as a dragon and has skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier) × (HD + 3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation—the half-dragon gains dragon skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature’s list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.

Environment

Same as either the base creature or the dragon variety.

Challenge Rating

Same as the base creature + 2 (minimum 3).

Alignment

Same as the dragon variety.

Level Adjustment / Adjustment levels (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89949)

Same as base creature +3 if melee class, otherwise +2.

TeeEl
2008-09-10, 07:18 PM
Ok, if you're doing the "adjustment levels" system then this almost might make sense barely, although they're still relatively poor compared to a lot of other options in the same adjustment range. As plain old LA they are simply gimped. The core half-dragon is a worthwhile tradeoff if you're playing a melee build that either 1. is exceedingly simple or 2. has a cheesy trick up its sleeve that requires the dragon type and/or benefits heavily from the half-dragon's specific bonuses... but it's still not exactly a no-brainer choice. They have significant advantages over standard LA +0 races but potentially crippling disadvantages as well, particularly as you move beyond core and get more levels/feats that really matter for a melee character.

As it stands, these are much closer to +1 (medium-high end) and +3 (low end), respectively. Compare your "+4" half-dragon to the half-celestial or half-fiend templates, which themselves are generally pretty subpar.

Norr
2008-09-11, 05:22 AM
I took a look at the half-outsider-templates and realised I've been way out, he he...
I'll lower the LA to reasonable levels. Are there anything else you'd like to comment on or do these dragon fanboys look decent?

Bhu
2008-09-11, 05:30 AM
I'll give PEACHing it a shot this weekend (remind me if I havent posted by saturday, I'm on meds from a work injury and htey make my memory like swiss cheese).