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View Full Version : [3.5] How can I make Dragon Auras something my dragon PC can give to party members?



newbDM
2008-10-17, 08:18 PM
For those who don't know, Dragon Auras are described in the 3.5 books Dragon Magic and the Player's Handbook 2.

I have a silver dragon PC in my games (and no, he is kind of underpowered actually even with the LA), and thanks to some suggestions by other members I am writing up some IRL prop parchments for him which will describe how he can do certain dragon things like make Dragonpacts (see Dragon Magic), create cohort/followers Dragonkiths (see the Draconomicon), how to train a cohort/followers Dragon Shamans (see the Player's Handbook 2), and now how to bestow Dragon Auras. You see, someone suggested I personalize things for players/characters, and this player ha been trying in numerous games for the last two years to become a silver dragon (he made all his PCs related, and made this their family goal). Now I realize that I haven't let him play this fantasy out as I imagine I would like to, so I want to make being a dragon more fun for him.

Plus, my games are very low-magic, and I have made dragons a whole lot more than mere monsters. Basically, they are not really something PCs/NPCs ever really see, and are more like the myths and legends IRL about such things. I don't want to say more in case my players are here, but let's just say there is only one known one on the whole planet and he rules half a continent (he would rule more, but again I don't want to spoil more) On the current continent there is only one known half-dragon, and his presence keeps a whole kingdom safe from any fear of attacks. So I have tried to play up his character being a dragon fluffwise and in character situations, but I feel I should do a bit more mechanically for his PC.

I really liked the way the Dragonpacts work. This would allow the silver dragon PC to obtain one divine spellslot a day (I am houseruling that adapts and clerics can form these pacts as well, since arcane magic is practically non-existent.), which might be beneficial because there is next to zip divine magic/healing magic available anywhere besides a small city-metropolis. Plus, I love how it balances out that to gain the spellslot he would have to lose an appropriate number of hit points. Plus, if he is smart about it he can earn/demand some nice gold for this pact. However, I do not like how the Dragon Auras work.

For one thing, it requires a feat, which I am sure none of the other PCs would be willing to take. Secondly, it requires nothing from the dragon PC (I run where all magic comes from a source, either gods for divine, or some form of "power source" for arcane, so the Aura's power would come from the dragon PC.). Thirdly, I do not like the it really does not make a connection between the PCs gaining the power, and the dragon providing it.

It says in the description on p.86 of Dragon Magic:

"Dragon Auras
For most characters, a draconic aura is learned by selecting the Draconic Aura feat (see page 16). This feat grants a character access to a single aura with a bonus of +1. Members of certain classes and some creatures, however, can gain the ability to project draconic auras from different sources."

This is what really got me thinking of some role-playing potential, although I do not believe WotC intended for that in this description.

I am very big on dragons being made out of magic, being the "embodiment of magic", having magic flow through their very veins, etc, so having a dragon be a source of power/magic for others fits quite well with me.


So can you guys please tell me what you think about this, and how you would personally rework this feat/character option in this situation?


Also, can you please tell me your thoughts on giving the dragon PC the option of creating/training dragon shamans? Would you force some kind of drain/loss/whatever on this as well? Again, in my setting all magic needs to come from a source, so the dragon shaman would basically be channeling the power/magic from the PC. I am also planning on requiring that such shamans have to be either a cohort or followers (good idea, bad idea?).

newbDM
2008-10-23, 10:32 PM
Can a mod please move this over to the Homebrew board?

I think it should have gone there.