The Gaming Den

Well, the Dragon Shaman, from PHB2 of course, is a goofy class. It's got some unique class features, a cool idea, but ultimately you can't really point to characters outside DnD that have abilities like it has; it doesn't have any sort of reference characters or iconic characters. Also, in terms of actually being able to do things it's pretty anemic.

So what would the Dragon Shaman look like if it was given the same sort of treatment that the Monk and Barbarian got? Key features to keep seem to be:
[*]auras with different effects, including a healing one that you can use to get everyone standing up between fights.
[*]Draconic-related special abilities based on your totem dragon
[*]Breath Weapon

But then they don't actually do too much beyond that at the moment. Thoughts?

An interesting question, but to any consolation, we already have the [Tome] Dragonfire Adept.

Though the idea of choosing Draconic abilities off a small menu list of Dragons like the Soldier, or Totemist sounds like a pretty fun idea though.

For the class, I once made a crappy prestige class called the "Grey Shaman". Where they embraced a Chromatic & Metallic Totem, kinda like "Neutral Druid" type deal. It also allowed them to use their Breath weapon, and apply it to their melee attacks for a turn or such.

Basically it's a Diablo 2 Paladin with a Dragon Theme stapled on sideways. The five basic colored dragons are kind of interesting, they've accrued a lot of theme over the last couple decades, so I think you could do something where you got fire and mountain powers or poison and forest powers or lightning and desert powers.

But basically the class was a giant "WTF?!" An almost total disconnect between the mechanics they wanted to showcase (the Diablo 2 aura thing) and the flavor (they really like Dragons because... no reason).

-Username17

IMO It's not a class that deserves to exist. Use one of the other classes and say it likes dragons.

Dragon-flavored aura-din?

FrankTrollman wrote:But basically the class was a giant "WTF?!" An almost total disconnect between the mechanics they wanted to showcase (the Diablo 2 aura thing) and the flavor (they really like Dragons because... no reason).

-Username17

Dragons because... it's in the name? xD
I think there was a blizzard fan writing the supplement.

I think a better question is "Why doesn't the Paladin have buff-my-group Auras" and "Are there Draconic options for Paladins?"

The combination seems like would be the best answer. (Note: Not familiar with Tome Paladin, so if he has Buffing Auras, strike question 1)

The thing about the Dragon Shaman, is that it has a huge disconnect between fluff and crunch. "Dragon Shaman" doesn't particularly convey any information about what the fuck it could actually be or do, and it certainly doesn imply anything about giving people shitty auras and junk.

So don't feel like you have to make a Tome Dragon Shaman that's super similar to the original version. In fact, you could probably make something half-way workable just by taking a random Frank-class like the Incarnate and replacing its random name generator with something like:

1	Gold	Dragon	Cock
2	Red	Wyrm	Dick
3	Silver	Drake	Rod
4	Blue	Ormr	Penis
5	Bronze	Serpent	Member
6	Green	Worm	Johnson
7	Copper	Long	Chode
8	Black	Drak	Wood
9	Brass	Linnorm	Wang
10	White	Ryū	Dong
11	Purple	Lizard	Weiner
12	Iron	Snake	Bone
13	Brown	Wurm	Shaft
14	Lead	Draco	Knob
15	Orange	Fafnir	Love Stick
16	Titanium	Smaug	Manhood
17	Pink	Wyvern	Prick
18	Pewter	Alduin	Schlong
19	Turquoise	Reptile	Willie
20	Plastic	T-Rex	Vagina

Or, you know, something.

There's no "one-eyed" in the first column of that table. There's no excuse for that.

I'd probably make it Totemist-ish, in that you have a few Draconic Mantles available at any time, chosen from a list (you can probably just give access to the entire list at level one and make them all scale rather than having some of them be always level 1 and others always level 9), and on any given round you activate one of them.

So your Blue Draconic Mantle grants a friendly aura of Electric Resistance, lets you mimic sounds and gives you a 1/4 rounds Electric Line breath. As you gain levels it will also give you various illusions and crap. Whereas the Brass Draconic Mantle gives a friendly aura of Fire Resistance, lets you burrow and speak with animals, and gives you a 1/4 rounds Fire Line breath. As you gain levels you get weather resistance/control spells. And apparently Suggestion.

At a low level you pick up the draconic immunity to Sleep and Paralysis because why the fuck not, and at a higher level you gain the ability to flare your mantle in a hostile manner, gaining an Aura of Fear in that action-activated way. Let people substitute in appropriate alternate auras from Draconomicon, Dragon Magic or Races of the Dragon (I forget which book it was, someone at WotC really needed to sit down and have a proper wank that year).

Adopting a Mantle probably also gives you some small cosmetic effect so that other people can make Know: Arcana checks to recognise what powers you're bringing online and so that you can draw your character with frost-tipped hair or burning red eyes or whatever.

The big problem with the idea of dragon totems is that D&D has too many fucking Dragons. Even if you restrict yourself to the chromatics and metallics in the Monstrous Manuela, you still have ten fucking dragon types. And that is too many fifth level options to write up for a niche class. And once you've gone down that route, your class actually looks incomplete if it doesn't include options for Emerald Dragons, Shadow Dragons, and Chromium Dragons. I may have linked to their 2nd edition stats, but all of those things got 3rd edition stats too (in MM2, Monsters of Faerun, and Dragon Magazine respectively).

Even if you could provide reasonably full coverage of dragon types, it would be a massive waste of time. How many "builds" does a niche class need? If you're writing more than a handful of branching Dragon Shaman totems, you are wasting ink.

-Username17

You can just grab any aura from the dragon shaman class with a feat in Dragon Magic too IIRC.

Yeah, I guess that's true. So if we admit what we all know deep in our hearts, that Chromatic dragons are fine and every other kind* can fuck right off, then that makes five. Because we're not including the Brown, Orange and Purple (and was there a Yellow one?) dragons on the grounds of I don't care.

Maybe a Dragon Shaman has access to all five right from level one, and the actual decision-making happens on a turn by turn basis as you decide to lose your Fire Resistance (Red) so you can swim for a bit (Black).

All this is predicated on someone wanting to make such a class at all, mind you. But if someone does go ahead... yeah. Black, Blue, Red, White and Green, and then try to not work in a reference to Megazord, Voltron or Captain Planet.

*As cool as I think the Pyroclastic and Tartare Sauce Dragons look, the "can fuck off" counts double for Planar Dragons. And "Arcane Dragons" (Hex, Tome and maybe others). Gem and Metal can just fuck off the once.

FrankTrollman wrote:The big problem with the idea of dragon totems is that D&D has too many fucking Dragons. Even if you restrict yourself to the chromatics and metallics in the Monstrous Manuela, you still have ten fucking dragon types. And that is too many fifth level options to write up for a niche class. And once you've gone down that route, your class actually looks incomplete if it doesn't include options for Emerald Dragons, Shadow Dragons, and Chromium Dragons. I may have linked to their 2nd edition stats, but all of those things got 3rd edition stats too (in MM2, Monsters of Faerun, and Dragon Magazine respectively).

Even if you could provide reasonably full coverage of dragon types, it would be a massive waste of time. How many "builds" does a niche class need? If you're writing more than a handful of branching Dragon Shaman totems, you are wasting ink.

-Username17

Dragons tend to represent "aspects" in many people's minds.
In DnD Red and Gold are fire, Blue and Bronze are lightning ... etc.

So why not make a list of aspects that they can pull from and let their chosen dragon be their totem and that totem give them access to scaling elemental aspects or... what ever.

So each major element gets an aura, breath weapon, resistances, specially colored shit nuggets... what ever.

Maybe unlock more aspects of the dragon as you level. What ever that can be interpreted as. (Fear auras, wings, claws, teeth [better than dentures!], new aspect 'domains' ...)

I think the auras are the most interesting part of the base class, in terms of why someone would want to play one instead of just doing a Dragonfire Adept like it was suggested (it's a well written class after all). We could make a class with auras that just drops the dragon theme if there's two many kinds of dragon to bother with the dragon part properly. Or we could stick to just Chromatic and possibly Metallic dragons and ignore the rest when doing things.

So maybe we have some low level auras, and then we add in some mid level auras, and even some high level auras. Then you can have one aura of each tier going at once and you build up a little diversity that way so you can mix and match your bonuses. Or maybe the higher level auras can just give out powers of the sort that you either have or not, without worrying about using the scaling bonus part that the 1st level auras use. Oh also, aura range should be more like 30ft base and +30ft at 6th/11th/16th, because it's always cool when things become longer ranged like that.

Next, although the auras are cool and all, there aren't any abilities as to what you'll actually be doing in combat with your actions. So, something like getting some dragonish melee special powers so that you can melee fight while projecting your auras would be good.

The last part is of course the classic WotC non-spellcaster issue that you simply get most of your abilities at a way higher level than is actually useful, making them all unimpressive. Most of them can just be pushed to a lower level according to the Tome version of when those sorts of abilities should show up. New things can be stuffed into the higher levels in their place.

Koumei wrote:Because we're not including the Brown, Orange and Purple (and was there a Yellow one?)

In 2e yes. They lived in deserts. I don't think they got ported to 3e though.

Previn wrote:I don't think they got ported to 3e though.

If we're willing to accept "Dragon Compendium Volume 1" (developed by Jason Bulmahn and Mike Mearls!) as a legitimate source, the Yellow Dragon did get updated to 3.5. But they actually updated the aquatic yellow dragon that has a salt based breath weapon from Dragon Magazine #65 (made for 1st edition AD&D) and not the desert dwelling yellow dragon with a hot sand based breath weapon from 2nd edition AD&D.

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[/img]

codeGlaze wrote:Dragons tend to represent "aspects" in many people's minds.
In DnD Red and Gold are fire, Blue and Bronze are lightning ... etc.

So why not make a list of aspects that they can pull from and let their chosen dragon be their totem and that totem give them access to scaling elemental aspects or... what ever.

So each major element gets an aura, breath weapon, resistances, specially colored shit nuggets... what ever.

That would just be an elementalist warrior with an area control theme. I think the word for that class concept is "Warden." If you want to have a Dragon theme, you want a Dragon theme, not a raw elements theme. When you pick the Black Dragon as your patron you aren't signing up to be a "Water Warrior" or an "Acid Warrior," you're there for the Black Fucking Dragon. You want to breathe and corrupt water. You want to speak with animals, grow plants, and spread darkness in the sky and under the sea.

-Username17

Wait. Yellow dragons hang out in the water, and blue dragons hang out in the desert? WTF 3e?

Ok, so someone who's more motivated and less rusty could certainly do a better job than this incomplete attempt, but here's my stab at it:

Dragon Shaman

Flavor Text Goes Here.

Buffing / Support class with dragon flavor
Effects DCs are Cha and Con based, but likely to be in close quarters combat a lot, so melee stats may be important.




Skills:List goes here
Skill Points per Level: 4

Weapon Prof: All Simple weapons plus Shortswords, Longswords, Greatswords, Light Axe, Battleaxe, Greataxe

Armor Proficiency: Light Armor, Medium Armor and Shields.

HD d8s
BaB:Med
SavesGood Fort, Good Will
Level:Special
1: Aura, Aspect
2: Draconic Immunities
3: Aura
4: Aspect
5: Aura,
6: Doubled Auras,
7: Advanced Aura, Aspect
8: Improved Aspect, Larger Auras
9: Advanced Aura
10: Aspect
11: Advanced Aura, Tripled Auras
12: Improved Aspect
13: Advanced Aura, Aspect
14: Improved Aspect
15: Advanced Aura

Auras: Auras are magical emanations centered on the Dragon Shaman which give benefits to the Dragon Shaman and their allies. A Dragon shaman may have one aura active at a time at first level, but as she gains levels, she gains the abilities to activate multiple Auras at the same time. Auras are 20' radius emanations centered on the Dragon Shaman. Activating, Deactivating or changing which Aura(s) are active requires a swift action. At 1st , 2nd and 5th levels, the Dragon Shaman may only select from the list of Basic Auras. At 7th level and thereafter, the Dragon Shaman may select from Advanced auras as well as basic auras each time she gains a new Aura.

Aspects: A dragon shaman can take on the Aspect of a given Dragon species. Doing so gives her access to magical effects innate to that species of Dragon. While a particular Aspect is active, the Dragon Shaman gains several benefits. Firstly, she gains an energy immunity appropriate to that color of dragon. Secondly she gains the use of a specified at-will ability common to that dragon type. Third, she gains access to a breath weapon similar to that dragon type. Finally, as the Dragon Shaman's level increases she gains the ability to use other spell-like abilities innate and thematic to that dragon species each once per day.
A Dragon Shaman may only assume the aspect of one single dragon species at a time, and may only use the breath weapon and spell like abilities of her currently selected aspect. Changing which aspect is active requires a standard action.
A dragon shaman may use any aspect-granted breath weapon only once every 1d4 rounds. Each time she uses a breath weapon, roll a d4 to determine how many rounds before she may use her breath weapon again. If she shifts aspects to gain a different breath weapon she still has to wait to use it.

Draconic Immunities: At 2nd level, the Dragon Shaman becomes immune to Sleep and paralysis effects.

Doubled Auras: At 6th level, the Dragon Shaman may have two different Auras active at the same time

Improved Aspect: At 8th, 12th and 14th level, the Dragon Shaman selects one already possessed Dragon Aspect to improve. The DC of the breath weapon of that aspect is increased by 2 and the Dragon Shaman may now use any of the spell-like abilities granted by that aspect 3x/day.

Triple Auras: At 11th level, the Dragon Shaman may have three different Auras active at the same time.



Basic Auras:

Fear Aura: all enemies within the Aura make Will save (DC 10+Cha + 1/2 HD) or become shaken for one round.

Elemental Aura: All allies within the Aura gain resist energy 5 + 1 per Dragon Shaman Character level against Acid, Cold, Electric or Fire. (the type of resistance is chosen each time this Aura is activated)

Claws Aura: all allies within the Aura gain natural weapons attacks with Claws and Bite appropriate to their size category. Such attacks are enhanced as if by Greater Magic Fang (at caster level equal to the Dragon Shaman's character level)

Scale Aura: all allies within the Aura gain a natural armor bonus as Barkskin (at caster level equal to the Dragon Shaman's character level)

Sweeping Aura: all allies within the Aura gain the ability to make a sweep attack., As a standard action, they may make a melee attack against each enemy within their reach.

Serpentine Striking Aura: all allies within the Aura gain an additional 5' of reach with their melee attacks

Dragonsight Aura: all allies gain Darkvision 120' and Blindsense 60'

Advanced Auras
buy these at level 7 or greater

Size Aura all allies (and their gear) within the Aura are increased to the next size category, gaining all the benefits (additional Str, Con, base weapon damage, reach, carrying capacity, bonuses to trip/diasrm/grapple, etc) and drawbacks (penalties to Dex, hiding, etc)

Dragon Flight Aura: All allies with the Aura gain Fly (60', poor)

Swordbreaker Aura:: All allies within the Aura gain DR N/magic, where N is the Dragon Shaman's Character Level

Spellbreker Aura:: All allies within the Aura gain Spell Resistance equal to 10 plus the Dragon Shaman's Character Level

Crushing Aura All enemies in the aura must make Reflex saves DC= 10+Cha+1/2 HD each round against this spell-like effect or be pinned each round.

Company of Wyrms Aura All allies in the aura gain the at-will abilities and the breath weapon of the Dragon Shaman's currently assumed Aspect.


Aspects

Black Dragon Aspect
At-Will Abilities: Immunity to Acid, Water Breathing
Breath Weapon: 60' line of Acid, dealing 1d6+ another 1d6 per two character levels. Ref Save DC 10+Con+1/2 HD for half.
1: Charm Reptiles - as black dragon ability
1: Corrupt Water - as black dragon ability
3: Darkness
5: Plant Growth
7: Blight
9: Insect Plague
11: Transmute Rock to Mud
13: Command Plants
15: Horrid Wilting
17: Shambler


Blue Dragon Aspect
At-Will: Immunity to Electricity, Sound Imitation
Breath Weapon: 60' line of Electricity, dealing 1d6+ another 1d6 per two character levels. Ref Save DC 10+Con+1/2 HD for half.
1: Create Water
1: Ventriloquism
3: misdirection
5: displacement
7: hallucinatory terrain
9: spike stones
11: mirage arcana
13: veil
15: sunburst
17: Whirlwind



Red Dragon Aspect
At-Will: Immunity to Fire, Detect Magic
Breath Weapon: 30' Cone of Fire, dealing 1d6+ another 1d6 per two character levels. Ref Save DC 10+Con+1/2 HD for half.
1: Deathwatch
1: Charm Person
3: Locate Object
5: Suggestion
7: Wall of Fire
9: True Seeing
11: Find the Path
13: Fire Storm
15: Discern Location
17: Incendiary Cloud


White Dragon Aspect
At Will: Immunity to Cold, Icewalking
Breath Weapon: 30' Cone of Cold, dealing 1d6+ another 1d6 per two character levels. Ref Save DC 10+Con+1/2 HD for half.
1: Fog Cloud
1: Whispering Wind
3: Gust of Wind
5: Wind Wall
7: Wall of Ice
9: Freezing Fog - as white dragon ability
11: Freezing Sphere
13:Control Weather
15: Scintillating Pattern
17: Storm of Vengence

Gold Dragon Aspect
At Will: Immunity to Fire, Water Breathing
Breath Weapon: 30' Cone of Weakening Gas, dealing 1 point of Str damage + 1 additional point per every 2 character levels of the Dragon Shaman. Fort Save DC 10+Con+1/2 HD negates.
1: Bless
1: Detect Gems - as Gold Dragon ability
3: Luck Bonus - as Gold Dragon Ability
5: Daylight
7: Freedom of Movement
9: Break Enchantment
11: Geas / Quest
13: Spell Turning
15: Sunburst
17: Foresight

polymorph self? alternate form via wildshape?



Green, Silver, Brass, Bronze, Gold and Copper Dragon Aspects: josh is lazy.


Other Dragons to write aspects for
MM:
Psuedodragon Aspect
You get Telepathy (60') and instead of a breath weapon you get a Poison Sting natural attack (damage per your size) plus sleep Posion, Fort Save DC = 10 + 1/2 character level + your Con negates)
1: Reduce Person
1: Tasha's Hideous Laughter
3: Invisibility
5: Nondetection
7: Confusion
9: Mind Fog
11: Mislead
13: Veil
15: Irresistible Dance
17: Antipathy

Wyvern, Turtle,
Oriental Dragons
Crystal Dragons

You get an area power (aura) that boosts allies/weakens enemies and you also get a personal set of {power, breath weapon, ready spells} (aspect). The auras are based on things common to all dragons, the aspects are each based on a specific color of dragon and are really close to Spheres.

So you come out of the gate at level 1 with a buffing aura, a breath weapon, an energy immunity, a pair of 1st level spells once per day, and a minor at-will. Then you gain access to a bunch of useful and funky spell effects as you gain levels. Everything already gained advances based on character level, so you can multiclass in and out effectively, because doing things that way makes for more viable character build choices and infuriates Kaelik - everybody wins.

If people like this direction I can fill in the gaps, polish things and write up aspect lists for the other 6 MM dragons and any silly alternate dragons people want (gems, force, linnorm, disco, etc). And if people don't like it, I can drop the idea.

I'm actually rather in support of having a Totemist-ish like list of ALL Dragons. Despite there's "too many", it would do well to pad out the list with options, and likely be enough to carry it to 20th level. Plus, any cool dragon stuff that's been forgotten can be implemented here. Unless the "other-other" dragons didn't really have much identity of their own in terms of abilities and such? As that's the only main issue with putting the entire in-bred rainbow in there.

FrankTrollman wrote:and not the desert dwelling yellow dragon with a hot sand based breath weapon from 2nd edition AD&D.

Don't worry, that became the Sand Dragon in "It's Hot Outside". And for what it's worth, it's a sort of sandy-yellow colour. It also doesn't look terribly stupid, which is unfortunately noteworthy when it comes to the dragons of D&D.

Koumei wrote:

FrankTrollman wrote:and not the desert dwelling yellow dragon with a hot sand based breath weapon from 2nd edition AD&D.

Don't worry, that became the Sand Dragon in "It's Hot Outside". And for what it's worth, it's a sort of sandy-yellow colour. It also doesn't look terribly stupid, which is unfortunately noteworthy when it comes to the dragons of D&D.

An ex completely objected to the Oriental Adventures dragons because they looked stupid. I took it upon myself to draw all of them in one large pic to improve her opinion of them. It worked.

Honestly, the Gold Dragon looks pretty good as an Oriental Dragon. It even has the Whiskers of Enlightenment.

True. The body shape and wings are a bit off, but the face is good.

In AD&D the Gold Dragon was an Oriental dragon:


Gold Dragons having wings is a 3e onward thing.

Prak_Anima wrote:An ex completely objected to the Oriental Adventures dragons because they looked stupid. I took it upon myself to draw all of them in one large pic to improve her opinion of them. It worked.

Do you still have the pic?