Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Return of the Arcane Dragons II



The second of the Arcane Dragons, this breed is actually my favorite. It's really the reason that I started "updating" this and the Hex Dragon to Pathfinder. I hope that this updated version works for you and your game. 

Tome Dragon

With a mane of white hair framing it's wise face, this dragon's many hued scales reflect light in a shimmering pattern. It's tail ends in a wide fin, not unlike some great fish.

LN dragon (air, arcane)
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Base Statistics
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CR 3; Size Tiny; Hit Dice 3d12
Speed 30 ft.
Natural Armor +1; Breath Weapon blast,1d8 elemental
Str 7, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 15

Ecology
Environment Any mountain or ruin
Organization solitary or cloister (2-6 tome dragons)
Treasure triple
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Special Abilities
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Breath Weapon (Su): A tome's dragon breath weapon is weak (compared to other dragons), but very adaptable. Tome dragons can accurately spit a small bead of raw elemental material great distances (as far as a dragon's line breath weapon can extend), which then explodes in a manner similar to a fireball (blast radius equals 5 feet per age category). While the amount of damage remains the same no matter which element is used, the type of damage varies: a blast of air deals sonic damage, earth deals piercing damage, water deals non-lethal bludgeoning damage, and fire deals fire damage.

Eldritch Study (Su): Beginning as a wyrmling, a tome dragon takes a subject of magic and focuses on the study and mastery of that aspect. The tome dragon selects a school of magic as if it were a wizard. She gains the benefits of that school with her caster level being used as her wizard level; she also gains the same drawbacks as a specialist wizard and must select two opposing schools. Also, at each increase of caster level, if the dragon has chosen to specialize, she gains a bonus spell known from the selected school.

Free Metamagic (Su): Metamagic comes naturally to tome dragons. Applying a metamagic feat to a spell takes no extra time for a tome dragon (rather than increasing casting time to a full-round action, as normal for a sorcerer). In addition, tome dragons can subtract an amount based on their age category from the increase in spell level caused by using metamagic feats. The number listed is the total reduction in extra spell levels, not the reduction for each feat applied. This bonus can only be applied to one spell per round (additional spells cast in a single round are unaffected).

Insight (Ex): After years of studying a diverse number of topics, a young dragon begins gaining an understanding on how others think, and react. This translates into an insight bonus to AC, CMD, and Will saves equal to half the dragon's Intelligence modifier.

Spell-Like Abilities (Su): Tome dragons gain a number of spell-like abilities as they age that assist them in the gathering of knowledge. The abilities are usable at will upon reaching the listed age category. Wyrmling - arcane sight; Juvenile - clairaudiance/clairvoyance; Mature Adult - plane shift; Ancient - true seeing; Great Wyrm - astral projection.


Age Category



Special Abilities



Caster Level


Wyrmling


Arcane sight, eldritch study, spell resistance


1st


Very Young


Free metamagic: +1 level


3rd


Young


Insight, DR 5/magic


5th


Juvenile


Clairaudiance/clairvoyance


7th


Young Adult


Free metamagic: +2 level


9th


Adult


Frightful presence, DR 10/magic


11th


Mature Adult


Plane shift


13th


Old


Free metamagic: +3 level


15th


Very Old


DR 15/magic


17th


Ancient


True seeing


19th


Wyrm


Free metamagic: +4 level


21st*


Great Wyrm


Astral projection


23rd*

*Grants no more spells know per day than a 20th level sorcerer, but improves spell effects depending on caster level.

The most powerful of draconic spell casters, tome dragons are also one of the weakest of dragons. Where most dragons are known for hording gold, gems, and art, a tome dragon is a gatherer of arcane knowledge. Their hordes are filled with books, scrolls, and crystal balls. While they are not known for aggression or violent behavior, they will defend their libraries and areas of study viciously.  That being said, they understand that throwing their lives away for simple material things is not worth the lost of collected knowledge that they contain.

It is due to this mentality that you will often find tome dragons working and living with others of their kind, or in the employ (sometimes slavery) of powerful beings. In those circumstances they prefer to serve as mentors, instructors, and advisers; roles that their talents shine.

During times that tome dragons gather together, it is often referred to as a "conclave" instead of the more traditional terms of "flight" or "rage". In fact a gathering of such rarely, if ever, has anything to do with "rage". More often a conclave either will gather to discuss important arcane matters, or to make use of a discovered source of knowledge or to construct such a source. Though rare, there have been known instances where some academies of magic, universities and important centers of learning are a long term conclave that never disbanded. It is interesting to note that such gathers rarely have tome dragons that have specialized in the same paths of magic. In a conclave with an "Evocationist", it would be rare to also have an "Admixturist", but not unheard of. In the same example, though, you would not see a second Admixturist or "pure" Evocationist, unless it was a pupil of one of the older dragons.

As a side note, learning and magic are not the only things tome dragons are known for. They have, as a whole, a deep love of tea. While each dragon has slightly differing views on what makes a good tea, anyone that can present a proper tea, especially a rare or exotic blend, will earn the dragons favor. One can make suppositions on the type of tea the dragon will prefer if one knows what type of school of magic they have chosen to focus on. Evocationists enjoy flavorful, spiced teas, Illusionists will oft prefer ones that include heady smells and unique or new flavor combinations, while an Earth elementally focused dragon will be drawn towards earthy, root based teas.

A tome dragon's focus also seems to directly relate to their outlook. A divinationist will look at the bigger picture, an evocationist will be bombastic, a dragon that focuses on Air may be flighty and easily distracted, and a necromancer will be often be morose and dour.


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