Dracemar

Xathan · June 17, 2006, 01:58:38 PM

Finally decided to port these guys over. These are the Dracemar, created for a dragon heavy homebrew world I was working on about a year ago. (It's still around here, it just isn't that good.) The Dracemar are my babies, though, probalbly my best (mechanically) developed race. Former servants of a powerful red dragon, they now seek to find their own place in worlds torn by war. Feedback would be greatly appreciated.

During the War of Establishment, many different dragons created twisted creatures to serve as their hands, eyes, and ears. One of the most enduring of the creatures where the dracemar. Created by the Red Wyrm Ixenigorathimi to fill his ranks, the dracemar endured long after their masterÃ¢,¬,,¢s death. Now, they roam the land, trying to find their place in a world that is not in a constant state of war.

Physical description: Dracemar resemble a cross between overly tall human and red dragon. They have the horns of the red dragon jutting out from crimson hair, scaled flesh, and irises that glow lightly.

Relations: Dracemar tend to evaluate other creatures not on their race, but on individual merit. They do make a few generalizations, however. Dragonborn are treated with respect and awe, tinged with some jealousy, as they were chosen by the dragons to be their agents, while the Dracemar were largely abandoned. Half Dragons that were abandoned by their draconic parents are viewed as kindred spirits, though Half-dragons of metallic ancestry tend to view Dracemar with suspicion. Other humanoids look upon Dracemar with some measure of distrust: they did fight for one of the most foul of the Chromatics during the War, after all. The True Dragons will usually welcome Dracemar who pledge their loyalty to them, though Reds often view Dracemar with disgust for failing Ixenigorathimi, while Golds still remember how Viux, the Dracemar who was also IxenigorathimiÃ¢,¬,,¢s general, slew Gorithambuo the Wise after that great Gold managed to kill Ixenigorathimi.

Alignment: Despite being the spawn of Ixenigorathimi, Dracemar tend towards Law, by virture of being bred to respect and obey their superiors and with a distinctly military mindset. Older generation Dracemar, who remember the War, tend towards evil, but the race has no natural evil leanings, and younger Dracemar seek to overturn the stereotype that haunts their people.

Dracemar Lands: Dracemar have no lands to call their own, but must find their way in the various Dragonstates. Since the Dracemar still must struggle with the long memories of both the Golds and the Reds, it is hard for them to find their way in the most powerful of the Dragonstates.

Some Dracemar are beginning to form a community on one of the floating chunks of rock that floats through the emptiness that is the Void. It is not certain what, if anything, will come of this settlement.

Religion: Dracemar, like most of the creatures of the Draconic Spheres, worship the gods of dragons. Older Dracemar worship Tiamat, while the younger generation finds worship of either Io or Bahamut to be preferable.

Language: Dracemar speak High Draconic and Common Draconic. Some of them learn the languages of the other races they must interact with, while others learn the elemental language they are somewhat tied to.

(I was wondering if this was too much for a LA +0 race, or if I need to move stuff around/drop stuff to keep the LA at 0.)

ALl INFORMATION BELOW THIS NOTICE IN THIS POST, EXCLUDING ANY AND ALL INFORMATION IN MY SIGNATURE, IS OPEN CONENT

Dracemar
Medium Humanoid (Reptilian)
+2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdom: Dracemar are strong, but their muscular bodies are slower to react and they tend to be somewhat rash.

Speed: 30 ft

+0 Natural Armor: A DracemarÃ¢,¬,,¢s hide is tough and thick. While not enough to actually protect it from attacks, it is treated as having natural armor for the purpose of spells, effects, and feats (such as Improved Natural Armor) that alter or require a natural armor bonus.

Breath Weapon: A dracemar has a breath weapon similar to that of a dragonÃ¢,¬,,¢s. At first level, this breath weapon is a five foot line. At fourth level, and every four levels thereafter, it grows, gaining five additional feet to a maximum of 50 ft at twentieth level. The damage for this breath weapon is 1d6 fire plus an additional 1d6 points of damage for every three weapons beyond 1st. (so 2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 6th, etc.) This damage can be halved by a successful reflex save (DC = 10+1/2 hd + con modifier) A dracemar can use its breath weapon every 1d4+1 rounds.

Limited Resist fire: A dracemarÃ¢,¬,,¢s heritage gives it a very limited ability to resist damage from fire sources. A dracemar reduces the damage dealt by any fire effect by one point of damage per die of damage.

Limited Cold Vunerability: A dracemar takes an additional 1 point of damage per die of damage from any cold effect that deals damage.

Low Light Vision

+2 on Spot and Listen checks: Like the dragons that sired them, Dracemar have senses that exceed those of normal humanoids, though they cannot match their progenitor's senses.

Automatic Languages: Draconic (High and Common). Bonus langauges: Elvish, Gnome, Ignan

Favored Class: Fighter

LA: +0

NOTE: Common Draconic in the setting they come from is the same as Common in most settings, while High Draconic is the same as Draconic is most settings.

[spoiler=Some Tables][table=Random Starting Ages]
Dracemar age slower than most humanoids, but also tend to live much longer lives, unless they are slain in battle or suffer a different unnatural death.

[tr][th][/th][th]Adulthood[/th][th]Barb/Rog/Sor[/th][th]Brd/Ftr/Pal/Rng[/th][th]Clr/Drd/Mnk/Wiz[/th][/tr]
[tr][th]Ages[/th][td]25 years[/td][td]+1d6[/td][td]+2d4[/td][td]+2d6[/td][/tr]
[/table]

[table=Aging effects]
[tr][td]Middle Age[/td][td]Old[/td][td]Venerable[/td][td]Max[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]75[/td][td]175[/td][td]300[/td][td]+2d%[/td][/tr][/table][/spoiler]

[spoiler=PARAGON CLASS]
[class=Dracemar Paragon Class]

[levels=3]

[bab=fighter]

[fort=good]

[special]

[1]Darkvision 60ft[/1]

[2]Fire Resistance 10, Natural Armor +1[/2]

[3]Dragon Apotheosis[/3]

[/special]

[/class]
HD: d10
Skills: The following skills are class skills for the dracemar paragon: Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str)
Skill Points at Each Level
4 + Intelligence Modifier

Darkvision 60 ft Ã¢,¬' At first level, a dracemar paragonÃ¢,¬,,¢s draconic roots show more fully, and the dracemar begins to take on the beginnings of its sires vision. The dracemar gains Darkvision 60 ft.

Fire Resistance 10 Ã¢,¬' At second level, a dracemar paragonÃ¢,¬,,¢s limited fire resistance becomes fire resistance 10

Natural Armor +1 Ã¢,¬' At second level, a dracemar paragonÃ¢,¬,,¢s natural armor bonus increases by 1.

Dragon Apotheosis Ã¢,¬' at third level, a dracemar paragon undergoes an Apotheosis. Its type changes to Dragon, and it looses the dragonblood subtype. (It retains any dragonblood feat it posses). It gains two claw attacks for 1d4 damage each, and its breath weaponÃ¢,¬,,¢s length is doubled, increasing by 5 feet for every two levels the dracemar posses as opposed to every four, to a maximum of 100 ft at 20th level.[/spoiler]

Numinous · June 17, 2006, 02:04:07 PM

Very nice, especially for an LA 0. I might steal it for my dragon setting, which is still in the wings. Hope you don't mind!

Now I just have to modify it for each dragon type and...

Xathan · June 17, 2006, 02:05:35 PM

Not at all, that's why I posted them. :)

brainface · June 17, 2006, 02:13:38 PM

QuoteLimited Resist fire: A dracemarÃ¢,¬,,¢s heritage gives it a very limited ability to resist damage from fire sources. A dracemar reduces the damage dealt by any fire effect by one point of damage per die of damage.

Fire Resistance 5 is probably a simpler ability to give them. If nothing else, you wouldn't have to tell the players how many dice your npc wizard rolled. (And they wouldn't weirdly have a greater resistance to fireballs than campfires.)

I like the breath weapon. Non-scaled breath weapons are 'meh'.

Xathan · June 17, 2006, 02:49:50 PM

Yeah, that would make more sense, especially considering that, if you take the paragon class, your fire resistance actually becomes less useful in some situations.

I like the breath weapon to, and I completely agree - a breath weapon that is not scaled is always over or under powered, and rarely actually useful.

Xathan · June 19, 2006, 10:21:40 PM

Here is a sample Dracemar:

[spoiler=Standard Dracemar] Standard Dracemar CR 1/2
Male or Female Dracemar Warrior 1
LN Medium Humanoid (dragonblood)
Init: -1; Senses Spot +2, Listen +2, Low Light Vision
Languages High Draconic and Common Draconic
----------------------------------------
AC 12 Touch 10, flat-footed 9
Hp 4 (1 HD)
Resist Limited fire
Vunerability Limited Cold
Fort +2, Ref: -1, Will +0
----------------------------------------
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee Longsword +2 (1d8 + 1) or
Ranged Shortbow +0 (1d6)
Base Atk +1, Grp +2
Atk Options Power Attack
Special Actions Breath Weapon
----------------------------------------
Abilities Str 13, Dex 9, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 10
Feats Power Attack
Skills Climb +4, Intimidate +4, Listen +2, Spot +2
Possessions Studded Leather Armor, Longsword, Shortbow, 30 arrows
----------------------------------------
Breath Weapon (su) every 1d4+1 rounds, 5ft line, 1d6 fire, Reflex DC 10 half
Limited Fire Resistance: Ã¢,¬'1 damage per die from fire based attacks
Limited Cold Vunerability: Takes 1 extra damage from damage dealing cold based attacks.

The statistics shown here indicate a common Dracemar, and in my opinion help justify its +0 LA. The breath weapon is really the only ability that comes into play here, and will actually deal less damage on average than the Longsword Ã¢,¬' hardly game breaking, even in the hands of a PC.

Such a Dracemar would likely be encountered among others of its kind or among the city guard, making very efficient guardsmen. It can also appear as a soldier, highly valued for the demoralizing effect its breath can have on the opponent as well as its natural combat prowess.[/spoiler]

Túrin · June 20, 2006, 10:37:52 AM

Just as a note, I think the natural armour +0 ability doesn't give any actual advantage. Can't you take the Improved Natural Armour feat even if you have +0 natural armour?
Túrin

Poseptune · June 20, 2006, 11:36:06 AM

I like it.

Critical Threat: I think each color shouldn't have a modified version of this race. Each color dragon would probably have different ideas about what a servant race would need. It makes sense that the red dragons would favor strength and a breath weapon, while another color would favor speed and intelligence. Not all the species of dragons would have made servant races, some may have just adopted local races instead of creating a new one or not have a servant race at all. This would leave the Dracemar unique, which I think in this case would be a good thing.

I do like this race and would steal it if I had a need for such a race. Unfortunately at this point I don't.

Numinous · June 20, 2006, 11:42:00 AM

that's an interesting perspective... Although I do think in a setting where only dragons and their related species exist, the creation of such sub-dragons could be useful for extra diversity.

Plus, if you want, you can look at this template as a weakened half-dragon template, suitable for games where LA is an issue. just change the breath-weapon around, and it'd work. ould be very useful.

Xathan · June 20, 2006, 01:25:12 PM

I'm working on variant dracemar, depending on the race. Still toying with keeping it thematic and different.

Turin: The +0 Natural armor, I think, does qualify you for Improved Natural Armor and other such feats. I can't find my MM right now, I'll look it up once I figure out where it is.

Poseptune · June 20, 2006, 01:30:54 PM

If the setting only has dragons and their related species, how do you get half-dragons?

Besides if you were playing in a campaign with only dragons and related species, you would want to have the option of playing a different race than the other PCs (rather than playing the same race and doing cold damage instead of fire). So making more changes than just the type of breath weapon would be better. I do agree that in a "normal" campaign it would be quick and easy to change just the breath weapon and vulnerability types and you give PCs wanting to play a halfdragon a 1st level option. Ok this is getting off topic.

Xathan I would love to see what some of the other twisted creations the dragons came up with.

Natural Armor: All it says is that the creature must have natural armor. It doesn't specify that a +0 natural armor doesn't count. Though the question is raised wouldn't humans and other humanoids have a +0 Natural armor?

Túrin · June 20, 2006, 01:32:06 PM

The feat states as requirements "Natural Armor" and "Con 13+" though it doesn't specify what having "Natural Armor" means. I always thought creatures without natural armour actually had natural armour +0, though I might be confusing things, possibly with this: I know for sure there's a spell that improves natural armour and says "count creatures without natural armour as having natural armour +0".

Poseptune · June 20, 2006, 01:46:45 PM

Maybe reword it to:

Natural Armor: A DracemarÃ¢,¬,,¢s hide is tough and thick. While not enough to actually protect it from attacks, they qualify for spells, effects, and feats that require a natural armor bonus. The Dracemar is treated as having a +0 natural armor bonus for the purpose of AC, spells, effects, and feats (such as Improved Natural Armor) that alter or require a natural armor bonus.

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