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Articles › #4 - Half-Ego Dragons
| #4 - Half-Ego Dragons (Article #13 Page 1) |
Half-Ego Dragons
by Shane O'Connor
For all the differences between ego dragons and their metallic and chromatic cousins, there are some basic similarities that the psionic ego dragons share with their magical cousins. Beyond their great power, and innate desire to collect treasure, ego dragons also share the fiery draconic lust that characterizes true dragons, making them just as likely as other breeds of dragon to sire half-dragons with various creatures. As with all things, however, both kinds of dragons approach this desire differently, channeling it through their extreme viewpoints.
Logos dragons tend to approach creatures they’re attracted to and work out a conjugal agreement with them, outlining exactly the nature of the desired arrangement, what’s expected of the other creature, and what the logos dragon will do for it in return. With good-aligned logos dragons this is usually mutually beneficial, with the other creature bargaining for riches, power, or future favors in return for giving the dragon “breeding rights” to them. Neutral logos dragons usually make similar arrangements, but tend to do so as part of larger agreements with communities of nearby creatures. Evilly-aligned logos dragons, however, make what is basically a formalized declaration that the other creature is now the logos dragon’s sex slave, and what it can expect from now on.
Pathos dragons, on the other hand, simply act on whatever whims come to them when they feel an attraction to something. Good pathos dragons will usually try to woo a creature with displays of wealth, power, wit, and sexuality. Neutral pathos dragons may take any approach, but tend to enjoy using trickery to mate with a creature, using either form-altering powers on themselves and/or mind-affecting powers on others to get what they want. Evil pathos dragons tend to take the most direct approach, often forcing themselves on anything they find attractive.
Ethos dragons channel their lust towards the members of whatever culture they’re observing at the time. Good-aligned ethos dragons will choose creatures who are already part of its worldthought network, often beginning a romance with the creature chosen. Neutral ethos dragons have a more pragmatic outlook, regarding sex as simply another aspect of its chosen community to explore. Evil ethos dragons tend to prey on their chosen cultures, and this includes taking desirable members of the community by force. Rumors persist of evil ethos dragons who have learned the soulbinding gaze power, and are able to force creatures to join their worldthought networks.
The results of these unions are invariably half-ego dragons. While the characteristics of the non-draconic parent are clearly present, the features of their dragon parentage are impossible to miss. Half-logos dragons have orange scales across their body that become a coppery color around their chest and middle, whereas half-pathos dragons have deep green scales that lighten to whitish on the front of their torso. The scales of a half-ethos dragon are inevitably violet-colored. If the half-ego dragon has wings, they’re invariably feathered, rather than scaled, making some people mistake them for a new type of celestial creature.
Due to their intensely psionic nature, half-ego dragons are different from other breeds of half-dragon. A half-ego dragon uses the half-dragon template, modified by the changes given below.
Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to dragon, and it gains the psionic subtype. Size is unchanged. Do not recalculate base attack bonus or saves.
Special Attacks
A half-ego dragon retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains a breath weapon based on the dragon variety, usable once per day. A half-logos dragon breathes a 60 ft. line of force, while a half-pathos dragon breathes a 30 ft. cone of crystal shards (these shards deal slashing damage, and count as magic and slashing for overcoming damage reduction; these crystals are formed from ectoplasm, and disintegrate after being used). A half-ethos dragon breathes a line of psychic energy (which is not subject to energy resistance or damage reduction). A half-ego dragon’s breath weapon deals 6d8 points of damage. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ half-ego dragon’s racial HD + half-ego dragon’s Con modifier) reduces damage by half.
Special Qualities
A half-ego dragon has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. A half-ego dragon has immunity to sleep and paralysis effects, and an additional immunity based on its dragon variety. Half-logos dragons are immune to force effects, and half-pathos dragons are immune to spells and powers (as well as spell-like and psi-like abilities) of the Charm sub-school/sub-discipline. Half-ethos dragons have no blanket immunities, but gain power resistance equal to their total character level +10. All half-ego dragons also gain the following special quality.
Naturally Psionic (Ex): A half-ego dragon gains 2 psionic power points per natural Hit Die. Creatures without natural Hit Dice (such as humans, maenads, etc.) are considered to have 1 natural Hit Die for purposes of this ability.
NEW FEATS
The feats presented below were designed especially for the ego half-dragons, but one can be used with any half-dragon.
RECURRING BREATH WEAPON [RACIAL]
You are able to call upon your draconic breath weapon more often.
Prerequisite: Half-dragon.
Benefit: You may use your breath weapon an additional two times per day.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, each time gaining an additional two uses of your breath weapon per day. If you have multiple breath weapons, you must choose which one this feat applies to when taking it. This choice cannot later be changed.
SECONDARY BREATH WEAPON [RACIAL]
You gain a second breath weapon, matching that of your draconic parent.
Prerequisite: Half-logos or half-pathos dragon.
Benefit: A half-logos dragon taking this feat is able to breathe a 30 ft. cone of gas that forces victims who fail a Will save to repeat the actions of their previous round as if under the effects of the déjà vu power for the next 1d2 rounds. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
A half-pathos dragon taking this feat is able to breathe a 30 ft. cone of gas that forces victims who fail a Will save to become confused for 1d6 rounds as it induces a series of chaotic emotional responses that bewilders and disorients them. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
These secondary breath weapons may only be used once per day. Using a secondary breath weapon does not count as a use of the half-ego dragon’s primary breath weapon, and vice versa. The saving throw DC for these secondary breath weapons is (10 + ½ the half-ego dragon’s natural Hit Dice + the half-ego dragon’s Wis modifier).
The Logos and Pathos Dragons can be found in Untapped Potential: New Horizons in Psionics. Ethos Dragons were released as a free web enhancement
Expanded Psionics Handbook ©2004 Wizards of the Coast
Dungeons & Dragons is a registered trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
The Inner Eye is a series of psionic articles, often submitted by Dreamscarred Press fans, expanding the options for psionics.
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| Author | Jeremy.Smith |
| Date & Time | 29-07-2008 15:15 |
comments
| Alzrius - 24-01-2009 22:36 |
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Well, it only took me over nine months, but I finally got around to fixing the one aspect of this article that needed it. That last feat was specific to half-logos and half-pathos dragons, leaving the poor half-ethos dragons out in the cold. Below is the official revision of the feat to include a secondary breath weapon for half-ethos dragons. Enjoy!
SECONDARY BREATH WEAPON [RACIAL]
You gain a second breath weapon, matching that of your draconic parent.
Prerequisite: Half-ego dragon.
Benefit: A half-logos dragon taking this feat is able to breathe a 30 ft. cone of gas that forces victims who fail a Will save to repeat the actions of their previous round as if under the effects of the déjà vu power for the next 1d2 rounds. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
A half-pathos dragon taking this feat is able to breathe a 30 ft. cone of gas that forces victims who fail a Will save to become confused for 1d6 rounds as it induces a series of chaotic emotional responses that bewilders and disorients them. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
A half-ethos dragon taking this feat is able to breathe (or, for added descriptive effect, is able to release from a barb on the half-ethos dragon's tail) a 30 ft. cone of sticky strands that binds creatures who fail a Reflex save as if under the effects of the entangling ectoplasm power for the next 1d2 rounds.
These secondary breath weapons may only be used once per day. Using a secondary breath weapon does not count as a use of the half-ego dragon’s primary breath weapon, and vice versa. The saving throw DC for these secondary breath weapons is (10 + ½ the half-ego dragon’s natural Hit Dice + the half-ego dragon’s Wis modifier). |
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