Shapechanging Drakes?

[TheAuldGrump]

Heh - I realized while going through some of my very old notes for my Steampunk game that I do have a setting where Drakes (called Dragons), Giants, and Rootwalkers might be possible PCs. (The notes date back to the first year of 3rd edition D&D. One of the NPCs in the very first scenario is a shapechanged Dragon. The NPC never became as central to the plot as I intended.)

My dilemma - Drakes have been passing as human for centuries - being able to take a single human form. (Unoriginally - the Dragon bore the name Pendragon, and was a descendant of the Red Dragon in Arthurian legend - the one that killed the White Dragon beneath the Hill in prophecy.) Adding a free power would be unbalancing, having the ability as a mandatory feat is limiting to the player.

The only other possibility that I can think of, in the event that I allow PC Drakes, is to give everyone an extra feat at first level. Some species would have to spend this feat to have an alternate form. (Drakes, Giants, some Elves, but not Rootwalkers - Rootwalkers can pass themselves off as trees....) Both Drakes and Giants would have them as mandatory feats.

Anyone have a better idea?

The Auld Grump

[MugMug]

You could instead remove a benefit from the Drake and Giant.

Walter

[Agent 333]

Or add a drawback (or two, or three). Shape-shifting is a powerful ability, especially in the hands of a species whose primary drawback is lack of thumbs. Tread with caution.

[MugMug]

You could keep the human form wimpy. You could also limit the frequency of shapeshifting (once per scene? adventure?). Both would help nerf the shapeshifting benefit.

Walter

[Mister Andersen]

Personally I think you're looking at something that's going to be an expert or even master class benefit.

[Aldus Vertten]

My dilemma - Drakes have been passing as human for centuries - being able to take a single human form.

i was going to use this as well in my setting, but it's something i was planning to reveal later, if we keep playing.  When i do, i'll probably use something akin to what's been written in the "were" thread. The one i posted especifically leaved the door open for any race to take it...

al

[Desertpuma]

You can simply make it a feat that requires the PC to be a Drake and a certain Career Level like 12th or 15th. Shapechanging is a powerful enough ability normally. Plus, it would allow Drakes to then be more easily able to dungeon delve as their 2x3 size is not always conducive to it.

[Mister Andersen]

You can simply make it a feat that requires the PC to be a Drake and a certain Career Level like 12th or 15th. Shapechanging is a powerful enough ability normally. Plus, it would allow Drakes to then be more easily able to dungeon delve as their 2x3 size is not always conducive to it.

The limitations of their size is one of the big balancing points of the species.

[Desertpuma]

I agree ... that is why the minimum Career Level would be added so they would have to work up to it.

[Aldus Vertten]

There are no feats with career level prerequisite in FC. if i remember correctly, the reduction of prerequisites was one of the design philosophies for mastercraft. The only reference to level are the racial feats and the ones asking for a Caster level. You would have to start with a Racial level 1 feat in order to later on take tha shapechanging feat.

al

[Desertpuma]

Or make a Drake requirement on a Master Class which eventually granted the Shapechanging

[Mister Andersen]

The theiranothrope  expert class is definitely a good idea to pursue

[Dhampire]

Also, there was already some discussion on this matter on this thread.

I still like having a Feat for a nerfed humanoid form.

[TheAuldGrump]

Personally I think you're looking at something that's going to be an expert or even master class benefit.

Problem is that the alternative is 'extinct species'. The only way that monkey tribe would let them survive is if they could disguise themselves as monkeys. We are the Bandar-log. (Yeah, I know kinda flies in the face of standard fantasy fare - but we have enough difficulties with other humans that 'look different'.)  Drakes would be one of the hidden species, who never left. Others are some (not all) goblins, and rootwalkers (Ellum do grieve, oak he do hate, willow do walk if yew travel late - Devonshire saying). Faeries have just sort of 'faded' and are only now returning, with none able or willing to answer where they had gone. (Some few had remained, but they were very few, and at one time very powerful fey - along the lines of the Puck and the Trash Hound.)

Also, too many of the dragons of legend could use tools, even in Germanic myth - Fafnir coming to mind. I do agree that gaining thumbs in Drake form would have to be an advanced feat, most likely requiring X Species feats. Come to it Fafnir was also a shapechanger (and a dwarf...).

In human form I would definitely strip them of all Species and abilities, But given that Drakes would be this world's dragons the ability to shape change is endemically a part of the myths. The possibility of doing it along the lines of 'Build an NPC using 50 XP as your human form' might be another consideration.

The Auld Grump

[Mister Andersen]

Well, you *could* start them out as a human with the amnesia subplot and then drop the truth of their drake-hood upon them at the appropriate level.

Alternatively you could go the Lady Amalthea route and at somepoint stick them in human form permanently for a few levels...