Create Dragonbody

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by Crown

Create Dragonbody

Transmutation [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will special
Spell Resistance: Yes

See Dragonspawn and Dragon Magic for more information. This vile spell causes another creature's body to finally change into a new body, with the ultimate goal of having the dragon spellcaster inhabit the new body. This body is younger and in good health. This spell only changes the target into a dragon. The change is very slow and there is a chance of failure, or even the target's death, if the target is not strong physically. Time is not usually an issue to dragons, but the spell exists regardless.

Very few dragons know this magic and even less have any use for it. When dragon starts to become physically venerable (i.e. enters its twilight years) it can use this spell to create a new healthy body for itself. The new body will be three age categories younger (smaller) than the original dragon, but also in full health which therefore extends the dragon's life-span by centuries, even millenia. Also, a permanently wounded or otherwise crippled body can be changed to a healthy one (even if it does become younger and weaker). Drop the dragon's abilities including its breath weapon and special abilities. The dragon's magical abilities and spells, however, carry over to the new body and continue to rise when the dragon grows in size and power.

In order to cast this spell, the dragon needs an intelligent giant, humanoid, magical beast or monstrous humanoid with an Intelligence of at least 5. The target must be in its racial prime (i.e. considered a young adult or adult in his race's terms) or the spell will not work. The target cannot be any kind of dragon, and must be Small to Huge in size. The victim's size will eventually transform to the dragon's new body size. The dragon must attach one of its own scales to the target and cast the spell. Unwilling victims should be tied up. Rules for scale attachment and healing are the same as those presented on page 30 of the Bestiary of Krynn for dragon vassals. The dragon body is not otherwise similar to the dragon vassal.

The spell's DC is 10 + 1/2 dragon's HD + dragon's Charisma modifier. Willing targets may automatically fail the save. If the spell succeeds, the transformation begins and is handled in 3 stages (see below).

When the victim is finally changed into a dragon, the creator dragon must use some other spell (such as magic jar) to transfer his sprit/mind to the new body and invade that body. If the dragon spellcaster succeeds, then he has a new and owerful body. If the dragon fails, however, the victim is still a dragon.

Note: It is strongly recommended that this spell be only available to dragon spellcasters, to prevent other spellcasters from simply turning into dragons.

The Stages of Corruption

Stage 1: Every month, the victim must make two Fortitude saves: the first (DC 10 + 1/2 dragon's HD) avoids brief paralysis and sharp pains lasting 1d10 minutes, and a second save (DC 25 - victim's Intelligence bonus) or suffer 1d10 damage per age category of the dragon spellcaster. In addition, when the second save is failed the victim's scale creates smaller scales around the original. When the victim fails ten of these Fortitude saves, he proceeds to Stage 2.

• One-tenth of the victim's body is covered by scales (at this stage this is easily concealable).
• The victim's alignment shifts one level closer to the dragon spellcaster.

Stage 2: Every week, the victim must make two Fortitude saves: the first (DC 15 + 1/2 dragon's HD) avoids brief paralysis and sharp pains lasting 2d10 minutes, and a second save (DC 25 - victim's Intelligence bonus) or suffer 1d10 damage per age category of the dragon spellcaster. In addition, when the second save is failed the victim's scales cover an additional one-tenth of his body. When the victim fails nine of these Fortitude saves, he is fully covered by scales and looks much like a draconian.

• The victim should be treated as though he were of the dragon type. He is immune to sleep and paralysis, and needs little natural sleep. He is also immune to the creator dragon's breath weapon.
• Visible scales may cause minuses to Charisma-based checks. One possibility is to give -1 to all checks per every failure (and growth of scales).
• Low Metabolism: The victim only needs one-tenth the food and water it takes to sustain a human.
• Disease Immunity.
• Immune to dragon fear.
• +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution scores (unless the victim's Str and Con are already higher than the dragon spellcaster's Str and Con).
• Hardened Scales: Whenever the victim's scales grow, he gains a +1 natural armor bonus, up to a maximum natural armor bonus of +9 (on the ninth failed save).
• Heightened Senses: Every time the victim changes, his darkvision increases by 20 feet (or he gains darkvision 20 feet if he didn't have it already). His other senses should be about double normal human senses now (if some senses are more accurate they remain more accurate). This could give bonuses to Listen, Search, and Spot checks if they become higher (Example: If a human's senses are doubled this gives +10 to all those checks).
• Small and Medium victims gain a little height (about a foot).

Stage 3: The victim must make a Fortitude save every week (DC 20 + 1/2 dragon's HD). On the victim's second failed save, he changes into a dragon. This takes about 1d10 rounds. The failures bring about the following changes:

• Victim's size becomes one category closer to the size he will eventually become (which is three Age Categories lower than the dragon spellcaster). Note that the victim's body can actually become smaller.
• Victim grows a dragon's natural weapons (if the victim has no other natural weapons).
• Victim grows usable wings. He may only glide until he learns how to fly (which takes a couple of months).
• Compare the victim's Strength to the average Strength of a dragon of his type and Age Category. If his Strength is lower, increase it to the dragon's average - 4. If his Strength is higher, increase it by +2.
• Compare the victim's Dexterity to the average Dexterity of a dragon of his type and Age Category. If his Dexterity is lower, increase it to the dragon's average - 4. If his Dexterity is higher, reduce it to the dragon's average.
• Compare the victim's Constitution to the average Constitution of a dragon of his type and Age Category. If his Constitution is lower, increase it to the dragon's average - 4. If his Constitution is higher, increase it by +2.
• The victim's mental stats (Int, Wis, Cha) remain the same.

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