Dec. 2: Dragonsoul (PrC)

Based on suggestions here in the forum and in-game, I'm going to be adding a new prestige class in the near future called the Dragonsoul.

It's basically a way for me to add in different types of dragon disciples without having to actually build 10 new classes. This one is partially alignment-based, with chromatic bloodlines usable by neutral and evil characters, and metallic bloodlines usable by good and neutral characters.

This class will not play well with Red Dragon Disciple (since they're basically the same class). If you take this class, you will not be able to take RDD, and if you take RDD, you will not be able to take this class.

Ability adjustments will be handled by letoscripting, so that I can tailor each bloodline a bit. It looks like reinstalling the letoscripting .dll files may have fixed our issue with characters "vanishing." Draconic Armor will be replaced with "Draconic Luck", giving the same number AC bonuses but as dodge bonuses that stack with anything. I'll be able to assign dragon wing colors instead of using the hard-coded red ones of the RDD.

Once I get it added to the game and I post a new updates hak, you will be able to take on this class.

Dragonsoul (prestige class)

The dragonsoul is a being with a draconic ancestor, and some of that power still resides in the person's soul. Using the inherent magical abilities and acquired knowledge of a sorcerer or bard, that person can learn the way to manifest this inner draconic power.

Requirements:

Classes: Bard or Sorcerer
Skills: Lore 8 ranks
Choice: Pick one dragon bloodline before taking 1st level in this class
VC command option bloodline xxxxxx, where xxxxxx is replaced with one of these:
black, blue, green, red, white (neutral or evil only)
brass, bronze, copper, gold, silver (good or neutral only)

Abilities:

Level
1: Draconic Luck - The dragonsoul finds himself or herself moving just out of harm's way due to in-born luck, gaining a dodge bonus to armor class of 1.
Hit Dice Increase (d6) - The character rolls d6 for hit points. This change is not retroactive.
2: Draconic Ability Scores - This adjustment varies based on bloodline.
3: Breath Weapon I - The character can breathe a cone of destruction, dealing 2d10 points of damage to each opponent caught.
4: Hit Dice Increase (d8) - The character rolls d8 for hit points. This change is not retroactive.
Draconic Ability Scores - This adjustment varies based on bloodline.
5: Draconic Luck - The dragonsoul's good luck increases, gaining another 1 dodge bonus to armor class.
6: Hit Dice Increase (d10) - The character rolls d10 for hit points. This change is not retroactive.
7: Breath Weapon II - The character's breath weapon damage potential increases to 4d10 points of damage.
Draconic Ability Scores - This adjustment varies based on bloodline.
8: Draconic Luck - The character's dodge bonus to armor class increases by 1.
9: Wings - The character grows dragon wings and gains the power of short flights.
Draconic Ability Scores - This adjustment varies based on bloodline.
10: Draconic Luck - the dodge bonus to armor class increases again, this time to 5 total.
Darkvision - The character gains a dragon's ability to see in the dark.
Immunity to sleep, paralysis, and one element (which varies based on bloodline).
Draconic Ability Scores - This adjustment varies based on bloodline.
Breath Weapon III - The character does 6d10 points of damage with his breath weapon.

Draconic Abilties

Bloodline	2	4	7	9	10	Breath/Immunity
Black	str +2	str +2	con +2	cha +2	con +4, cha +2	acid
Blue	str +2	str +2	con +2	con +2	int +2, wis +2, cha +2	electricity
Green	str +2	str +2	con +2	str +2	con +4, cha +2	acid
Red	str +2	str +2	con +2	int +2	str +4, cha +2	fire
White	con +2	con +2	str +2	str +2	con +4, str +2	cold
Brass	str +2	str +2	con+2	wis +2	str +4, cha +2	fire
Bronze	str +2	con +2	wis +2	cha +2	wis +4, str +2	electricity
Copper	str +2	dex +2	con +2	int +2	dex +4, str +2	acid
Gold	str +2	wis +2	int +2	con +2	wis +4, cha +2	fire
silver	str +2	str +2	con +2	wis +2	cha +4, str +2	cold

Sweetness all wrapped with a purty purple bow! Can't wait for this one to go live, I want sooooobad, hehe.

Woohoo, thanks

Draconic Ability Scores - This adjustment varies based on bloodline.

Interesting...

Hmmm. This is tantalizing, very tantalizing!

black, blue, green, red, white (neutral or evil only)
brass, bronze, copper, gold, silver (good or neutral only)

What are the elements that are represented in each bloodline?

Might have to make something than a melee guy.

Grey_Stooge wrote:black, blue, green, red, white (neutral or evil only)
brass, bronze, copper, gold, silver (good or neutral only)

What are the elements that are represented in each bloodline?

Might have to make something than a melee guy.

Just added these to the first post.

ok, . Just thought ahead that was all.

Anyways this looks good. I may have to try it.

So say if I was either brass or black. Does the str +2 that happens twice stacks?

What would be the difference between a RDD and a red Dragonsoul?

Grey_Stooge wrote:So say if I was either brass or black. Does the str +2 that happens twice stacks?

Yes.

MannyJabrielle wrote:What would be the difference between a RDD and a red Dragonsoul?

Not much difference at all. I just figured I'd put the option in for those that wanted it. Oh, maybe a shorter class name on your character sheet screen.

thanks !!

The ideas are flowing through my head!!! I could have a lot of fun with this class!!!!

Grey_Stooge wrote:thanks !!

The ideas are flowing through my head!!! ...!

I've already gone through 2 pieces of scratch paper scribbling notes and numbers :-). Curse the homework that will keep me from Aenea today!

Svair wrote:I've already gone through 2 pieces of scratch paper scribbling notes and numbers :-). Curse the homework that will keep me from Aenea today!

The new class isn't in the game yet, and won't be for several days at least.

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:

MannyJabrielle wrote:What would be the difference between a RDD and a red Dragonsoul?

Not much difference at all. I just figured I'd put the option in for those that wanted it. Oh, maybe a shorter class name on your character sheet screen.

If there is not much difference, then why not go fully over to the new PrC... by removing the RDD class altogether... Anybody with a RDD class could somehow possibly be "grandfathered" in, but anyone wanting to make a new RDD class gets it auto-stripped and re-implemented as Red Dragonsoul... .. I'm just not sure I see the full point in having both RDD & Red Dragonsoul .... of course that could be more hassle then its worth to implement in game...

Finally we can see some proper devotees to the dragons by bloodline.... ...
What happens if a Dragonsoul changes alignment (by the cosmic balance) ??...
Is it possible for an existing RDD to be "level-stripped by a DM" to take dragonsoul (saying that problems occour with the re-lev scales / they don't have any) ??...

Aw, Dragon Soul was my "Carrot" to motivate me to focus and finish on my math today.

RustyDios wrote:If there is not much difference, then why not go fully over to the new PrC... by removing the RDD class altogether... Anybody with a RDD class could somehow possibly be "grandfathered" in, but anyone wanting to make a new RDD class gets it auto-stripped and re-implemented as Red Dragonsoul... .. I'm just not sure I see the full point in having both RDD & Red Dragonsoul .... of course that could be more hassle then its worth to implement in game...

I'm not removing RDD simply because so many characters already have the class and might be perfectly happy using it as-is. Plus, it would break/bug existing characters if I took it away. And script-disabling the RDD would still leave it in the class list, and many people would be upset if it appears as an option but they can never make a character with that class.

RustyDios wrote:What happens if a Dragonsoul changes alignment (by the cosmic balance) ??...
Is it possible for an existing RDD to be "level-stripped by a DM" to take dragonsoul (saying that problems occour with the re-lev scales / they don't have any) ??...

Alignment change = no advancement (just like with paladins). Part of the dragon magic is tied to alignment, so to further draw out the power of a type of dragon, a character is going to have to keep in the neighborhood of that dragon's alignment.

Yes, current RDD characters could do a relevel or have a DM help them relevel to drop the RDD class and take on Dragonsoul. The limitation is simply you won't be able to be both a Red Dragon Disciple and a Dragonsoul.

This is pure awesome.

How soon, how soon!?

Just started a sorc/rdd/bg vampire, black dragon would be perfect!!

i expect to see lots of dragonkin running around the next few weeks!

Hopefully by the time this goes live my new computer will be working properly! I've got a character to replan closer to her original backstory now

is it impossible to add the original RDD AC feat to the new classes?

im a powergamer and i would most certainly not switch if i just get a dodge bonus (even though i might possibly never get close to the 20 cap)

the above mentioned Sorc/-DD/BG for example might at least run into that issue.

Gruftlord wrote:is it impossible to add the original RDD AC feat to the new classes?

No, because the RDD Draconic Armor feat is hard-coded by BioWare specifically for Red Dragon Disciples. I could include the feat, but it wouldn't give a Dragonsoul anything (since Dragonsoul can't occupy the exact same line in the classes.2da file).

I could make it a natural AC bonus, but it wouldn't play well with things like amulets that give AC bonuses, or subraces (stoneblood), or classes (ironheart), or spells (barkskin) that also give a natural armor bonus.

I picked a dodge bonus since it stacks with everything (even other dodge bonuses) and isn't a constant bonus usually supplied by permanent items. It may not be incredibly effective for certain builds, but should be for most characters, most of the time.

Sources of Dodge AC bonuses in Aenea:
magical boots (up to +5) [permanent]
Dodge feat (+1)
Expertise feat (+5, but with a -5 to attack rolls)
Improved Expertise feat (+10, but with a -10 to attack rolls)
haste spell (+4)
Divine Shield feat (up to +20, depending on Charisma modifier)
Bard Song feat (up to +7)
Defensive Stance feat (+4)
Mounted Combat feat/skill (+1 per 5 of Ride check above 10, requires being on a horse)
Shadow Evade feat (+1 to +4)

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:Divine Shield feat (up to +20, depending on Charisma modifier)

Doh. My "Silver Dragoon of Dalix"* plan could use some adjusting then. I guess this will free up some resources to focus in other parts of the PC. The "good" news is that I found out a similar Damage limit for Divine Might while confirming this.



* A little Final Fantasy flavor for my DnD :-)

Svair wrote:

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:Divine Shield feat (up to +20, depending on Charisma modifier)

Doh. My "Silver Dragoon of Dalix"* plan could use some adjusting then.

what i said.

aww, man hardcoded, how evil.

*mindstorming*
is it possible to checkfor certain AC [or even AB] constantly (or maybe 'onenter' and 'onequip'+'onunequip' might be enough), and then add a bonus (to lets say natural) HIGHER than what is currently equipped?
kind of: oh, he is wearing an amulett of Armor +5 but he is a stonedwarf -> add Armorbonus +8
*/mindstorm*

also did you change (imp) expertise and dodge for aenea? because i never knew they were actually dodge AC (they are 'other' sources of AC in vanilla NWN just like the RDD feat

Gruftlord wrote:is it possible to checkfor certain AC [or even AB] constantly (or maybe 'onenter' and 'onequip'+'onunequip' might be enough), and then add a bonus (to lets say natural) HIGHER than what is currently equipped?
kind of: oh, he is wearing an amulett of Armor +5 but he is a stonedwarf -> add Armorbonus +8

It's possible, but extremely CPU-intensive to constantly check PCs (and NPCs with the same classes) for effects (since it means looping through every effect that might be on each creature searching for a match), then removing and reapplying effects if something changes. I do work Stoneblood and Ironheart natural armors together, but that's only because they are applied at the same time (by the same script) and aren't subject to inventory changes, spell durations, feat uses, or anything else that may change round to round (no CPU overhead, since they are permanent effects).

Gruftlord wrote:also did you change (imp) expertise and dodge for aenea? because i never knew they were actually dodge AC (they are 'other' sources of AC in vanilla NWN just like the RDD feat

I'm just going off the armor class section of NWN Wiki. Those sound logical anyway, as Dodge sounds like it would provide a dodge bonus, and Expertise involves getting out the way (dodging) instead of concentrating on hitting stuff.

expertise and improved expertise add ac even if you have +20 dodge ac.

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:

Gruftlord wrote:is it possible to checkfor certain AC [or even AB] constantly (or maybe 'onenter' and 'onequip'+'onunequip' might be enough), and then add a bonus (to lets say natural) HIGHER than what is currently equipped?
kind of: oh, he is wearing an amulett of Armor +5 but he is a stonedwarf -> add Armorbonus +8

It's possible, but extremely CPU-intensive to constantly check PCs (and NPCs with the same classes) for effects (since it means looping through every effect that might be on each creature searching for a match), then removing and reapplying effects if something changes. I do work Stoneblood and Ironheart natural armors together, but that's only because they are applied at the same time (by the same script) and aren't subject to inventory changes, spell durations, feat uses, or anything else that may change round to round (no CPU overhead, since they are permanent effects).

i see, that makes sense, unfortunatelly

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:I'm just going off the armor class section of NWN Wiki.

as do i
http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Armor_class

i use the online version, which one do you use?


i know it sounds kind of 'logic' for dodge, but there is also a counterargument: MAGIC!!!!!
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/11/2/

Hehe...I've been looking so much at the NWNWiki that I miss which sections I see stuff in. So yes, expertise is not dodge AC, it's "unnamed" and stacks with everything.

Ok, the server has been reset with the new hak and tlk file, which should add this class and a couple of spell bug fixes.

The Dragonsoul is now live and usable.

After finding and fixing a couple of minor bugs, I think it's working properly. At least it is for Dragonsouls with a silver dragon ancestor (the only one I've tested to 10th level).

Oh, and just a warning...almost every time you level up as a Dragonsoul, you'll get booted so that adjustments can be made via letoscript (ability scores adjustments, bonus hitpoints after "HD increases"). You'll also get booted if you ever use the re-level scales, since the letoscript then has to go in and strip away all the changes it made as you leveled up.

Oh, and as a bonus, both Dragonsouls and Red Dragon Disciples should find they can now use their breath weapons 3 times per day (instead of 1)!

Do the various Dragonsouls all receive the same RDD-style red dragon horns, or do they each get something specific to their dragon type? In either case, can we have a vc command to toggle the horns off, please?

i'm not familiar w/letoscript, so i'm guessing there's something in the level-up procedure that actually modifies the pc's .bic in order to manage the stat increases? or are the stat bonuses just applied to the character pc skin?

titus wrote:i'm not familiar w/letoscript, so i'm guessing there's something in the level-up procedure that actually modifies the pc's .bic in order to manage the stat increases? or are the stat bonuses just applied to the character pc skin?

The Dragonsoul PrC now uses some awesome letoscript/nwnx scripting to apply the bonuses direct to your PC's .bic file as base stat adjustments as you improve in level.... this means that you can still get the full benefit from (upto) +12 Ability increases in items/magic... the barbarian rage ability now works like this too (to avoid conflict with the +12 cap), as well as several "tomes" found in-game, a semi-class and one particular merchant once you reach 40th...

(( if they were applied to the PC skin they would count towards that +12 cap))...

Even better the scripting also now doesn't even need to boot you from the game to adjust your .bic file (previously it did)... so the effect for a PC/Player is seamless and feels as though it's really integrated into the game correctly...

(( I think coined the term "letoscript" as something he designed and created that automates using leto to adjust a .bic, with no human interaction needed, direct from scripting within a module ))

RustyDios wrote:(( I think coined the term "letoscript" as something he designed and created that automates using leto to adjust a .bic, with no human interaction needed, direct from scripting within a module ))

Nope. Someone else did. They're separate systems.