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MONSTERS (Templates Class): The Half-Dragon

With the creation of monster templates, half-dragons of all kinds have become so popular with DMs that some players have begun to wonder if the big lizards ever get around to mating with their own kind. But dragon-blooded beings are just as popular with players who want exotic and powerful characters as they are with DMs who want interesting monsters. The dragon disciple prestige class in the Dungeon Master's Guide v3.5 (or Tome and Blood v3.0)  offers one way for a character to take on more draconic aspects; the half-dragon template offers a different option. Both are equally viable choices, depending on what the player wants to gain. The prestige class requires 10 levels to complete, but it also advances the character's base attack bonus, saving throws, Hit Dice, and skill points. Furthermore, it grants certain powers that aren't available via the template. In contrast, the half-dragon template class presented here allows a character to gain full half-dragon powers in only 3 levels, but at the expense of sacrificing development in certain other areas.

"Half-dragon" is usually an inherited template, but it could be acquired through special magical rituals as well.

Table SP-2:The Half-Dragon Template Class

Level CR Special
1 +1 Str +2, Int +2, resistance (lesser), racial HD type increase, natural armor +2, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
2 +1 Str +2, Con +2, resistance (greater), 2 claws, bite, natural armor +1, breath weapon 3d8, immunities (lesser)
3 +2 Str +4, Cha +2, immunities (greater), wings, natural armor +1, breath weapon 6d8, dragon type

All of the following are class features of the half-dragon template class.



Ability Score Changes: The indicated ability score increases or decreases by the amount noted.

Resistances (Ex): A half-dragon has energy resistance 10 to one type of energy. The specific type is determined by the dragon kind that provided the benefits of the template, according to the following table.

Dragon
Variety		 Energy Type
Resisted
Black Acid
Blue Electricity
Brass Fire
Bronze Electricity
Copper Acid
Gold Fire
Green Acid
Red Fire
Silver Cold
White Cold


At 2nd level, this resistance increases to 20. At 3rd level, the half-dragon becomes completely immune to the indicated energy type (see Immunities, below).

Racial HD Type Increase (Ex): At 1st level, each of a half-dragon's racial Hit Dice increases by one die type: d4 to d6, d6 to d8, d8 to d10, or d10 to d12. Class Hit Dice are unaffected. Rather than rerolling all racial Hit Dice, you can simply add 1 hit point per racial Hit Die to the half-dragon's hit point total.

Natural Armor Improvements: At every level of the prestige class, the half-dragon's natural armor bonus increases by the indicated amount. A character that does not normally have a natural armor bonus (such as a human) is considered to have an initial natural armor bonus of +0 for the purpose of this ability. Thus, a human's natural armor bonus would increase to +2 at 1st level, to +3 at 2nd level, and finally to +4 at 3rd level.

Darkvision (Ex): At 1st level the half-dragon gains darkvision to a 60-foot range.

Low-Light Vision (Ex): At 1st level, the half-dragon gains low-light vision.

Claws: At 2nd level, the half-dragon gains two claw attacks if she didn't already have them. For the base damage of the half-dragon's claw attacks, use the appropriate value from the table below if the base creature did not previously have claw attacks. If she did, use either the value from the table or the base creature's claw damage, whichever is better. The half-dragon's claws are natural attacks.

Bite: At 2nd level, the half-dragon gains a bite attack if she didn't already have one. For the base damage of the half-dragon's bite attack, use the appropriate value from the table below if the base creature did not previously have a bite attack. If she did, use either the value from the table or the base creature's bite damage, whichever is better. The half-dragon's bite is a natural attack.

Size Bite
Damage		 Claw
Damage
Fine 1 --
Diminutive 1d2 1
Tiny 1d3 1d2
Small 1d4 1d3
Medium 1d6 1d4
Large 1d8 1d6
Huge 2d6 1d8
Gargantuan 3d6 2d6
Colossal 4d6 3d6


Breath Weapon (Su): At 2nd level, a half-dragon gains a breath weapon similar to that of the dragon that provided the benefits of the template. The breath weapon is usable once per day and allows a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 half-dragon's racial HD + half-dragon's Constitution modifier) for half damage. The shape and size of the breath weapon are given by the following table.

Dragon
Variety 		Breath
Weapon
Black 60-foot line of acid
Blue 60-foot line of lightning
Brass 30-foot cone of corrosive (acid) gas
Bronze 30-foot cone of fire
Copper 30-foot cone of cold
Gold 60-foot line of fire
Green 60-foot line of acid
Red 30-foot cone of fire
Silver 30-foot cone of cold
White 30-foot cone of cold


When first acquired, the breath weapon deals only 3d8 points of damage. When the half-dragon reaches 3rd level, the base damage for the breath weapon increases to 6d8.

Immunities (Ex): At 2nd level, the half-dragon becomes immune to sleep and paralysis. When she reaches 3rd level, her template-based energy resistance (see Resistances, above) is replaced by total immunity to that energy type.

Wings (Ex): At 3rd level, a Large or larger half-dragon grows fully functional wings and may use them to fly at up to twice her land speed (maximum 120 feet) with average maneuverability. A Medium or smaller half-dragon either does not grow wings or grows nonfunctional vestigial ones.

Dragon Type: At 3rd level, the half-dragon completes her metamorphosis, and her type changes to dragon. She becomes vulnerable to spells and effects that work on creatures of the dragon type but is immune to effects that target her original type. For example, a half-human/half-dragon would be subject to the extra damage from a dragon bane sword, but she is immune to hold person because that spell affects only humanoids.