3.5 err... 4E Draconians

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

argokirby

Apr 27, 2008 14:00:53
I always felt that Draconians got a bum build in 3.5. They just were not special and they were not powerful enough. Baaz were CR 2, but the chronicles started with characters that were 3rd to 6th level. Sure you could give character levels to the Draconians, but that was just (in my opinion) not present in the chronicles. So my solution has been to create some Draconians for 3.5 but using the ideas and the coolness that we are seeing in 4E. These guys are a nasty fight for any party, they are lots of fun to run and I tried to preserve the feel of each Draconian's uniqueness.

They work for 3.5 as long as your willing to house rule a couple of 4E items in, the the powers regenerating on a d6 roll. These guys also make an easy transition in 4E if your already running a 4E game.

So, this is what I came up with, I hope you enjoy and feel free to post your recommendations. If you don't like what I came up with, feel free to voice your concerns by writing them on a 100 dollar bill and mailing it to... kidding.

Draconian, Baaz Level 2 Brute
Medium Magical Humanoid CR 3
Initiative +1 Senses Search +3, Spot + 4, Listen +4, Darkvision
HP 30; Bloodied 15
AC 16; Fortitude +5, Reflex +2, Will +1
Immune Paralysis, sleep
Speed 6
basic melee Short Sword (Standard; at-will) • Weapon
+8 vs. AC; 1d6+4
melee Brutal Strike (Standard; 5, 6) • Weapon
+8 vs. AC; 1d6+10. A Baaz can use its wings to lift itself off the ground and throw all its weight behind its attack.
Power Critical
When a Baaz scores a critical hit they deal an additional 1d12 damage.
Wing Back (Minor; at-will)
A Baaz can move up to 3 squares directly away from a target they just attacked.
Death Throws (Immediate reaction; once)
Upon falling to 0 or less hp, a Baaz hardens into a stone statue. If a slashing or piercing weapon was used to kill the Baaz a DC 12 Ref is required or else the weapon becomes stuck in the statue. Break DC 30 to free. All equipment the Baaz is carrying also turns to stone. After 1 minute the statue crumbles to dust, any weapon stuck in it is freed and unharmed.
Alignment Evil Languages Draconic, Common
Skills
Str +4 Dex +1 Wis +0
Con +3 Int -1 Cha -2
Equipment MW short sword, medium armor, buckler.


Draconian, Kapak Level 4 Soldier
Medium Magical Humanoid CR 5
Initiative +1 Senses Search +3, Spot + 4, Listen +4, Darkvision
HP 34; Bloodied 17
AC 20; Fortitude +7, Reflex +3, Will +2
Immune Paralysis, sleep
Speed 6
basic melee Long Sword (Standard; at-will) • Weapon
+10 vs. AC; 1d8+4
melee Poison (Standard; encounter) • Weapon
+10 vs. AC; 1d8+4 plus poison (Fort DC 15, 1d4 Dex damage, secondary 2d4 Dex damage)
Coordinated Attack
If more than one Kapak is attacking the same target in the same round, they can each take their move action, then each take their standard action, then each take their minor action.
Combat Advantage
A Kapak deals an additional 2d6 damage on melee attacks against any targets that it has combat advantage against.
Wing Back (Minor; at-will)
A Kapak can move up to 3 squares directly away from a target they just attacked.
Death Throws (Immediate reaction; once)
Upon falling to 0 or less hp, a Kapak dissolves into a pool of acid (burst 1). All within the pool suffer 2d8 acid damage Ref DC 15 for half damage. All equipment on a Kapak is made useless by the acid.
Alignment Evil Languages Draconic, Common
Skills
Str +4 Dex +1 Wis +0
Con +3 Int -1 Cha -2
Equipment MW long sword, heavy armor, large steel shield.


Draconian, Bozak Level 5 Controller
Medium Magical Humanoid CR 6
Initiative +1 Senses Search +3, Spot + 4, Listen +4, Darkvision
HP 22; Bloodied 11
AC 17; Fortitude +3, Reflex +7, Will +7
Immune Paralysis, sleep
Speed 6
basic melee Short Sword (Standard; at-will) • Weapon
+5 vs. AC; 1d6+4
basic ranged Magic Missile (Standard; at-will) • Arcane
3 missiles each deals 1d4+1 damage.
melee Shocking Grasp (Standard; 456) • Arcane
+5 vs. touch; 5d6 electricity damage; +3 to attack if target is wearing mettle armor.
ranged Scorching Ray (Standard; 5, 6) • Arcane
+7 vs. touch; 4d6 fire damage.
Wing Back (Minor; at-will)
A Bozak can move up to 3 squares directly away from a target they just attacked.
Death Throws (Immediate reaction; once)
Upon falling to 0 or less hp, a Bozak’s skin shrivels around its bones, then suddenly the bones explode (burst 2). All within the burst suffer 3d8 fire damage Ref DC 15 for half damage. All equipment on a Bozak is destroyed by the explosion.
Alignment Evil Languages Draconic, Common
Skills
Str +2 Dex +4 Wis +2
Con +0 Int +3 Cha -2
Equipment MW short sword, light armor.

More to come, I still need to get the stats for the Sivak and Aurak worked out in my head.
#2

cam_banks

Apr 27, 2008 15:08:52
I think you may have the roles switched around.

Baaz are soldiers. Kapaks are skirmishers. Bozaks are artillery. A sivak would be a brute, probably, and auraks are controllers. Some sivaks and auraks could be lurkers, too, especially since they are shapeshifters.

Cheers,
Cam
#3

boarstorm

Apr 27, 2008 18:28:45
Some thoughts, in addition to Cam's...

Wing Back (Minor; at-will)
A Baaz can move up to 3 squares directly away from a target they just attacked.

Move 3 squares? Or shift 3 squares. One provokes an OA, the other doesn't. The others you've statted out use the same language, so if it's changed one place, it'll probably need to be changed elsewhere.

Death Throws (Immediate reaction; once)
Upon falling to 0 or less hp, a Baaz hardens into a stone statue. If a slashing or piercing weapon was used to kill the Baaz a DC 12 Ref is required or else the weapon becomes stuck in the statue. Break DC 30 to free. All equipment the Baaz is carrying also turns to stone. After 1 minute the statue crumbles to dust, any weapon stuck in it is freed and unharmed.

Reflex saves are now passive instead of active, so I think you need to add in a STR (or perhaps just a static +something) vs. REF attack roll or something to ensnare the sword or something. DC 12 Ref just doesn't mean anything anymore.

melee Poison (Standard; encounter) • Weapon
+10 vs. AC; 1d8+4 plus poison (Fort DC 15, 1d4 Dex damage, secondary 2d4 Dex damage)

I'm under the impression that ability score damage is a thing of the past as well. Perhaps a status condition and some poison damage, ongoing, save ends?

Death Throws (Immediate reaction; once)
Upon falling to 0 or less hp, a Kapak dissolves into a pool of acid (burst 1). All within the pool suffer 2d8 acid damage Ref DC 15 for half damage. All equipment on a Kapak is made useless by the acid.

Same problem with Reflex saves as with the Baaz.

Death Throws (Immediate reaction; once)
Upon falling to 0 or less hp, a Bozak’s skin shrivels around its bones, then suddenly the bones explode (burst 2). All within the burst suffer 3d8 fire damage Ref DC 15 for half damage. All equipment on a Bozak is destroyed by the explosion.

And again.

Overall, though, quite a good effort, just need a few tweaks to be 4e ready. I look forward to the big boys.

-TB
#4

cam_banks

Apr 27, 2008 19:44:13
I think the problem is that these are hybrid 3.5 and 4e rules. Pick one and go with it.

Cheers,
Cam
#5

argokirby

Apr 28, 2008 0:35:11
What I'm going for here are monsters that are compatible with 3.5, but have the feel of 4E, currently I'm running a hybrid campaign. As 4E info has been coming out I have been adding it to my 3.5 campaign. Its been working fairly well, so it was on that premise that I create these draconians.

Cam, I'm not really sure what the monster types are except for the type of hit die. I selected Brute for the Baaz because I wanted them to have lots of hp but not a high AC, they are the backbone of the army, but not the skill of the army so I did not think Soldier was right, but it might be. I think your right about skirmisher for the Kapak, I forgot about that type when I was making them. I knew that I did not want them to be lurkers I just don't see any draconians as lurkers. I also think that Bozaks as Artillery is a good choice and I will make that change for sure.

Boarstorm, the Wing Back is a move, not a shift. Think of it like a spring attack, it does provoke Attacks of Opportunity (or is it Opportunity Attacks). As for your other comments I think that you are spot on, when I get a better understanding of 4E and make these guys into full on 4E characters I will take your advice.

I'll do some more hacking at the mechanics tomorrow and re-post the changes for everyone to scrutinize some more. I realized that I did not include any skill for them, so I need to add that. I intentionally left feats off since their abilities kinda absorb them.
#6

argokirby

Apr 29, 2008 17:47:13
So here are the changes that I made to the Draconians, let me know what you think. The only changes I made to the Baaz was to give them Disguise +3 and Intimidate +3.

Draconian, Kapak Level 4 Skirmisher
Medium Magical Humanoid CR 5
Initiative +1 Senses Search +3, Spot + 4, Listen +4, Darkvision
HP 30; Bloodied 15
AC 20; Fortitude +3, Reflex +7, Will +2
Immune Paralysis, sleep
Speed 6
basic melee Long Sword (Standard; at-will) • Weapon
+8 vs. AC; 1d8+1
melee Poison (Standard; encounter) • Weapon
+8 vs. AC; 1d8+4 plus poison (Fort DC 15, 1d4 Dex damage, secondary 2d4 Dex damage)
Coordinated Attack
If more than one Kapak is attacking the same target in the same round, they can each take their move action, then each take their standard action, then each take their minor action.
Combat Advantage
A Kapak deals an additional 2d6 damage on melee attacks against any targets that it has combat advantage against.
Wing Back (Minor; at-will)
A Kapak can move up to 3 squares directly away from a target they just attacked.
Death Throws (Immediate reaction; once)
Upon falling to 0 or less hp, a Kapak dissolves into a pool of acid (burst 1). All within the pool suffer 2d6 acid damage Ref DC 15 for half damage. All equipment on a Kapak is made useless by the acid.
Alignment Evil Languages Draconic, Common
Skills Stealth (Hide and Move Silent) +10
Str +1 Dex +4 Wis +0
Con +3 Int -1 Cha -2
Equipment MW long sword, light armor, buckler.

Draconian, Bozak Level 5 Artillery
Medium Magical Humanoid CR 6
Initiative +1 Senses Search +3, Spot + 4, Listen +4, Darkvision
HP 30; Bloodied 15
AC 17; Fortitude +3, Reflex +7, Will +7
Immune Paralysis, sleep
Speed 6
basic melee Short Sword (Standard; at-will) • Weapon
+5 vs. AC; 1d6+4
basic ranged Magic Missile (Standard; at-will) • Arcane
3 missiles each deals 1d4+1 damage.
melee Shocking Grasp (Standard; 456) • Arcane
+5 vs. touch; 5d6 electricity damage; +3 to attack if target is wearing mettle armor.
ranged Scorching Ray (Standard; 5, 6) • Arcane
+7 vs. touch; 4d6 fire damage.
Wing Back (Minor; at-will)
A Bozak can move up to 3 squares directly away from a target they just attacked.
Death Throws (Immediate reaction; once)
Upon falling to 0 or less hp, a Bozak’s skin shrivels around its bones, then suddenly the bones explode (burst 2). All within the burst suffer 2d8 fire damage Ref DC 15 for half damage. All equipment on a Bozak is destroyed by the explosion.
Alignment Evil Languages Draconic, Common
Skills Intimidate +5
Str +2 Dex +4 Wis +2
Con +0 Int +3 Cha -2
Equipment MW short sword, light armor.
#7

cam_banks

Apr 29, 2008 23:09:37
Jut FYI, I will probably be producing a set of Dragonlance monster conversions for 4e shortly after the rulebooks come out. They'll be posted to the Dragonlance Nexus together with the other 4e conversion notes.

Cheers,
Cam
#8

HalfVictor

Apr 30, 2008 20:40:35
Jut FYI, I will probably be producing a set of Dragonlance monster conversions for 4e shortly after the rulebooks come out. They'll be posted to the Dragonlance Nexus together with the other 4e conversion notes.

Cheers,
Cam

Will this be a PDF or will it just be posted on the sight.
#9

cam_banks

May 01, 2008 9:26:44
Will this be a PDF or will it just be posted on the sight.

It will be a PDF hosted at the site, hopefully. And completely unofficial.

Cheers,
Cam
#10

phanuel

May 02, 2008 19:01:13
Eh, if it's Cam Banks, it's official enough.
#11

orionarisen_dup

May 05, 2008 14:19:53
Why not save yourselves the trouble and just use Dragonborn?
#12

cam_banks

May 05, 2008 17:00:32
Why not save yourselves the trouble and just use Dragonborn?

Dragonborn breathe fire, have no wings, and no tails. They don't blow up when you kill them, either.

Now, I do think dragonborn could be worked into Dragonlance as second-generation draconians (the offspring of male draconians and the female draconians hatched from the eggs rescued by Kang's Regiment) but so far that idea has had a mixed reaction.

Cheers,
Cam
#13

Keithric

May 07, 2008 0:23:11
I'd actually suggest having a few versions for each draconian. For example, I could easily see Kapak Lurkers, Skirmishers, and Artillery. Aurak controllers and artillery, and frankly you could even do one as a brute. Sivak brutes, soldiers, and lurkers. Etc. And at least one should have a Leader option.

You just need the appropriate descriptor: 'Scout' 'Assassin' 'Swiftblade' whatever.