There is much to be said about dragons, outside the entries in various Monster Manuals. (It’s the last word in the name of the game rules, after all.) This will be where it all accumulates as it is sorted through and organized.
Mortals have learned to express the innate magical power of dragons in many ways, including through the use of draconic auras. Dragon shamans are the greatest wielders of draconic auras, but other characters can also learn to harness this power.
Draconic auras typically resemble some of the innate abilities possessed by dragons, from great presence to keen senses to energy resistance. The bonus of a draconic aura, which describes the potency of its effect, starts at +1 and can increase as you attain higher class levels.
Projecting a draconic aura is a swift action, and you can only project one draconic aura at a time. An aura remains in effect until you use a free action to dismiss it or you activate another aura in its place. You can have a draconic aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of an encounter before you take your first turn.
Unless otherwise noted, your draconic aura affects all allies within 30 feet (including yourself with line of effect to you. Your aura is dismissed if you become unconscious or slain, but otherwise it remains in effect even if you are incapable of acting.
For most characters, a draconic aura is learned by selecting the Draconic Aura feat. This feat grants a character access to a single aura with a bonus of +1. Members of certain classes and some creatures, however, can gain the ability to project a draconic aura from different sources.
Characters who take this prestige class {DrM 38} gain a draconic aura at 1st level and additional auras at 4th, 7th, and 10th level. At 5th level, the bonus granted by both of a dragon lord’s auras increases to +2. At 9th level, the bonus granted by all three of a dragon lord’s auras increases to +3. The aura gained at 10th level grants a +3 bonus, just as the other three auras gained earlier.
The dragon shaman class introduced the concept of the draconic aura. A dragon shaman can learn any of the auras presented here in place of the ones in the class description, but he can’t take the same aura more than once. The shaman still must abide by the limit of draconic auras known (three at 1st level, with one additional aura gained at every odd-numbered level, to a maximum of seven at 9th level). The bonus granted by a draconic aura equals the bonus normally granted by the character’s draconic aura (+1 at 1st level, +2 at 5th level, +3 at 10th level, +4 at 15th level, and +5 at 20th level), and otherwise follows all the normal rules for that class’s draconic auras.
The marshal can learn any of the draconic auras presented here in place of a major aura. The bonus granted by a draconic aura equals the bonus normally granted by the marshal’s major aura (+1 at 2nd level, +2 at 7th level, +3 at 14th level, and +4 at 20th level), and otherwise follows all the normal rules for the marshal’s auras (including range, eligible targets, and when it ceases functioning). It is also considered a draconic aura for all effects that apply to such auras, such as the Double Draconic Aura feat.
A true dragon capable of casting sorcerer spells can select any draconic aura described below in place of a known sorcerer spell and spell slot of 2nd level or higher. Once a dragon makes this choice, the known spell and spell slot is forsaken forever (unless it is later replaced; see below). Regardless of the number of spells or powers known by a dragon, it can’t have more draconic auras than ½ its caster level or manifester level. The bonus granted by a draconic aura equals ½ the level of the spell forsaken when the aura is gained. If a dragon later gains access to a higher-level sorcerer spell, it can lose a known spell and spell slot from that level instead of the lower level. It immediately gains a known spell and spell slot of the previous level, and the bonus granted by its draconic aura improves accordingly.
For example, a mature adult black dragon loses a known 2nd-level sorcerer spell and a 2nd-level sorcerer spell slot, and in exchange it gains a draconic aura with a bonus of +1. Later, when the dragon reaches the very old age category, it decides to boost its aura. It then loses a known 4th-level sorcerer spell and a 4th-level sorcerer spell slot, improving its draconic aura bonus to +2. At the same time, if gains a known 2nd-level sorcerer spell and a 2nd-level sorcerer spell slot.
A dragon capable of manifesting psionic powers can instead choose to give up a known power and power points equal to twice the power’s level, minus 1. Otherwise, this functions identically to a dragon giving up a sorcerer spell and spell slot.
Each aura grants a bonus to a particular statistic or group of statistics, as noted below, Benefits from multiple draconic auras overlap, rather than stacking.
Energy: This aura grants you a bonus on the save DC for your acid, cold, electricity, or fire effects; choose one type when you gain the aura. (A dragon shaman must choose the energy type associated with his totem dragon). The bonus applies to spells, powers, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, or any other ability that either has the appropriate descriptor or deals damage of the chosen type.
Insight: This aura grants you a bonus on Decipher Script, Knowledge, and Spellcraft checks.
Power: This aura grants you a bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance (and manifester level checks made to overcome power resistance).
Presence: This aura grants you a bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks.
Resistance: This aura grants you resistance to acid, cold, electricity, or fire (choose one when you gain the aura) equal to 5 × your bonus. (A dragon shaman must choose the energy type associated with his totem dragon).
Resolve: This aura grants you a bonus on Concentration checks and on saves against fear, paralysis, and sleep effects.
Senses: This aura grants you a bonus on Listen checks, Spot checks, and initiative checks.
Stamina: This aura grants you a bonus on Constitution checks (but not Constitution-based skill checks) and Fortitude saves.
Swiftness: This aura grants you a bonus on Climb, Jump, and Swim checks. It also increases your climb, fly, and swim speeds by 5 × your bonus. (The aura doesn’t grant you a fly or swim speed it you don’t already have one.)
Toughness: This aura grants you damage reduction 1/magic for each point of your bonus.
The Rite of Draconic Affinity changes your draconic heritage from one kind to another.
Changing one’s draconic heritage is rarely a difficult decision. Most dragon-descended creatures never think of doing so, but a few decide their ethos doesn’t match their heritage. For instance, a half-dragon paladin may decide that his black dragon father’s blood is too much of an obstacle to overcome. On the other hand, a backbiting sorcerer might feel his gold dragon mother’s blood keeps him from being all he can be.
When the rite begins, the participant spends 24 hours fasting and meditating, all the while anointing himself with the distilled essence of the dragon type he wishes to take on (see Cost).
Prerequisites: Only half-dragons or other characters with a defined draconic heritage (such as those who select the Draconic Heritage feat) can undergo the Rite of Draconic Affinity. A dragon or half-dragon of the kind the recipient wishes to acquire must perform the ritual, and that creature must have 10 ranks in Knowledge (arcana).
During the last minute of the ritual, the participant stands and is subjected once to the breath weapon of the performer of the rite. After feeling the breath and taking damage from it, the participant sheds his old heritage for the chosen new one.
Benefit: You change the kind of dragon in your heritage to a different kind of dragon. The new kind of dragon must have an alignment no more than one step away from yours. For example, a chaotic evil half-red dragon can choose from among black, brown, chaos, crystal, deep, fang, howling, pyroclastic, sand, shadow, song, Styx, Tarterian, topaz, tun mi ling, and white. A character with the Draconic Heritage feat replaces the original heritage with the new one.
All manifestations of your draconic heritage change to match the new dragon kind, including physical appearance, breath weapon type, and all other benefits. For example, a half-dragon who removes red dragon and replaces it with blue dragon loses immunity to fire and gains immunity to electricity. His breath weapon changes from a cone of fire to a line of electricity.
If your class skill list changes (usually due to the change in your Draconic Heritage feat), previously purchased skill ranks remain but future ranks are purchased using your new class skill list.
If you no longer qualify for a feat due to the transformation, you lose the feat and immediately select a new feat for which you qualify in its place. If the lost feat is a prerequisite for another feat, you must also replace that feat.
If you no longer qualify for a prestige class, you lose the benefit of any class features or other special abilities granted by the class, gaining nothing in return. You retain Hit Dice, base attack bonus, and saving throw bonuses gained from advancing in the class.
Time: The Rite of Draconic Affinity requires 24 hours of fasting and meditation. If the rite is interrupted, it is spoiled and must be started again.
Cost: This rite requires special oils costing 5,000 gp.