DRAGONBORN OF BAHAMUT

Gods wage war through mortal pawns, and draconic deities are no different. Tiamat creates all sorts of dragonlike beings to manifest her power in the world, breeding warped creatures from her eggs. These evil entities act as the Chromatic Dragon's agents. Of the other draconic gods, only Bahamut stands between Tiamat and her evil goals. The conflict between them has raged for centuries. Those who know of this conflict refer to it as the Dragonfall War.

The Platinum Dragon foreswore breeding creatures to oppose Tiamat's spawn, instead accepting humanoid volunteers to his righteous cause. He only takes those truly dedicated to supporting his ideals and working against vile draconic creatures. A potential recruit's past actions matter little; all that counts is present and future devotion to opposing Tiamat and her spawn. Some wrongdoers have found redemption and purpose in becoming Bahamut's servants.

Those willing to give themselves into Bahamut's care and act as his emissaries in the mortal realms become his daughters and sons. Such humanoids give up all their former racial identity and are born anew. They become dragonborn.

Dragonborn are powerful, majestic creatures that resemble their adoptive father. They fight ceaselessly against the spawn of Tiamat, gaining allies in the Dragonfall War along the way. Dragonborn are great leaders with clear purpose. They are often the motivating nexus of an adventuring party.

The dragonborn children of Bahamut are a unique race in that they are not born; they are reborn. Each one enters the world as a half ling, an elf, a human, or a member of some other humanoid race with all that race's propensities and traits. Bahamut beckons to his would-be followers, and those few who might choose to serve him.

Most of those who hear the Platinum Dragon's call discover it early, before they reach adolescence. A few heed it after reaching adulthood and beginning their careers. Not all who are called answer.

The call is a strange event that one must experience to understand. It takes the form of a courteous mental question, asking if one's heart and soul are able and willing to undertake dedication to a noble and arduous purpose - protecting the world from the spawn of Tiamat.

Bahamut's call asks the chosen one if she is willing to give herself over entirely to this cause, giving up all that she was before to transform into one of Bahamut's children. This choice is never easy. The chosen one is made aware of the many sacrifices she must make, from her racial identity to her family and friends, even her whole way of life. The only reward for those forfeitures is service to the Platinum Dragon and his abiding love.

Noble. Draconic. Nearly every description of a dragonborn includes those two words. So thoroughly has a dragonborn physically transformed that only the framework of her former appearance remains. Dragonborn are always slightly bigger than most other members of their original race.

These servants of Bahamut epitomize devotion to righteousness. Their very appearance gives an impression of virtuous purpose. Dragonborn carry themselves with good deportment, seeing themselves as humanoid representations of noble dragonkind. When a dragonborn walks into an inn, patrons' heads turn and eyes stare. What they see is well worth a second glance. In every aspect of their presence, dragonborn consciously act as emissaries of their adoptive father, Bahamut.

DRAGONBORN RACIAL TRAITS

A dragonborn combines some of the racial traits of her original race and her new form. Only those traits gained from transformation are given here; see also the Mechanics of Rebirth.

• +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity. Dragonborn are hearty and healthy, but they are awkward in their newly adopted bodies.

• Humanoid (dragonblood): Dragonborn are humanoids with the dragonblood subtype and any other subtypes they had before undergoing the Rite of Rebirth. For all effects related to race, a dragonborn is considered a dragon and a member of her original race.

• Age: After a dragonborn underoes the Rite of Rebirth, she emerges as an adult creature regardless of her previous age. If she lives for 200 years, she enters middle age.

• +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against creatures of the dragon type. The dragonborn have an innate sense of how best to defend themselves against their potential enemies.

• Immunity to Frightful Presence: Dragonborn are immune to the frightful presence ability of dragons, just as if they were dragons.

• Draconic Aspect: Bahamut has blessed the dragonborn with aspects combining some of the best attributes of good dragons. Upon completing the Rite of Rebirth, a dragonborn chooses which of the following three aspects to manifest. Once the choice is made, it cannot be changed.

  • Heart (Su): A dragonborn who chooses heart as her draconic aspect gains a breath weapon. The breath weapon is a bright, shining line that coruscates with every metallic color. The line's length is 5 feet per Hit Die the dragonborn has, up to a maximum of 100 feet at 20 HD. The breath weapon deals 1d8 points of damage, plus an extra 1d8 points for each 3 HD the dragonborn possesses (2d8 at 3 HD, 3d8 at 6 HD, and so on). The damage can be acid, cold, electricity, or fire, changing on each use as the dragonborn chooses. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the dragonborn's HD + her Con modifier) halves the damage. A dragonborn can use her breath weapon once every 1d4 rounds.

  • Mind (Ex): A dragonborn who selects the mind aspect sharpens her senses, gaining immunity to paralysis and magic sleep effects. She gains darkvision out to 30 feet and low-light vision, plus a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.

    At 6 HD, the dragonborn's darkvision extends to 60 feet.

    At 9 HD, the dragonborn's darkvision extends to 90 feet, and her low-light vision allows her to see three times as far as a human in shadowy illumination.

    At 12 HD, the dragonborn's darkvision extends to 120 feet, and her low-light vision allows her to see four times as far as a human in shadowy illumination.

    At 15 HD, the dragonborn gains blindsense out to 30 feet.

  • Wings (Ex): A dragonborn who selects the wings aspect hatches sporting fully formed wings. Dragonborn can use these wings to aid their jumps (granting a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks) and to glide. Those with 6 HD or more can use their wings to fly.

    Gliding: A dragonborn can use her wings to glide, negating damage from a fall from any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent. Dragonborn glide at a speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability. Even if a dragonborn's maneuverability improves, she can't hover while gliding. A dragonborn can't glide while carrying a medium or heavy load.

    If a dragonborn becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, her wings naturally unfurl, and powerful ligaments stiffen them. The dragonborn descends slowly in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter the actual distance of the fall.

    Flight: When a dragonborn who selected the wings aspect reaches 6 HD, she gains a f ly speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability. A dragonborn can't f ly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while fatigued or exhausted.

    A dragonborn can safely fly for a number of consecutive rounds equal to her Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). She can double this length of flight but is fatigued by such exertion. The dragonborn is likewise fatigued after spending a total of more than 10 minutes per day flying. Because a dragonborn can glide before, after, and between rounds of actual flight, she can remain aloft for extended periods, even if she can only use flight for 1 round at a time without becoming fatigued.

    When she reaches 12 HD, a dragonborn has enough stamina and prowess to fly without tiring. She can fly at a speed of 30 feet (average maneuverability) with no more exertion than walking or running.

    A dragonborn with flight can make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the dragonborn must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. A dragonborn can make a dive attack only when wielding a piercing weapon. If the dive attack hits, it deals double damage.

    A dragonborn with flight can use the run action while flying, provided she flies in a straight line.

• Automatic Languages: Draconic. Dragonborn gain the ability to speak Draconic upon their transformation but do not lose the ability to speak languages they already know.

• Favored Class: Fighter. A multiclass dragonborn's fighter class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for being a multiclassed character. Furthermore, dragonborn paladins can leave that class and return to it without penalty. Also, see the Mechanics of Rebirth.

THE RITE OF REBIRTH

The Rite of Rebirth transforms a character into a dedicated draconic servant of Bahamut known as a dragonborn.

Becoming a dragonborn isn't undertaken lightly. It is a long process full of self-reflection and commitment. Those supplicants raised in the ways of their original race must carefully consider what they're giving up. While a human might be content to give up her natural versatility, it's rare for someone heavily invested in her racial identity to forfeit that race's abilities.

When the rite begins, the supplicant lays aside all her equipment and possessions for the duration of the ceremony. Dressed in a loose, linen shift, she spends a full day and night fasting and meditating upon her choice. Her mind fills with all the things she is giving up, reminding her she must forgo much of herself to become a dragonborn.

When dawn comes, the prospective dragonborn crawls inside an egg-shaped structure that she has built (see Cost) in order to sleep for the last time in her original form. This symbolic act represents her acceptance of the transformation. When the next dawn arrives, she is transformed into a dragonborn. After awakening inside the sealed egg, she breaks out of it as a glorious, draconic child of Bahamut.

Prerequisites: In order to be accepted as a suitable candidate, the supplicant must be non-evil and have an Intelligence score of at least 3.

Benefit: A dragonborn loses many of her original racial traits and gains the racial traits of the dragonborn race (see above).

Time: The Rite of Rebirth requires 24 hours of meditation and fasting followed by 24 hours of sleep. If the ceremony is interrupted, the prospective child of Bahamut must start the rite from the beginning.

Cost: The symbolic egg crafted by the prospective dragonborn costs 100 gp to create, and requires a handful of scales from metallic dragons.

THE MECHANICS OF REBIRTH

Upon transformation from her initial race to a dragonborn, a supplicant loses many racial traits and gains those of the dragonborn. The following information describes how to mechanically achieve this transformation.

Type, Subtype, and Race: You retain your original type and subtypes, gaining the dragonblood subtype. You still count as a member of your original race for the purpose of any effect or prerequisite that depends on race.

Racial Hit Dice: You retain your original racial Hit Dice, as well as all benefits gained therefrom (base attack and save bonuses, skill points, hit points, and so on).

Ability Modifiers: You retain your original racial ability modifiers and gain the ability modifiers of the dragonborn race.

Size: You retain your original size. If the original race had powerful build as a racial trait, it is also retained.

Speed: You retain your original base land speed, as well as any other modes of movement possessed by your original race. Other racial traits related to speed or movement, such as the dwarf's ability to move at full speed in medium or heavy armor, are lost.

Languages: You retain any languages you already know. You gain Draconic as an automatic language.

Favored Class: You retain your original favored classes and gain fighter as a favored class. You can multiclass into the paladin class freely.

Level Adjustment: You retain your original level adjustment.

Other Racial Traits: You lose all other racial traits of your original race, including bonus feats, skill bonuses, attack bonuses, save bonuses, spell-like abilities, and so forth. Two specific instances warrant clarification.

• If your original race granted you a nonspecific bonus feat (such as the one gained by a human at 1st level), any feat can be lost, so long as it is not a prerequisite for another feat you have.

• If your original race granted bonus skill points, you should deduct an appropriate amount of skill points from your current skill ranks. The specific skills affected are up to you, but the DM's input might be required to adjudicate tricky situations (such as multiclass characters who might have purchased ranks of various skills as both class skills and cross-class skills).

The loss of racial traits might mean you no longer meet the prerequisites for a prestige class, feat, or some other feature. In general, you lose any special ability for which you no longer qualify, and nothing is gained in its place. A couple of exceptions exist.

• 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. You must also replace any feat for which the lost feat was a prerequisite.

• 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. You retain Hit Dice gained from advancing in the class, as well as any improvements to base attack bonus and base save bonuses that the class provided. If you later meet all the prerequisites for the class, you regain the benefits.

Special: Ordinarily, only a 1st-level character can select certain feats requiring the dragonblood subtype. However, upon becoming a dragonborn, you can elect to replace one (and only one) of your existing feats with one of these feats. A character cannot have more than one of these feats. The feat to be replaced cannot be a prerequisite for any prestige class, ability, or other feat.

SPELLSCALES

Among the humanoid races, spellscales are the most creative, experimental, and varied. Most generalities about spellscales collapse under examination, because each spellscale displays a unique philosophy and behavior. What's most true of them as a group is that these dragonblood humanoids have a very strong racial inclination toward sorcery.

It has long been known that many sorcerers have dragon blood in their veins. For the majority of these individuals, their spellcasting abilities are often the only hint of their draconic heritage, but sometimes the evidence is clearer. Occasionally, when two humanoid sorcerers produce a child, the infant displays decidedly draconic features and physiology. The child is, in fact, a spellscale rather than a member of either of the parents' races.

In much more rare instances, a sorcerer of great power produces such a child by mating with someone who is not a sorcerer. To those who believe that some (or all) sorcerers have draconic heritage, these children are strong evidence of the theory's truth - if such a child's draconic characteristics did not come from the sorcerer, then how else to account for them?

In certain situations, a spellscale infant might arouse speculation about the mother's having mated with a dragon and might be misidentified as a half-dragon. Spellscales are, however, a distinct race. They breed true among themselves and almost never interbreed with other humanoids. In such an odd instance, any child produced is a full-blooded spellscale.

Spellscales exhibit all the best characteristics of dragons in a compact humanoid form. Their skin, formed of lustrous scales, comes in a wide variety of hues, including nearly every color of the rainbow. No spellscale is merely one color, but each displays a rich spectrum of variants on his main color. A spellscale who is primarily green might have patterns of a deeper, forest green over his body, fingernails and toenails of a slightly lighter green, and eye ridges and nostrils that are a deep greenish aquamarine. The coloration is complex, making a spellscale look much more elegant than other scaled humanoids such as kobolds or lizardfolk.

SPELLSCALE RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution. Spellscales are charming creatures who often neglect their physical bodies while pursuing intellectual or social interests.

• Medium: As Medium creatures, spellscales have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Spellscale base land speed is 30 feet.

• Low-Light Vision: A spellscale can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• Humanoid (dragonblood): Spellscales are humanoids with the dragonblood subtype. For all effects related to race, a spellscale is considered a dragon.

• Blood Quickening: Each day, a spellscale can perform a draconic meditation to gain a benefit. Variations of this meditation are described in Blood-Quickening Meditations.

• Automatic Languages: Common and Draconic. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, and Halfling.

• Favored Class: Sorcerer. A multiclass spellscale's sorcerer class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.

BLOOD-QUICKENING MEDITATIONS

As part of his daily introspection, a spellscale focuses his mind with mental exercises for one hour, attuning him to benefits tied to one of the dragon deities. This blood-quickening meditation, as it is called, centers a spellscale's mind on his sorcerous nature and enhances it by connecting it to a draconic divinity.

Each day, a spellscale chooses one meditation to perform and can gain no other benefits from another meditation until the next day.

The benefits of the performed meditation last for 24 hours. Meditations that grant a bonus on a check provide a racial bonus equal to half the spellscale's character level. Feats gained are temporary but otherwise treated as if the spellscale had taken the feat, except that having the feat in question doesn't count for the purpose of meeting any requirements or prerequisites.

The meditations are individualized according to the dragon deity and to suit the particular spellscale. Each spellscale performs the blood-quickening meditation differently each time - the important thing to the spellscale is to sharpen his wits and focus his power. The meditation need not be a solitary exercise. Sometimes a spellscale involves members of his household or other companions in these mental calisthenics.

Most spellscales try to perform each different meditation at least once every year.

Aasterinian: When a spellscale focuses on this whimsical deity's trickery, originality, and quick thinking, he gains a bonus on Disguise checks and the use of the Improved Counterspell feat three times on that day.

Sample Meditations: A spellscale tries to sneak into a library of arcane lore. Another spellscale endeavors to figure out a new way to use his silent image spell.

Astilabor: Focusing on the Hoardmistress brings about a sharpened perception of the value of things. The spellscale gains a bonus on Appraise checks and has unlimited use of the Eschew Materials feat for the day.

Sample Meditations: To honor Astilabor, one spellscale goes through all his gear, evaluating its quality. Another adds up all the treasures he and his party have acquired over the past month.

Bahamut: Meditating upon the King of the Good Dragons enhances a spellscale's ability to oppose evil creatures. When he casts a spell, he can choose any creature targeted by or within the area of that spell. If the selected creature is evil, the spell deals 2d6 points of damage to it in addition to the spell's normal effects. A spellscale can use this ability three times on the day this meditation is performed.

Sample Meditations: One spellscale chooses to spend an hour with his dragonborn friend, asking her what it was like to be called by Bahamut. Another contemplates the differences between the various metallic dragons.

Chronepsis: Meditation upon the Silent imbues a spellscale with a bonus on Listen checks and the use of the Silent Spell feat for the day.

Sample Meditations: One spellscale spends an hour of meditation in silence. Another contemplates how difficult it must be for the Watcher to merely observe without ever interfering.

Falazure: Focusing upon the Night Dragon attunes a spellscale to the immensity and power of death. He can treat all inflict spells as being on his spell list for the purpose of using spell completion and spell trigger magic items on that day.

Sample Meditations: Cutting an apple and watching it brown and decay for an hour is how one spellscale honors Falazure. Another regales the other patrons at an inn with the tale of his encounter with a ghostly dragon.

Garyx: Considering the power of the All-Destroyer evokes ways in which to broaden the power of spells, especially the destructive kind. A spellscale who performs the meditation of Garyx can use the Widen Spell feat twice on that day.

Sample Meditations: One spellscale creates a beautiful, calligraphic interpretation of Garyx's name and holds the corner of the paper as he slowly lets it burn to ash. Another contemplates the howling winds of Pandemonium and wonders if they drove Garyx mad.

Hlal: When a spellscale performs the meditation of Hlal, he revels in the expansiveness of life and indulges in a grand, hyperbolic consideration of existence and magic. He gains a bonus on Perform (storytelling) checks and the use of the Heighten Spell feat three times on that day.

Sample Meditations: The most customary meditation involves rehearsing or telling a story, especially a funny one. A spellscale in a more serious mood might contemplate what restraints he has on his life and how he might remove them.

Io: A spellscale who considers the role of the Great Eternal Wheel in the multiverse acquires insight into the workings of magic. He gains a bonus on Spellcraft checks and the use of the Empower Spell feat three times on that day.

Sample Meditations: The multicolored and metallic disk that is the holy symbol of Io is an ideal meditation tool. Its colors change and shift slightly in different lights and at diverse angles. Many spellscales spend their meditation hour staring at the disk as they slowly rotate it.

Another common meditation is for a spellscale to wonder if he has ever met Io, since the Swallower of Shades can appear as any sort of draconic creature. The spellscale considers all the dragons or dragonblood creatures he has ever encountered.

Lendys: Contemplating the Scales of Justice requires a stillness of mind and body. A spellscale who does so gains a bonus on Concentration checks and the use of the Still Spell feat for the day.

Sample Meditations: Spellscales usually discipline their bodies when honoring Lendys, sitting still for a time or performing slow, gentle exercises. Another method is to use a balance scale and measure out two different materials, trying to get them to balance, such as a gold coin on one side and a bouquet of flowers on the other.

Tamara: Meditating about Her Mercy renders a spellscale better able to sustain life and thwart death. He treats all cure spells as being on his spell list for the purpose of using spell completion and spell trigger magic items on that day.

Sample Meditations: During a meditation devoted to Her Mercy, a spellscale often creates a plan of self-improvement. Alternatively, he might visit an infirmary and tend the sick.

Tiamat: Focusing on the Creator of Evil Dragonkind enhances a spellscale's ability to oppose good creatures. When he casts a spell, he can choose any creature targeted by or within the area of that spell. If the selected creature is good, the spell deals 2d6 points of damage to it in addition to the spell's normal effects. A spellscale can use this ability three times on the day this meditation is performed.

Sample Meditations: Contemplating Tiamat might include admiring the quantity and diversity of her spawn. Another approach is to create or further some subtle, evil plot.

KOBOLDS

Kobolds are often characterized as filthy little reptiles barely better than goblins. They're malicious but of little actual menace. Catch kobolds in their lairs, where they are almost certainly hard at work mining, and such a description might be fitting. No one ever suspected that being underestimated was the kobolds' goal.

Kobolds are meticulous creatures with sorcery in their blood, a variety of reptile with a strong work ethic. Discounted as pests or worse by many others, kobolds are a long-suffering race with many talents and clever tricks. Only the foolish overlook the threat that kobolds actually pose.

Kobolds are short, reptilian humanoids with bony frames and small tails. They stand approximately 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall and weigh 35 to 45 pounds. Sinewy, double-jointed legs, naturally bent and poised for sudden speed, contribute to their height. When her legs are stretched out, a kobold can increase her height by up to 1 foot, but doing so is uncomfortable.

Kobolds have scaly skin, varying in color from rusty brown to reddish black. They have strong teeth, and their hands and feet have long digits tipped with very small claws. A kobold's face is like a crocodile's, with a jaw that can open wide enough to hold a whole melon. Constantly alert and wide, the eyes of a kobold range in color from burnt ochre to red. A ridge of small, hornlike bone juts above each brow and sweeps backward, the protrusions growing larger and more pronounced toward the rear of the skull.

KOBOLD RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Dexterity, -4 Strength, -2 Constitution. Kobolds are weak and frail, but their size grants them quickness.

• Humanoid (dragonblood, reptilian): Kobolds are humanoids with the dragonblood and reptilian subtypes. For all effects related to race, a kobold is considered a dragon.

• Small: As a Small creature, a kobold gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a -4 size penalty on grapple checks, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.

• Kobold base land speed is 30 feet.

• +1 natural armor bonus.

• Darkvision: Kobolds can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight. Kobolds can function just fine with no light at all.

• Natural Weapons: Kobolds have two primary claw attacks that deal 1d3 points of slashing damage plus Strength bonus, and a secondary bite attack that deals 1d3 points of piercing damage plus 1/2 Strength bonus. Despite possibly being the weakest reptilian humanoid, kobolds retain a connection to their feral nature.

• Slight Build: The physical stature of kobolds lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a kobold is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the kobold is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A kobold is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A kobold can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a kobold remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.

• Weapon Proficiency: Kobolds receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the heavy pick and light pick as bonus feats. Kobolds are born and bred miners, regardless of their actual profession, allowing them to easily wield these weapons.

• Weapon Familiarity: Kobolds may treat greatpicks as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.

• All kobolds add Craft (trapmaking) to their list of class skills.

• +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking), Profession (miner), and Search checks.

• Light Sensitivity: Kobolds are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

• Automatic Language: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common and Undercommon.

• Favored Class: Sorcerer. A multiclass kobold's sorcerer class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.