620_17668_DraconomiconA.qxd 9/8/03 4:12 PM Page 128
Table 3–7: The Dragonsong Lyrist
THE PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER 3:
Class Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
128
Base Attack Bonus +0 +1 +2 +3 +3
Fort Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1
Ref Save +2 +3 +3 +4 +4
Will Save +2 +3 +3 +4 +4
Special Greater dragonsong (song of strength) Greater dragonsong (song of compulsion) Greater dragonsong (song of flight) Greater dragonsong (song of fear) Greater dragonsong (song of healing)
of the same name. This song affects the character and a number of allies equal to her Charisma modifier (all of whom must be able to hear the lyrist) and lasts for 1 minute per level. This is a transmutation effect. Song of Fear: At 4th level, a dragonsong lyrist can use her song or poetics to inspire fear in her foes. All enemies within a radius of 30 feet × class level are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the dragonsong lyrist. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save remains immune to that dragonsong lyrist’s frightful presence ability for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with fewer than half the dragonsong lyrist’s HD become panicked for 2d6 rounds and those with HD equal to or greater than half the dragonsong lyrist’s become shaken for 2d6 rounds. Dragons are immune to this ability, as are any creatures immune to fear. This is a mind-affecting effect. Song of Healing: A 5th-level dragonsong lyrist can use her greater dragonsong to heal herself and her allies. Each ally within 30 feet who can hear the dragonsong lyrist regains hit points and ability points as if he or she had rested for a full day. No character may benefit from this ability more than once per hour. This is a conjuration (healing) effect. Spellcasting: Each time an even-numbered dragonsong lyrist level is gained, the character gains new spells per day and spells known as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that the character adds 1/2 her dragonsong lyrist level to the level of whatever spellcasting class she has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly. If a character takes two or more levels in this class before having any levels in a spellcasting class, she does not receive this spellcasting benefit. If she thereafter takes levels in one or more spellcasting classes, she becomes eligible to receive the spellcasting benefit for any level in the dragonsong lyrist class that she has not already attained. For example, a 6th-level monk/2nd-level dragonsong lyrist does not receive the spellcasting benefit for being a 2ndlevel dragonsong lyrist because she did not belong to a spellcasting class before taking 2nd level in the prestige class. If she then picks up one or more levels of wizard before advancing to 4th level in the dragonsong lyrist class, she receives the spellcasting benefit of a 4th-level dragonsong lyrist (when she attains that level) but does not receive the 2nd-level benefit retroactively.
Spellcasting — +1 level of existing class — +1 level of existing class —
DRAGONSTALKER “Dragonslayers? Pah, any fool can call himself a dragonslayer. Most get themselves killed within a few days, which is probably for the best. No, the real skill isn’t in walking into the dragon’s cave and challenging it to a duel—it’s in tracking it across a hundred miles of wilderness, sneaking up close and killing it before it even knows you’re there.” —Deirdre Firewalker, dragonstalker The dragonstalker prefers a much more subtle approach than the dragonslayer. She uses stealth and guile to track her prey, striking with skill and uncanny accuracy when the time is right. Rangers and rogues are the most common dragonstalkers, since the two classes share a predilection for the subtlety and patience the prestige class requires. Barbarians, particularly those from dragon-terrorized areas, often take up this class. Bards also make reasonable dragonstalkers—certainly, the profession makes for many great tales told around the fire. Most other classes are better off pursuing the path of the dragonslayer (see page 125). NPC dragonstalkers are loners, since they rarely trust others to hold their own in a hunt. When tracking a particularly formidable foe, a dragonstalker might recruit other stealthy characters, such as rangers or rogues, for assistance. Once or twice in a generation, a hunt of great significance may arise that brings together a team of dragonstalkers from various backgrounds. In such a case, the dragon has little chance of escaping. Hit Die: d8. Requirements To qualify to become a dragonstalker, a character must fulfill all the following criteria. Base Attack Bonus: +5. Feats: Blind-fight, Track. Skills: Gather Information 4 ranks, Hide 6 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Move Silently 6 ranks, Search 6 ranks. Language: Draconic. Class Skills The dragonstalker’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Wis), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions. Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
