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Dragon Rider Question

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
paralyzed_penguin
Jan 01, 2005 10:46:24 One of my players wishes for her character to become a dragon rider in the future. So, I cracked open my book to give them a looks over, and was surprised at what I found. Since she's playing a human, via the chart she won't be able to have a dragon cohort she is able to ride until 17th level. Is there an alternate chart somewhere, some errata, or anything that I havn't seen? Or, if anyone has any suggestions it'd be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
#2
cam_banks
Jan 01, 2005 11:49:51 The Bestiary of Krynn introduces a feat called Mighty Steed which any creature used as a mount can take. It allows the creature to carry a rider the same size as the mount. A Medium dragon would therefore be able to serve as a rider and cohort to a human dragon rider.

The biggest problem is one of balance. Dragons are incredibly powerful creatures, especially ones that are large enough to serve as mounts. If one player character has a powerful dragon as a cohort and the others don't, they quickly steal the show and make the game less fun for others. This is the essential philosophy behind all cohorts and companions in the D&D game, and even though the dragon rider PrC makes some allowances for reducing the effective CR of the dragon for the purposes of being used as a cohort, it's not enough to allow mid-level PCs access to a loyal, dependable and always-present supermonster.

You don't need the dragon rider PrC in order to play a character who rides dragons, of course. One of the PCs in my campaign, Katja, has slowly been forging a relationship with a brass dragon named Sandstorm. Sandstorm is an ally of the party and has allowed her to ride him into battle, but he comes and goes as the campaign demands, and isn't under her control. This is the most effective method I've found so far to incorporate dragonriding. It's balanced out by the infrequency of the dragon being part of the game, and by evil dragons allowing NPCs to serve as riders for certain scenes (such as an attack on Ak-Khurman by the dark knights I staged, with blue and red dragon assault).

Basically, if you introduce something which the PC has control over, it needs to be balanced. If you introduce something that you as DM have control over (such as a dragon orb, which is another thing I've introduced into my campaign) the balance isn't as much of an issue.

Cheers,
Cam
#3
zombiegleemax
Jan 01, 2005 19:53:27 You can ride a dragon without being a DragonRider. You just can't qualify for the Classes abillities untill you meet them. THat is where RPGing comes in, where you have to establish a rapport with a Dragon in order to gain it's respect and such.
#4
derren_s.
Jan 05, 2005 18:42:15 In the Draconomicon there is a feat which reduces teh ECl of dragons by 3.
Its a start.
#5
zombiegleemax
Jan 05, 2005 21:26:00
In the Draconomicon there is a feat which reduces teh ECl of dragons by 3.
Its a start.

Yes and as a rule of thumb, that may be for NPC type characters or characters that "want" that dragon off the start.

If a PC has the chance to establish a rapport with a dragon via the RolePlaying process, that trancends any rule that comes out in any supplement. If a character and a dragon make that rappport, they are in. Take Skie and Kitiara, for example.
#6
derren_s.
Jan 06, 2005 3:22:04 Roleplaying alone is fine when you ignore balance. To keep is balanced you ned roleplaying and rules.
#7
Sysane
Jan 06, 2005 7:38:19 There's also a Dragon Rider PrC in the Draconomicon you may want to look at. From what I remember it wasn't nearly as cool as the DL one. Its worth looking over though.
#8
paralyzed_penguin
Jan 07, 2005 16:33:48 To everyone who responded, it is greatly apprciated. I do agree that roleplaying with rules to guide it is the best route. BTW, what is the feat from dracinomicon that is being reffered to?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 paralyzed_penguin Jan 01, 2005 10:46:24	One of my players wishes for her character to become a dragon rider in the future. So, I cracked open my book to give them a looks over, and was surprised at what I found. Since she's playing a human, via the chart she won't be able to have a dragon cohort she is able to ride until 17th level. Is there an alternate chart somewhere, some errata, or anything that I havn't seen? Or, if anyone has any suggestions it'd be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
#2 cam_banks Jan 01, 2005 11:49:51	The Bestiary of Krynn introduces a feat called Mighty Steed which any creature used as a mount can take. It allows the creature to carry a rider the same size as the mount. A Medium dragon would therefore be able to serve as a rider and cohort to a human dragon rider. The biggest problem is one of balance. Dragons are incredibly powerful creatures, especially ones that are large enough to serve as mounts. If one player character has a powerful dragon as a cohort and the others don't, they quickly steal the show and make the game less fun for others. This is the essential philosophy behind all cohorts and companions in the D&D game, and even though the dragon rider PrC makes some allowances for reducing the effective CR of the dragon for the purposes of being used as a cohort, it's not enough to allow mid-level PCs access to a loyal, dependable and always-present supermonster. You don't need the dragon rider PrC in order to play a character who rides dragons, of course. One of the PCs in my campaign, Katja, has slowly been forging a relationship with a brass dragon named Sandstorm. Sandstorm is an ally of the party and has allowed her to ride him into battle, but he comes and goes as the campaign demands, and isn't under her control. This is the most effective method I've found so far to incorporate dragonriding. It's balanced out by the infrequency of the dragon being part of the game, and by evil dragons allowing NPCs to serve as riders for certain scenes (such as an attack on Ak-Khurman by the dark knights I staged, with blue and red dragon assault). Basically, if you introduce something which the PC has control over, it needs to be balanced. If you introduce something that you as DM have control over (such as a dragon orb, which is another thing I've introduced into my campaign) the balance isn't as much of an issue. Cheers, Cam
#3 zombiegleemax Jan 01, 2005 19:53:27	You can ride a dragon without being a DragonRider. You just can't qualify for the Classes abillities untill you meet them. THat is where RPGing comes in, where you have to establish a rapport with a Dragon in order to gain it's respect and such.
#4 derren_s. Jan 05, 2005 18:42:15	In the Draconomicon there is a feat which reduces teh ECl of dragons by 3. Its a start.
#5 zombiegleemax Jan 05, 2005 21:26:00	In the Draconomicon there is a feat which reduces teh ECl of dragons by 3. Its a start. Yes and as a rule of thumb, that may be for NPC type characters or characters that "want" that dragon off the start. If a PC has the chance to establish a rapport with a dragon via the RolePlaying process, that trancends any rule that comes out in any supplement. If a character and a dragon make that rappport, they are in. Take Skie and Kitiara, for example.
#6 derren_s. Jan 06, 2005 3:22:04	Roleplaying alone is fine when you ignore balance. To keep is balanced you ned roleplaying and rules.
#7 Sysane Jan 06, 2005 7:38:19	There's also a Dragon Rider PrC in the Draconomicon you may want to look at. From what I remember it wasn't nearly as cool as the DL one. Its worth looking over though.
#8 paralyzed_penguin Jan 07, 2005 16:33:48	To everyone who responded, it is greatly apprciated. I do agree that roleplaying with rules to guide it is the best route. BTW, what is the feat from dracinomicon that is being reffered to?