Nuclear Dragon
The oldest scrolls of the Divine Flame speaks of mysterious”scientists” that suposedly developed the school, yet no sign can be found of such group in any place. The school is actually transmited mostly by fire monsters of diferent kinds that decided to dabble on it, as only their bodies can whitstand the destructive initiation processes, but even then it's a secondary nature to them. Except for the rare but highly dangerous Nuclear Dragon. This rare draconic being seems to have evolved to perfectly channel the power of the atom and altough it usually remains deep underground most of the time, when it rises to the surface it leaves but a glassed wasteland behind. It also has the power to turn into an humanoid shape and a wicked sense of humor. Could this being be the actual source of the Divine Flame school? Or the last experiment of those mysterious “scientists” that went horribly wrong? Maybe the oldest nuclear wyrms know the answer, but they aren't telling.
HD:d12
| Level | Bab | Fort | Ref | Will | Feature | Maneuvers Known | Maneuvers Readied | Stances Known |
| 1 | +1 | + 2 | +0 | +2 | Nuclear Dragon Body, Completely Harmless, Atomic Blood | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | +2 | + 3 | +0 | +3 | Keen Senses, Atomic Breath | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | +3 | + 3 | +1 | +3 | BlindSense, +1 Con | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | +4 | + 4 | +1 | +4 | Wings, +1 Str | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | +5 | + 4 | +1 | +4 | Desolation Breath, +1 Con | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 6 | +6 | + 5 | +2 | +5 | Control and Conquer, +1 Str | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 7 | +7 | + 5 | +2 | +5 | Scarlet Alert, +1 Con | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| 8 | +8 | + 6 | +2 | +6 | Nuclear Fallout, +1 Str | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 9 | +9 | + 6 | +3 | +6 | Growth, +1 Con | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| 10 | +10 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Tail Slap, +1 Str | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| 11 | +11 | + 7 | +3 | +7 | Atomic Temple, +1 Con | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| 12 | +12 | + 8 | +4 | +8 | New Nuclear Fallout, +1 Str | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| 13 | +13 | + 8 | +4 | +8 | Liberator, +1 Con | 9 | 5 | 3 |
| 14 | +14 | + 9 | +4 | +9 | Growth, Crush, +1 Str | 9 | 5 | 4 |
| 15 | +15 | + 9 | +5 | +9 | Frightful Presence, +1 Con | 10 | 5 | 4 |
| 16 | +16 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Craft of Stars, +1 Str | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| 17 | +17 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Nuclear Fallout-Plan B, +1 Con | 11 | 6 | 4 |
| 18 | +18 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Stone Ager, +1 Str | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| 19 | +19 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Craft of Star Wings, +1 Con | 12 | 7 | 5 |
| 20 | +20 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Nuclear Dragon Launch Detected, +1 Str | 13 | 7 | 5 |
Skills:4+int modifier per level, quadruple at firt level, Class skills are: Appraise, Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, Listen, Knowledge(Arcana, Dungeoneering, Local Nature, Nobility and Royalty, Planes, Religion), Martial Lore, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival
Proficiencies: a Nuclear Dragon is proficient with the Control rod, Crossbow (all kinds), firearms, sapper’s launcher, siege engines, sling and its own natural weapons.
Features:Nuclear Dragon Body: The Nuclear Dragon loses all other racial bonuses, and gains Dragon traits(60ft Darkvision, low light vision, and immunity to sleep and paralysis), bite 1d8 damage, Fire Subtype, and 30 feet base speed, medium size. The Nuclear Dragon has wings, but they're too weak to do anything for now. His front limbs are capable of fine manipulation and can be used for somatic components of spellcasting or anything else a human hand could do.
The Nuclear Dragon is immune to Atomic damage besides Fire damage (but remember he takes +50% damage from cold attacks due to Fire subtype) He also gains a natural armor bonus equal to its Con modifier. Whenever the Nuclear Dragon grows one size category, his natural armor increases by a further 1.
Completely Harmless: Nuclear energy is completely safe and for all the family, you can play with it all you want! The Nuclear Dragon gains
Deceivingly Innocent Form as a bonus feat even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites. If he already had it, he can pick any other feat for which he meets the prerequisites. In addition he gains two claw natural attacks each dealing 1d6 damage.
Atomic Blood: the Nuclear Dragon learns and readies maneuvers of the
Divine Flame school as shown in the table. His iniator level is equal to his Nuclear Dragon level and he can only learn maneuvers of a level no bigger than half (IL+1). The Nuclear Dragon uses Craft (Explosives) as the key skill for the school instead of the one listed in the link (this change is not optional). Every time the Nuclear Dragon sucessfully damages an opponent with either its bite attack or its Control Rod's ranged attack, he can recover one expended maneuver.
When the Nuclear Dragon enters a Divine Flame stance, the control rod always forms inside its neck and throat, the plasma shots being released from inside its mouth. It can still use its bite attack. If the Nuclear Dragon swallows an unattended weapon (a move action), it may count it as a held weapon for combining with the control rod. The Nuclear Dragon can only keep one "held" weapon on its throat at a time, but may spit them in an empty adjacent square as a free action to make room for more (assuming it's not currently combined with the control rod).
The Nuclear Dragon can choose and prepare its readied maneuvers with 5 minutes of meditation (or mad euphoria in the wake of its destruction potential). After each battle, 1 minute of meditation is enough to recover his maneuvers if no victims are at hand to be reduced to atoms (allies excluded, even though they may be perfectly combustible).
At 4th level, and every even-numbered level afterwards, the Nuclear Dragon can swap one of his older maneuvers with a new one he qualifies for from the Divine Flame school.
Keen senses:At 2nd level the Nuclear dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.
Atomic Breath:Cone with 35 feet inflicting 1d6 atomic damage per HD, useable every 1d4 turns. A Fort save with DC 10+1/2 HD+Con modifier halves the damage. Cone increases by 5 feet with each extra HD the player takes from here. This doesn't deal any damage to objects. Unlike regular cones, a Nuclear Dragon may aim his atomic breath in a way that goes over himself, and take atomic damage despite his immunity.
Blindsense:As the normal ability, range 60 feet at 3rd level.
Ability Score Increase: The Nuclear Dragon gains a permanent +1 to
Con at levels 3, 5,7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19
Str at levels 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14,16, 18, 20
For a total of +9 Str and +9 Con at level 20.
Wings:The Nuclear dragon becomes able to fly at the speed of 10 feet per HD, with poor maneuverability. Each wing can also be now used to deliver a natural attack dealing 1d4 damage.
Desolation Breath:Nuclear radiation is so enviromentally friendly that when unleashed it sticks to the land itself, blessing it with the energy of the atom! At 5th level if the Nuclear Dragon can use his Atomic breath as a fullround action, in which it case it leaves behind dangerous lingering radiation. It will deal half the breath weapon damage again on the same area on the next round, then still 2d6 for the next hour, then 2 damage for the next 24 hours. A Fort save for half damage is still allowed. In addition the Nuclear Dragon recovers two expended Divine Flame maneuvers when he uses Desolation Breath.
Control and Conquer:Nuclear energy has all sorts of potential uses! Killing, maiming, energy, desolation, genocide, extermination, some medical applications perhaps when not developing yet new ways of killing with nuclear energy. At 6th level 1/day per 3 HD the Nuclear Dragon can use any one Divine Flame Strike or Boost he doesn't know or has unreadied as if he had it readied. The maneuver must be of a level no bigger than the highest level Divine Flame maneuver the Nuclear Dragon knows, and he can't pick the same maneuver with this ability more than once per day. Also the Nuclear Dragon can choose for this maneuver to don't add any Heat, or to add double the normal heat.
In addition, the Nuclear Dragon can now use Str instead of Dex on to-hit rolls with his Control Rod.
Scarlet Alert: Such is the beauty of nuclear energy, that massive wars could be fought for, and decided with the power of the atom! Or perhaps just massive stalemates because fullblown conflict with nuclear powers would leave behind little for a victor (if any) to reign over. Who would activate the red rune first? At 7th level when the Nuclear Dragon gains a bonus depending on the amount of heat he has.
Easy: up to 1/2 of your maximum Heat capacity, no bonus
Normal: between 1/2 and 3/4 of your maximum Heat capacity, +1 to attack rolls, damage rolls, saves and skill checks and Atomic Breath deals an extra 1d6
Hard: between 3/4 and 4/4 of your maximum Heat capacity, +2 to attack rolls, damage rolls, saves and skill checks and Atomic Breath deals an extra 2d6
Lunatic: Overheating, +4 to attack rolls, damage rolls, saves and skill checks and Atomic Breath deals an extra 4d6
Nuclear Fallout:At 8th level the Nuclear dragon is surrounded by a faint radiation aura that disrupts the physical and mystical alike, and grows stronger the more nuclear power he unleashes. The Nuclear Dragon gains DR/lawful equal to ¼ its HD and SR equal to 6+HD, which improve based on his Heat level.
Easy: up to 1/2 of your maximum Heat capacity, no bonus
Normal: between 1/2 and 3/4 of your maximum Heat capacity, DR and SR increase by 5 each.
Hard: between 3/4 and 4/4 of your maximum Heat capacity, DR and SR increase by 7 each
Lunatic: Overheating, DR and SR increase by 10 each.
Growth:At 9th and 14th levels the Nuclear Dragon grows one size category.
Tail slap:At 10th level the Nuclear Dragon can now make a tail slap attack dealing 1d8 damage(already taking in acount large size).
Atomic Temple:Once its secrets are known, nuclear power is suprisingly easy and fun to use, even by crazed cults wanting to destroy or conquer the world! Specially by crazed cults wanting to destroy or conquer the world. At 11th this works as the Leadership feat, except it only grants followers (no cohort) and you can use your Con mod instead of your Cha mod for calculating your leadership score. Any casualities among said followers are instantly replaced every 24 hours, and they don't suffer any damage from the lingering damage of Desolation Breath and New Nuclear Fallout, so great is their devotion to you. Those followers stack with the ones actually provided by the Leadership feat.
In addition the Nuclear Dragon gains
Monster Lord as a bonus feat if he has Deceivingly Innocent Form. This ability also works as Leadership, except the Nuclear Dragon doesn't gain a cohort. If it already had Monster Lord, he may pick another feat.
New Nuclear Fallout:The energy of atoms can last decades! Centuries! An eternity! At 12th level the Nuclear Dragon can spend a swift action when using Desolation Breath, in which case it will affect even undeads and constructs and deals 1d6 Con drain to those failing their Fort saves, and the lingering area atomic damage will last for a century (but the Con Drain only applies on the initial breath). Only a Limited Wish, Wish or Miracle can remove it beforehand, or the Nuclear Dragon that created it either being slain or willingly dismissing the effect. If they're immune to Con drain they still take half if they fail the save, while creatures whitout Con take half that drain to their Str scores instead (even if they're normally immune to ability drain). Either way the Nuclear Dragon recovers three expended Divine Flame maneuvers when using this.
Liberator:Nuclear power can save countless lives! Simply by killing millions and unacountable collateral damage! Or something like that. At 13th level anyone aproaching or starting their turn whitin 30 feet of the Nuclear dragon takes Atomic Damage equal to its current Heat (up to his overheat level). The Nuclear dragon can turn this ability on/off as a swift or move action, and no single creature can be affected by it more than 1/round. In addition as another swift/move action the Nuclear dragon can focus this ability, restricting the range to 15 feet but in return the radiation lingers where he passed trough, dealing half that damage to anyone passing trough where he passed during the next round, and then 1 atomic damage to anyone ending their turn inside that area for the next century. Still no single creature can suffer from this more than 1/round, and multiple passages don't stack, count only the highest damaging one. Nothing short of a limited wish/wish/miracle, slaying the Nuclear Dragon or or if it willingly dismissing the effect can remove the lasting effect. This doesn't deal damage to objects, but does to constructs and undeads.
Crush: At 14th level the dragon can make a crush attack dealing 2d8 damage base, already taking in acount huge size
This special attack allows a flying or jumping dragon of at least Huge size to land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more size categories smaller than the dragon (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents).
A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon’s body. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex save (DC equal to that of the dragon’s breath weapon) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage from the crush each round if they don’t escape.
A crush attack deals the indicated damage plus 1½ times the dragon’s Strength bonus (round down).
At 15th level this ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. Enemies within a radius of 30 feet × half the dragon's level are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the dragon. A potentially affected enemy that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + ½ dragon’s HD + dragon’s Con modifier) remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, enemies with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons.
Craft of Stars:The Control Rod of a Nuclear dragon grows with him, becoming a deadly yet precise tool of destruction. At 16th level when the Nuclear dragon performs a basic non-maneuver attack with his Control Rod, it has double range, automatically threatens a critical hit, can re-roll miss chances, ignores any resistances and immunities to atomic damage and the target must suceed on a Will save with DC 10+1/2 HD+Con mod or be permanent blinded. If it hits, the Nuclear Dragon may perform a free trip, bullrush, disarm or sunder attempt on the target whitout provoking attacks of opportunity.
Nuclear Fallout-Plan B:When everything else goes wrong, hiding deep underground is always a nice secondary plan. At 17th level the Nuclear Dragon gains a burrow speed equal to his base speed, and can even burrow trough solid rock or similar at half speed. It can choose to leave an useable tunnel behind. In addition it can now remain in two stances at the same time, but still needs a swift action to change each and if they're both from Divine Flame, each produces Heat every round as normal.
Stone Ager: None can predict how a fullout war with multiple nuclear powers involved against each other would go, but the next fullout war would be with sticks and stones. At 18th level 1/day per 6 HD, by firing his Control Rod as a fullround action, the Nuclear Dragon will cause a Disjuction effect centered on the target, CL=HD, any saves DC becoming 10+1/2 HD+Con mod.
Craft of Star Wings: The body of the nuclear dragon keeps undergoing great changes. At 19th level the Nuclear Dragon's flight maneuverability increases by 1 step and his movement speeds are doubled when performing a Charge becoming able to charge even trough squares occupied by enemies (but provoking aoos anyway) and hard terrain.
In addition when the Nuclear Dragon charges, he may fire his Control Rod at range once as a free action as if he had spent a fullround action activating it.
Nuclear Dragon Launch DetectedAt 20th level, 1/day per 5 HD the Nuclear Dragon may unleash his ultimate attack. As a fullround action, he rises up into the skies before crashing down trough all barriers before exploding in a mushroom cloud. This basically works as a Plane Shift, then Greater Teleport (carrying only himself and a light load), then a regular charge, and at the end of it he can use either a Fullround action Divine Flame strike and a standard action Divine Flame strike, two standard action Divine Flame strikes, or a Divine Flame standard action Divine Flame Strike and one Divine Flame boost that doesn't use his swift action for the round. Any areas and ranges from the Divine Flame Strikes involved are doubled in the round this is used.
CommentsDon't ask where this one came from, I'm not very sure myself I was thinking about all the games where there's nuclear stuff, and then how to condense it all in a single monster, and this was the result.
So if you want to play a walking, flying and breathing nuke, the Nuclear Dragon's for you!
