Red Dragon Disciple

Necromancy is usually a poor choice for arcane spellcasters. Those who really want to master the deathless arts almost always pursue divine means. However, an alternative exists for those who desire power over undead, without losing too much of their arcane power. Enter the pale master, who draws on a font of special lore that provides a macabre power all its own.

Requirements

Alignment: Any Non-Good

Special: 3 levels in an Arcane spellcasting class (Wizard, Sorcerer, or Bard)

Hit Die: d6

Proficiencies: Pale Masters gain no additional proficiencies

Skill Points: 2 + INT

Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Forgery, Heal, Hide, Knowledge (all), Listen, Lore, Move Silently, Persuade, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft

Level progression

As red dragon disciple level increases, the character improves in base attack (BA), saving throws, and hit points (HP), with the latter made more dramatic since the hit die used to generate hit points is subject to the class' hit die increase. The character also gets a level-dependent armor class (AC) bonus from draconic armor, the ability to breathe fire, and bonuses to certain abilities at specific levels from dragon abilities.

Level	BA	Saves			Feats	Hit die	HP range		AC bonus	Breath damage		Ability increases
		Fort	Ref	Will								Str	Dex	Con	Wis	Int	Cha
1	0	+2	+0	+2	draconic armor	d6	3-6		+1	-		-	-	-	-	-	-
2	1	+3	+0	+3	dragon abilities	d6	6-12		+1	-		+2	-	-	-	-	-
3	2	+3	+1	+3	dragon breath	d6	9-18		+1	2d10		-	-	-	-	-	-
4	3	+4	+1	+4	hit die increase	d8	13-26		+1	2d10		+2	-	-	-	-	-
5	3	+4	+1	+4		d8	17-34		+2	2d10		-	-	-	-	-	-
6	4	+5	+2	+5		d10	22-44		+2	2d10		-	-	-	-	-	-
7	5	+5	+2	+5		d10	27-54		+2	4d10		-	-	+2	-	-	-
8	6	+6	+2	+6		d10	32-64		+3	4d10		-	-	-	-	-	-
9	6	+6	+3	+6	gets wings	d10	37-74		+3	4d10		-	-	-	-	+2	-
10	7	+7	+3	+7	becomes a half-dragon: darkvision, immunity to fire, immunity to paralysis, and immunity to sleep	d10	42-84		+4	6d10		+4	-	-	-	-	+2

Tip: Becoming a red dragon disciple

• Only sorcerers or bards can become a dragon disciple - either class is equally suited.
• Paladins and blackguards are well suited as candidates for a third class.
• Any class that has a high reliance on strength should find this prestige class useful.

Epic red dragon disciple

Epic red dragon disciple

Epic dragon disciple

Embracing his draconic heritage is but one stop on the disciple's life journey. His quest to understand and harness his draconic energies has taken him into the realm of the epic.

Hit die: d12

Skill points: 2 + int modifier

Bonus feats: The epic dragon disciple gains a bonus feat every four levels. In other words, at levels 14, 18, 22, 26, and 30.

Epic bonus feats: armor skin, automatic quicken spell, automatic silent spell, automatic still spell, epic damage reduction, epic prowess, epic reputation, epic spell focus, epic spell penetration, epic toughness, greater spell focus, improved combat casting

Epic breath weapon: The save DC against your breath weapon increases by +1 every 4 levels after 10th.

Unavailable epic feats: bane of enemies, construct shape, dragon shape, epic spell: dragon knight, epic spell: epic mage armor, epic spell: epic warding, epic spell: greater ruin, epic spell: hellball, epic spell: mummy dust, epic weapon specialization, great smiting, improved ki strike 4, improved ki strike 5, improved sneak attack, improved spell resistance, improved stunning fist, lasting inspiration, mighty rage, outsider shape, planar turning, terrifying rage, thundering rage, undead shape
These general epic feats cannot be selected when taking a level of red dragon disciple.

Epic red dragon disciple level progression

In the epic class levels, hit points continue to accumulate, but now using 12-sided hit dice courtesy of the final hit die increase. The armor class bonus from draconic armor continues to improve, as does the damage from dragon breath. Also, the DC of saves made against the dragon breath starts to improve based on class level.

Level	Bonus feats	HP range		AC bonus	Breath damage	Breath DC
11		48-96		+4	6d10	19
12		54-108		+4	6d10	19
13		60-120		+4	7d10	19
14	first	66-132		+4	7d10	20
15		72-144		+5	7d10	20
16		78-156		+5	8d10	20
17		84-168		+5	8d10	20
18	second	90-180		+5	8d10	21
19		96-192		+5	9d10	21
20		102-204		+6	9d10	21
21		108-216		+6	9d10	21
22	third	114-228		+6	10d10	22
23		120-240		+6	10d10	22
24		126-252		+6	10d10	22
25		132-264		+7	11d10	22
26	fourth	138-276		+7	11d10	23
27		144-288		+7	11d10	23
28		150-300		+7	12d10	23
29		156-312		+7	12d10	23
30	fifth	162-324		+8	12d10	24

Notes

• Taking levels in this class does not increase spell slots like taking levels in the pale master class would.
• Losing a red dragon disciple level that grants an ability bonus can leave a character with corrupted ability scores. This can be corrected by a Dungeon Master, but not through scripting. For this reason, some servers that allow releveling without DM assistance ban this class.