Base Requirements

• Races: Any
• Sub-Classes: Any
• Ability Requirements: Muscle 14, Aim 13, Fitness 12, Knowledge 14, Appearance 13
• Alignments: Any
• Starting Cash: 4d6 x10gp

Weapon Proficiencies

• Weapon Slots: By class
• Bonus Weapon Proficiencies: none
• Required Weapon Proficiencies: none
• Allowed Weapons: By class
• Allowed Armors: By class

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

• Non-weapon Slots: By class
• Available Categories: By class
• Bonus Non-weapon Proficiencies: Alertness, Modern Language (any dragon), Spellcraft, Tracking
• Required Proficiencies: Dragonology
• Recommended Proficiencies: Ancient History, Animal Training, Appraising, Armorer, Blacksmithing, Bowyer/Fletcher, Direction Sense, Gaming, Gem Cutting, Hunting, Intimidation, Land-based Riding, Looting, Mining, Rope Use, Seamanship, Set Snares, Survival
• Forbidden Proficiencies: none

Overview: Dragonslayers are fanatical enemies of all dragonkind, a human warrior specially trained to battle dragons. Many of these warriors consider themselves to be on a holy mission for one god or another. Others come to the profession as the result of some tragic incident in their past.

Wizards often become dragonslayers, not for material wealth discovered in a dragon’s hoard, nor for glory, nor hatred of the beasts, but to bring back some dragon remains or moltings-prized as material components for spells and magical creations.

Rogues who take up the mantle of the dragonslayer are not interested in petty theft. These adventurers are nearly obsessed with the notion of uncovering lost treasures amassed in a dragon’s hoard. To such dragonslayers, the grandest of endeavors is to sneak into one of the beast’s lairs and “recover” treasures from the wyrm’s centuries-old mound of loot. Needless to say, dragonslayers tend to be some of the more overconfident characters any person could meet in a tavern.

Description: Dragonslayers typically bear the marks of their craft, appearing charred, scarred, and marred. Dragonslayers never seek to hide their profession. They wear the best armor allowed by their class, carry large weapons, and prominently display the trophies of their kills. Dragonslayers wear cloaks of dragon scales with hoods crafted from dragon skulls. They carry spell components derived from dragon parts. They wield staves of dragon bone and swords with blades of sharpened dragon teeth.

Role-Playing: Dragon slayers are dedicated to one goal-the eradication of dragonkind, which they believe are heinous creations. They study dragons intensely, learning all they can about their foes.

Dragonslayers never pass up the opportunity to boast of their profession and the fine distinctions between it and common adventuring. Word of a dragonslayer’s visit to a village will bring out the local youths who are eager to hear of his tales and wonder if his next battle is to happen nearby. The dragonslayers often take advantage of such renown by using the attention to secure cheap lodgings and even sometimes henchman for a particularly harrowing adventure.

Dragonslayers are dedicated to destroying dragonkind, though they also have a powerful fascination for these creatures. They learn to use their magic to best effect against dragons, and obsessively study their foes so that they know them as well as they know themselves. Some dragonslayers may actually join forces with dragons of their own alignment. They do this because they have great respect and admiration for these creatures. They wish to learn more about the dragons, and about the way they view and use arcane energy.

No one knows more about dragonkind than a dragonslayer. Dragonslayers seek to understand the whole picture of dragonkind, for they use this knowledge not only to cast spells, but to find better ways to live their own lives through the examples of dragons. To the dragonslayer, dragonkind is the ultimate level of existence. However, dragons themselves have squandered their gifts and used them poorly, and therefore must be exterminated.

Special Abilities:

• Dragonslayer wizards (including spellcasting rogues) start play with a spellbook of dragon-skin parchment pages bound in cured dragon hide, and enough spell components made from dragon remains to cast each of their first-level spells 12 times.
• The cloak of dragon scales presented to every newly created dragonslayer provides a +1 armor class bonus due to its excellent crafting and impervious material. When the dragonslayer reaches 3rd level, this cloak becomes enchanted, providing an additional +1 armor class bonus against attacks from dragons. The dragonslayer can perform special quests every level after 3rd to increase the enchantment of his dragon cloak. In no case will the enchantment increase by more than +1 during a level, and it will never increase beyond a cumulative +5 bonus against dragons.
• Dragonslayers know their foe and gain benefits accordingly. Whenever attacking a dragon with a melee weapon, the dragonslayer’s Muscle and magical bonuses are doubled for both attack and damage rolls. These benefits apply only to dragons in their true form, not to those who have assumed human or other shape.
• Furthermore, their fanaticism makes it possible for dragonslayers to fight their foe on even terms. Dragonslayers can issue a mortal challenge to any dragon simply by bellowing their threats to the sky; the dragonslayer must fight alone for the challenge to work. Magic resistance provides the dragon with no protection; if it fails a saving throw vs. death magic, it must land and engage the dragonslayer on the ground. However, cowardly dragons may still choose to fight their foes on home terrain; a dragon that fails its saving throw against a mortal challenge may still retreat to fight in its lair.
• Finally, dragonslayers suffer less damage from dragon’s breath weapons, both because they can anticipate the moment when a dragon chooses to use one and because they know the best countermeasures to avoid harm from each one (grounding, wetting clothes, holding one’s breath, and so on). On a successful saving throw vs. dragon breath, dragonslayers suffer only one quarter damage. Even a failed result means only one half damage to these warriors.
• As part of the dragonslayer’s natural confidence, he receives a +1 bonus on saving throws vs. dragon fear. As he increases in experience, this bravado swells, and the bonus increases by 1 for every three levels of ability (to +2 at 3rd level, +3 at 6th, etc.)
• The dragon slayer is accompanied by a mount of heroic proportions, either a war horse or a flying mount. As long as the slayer is with it, the mount receives the same fear immunity, attack bonus, and breath weapon defense as the dragon slayer.
• Special Attacks: Any time the dragonslayer would gain a weapon proficiency, he may choose to spend a weapon proficiency slot to learn one of the following special attack forms. They can be used only against dragons. All of these attacks must be announced at the beginning of the round that they are made.
  • Wing attack: Aimed at the dragon’s wing muscles, this attack has a -3 penalty. In addition to damage, the hit will ground the dragon for 1 round per point of damage inflicted.
  • Breath stun: Aimed at the dragon’s gullet, this attack tries to disable a dragon’s breath weapon. It is made at a -4 penalty. If successful, the dragon takes damage and cannot use its breath weapon for 1 round per point of damage inflicted.
  • Great blow: The dragon slayer puts everything he has into this blow, which can be aimed anywhere on a dragon’s body. The dragon slayer states how many hit points he is expending and rolls an attack at a -4 penalty. If he hits, the dragon takes the damage caused by the weapon and accumulated modifiers, plus the additional damage points expended by the dragon slayer. Regardless of the attack’s outcome, the slayer loses that many hit points.
  • Weapon Throw: Weapon Throw allows a dragon slayer to toss his primary melee weapon at a flying dragon. Short range for thrown weapons is up to 15 feet, medium is up to 30 feet, and long range is up to 45 feet. Attack rolls are made with a -2, -4. and -6 penalty at short, medium, and long range respectively, since this is an unusual use of a heavy weapon. Damage is determined normally, and all Strength and damage bonuses are applied. No other special attack form can be used in combination with a Weapon Throw attack.
  • Breach Attack: Breach Attack allows a slayer to search for a vulnerable spot in dragon’s armor. The slayer must spend a full combat round without making any attacks as he searches for an opening. He must be facing a dragon’s underbelly, from the neck under its maw to its lower abdomen where its rear legs meet its body. The attack must be aimed at this region. In the round of searching, the slayer makes a Reason check to find the breach. A successful check gives the slayer a clear look at the spot, and the attack roll in the next round is made with a +6 bonus. If the check fails, the bonus is only +2. Attacks may be made against the slayer during the round of searching, and the slayer takes damage normally. Damage, however, will not hinder his breach attack unless he is knocked unconscious or killed. Slayers with the Double Damage or Great Blow attack form can use it in combination with a Breach Attack.
  • Double Damage: Double Damage allows a slayer to call on his knowledge of dragon physiology to inflict greater damage with a single attack. This attack can be used alone or in combination with a breach attack. When used with a successful attack roll, the slayer’s weapon inflicts double damage. No damage bonuses are doubled, just the base damage of the weapon type. However, damage bonuses are applied normally. For example, a slayer with a long sword would cause 2d12 (instead of ld12) plus any damage bonuses.
  • Dazzle: Dazzle is an attack form designed to confuse a dragon and hinder its ability to cast spells or use innate powers. The slayer twirls his weapon in such a way as to captivate and disorient his dragon foe. The twirling weapon disrupts the dragon’s concentration for the round, making it impossible to gather the merest thoughts necessary to activate a spell or innate power.
  • Dodge Attack: Dodge Attack is a combination defense and attack form that a slayer can use to avoid damage and deliver his own deadly blow in the same round. A dodge attack requires a successful Balance check, otherwise none of the following benefits apply. If successful, the slayer’s armor class is improved by +4 for the round against the dragon’s physical attacks, and saving throws versus breath weapons receive a +2 bonus. In addition, after making the dodge the slayer puts himself in a better position to deliver his own attack. In the round, a slayer’s attack rolls receive a +2 bonus.
• If a dragonslayer spellcaster uses spell components made with dragon remains, spells cast at dragons receive a bonus against the target dragon’s natural magic resistance. For every level of the dragonslater, the dragon’s magic-resistance rating is reduced by 5%.

Special Disadvantages:

• Dragon slayers must earn an extra 10% experience to advance a level, above the normal requirements of their class.
• Dragonslayers tend to have short lives, since they are often hunted by dragons whose eggs or young they destroyed. They are sometimes considered soldiers of ill omen, since when they fail, a dragon’s wrath often falls on the nearest village or town. They suffer a -2 penalty to all reaction checks because of the air of gloomy, unbending fanaticism that surrounds them.
• In addition, a dragonslayers’ squires and companions are magically affected by the dragonslayer’s aura. If they enter combat with a dragon at the dragonslayer’s side, they suffer a -2 penalty to AC for the duration of the combat, as the dragon furiously seeks to knock them aside to concentrate on its primary foe—the dragonslayer. For this reason, most dragonslayers work alone.
• A dragonslayer may never attack to subdue nor work with those who do. He is obliged to meet any attempt to do so with force. Showing mercy to a dragon under any circumstances results in the loss of all kit bonuses and makes the former dragonslayer an ordinary member of his class. Good-aligned dragons are no exception to this rule.
• Their training and dedication means dragon slayers often abandon other activities to engage dragons over other foes at the first reasonable opportunity. The enmity that exists between dragon slayers and dragons gives dragon slayers a -4 penalty on all encounter reactions with dragons.
• Dragonslayer spellcasters come to depend on dragon remains as ingredients in their spell components, after 3rd level they suffer penalties when using components not made with these special ingredients. These penalties translate as bonuses for the targets of their castings: a +2 to all saving throws for spells that normally receive saving throws, and a saving throw with a -3 penalty for all spells that normally receive no saving throws.

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