Dragon Slayer

Dragon slayers come from all walks of life, from all cultures and societies. They may be poor or wealthy, strong or wise, good or evil, skilled with blade or spell. However, all dragonslayers share a singular courage and strength of heart—a necessary commodity in their line of work. Characters of any class may pursue the dragon slayer prestige class, as long as they meet the prerequisites. While fighters, barbarians, and paladins enjoy the class’s increased combat prowess against these powerful enemies, sorcerers, clerics, wizards, and druids can continue to improve their spellcasting ability while gaining new powers suitable for use in battling dragons. Regardless of their origins, dragon slayers are fearsome foes that can make even the most unshakable of dragons to quake in fear.

Requirements

To qualify to become a dragon slayer, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Alignment: Any.

Base Attack Bonus: +6.

Feats: Iron Will.

Languages: Draconic.

Special: The dragon slayer must have experienced great loss or near death at the hands of a dragon type creature. 

Class Skills

The dragon slayer’s class skills (and the key abilities for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival(Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The dragon slayer has the following class features.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The dragon slayer gains no additional weapon or armor proficiency.

Spellcasting

At the indicated levels, a dragon slayer gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous spellcaster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a dragon slayer, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.

Aura of Courage (Su)

At 1st level, a dragon slayer is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions only while the dragon slayer is conscious, not if he is unconscious or dead.

Cunning (Ex)

A dragon slayer is fearless warrior that stands against one of the world’s most fearsome creatures–dragons. As such, all dragon slayers fight with cunning, a fluctuating measure of a dragon slayer’s ability to perform amazing actions in combat. At the start of each day, a dragon slayer gains a number of cunning points equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). His cunning goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1), though some feats and magic items may affect this maximum. A dragon slayer spends cunning to accomplish deeds (see below), and regains cunning in the following ways.

Critical Hit with a Favored Weapon: Each time the dragon slayer confirms a critical hit with a favored weapon attack while in the heat of combat, he regains 1 cunning point. Confirming a critical hit on a helpless or unaware creature or on a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the dragon slayer’s character level does not restore cunning.

Killing Blow with a Favored Weapon: When the dragon slayer reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with a favored weapon attack while in the heat of combat, he regains 1 cunning point. Destroying an unattended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the dragon slayer’s character level to 0 or fewer hit points does not restore any grit.

Deeds

Dragon slayers spend cunning points to accomplish deeds. Most deeds grant the dragon slayer a momentary bonus or effect, but some provide longer-lasting effects. Some deeds remain in effect while the dragon slayer has at least 1 cunning point, but do not require expending cunning to be maintained. A dragon slayer can only perform deeds of his level or lower. Unless otherwise noted, a deed can be performed multiple successive times, as long as the dragon slayer has or spends the required number of cunning points to perform the deed.

Dazzle (Ex): At 1st level, as long as the dragon slayer has at least one cunning point, he can attempt to confuse a dragon and hinder its ability to cast spells or use innate powers. As a standard action, the dragon 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.

Dragon Strike (Ex): At 1st level, as long as the dragon slayer has at least 1 cunning point, he gains the ability to inflict devastating wounds against creatures of the dragon type with his focused weapon, adding his character level to the damage dealt. He can use this ability with a ranged focused weapon, so long as the target is within 30 feet of him. As a swift action, a dragon slayer can spend 1 cunning point to double his dragon strike’s damage bonus on the next attack. This benefit must be used before the end of his turn, or it is lost. This deed's cost cannot be reduced by any ability or effect that reduces the amount of cunning points a deed costs (such as the Signature Deed feat).

Focused Attack (Ex): At 1st level, the dragon slayer can spend 1 cunning point to gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls made against all dragons for a number of rounds equal to his dragon slayer level. He also chooses one of the following dragon types: black, blue, brass, bronze, copper, gold, green, red, silver. The dragon slayer gains a +4 bonus to attack rolls made against his chosen dragon type.

Slayer’s Dodge (Ex): At 1st level, the dragon slayer gains an uncanny knack for getting out of the way of a dragon’s attacks. When a dragon makes a natural attack (claw, bite, wing buffet, and so on) against the dragon slayer, he can spend 1 grit point to move 5 feet as an immediate action; doing so grants the dragon slayer a +2 bonus to AC against the triggering attack. This movement is not a 5-foot step, and provokes attacks of opportunity. Alternatively, the dragon slayer can drop prone to gain a +4 bonus to AC against the triggering attack. The dragon slayer can perform this deed while wearing heavy, medium, or light armor, and while carrying no more than a medium load.

Evade Breath Weapon (Ex): At 3rd level, as long as the dragon slayer has at least 1 cunning point, he can avoid even the most powerful of dragon breath weapon attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against a breath weapon attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. This deed can only be used if the dragon slayer is wearing light armor, medium armor, or no armor. A helpless dragon slayer does not gain the benefit of this deed.

Menacing Attack (Ex): At 3rd level, while he has at least 1 cunning point, when a dragon slayer hits an opponent with his focused weapon, he can choose to use Intimidate to demoralize that opponent as a swift action instead of a standard action. If the target is a creature of the dragon type, he gains a bonus on the Intimidate check equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum +1).

Throw Weapon (Ex): At 3rd level, a dragon slayer can hurl a melee weapon at a flying dragon up to a range of 20 feet without any penalty to his attack roll. For every additional range increment beyond the first, the dragon slayer takes a –2 penalty to his attack roll. This penalty is cumulative. Damage is determined normally, and all Strength and damage bonuses are applied. No other deed can be used in combination with the throw weapon deed. a Weapon Throw attack. The dragon slayer must spend 1 grit point to perform this deed.

Undaunted Resilience (Ex): At 3rd level, the dragon slayer can spend 1 cunning point to gain a +4 bonus to saving throws against a dragon’s special attacks (breath weapon, crush, tail sweep), spells, and spell-like abilities for 1 minute.

Breach Attack (Ex): At 6th level, the dragon slayer can spend 1 round to locate a vulnerable spot in dragon’s scales. At the end of the round, he makes a Perception skill check (DC 10 + 1/2 the dragon’s natural armor bonus). The dragon slayer must be facing the dragon’s underbelly, from the neck under its maw to its lower abdomen where its rear legs meet its body. If the check is successful a breach is found. During his next turn, he gains a bonus on all attacks directed at the dragon equal to the dragon slayer’s level. Any successful attack roll made during this round deals additional damage equal to the dragon slayer’s level. Any damage taken by the dragon slayer in the round he searches for the breach does not hinder his breach attack unless he is knocked unconscious or killed. The dragon slayer must spend 1 grit point to perform this deed.

Evasive Slayer (Ex): At 6th level, while a dragon slayer has at least 1 cunning point, he gains the benefits of the evasion, uncanny dodge, and improved uncanny dodge rogue class features against creatures of the dragon type. He uses his character level as his rogue level for improved uncanny dodge.

Slayer’s Strike (Ex): At 6th level, as a full-round action, the dragon slayer can pool all his melee or ranged attack potential into a single, deadly strike. When he does this, he attacks a single creature of the dragon type with his focused weapon, but makes as many attack rolls as he can, based on his base attack bonus. He makes the attack rolls in order from highest bonus to lowest, as if he were making a full attack. If any of the attack rolls hit the target, the dragon slayer’s single attack is considered to have hit. For each additional successful attack roll beyond the first, the dragon slayer increases the damage of the attack by the base damage dice of his focused weapon. For instance, if a 4th-level dragon slayer makes a slayer’s strike with a great sword, and hits with both attacks, he does 4d6 points of damage with the attack, instead of 2d6 points of damage, before adding any damage modifiers. Precision damage and extra damage from weapon special abilities (such as flaming) are added with damage modifiers and are not increased by this deed. If one or more rolls are critical threats, he confirms the critical once using his highest base attack bonus –5. For each critical threat beyond the first, he reduces this penalty by 1 (to a maximum of 0). The dragon slayer only misses on a slayer’s strike if all the attack rolls are misses. He cannot perform this deed with a scatter weapon when attacking creatures in a cone. The dragon slayer must spend 1 cunning point to perform this deed.

Targeted Strike (Ex): At 6th level, as a full-round action, the dragon slayer can spend 1 cunning point to make a targeted attack with a focused weapon. The dragon slayer chooses a part of the body to target, but the dragon slayer must declare the targeted strike he is using before making the attack roll. If the attack succeeds, it deals normal damage and the target suffers the additional listed effect.

• • Breath Stun: The dragon slayer can make a melee attack against a dragon's gullet, in an attempt to disable the dragon's breath weapon. This attack is made with a –4 penalty. If the attack is successful, the dragon cannot use its breath weapon for 1 round per point of damage inflicted.

  • Natural Attack: The dragon slayer can make a melee attack against a dragon's head (bite), feet (claws), or tail. This attack is made with a –4 penalty. If the attack is successful, the dragon cannot use that body part’s associated natural attack for 1 round per point of damage inflicted.

  • Wing Attack: The dragon slayer can make a melee attack against a dragon's wing muscles. This attack is made with a –4 penalty. If the attack is successful, the dragon is grounded and unable to fly for 1 round per point of damage inflicted.

Cheat Death (Ex): At 9th level, whenever a dragon slayer is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, he can spend all of his remaining cunning points (minimum 1) to instead be reduced to 1 hit point.

Deadly Strike (Ex): At 9th level, when the dragon slayer confirms a critical hit with his focused weapon, in addition to the normal damage, he can spend 1 cunning point to inflict a deadly strike. The target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or die. The DC of this save is 10 + 1/2 the dragon slayer's level + the dragon slayer's Intelligence modifier. This is a death attack. Performing this deed does not grant the dragon slayer a cunning point.

Dragon Resilience (Ex): At 9th level, when the dragon slayer has at least 1 cunning point and makes a successful Fortitude saving throw against a dragon attack that would deal half damage or have a partial effect, he instead takes no damage or other effects from that attack.

Dragon Lore (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, a dragon slayer gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of the dragon type. These bonuses increase by +1 at 3rd level and every two levels thereafter. In addition, when a dragon slayer successfully uses Survival to spot the trail of a creature of the dragon type, the dragon slayer may attempt an immediate DC 15 Knowledge (arcana) check. If the check is successful, the dragon slayer is able to determine the species, age category, size, and color of the dragon. If the trail is less than 48 hours old, the dragon slayer gains an additional +2 circumstance bonus on the Knowledge check.

Focused Weapon (Ex)

At 1st level, a dragon slayer selects one weapon that he is proficient with. He gains Weapon Focus as a bonus feat with that weapon.

Damage Reduction (Ex)

At 2nd level, a dragon slayer gains DR 1/— when wearing light armor, DR 2/— when wearing medium armor, and DR 3/— when wearing heavy armor. At 5th level, this damage reduction increases to DR 2/— when wearing light armor, DR 4/— when wearing medium armor, and DR 6/— when wearing heavy armor. At 8th level, this increases to DR 3/— when wearing light armor, DR 6/— when wearing medium armor, and DR 9/— when wearing heavy armor. This damage reduction stacks with that provided by adamantine armor, but not with other forms of damage reduction. This damage reduction does not apply if the dragon slayer is stunned, unconscious, or helpless.

Dragoncrafting (Ex)

At 2nd level, a dragon slayer is an expert not only at tracking and killing dragons, but also at utilizing dragon body parts to craft unique equipment. A dragon slayer gains Dragoncrafting as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.

Energy Resistance (Su)

At 2nd level, a dragon slayer gains energy resistance 5 against one energy type of his choice (acid, cold, electricity, or fire). This increases to energy resistance 10 at 4th level, energy resistance 15 at 6th level, and energy resistance 20 at 8th level against his chosen energy type.

Expert Dragoncrafting (Ex)

At 7th level, a dragon slayer may take 10 on Heal and Craft skill checks to harvest dragoncraft materials and to create dragoncraft items. Additionally, the amount of time required to create a dragoncraft item is reduced by half.

Slayer of Dragons (Ex)

At 10th level, any attack made with the dragon slayer’s focused weapon automatically confirms all critical threats and has its damage multiplier increased by 1 (×2 becomes ×3, for example). Furthermore, he cannot be disarmed while wielding a weapon of this type. In addition, a dragon slayer gains immunity to his chosen energy type.

Table: Dragon Slayer