Io calls not only on the martially-skilled to keep his children in line, but also on the magically gifted. Sometimes, a well-placed spell can be much more effective than a well-placed sword blow, and this is just as true when fighting dragons as anything else. Like their warrior-brethren, the slayer mage worships Io and fights to rid the world of all imperfect dragons (Io is the only perfect dragon), or at the very least those who do not share their alignment preferances.
The dragon slayer mage is dressed in dragonscale robes, carries a dragonskin and hide spellbook, and often a staff made partially or completely of dragonbone.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements:
• Deity: Io, the Concordant Dragon
• Alignment: Any nonchaotic
• Skills: Intimidate 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 7, Knowledge (dragonlore) 5 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Ride 3 ranks, Spot 5 ranks
• Feats: Any metamagic feat.
• Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd level arcane spells.
• Special: Must kill a dragon, either alone or as a group.
Class Skills: The Slayer Mage's class skills are Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft(Int), Knowledge (Int), Profession (Wis), Scry (Int), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Int).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Slayer Mages gain no proficiency in any weapon or armor.
Skill Points per level: 2 + Int modifier
| Class Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells per Day | |||||
| 1 | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Favored Enemy (dragons), +2 to attack rolls vs. dragons, Fear Immunity, Anti-Spell Resistance 10% | +1 level of existing class | |||||
| 2 | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Slayer Attack Form, Anti-Spell Resistance 20% | +1 level of existing class | |||||
| 3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Breath Weapon Defense, Control Dragon, Anti-Spell Resistance 30% | +1 level of existing class | |||||
| 4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Anti-Spell Resistance 40% | +1 level of existing class | |||||
| 5 | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Anti-Spell Resistance 50% | +1 level of existing class | |||||
| 6 | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Slayer Attack Form, Anti-Spell Resistance 60% | +1 level of existing class | |||||
| 7 | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Anti-Spell Resistance 70% | +1 level of existing class | |||||
| 8 | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Anti-Spell Resistance 80% | +1 level of existing class | |||||
| 9 | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Anti-Spell Resistance 90% | +1 level of existing class | |||||
| 10 | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Anti-Spell Resistance 100% | +1 level of existing class |
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the Dragon Slayer Mage prestige class.
Spells per Day: Each time the character gains a level of dragon slayer mage, he gains additional spell slots and casting ability as if going up a level in his original class. If he has more than one spellcasting class, he must choose which class this benefits. No other level-dependant benefits are gained or affected.
Hit Dice: Unlike most other arcane classes and prestige classes, which receive d4 Hit Dice, slayer mages receive d8 Hit Dice, to reflect the increased hardiness Io grants those wizards who must battle dragons.
Favored Enemy: At 1st level, a dragon slayer mage receives the ranger ability of favored enemy, and they choose dragons.
Attack Bonus: At 1st level the dragon slayer mage receives a +2 to attack rolls, in addition to any other bonuses when attacking dragons. At 5th level, this increases to +4.
Control Dragon: Gained at 3rd level, a dragon slayer mage who comes into possession of a dragon's birth stone/gem can control a dragon of that type once per day as a potion of dragon control. In days previous, a slayer mage could have only one such of these stones, but now, that mystic prohibition has been raised, as again Io's children forget his words and think more of themselves. Though a slayer mage may now have more than one stone/gem, only one use of the power can be made a day.
Fear Immunity: From the moment of their christening, a dragon slayer mage is immune to all affects of any dragon fear/frightful presence.
Breath Weapon Defense: Gained at 3rd level, a dragon slayer mage who fails his Reflex save against a dragon's breath weapon still takes only half damage. If they succeed, then they take none.
Dragon Slayer Attack Forms: As do dragon slayers, a dragon slayer mage gains a special attack at 2nd and 6th level the dragon slayer can choose one of these seven special attacks. They work just as they do for dragon slayers and a dragon slayer mage can choose any of those available to dragon slayers.
• Breath Stun: When this attack connects, the dragon's breath weapon is crippled for a number of rounds equal to the damage dealt.
• Breach Attack: Ability to cast 9th level arcane spells
• Dodge Attack: Ability to cast 9th level arcane spells
• Double Damage: When this attack connects, after the damage rolls are made, that quantity is doubled.
• Great Blow: The Dragon Slayer donates a quantity of hit points to an attack, and if it hits, the damage dealt is increased by the number of points donated. Whether a hit or a miss, however, the hit points are lost.
• Weapon Throw: Allows the Dragon Slayer to hurl his sword as a spear.
• Wing Attack: When this attack connects, the dragon's wing is crippled for a number of rounds equal to the damage dealt. With at least one crippled wing, a dragon obviously cannot fly, nor use several attacks.
Anti-spell Resistance: Dragons have an unfortunate tendancy to develop spell resistance as they grow older. For every level of slayer mage, a target dragon's spell resistance, if any, decreases by 10% (fractions rounded down). For example, a red dragon wyrm has SR 30. Against a level 5 slayer mage, however, this SR decreases to 15 for his spells.
Equipment: Upon completion of the rites that christen a new dragon slayer mage, he or she is presented with a robe of dragonscales and a spellbook comprised of pages of dragon skin bound in hide and scales of dragons. The robe of a slayer mage begins as masterwork dragonhide (AC +5), and every second level it gains a +1 enchantment bonus (stackable with other enchantments) from the slayer mage's long-standing pact with Io while it is in his possession. It loses its bonus in the hands anyone else. Most slayer mages possess or create the same rings and other types of items that dragon slayers carry. Also, most dragon slayer mages move to seek out egg gems/stones, so that they can control dragons.
"Again, this slightly more powerful, more focused version of the Dragon Slayer Mage is a 3E redo of the 2E version from Council of Wyrms. I prefer it over the one in Draconomicon, especially with the fluff-text explanation of the why they do it, but either could be used, I guess, and the later is a bit easier to get into."
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