# Dragonpacts A dragonpact is a mystical bargain made between a sorcerer and a powerful dragon. In exchange for gold and a small portion of the sorcerer's magical power (a spell slot), the dragon grants the sorcerer access to one or more spell-like abilities. Dragons do not enter into these pacts lightly, for the bargain also costs them a bit of personal life force (in the form of lost hit points). ## Creating a Dragonapct To make a dragonpact, a sorcerer of 4th level or higher must undertake a mystical ceremony in which he establishes mental contact with a true dragon (that is, a dragon with twelve age categories, such as a red dragon). A true dragon can't initiate this ceremony (though it can try to convince a sorcerer to do so), nor can it attempt to establish a dragonpact with another dragon. A sorcerer of the dragon type (such as a half-dragon sorcerer) can still create a dragonpact, as long as he is not a true dragon Upon beginning the ceremony, the sorcerer must state what level of spell slot he is offering, and which dragonpact he seeks to enter. The sorcerer must have an uncast spell slot of the level offered in order to begin the ceremony. After 1 hour of uninterrupted meditation, he must attempt a Concentration check (DC 20 + the spell slot offered). A sorcerer with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana) gels a +2 bonus on this check. If the sorcerer is in the presence of an eligible dragon and wishes to entreat that dragon to enter the pact, he gains a +10 bonus on the check. If the check succeeds, the sorcerer has made contact with a dragon willing to enter the dragonpact. If not, he can continue the ceremony for another hour; each consecutive hour after the first grants a cumulative +1 bonus on the Concentration check. If the ceremony is interrupted, the sorcerer must begin again. The header for each kind of dragonpact indicates which varieties of dragons can enter into that dragonpact. However, unless the sorcerer is in the presence of the dragon he is contacting during the ceremony, he has no power to dictate precisely which dragon—or even which kind of dragon—answers his entreaty. The identity of the dragon entering the dragonpact is not crucial to completing the task, though it must be of an appropriate kind, at least of adult age, and capable of casting spells of the level of the slot being offered by the sorcerer. In tact, the dragon need not reveal its identity at all, though it always knows the identity of the sorcerer. If desired, the dragon can become a significant NPC in the campaign, perhaps a mentor of sorts for the sorcerer. A dragon that enters a pact with a sorcerer can view the mortal as an ally, a business comrade, a potential catspaw, or a would-be worshiper, depending on its alignment and personality. Once the sorcerer establishes contact, he must negotiate with the dragon for payment. Typically, a dragonpact requires the sorcerer to offer gold, gems, and/or art objects worth a total value equal to the level of the spell slot squared, × 100 gp. For example, a sorcerer offering a 4th-level spell slot must also offer treasure worth 1,600 gp. However, that's just the opening bid. The sorcerer must then attempt a Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check against a DC of 15 + the spell slot offered. Depending on the sorcerer's style of negotiation, the DM should feel free to apply a modifier (ranging from –4 to +4) on the check. Then consult the table below to determine how the sorcerer must modify his initial offer to satisfy the dragon. |Check Result Minus DC | Payment Modifier| |---|---| |–5 or more|+25%| |–1 to –4|+10% | |+0 to +4|+0% | |+5 to +9|–10% | |+10 or more|–25% | For example, the sorcerer offering a 4th-level slot and 1,600 gp must attempt a DC 19 Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check. If he gets a result of 14 or lower (having negotiated poorly), he misses the check by 5 or more and must increase his offered treasure by 25%, bringing the final price to 2,000 gp. On the other hand, if he gets a result of 24 (having negotiated well), he makes the check by 5 and can reduce his offered treasure by 10%, bringing the final price to 1,440 gp. Once the negotiation is complete, the offered treasure instantly vanishes from the sorcerer's possession and appears in the dragon's hoard. This treasure must be present during the ceremony. If the sorcerer doesn't have sufficient treasure on hand to pay for the dragonpact, the ceremony fails. ## Dragonpact Effects Once the sorcerer has paid the required treasure, the dragonpact takes effect immediately. The sorcerer loses one of his daily spell slots of the appropriate level, and the dragon gains one daily spell slot of the same level. This exchange has no effect on either party's list of spells known. The sorcerer gains one or more spell-like abilities, based on the specific dragonpact entered and the spell slot sacrificed. For example, a sorcerer who offered a 4th-level spell slot for the Devious Whispers of the Master dragonpact gains charm person 3/day and eagle's splendor 2/day. The caster level for these spell-like abilities equals the sorcerer's caster level for his sorcerer spells, and the save DC (if any) is equal to 10 + the spell's level + the sorcerer's Cha modifier. A pact-bound adept gains more powerful spell-like abilities than normal, and also gains a bonus to his caster level for these spell-like abilities. The dragon also loses hit points for the duration of the pact based on the level of the spell slot gained: |Slot Gained | HP Lost| |-----|----| |2nd, 3rd, or 4th | 10 | |5th, 6th, or 7th | 25 | |8th or 9th | 50 | No sorcerer can be party to more than one dragonpact at a time. (A pact-bound adept can enter into a second dragonpact simultaneously) Dragons have no such restriction, but the cumulative loss of hit points from multiple pacts discourages them from entering more than a few. Typically, a dragon prefers to have a small number of powerful dragonpacts rather than a large number of weak pacts that don't have much payoff. A great wyrm red dragon has little need for five extra 4th-level spell slots, but an extra 8th- or 9th-level spell slot is a more desirable power boost. If either party to a dragonpact dies, the other party loses all benefits of the pact but not the drawbacks (a lost spell slot or lost hit points) until one year has passed. If the dead party returns to life within that period, the benefits immediately return, too. ### Visible Signs of a Dragonpact When a character enters a dragonpact, a certain degree of draconic influence flows through the link between him and the dragon. When the creature bestows spell-like abilities upon the character, it also leaves behind traces of its unique magical nature. The end result is that characters who enter into dragonpacts exhibit draconic physical characteristics, raging from minor cosmetic changes to major physical alterations. These visual signs have no overt in-game effect—cultural opinions toward dragons vary from land to land, and as such any bias or prejudice depends on the individual campaign. But they do visibly mark a character as someone who bargains with dragonkind. To determine the visual effects on a PC who enters into a dragonpact. the dm can roll on the table below or simply choose from the table as desired. |d20 |Effect| |----|------| |1 |Small, flaky scales of the dragon's color appear on the arms, face, and legs. | |2 |Eyes glow the dragon's color faintly in the dark. | |3 |Hair changes to the color of the dragon's scales. | |4 |Small horns or chitin protrusions form on the face. | |5 |Tongue becomes serpentine, visible when speaking. | |6 |Skin becomes faintly tinted the dragon's color. | |7 |Voice becomes rough and gravelly, like that of a dragon. | |8 |Eyes develop an additional set of nictitating membranes, visible when the character blinks. | |9 |Bony protrusions grow from the knuckles, elbows, and knees. | |10 |Faint wisps of odorless smoke occasionally drift from the mouth and nose. | |11 |Fingernails become thick and curved, resembling dragon talons. | |12 |Face becomes angular and vaguely draconic. | |13 |Teeth elongate and come to sharper points, visible when speaking. | |14 |Elaborate draconic tattoos appear on the arms. back, or face and seem to glow faintly. | |15 |Two bony ridges rise from the back, appearing as lumps on the shoulder blades. | |16 |Bumps appear at the temples where a dragon would have its horns. | |17 |Mottled spots the same color as the dragon's scales appear at the temples and jaw. | |18 |Hands and feet become slightly webbed with elongated fingers and toes. | |19 |Skin becomes tough and leathery, giving the appearance of a dragon's hide. | |20 |Eyes develop slit-like irises, resembling a dragon's eye. | ## Renegotiating a Dragonpact As a sorcerer gains the ability to cast more powerful spells, he might wish to offer a higher-level spell slot as part of a dragonpact. Renegotiating an existing dragonpact is simpler than establishing a new one: doing so requires only a single hour of meditation and no Concentration check. An additional sacrifice of gold, gems, and/or art objects is required, however. Subtract the average price for the previous spell slot from the average price for the new spell slot to find the new base price, and then roll the Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check as normal to determine the price adjustment of the renegotiation. The success or failure of prior negotiations has no effect on this check. For example, if the sorcerer from the previous example wished to offer a 5th-level slot in place of his 4th-level slot, the new base price would be 900 gp (2,500–1,600), modified by the result of his negotiation. ## Breaking a Dragonpact Once a dragonpact is entered, it remains binding while both parties are alive and for one year alter the death of either (dragons take the long view, and recognize the presence of resurrection magic). However, as long as both parties still live, either one can renounce the pact for any reason. Often, this occurs when a player character decides to forge a different pact with another dragon. For a sorcerer to renounce a pact, he must forgo the use of all spell-like abilities granted him by the pact for seven consecutive days. At the end of this time, a simple 1-hour ceremony of meditation allows him to break the pact. For a dragon to renounce a pact, it must destroy treasure from its hoard equal to the amount paid by the sorcerer to enter the pact, and then perform its own hour-long ritual. For obvious reasons, dragons hate doing this. If a dragon ever desires to be free of a pact, it usually tries to manipulate the sorcerer into being the one to break it, because that allows the creature to keep its treasure. Regardless of who breaks the dragonpact, once it ends, both parties immediately lose the benefits of the pact. (If the dragon broke the pact without the sorcerer's prior knowledge, the character will be surprised when he suddenly loses his pact abilities.) The sorcerer regains his lost spell slot the next time he would normally ready his spells. The dragon's full normal hit points return to their normal value, and the lost hit points can be healed by any means. ## Dragonpacts in the Game Dragonpacts offer characters the chance to give up one spell to gain multiple uses of spell-like abilities. In effect, a pact gives a player character more rounds of activity per day, allowing him to continue adventuring for longer than normal. Dragons, on the other hand, value the pacts not just for their obvious benefits—additional spell slots and an increased hoard—but also because they create a network of allies. Any sorcerer who enters a dragonpact has good reason to want to keep that dragon alive, or at least avoid actively seeking its death. This situation can create an interesting tension in the campaign, particularly when a good-aligned sorcerer—knowingly or unknowingly—enters into a pact with an evil dragon. If, months later, the PCs encounter the dragon, the sorcerer might have qualms about battling his "business partner." Alternatively, a sorcerer who forges a dragonpact with a similarly aligned dragon might find himself with a powerful ally just when he needs it most. of course, this doesn't mean the character can simply tell the dragon what to do. An evil dragon almost certainly sees the relationship as one of master to minion, while even a noble gold dragon likely views the sorcerer as a naive partner. The dragonpact system allows a DM to justify building a network of allies or minions for a powerful dragon—a network that any PC foes of that dragon would be well advised to take down first. Killing a sorcerer involved in a dragonpact robs the dragon of extra spell slots but doesn't restore its lost hit points, so defeating the minions before lacing the great creature makes the final battle easier. Of course, the dragon will know that its pact-allies are dying without necessarily knowing why, kicking off a desperate race against time between the dragon and its would-be slayers. ## Dragonpacts Presented below are eleven varieties of dragonpacts, each one associated with one or more kinds of true dragons. ### Breath of Winter's Doom (Silver. White) Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | obscuring mist 2/day |3rd | obscuring mist 3/day, protection from energy (cold) 1/day |4th | obscuring mist 3/day, protection from energy (cold) 2/day |5th | obscuring mist 3/day, protection from energy (cold) 3/day, ice storm 1/day |6th | obscuring mist 3/day, protection from energy (cold) 3/day, ice storm 2/day |7th | obscuring mist 3/day, protection from energy (cold) 3/day, ice storm 3/day, cone of cold 1/day |8th | obscuring mist 3/day, protection from energy (cold) 3/day, ice storm 3/day, cone of cold 2/day |9th | obscuring mist 3/day, protection from energy (cold) 3/day, ice storm 3/day, cone of cold 3/day, polar ray 1/day ### Champion of the Golden Orb (Gold) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | bless 2/day |3rd | bless 3/day, lesser restoration 1/day |4th | bless 3/day, lesser restoration 2/day |5th | bless 3/day, lesser restoration 3/day, fire shield (hot) 1/day |6th | bless 3/day. lesser restoration 3/day, fire shield (hot) 2/day |7th | bless 3/day, lesser restoration 3/day, fire shield (hot) 3/day, mass cure light wounds 1/day |8th | bless 3/day, lesser restoration 3/day, fire shield (hot) 3/day, mass cure light wounds 2/day |9th | bless 3/day, lesser restoration 3/day, fire shield (hot) 3/day, mass cure light wounds 3/day, sunburst 1/day ### Devious Whispers of the Master (Green, Red) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | charm person 2/day |3rd | charm person 3/day, eagle's splendor 1/day |4th | charm person 3/day, eagle's splendor 2/day |5th | charm person 3/day, eagle's splendor 3/day, suggestion 1/day |6th | charm person 3/day, eagle's splendor 3/day, suggestion 2/day |7th | charm person 3/day, eagle's splendor 3/day, suggestion 3/day, dominate person 1/day |8th | charm person 3/day, eagle's splendor 3/day, suggestion 3/day, dominate person 2/day |9th | charm person 3/day, eagle's splendor 3/day, suggestion 3/day, dominate person 3/day, mass charm monster 1/day ### Elusive Disciple of Dusk (Shadow) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | expeditious retreat 2/day |3rd | expeditious retreat 3/day, nondetection 1/day |4th | expeditious retreat 3/day, nondetection 2/day |5th | expeditious retreat 3/day, nondetection 3/day, dimension door 1/day |6th | expeditious retreat 3/day, nondetection 3/day, dimension door 2/day |7th | expeditious retreat 3/day, nondetection 3/day, dimension door 3/day, shadow walk 1/day |8th | expeditious retreat 3/day, nondetection 3/day, dimension door 3/day, shadow walk 2/day |9th | expeditious retreat 3/day, nondetection 3/day, dimension door 3/day, shadow walk 3/day, mass inflict critical wounds 1/day ### Festering Corrupter of the Gloom (Black) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | ray of enfeeblement 2/day |3rd | ray of enfeeblement 3/day, Melf's acid arrow 1/day |4th | ray of enfeeblement 3/day, Melf's acid arrow 2/day |5th | ray of enfeeblement 3/day, Melf's acid arrow 3/day, contagion 1/day |6th | ray of enfeeblement 3/day, Melf's acid arrow 3/day, contagion 2/day |7th | ray of enfeeblement 3/day, Melf's acid arrow 3/day, contagion 3/day, acid fog 1/day |8th | ray of enfeeblement 3/day, Melf's acid arrow 3/day, contagion 3/day, acid fog 2/day |9th | ray of enfeeblement 3/day, Melf's acid arrow 3/day, contagion 3/day, acid fog 3/day, waves of exhaustion 1/day ### Flames of Crimson Wrath (Red) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | burning hands 2/day |3rd | burning hands 3/day, protection from energy (fire) 1/day |4th | burning hands 3/day, protection from energy (fire) 2/day |5th | burning hands 3/day, protection from energy (fire) 3/day, fireball 1/day |6th | burning hands 3/day, protection from energy (fire) 3/day, fireball 2/day |7th | burning hands 3/day, protection from energy (fire) 3/day, fireball 3/day, eyebite 1/day |8th | burning hands 3/day, protection from energy (fire) 3/day, fireball 3/day, eyebite 2/day |9th | burning hands 3/day, protection from energy (fire) 3/day, fireball 3/day, eyebite 3/day, incendiary cloud 1/day ### Friend of Wind and Rain (Brass, Bronze, Silver) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | endure elements 2/day |3rd | endure elements 3/day, wind wall 1/day |4th | endure elements 3/day, wind wall 2/day |5th | endure elements 3/day, wind wall 3/day, fly 1/day |6th | endure elements 3/day, wind wall 3/day, fly 2/day |7th | endure elements 3/day, wind wall 3/day, fly 3/day, control weather 1/day |8th | endure elements 3/day, wind wall 3/day, fly 3/day, control weather 2/day |9th | endure elements 3/day, wind wall 3/day, fly 3/day, control weather 3/day, whirlwind 1/day ### Lord of Hill and Mountain (Copper. Red) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | spider climb 2/day |3rd | spider climb 3/day, bear's endurance 1/day |4th | spider climb 3/day, bear's endurance 2/day |8th | spider climb 3/day, bear's endurance 3/day, spike stones 1/day |6th | spider climb 3/day, bear's endurance 3/day, spike stones 2/day |7th | spider climb 3/day, bear's endurance 3/day, spike stones 3/day, stoneskin 1/day |8th | spider climb 3/day, bear's endurance 3/day, spike stones 3/day, stoneskin 2/day |9th | spider climb 3/day, bear's endurance 3/day, spike stones 3/day, stoneskin 3/day, earthquake 1/day ### Master of Magical Defense (Fang) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | shield 2/day |3rd | shield 3/day, dispel magic 1/day |4th | shield 3/day, dispel magic 2/day |5th | shield 3/day, dispel magic 3/day, lesser globe of invulnerability 1/day |6th | shield 3/day, dispel magic 3/day, lesser globe of invulnerability 2/day |7th | shield 3/day, dispel magic 3/day, lesser globe of invulnerability 3/day, repulsion 1/day |8th | shield 3/day, dispel magic 3/day, lesser globe of invulnerability 3/day, repulsion 2/day |9th | shield 3/day, dispel magic 3/day, lesser globe of invulnerability 3/day, repulsion 3/day, spell turning 1/day ### Tyrant of the Desert Sun (Blue, Brass, Brown) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | silent image 2/day |3rd | silent image 3/day, blur 1/day |4th | silent image 3/day, blur 2/day |5th | silent image 3/day, blur 3/day, hallucinatory terrain 1/day |6th | silent image 3/day, blur 3/day, hallucinatory terrain 2/day |7th | silent image 3/day, blur 3/day, hallucinatory terrain 3/day, waves of fatigue 1/day |8th | silent image 3/day, blur 3/day, hallucinatory terrain 3/day, waves of fatigue 2/day |9th | silent image 3/day, blur 3/day, hallucinatory terrain 3/day, waves of fatigue 3/day, sunbeam 1/day ### Unbridled Fury of the Storm (Blue, Bronze) |Spell Slot | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |---------|------------ |2nd | shocking grasp 2/day |3rd | shocking grasp 3/day, protection from energy (electricity) 1/day |4th | shocking grasp 3/day, protection from energy (electricity) 2/day |5th | shocking grasp 3/day, protection from energy (electricity) 3/day, call lightning 1/day |6th | shocking grasp 3/day, protection from energy (electricity) 3/day, call lightning 2/day |7th | shocking grasp 3/day, protection from energy (electricity) 3/day, call lightning 3/day, chain lightning 1/day |8th | shocking grasp 3/day, protection from energy (electricity) 3/day, call lightning 3/day, chain lightning 2/day |9th | shocking grasp 3/day, protection from energy (electricity) 3/day, call lightning 3/day, chain lightning 3/day, maximized call lightning storm 1/day