This months Dragon magazine from WotC say the return of Krynn’s draconians, portrayed for D&D 4e through the use of racial variants for the Dragonborn race. Presented in the article were the Bozak (magic using) and Kapak (stealthy, acidic) draconians. Other the next few days, it’s my intention to write up the missing racial types.
Racial Variant: Baaz Draconian
Considered to be weak minded and with no discernible personality, Baaz draconians are the most numerous, serving in great multitudes as the foot soldiers of the Dark Queen Takhasis. Their natural ferocity and undisciplined and often sadistic behaviour is exploited by the other draconians, who whip them into a frenzy before battle. In death, the baaz draconian turns to stone, resulting in battlefield littered in the statues of the draconian armies, the weapons that slayed them still embedded in their bodies, though these statues soon crumbled.
Baaz draconians are generally indistinguishable from normal dragonborn, with the same humanoid form, clawed hands and blunt draconic snout with small sharp teeth. Their dragonlike wings are small, thin and leathery, barely capable of supporting their weight when gliding, yet alone allowing them to fly. Their scaled skin is a bright brassy colour when born, but fades to a dark green as they age and the scales harden.
Baaz player characters are usually pure martial warriors such as slayers or knights, or even barbarians, where their natural strength makes them formidable fighters.
When creating a baaz draconian character, you can pick from the following benefits.
Warrior Blood: Driven to a frenzy before battle, your strikes fell your foes with ease
Benefit: You gain a +1 racial bonus to the damage rolls of your martial weapon attack powers. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. This benefit replaces Dragonborn Fury.
Draconic Form: Your sclaes provide you with a natural armour, and while your wings are neither large enough nor strong enough to sustain flight for long, they can help you glide rather than fall.
Benefit: You gain a +2 racial bonus to AC, and you take no damage from falling and land standing up. This benefit replaces Draconic Heritage.
Frenzied Combat: In the heat of combat you lash out with your claws and teeth, the scent of blood filling your nostrils and making your attacks more fierce.
Benefit: You gain the Violent Outlash power. This benefit replaces Dragon Breath.
Violent Outlash * Baaz Racial Power
With your foe smarting them your attack, you lash out, hitting him with your claws, or biting at their face.
Encounter * Martial
Free Action * Personal
Trigger: You hit and damage an adjacent creature with a weapon attack
Target: The triggering creature.
Attack: Strength vs AC
Hit: 1d6 + Strength modifier damage
Level 11: 2d6 + Strength modifier damage.
Level 21: 3d6 + Strength modifier damage.
Special: You regain the use of this power when you are bloodied.
Death Throes: The draconic blood that flows through your veins solidifies as soon as the your heart stops beating, petrifying your body from the inside out, turning you into a statue.
Benefit: You gain the Solid Death power. All baaz draconians gain this benefit.
Solid Death * Baaz Racial Power
As the attack ends your life, your scales harden to a stone like material.
Daily
Free Action * Personal
Trigger: You die
Effect: You turn into a statue. If the creature that struck the deathblow was using a weapon, it must make a Hard DC Dexterity check or have its weapon fused inside your body. You crumble to dust after 2d10 minutes.
Draconian Feats
The feats in this section enhance the capabilities of draconian characters.
Baaz Footsoldier
Seizing the opportunity to finish your foe, your blows stagger them, allowing you to strike harder next time.
Prerequisite: Baaz draconian, Warrior Blood racial feature
Benefit: If you hit and damage a target with a martial weapon attack power, you gain combat advantage on your next attack against the target.
Gallop Into Battle
The lust to engage your foes means you run into combat.
Prerequisite: Baaz draconian
Benefit: You gain a +2 feat bonus to speed while charging, and gain a +2 bonus to your speed when running. In addition, you do not suffer the -5 penalty or grant combat advantage for running.