Dragon hatchling and magic occs

[melaniewalker]

How do you add a magic occ to the Chiang-ku? do you get all teh skills and ablilites from the occ and give up the dragon skills? do you still follow the dragon xp chart or do you start following the occ xp chart?

Ive always had an issue with rccs and how they work.

[Soldier of Od]

Hi Melanie,
The simple answer is that you don't. The thing about an "R.C.C.". is that you already have the "C.C." part of it baked in. You don't add an O.C.C. to an R.C.C.

Apologies if I am about to go over stuff you already know: In most cases, you select a Race (e.g., Human), and then select an O.C.C. available to that race (e.g., Soldier). Some races have access to a bunch of O.C.C.s and also have specific Character Classes not available to other races, called R.C.C.s, and are usually detailed under the description of that race. For instance, a member of the Dwarvling race could choose an O.C.C. such as thief, wizard, etc., or could choose the R.C.C. of Dwarvling Buccaneer - a Character Class exclusive to that Race. Some races have little or no career options, and can only select one or few R.C.C.s. For instance, all Hytril can only learn their own, universal R.C.C. skills. Many creatures and races described in the books have a list of skills they all have, with no access to O.C.C.s - sometimes these are specifically identified as "R.C.C.s", but sometimes they are just a list of skills that all members of that race know. And, sometimes there may be a small number of skills that all members of a particular race know, but they still get to select a Character Class on top of that, e.g. all dwarves know metalworking, etc.

Dragons (in the Dragons and Gods book) all have a list of R.C.C. skills specific to each race of dragon, and details of the magic they can learn. There are no options to learn the skills or abilities of an O.C.C. on top of or instead of this.

However, many people like the idea that dragons in particular should be more flexible, and able to learn different skills, or to learn new skills, magic, or change classes as they grow in experience. If you would like to house-rule something like this, I would keep it simple, and do as you said, replace the skills, magic and other abilities of dragon with those of the O.C.C. you are using. It is difficult with dragons, because much of their ability to wield magic seems to be instinctive, so not a learned O.C.C. as such, which could lead to arguments that a dragon should be allowed to know all of the magic listed under their R.C.C. description, plus the abilities of an O.C.C., but I personally think it is simpler and better to just pick one or the other, if you want to allow the dragon access to such things.

And I would stick with the Dragon XP chart regardless of what skills or abilities you were to allow.

I hope that helps.

Note there are also such things as P.C.C.s, but honestly, covering them here would just be distracting and unhelpful to the discussion.

[Library Ogre]

If you're talking an NPC, just give the NPC the magical powers of the OCC you want them to have, and any skills you think are necessary for that.

If someone is playing a Chiang-ku, do about the same, but think about what it will cost them.

[Grazzik]

You may also want to check out this recent forum topic on dragons and OCCs. It had a lot of different views and ideas that might help you figure out what works for your game.

[GoliathReturns]

I'm going to echo a bit of both Soldier and Library.

For a PC, the RCC is the RCC. If it's not there, it's not there. You're not adding the class stuff to the dragon stuff, unless it's specifically mentioned.

If, on the other hand, it's for an NPC, I'll reference Aleistair Crowley- "Do what thou wilt". If you think that, as an older dragon, he should have "fine tuned" or "picked up a thing or two", then go ahead and add them in. If he's a younger dragon, maybe hold off on some stuff. At that point, it's entirely flavor, and as long as you're keeping in mind his behavior and (relative) power, then it's not an issue.

I will say that, as a GM, and as someone who's played PF for.... well, more years than I care to count... I strongly suggest not letting players be dragons. Balance is already a barely-clung-to thing in PF (but better than in Rifts), but dragons drastically throw everything out of whack. Either things challenge that character, and slaughter the rest of the party, or that character just pushes past them.

--
GS
"Meddle Not in the Affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup"

[drewkitty ~..~]

The problem is that sometimes PB lists Races as RCCs w/o giving them a character class skills listing.
Dragons on the other hand have are a fully developed Racial Character Class that the Dragon Hatchling has to have. So there is not problem with Dragon hatchlings not having skills the way the problem Racial Listing have.

Follow the dragon hatchling text and charts, because until they turn 100 or so, DH's are more interested in developing their own natural abilities than acquiring a character class of any sort.