The silver-haired ice mage and the black-eyed scoundrel with a knack for corrosive spells belong to a unique breed of sorcerers. Their personalities, physical traits and the spells at which they excel reflect their draconic heritages.
These sorcerers explore the roots of sorcery and develop alternative class features based on the nature of their draconic ancestors. If the sorcerer gains draconic ray, he must choose a specific ancestral dragon kind from among the various breeds of chromatic and metallic dragons. The sorcerer must select his ancestral dragon kind when he acquires his first level in sorcerer. Once chosen, he may not change it later. A sorcerer who selects this alternative class feature permanently gives up the ability to obtain a familiar. Since this is an optional rule, you must check with your DM before selecting draconic ray in place of a familiar.
If you take draconic ray and the Draconic Heritage feat described in Complete Arcane, you must choose the same dragon kind for both.
The sorcerer can, once per day, fire a ray as a spell-like ability. Using this ray requires a successful ranged touch attack. A creature struck by such a ray takes 1d4 points of damage + 1 per sorcerer level of an energy type appropriate to the sorcerer’s chosen dragon ancestor kind (see the Draconic Heritage table). In addition, the creature struck by the ray must make a saving throw of the appropriate type (DC 10 + 1 per 2 sorcerer levels + Charisma modifier) or also be affected by the ray’s secondary effect. Each ray has a range of 25 feet + 5 feet per 2 sorcerer levels. The type of energy damage dealt and the ray’s secondary effect depends on the chosen ancestor dragon. The caster level for secondary effects equals half the character’s sorcerer levels.
| Ancestor Dragon | Energy Type | Secondary Effect | Saving Throw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Acid | Shadow Eyes | Will |
| Blue | Electricity | Dehydration | Fortitude |
| Green | Acid | Command | Will |
| Red | Fire | Burning | Reflex |
| White | Cold | Rime of Ice | Reflex |
| Brass | Fire | Sleep | Will |
| Bronze | Electricity | Fear | Will |
| Copper | Acid | Slow | Fortitude |
| Gold | Fire | Weakening | Fortitude |
| Silver | Cold | Hold Person | Will |
Burning: The target catches on fire unless it succeeds at a Reflex save. This deals 1d4 points of damage per round for 1 round per 2 sorcerer levels.
Command: The target is affected by the command spell unless it succeeds at a Will save.
Dehydration: The target is dehydrated and must succeed at a Fort save or take an additional 1d4 points of non-lethal damage per 2 sorcerer levels.
Fear: The target becomes panicked for 1d4 rounds unless it succeeds at a Will save.
Hold Person: The target is held, as hold person, for 1d4 rounds unless it succeeds at a Will save.
Rime of Ice: The target is covered in a rime of ice that lasts 1 round. If the target fails on a Reflex save it drops whatever it is holding and falls prone.
Shadow Eyes: Shadows shroud the target’s eyes for 1d6 rounds, causing everything to have concealment in relation to the target (a 20% miss chance). Creatures with blindsight or other abilities to perceive their surroundings without using their eyes can ignore this effect.
Sleep: The target falls asleep for 1d6 rounds unless it succeeds at a Will save.
Slow: The target is slowed for 1d6 rounds unless it succeeds at a Fortitude save.
Weakening: The target takes a 1d4 penalty to Strength unless it succeeds at a Fort save. This penalty lasts for 1 round per two sorcerer levels of the sorcerer.
Source: Dragon Magazine #332 (Page 93)