Questions on Dragon Breath spell

[Al'Kelhar]

The dragon breath spell appears in the Draconomicon. Relevantly the spell description provides:

Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level (D)

You gain a breath weapon resembling that of a dragon...

Using your breath weapon is a standard action. The breath weapon deals 3d6 points of damage of the chosen energy type, plus an additional 1d6 points of damage for every two levels above 5th (to a maximum of 10d6 at 19th level). Targets in the area may attempt a Reflex save for half damage.

You can use this breath weapon a maximum of three times during the spell’s duration (plus one additional use per two levels above 5th). After using this breath weapon you can’t use it again for 1d4+1 rounds...

Is the breath weapon gained by the caster when he casts this spell a supernatural ability, conforming to all the rules for both supernatural abilities and breath weapons from the Monster Manual? This would mean, for example, that use of the breath weapon does not provoke an attack of opportunity, is not affected by silence, grappling etc. and cannot be counter-spelled. More importantly, it would not be subject to spell resistance, but the saving throw DC would be 10 + 1/2 caster's racial Hit Dice + caster's Con adjustment. And in this context, what are the racial Hit Dice of a 1 Hit Die humanoid whose only Hit Dice are class Hit Dice - is it 1, or his character level?

Or is the breath weapon treated as part of the spell? Importantly, is the save DC against the breath weapon calculated as a normal 3rd-level transmutation spell cast by the caster, and is the breath weapon subject to spell resistance.

My own gut reaction is that the breath weapon gained by the spell has the characteristics of a supernatural ability, but its save DC is calculated as a normal 3rd-level transmutation spell and is subject to spell resistance.

Views?

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[shilsen]

Strangely, there's a Dragon Breath spell in CD (Clr5 and Sor/Wiz5), which is quite different in some ways. I wonder if that's supposed to supersede the Draconomicon spell.

As for your questions, I'd treat it as a supernatural ability (not subject to SR) and use the save DC of a 3rd lvl transmutation spell.

 

[Ambrus]

I actually disallowed this spell in my campaign because I thought it would prove unbalanced. Dragon breath, unlike most damage dealing spells, targets the caster himself. This means that any caster with a familar at hand could effectively double this spell's listed damage by sharing the spell. If I was a caster with this spell, I'd probably spend my fourth level slots to cast more of these rather than a fourth level damaging spell.

 

[Rashak Mani]

At first glance it certainly does look like a very abusable spell...

Still its a standard action to use the breath wpn... a round where you could be sending more powerful spells. The damage is below the 10d6 of a regular Fireball or Lightining bolt. The number of breaths is also limited despite the spell duration being long. Depending on the type of breath your Arcane spell caster would have to position himself around the combat... not something Wizards are commonly doing. Getting out from behind the fighter "shield" is sometimes dangerous.

If you cast before combat... you might not pick the best energy type for what you're facing... and if you cast it during combat you don't breathe on the same round you cast it. Strong spellcasters can't afford to lose a round in combat.

The DC would be the same as the spell level it was cast... and I would say its not supernatural... spell like or just spell ? Remember to calculate the breath damage properly... its like 7d6 only in 14th lvl for example.

Well now to counter argue myself... The other spell with the same name sucks badly IMHO. This spell is in fact a bit overpowered for 3rd lvl... but not much so I feel. In fact I think its uses out of combat are more interesting... like using acid breath to carve out an escape or exit.