Dragonshape

Dragonshape was an arcane alteration/transmutation spell that allowed a mage to take the form and assume the powers of a type of dragon. While many spells existed that allowed a mage to take on the appearance of a dragon, this one gave them all of its powers as well. After the , it was sometimes counted as a form of shapechange or as a spell that allowed a mage to take the form of specifically a red dragon.
==Effects==
Simply put, the caster was able to transform themselves or a being they touched into a dragon. This could be any type of dragon—chromatic, metallic, or otherwise—that they had previously seen in their life, of any age up to adult. However, if the mage casting dragonshape did not have the same ethos or morality as the type of dragon they attempted to imitate, the spell immediately failed. Moreover, the recipient had to be of great power and experience, perhaps enough to slay such a dragon themselves. Finally, this spell did not allow them to take the form of a specific individual dragon, nor of a dragon deity's avatar. After the Year of Wild Magic, the caster was restricted to a mature adult red dragon and could only transform their own person. The caster would feel burning deep inside their body, before scales covered their body, wings emerged from their shoulders, and they grew to huge size.
When dragonshape was successfully cast, the recipient gained all the characteristics, magical powers, and abilities of the dragon they chose, including immunities, resistance to magic, aura of fear, senses, flight and other forms of movement, and of course breath weapon. They retained their intelligence but lost access to all their own racial and spellcasting abilities, except those spells they had memorized and could cast at will. Their items, weapons, and clothes became part of their new form during the spell's duration, becoming inaccessible but otherwise still functional. Worn magical items adapted and remained worn. Items discarded prior to transformation could be used provided they could be used or worn by the new dragon body. Despite full access to a dragon's repertoire, the recipient gained no knowledge of draconic combat styles, though they could learn dragon magic. A user of dragonshape unused to the powers might need to spend up to half an hour in practice before they could use them effectively, but they would never match the prowess of a true dragon as the spell didn't last long enough to give them the time needed to train. They could speak as normal and also communicate as their chosen dragon type. After the Year of Wild Magic, the caster lacked the red dragon's spellcasting and aura of fear.
The duration was originally up to a couple of hours, depending on the power of the caster, but the spell's effects could be ended at will upon a moment's notice, so they could not turn back. They returned to their original form with proportionally the same health and injuries as they'd had as a dragon; for example, an injury that didn't trouble the dragon body wouldn't trouble a humanoid body either. Earlier versions would even heal all injuries upon resuming normal form. However, the shock to their body's system could leave them incapacitated for around 24 hours. Similarly, if the caster attempted to cast the spell again within ten days from the first casting, the shock of the spell's power could kill them, even if they hadn't undergone dragonshape themselves. For the recipient, each transformation, whether from humanoid to dragon or dragon to humanoid, carried the potential risk of death. After the Year of Wild Magic, the duration was only a little over a minute and a half, or longer according to the caster's power.
If the recipient was slain while in the dragon form, their body did not revert to its original state upon death. Any body parts taken from the corpse ruined any magical rites that required genuine dragon parts.
Spawn of Tiamat, a divine spell known to the church of Tiamat, functioned even on people using dragonshape, provided they had the form of a chromatic dragon. It caused them to grow a second head, complete with neck.
==Components==
In addition to verbal and somatic components, earlier versions of this spell required as a material component an incisor taken from a great wyrm of the type of dragon that was mimicked. Typically, this cost anywhere before 2,000 and 20,000 gp, according to the type of dragon.
==History==
Dragonshape was developed in ancient Netheril, but with the fall of that nation in the , it fell out of common use, becoming rare.
A few moon elves of the High Forest south of the Star Mounts (the area they knew as Sharrven) had gained mastery of magic allowing them to take on dragonshape around the 3 century DR. This was why the magelords of Athalantar hunted dragons obsessively within their realm. One magelord, Hulzimmer Atharn, tried to make friends of the elves instead to learn their magic but was knocked back.It is unclear if this is the dragonshape spell or some other form of dragon shapeshifting, but it is included here for reference.
In the , Ergrith "Kingslayer" Klavulgrun was pursued up the Sword Coast by rival mages seeking to claim his mantle as Magister. At one point, they mistook a black dragon flying along the shore as the Kingslayer in dragonshape and attacked it. The dragon slew many and Ergrith took advantage of the chaos.
Some time in the mid-1350s DR, a black dragon descended on Bargewright Inn with the intent of assaulting the settlement. According to local legend, local festhall owner Tabra jumped off her bedroom balcony, transformed midair into a dragon herself (those who tell the story disagree on the type), and chased it off. True or not, Tabra hated the tale and angrily evicted anyone who dared repeat the story in her earshot.
When Elminster Aumar and Emlarlra Baenrae clashed in Waterdeep's Fishgut Alley in the 1400s DR, Emlarlra took dragonshape, becoming a black-scaled dragon, and grappled Elminster. He followed suit, and flew the pair of them out over the harbor.
==Usage==
As of the mid–14 century DR, only in the southern realm of Halruaa did the spell remain commonly known, while a few archmages of the North also commanded it. It was also known to weather mages.
More generally, folklore ascribed all great archmages with the power to take the form of a dragon to destroy or escape enemies, likely in memory of this spell.
==Notable Users==
* Tabra of Bargewright Inn, archmage and the last apprentice of the Netherese arcanist Ioulaum. She only used it rarely when either she or Bargewright Inn were seriously threatened by powerful forces. It led to a rumor that she was a gold dragon in human guise.
* Arsten Thunderstaff II of Waterdeep: owned a thunderstaff granting dragonshape with the power to turn into a blue dragon.
* Ulthaea Moonhawk, a witch of Rashemen; Elminster wondered if she'd learned dragonshape.
==Appendix==
===Notes===
===See Also===
* Least dragonshape
* Lesser dragonshape
===Appearances===
===References===
Category:Alteration spells
Category:Transmutation spells