Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Azar_of_Faerun 01-03-07, 03:39 AM	To springboard off of cog_n_taz's thread, I created this one specifically to list all the new dragons presented in Draconomicon, list where and how one would run them in game, and tips to make the most of them in combat :) OOC = Out of Combat IC = In Combat --- Rust Dragons OOC: These guys hail from the plane of Acheron - one of constant warfare, and comprised mostly of giant suspended metal cubes. You are most likely to encounter them chewing on the environment for sustenance, or, due to their lawful neutral/evil nature, in the occasional employ of a warring band (if the payment is significant enough, usually of a precious metal) For those who aren't plane-hopping, expect to see one of these dragons deep below ground, near precious veins of metal, and harassing miners constantly(perhaps even enslaving them to mine the food themselves) IC: Due to their metal resistance, rusting bite and rusting scales (of which the oldest variety have) in addition to the already superb natural armor they possess, Rust Dragons feel superior against most metal encased adventurers, and rightfully so. With these defenses, they often target non-metallic targets first that pose the most threat, such as Druids, Sorcerers and Wizards. Fighters, Clerics and Paladins are often targeted next. A particularly crafty Rust will barr certain entrances to their lair with wall of iron and fill congested areas with acid fog to deter attackers. With their burrow speed, they're able to circumvent normal barriers in their domain, while sizing up the PCs from afar. Repel metal and stone round out their abilities, keeping away potentially dangerous metal-clad enemies. Finally, Rust Dragons try their best to neutralize opponents they know to be chaotic, due to their susceptibility to chaos-aligned weapons. Suggestion: Endure Blows helps augment their already formidable defenses. Clinging Breath is particularly evil with Rust Dragons and their acid breath. Heighten Breath with their rust breath. And Improved Speed is handy for a Rust who wants to stay quick in their lair. --- Next: Magma Drake
Azar_of_Faerun 01-03-07, 04:12 AM	Magma Drake OOC: Dragons of incredibly volatile and fiery temperaments, magma drakes oft inhabit the same places as reds: active volcanoes, magma drifts, craters and the like. When the two meet however, the Magma wisely searches for another home. On occasion, they are met on the Elemental Plane of Fire, and rarely on lava pockets on the Elemental Plane of Earth. Magma's don't have the sharpest of minds, so they prefer direct raids and bullying to crafty schemes - at the suffering of any nearby settlements. IC: Capable of reaching Colossal size, they're more than a challenge for parties up to 20th level and make for fearsome bruisers without the additional challenge of a mastermind. Magmas also are unusually dexterous for dragons, and have ample ranks in Hide, meaning they are capable of ambush at a moment's notice. Most commonly one will grapple an enemy and either let it burn, or bullrush it into lava for a painful death. Otherwise, they'll snatch up any adventurers with Fly-By-Attack to take them to their habitat. Suggestion: Once it reaches 25 strength, snag Awesome Blow somehow, along with Improved Speed to make it a mobile crushing machine. Iron Will and Improved Natural Armor are good second choices as well. --- Next: Mountain Landwyrm
cog_n_taz 01-03-07, 04:52 AM	good work, it's now linked.
Azar_of_Faerun 01-03-07, 05:02 AM	Mountain Landwyrm OOC: Asides from Silver Dragons, Mountain Landwyrms are often the most powerful creatures around the Temperate Mountains they inhabit. Moderately intelligent and extremely wise with a dictatorial bent, you can expect them to be the undeclared (but undisputed) ruler of a sizeable area. Though if Silver Dragons do inhabit the same area, they do as much as they can do drive the creatures out. Despite their tendency to nap for extended periods of time, rumor of such a creature is enough to keep away most explorers. During their time awake, they make for juggernaut adversaries not easily taken down - factor in their high ranks of Knowledge: Local/Nature and PCs blowing through are often at a disadvantage terrainwise. IC: It's not uncommon for a Mountain Landwyrm to let adventurers pass with the right tribute - they aren't as full of draconic hubris as their chromatic cousins. That said, an angered Mountain Landwyrm is a fearsome sight. Though not quite as well armored as other dragons, their surplus of hitpoints lends them a suitable measure of endurance. It's best to place the encounter around perilous terrain the wyrm's used to traveling and hiding at (with a healthy rank in Hide), such as high peaks, cliffsides, slopes and the like. Oftentimes the wyrm will either bullrush off obstinate enemies, or attempt to grapple and crush those it deems as dinner. Don't be afraid to use it's Thunderous Roar ability to seriously hinder spellcasters in the group. Then use Snatch to quickly kill the offending mage or priest. Meanwhile it's Frightful Presence should have kept at bay most melee types, which you can then attack at your leisure. Suggestions:Endure Blows can help to offset the somewhat lower AC. Devastating Critical is an extremely valuable weapon if you can attain it. Dire Charge makes catching up to enemies well worth it. Fast Healing also helps to negate what damage you take. Epic Will and Epic Reflexes are also solid secondary feats to augment it's weaker saves. --- Next: Shadow Dragon
Azar_of_Faerun 01-03-07, 07:36 AM	Shadow Dragon OOC: Shadow Dragons are among the most devious of dragonkind. Extremely intelligent and wise, they are always the masters of the region they inhabit. Composed partially of shadows and gloom, they are never found in daylight and call caves, caverns, tunnels and other underground locales their home. It is not uncommon to find them on the Plane of Shadow, which they have ties with. Favoring illusion magic, they often use their talents to further darken an area until it is pitch black for both aesthetic and tactical reasons. They hold a particular hatred for those who carry light, druids, or clerics of gods who have sun in their portfolio. Subterranean cultures do well to avoid a shadow dragon and many pay tribute in hopes to placate them. IC: Roguelike in their movements, Shadows prefer to observe from obscurity to better know potential enemies. Most who can prepare screen to blanket the area from scrying attempts. Scouts are common - from shadow mastiffs, to mundane humanoids like goblins, or even creatures with the Shadow Creature template(Tome of Magic) Areas are usually peppered with darkness and deeper darkness spells to ensure the opponent's vision is hindered(and doing so permanencied on small items is a good backup measure]. Hallucinatory terrain and mirage arcana are good spells to disguise important areas or escape routes. Older dragons make good use of dispel magic / dispelling breath and it's greater version to remove light, daylight or suppress items that grant darkvision which further cuts off an enemy's ability to navigate. Phantasmal killer is a good spell to prepare if you can single out a low wisdom melee character. Positioning the dragon into said dark areas grants it total concealment, making it nearly impossible to hit in combat. For situations that are truly dire, the dragon may call upon it's Create Shadows ability to trump all light, grant it a bonus to hide and makes adventurers, particularly those dependent on dexterity for defense (rogues/monks) easier to hit. It then uses it's breath weapon to sap levels from those with poor reflexes, such as clerics/wizards/sorcerors and fighters. When a fight goes severely awry, use shadow walk to escape...until vengeance. Suggestions: Embed Spell Focus is a good choice for Shadow Dragons that heavily cast spells. Heighten Breath makes an already devastating level drain all the more deadlier. Improved Spell Capacity lets a Shadow cover a larger area much more easily. Recover Breath helps you make short work of a party much quicker. Finally, Spellcasting Harrier is a nice choice if you face mages often.
Grizzled Gryphon 01-06-07, 10:18 PM	Very nice. You have a good grasp of how these creatures would act IMHO. Keep up the awesome work. By the way, are you planning on adding in the 3 wyrm form Monster manual 2? Can't remember what they are called, but I think one of them is the Corpse Tearer, or something like that. Anyway, I don't think anyone is doing the MM2, so all the dragons in there would be cool additions. Heck, you could use the updates in the SRD, and post the RIGHT stats for them. LOL. As a further note, I am surprised that someone hasn't done something like this for ALL dragons. Just a "How to be as Draconic as Possible" book, or something. Having every dragon in one place would be nice, I think.
cog_n_taz 01-07-07, 12:43 AM	Would you mind doing the dragons from MM1, too? I don't think I can handle so many different kinds, plus behaviour, feat selection, age categories etc.
Azar_of_Faerun 01-07-07, 04:37 AM	Very nice. You have a good grasp of how these creatures would act IMHO. Keep up the awesome work. By the way, are you planning on adding in the 3 wyrm form Monster manual 2? Can't remember what they are called, but I think one of them is the Corpse Tearer, or something like that. Anyway, I don't think anyone is doing the MM2, so all the dragons in there would be cool additions. Heck, you could use the updates in the SRD, and post the RIGHT stats for them. LOL. As a further note, I am surprised that someone hasn't done something like this for ALL dragons. Just a "How to be as Draconic as Possible" book, or something. Having every dragon in one place would be nice, I think. I can definitely work on the MM2 wyrms, though i'm unsure about posting their stats (keeping in mind though, I will base off my entry with the errata in mind) :cool: Would you mind doing the dragons from MM1, too? I don't think I can handle so many different kinds, plus behaviour, feat selection, age categories etc. I'll get around to the MM dragons, but I admit they aren't top on my list of priorities. I'll do said MM2 dragons, then a metallic or chromatic MM dragon, and if it's done successfully, I will continue the line of them :)
cog_n_taz 01-07-07, 04:50 AM	thank you! I owe you one:)
Azar_of_Faerun 01-07-07, 07:49 AM	Corpse Tearer (MM2) OOC: The fiercest of the dragon variety known as linnorms is a creature skilled above all else at two things: knowledge of the arcane, and maneuvering unlucky beings to serve as undead fodder. Adaptable in the extreme, nevertheless one is most likely to encounter them around swamps, and assorted forests. As a result, they most often clash with Black and Green Dragons. Encounters with Blacks almost never go well, but equally stubborn, the presence of both in a shared area can mean warfare and unbridled destruction for any unlucky inhabitants. Greens are far more subtle in their dealings, wise enough to avoid attempts of total enslavement, but cunning enough to strike arrangements that work out far better for themselves Whatever the situation is, Corpse Tearers work increasingly to hoard treasure via their soulless servants. Favoring spells of the necromancy school, the surrounding area is often barren of life, in no small part due to their castings of desecrate and unhallow, and well trafficked by plodding feet (or claws!) in an attempt to harvest tombs/crypts of their treasure. Above all, they hold no respect for the dead. For the brave (or stupid) enough to seek them out for their knowledge, their fate is often determined whether or not said Tearer is in need of more muscle. Gifts that do appease them, however, are of the spell material variety - such as black onyx gems, black sapphires, scrolls of command undead, and the occasional bag of gold coins. While not at it's hoard, or supervising collectors, a Corpse Tearer often uses it's polymorph ability to take in it's environment under the guise of a generally harmless animal, such as a heron or eagle. More threatening examples resort to etherealness to be spied upon. IC: Choosing to fight in the territory of a Corpse Tearer, an area most often teeming with negative energy, they are always backed by a veritable army of undead. Unhallow, glyphs of warding and a few deeper darkness spells mark the most commonly used defensive measures. Difficult terrain also plays a vital part, as their choice of environments is not always suited to do battle in. Squares of brackish water, dense undergrowth and large rocks can all make navigating around the battlefield extra challenging. One especially clever tactic involves the Tearer making good use of it's paralysis breath to stun arcane casters, then have them swarmed by the undead to focus on other characters. That said, Tearers make Clerics, Paladins and to a lesser extent, Druids the initial focus of their onslaught due to their ability to disrupt or even destroy significant portions of their minions.The level draining bite of a Tearer is most effective against those who depend on the caster levels for success. Divine interdiction and iron bones from Spell Compendium make the undead opposition more resilient and difficult to destroy. Harm is reserved, though not so much for damaging enemies, but for healing the strongest of their minions. The occasional soul bind prepared can make for a nasty surprise, and a horrific kind of currency the Tearer can store for a later date. Create Greater Undead should also be saved to create incorporeal undead to hassle those not often equipped to deal with them - Fighters,Rangers, Rogues, and Barbarians.Unholy Aura is a last ditch spell saved for the toughest of the tough adversaries. General of Undeath from Spell Compendium also helps a great deal, boosting the total amount of minions the Tearer can control. Finally, it saves it's Quicken Spell-Like Ability for either vampiric touch or dimension door to maneuver to a desired foe when time is of the essence. Suggestions: Libris Mortis is a handy resource for Corpse Tearers who want to enhance their undead. Corpsecrafter and it's feat tree are prime choices for commanders at heart. Otherwise, Heighten Breath is an obvious choice to increase the lethality of their paralysis or disease breath. Lastly, adding levels of Cleric is a great way to increase it's spellcasting potential, which means more creatures to boss around. --- Next: Bronze Dragon
cog_n_taz 01-07-07, 08:07 AM	woooo! Bronze next! Thanks a bunch, that is saving me such a headache.
obrysii 01-07-07, 09:10 AM	Aw, you didn't do the Pyroclastic Dragon, and the fabulous abuse that Heighten Breath, Shape Breath, and Clinging Breath can do with it's Disinigration breath weapon.
Derren S. 01-07-07, 09:19 AM	What about Lingering Breath?
Azar_of_Faerun 01-07-07, 10:54 AM	Aw, you didn't do the Pyroclastic Dragon, and the fabulous abuse that Heighten Breath, Shape Breath, and Clinging Breath can do with it's Disinigration breath weapon. No worries obrysii, I will work on the Pyroclastic Dragon right after the Bronze Dragon. But now, I need sleep :P See you all in 10-12 hours
Grizzled Gryphon 01-07-07, 08:09 PM	Oh, I am not suggesting you post the stats of the creatures, but you could post the changes from 3.0 to 3.5. Those changes are free to download, so no copyright problems, there. It was just a suggestion, though. Very cool of you to do this for the Linnorm, though. Thanks for that!!
Azar_of_Faerun 01-08-07, 07:38 PM	Bronze Dragon OOC: With the exception of Silver Dragons, Bronze Dragons are the friendliest and most empathetic towards humans. The residence of a Bronze is a blessing for coastal communities - they deter piracy, rescue those caught in the throes of the sea and assist the just in their quests for righteousness. They're fond of humans, so much so that you're not likely to encounter one in it's natural state. But that beggar on the wharf, the sunbather in need of assistance, or remote island native might just be a Bronze testing you on your good conduct. Acceptance earns the dragon's trust and a long-term ally versed on everything from what local flora and fauna are dangerous, to warring aquatic races (they're fierce enemies of sahuagin in particular) to be wary of, and the best means of navigating the surrounding straits, inlets, coral reefs and other distinguishing landmarks. Bronze's habitats are often entered from below the sea, into well maintained salt caves. Especially hospitable Bronzes may cast airy water around the entrances of their lair for non-aquatic species visiting, or memorize air breathing towards visitors that cannot process oxygen from the air (both spells are in Stormwrack). Gifts of pearls, polished coral, aquamarines, emeralds and other gems with a shade of blue or green are much appreciated by the dragon, and consequently make good pay when their assistance is needed in wartime. The oldest of Bronze Dragons, in addition, use their control water and control weather abilities to make safe harbor for local communities. Many a cloudless days thought to have been a sign of good luck, were caused by a great wyrm watching from afar On patrol, Bronzes will turn into seals, sea lions and various low-risk creatures to observe fishing boats and galleons from afar. They remember pirate ships especially well and are quick to deal with these inhospitable interlopers. With either repulsion gas or disabling crucial elements of the ship's rigging, such as the mast, sails and yardarm to cripple their activities. Apprehension of said criminals though is often left up to the local authorities - the Bronze is satisfied knowing further harm is averted. IC: Muscled, dedicated to fighting evil and almost as quick in the water as any porpoise, Bronze Dragons have a multitude of tactics for vanquishing those who would ruin the integrity of the surrounding waters. To augment their capabilities underwater, most Bronze's memorize quickswim and freedom of movement When alongside armies on the ocean, Bronzes also keep water breathing, swim, mass and the occasional submerge ship on hand (the latter to give a head ship equal footing with aquatic races). The summon monster line of spells gives a Bronze an added ally in the water. A baleen or cachalot whale can make for a fearsome ally, especially when enhanced by magic fang In addition to their electricity breath weapon, lightning bolt and chain lightning are two offensive spells best utilized underwater, especially since they are immune to any potential backlash. Against enemies where surrender does not seem to be an option(undead and constructs), Bronzes will grapple and submerge them to the crushing depths of the ocean floor. Dispelling Breath is another great choice against non-aquatic invaders who rely on spell or item to function below the waves. Finally, consider horrid wilting, a spell especially effective against elementals Suggestions: Extend Spell is an obvious choice here, as many of the Bronze Dragon's spells are effective over time. Enlarge Breath is handy for stretching out the breath weapon. Also, Recover Breath helps the Bronze switch between repulsion gas and electricity breath, to efficiently handle lethal threats and those who can be driven off without harm. Wingstorm is also handy in naval encounters for clusters of ships. --- Next: Pyroclastic Dragon
cog_n_taz 03-06-07, 08:56 AM	Is it just me, or do I smell slacking?:D
El_Machinae 03-06-07, 09:30 AM	One of the advantages of the Shadow Dragon is its smaller size per age category. This means that it gets more power per pound, which is kinda handy oftentimes.
cog_n_taz 03-17-07, 03:22 AM	...should I just do the MM dragons myself?
Azar_of_Faerun 03-17-07, 03:31 AM	If I can assist, I will. At the moment I have a lot on my plate including a thread project on another board and GMing a game. Sorry to miss the Pyroclastic and let the thread die :(
Korone 08-30-07, 05:48 PM	Bump.
HarlequinHelsing 08-30-07, 06:09 PM	Holy thread necromancy, Batman!
Ragitsu 08-31-07, 08:11 AM	I don't plan on creating anymore, not enough poster feedback and appreciation. :)