Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Amaron Blackthorn 05-27-04, 03:06 PM	What are your thoughts on the chromatic dragon levels presented in the 30th anniversary of Dragon Magazine?
Deekin 05-28-04, 01:05 AM	First, they are the metalic dragons, not the chromantic. Second, they seem to be well balenced
SoldierOfFortune187 05-28-04, 01:48 AM	It answers alot of my questions dealing with PC's who want to play dragons, namely whether power would increase naturally over time (100's of years to be exact), or if exp would be necessary. They are well presented and fairly balanced for the character that wants to take them. Course, someone will whine, "But I wanted to be a red dragon!" now, but its a wonderful, and in flavor issue for the mag. Happy 30th.
Tenzhi 05-28-04, 02:10 AM	Meh. I'd prefer something more along the lines of the info in Council of Wyrms. I found the info in the Dragon mag to be a lacklustre way to deal with Dragon PCs.
SoldierOfFortune187 05-28-04, 03:03 AM	How so? Is it only worth running dragons if you can advance to Great Wyrm-level powers in twenty levels? Please elaborate.
Tenzhi 05-28-04, 03:25 AM	Originally posted by SoldierOfFortune187 How so? Is it only worth running dragons if you can advance to Great Wyrm-level powers in twenty levels? 12 (or 36 at 3 HD per age category) would be more appropriate.
Quintessence 05-28-04, 11:01 AM	I've been playing a low-level Gold Dragon PC for a few months now using a savage species build that I created myself (which my DM approved). I was looking forward to the release of issue 320 to compare it's build with my own. Since it's come out my DM has asked me to switch my character over to the magazine's class build so that my character would be 'official'. I don't mind it. I may have done the same in his place. The only thing that bothers me about the magazine's build is the level at which some of the abilities are gained. Most of them are fine at the level they are, but gaining the ability to change shape at 4th level is problematic. It's simply too early for such a powerful ability. What I mean is, the dragon's multiple attacks and the ability to fly are gained later than fourth (at 6th level). Those abilities are supposedly gained later so as to help balance the class at lower levels. But with the ability to change into any animal of medium or smaller size, you'll be able to do those same things at fourth anyways. At fourth or fifth level a dragon has claws and wings (which he can't use yet) but he can change into an animal and use it's claws and wings. It simply creates an odd situation where a fourth level dragon is better off changing into a black bear to gain multiple attacks than it is to fight in its natural form. The dragon also has a 20 ft. wingspan, but he can't fly unless he changes into a bird so that he can get off the ground. It just seems to me that a creature should be more adept at using its natural form than it is at using an assumed form. It's just weird. Dragon's are supposed to be the ultimate predator. Imagine meeting some brigands in-play: "Hey look! That party's got a dragon with them!" "Yeah, but it's pretty small. We should be okay unless- Oh s***! It's turned into a black bear! Run!!!":eek:
Murr-Quan Lord #2 06-01-04, 11:33 PM	How is the magazine info better than that presented in the Draconomicon, regarding dragon PCs? Do they have any added info that makes things more detailed / convenient? I understand class builds are necessary for those who want to play a dragon at level one, but I kind of liked the "official" info in the Draconomicon about newly hatched wyrmlings having all their abilities, more or less ...
Ph0eNiX 06-03-04, 10:10 AM	It just takes the info from the draconomicon and builds it into a class progression, should a player be so inclined to use it. For example, even though the gold dragon class is 20 levels (and ends at the young age category), you could feasibly stop progressing in the gold dragon class with level 12 (the level at which you obtain the "wyrmling" status). Thye maintain the LA and HD breaks as printed in both the MM and the Draconomicon.
Judicator Shekar 06-03-04, 10:23 AM	Quintessence, you forget that the alternate form ability presented in the gold dragon progression in Dragon 320 has a limited number of uses per day. As a result, the 4th level gold dragon that you described would only be able to shift into a hawk or bear once per day. Also keep in mind that on the chart the maximum number of shifts is 3 at 10th level. As a result, I don't find the progression to be over-powered.
Quintessence 06-03-04, 12:29 PM	Judicator, I didn't forget how often a fourth level dragon can use its alternate form ability. It doesn't change the fact that a 4th level dragon is better in combat in the shape of a black bear than in its own form, which to me seems rather silly. Perhaps you've forgotten that the alternate form persist until the dragon changes form again. So a dragon could remain in black bear form indefinetly, while say, crawling through a dungeon and remain aloft in bird form while journeying overland to scout for his party. The lack of a time limit makes the uses per day limit somewhat pointless IMHO.