Dragon Monster Classes, lvl adjustments and HD [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dragon Monster Classes, lvl adjustments and HD [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shaki
06-24-04, 12:29 AM I was looking at the monster classes for dragons in issue 320 of Dragon and noticed a something about their progression, its nothing big really but... their HD/level adjustment is off, for all except i believe the bronze dragon a HD has been lost and their level adjustment in the progression went up by one. For example, the silver dragon at 20th lvl has 14 HD, leaving it with a level adjustment of 6 (6 lvls were it does not gain a HD), but in the Draconomicon on page 143, it shows that the silver dragon has 15 HD and a +5 lvl adjustment. The totals are the same but there's that lost HD.
Now the other thing i've noticed, something that may have something to do with the above problem, is that some dragons lvl adjustments change as they grow older, as shown in the 3.5 stat blocks, but the level adjustment stops at the 'very young' age category, then it says for all others there isn't one (it just shows a dash). I'm sure i'm missing something here, does that mean the dragon simply doesn't have a level adjustment any more? or it no longer increases past the point it reaches at very young? i'm wondering because it would be useful for epic progressions...
CrimsonPhoenix
06-24-04, 12:46 AM First of all, silver at Young has 14 HD and +6 LA in MM, not sure about Drac. If what you said is right about Drac than it must be a misprint.

The MM doesn't show LAs for anything with total ECL over level 20. For some dragons it will show LA through juvenile (the weaker ones), while gold/silver/red/bronze (I think...) it only shows through Young.
SoldierOfFortune187
06-25-04, 10:02 AM For the same reason monster classes with a combined ECL over 20 are listed as having a LA of "-."

That is, that unless a campaign is playing in an epic game, these are simply not viable character types. As for those that do play such games, remember Epic is the exception to the rule, not the rule itself, so there is no reason to break down monsters that would take more than 20 levels to complete (like Beholders, all older dragons, Solars, etc).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shaki 06-24-04, 12:29 AM	I was looking at the monster classes for dragons in issue 320 of Dragon and noticed a something about their progression, its nothing big really but... their HD/level adjustment is off, for all except i believe the bronze dragon a HD has been lost and their level adjustment in the progression went up by one. For example, the silver dragon at 20th lvl has 14 HD, leaving it with a level adjustment of 6 (6 lvls were it does not gain a HD), but in the Draconomicon on page 143, it shows that the silver dragon has 15 HD and a +5 lvl adjustment. The totals are the same but there's that lost HD. Now the other thing i've noticed, something that may have something to do with the above problem, is that some dragons lvl adjustments change as they grow older, as shown in the 3.5 stat blocks, but the level adjustment stops at the 'very young' age category, then it says for all others there isn't one (it just shows a dash). I'm sure i'm missing something here, does that mean the dragon simply doesn't have a level adjustment any more? or it no longer increases past the point it reaches at very young? i'm wondering because it would be useful for epic progressions...
CrimsonPhoenix 06-24-04, 12:46 AM	First of all, silver at Young has 14 HD and +6 LA in MM, not sure about Drac. If what you said is right about Drac than it must be a misprint. The MM doesn't show LAs for anything with total ECL over level 20. For some dragons it will show LA through juvenile (the weaker ones), while gold/silver/red/bronze (I think...) it only shows through Young.
SoldierOfFortune187 06-25-04, 10:02 AM	For the same reason monster classes with a combined ECL over 20 are listed as having a LA of "-." That is, that unless a campaign is playing in an epic game, these are simply not viable character types. As for those that do play such games, remember Epic is the exception to the rule, not the rule itself, so there is no reason to break down monsters that would take more than 20 levels to complete (like Beholders, all older dragons, Solars, etc).