Dragons as Animals [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dragons as Animals [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ye' Cind
08-21-07, 12:59 PM SUP, everyone ? :)

I was watching the movie "Reign of Fire" (starring Mathew Mac'Conaghey -sp?- and Christian Bale), which is basically about fire-breathing dragons infesting a post-apocalyptic London.

What was particularly interesting about the film is that it descrobes dragons not as mythical/magical beasts, but as natural creatures! Their ability to breath fire comes from a gland containing two chemicals in their lungs. When they inhale, they cause the two substances to mix together and ignite. They would then spill forth the flame by exhaling.

I thought it would be cool if this idea was somehow incorporated into a DnD world. We can assume, for example, that white dragons inhabit arctic places, and have a gland in their throat containing nitroglycerine :devil: (remember the scene in Terminator 2 when "Ahnuld" blows up a tanker and freezes the Hell out of the T-1000?) . Basically, it's the same principle with the white dragon.

For those of you who have knowledge in chemical / biological substances, I would apreciate any ideas on how to explain the breath weapons of each of the 5 chromatic dragon types.

Also, if dragons are made as naturally occuring animals, it would mean that they would have to be neutral (since all animal-type monsters in the MM are neutral. Even 99% of magical beasts are always neutral according to 3.5e MM).

Is it possible to make dragons exceptionally intelligent (let's say give them an intelligence of 6 or 7 as opposed to the 1 or 2 that other animals have), and assume that eventhough they are intelligent, they are still neutral (incapable of distiguishing good from evil)?

Peace and thanx to all..
ZeronHitaro
08-21-07, 01:24 PM No idea. I can say a few things on your plan though.

-Removing that magical flavor element from dragons also means they lose all SP abilities, making one dragon no that much different from another aside from their breath type and choice of living location.

-Also by dragging their Int scores way down they become less adapt at using the cunning tactics and strategies Dragons are well known for.

In short, you have to remember that the creature you're commanding is not longer a dragon, rather just a typical over-sized giant fire/ice/whatever breathing lizard. This will also result in the CR dropped by one or more counts depending on the dragon's age.

While the idea sounds nice incorporating it into a D&D world is basically watering down a dragon's power quite a bit.
Korone
08-21-07, 01:59 PM The 'dragons' (or whatever you call them) in reign in fire were giant scaly fire breathing chicken and are a shame to what a dragon is.

They could make interesting creatures though. Simply take a wyvern, remove their poisoned sting and gives them a breath weapon.
Hellsbells
08-21-07, 01:59 PM i dont think that idea will work sorry.

but if u like the natural dragon idea watch the dragons alive or whatever it was called documentary by discovery.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi
08-21-07, 03:35 PM Well, the acid breath is easy. Just an acid-producing gland. Lightning is trickier, but it's probably somewhat akin to an electric eel. Maybe it's host to a colony of microbes that have that function. But the cold breath weapon is harder than you think. Because it wasn't nitrogylcerin. It was liquid nitrogen. Nitroglycerin is the stuff that explodes violently. Liquid nitrogen is cold because mankind artificially cooled it and compressed. But while I'm on the chemistry lesson, I do see another way around it. When gases under pressure (or a liquid that can only be a liquid when cold and under pressure - like liquid nitrogen) are allowed to quickly escape to an area of much lower pressure, the gas very quickly expands. It takes energy to do this, and this energy is provided by the gas's own heat. Translation: let gas out quickly (like carbon dioxide in a fire extinguisher), and it gets cold. That'd be how a white dragon's breath weapon would work. On a side note, if you ruptured this gland (such as killing the white dragon), the gas would escape and basically grant it a death throws breath weapon. Additionally, it would be difficult/near impossible to stop the flow part-way. Even if you could, potency would be lost. Translation: recharge times for breath weapons are considerably slower.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ye' Cind 08-21-07, 12:59 PM	SUP, everyone ? :) I was watching the movie "Reign of Fire" (starring Mathew Mac'Conaghey -sp?- and Christian Bale), which is basically about fire-breathing dragons infesting a post-apocalyptic London. What was particularly interesting about the film is that it descrobes dragons not as mythical/magical beasts, but as natural creatures! Their ability to breath fire comes from a gland containing two chemicals in their lungs. When they inhale, they cause the two substances to mix together and ignite. They would then spill forth the flame by exhaling. I thought it would be cool if this idea was somehow incorporated into a DnD world. We can assume, for example, that white dragons inhabit arctic places, and have a gland in their throat containing nitroglycerine :devil: (remember the scene in Terminator 2 when "Ahnuld" blows up a tanker and freezes the Hell out of the T-1000?) . Basically, it's the same principle with the white dragon. For those of you who have knowledge in chemical / biological substances, I would apreciate any ideas on how to explain the breath weapons of each of the 5 chromatic dragon types. Also, if dragons are made as naturally occuring animals, it would mean that they would have to be neutral (since all animal-type monsters in the MM are neutral. Even 99% of magical beasts are always neutral according to 3.5e MM). Is it possible to make dragons exceptionally intelligent (let's say give them an intelligence of 6 or 7 as opposed to the 1 or 2 that other animals have), and assume that eventhough they are intelligent, they are still neutral (incapable of distiguishing good from evil)? Peace and thanx to all..
ZeronHitaro 08-21-07, 01:24 PM	No idea. I can say a few things on your plan though. -Removing that magical flavor element from dragons also means they lose all SP abilities, making one dragon no that much different from another aside from their breath type and choice of living location. -Also by dragging their Int scores way down they become less adapt at using the cunning tactics and strategies Dragons are well known for. In short, you have to remember that the creature you're commanding is not longer a dragon, rather just a typical over-sized giant fire/ice/whatever breathing lizard. This will also result in the CR dropped by one or more counts depending on the dragon's age. While the idea sounds nice incorporating it into a D&D world is basically watering down a dragon's power quite a bit.
Korone 08-21-07, 01:59 PM	The 'dragons' (or whatever you call them) in reign in fire were giant scaly fire breathing chicken and are a shame to what a dragon is. They could make interesting creatures though. Simply take a wyvern, remove their poisoned sting and gives them a breath weapon.
Hellsbells 08-21-07, 01:59 PM	i dont think that idea will work sorry. but if u like the natural dragon idea watch the dragons alive or whatever it was called documentary by discovery.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 08-21-07, 03:35 PM	Well, the acid breath is easy. Just an acid-producing gland. Lightning is trickier, but it's probably somewhat akin to an electric eel. Maybe it's host to a colony of microbes that have that function. But the cold breath weapon is harder than you think. Because it wasn't nitrogylcerin. It was liquid nitrogen. Nitroglycerin is the stuff that explodes violently. Liquid nitrogen is cold because mankind artificially cooled it and compressed. But while I'm on the chemistry lesson, I do see another way around it. When gases under pressure (or a liquid that can only be a liquid when cold and under pressure - like liquid nitrogen) are allowed to quickly escape to an area of much lower pressure, the gas very quickly expands. It takes energy to do this, and this energy is provided by the gas's own heat. Translation: let gas out quickly (like carbon dioxide in a fire extinguisher), and it gets cold. That'd be how a white dragon's breath weapon would work. On a side note, if you ruptured this gland (such as killing the white dragon), the gas would escape and basically grant it a death throws breath weapon. Additionally, it would be difficult/near impossible to stop the flow part-way. Even if you could, potency would be lost. Translation: recharge times for breath weapons are considerably slower.