Dragons and the Half-Dragon Template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dragons and the Half-Dragon Template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Master_Vega
12-18-07, 12:07 AM Would a crossbred dragon (say Silver and Brass) merit the Half-Dragon template? Would that be enough to mechanically describe the product of two different dragons?

After the silver-scaled dragon blasts the advancing orcish army with a wild blizzard, killing half of those in her range, she unleashes a powerful linear inferno, shattering every frozen husk in its path and burning the remainder alive.

Any thoughts?
ericSHINRA
12-18-07, 12:41 AM To be honest, a crossbreed of this nature warrants something a bit more powerful then the Half-Dragon template.

I'm no expert in genetics by far but how will you determine which Dragon-type will be dominant and which recessive? Unfortunately one will have to get the shaft if you use this template and only have a fraction of the powers which should be reflected by crossing such powerful creatures.

If this is for DM purposes, I'd worry less about ECL or LA and simply give the crossbreed all the benefits of his parents but gain them at a slower rate.
Silverthumb
12-18-07, 02:27 AM To be honest, a crossbreed of this nature warrants something a bit more powerful then the Half-Dragon template.

I agree with this. Although you could, through planned breeding, get the immunities of one while gaining the immunity of the other, which would cancel out their opposed weaknesses, like the Silver/Brass Dragon parentage. Handy, but not what I think a cros-bred dragon would get, in terms of power.

However, Savage Species actually confirmed that you could breed 2 separate dragon species & get a Half-Dragon Dragon. Same can be done with Celestials, Fiends, Trolls, etc.

I believe the child gains the father's type for the template. I could be wrong about that, but I know its in there.
Master_Vega
12-18-07, 03:36 PM Anyone want to work on a mixed-dragon template?
Kelmourne
12-18-07, 08:17 PM I would say the mothers dragon variant is the dominant one. And yes I do believe it would be half-dragon template. I mean just because it's 2 different types of dragons combined, doesn't make them that much better. Thats like saying that by mixing chinese and german decent, you get a more powerful human being. So yes, I do believe half-dragon would work.
Silverthumb
12-19-07, 01:18 AM Thats like saying that by mixing chinese and german decent, you get a more powerful human being. So yes, I do believe half-dragon would work.

Humans and Dragons are really not even remotely comparable.
sally_jones
12-19-07, 01:29 AM i run a custom campaign that is very dragon centric. they are everywhere, even part of the common laborforce. it doesnt make sense that a dragon borne of two different types is stronger in any way. you could set up a percentage system where its 60-40 in favor of the mother or however, but a new template makes no sense.
Mr_Teapot
12-19-07, 10:58 AM I mean just because it's 2 different types of dragons combined, doesn't make them that much better. Thats like saying that by mixing chinese and german decent, you get a more powerful human being. So yes, I do believe half-dragon would work.

The differences between ethnicities and races in human beings are extremely small. Far smaller than the differences between types of dragons.

A more accurate comparison would be to Ligers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liger)and other crossbred animals. And in some of those cases (like Ligers), the offspring is indeed larger and more powerful than either parent. But in an equal number of instances, the offspring would be weaker and smaller than the parents, and some percentage of the time it will be roughly equal in quality.

But this is real world genetics, which has little to no bearing on fantasy world D&D genetics. I advocate using the Half-Dragon template (picking either parent as the base and the other for the template) but others could houserule however they wish.
The_Shaman
12-19-07, 11:25 AM Would a crossbred dragon (say Silver and Brass) merit the Half-Dragon template? Would that be enough to mechanically describe the product of two different dragons?

Wasn't there something in the Draconomicon on that topic? IIRC it said that with draconic crossbreeding there is a certain chance of the offspring taking certain traits from either parent.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Master_Vega 12-18-07, 12:07 AM	Would a crossbred dragon (say Silver and Brass) merit the Half-Dragon template? Would that be enough to mechanically describe the product of two different dragons? After the silver-scaled dragon blasts the advancing orcish army with a wild blizzard, killing half of those in her range, she unleashes a powerful linear inferno, shattering every frozen husk in its path and burning the remainder alive. Any thoughts?
ericSHINRA 12-18-07, 12:41 AM	To be honest, a crossbreed of this nature warrants something a bit more powerful then the Half-Dragon template. I'm no expert in genetics by far but how will you determine which Dragon-type will be dominant and which recessive? Unfortunately one will have to get the shaft if you use this template and only have a fraction of the powers which should be reflected by crossing such powerful creatures. If this is for DM purposes, I'd worry less about ECL or LA and simply give the crossbreed all the benefits of his parents but gain them at a slower rate.
Silverthumb 12-18-07, 02:27 AM	To be honest, a crossbreed of this nature warrants something a bit more powerful then the Half-Dragon template. I agree with this. Although you could, through planned breeding, get the immunities of one while gaining the immunity of the other, which would cancel out their opposed weaknesses, like the Silver/Brass Dragon parentage. Handy, but not what I think a cros-bred dragon would get, in terms of power. However, Savage Species actually confirmed that you could breed 2 separate dragon species & get a Half-Dragon Dragon. Same can be done with Celestials, Fiends, Trolls, etc. I believe the child gains the father's type for the template. I could be wrong about that, but I know its in there.
Master_Vega 12-18-07, 03:36 PM	Anyone want to work on a mixed-dragon template?
Kelmourne 12-18-07, 08:17 PM	I would say the mothers dragon variant is the dominant one. And yes I do believe it would be half-dragon template. I mean just because it's 2 different types of dragons combined, doesn't make them that much better. Thats like saying that by mixing chinese and german decent, you get a more powerful human being. So yes, I do believe half-dragon would work.
Silverthumb 12-19-07, 01:18 AM	Thats like saying that by mixing chinese and german decent, you get a more powerful human being. So yes, I do believe half-dragon would work. Humans and Dragons are really not even remotely comparable.
sally_jones 12-19-07, 01:29 AM	i run a custom campaign that is very dragon centric. they are everywhere, even part of the common laborforce. it doesnt make sense that a dragon borne of two different types is stronger in any way. you could set up a percentage system where its 60-40 in favor of the mother or however, but a new template makes no sense.
Mr_Teapot 12-19-07, 10:58 AM	I mean just because it's 2 different types of dragons combined, doesn't make them that much better. Thats like saying that by mixing chinese and german decent, you get a more powerful human being. So yes, I do believe half-dragon would work. The differences between ethnicities and races in human beings are extremely small. Far smaller than the differences between types of dragons. A more accurate comparison would be to Ligers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liger)and other crossbred animals. And in some of those cases (like Ligers), the offspring is indeed larger and more powerful than either parent. But in an equal number of instances, the offspring would be weaker and smaller than the parents, and some percentage of the time it will be roughly equal in quality. But this is real world genetics, which has little to no bearing on fantasy world D&D genetics. I advocate using the Half-Dragon template (picking either parent as the base and the other for the template) but others could houserule however they wish.
The_Shaman 12-19-07, 11:25 AM	Would a crossbred dragon (say Silver and Brass) merit the Half-Dragon template? Would that be enough to mechanically describe the product of two different dragons? Wasn't there something in the Draconomicon on that topic? IIRC it said that with draconic crossbreeding there is a certain chance of the offspring taking certain traits from either parent.