How many dragon scales would be needed to craft a Dragonscale Armor? One of my players has 7 dragon scales from a young white dragon, and was curious how many scales he would need to craft dragonscale armor. I feel like he would need more than 7, but I couldn't find any information on it in on the interwebs.
I'd say more would be needed, but I don't think that's the right question. The right question is whether you want him to be able to do this now, or you want him to have to acquire some more first.
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I feel like you would need more. A young white dragon would probably have smaller scales than that of an adult or ancient (more scales are needed from more common of dragons in terms of age). In addition to a sufficient number of these scales, a powerful smelter would also be needed. Think about possible complications or interactions that can come from this type of event.
How many dragon scales would be needed to craft a Dragonscale Armor? One of my players has 7 dragon scales from a young white dragon, and was curious how many scales he would need to craft dragonscale armor. I feel like he would need more than 7, but I couldn't find any information on it in on the interwebs.
Is he making a small suit or a medium suit? A small suit should take fewer scales.
If you really want to get spicy, make the number smith dependent: have the smith roll arcana to make the suit. The DC can be, as an example you should feel free to modify, 30 - 1 per scale - (5 if Small, 10 if Tiny). On a failure, the scales are ruined. The skillcheck can instead be smith's tools, and if the smith is proficient in both, roll with advantage.
I don't know how large the character is, and I don't know how large the dragon scales are, so there is no way for me to give an answer.
Except as Pangurjan says, it is up to you.
Consider that it takes a huge amount of material to make a dress, not just an amount equal to the surface area of the dress. When making armor, there will be 'parts' of the dragon scale that you will prefer and the remainder would be discarded. If the creature you are armoring is large, you may be able to use larger scales. But for the "Lions Share" you will likely be stuck with using smaller scales to have the flexibility needed to accommodate the articulation needed in a suit.
I'm not sure if this would be more of a crafting exercise for a leather worker or a metal smith; but probably a combination. The scales would be cut and fit, not shaped like metal. But, the scales would be joined with metal rings and pins.
Good luck and enjoy.
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How did you come up with the 7 scales in the first place? Did the player just ask to get scales and you rolled a die or something?
Usually for things like this I will just reverse engineer it because you're just coming up with arbitrary numbers anyway. So if you want the player to go hunting for several white dragons, it will take several dragons to make the armor. If you feel one was enough, then 7 scales = 1 armor. It really shouldn't be more work than that unless working out systems for this is more fun for you than the other stuff you need to get done as a DM.
My DM set 25 scales to craft a suit of armor. Looking at the image for Dragon Scale Mail, the rough count I have is:
Breastplate = 49 LG
Pauldrons = 176 SM + 8 teeth per
Tasses = 105 SM per thigh
Tasses = 30 LG back
Gauntlets = 128 SM + 4 teeth per
Total = 87 LG and 818 SM, or 170 LG scales
1 LG = 10 SM
One source indicated 7 scales per dragon, which seems low unless you get a terrible roll. In my current game, here's what I've been awarded based on some rolls:
Nat 20 = 140 scales, 18 teeth, 8 claws
2 = 2 scales, no teeth or claws
14 = 25 scales
17 = 34 scales
Survival DC for skinning:
Meat @ 7 = 10% of weight
+2% for each raise, -1% for each number below
Scales @ 10 = 19 scales. +4 scales for each raise and -2 scales for each number below
Claws @ 11 = 4 claws. +1 claw for each raise and -1 claw @ 9, 7, 5, and 3
Teeth @ 14 = 6 teeth. + 2 teeth for each raise and - 2 teeth @ 10, 7, and 4
Nat 20 = 100 scales, 16 claws, 24 teeth, 12 sq.m. hide, and half their weight in meat.
Nat 1 = butchered every attempt at harvesting yielding only 1% of their weight in salvageable and untainted meat. Second survival to determine if they identify which meat is tainted, if any
-60% Drake, -40% Wyrmling, -20%Young, +30% Huge Adult, +80% Ancient
I would think that dragon scale armor would be built more like leather armor then metal armor.
If you look at a snake or lizard you will see that the scales are different shapes and sizes depending on their location on the body. By using the whole hide with the scales attached a good leather worker would pick and choose the different scales(hide sections) for use on different areas of the human body.
It used to be that if a dragon hide was acquired without using magic to kill the dragon then the hide could be magicked to give you resistance to the breath weapon of that dragon type.
Watch out though. Dragon born might not like you using their cousins skin as armor.
The reality is that it’s all homebrew - there are NO rules for this RAW. As a DM I don’t use scales at all, you need the hide and he more damaged it is the less you can get out of it ( like in real life (leather/snakeskin/alligator hide, etc) so start with the size of the dragon dispatched, you can get one set of armour of the next smallest size from one hide, 2 armors that are 2 sizes smaller etc. so a wyrmling (medium sized) hide would allow you to make a single small sized armor or 2 tiny armors. What those 7 scales might allow is the creation of several dragonscale shields that would protect from the appropriate breath weapon/damage type as well as granting the standard +2 AC..
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Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
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So, question for the collective:
How many dragon scales would be needed to craft a Dragonscale Armor? One of my players has 7 dragon scales from a young white dragon, and was curious how many scales he would need to craft dragonscale armor. I feel like he would need more than 7, but I couldn't find any information on it in on the interwebs.
I'd say more would be needed, but I don't think that's the right question. The right question is whether you want him to be able to do this now, or you want him to have to acquire some more first.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
I feel like you would need more. A young white dragon would probably have smaller scales than that of an adult or ancient (more scales are needed from more common of dragons in terms of age). In addition to a sufficient number of these scales, a powerful smelter would also be needed. Think about possible complications or interactions that can come from this type of event.
My only good homebrews: Races, Subclasses.
An aspiring DM and Homebrewer. Ask me if you need anything.
Is he making a small suit or a medium suit? A small suit should take fewer scales.
If you really want to get spicy, make the number smith dependent: have the smith roll arcana to make the suit. The DC can be, as an example you should feel free to modify, 30 - 1 per scale - (5 if Small, 10 if Tiny). On a failure, the scales are ruined. The skillcheck can instead be smith's tools, and if the smith is proficient in both, roll with advantage.
I don't know how large the character is, and I don't know how large the dragon scales are, so there is no way for me to give an answer.
Except as Pangurjan says, it is up to you.
Consider that it takes a huge amount of material to make a dress, not just an amount equal to the surface area of the dress. When making armor, there will be 'parts' of the dragon scale that you will prefer and the remainder would be discarded. If the creature you are armoring is large, you may be able to use larger scales. But for the "Lions Share" you will likely be stuck with using smaller scales to have the flexibility needed to accommodate the articulation needed in a suit.
I'm not sure if this would be more of a crafting exercise for a leather worker or a metal smith; but probably a combination. The scales would be cut and fit, not shaped like metal. But, the scales would be joined with metal rings and pins.
Good luck and enjoy.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
How did you come up with the 7 scales in the first place? Did the player just ask to get scales and you rolled a die or something?
Usually for things like this I will just reverse engineer it because you're just coming up with arbitrary numbers anyway. So if you want the player to go hunting for several white dragons, it will take several dragons to make the armor. If you feel one was enough, then 7 scales = 1 armor. It really shouldn't be more work than that unless working out systems for this is more fun for you than the other stuff you need to get done as a DM.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
While I'm not an expert, but assuming that each scale is the size of a IRL human hand, from wrist to finger tip, thumb to pinky, I'd say 100.
My DM set 25 scales to craft a suit of armor. Looking at the image for Dragon Scale Mail, the rough count I have is:
One source indicated 7 scales per dragon, which seems low unless you get a terrible roll. In my current game, here's what I've been awarded based on some rolls:
Survival DC for skinning:
I would set the following as my guide for crafting Dragon Scale Mail, a Survival DC10 as the base
All who wander are not lost.
Drive fast, take risks.
Safety third.
I would think that dragon scale armor would be built more like leather armor then metal armor.
If you look at a snake or lizard you will see that the scales are different shapes and sizes depending on their location on the body. By using the whole hide with the scales attached a good leather worker would pick and choose the different scales(hide sections) for use on different areas of the human body.
It used to be that if a dragon hide was acquired without using magic to kill the dragon then the hide could be magicked to give you resistance to the breath weapon of that dragon type.
Watch out though.
Dragon born might not like you using their cousins skin as armor.
The reality is that it’s all homebrew - there are NO rules for this RAW. As a DM I don’t use scales at all, you need the hide and he more damaged it is the less you can get out of it ( like in real life (leather/snakeskin/alligator hide, etc) so start with the size of the dragon dispatched, you can get one set of armour of the next smallest size from one hide, 2 armors that are 2 sizes smaller etc. so a wyrmling (medium sized) hide would allow you to make a single small sized armor or 2 tiny armors. What those 7 scales might allow is the creation of several dragonscale shields that would protect from the appropriate breath weapon/damage type as well as granting the standard +2 AC..
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.