I'm a DM that enjoys homebrewing concepts for monsters and magic items. I recently came up with an idea for a new kind of dragon called "Periodic Dragons". They are basically dragons that relate to elements on the periodic table. I will make the stat blocks public later on, but I have 3 concepts already, sodium dragon, sulfur dragon and neon dragon. Its kind of weird... But trust me the damage types for the breath weapons will hopefully relate to the element. I'm just wondering if you have any other concepts for "periodic dragons".
Sodium dragons actually existed in 2nd Edition. They were also known as orange dragons, said to be the result of of yellow (salt) dragons mating with red dragons. Physically, I believe they were roughly equal to blue dragons, but their breath weapon was a line of sodium that stuck to everything in its path and caused fire damage for multiple rounds. Unless it struck water, in which case it caused an explosion.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Silicon dragons, not named as such, but there have been dragons inn dragon magazine and maybevofficial monsters in prior editions whose breath weapon was sand blasting.
Chlorine dragons would be the green dragon.
Phosphorous dragons, intense incendiary breath
Plutonium dragon I think was or is a thing in the game Munchkin.
Some of the existing metallic dragons are on the periodic table.
Wondering about molecular dragons when periodic dragons mate.
I mean, neon dragons would probably have a charming breath and a steam breath (don't know how it would make sence, dragon turtles already have that) but its just some breath weapon that would deal damage. Yeah one of those elements you mentioned could deal fire damage, and I'll probably create some sort of effect that if a creature dies, they would be exploded. I was also thinking of calcium dragons, which would deal some sort of breath that would turn you to stone and a secondary one that shoots shards of stone. Interesting how there were sodium dragons in 2e, but I don't think fire damage would make sence. Doesn't sodium like, have a corrosive effect or is that just me? It causes pain when wounds are exposed to it, so it may just deal acid damage. They'll probably have an ability called "elemental form" where in their adult phase they can transform into a cloud of neon, for example, with a flying speed of 120 ft. The concept will have aspects of gem dragons in a way because they would have a more neutral alignment as elemental dragons.
See, my neon dragon would 100% have radiant breath. I think this is one of those things that is going to differ greatly based on the person and their perspective in the same way as the "what alignment is Batman" discussions. It is a fun source of inspiration though.
1) I would rule out all the transuranic elements as a start as they are all man made not natural. 2) you may want to rule out most gaseous and liquid elements also as how would they have a solid form? (sorry neon dragon) 3) even with that you are still trying to come up with 75-80 sets of unique abilities and powers as well as breath weapons - a little too much me thinks. 4) is your lead dragon basically going to be a Led Zeppelin? 5) we already have a steel dragon how are you going to differentiate your iron dragon from it? Will it be an iron butterfly (dragon)? 6) all of the column 1 & 2 elements are caustic (bases/basic) ( think Drano) while the last two non noble gas’s columns are all acidic and highly reactive - how are you going to separate the effects when they are basically the same - burning and setting things aflame or dissolving them if water is present? 7) most of the things in the middle of the chart are silvery grey metals that are hard to distinguish - especially the rare earth elements have fun there. 8) have fun with carbon as well. Its two elemental farms are graphite and diamond. Graphite is pencil lead and the softest material, diamond is the “hardest” but that actually means scratch or cut resistant- it’s also incredibly brittle cleaving on multiple planes or simply shattering when hit a decent blow - so a diamond skinned dragon is not really well protected. And things like grapheme, carbon fibers and nano tubes as well as molecular diamond films are all man made not natural (at least not in any usable form) so they are out.
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Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
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Hey y'all.
I'm a DM that enjoys homebrewing concepts for monsters and magic items. I recently came up with an idea for a new kind of dragon called "Periodic Dragons". They are basically dragons that relate to elements on the periodic table. I will make the stat blocks public later on, but I have 3 concepts already, sodium dragon, sulfur dragon and neon dragon. Its kind of weird... But trust me the damage types for the breath weapons will hopefully relate to the element. I'm just wondering if you have any other concepts for "periodic dragons".
Sodium dragons actually existed in 2nd Edition. They were also known as orange dragons, said to be the result of of yellow (salt) dragons mating with red dragons. Physically, I believe they were roughly equal to blue dragons, but their breath weapon was a line of sodium that stuck to everything in its path and caused fire damage for multiple rounds. Unless it struck water, in which case it caused an explosion.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Silicon dragons, not named as such, but there have been dragons inn dragon magazine and maybevofficial monsters in prior editions whose breath weapon was sand blasting.
Chlorine dragons would be the green dragon.
Phosphorous dragons, intense incendiary breath
Plutonium dragon I think was or is a thing in the game Munchkin.
Some of the existing metallic dragons are on the periodic table.
Wondering about molecular dragons when periodic dragons mate.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Most of the periodic table elements would either not have a clear damage type or not be sufficiently different from others to matter.
How would you make a difference between thorium, uranium, and plutonium dragons - besides simply making one stronger which we do by age.
I mean, neon dragons would probably have a charming breath and a steam breath (don't know how it would make sence, dragon turtles already have that) but its just some breath weapon that would deal damage. Yeah one of those elements you mentioned could deal fire damage, and I'll probably create some sort of effect that if a creature dies, they would be exploded. I was also thinking of calcium dragons, which would deal some sort of breath that would turn you to stone and a secondary one that shoots shards of stone. Interesting how there were sodium dragons in 2e, but I don't think fire damage would make sence. Doesn't sodium like, have a corrosive effect or is that just me? It causes pain when wounds are exposed to it, so it may just deal acid damage. They'll probably have an ability called "elemental form" where in their adult phase they can transform into a cloud of neon, for example, with a flying speed of 120 ft. The concept will have aspects of gem dragons in a way because they would have a more neutral alignment as elemental dragons.
See, my neon dragon would 100% have radiant breath. I think this is one of those things that is going to differ greatly based on the person and their perspective in the same way as the "what alignment is Batman" discussions. It is a fun source of inspiration though.
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
Some thoughts from the science oriented:
1) I would rule out all the transuranic elements as a start as they are all man made not natural.
2) you may want to rule out most gaseous and liquid elements also as how would they have a solid form? (sorry neon dragon)
3) even with that you are still trying to come up with 75-80 sets of unique abilities and powers as well as breath weapons - a little too much me thinks.
4) is your lead dragon basically going to be a Led Zeppelin?
5) we already have a steel dragon how are you going to differentiate your iron dragon from it? Will it be an iron butterfly (dragon)?
6) all of the column 1 & 2 elements are caustic (bases/basic) ( think Drano) while the last two non noble gas’s columns are all acidic and highly reactive - how are you going to separate the effects when they are basically the same - burning and setting things aflame or dissolving them if water is present?
7) most of the things in the middle of the chart are silvery grey metals that are hard to distinguish - especially the rare earth elements have fun there.
8) have fun with carbon as well. Its two elemental farms are graphite and diamond. Graphite is pencil lead and the softest material, diamond is the “hardest” but that actually means scratch or cut resistant- it’s also incredibly brittle cleaving on multiple planes or simply shattering when hit a decent blow - so a diamond skinned dragon is not really well protected. And things like grapheme, carbon fibers and nano tubes as well as molecular diamond films are all man made not natural (at least not in any usable form) so they are out.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.