Hi! Are there interesting variants of dragons as a race for players? This thought occurred to me a long time ago and still haunts me. Given my extensive experience playing D&D, I could try to make a dragon race for players myself, but can you tell me what it would look like in this case? And what rules should I follow when creating in order to maintain a balance? I also have an idea of creating a similar character. It will be a human warlock who has made a pact with Tiamat (Fiend) and worships her, thus I could describe the presence of dragon scales. And using the "Pact of the Host" skill, describe it as a partial transformation into a dragon (Draconian) that would bite, beat and scratch. How can this concept be improved in terms of building a build? And what other options are there for playing a patron as a dragon?
I'm not sure dragons would work - they're very powerful, and if they tried to mimic the recognisable traits of a dragon...they'd be too powerful for a PC. Instead I'd just point them towards Dragonborn. If you really wanted to have a dragon race, is also point you to Dragonborn for an idea of what you can do and still be balanced.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I think I'll agree. Why invent a bicycle? It's better to really use dragonborn to cosplay dragons. However, are there madmen who decide to recreate such majestic monsters as a PC race?
Since an adult Human would be a very young dragon, you could roleplay a dragin in human shape... it limiting the abilities of the dragon side due to age. Or if you want an Actual Dragon as a character, make it an outcast from Dragon society because its disabled (no/weak magic, no/weak breath weapon, stunted wings, etc). I could see a young dragon with a very weak breath weapon (one low damage ranged attack) and no innate magic as a Player magic user learning magic the hard way or using its scales and claws to be a heroic fighter.
But as others have pointed out, it would require a lot of balancing and forethought to make it not nerf your game.
See if you can get ahold of some Council of Wyrms books. It was NOT balanced for regular play (at least not at equivalent levels), but that was the point. You played a dragon. With other player dragons. Now, it's old school—so not compatible—but you can get some ideas on how it might begin to work (weapons for dragons, like the wing spur and tail mace, for example).
Way back in the day, I had an idea for a campaign where the players would create both a dragon PC and a "regular" PC that would be the prime kindred of the dragon. Playing one or the other depending on how important the characters were to the particular adventure they were on.
If you want to play a “draconic” character, there are really only 3 ways: 1) play a Dragonborn in a regular (tier 1-3) game 2) get council of Wyrms and play a wild old school game 3) talk your DM into playing an epic (tier 4+) game that allows dragons as characters.
See if you can get ahold of some Council of Wyrms books. It was NOT balanced for regular play (at least not at equivalent levels), but that was the point. You played a dragon. With other player dragons. Now, it's old school—so not compatible—but you can get some ideas on how it might begin to work (weapons for dragons, like the wing spur and tail mace, for example).
Way back in the day, I had an idea for a campaign where the players would create both a dragon PC and a "regular" PC that would be the prime kindred of the dragon. Playing one or the other depending on how important the characters were to the particular adventure they were on.
Love your idea for that campaign in which players would have had a dragon PC and a 'regular' PC.
If you've ever read the Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust this could serve as great inspiration for a game in which a dragon and a 'regular' share a bond.
In 3.5 Dragon magazine there were some articles of metalic and chromatic dragons as monster classes, following the rules of "Savage Species".
If my memory doesn't fail there is some 3pp sourcebook about dragon PCs.
Let's remember it is not only the size (a serious difficulty when exploring narrow tunnels) and the fly movement but usually the true dragons don't wear clothing or armours either use weapons.
Maybe the option would be to create a "nerferd" monster class. The dragon could be a "runt", weaker than the normal standars of its specie, or it is a "reborn", dead but after reincarnated into a weaker and more humanoid-shape version.
WotC could create a future class style "Dragon disciple" (3.5 prestige class).
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Hi! Are there interesting variants of dragons as a race for players? This thought occurred to me a long time ago and still haunts me. Given my extensive experience playing D&D, I could try to make a dragon race for players myself, but can you tell me what it would look like in this case? And what rules should I follow when creating in order to maintain a balance? I also have an idea of creating a similar character. It will be a human warlock who has made a pact with Tiamat (Fiend) and worships her, thus I could describe the presence of dragon scales. And using the "Pact of the Host" skill, describe it as a partial transformation into a dragon (Draconian) that would bite, beat and scratch. How can this concept be improved in terms of building a build? And what other options are there for playing a patron as a dragon?
I'm not sure dragons would work - they're very powerful, and if they tried to mimic the recognisable traits of a dragon...they'd be too powerful for a PC. Instead I'd just point them towards Dragonborn. If you really wanted to have a dragon race, is also point you to Dragonborn for an idea of what you can do and still be balanced.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I think I'll agree. Why invent a bicycle? It's better to really use dragonborn to cosplay dragons. However, are there madmen who decide to recreate such majestic monsters as a PC race?
Since an adult Human would be a very young dragon, you could roleplay a dragin in human shape... it limiting the abilities of the dragon side due to age. Or if you want an Actual Dragon as a character, make it an outcast from Dragon society because its disabled (no/weak magic, no/weak breath weapon, stunted wings, etc). I could see a young dragon with a very weak breath weapon (one low damage ranged attack) and no innate magic as a Player magic user learning magic the hard way or using its scales and claws to be a heroic fighter.
But as others have pointed out, it would require a lot of balancing and forethought to make it not nerf your game.
See if you can get ahold of some Council of Wyrms books. It was NOT balanced for regular play (at least not at equivalent levels), but that was the point. You played a dragon. With other player dragons. Now, it's old school—so not compatible—but you can get some ideas on how it might begin to work (weapons for dragons, like the wing spur and tail mace, for example).
Way back in the day, I had an idea for a campaign where the players would create both a dragon PC and a "regular" PC that would be the prime kindred of the dragon. Playing one or the other depending on how important the characters were to the particular adventure they were on.
If you want to play a “draconic” character, there are really only 3 ways:
1) play a Dragonborn in a regular (tier 1-3) game
2) get council of Wyrms and play a wild old school game
3) talk your DM into playing an epic (tier 4+) game that allows dragons as characters.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Love your idea for that campaign in which players would have had a dragon PC and a 'regular' PC.
If you've ever read the Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust this could serve as great inspiration for a game in which a dragon and a 'regular' share a bond.
In 3.5 Dragon magazine there were some articles of metalic and chromatic dragons as monster classes, following the rules of "Savage Species".
If my memory doesn't fail there is some 3pp sourcebook about dragon PCs.
Let's remember it is not only the size (a serious difficulty when exploring narrow tunnels) and the fly movement but usually the true dragons don't wear clothing or armours either use weapons.
Maybe the option would be to create a "nerferd" monster class. The dragon could be a "runt", weaker than the normal standars of its specie, or it is a "reborn", dead but after reincarnated into a weaker and more humanoid-shape version.
WotC could create a future class style "Dragon disciple" (3.5 prestige class).