Converting True Dragons
Cleon
Legend
Okay, let's have a start at the other half of the table then.
So far we've got the Jade Dragon with a -2 NA. To that I'll add a Swim speed (30 ft. going by the original).
I'll blank out the Jade's Special Abilities, spellcasting and SR. I'm sure we'll have some arguing to do about them! Since it's a diver I reckon it ought to have Hold Breath, so I've put that in.
The AD&D stats give it an 18 (C) fly speed. That's remarkably low for a dragon, offhand I can't think of any other True Dragon that's that slow in the air.
So, give it a 40 ft. / 50 ft. / 60 ft. fly speed?
That would give it:
Code:
[FONT=Courier New]Age...................Speed........................Initiative..Armor Class..........................................Special Abilities..............Caster..SR
Wyrmling.....40 ft., fly 40 ft.(good), swim 30 ft......+0......16 (+2 size, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14...Hold Breath..............................
Very Young...40 ft., fly 50 ft.(average), swim 30 ft...+0......18 (+1 size, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].........................................[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
Young........40 ft., fly 50 ft.(average), swim 30 ft...+0......21 (+1 size, +8 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 19...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].................................1st[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].....[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
Juvenile.....40 ft., fly 50 ft.(average), swim 30 ft...+0......23 (+11 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 21...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].........................................3rd[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].....[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
Young Adult..40 ft., fly 50 ft.(average), swim 30 ft...+0......26 (+14 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 24........[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]........[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].........................5th[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].....[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
Adult........40 ft., fly 50 ft.(average), swim 30 ft...+0......28 (–1 size, +17 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 26...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].................................7th[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]....[/FONT].[FONT=Courier New]
Mature Adult.40 ft., fly 50 ft.(average), swim 30 ft...+0......31 (–1 size, +20 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 29...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].................................9th[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].....[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
Old..........40 ft., fly 50 ft.(average), swim 30 ft...+0......34 (–1 size, +23 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 32...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]................................11th[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].....[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
Very Old.....40 ft., fly 50 ft.(average), swim 30 ft...+0......37 (–1 size, +26 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 35...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]................................13th[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].....[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
Ancient......40 ft., fly 60 ft.(poor), swim 30 ft......+0......39 (–2 size, +29 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 37...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]................................15th[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].....[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
Wyrm.........40 ft., fly 60 ft.(poor), swim 30 ft......+0......42 (–2 size, +32 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 40...[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]................................17th[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].....[/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
Great Wyrm...40 ft., fly 60 ft.(poor), swim 30 ft......+0......45 (–2 size, +35 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 43...................................19th[/FONT][FONT=Courier New].....[/FONT]
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Cleon
Legend
Agreed to all that; emphatically so for hold breath.
Okie-Dokey.
Shall we do the Breath Weapon next?
It's a cone of steam. The original version does a measly 1d4+1 per age category, which is even worse than the AD&D Black Dragon. Only a couple of 2E dragons have a breath weapon that feeble (e.g. the Crystal Dragon).
The crystal drake has a 1d6-per-age breath weapon in its Creature Catalogue conversion, shall we give the Pearl the same?
We can borrow some of the flavour text from the Mist Dragon:
Breath Weapon (Su): A pearl dragon has one type of breath weapon, a cone of scalding steam. Creatures caught in this cloud can make a Reflex save for half damage.
Cleon
Legend
So, sorcerer caster level next?
These are strong spellcasters with both Wizard and Cleric spells, the original was a better spellcaster than a Gold Dragon! Just compare the great wyrm:
Pearl Dragon Great Wyrm Wizard/Priest Spells: 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 2 2
Gold Dragon Great Wyrm Wizard/Priest Spells: 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 / 2 2 2 2
The Pearl Dragon has got one more Wizard spell at each level (1st to 7th) and can cast 2 5th level Priest spells, whereas Goldie tops of at 4th level Priest spells.
However I notice that they both start gaining spells at age category 4.
Hmm, so what to do. Have the Pearl start a stage earlier and go up to 21st level casting?
These are strong spellcasters with both Wizard and Cleric spells, the original was a better spellcaster than a Gold Dragon! Just compare the great wyrm:
Pearl Dragon Great Wyrm Wizard/Priest Spells: 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 2 2
Gold Dragon Great Wyrm Wizard/Priest Spells: 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 / 2 2 2 2
The Pearl Dragon has got one more Wizard spell at each level (1st to 7th) and can cast 2 5th level Priest spells, whereas Goldie tops of at 4th level Priest spells.
However I notice that they both start gaining spells at age category 4.
Hmm, so what to do. Have the Pearl start a stage earlier and go up to 21st level casting?
Cleon
Legend
I could have sworn I included the standard "gold/silver spellcasting" as an alternative in my last post. It must have evaporated into the ether.
19th level sorcerer spell casting doesn't seem that excessive for a 38HD Dragon, though.
Let's make their spellcasting the same as Gold's then. I'll edit that into post #402.
What types of spells? I'm thinking Cleric spells plus the Luck and Weather domains.
