D&D 5E Dragons that can polymorph into humanoids...

[Vaalingrade]

In my home campaign, dragons have clutches of 5 eggs. If all goes well, 1 egg might contain a dragon. The other eggs hatch into dragonborn (dragonborn are literally born of dragons, though they also breed true).

How do the family dynamics and child-rearing work here? I'm intrigued.

 

[Distracted DM]

it's a throwback to the oriental dragons. The metallic dragons were loosley designed on oriental dragons serving the heavens and the chromatic dragons are loosely designed on being the children of Tiamat the destroyer. I've always wished they'd done a bit more to make them more similar. It's basically sumerian dragons vs oriental dragons .

Very interesting

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

How do the family dynamics and child-rearing work here? I'm intrigued.

In my campaign, there are a few dragon societies, and a dragon that is a part of such a society often has dragonborn family or allies that help to rear the young. Lone dragons have to juggle it all themselves (unless they have a partner), and can get annoyed if they can't get their beauty sleep. Dragon culture is matriarchal, as the mother is the source of life. No matter the nature of the fertilizing father's color, the mother always gives birth to children matching her coloration. There are no mottled red/white or "pink" hybrids, for instance.

Dragonborn from dragons are gestated longer, and hatch more maturely grown than humanoid infants, their eggs and size being comparable to the dragon hatchling's. They also tend to hatch before their dragon sibling, being considered "older" and are often encouraged to become protectors of their younger sibling. After hatching, they develop similarly along age lines, but the dragon will ultimately physically eclipse their dragonborn siblings in size and power.

Good-aligned dragons usually treat dragonborn as kin, whether children, sibling, or cousin, though everyone knows that the dragon is more valued due to its rarity. While this can lead to jealousy, good dragons usually try to teach their children noble qualities and empathy and give them attention and purpose beyond comparing themselves to their sibling.

Evil-aligned dragons can often provide a toxic, abusive family environment, but dragonborn can be useful spawn, and they can be brainwashed to be very loyal and proud servants in service to evil. Sometimes chromatic dragonborn of evil dragons are sent away to broodgrounds ("military schools") or are sold by untrusting parents, because their learned ego and jealousy can be a danger to the real dragon egg.

Good and Evil are only tendencies for the respective dragon breeds, not universal truths. They can make their own alignment choices, influenced by their culture, religion, and personality. Tiamat worshippers tend not to be benevolent parents.

 

[MarkB]

Does anyone else find it weird that only the 'good guy' dragons are naturally capable of infiltrating humanoid society?

That's why everyone thinks they're the good ones - because they've been able to spread the propaganda.

 

[Blue]

Polymorph also doesn't say anything about whether you can transform into various individuals of each form, so it can be interpreted either way.

I am now having fun with the idea that each creature type has a single form for polymorph. So if two different casters use it to become wolves, they become "the polymorph wolf" and are identical. Seasoned adventurers can look and go "watch out for that Giant Ape - it's actually someone polymorphed" because they've seen it before.

Thanks for the amusing mental image.

 

[nevin]

Likely, but that's a throwback to Haye Code logic where villains always have to be bad at their jobs to show the kiddos that evil is self-destructive. Which I think is a bad lesson vs Good cooperates and improves itself... which is denied by things like how the Big Good dragons (and gods) basically don't do anything and wait for the party to do stuff.

which has been replaced by hollywood logic that good is weak, unable to make decisions and allows evil to grow stronger because it is too nice. Not any better.

 

[Vaalingrade]

which has been replaced by hollywood logic that good is weak, unable to make decisions and allows evil to grow stronger because it is too nice. Not any better.

How else do we raise up the Hard Man Making Hard Choices who is totally not a complete monster, we promise, please stop looking at the piles of corpses he's standing on?

 

[Tonguez]

I’ve always been of the opinion that most dragons dont actually care what individual humans look like, just like I cant tell one coackroach from the next. They’ll get use to changing into a humanoid form, but unless its really important it shouldnt matter if their nose is bigger or more aquiline than another.

 

[Casimir Liber]

The other thing I do in my campaigns is give them their breath weapons while in humanoid form...gives the PCs a nasty surprise. And a clue that all is not as it appears when the foe suddenly breathes out a huge gout of ice/fire/acid/poison etc.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

I’ve always been of the opinion that most dragons dont actually care what individual humans look like, just like I cant tell one coackroach from the next. They’ll get use to changing into a humanoid form, but unless its really important it shouldnt matter if their nose is bigger or more aquiline than another.

I don't really run my dragons this way. Dragons with high mental stats likely pay attention to all kinds of features that might give them an edge in interactions, like using perception and insight to recognize features that give them an edge in influencing those, or other humanoids. Archmages, Master Thieves, and Dragonslayers are dangerous and tricksy. Can't take them for granted, now can we?

I don't allow most dragons' egos to eclipse their high stats and make them act foolishly or ignorantly. Only if I want the dragon to be an actual arrogant, ignorant, bully, like a brutish white dragon, will I play them that way.