Converting True Dragons

[Cleon]

Let's make them more interesting even. Stick with White for the NA (or another 3.X NA progression if there's one lower) to go with the weak physical stats. But let's bump the mental stats to the Silver (or even Gold!) progression.

That's funny.

I wondered about suggesting Silver as well as Bronze, since they both have Exceptional Intelligence in AD&D, but was afraid you'd all think Silver was too much!

Silver Dragon mental stats are fine by me. We'd want to give them decent sorcery levels and good SLAs (mostly Illusions I'd presume).

 

[Shade]

All of that appeals. These are shaping up to fit a cool niche!

 

[Cleon]

All of that appeals. These are shaping up to fit a cool niche!

I'll try to do stat & ability tables for them tonight, but I have to toddle off now...

 

[Shade]

Beat ya to it!

Added to Homebrews.

Since they are so small, I used the "smaller-than-white" progression from one of our earlier dragons. Does that appeal?

Suggested land and fly speed progression?

 

[Cleon]

Beat ya to it!

Added to Homebrews.

Since they are so small, I used the "smaller-than-white" progression from one of our earlier dragons. Does that appeal?

Well 20 feet is smaller than a 1st edition White, so that makes sense.

Suggested land and fly speed progression?

I'd give them the same as a Blue/Green Dragon, since those have pretty similar speeds (9" ground, 30" fly vs the Orange's 10" and 30") in their AD&D incarnations.

How about having their "mimic another dragon" ability increase with age? e.g. it starts out as disguise self, then becomes alter self, then becomes Alternate Form? Maybe add Animal and Humanoid shapes to the Alternate Form at some stage?

As for their other powers, I'm tempted by hallucinatory terrain for some reason.

 

[RavinRay]

Hey guys, guess what? We have WiFi in our venue!

Taking Shade's suggestion, disguise self allows it to look like another (true) dragon of the same size while keeping its abilities; alter self allows it to look like any dragon (true or lesser) within size limits; then alternate form as other dragons have. Sounds like a good progression; just need to assign to the appropriate age categories.

 

[Cleon]

Hey guys, guess what? We have WiFi in our venue!

Taking Shade's suggestion, disguise self allows it to look like another (true) dragon of the same size while keeping its abilities; alter self allows it to look like any dragon (true or lesser) within size limits; then alternate form as other dragons have. Sounds like a good progression; just need to assign to the appropriate age categories.

Don't forget alter self has a limit of 5HD, so the only SRD Dragons it can turn into are wyrmling Black, Brass, Copper, Green and White Dragons, plus Pseudodragons. We'd better put that ability in a very low age category.

Bronze Dragons can Alternate Form into animals and humanoids at Young age, Silver Dragons can do it as Wyrmlings.

So, how about this:

Wyrmling—disguise self at-will.
Very Young—alter self 3/day.
Young—Alternate Form 3/day into a dragon.
Young Adult—Alternate Form 3/day into an animal or humanoid.
Mature Adult—Alternate Form at-will into a dragon.

 

[Shade]

That looks about right.

 

[Cleon]

That looks about right.

OK, I guess we'd better flesh it out:

Disguise Self (Su): A chameleon dragon can take on the appearance of any other true dragon of its own size. This functions as the disguise self spell, except the dragon can remain in this disguise until it chooses to assume a new one or return to its natural form.

Alter Self (Su): A chameleon dragon of very young or older can change its shape to any dragon with 5 hit dice or less. This functions as the alter self spell, except the dragon can remain in this form until it chooses to assume a new one or return to its natural form.

Alternate Form (Su): A chameleon dragon of young age or older can take on the form of any dragon up to its own size and hit dice three times a day (or at-will for chameleon dragons of mature adult age or older). A chameleon dragon of young adult age or older can assume any animal or humanoid form of Medium size or smaller as a standard action three times per day, in addition to its draconic alternate form. Chameleon dragons can remain in an alternate form until they choose to assume a new one or return to their natural form.

What other SLAs do you like for them? I've already mentioned hallucinatory terrain, but are their any other illusion magics that seem particularly apt?

How about misdirection, rainbow pattern, false vision, scintillating pattern or screen?

 

[Shade]

How about misdirection, rainbow pattern, false vision, scintillating pattern or screen?

Of those, I favor misdirection, false vision, and/or screen.

Anyone else have preferences?