Favorite version: White Dragon [poll]

Gadget · Jun 14, 2019

Well, If we are judging strictly by art, then it is the AD&D Dragon. Mechanics wise, the 4e one.

Sacrosanct · Jun 14, 2019

dave2008 said:
But I disagree here. I do agree the horns are a bit tacked on, but I much prefer the rest of the design to the 3e or PF versions. I think the 1e version with more rooted 3e-ish type horns (but more bull horn like I think) would be best.

I hate the WoTC black dragon. I think it looks awful. I much prefer the TSR black dragon, that was sleek, and glistened, and snake-like---how a black dragon living in the swamps and water should look like. WoTC dragons all look the same. Super muscles and torn wings. Every one of them.

MechaTarrasque · Jun 14, 2019

Gadget said:
Well, If we are judging strictly by art, then it is the AD&D Dragon. Mechanics wise, the 4e one.

I really liked that each major kind of chromatic (and metallic) dragon had a different role in 4e.

Matrix Sorcica · Jun 14, 2019

dave2008 said:
I don't believe that is correct. There was a sort of dragon "bible" for dragonlance dragons as I recall. Notice the white dragon in your 1e image by Elmore matches the unique crown of horns as the white head on Caldwell's Takhisis. Similarly, Keith's blue dragon matches the blue head on Takhisis as well. Now, I think Easley generally ignored this standard, but the other three seemed to adhere to it (for dragonlance dragons that is).

FYI, I am not making this up, I remember reading about this in an "Art of Dragonlance" book I believe, but I don't have it anymore so I can't verify that.

EDIT: If I remember correctly, whoever illustrated a dragon first set the standard for the dragonlance look of the dragons.

This is correct. I read the same in The Art of Dragonlance

Sacrosanct · Jun 14, 2019

MechaTarrasque said:
I really liked that each major kind of chromatic (and metallic) dragon had a different role in 4e.

How do you mean?

dave2008 · Jun 14, 2019

Sacrosanct said:
I hate the WoTC black dragon. I think it looks awful. I much prefer the TSR black dragon, that was sleek, and glistened, and snake-like---how a black dragon living in the swamps and water should look like. WoTC dragons all look the same. Super muscles and torn wings. Every one of them.

I agree, except i think the red dragon was an improvement.

dave2008 · Jun 14, 2019

Sacrosanct said:
How do you mean?

skirmisher, artillery, controller, soldier, & brute?

Tony Vargas · Jun 15, 2019

It just occurred to me: No one has nominated Calcryx as their favorite white dragon. What an oversight! Meepo must be rolling in his grave...

doctorbadwolf · Jun 15, 2019

Xeviat said:
I feel like this started with 3E with the Lockwood designs. He based them on big cats and they finally looked like real breath(weapon)ing creatures.

I voted 4E for the stats. It was the only edition where a dragon played properly in my mind. 5E dragons are all the same, except for their lairs. 3E dragons took forever to build. I never played 2E except for Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale.

I agree. 5e monsters are largely boring unless you buid cool lairs and give them more legendary action options, and really use their spellcasting.

And I was torn between the 4e and 5e art, because I love the big cat prowl of the 5e image, and the majestic sit pose of the 4e image and just the general head shape and that rad head ridge.

MechaTarrasque · Jun 15, 2019

Sacrosanct said:
How do you mean?

If I recall correctly, white dragons were brutes (melee focus, lot of damage, not great defense), blues were artillery, reds were soldiers (melee focus, good offense, really good defense), blacks were skirmishers (ambusher specialist or high mobility, not great defense), and greens were controllers. A blue's goal in combat was to stay out of melee range and blast the party, while the party's goal was often to get the blue in melee range. Likewise a black's goal is to turn the combat into a bug hunt, and the party's goal was often to pin the black down.

I am pretty sure bronze dragons were artillery, and silver were brutes. I don't recall the specific roles for the other ones, but I do recall thinking it was interesting that they gave them distinct roles.