D&D 5E Dragon PCs - what are your concerns?

[MechaTarrasque]

I think it also depends on how common dragons are in your world. The rarer they are the more likely something that would want to get its hooks into young and malleable dragons will take an interest in the party. Fiends are basically immortal unless something kills them, so it is a good investment to enslave a young dragon if you can keep it enslaved until (and when) it is an ancient dragon. Social groups (like say yuan ti or hobgoblins) might be willing to make the same assessment. And let's not get started on giants.....

I would find it hard for a party hanging around with a wyrmling to stay in its weight class, unless dragons are so common that it isn't worth the trouble. Of course, if dragons are that common, then issues about magic items, armor, etc. are probably resolved by basic economics.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I would find it hard for a party hanging around with a wyrmling to stay in its weight class, unless dragons are so common that it isn't worth the trouble. Of course, if dragons are that common, then issues about magic items, armor, etc. are probably resolved by basic economics.

Or maybe the dragon is the impetus for why the PCs have so many adventures and rapidly advance in weight class.

Remember that advancement in 5E is really, really fast when you are fighting out of your weight class, as long as you win. A party of four 6th level PCs might have to fight smart to beat a couple of Goristros looking to enslave their wyrmling, but (1) it is possible, and (2) those Goristros are worth a full level apiece to each PC. It's high-risk, high-reward.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

If there was a way to fast-grow dragons over the course of a few months, then that would have a devastating effect on the world. In terms of improbabilities, that single factor dwarfs every other concern.

Magic, they ate some handwavium and chased it with who'caresium, or dragon progeria. Next issue!

I mean, this is a pretty small hurdle to clear. It's the same reason why not every dwarf or elf is like at least 10th level, given how fast PC's level up.

 

[Derren]

It also depends on how dragon are seen in the setting you are running. Maybe instead of mythical and tyrannical conquerers they are just "talking lizards that live over there. Don't know much about them. We leave them alone and they us". That way a dragon accompanied is a curiosity for some and feared by the suspicious but no terrifying threat.
Also so long as the dragon is small it can pass as the PCs pet trophy (depending how well the intelligence of dragons are known or not).

 

[jgsugden]

Interesting discussion. Addressing the "target on your back" element is something I'll ad to the list of concerns. I see it as half opportunity, half problem. An rpg is a game of stories, and that is a great story hook.

The rules I have designed cover chromatic and metallic dragons.

 

[Caliban]

I'd be concerned about them eating the smaller, tastier PC's.

 

[Herosmith14]

[/QUOTE]1.) Urban adventures for non-humanoids might be a little odd. How would the noble feel about inviting a dragon to the masquerade ball?
2.) Many magic items may not work well for a dragon. Do dragons wear capes (Bib of the Mountebank)? Would magic armor reshape to a dragon?
3.) As you get larger (at higher levels) you might have trouble fitting in some places - literally.
4.) Why are you the one dragon that hangs around with PCs?
5.) It takes dragons hundreds of years to grow up - why do you do it so quickly?[/QUOTE]

I don't really have any good answers for numbers 2 and 5, number 4 you could just say your a particularly adventurous and inquisitive dragon, or that the heroes saved your life in some way, etc.

This wouldn't work at lower levels, but for numbers 1 and 3 I believe once a dragon is old/powerful enough it gains the ability to polymorph itself into a humanoid at will. At lower levels, the player would have to be okay with this, the party could say the the giant dragon is their pet, and they refuse to leave it out of the fun of the social events.

 

[Wulffolk]

As Herosmith14 hinted at, there is precedent for Dragons being able to assume humanoid form. The Dragons in the DragonLance setting could do this.

 

[77IM]

This is badly in need of revision (I made it early in 5E before I recognized certain balance issues), but it has some front-matter that may be helpful to you: Dragon Player Characters

 

[TheNoremac42]

Hit points. Dragons (and most creatures in general) have an absurdly large amount of hit points compared to PCs. Are his HD going to increase in size as he levels up and grows, or will he forever be a squishy runt by taking class HD?