D&D 5E (2024) Interested in new dragon designs for 5e (5.5e or 6e)?

[dave2008]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but you could ask that the artist incorporate more 'elemental' motifs into the dragons.

Maybe Red Dragons have fire-like markings, or scales that look like flickering flames.

I thought along those lines at one point, but that is not where my mind is now.

Alternatively, you could model dragons more exclusively on serpents than on feline animals, including lions. Why not feature a canine influence in dragons?

You could make dragons appear more canine/serpentine instead of feline/serpentine, or combine the features of a humanoid body with the dragon.

I think I am going to go for different influences for different dragons

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Back on topic:
I think when I get some time and a bit of money I am going to commission an artist better than myself to update the chromatic dragons based my ideas in the OP. Then I will provided some updated stats too!

Any other suggestions for ideas regarding updated chromatic dragons?

Ummm...i has an idea but i think it might be a distraction here. Its about very pure norse influenced dragons. Specifically the big'uns...ill message u about it. Ive messed around quite a bit with creatures and how they intersect with cosmology in my 3/3.5 games. Thought i might wanna ask for a bit of a critique from a fellow fan of dragons.

But i do have a relevant question about chromatic dragons. You wanna stick to the basic 5. What say you about the crossbreeding of them? Should the clutches be mixes or breed true to one or the other? Should individual wyrmlings take after individual parents. Should they be able to breed at all? What do you think of dragons like fafnir in this regard? Do you think such a dragon should produce half dragon offspring or pure?

 

[Son of the Serpent]

@dave2008 sorry i made an edit you may wanna look again.

 

[generic]

@dave2sorry i made an edit you may wanna look again.

It's dave2008

 

[Son of the Serpent]

It's dave2008

Typo. Fixed it.

 

[dave2008]

But i do have a relevant question about chromatic dragons. You wanna stick to the basic 5.

Yes, for now.

What say you about the crossbreeding of them?

I haven't really thought about it. The original intent was just to redesign the iconic D&D dragons

Should the clutches be mixes or breed true to one or the other?

Good question. I guess I think of them as different species, so they wouldn't be able to breed. However, I did make Shen (the Dragon of Doom) a black dragon / blue dragon hybrid so I guess I think offspring of mixed parentage would be a mixture of the parents.

Should individual wyrmlings take after individual parents. Should they be able to breed at all?

See my answer above. I could go either way to be honest, but I am thinking they can interbreed, and the result is a mix of the two that is between the two parents in strength.

What do you think of dragons like fafnir in this regard?

What do you mean? Fafnir is not a chromatic dragon, it is better described by the 2e Linnorms. I would give them the 'dragon' type in 5e, but I don't think of them as the result of cross breeding of the chromatic dragons. FYI, when I was much younger I had a nile monitor named Fafnir.

Do you think such a dragon should produce half dragon offspring or pure?

I think I answered that above, but IMO a linnorm would breed true with other linnorms, but not with chromatic dragons.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Yes, for now.

I haven't really thought about it. The original intent was just to redesign the iconic D&D dragons

Good question. I guess I think of them as different species, so they wouldn't be able to breed. However, I did make Shen (the Dragon of Doom) a black dragon / blue dragon hybrid so I guess I think offspring of mixed parentage would be a mixture of the parents.
See my answer above. I could go either way to be honest, but I am thinking they can interbreed, and the result is a mix of the two that is between the two parents in strength.
What do you mean? Fafnir is not a chromatic dragon, it is better described by the 2e Linnorms. I would give them the 'dragon' type in 5e, but I don't think of them as the result of cross breeding of the chromatic dragons. FYI, when I was much younger I had a nile monitor named Fafnir.
I think I answered that above, but IMO a linnorm would breed true with other linnorms, but not with chromatic dragons.

Fair point. But he is actually a fairy (akin to a gnome or dwarf in dnd but little folk basically fey in legend) in dragon (dreki? Linnorm basically) form and not naturally a dragon. So i suppose what im wondering is would the true (fey) nature of fafnir affect his young?

 

[dave2008]

Fair point. But he is actually a fairy (akin to a gnome or dwarf in dnd but little folk basically fey in legend) in dragon (dreki? Linnorm basically) form and not naturally a dragon. So i suppose what im wondering is would the true (fey) nature of fafnir affect his young?

I thought greed transformed Fafnir into a dragon or something similar (it has been a long time since i read that story and I could easily be getting it mixed up). If it is simple a voluntary shape change that would change my thought. If Fafnir is not truly a dragon then I would say it can't breed with one, but that is just me. I'm not really found of all the cross-breeding in D&D (half-elf, half-dragon, etc.) or myth in general.

So I would say if Fafnir had children they would be fey, probably in its original from, unless the transformation was true and Fafnir is no longer fey, but a dragon instead. Depends how you look at it. Fey is such a broad term in myth (like dragon), but here I am using the D&D version of the terms.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

I thought greed transformed Fafnir into a dragon or something similar (it has been a long time since i read that story and I could easily be getting it mixed up). If it is simple a voluntary shape change that would change my thought. If Fafnir is not truly a dragon then I would say it can't breed with one, but that is just me. I'm not really found of all the cross-breeding in D&D (half-elf, half-dragon, etc.) or myth in general.

So I would say if Fafnir had children they would be fey, probably in its original from, unless the transformation was true and Fafnir is no longer fey, but a dragon instead. Depends how you look at it. Fey is such a broad term in myth (like dragon), but here I am using the D&D version of the terms.

If i remember correctly fafnir was actually always able to change shape (he was a sorceror already in the first place) and that it was greedily protecting his treasure and not wanting to be recognized by his brother after killing his father that motivated (not forced) him to turn into a dragon and live as one for as long as he did. There are a few different versions of the story but i think his already being capable of changing shape is a consistant detail if i remember correctly. Translated into d&d he would either be a high level sorceror or high level wizard.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

I thought greed transformed Fafnir into a dragon or something similar (it has been a long time since i read that story and I could easily be getting it mixed up). If it is simple a voluntary shape change that would change my thought. If Fafnir is not truly a dragon then I would say it can't breed with one, but that is just me. I'm not really found of all the cross-breeding in D&D (half-elf, half-dragon, etc.) or myth in general.

So I would say if Fafnir had children they would be fey, probably in its original from, unless the transformation was true and Fafnir is no longer fey, but a dragon instead. Depends how you look at it. Fey is such a broad term in myth (like dragon), but here I am using the D&D version of the terms.

also thankyou for the answer.