D&D General What Even Is The Deal With DnD Dragons?

[doctorbadwolf]

And actually, if you decolor all the basic dragons, and give them no names, and just describe their abilities, habits, habitats, etc, many of them end up being fairly interesting.

I’d simply rather they be given new names, and be colored after their environs or just the imaginations of artists, and go from there.

The Metallics are all really interesting once you do this. You’ve got benevolent tyrants, kind recluses, a burrower, a swimmer, etc.

The Chromatics are just...too “correspond an element/damage type to a color” for me. Their whole thing feels like a mechanical construct instead of something thought up in world-building.

But, take away the color wheel, and describe any one of them, and you start getting the basis for a cool dragon.

A swamp dragon, who spits acid, and speaks of Doom. Well, Doom has multiple meanings, and witches often live in swamps, so ally this bastard with hags and rusalka, give it some divination abilities not available to PCs, and give it a region-level Fog Cloud effect.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Now imagine dragons greater than even the gods. Eberron gets this right, but IMO another setting could go farther.

Pyranagoraxis The Dragon of Eternal Flame is imprisoned in Fire. Not a prison made of flame, nor located in the plane of fire, but in the concept of Burning, and in the effect of flame upon reality. Fire is wild because Pyranagoraxis is wild. It destroys because she rages. It leaves behind the seeds for new life because she is a Will to Create. It warms and comforts from a safe distance, but only the true priestess of Flame can reach into it and embrace the First Burning without being consumed.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

I have to commiserate with you Doctor. I don't care for it myself. However, you pointed out how to fix it, and it's really easy.

Eliminate their names, change their appearances, and you're done. Make each dragon an individual rather than a type. Their are plenty to last a lifetime of gaming.

Yet, you can go even further by switching and augmenting their powers around. It just takes little bit of time, but if you care about dragons as much as it sounds then it's worth the extra effort.

 

[Charlaquin]

And actually, if you decolor all the basic dragons, and give them no names, and just describe their abilities, habits, habitats, etc, many of them end up being fairly interesting.

I’d simply rather they be given new names, and be colored after their environs or just the imaginations of artists, and go from there.

The Metallics are all really interesting once you do this. You’ve got benevolent tyrants, kind recluses, a burrower, a swimmer, etc.

The Chromatics are just...too “correspond an element/damage type to a color” for me. Their whole thing feels like a mechanical construct instead of something thought up in world-building.

But, take away the color wheel, and describe any one of them, and you start getting the basis for a cool dragon.

A swamp dragon, who spits acid, and speaks of Doom. Well, Doom has multiple meanings, and witches often live in swamps, so ally this bastard with hags and rusalka, give it some divination abilities not available to PCs, and give it a region-level Fog Cloud effect.

Since my chromatic dragons are associated with the four humors as well as the four broadest stages of the Magnum Opus, the work of assigning personalities, breath weapons, and habitats kinda does itself.

Ebon dragons are associated with black bile and putrefaction, so naturally they are grounded and aloof, have septic saliva (poison damage) and live in swamps. Not far off from standard black dragons, really.

Albino dragons are associated with phlegm and dissolution or distillation. They are accordingly volatile but detached, live in the frigid waters of the north, and can expectorate Aqua Regia (acid damage).

Citrine dragons are associated with yellow bile, fire and coagulation. They are fiery but measured, spit molten brimstone (technically burning chemicals like a bombardier beetle, does fire damage), and lair in volcanic regions.

Ruby dragons are associated with blood and amalgamation. They are passionate and chaotic, roost on the highest mountain peaks, and bring lightning down upon their prey (I think the idea of lightning “breath” is dumb, so I narrate it more like an electric eel’s discharge, but functionally its still a line of lightning damage.)

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Since my chromatic dragons are associated with the four humors as well as the four broadest stages of the Magnum Opus, the work of assigning personalities, breath weapons, and habitats kinda does itself.

Ebon dragons are associated with black bile and putrefaction, so naturally they are grounded and aloof, have septic saliva (poison damage) and live in swamps. Not far off from standard black dragons, really.

Albino dragons are associated with phlegm and dissolution or distillation. They are accordingly volatile but detached, live in the frigid waters of the north, and can expectorate Aqua Regia (acid damage).

Citrine dragons are associated with yellow bile, fire and coagulation. They are fiery but measured, spit molten brimstone (technically burning chemicals like a bombardier beetle, does fire damage), and lair in volcanic regions.

Ruby dragons are associated with blood and amalgamation. They are passionate and chaotic, roost on the highest mountain peaks, and bring lightning down upon their prey (I think the idea of lightning “breath” is dumb, so I narrate it more like an electric eel’s discharge, but functionally its still a line of lightning damage.)

See, that sort of thing is vastly more interesting than what dnd does with dragons.

 

[Charlaquin]

See, that sort of thing is vastly more interesting than what dnd does with dragons.

Thank you very much!

 

[Coroc]

Well the thing about them, and D&D came up first with this idea, is that some of them got a different breath weapon. Whereas classic dragons only spat fire or maybe used some stuff we would call acid today, back then it was poisonous or pestilent, for their breath attack.
Color coding seems a way to further create subgenres.
Maybe it was Gygax or some buddy of him back then, wanting to surprise their gaming group with a new opponent. As everyone prepared for the fight with items or potions of fire resistance the dragon spat electric damage instead. At least I can imagine that this might be how the coloring came to be.

 

[Kurotowa]

Dragons are Primal. The race of dragons is ancient, dating to the earliest days of the world. Each line has a close elemental affiliation that influences what terrain they feel comfortable in. They wield magic innately, not through study or prayer. Yet they are unquestionably native to the Prime, not foreign entities like elementals or outsiders.

Dragons do not Build. They make no tools and erect no buildings, for they have no need of such frail things. They form no societies, for the very idea of cooperation is foreign when each dragon considers itself the ultimate lord of its domain. They may appreciate the fruits of other creatures' labor, but they are prizes and curiosities, not essentials.

Dragons Take their Due. They hunt for food in their domain, and few pause to consider that they might be hunted in turn. They claim the treasures that please their eye, and consider the act of claiming to be all the right they need. They count debts and nurse grudges and jealously guard their hoard, for no dragon willingly accepts a wrong against them.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

In my campaigns only the types of dragons that seem directly (or close enough) insoired by norse dragons count as "true" and tiamat and bahamut are either pretenders or misrepresented in some way.

You would be surprised by how much more this makes a lot of things fit. Sure. It has it's own issues but it really works better. I still use all the other dragons (obviously i havent used each and every one, theres too many, but you know what i mean) but its sooooooo much better when you just unshackle yoursekf from the the metalics and chromatics being "true".

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I guess I should clarify, I am very much aware of the history of dragons, and how they are designed, and what their role in dnd worlds is.

I really appreciate the effort, but I absolutely don’t need any sort of primer on what dragons are like and where they come from.