Converting True Dragons

[Shade]

After all the disappointment and sadness this past week, I think I need another funny one.

Paper Dragon
Created by: Kay I. Lilley
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any place with magical scrolls, books, etc.
FREQUENCY: Darn rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Any paper with magical writings
INTELLIGENCE: Very-high
TREASURE: T
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic good
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 6 (2 in flight)
MOVEMENT: 6, Fly 24 (B)
HIT DICE: 2 +2
THAC0: 19
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4 (claw/claw/bite/tail sting)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-2/1-2/1-4/1-3
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poisonous sting, possible spell use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Camouflage
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
SIZE: T (6' long)
MORALE: Steady (12)
XP VALUE: 650

Legend holds that this almost two-dimensional creature was created to resemble, or possibly is, a true dragon. The wizard responsible for its creation was a bit eccentric (obviously) and had set out to make a guardian for his library of spells. After creating the paper dragon and finding out how well the creature worked, he channeled more magical energy into making it a living thing, able to exist anywhere and to breed, therefore causing a new race of dragons to come forth. But in the process of accomplishing this, something went wrong, and the paper dragon's purpose was altered. Instead of protecting scrolls, it now considered them a food. By the time the wizard found this out. the dragon had gone--and left him with an empty library.

The paper dragon can now be found in scrolls, spell books, or almost any sort of source. It derives nourishment from the magical inks used in such writings. Due to its two-dimensional appearance and coloration, it has a 50% chance of being mistaken in low torchlight for merely a drawing of a dragon. Closer inspection or better lighting reveals its true nature.

The paper dragon attacks by two methods. The first method is a physical attack with two claws, a bite, and a tail sting. The tail stinger injects poison that causes sleep for two turns. If a save vs. poison is made, the effect is drowsiness that also lasts for two turns. While drowsy, the character cannot engage in any activity that requires fast movement or dexterity (climbing, picking locks, dodging missiles, etc.), and he suffers a -3 penalty on to-hit and damage rolls (minimum of 1hp damage).

The paper dragon's second mode of attack is the hurling of its most recently eaten spell. When encountered, a paper dragon has 1-4 magical scrolls in its lair that it is saving for food. Generate each scroll using Table 90 in the AD&D 2nd Edition Dungeon Master's Guide (pages 135-136), then generate one extra scroll to represent the last meal that the paper dragon has eaten. Randomly generate one spell from that eaten scroll, and that will be the spell the paper dragon is able to cast at the adventurers. If the scroll was a protection scroll, the dragon can create that protective effect; if the scroll was cursed, the dragon has no effective spell attack. The paper dragon casts its spell or effect by appearing to burp in the direction of its victims. If hard pressed, a paper dragon may hurriedly gulp down part or all of a scroll; it is able to eat one spell from a scroll without disturbing other spells, and it can read magic to determine which spell will be the most advantageous. The consumption of part or all of a scroll takes one round.

Paper dragons are good natured but destructive. How they manage to reproduce is a complete mystery. If slain, a paper dragon may be unfolded like an origami figure; if the unfolder passes a dexterity check on 1d20 (to keep from tearing the paper) and if the paper dragon was not damaged in any way by its cause of death, the dragon unfolds into a 1'-square sheet of paper upon which the contents of the last scroll it has eaten are written down.

A paper dragon appears to be a very small dragon made of some expensive parchment, upon which decorations appear like handwriting or illustrations.

Originally appeared in Dragon #156, "Not Necessarily the Monstrous Compendium", April 1990.

 

[RavinRay]

And I thought the Maztican dragon was tough - this one's gonna be a stretch for me.

The paper dragon's affinity for magical scrolls is somewhat reminiscent of the arcane dragons' (the tome dragon in particular), and like the spellhoarding dragon template. There's a magical item in Oriental Adventures, paper of forms, whereupon this piece of paper, when folded origami-style into the shape of an animal and the command word is spoken, transforms into a life-sized version of that animal. Maybe the paper dragon has a similar origin.

 

[freyar]

Well, just for the basics, I doubt a paper body has any natural armor, so let's say that the AC of 14 (not flying) comes from a DEX of 18. Not quite sure why the AC is better when it's flying, though...

 

[RavinRay]

If it's gonna be a true dragon, then I suggest it should be 3D, but have a Flatten (Su) ability that enables it to assume a 2D form which gives it a bonus on Hide and/or Disguise checks. The scribblings on its body remind me of the runes and sigils on a spellhoarding dragon.

For its natural attacks, it could share the arcane dragons' Physical Frailty, wherein it deals damage as if it were one size category smaller. In 2D form, maybe it can't employ bite, claw, and tail sting at all.

Poison: injury, initial damage sleep, (Fort save for shaken or sickened?), secondary damage?

Does the dragon actually burp when it casts a spell, or does it simple open its mouth in while facing the direction it wants to cast. If it is the former it effectively adds a verbal component to its spellcasting, which might make it vulnerable to silence effects.

 

[freyar]

How's this?

Flatten (Su): At will, a paper dragon can assume a two-dimensional form as a free action. In this form, the paper dragon gains a +20 racial bonus to Disguise checks to appear as a sketch of a dragon. Also, in two dimensional form, the dragon may not make claw, bite, or tail sting attacks. The dragon may remain in two-dimensional form until it chooses to revert to its natural three-dimensional form.

Should we limit what level spells the dragon can "burp" up? Otherwise, it may be difficult to assign a CR, unless you already know what spells will be in its hoard.

Regarding the poison, the secondary damage might as well be sleep, fort save negates. For the sucessful save on the primary damage, sickened + stunned seems about right.

 

[Mortis]

How about making its claws 'keen' - paper cuts are nasty

It feels more like an awakene construct to me but given the thread title...

As for being ,ade of paper I would say that it has resitance/immunity to most forms of energy but is vulnerable to fire.

Regards
Mortis

 

[Shade]

I'm liking these ideas.

For the poison, I'd almost rather go with fatigued/exhausted for the damage. Thoughts?

Mortis...the keen concept is a good one. A similar creature, the paper golem (from a recent Dragon), has augmented critical for the same reasons. It also has vulnerability to fire and vulnerability to slashing. Maybe we can give it vulnerabilty to fire, and make its damage reduction /slashing rather than /magic?

Flatten looks good.

For the spell-burping, I'd suggest we give it a caster level progression, but instead of getting spells, it may consume spells of up to the max level of a sorcerer of the same caster level. I'd like to try to work this into a breath weapon...perhaps the spell effect is treated as a cone, affecting all within (regardless of the original spell's target/area)? Alternatively, it can gain the benefit of a consumed spell on itself as a standard action?

I definitely like the high Dex for this dragon rather than natural armor. In fact, that's how the paper golem handles it.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

Time to delurk on this forum...

I'm liking these ideas.

For the poison, I'd almost rather go with fatigued/exhausted for the damage. Thoughts?

That sounds really neat. Do you mean initial damage - fatigued for [Whatever time], secondary damage - exhausted for [Whatever time]?

It also has vulnerability to fire and vulnerability to slashing. Maybe we can give it vulnerabilty to fire, and make its damage reduction /slashing rather than /magic?

Cool, definitely fire vulnerability.

If this dragon is supposed to be weak, maybe make its DR X/slashing or magic?

For the spell-burping, I'd suggest we give it a caster level progression, but instead of getting spells, it may consume spells of up to the max level of a sorcerer of the same caster level. [...]
I definitely like the high Dex for this dragon rather than natural armor. In fact, that's how the paper golem handles it.

I like the Dex too.

Just a suggestion, feel free to ignore it, but what if you did this:

Spell Consumption (Su) : The paper dragon can consume a spell scroll as a standard action. If the level of the spell on the scroll was less than or equal to half the paper dragon's age category (round up), the paper dragon gains the ability to use that spell once as a spell-like ability.

 

[freyar]

For the poison, I'd almost rather go with fatigued/exhausted for the damage. Thoughts?

I'd suggest primary damage sleep (fort save for fatigued), secondary damage exhausted (fort save negates). How's that sound?

Mortis...the keen concept is a good one. A similar creature, the paper golem (from a recent Dragon), has augmented critical for the same reasons. It also has vulnerability to fire and vulnerability to slashing. Maybe we can give it vulnerabilty to fire, and make its damage reduction /slashing rather than /magic?

I like keen and the vulnerability and dr ideas.

For the spell-burping, I'd suggest we give it a caster level progression, but instead of getting spells, it may consume spells of up to the max level of a sorcerer of the same caster level. I'd like to try to work this into a breath weapon...perhaps the spell effect is treated as a cone, affecting all within (regardless of the original spell's target/area)? Alternatively, it can gain the benefit of a consumed spell on itself as a standard action?

Nice! I really like the idea of the spell affecting all creatures within a cone...

 

[Shade]

Time to delurk on this forum...

Welcome back!

That sounds really neat. Do you mean initial damage - fatigued for [Whatever time], secondary damage - exhausted for [Whatever time]?

I'd suggest primary damage sleep (fort save for fatigued), secondary damage exhausted (fort save negates). How's that sound?

I was thinking essentially what freyar suggested.

If this dragon is supposed to be weak, maybe make its DR X/slashing or magic?

Good suggestion. That is probably closer to the spirit of other true dragons.

Just a suggestion, feel free to ignore it, but what if you did this:

Spell Consumption (Su) : The paper dragon can consume a spell scroll as a standard action. If the level of the spell on the scroll was less than or equal to half the paper dragon's age category (round up), the paper dragon gains the ability to use that spell once as a spell-like ability.

I like the idea, but it would limit great wyrms to 6th-level spells. If we can find a nice mechanic to allow 9th-level spells at great wyrm, without overpowering them on the low end, that would probably be optimal.