Converting True Dragons
- Thread starter Shade
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Shade
Monster Junkie
Dragon, Neutral, Jade
Climate/Terrain: Temperate oriental forests
Freq: Very rare
Org: Solitary or clan
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Omnivore
Int: Genius (17-18)
Treasure: See below
Alignment: Neutral
# App: 1d3
AC: 0 (base)
Movement: 9, fl 24 (B)
HD: 7 (base)
THAC0: 13 (base)
# Att: 3 plus special
Dmg/Att: 1d6 (x2)/5d4
SA: Breath weapon, spells, special
SD: Spells, special
MR: See below
Size: H-G (18' base length)
Morale: Fanatic (17-18)
XP: See below
The jade dragon is the Oriental cousin to the emerald dragon of the western world. This dragon is usually considered mythical by humans and is sought by only a few adventurous thrill seekers. Slightly more powerful than its western cousin, this creature looks the same as other Oriental dragons, except that it has wings with which to fly. The hide of a jade dragon is made up of several different shades of green, swirled about in a random pattern.
Jade dragons speak their own language, and they can communicate telepathically with any other creature having that ability, as well as creatures with Intelligences of 18 or higher.
Combat: Jade dragons use their breath weapons and magical abilities to defend themselves if possible, but they can also employ two claw attacks and a bite if forced into melee. Although they are smaller and weaker than their more common relatives, they enjoy excellent spellcasting abilities, possessing both wizard and priest spells.
Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A jade dragon is able to breathe a powerful sonic wail. All those within a 90-foot radius suffer damage and must successfully save vs. breath weapon or be deafened for 1d6 x 10 rounds. Even if the save is successful, the victim is deafened for 2d6 rounds. In addition, all victims must make a successful system shock check in order to avoid being knocked unconscious for 5d4 rounds.
Using riddling talk and personal charm, jade dragons can entrance those who are not involved in combat or otherwise distracted. Anyone within 90 feet who listens to a jade has a 10% cumulative chance per round to become affected as by a suggestion spell. A successful save vs. spell indicates that the character can resist the charm for at least six rounds, after which there's a cumulative 5% chance to be charmed. Those who successfully save twice can't be charmed by that dragon.
Due to its relatively small size, the fear aura of a neutral dragon allows a +4 bonus to opponents' saving throws. Also, neutrals cannot polymorph themselves unless they carry the spell of the same name. However, they do have the innate ability to blink six times per day (as a 10th-level caster).
Habitat/Society: Jade dragons make their lairs in dense forests, as they are avid collectors of rare woods. Like other neutral dragons, they are extremely reclusive creatures, preferring remote lairs, and they aren't very hospitable to unexpected visitors. They love treasure, especially jade, and will bargain for precious and semiprecious stones.
Ecology: Jades live entirely on forest vegetation and animal life, and will not eat humans. No jade dragon hide has ever been sold, so its value is unknown. The few jade dragons that have ever been seen were reported to be exquisitely beautiful, and there are many who would pay great sums to acquire such a hide.
Body length: wyrmling (2-5) to great wyrm (56-60)
Tail length: wyrmling (1-4) to great wyrm (45-48)
Breath weapon: 1d6+1/age category
Wizard/Priest spells at great wyrm: 3 3 3 3 3 3 2/2 2 2 2 2
MR: 5% per age category beginning at juvenile
Source: MCA1.
Climate/Terrain: Temperate oriental forests
Freq: Very rare
Org: Solitary or clan
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Omnivore
Int: Genius (17-18)
Treasure: See below
Alignment: Neutral
# App: 1d3
AC: 0 (base)
Movement: 9, fl 24 (B)
HD: 7 (base)
THAC0: 13 (base)
# Att: 3 plus special
Dmg/Att: 1d6 (x2)/5d4
SA: Breath weapon, spells, special
SD: Spells, special
MR: See below
Size: H-G (18' base length)
Morale: Fanatic (17-18)
XP: See below
The jade dragon is the Oriental cousin to the emerald dragon of the western world. This dragon is usually considered mythical by humans and is sought by only a few adventurous thrill seekers. Slightly more powerful than its western cousin, this creature looks the same as other Oriental dragons, except that it has wings with which to fly. The hide of a jade dragon is made up of several different shades of green, swirled about in a random pattern.
Jade dragons speak their own language, and they can communicate telepathically with any other creature having that ability, as well as creatures with Intelligences of 18 or higher.
Combat: Jade dragons use their breath weapons and magical abilities to defend themselves if possible, but they can also employ two claw attacks and a bite if forced into melee. Although they are smaller and weaker than their more common relatives, they enjoy excellent spellcasting abilities, possessing both wizard and priest spells.
Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A jade dragon is able to breathe a powerful sonic wail. All those within a 90-foot radius suffer damage and must successfully save vs. breath weapon or be deafened for 1d6 x 10 rounds. Even if the save is successful, the victim is deafened for 2d6 rounds. In addition, all victims must make a successful system shock check in order to avoid being knocked unconscious for 5d4 rounds.
Using riddling talk and personal charm, jade dragons can entrance those who are not involved in combat or otherwise distracted. Anyone within 90 feet who listens to a jade has a 10% cumulative chance per round to become affected as by a suggestion spell. A successful save vs. spell indicates that the character can resist the charm for at least six rounds, after which there's a cumulative 5% chance to be charmed. Those who successfully save twice can't be charmed by that dragon.
Due to its relatively small size, the fear aura of a neutral dragon allows a +4 bonus to opponents' saving throws. Also, neutrals cannot polymorph themselves unless they carry the spell of the same name. However, they do have the innate ability to blink six times per day (as a 10th-level caster).
Habitat/Society: Jade dragons make their lairs in dense forests, as they are avid collectors of rare woods. Like other neutral dragons, they are extremely reclusive creatures, preferring remote lairs, and they aren't very hospitable to unexpected visitors. They love treasure, especially jade, and will bargain for precious and semiprecious stones.
Ecology: Jades live entirely on forest vegetation and animal life, and will not eat humans. No jade dragon hide has ever been sold, so its value is unknown. The few jade dragons that have ever been seen were reported to be exquisitely beautiful, and there are many who would pay great sums to acquire such a hide.
Body length: wyrmling (2-5) to great wyrm (56-60)
Tail length: wyrmling (1-4) to great wyrm (45-48)
Breath weapon: 1d6+1/age category
Wizard/Priest spells at great wyrm: 3 3 3 3 3 3 2/2 2 2 2 2
MR: 5% per age category beginning at juvenile
Source: MCA1.
Last edited:
Shade
Monster Junkie
Here's how it compares to the 2e Emerald Dragon...
Its AC is 2 worse
Its Int is 2 better
Its land speed is the same
Its fly speed is slower, but one manueverability class better
Its magic resistance is 10% worse
Its spellcasting is better
Its breath weapon deals different damage (emerald was 2d4+1/age category)
It is smaller in both body length and tail length
Its claws are weaker, but its bite is more powerful
Its AC is 2 worse
Its Int is 2 better
Its land speed is the same
Its fly speed is slower, but one manueverability class better
Its magic resistance is 10% worse
Its spellcasting is better
Its breath weapon deals different damage (emerald was 2d4+1/age category)
It is smaller in both body length and tail length
Its claws are weaker, but its bite is more powerful
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
Shade said:
Ok, then, in comparison to the 3e emerald, let's make:
Its AC one progression worse (are there natural armor progressions?)
Its Int progression one step better
Same land speed
Fly speed one progression worse, but bump up the manueverability
SR progression one step worse, I guess
Use a better CL progression than the Emerald's manifester level progression (1 step?)
Size progression 1 step less
Probably the size progression will fix the claw attacks, but we can give it a "powerful bite" ability and bump the bite damage up 2 sizes or something.
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
Shade said:
Hehe, I'm sure you'll be thrilled to know that some of the rows in the table aren't aligned properly and that I think you have the size categories off by one in the advancement line.
Taking a shot at the breath weapon (I guess the damage and DC in the table look ok):
Breath Weapon (Su): The jade dragon's breath weapon is a powerful cone of sonic energy. Anyone in the cone of the breath who does not make a successful Reflex save versus damage must also make a Fortitude save (at the same DC) or be deafened for 3 rounds per age category of the dragon and rendered unconscious for 1 round per age category of the dragon.
How's that seem?
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