Converting True Dragons

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Shade said:
Any recommendation on the dragon's scent? (Not the ability, but its aroma)
One/some/all of Chinese five spice (cinnamon, cassia buds, star anise and anise seed, ginger root, and cloves)?

I'd go for cinnamon and ginger.

Regards
Mortis
 

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Now I can understand why collectors want a jade dragon's hide, if it smells that yummy. :p

BTW Shade, since I'm putting all the dragons' stats into a spreadsheet, what adjustment did you do for the weaker Frightful Presence DC of the neutral dragons? Did you include a fixed penalty to the 10 + ½ dragon’s HD + dragon’s Cha modifier formula (in case I missed it)?
 

RavinRay said:
Now I can understand why collectors want a jade dragon's hide, if it smells that yummy. :p

And very festive. :)

RavinRay said:
BTW Shade, since I'm putting all the dragons' stats into a spreadsheet, what adjustment did you do for the weaker Frightful Presence DC of the neutral dragons? Did you include a fixed penalty to the 10 + ½ dragon’s HD + dragon’s Cha modifier formula (in case I missed it)?

None. I honestly can't remember if we decided to just leave it alone or simply forgot, but none of the neutral dragons have a penalty.

Should we revisit this? I can always go back and edit them.
 

Shade said:
None. I honestly can't remember if we decided to just leave it alone or simply forgot, but none of the neutral dragons have a penalty.

Should we revisit this? I can always go back and edit them.

Is there a reason neutral dragons have a penalty? Or is this just how things always were? My inclination would be to omit the penalty, since gem dragons don't have it (though maybe that is some other classification I don't know).
 

freyar said:
Is there a reason neutral dragons have a penalty? Or is this just how things always were? My inclination would be to omit the penalty, since gem dragons don't have it (though maybe that is some other classification I don't know).

It was from this passage:

Due to its relatively small size, the fear aura of a neutral dragon allows a +4 bonus to opponent's saving throws.

Since size doesn't seem to matter anymore with frightful presence, I'd tend to agree with the omission of the penalty.
 

STONE DRAGON
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 9"; 1" burrowing through rock; 6" burrowing through earth
HIT DICE: 7-9
% IN LAIR: 45%
TREASURE TYPE: H, Q (x2)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws and 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-6/5-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Missiles (boulder breath weapon), breath weapon, spell use, high intelligence
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Acute senses, savingthrow bonuses, low armor class, weapon breaking
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Lawful neutral
SIZE: L (35' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic-use: 100%
Sleeping: 50%
LEVEL/XP VALUE: 10 HD: VIII/4,800 + 14 per hit points; 11-12 HD: IX/7,200 + 16 per hit point

This solitary dragon inhabits rocky, deserted areas, and often makes its lair inside a cave with two or more exits. The stone dragon eats rocks for sustenance, with gems being considered delicacies.

They rarely interfere with the affairs of men, though when confronted they can prove very helpful or harmful. Stone dragons share the same general characteristics that all dragons do, but they lack wings. Instead, stone dragons can leap five times per day as if using the first-level magic-user spell jump.

Stone dragons are gray in color, each looking very much like a clump of rocks. If located in rocky terrain, a stone dragon has a 55% chance of blending in with the rocks, effectively concealing itself. Sharp weapons do half damage and must save vs. crushing blow on contact with such creatures, breaking and doing no damage if they fail; missile weapons must also save or be destroyed. Blunt weapons do full damage and will not break. Stone dragons save vs. fire and acid at - 1, and take + 1 hp damage per die of damage done on
these attacks. Stone dragons save vs. cold at + 1, with damage being - 1 per die. Earth-based spells that normally have no saving throw do only half damage or have half the effect against a stone dragon; for example, animated rocks and conjured earth elementals only do half damage when they hit, and earthquake has a 1 in 16 chance of killing a stone dragon. Earthbased spells that do allow a saving throw do half or no damage to stone dragons, depending on the dragon's saving throw. Flesh to stone and mud to rock (and their
reverses) have no effect on stone dragons.

The stone dragon has three breath weapons, each usable three times per day. The first breath weapon shoots 5-10 large (3' diameter) rocks from its mouth. These rocks are waste products of the dragon's diet. These rocks are expelled at a rate of one per segment, so one rock may be targeted at any opponent (thus, up to 10 people can actually be targeted, assuming 10 rocks are available). The range for hitting targets is 2"/4"/6" for short/medium/long range. A target must be at least 1" away from the dragon to be fired upon. The rocks have a +2 bonus to hit, and each rock does 2-7 hp damage. Note that normal missile range "to hit" penalties still apply.

The second weapon available to the stone dragon is a gas cloud 5" wide, 6" long, and 3" deep which loses effectiveness after one round. This acts like a slow spell for as many rounds as the dragon has hit dice. A successful save vs. breath weapon means that the spell has no effect. The stone dragon is immune to its own breath weapon, but it is not immune to a magic-user's slow spell.

The third breath weapon is also a gas cloud 5" wide, 6" long, and 3" deep that loses its effectiveness after one round. Failure to save vs. breath weapon indicates that the victim has turned to stone. The effects of this are permanent, though the usual magical methods may be used to reverse the petrified victim's condition.

Stone dragons prefer gems over the more common types of treasure, and will readily trade other treasures for them, sometimes paying a price twice the item is worth.

Upon reaching the fifth age category, a stone dragon receives the ability to cast stone shape once per day. At the seventh age category, he may cast it twice per day. At the eighth age level, the stone dragon may cast a statue spell once every two days with no chance of system shock failure.

Additionally, all stone dragons receive the following spells, each gained at successive age categories starting from very young age: allies, shatter, passwall, transmute rock to mud, wall of stone, conjure earth elemental, stone tell, and earthquake. Allies is a spell-like power that acts as a charm monster spell and takes one turn to cast. It affects only rock-based creatures (i.e., rock reptiles, xorn, umber hulks, earth elementals, etc.). The creature gets a saving throw to avoid the effects. All other information on this spell is treated as the charm monster spell.


From Dragon #134 (1988).
 

Quick impression:
  • It looks like it should have the earth subtype.
  • Damage reduction should be overcome by weapons that are both magical and bludgeoning.
  • Save penalties against fire and acid attacks, save bonuses against cold attacks.
  • Half-damage on failing saving throws, against effects with the earth descriptor, no damage on a successful save.
  • The rocky breath weapon reminds me of the amethyst lozenge of the amethyst dragon, and the cone of thorns of the arboreal dragon. It seems like the dragon can expel 1d6+4 rocks that deal 1d6+1 bludgeoning damage. The range is extremely short, and the dragon seems to use a swift action to target multiple creatures.
  • The slow breath weapon works like the copper's.
  • The petrification breath weapon is like the gorgon's.
 

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