Converting True Dragons

[Cleon]

Do you have any ideas on description and flavor?

Oops! That comma, I'll grant you.

Updating the Azure Dragon Working Draft.

Do you have any ideas on description and flavor?

Not at the moment. It'd have to be something rather generic since there's virtually no description or background info in the original sources.

 

[freyar]

Well, I guess one question is if we want to require a Spot or Know (arcana) check to distinguish them from blue dragons, like we did for the Mystaran amber? I think it's a good idea. And since, unlike golds, blue dragon scales don't change color with age but do have quite a bit of individual variation, I'd say to let azure dragon scale colors vary like the blue's (though tilted toward the lighter shades) but with a different characteristic shape or texture or something.

 

[Cleon]

Well, I guess one question is if we want to require a Spot or Know (arcana) check to distinguish them from blue dragons, like we did for the Mystaran amber? I think it's a good idea. And since, unlike golds, blue dragon scales don't change color with age but do have quite a bit of individual variation, I'd say to let azure dragon scale colors vary like the blue's (though tilted toward the lighter shades) but with a different characteristic shape or texture or something.

Yes, we should definitely have a Spot/Know check to detect the difference. The BECMI original mentions "shimmering color differences", so I suppose we should refer to that in some way.

 

[freyar]

Hmmm, how about something like this?

Like blue dragons, azure dragons range in color from a bright turquoise to a dark navy, though they tend toward lighter hues. As they age, azure dragon scales grow a multitude of small facets, lending a shimmer to their appearance, a slight distinction from the blue dragon. A DC 20 Spot or Knowledge (arcana) check is required to notice the difference.

 

[Cleon]

Hmmm, how about something like this?

Like blue dragons, azure dragons range in color from a bright turquoise to a dark navy, though they tend toward lighter hues. As they age, azure dragon scales grow a multitude of small facets, lending a shimmer to their appearance, a slight distinction from the blue dragon. A DC 20 Spot or Knowledge (arcana) check is required to notice the difference.

I'm not keen on the "grow a multitude of small facets" bit. Firstly, there isn't any indication of facets in the original text. Secondly, we've already got a blue-hued dragon with faceted scales - the Psionic Sapphire Gem Dragon. At least the Psionic Sapphire's MC illustrations show it with faceted scales. I feel we should avoid having two "faceted sapphire" dragons, so it seems better to focus on the "shimmering" as being what differentiates the two dragons.

How's this:

An azure dragon appears very much like a blue dragon. Like blue dragons, their scales range in color from bright turquoise to dark navy, though azure dragons tend towards the lighter hues. An expert eye can distinguish an azure dragon from a blue by a curious shimmering quality in the light reflecting from an azure's scales. A DC 20 Spot or Knowledge (arcana) check is required to notice the difference.

 

[freyar]

That'll work; I was just trying to come up with a physiological reason for the shimmering.

Are these done with that and ready for de-redding? I guess the alignment is still a small question. I think I'd go with always LG, just to make them more "opposite" to the Blue.

 

[Cleon]

That'll work; I was just trying to come up with a physiological reason for the shimmering.

Updating the Azure Dragon Working Draft.

Are these done with that and ready for de-redding? I guess the alignment is still a small question. I think I'd go with always LG, just to make them more "opposite" to the Blue.

Yes, I prefer Lawful Good for them too. If you're similarly OK with the proposed Air Subtype I can go ahead and de-red the stats.

Oh, except for the spell line - they oughtn't to have the Evil domain like the blue dragon. The opposite solution would be to substitute the Good domain, but we could give them the Knowledge domain instead since that's full of divinations.

I guess we could do with a little bit more background information, which maybe should mention they're separate from the psionic Sapphire Gem dragons.

 

[freyar]

Hmmm. I think I like the Knowledge domain.

I don't have any thoughts on the background information other than agreeing that they're distinct from Sapphires. We could make them sometimes look like Sapphire dragons if you like, too.

 

[Cleon]

Hmmm. I think I like the Knowledge domain.

Very well…

Updating the Azure Dragon Working Draft.

I don't have any thoughts on the background information other than agreeing that they're distinct from Sapphires. We could make them sometimes look like Sapphire dragons if you like, too.

I prefer just having them look like Blues.

 

[freyar]

Did the description get updated? I don't see it.

I'd be fine just adding a line that Azure Dragons are not the same as Sapphire Dragons.