Dragonscale Armor/Cloaks/Shields?

[Zarithar]

The party in the campaign I am DMing recently killed a young purple dragon and are interested in selling the hide and/or having it made into armor/shield covering/cloak/etc.

Unfortunately, the first Draconomicon (I don't own the second) does not go into any detail regarding dragonscale.

I was thinking for a purple dragon a skilled smith/tanner could perhaps make a suit of +2 scale mail with say... resist 5 psychic (purple dragon). I am somewhat at a loss for a daily power, though I was thinking along the lines of some form of domination lasting perhaps 1 round for example.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also... I seem to recall that dragon's teeth in past editions had magical properties. The Draconomicon covers only things like blood, organs, etc for use in alchemy. Again, advice would be appreciated!

Thank you.

 

[sigfile]

I'd allow the hide to be used as a major component for the enchant item ritual to create Nightmare Ward armor.

Resist: 5 psychic
Property: +2 to saving throws against charm, fear, and psychic effects

 

[keterys]

Personally, I don't particularly recommend instilling a belief that hacking apart corpses leads to more treasure... but eh If you'd planned on it counting for treasure, then sure, great. Getting extra treasure parcels through bloodymindedness, less so.

A young purple is a level 6 solo, so I'd probably look for an item in the level 6-ish range. Say +2 Dragonrider's or +2 Resistance (Psychic). Nightmare is a good pick too, as mentioned. If you want, a couple of the teeth functioning as consumables for Potion of Resistance (Psychic) or Dragonbreath (Psychic) could work.

 

[Klaus]

The party in the campaign I am DMing recently killed a young purple dragon and are interested in selling the hide and/or having it made into armor/shield covering/cloak/etc.

Unfortunately, the first Draconomicon (I don't own the second) does not go into any detail regarding dragonscale.

I was thinking for a purple dragon a skilled smith/tanner could perhaps make a suit of +2 scale mail with say... resist 5 psychic (purple dragon). I am somewhat at a loss for a daily power, though I was thinking along the lines of some form of domination lasting perhaps 1 round for example.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also... I seem to recall that dragon's teeth in past editions had magical properties. The Draconomicon covers only things like blood, organs, etc for use in alchemy. Again, advice would be appreciated!

Thank you.

There are no specific rules for dragonscale items. Just choose (or let the players choose) the armor/cloak/shield they want, and let them create it from the dragon's hide. You then remove the appropriate items from future treasure hoards.

As mentioned above, limit the items' levels to the dragon's level or thereabouts (yielding level 6, 7 or 8 items).

 

[Shin Okada]

Maybe you would better check Item Components rule in DMG II, chapter 5.

You can make some or all of the purple dragon's body as item components to create some magic items in players' wish list.

 

[jbear]

Personally, I don't particularly recommend instilling a belief that hacking apart corpses leads to more treasure... but eh If you'd planned on it counting for treasure, then sure, great. Getting extra treasure parcels through bloodymindedness, less so.

A young purple is a level 6 solo, so I'd probably look for an item in the level 6-ish range. Say +2 Dragonrider's or +2 Resistance (Psychic). Nightmare is a good pick too, as mentioned. If you want, a couple of the teeth functioning as consumables for Potion of Resistance (Psychic) or Dragonbreath (Psychic) could work.

You really consider skinning a dragon bloody minded oO''? Shucks, I must be bloody minded too then. I woudn't skin an orc and wear him, that'd be gross, but a dragon... If I live and it dies, that thing is boots!!!!

 

[Mithreinmaethor]

Unfortunately there is no basis by which to do what the OP was requesting.

The rules in the DMG2 are the closest you will get.

Otherwise a dragons hide is just like any other hide. Its made into either normal leather or normal hide armor.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Well, there are rules in the Draconomicon which might be closer - there are rules in it specifically about cutting up dragons and using their gribblies for whatnots.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I'd recommend using it as a plot hook. Let the PCs make the armor, but have to quest to find someone who can work it. Make the PCs the target of another purple dragon, or mercenaries working for them. It's a valuable item, maybe thieves are gunning to get the PCs. One of my players wanted to make a cap, so (spoiler just in case)

Spoiler

it's an intelligent item with the spirit of the slain dragon in it

.

The absolute worst thing you could do would be to not take advantage of it, or squander it on simple mechanics.

 

[the-golem]

Unfortunately there is no basis by which to do what the OP was requesting.

The rules in the DMG2 are the closest you will get.

Otherwise a dragons hide is just like any other hide. Its made into either normal leather or normal hide armor.

While there aren't hard rules on the subject, I'd rule that the dragonscale and the dragonhide are two seperate things. A dragons scales attach to its skin much like feathers attach to a chicken (Or hair to a human, for that matter). It's fully possible to de-scale a dragon and use its scales for Wyrmscale Armor, or somesuch, and use it's hide/skin for another armor is perfectly fine to me.

IMHO, A dragons scales are equal in strength/composition to steel scale armor.