Generic Western Dragons... Who wants'em?

[LoneWolf23]

Is anyone else here as tired as I am with D&D's "Standard" Dragons, the Chromatics and Metallics? Let's face it, while they are a staple of Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance, the Chromatics and Metallics are a bit too cliche... When you can automatically determine a Dragon's alignment and abilities just by looking at it's color, it kinda removes the mystique and mystery of the creature...

I, personally, would like to see more traditional Western Dragons, with scale-colors ranging from green to red to anything, fire-breathing and with an alignment that depends on it's personality, not it's genetics.

In short, I want to see a Generic Western Dragon, like Shadowrun and other settings have. One I can customize if desired later on...

Anyone else feel that way?

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

I want more Melnibonean dragons - they spit a venomous pseudo-napalm that is sticky, acidic, toxic and ignites on contact with the air, burning hot enough to melt stone. That's nasty!

But I do agree with you. The Chromatic/Metallic classifications do detract from the mystery and the majesty that dragons are supposed to represent.

 

[demiurge1138]

Why stop there? It'd be really cool to see stats for all sorts of dragons the way they were originally intended. Like the standard occidental dragon, the lindorm (not the "linnorms" from MMII), the peluda (obscure, but really dangerous), the Lambdon Worm, the amphitere and other historical draconic creatures.

It could be like the Encyclopedia of Demons and Devils, only, well, good.

BTW, d20 Modern has a decent generic Occidental dragon.

Demiurge out.

 

[Olive]

But I do agree with you. The Chromatic/Metallic classifications do detract from the mystery and the majesty that dragons are supposed to represent.

But you guys know that the dragons in DnD evolved so that the players wouldn't know to prepare for a firebreather right?

Anyway, most of my players wouldn't have the faintest idea what alignment it was if I told them that a gold dragon was coming for them. they'd run just the same...

 

[Norfleet]

Anyway, most of my players wouldn't have the faintest idea what alignment it was if I told them that a gold dragon was coming for them. they'd run just the same...

That's why the game is called "Dungeons and Dragons". It's about hiding in dungeons, from dragons.

 

[Tonguez]

The Dragons of my world(s) are 'generic' - they are all 'Scorcerers' and all breath Acid, Gas or Fire (they can choose eg it would be stupid for a forest dwelling Dragon to breath fire so it tends to use gas - but it does have the option) and any other effect is generated through spells.

Dragon colours are based on enviromental factors (eg Bronze Dragons are desert dwellers) and have no relation to alignment or other such stupidity. Indeed a Bronze and a White dragon could breed and the offspring could be Black. It will still breath Acid Gas or Fire and have a natural afinity for Scorcerer.

Beside the Standard Dragons my world also features Sea Dragons (who produce an acidic spray which congeals underwater into a viscous goop), Mystic Dragons (Oriental type - with Elemental affinities ie Weather Spirits) and Celestial Dragons

 

[CCamfield]

God, yes. D&D's dragons are cheesy. For all that they're so smart, they don't even have the alignment variations possible for orcs.

 

[Mark]

That's why the game is called "Dungeons and Dragons". It's about hiding in dungeons, from dragons.

 

[Daedrova]

While I can say I understand where this opinion stems from, I must disagree.
While the alignment of a dragon "type" holds true for most of that color/alloy, also remember that exceptions are possible. Does anyone remember that all Drow are "evil". (Drizzt, who?)
Aside from that, Dragons are still supposed to be powerful, beautiful, magnificent, awe and fear inspiring creatures, no matter their alignment.... Even if Alignment were some type of straight jacket that predetermined the way the dragon reacted in any given situation. Note that the word “dragon” in the previous sentence could be replaced with the word "character", referring either to a PC with a particular alignment, or the actual character qualities and personality of said subject.
Cliché- What? How?
Because they are a particular alignment? That they are in some way defined from their concept or creation? Then H***, all classes are cheesy/cliché, alignments themselves are cheesy/cliché, drow are cheesy/cliché... all monsters and races for that matter are cheesy/cliché. As a matter of fact, anything within any RPG is or can be cliché, depending on our perceptions regarding it. RPGs themselves can be cliché (with plot hooks, conflicts, character development)
It is likely that such an unfavorable view has been unfortunately shaped from very poor or cheesy/cliché campaigns where all the dragons were carbon copy, that we may have known what to expect from each dragon in some particular situation... (by the way, taking that sort of thinking into the game/allowing your characters actions to be altered by it, is meta-game thinking.)
Perhaps someone could offer a more of a supported opinion on why they feel this way, avoiding thoughts like "D&D dragons are cliché because they are the way they are in D&D"
I do not want to seem like I am insulting any person's opinion, it is after all, just that, and each one is entitled to his own... of course. It is just seems to put a label where none need be...
Truthfully, the idea of these things being cliché or not will be subject to its freshness in each of our minds.

 

[Knightfall]

Dragons of the Balance

My take on dragons...

All of the dragons in my World of Kulan homebrew campaign setting are either partially neutral or considered rouge dragons, even those that are lawful or chaotic good.

Dragons are the children and servants of the goddess Mirella, who is Kulan's overdeity. She is known as the Goddess of the Balance and is true neutral.

as her key mortal servants on the Material Plane, dragons are protectors of the Balance, even the evil ones. For there must be a relative Balance of good, evil, law, and chaos. However, not all chromatics fall into the evil category and not all metallics are good.

For example, red and green dragons are usually neutral evil but the other chromatics fall into CN (black), LN (blue), and TN (white). In contrast, the only neutral good metallics are the copper dragons. Bronze and gold dragons are LN, brass dragons are CN, and silver dragons are TN.

However, these alignments aren't written in stone for each color. A silver dragon could just as likely be neutral evil and still be considered a Dargon of the Balance, but if that same silver dragon was chaotic evil or even lawful good then it would be considered a rouge dragon living outside the laws of the Balance.

Rogue dragon are rare, as they are hunted by a special group of warriors known as the Knights Majestic who are appointed to be protectors of the Balance across Kulan by Mirella and the dragons known as the Majestics.

These Majestics are the oldest and most powerful dragons on each continent and are semi-divine. Each continent, often, has at least one Majestic of each chromatic and/or metallic color living there, watching over the Balance. They are deferred to by druids and rangers alike that follow the tenets of the Balance, and a Majestic dragon is always true neutral in alignment.

Anyway, just thought I'd throw in my alternate view on dragons and what you can do with them if you change up things.

Cheers!

Knightfall1972

p.s. See the attached document on a complete breakdown of how I have aligned dragons on Kulan