half-dragon ECL

[Platinum]

I can't get the search feature to work. I'm trying to find the errata'd ECL for half-dragons. DMG p.22 says +3, but I know that the ECLs there were all increased. Where's the answer?

It's my first post, so "Hi all!"

 

[Wolf72]

I can't get the search feature to work. I'm trying to find the errata'd ECL for half-dragons. DMG p.22 says +3, but I know that the ECLs there were all increased. Where's the answer?

It's my first post, so "Hi all!"

welcome ... and be prepared for better answers than from you know where ...

anyway, there has been no errata. The article in Dragon Mag 293 did not officially change anything.

"We'd like your feedback on the material in this article. The ECL's that appear in this article might appear in an upcoming D&D product. Although we're always looking for feedback on the articles we publish, this article gives you a ready-made opportunity to participate in the development of the D&D game with our R&D department. Any comments, good or bad, should be sent to scalemail@wizards.com ." (p54)

 

[Buddha the DM]

I have created an alternate half-dragon template, which IMHO is much superior to the one in the monster manual. You can find the template at the link below complete with ECL Modifier, and choices for 34 different types of half-dragon.

Buddha's Alt.Half-Dragon Template

 

[ichabod]

I playtested some possibilities against the half-dragon, and found +4 to be appropriate. However, the standard races in my game are a bit more powerful than in standard D&D, so I would say +4 or +5 for standard rules.

 

[Caliber]

The magazine said +5. I think the magazine was pretty good, since its better to err and give a ECL too high, than it is to err low and give one too low.

 

[Wolf72]

iirc half-fiends/celestials were +5, half-dragons were +4 ... but then I really like Buddha's half dragons ... now I wish I had someone to play with! ... (oh right, and the time!)

 

[Neo]

I'm pretty sure the Dragon magazine in question said +4 for Half Dragons, as I only looked it up the other day for one of the players in my campaign who is playing a Half Gold Dragon/Halfing <shudder>

 

[Archer]

That half force dragon at ECL 12 seems like a good deal. +20 str and +14 to everything but dex. +14 natural armor. It just boggles the mind. You'd have to have 6 character levels before the +14 con bonus caught your hp up but beyond that you'd be golden. +10 deflection bonus on top of +14 natural armor is already AC 34 with no other bonuses. A paladin would have 44 AC with plate + shield, and saving throws in the 20's at 1st level (ECL 13) His attacks would be pretty fierce with +10 to hit and +10 to damage even with only a BAB of 1. Throw in the gear of a 13th level character and its through the roof.

About regular half dragons though, ECL 4 in regular D&D, ECL 3 in Dragonstar because str is so much less important.

 

[Xarlen]

I've found that +3 works. I've had a Half-Silver dragon MOnk and Rogue/sorcerer in my party, and +3 works just fine.

Of course, the Ranger3/Fighter4 Natural Werewolf, the NPC and Party Tank works just fine, too. Of course, the Half-dragons wern't min/maxed (The rogue/sorceror doesn't use anything more powerful then a Mighty Composit Shortbow or Shortsword!).

The only thing I think would be unbalanced would be a Red dragon, because so much uses Fire.

 

[Buddha the DM]

Try a Half-Force or Half-Prismatic Dragon Monk on for size. Talk about an AC monster.