Half-Dragons. Do you used them? (And WotC's half-breed fetish)

[Prince of Happiness]

I really like the "use the half-dragon template, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's a *half* dragon. It could be a new monster" idea. It makes the whole enterprise sit well with me. Like a half-dragon/girallon could be a corrupted angelic creature like in the Conan story "Queen of the Black Coast." Half-dragon nothing, it's just that over the many eons the monster........changed. *cue ominous music*

 

[Buttercup]

I've never been much of a fan for all the half-breeds, they just seems like an odd thing to include.

Aye. I guess I'm just too aware of the realities of biology to like the whole half-breed idea. I just can't suspend my disbelief for it.

 

[Nightfall]

(I hear Dragonlance doesn't use half-dragons. Why is this?)

Probably because they never used much brain power in that instance. To them you toss out some monsters, have fun trying to keep up with the books (if your players don't start feeling like second fiddles already) and probably they want you to pass the Test.

Now, however, one of my players wants to play a half-gold dragon/half-dwarf Ranger so I have to decide. Would a gold dragon make love to a dwarf?

Sure. Why wouldn't they if they were in love? I mean it's just as natural as half fiends or half celestials or even half gods.

Anyway, if you use half-dragons, tell me why you love them so much.

Well I love em cause Half dragon ROCK the crap more than having the party to face down a dragon itself. I've ran and been in too many games where it was all about killing the dragon. Now it can be about killing its kids AND then killing the dragon.


Buttercup,

The reality of life is simple: You live you die. Therefore anything else that happens in it to me is just crap. Science can't explain if you have a soul. Or why it is people follow a president that keeps sending people to die for his cause. It just is. So forgive me but I don't find anything about life or how it happens logical or understandable. I certainly don't expect my fantasy to be logical either. (At least not 100%)

 

[Templetroll]

I just used half-kobold/half-black dragons in an adventure for my old gaming group and they enjoyed them. they were tough enough and had interesting tactics and it helped the kobolds stay alive long enough to be annoying.

I don't use the things often, but sometimes it can be fun.

 

[Davelozzi]

I don't mind templates as mechanic but I'm not fond of the half-this and half-that, and half-dragons in particular annoy me. Sure, you could use them to represent some other kind of unique creature, or some other magical effect. However, the description in the Monster Manual clearly suggests that they generally result from a shapechanged dragon mating with another creature so I don't understand why everyone acts like it's so weird that others would view them that way. It's also amusing that many of the dragon types aren't even capable of taking alternate forms, but still have half-versions.

I've never used a half-dragon in my game and probably never will. If I do, it will definately have some kind of special explanation other than a dragon breeding with other races.

 

[Nuclear Platypus]

"I was bitten by a radioactive dragon!"

Nah, now its a bioengineered dragon with breath weapons coming out of the wrists but then it's not really a breath weapon any more is it?

 

[DonaldRumsfeldsTofu]

Can't dragons polymorph?

And isn't a major element of the folklore of dragons that they collect gold and virgins? What do you think they did with those virgins?

So it's not like it's an invention of WOTC.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I find it amusing that so many folks assume half-dragon PCs are power-gamers who are going to tip game balance and tear stuff up.

I've seen half-dragons used in play. That ECL hurts. The half-dragon in the game I was in could dish out damage like you wouldn't believe, but he couldn't take it. His HP, his saves, his BAB--all far lower than any other "tank's" would be.

The character, in fact, eventually died because he couldn't take the same sort of punishment he could give.

Not saying half-dragons should be allowed in all games. If it's not thematically appropriate to the campaign, that ends the discussion right there. But if the concern is power-gaming, give it a second thought. So long as you enforce the ECL, it really isn't that big a deal.

 

[The Great Bear King]

The mechanical fix for this (apply the template to the white dragon, not the red) was already presented.

But the more important issue is the potential humor of the creature!

The rare pink dragon, which although theoretically a more viable species that a dragon-ochre jelly crossbreed, has never been known to produce offspring. Sages are divided as to why this is the case.

It's because they're to stupid to breed (though that dosen't explain white dragons at all).

 

[dead]

Wow. This ye olde thread has popped up again.

OK . . . I'll give ye all an update.

My player changed his mind! He no longer wants to play a half-gold dragon/half-dwarf . . . he wants to play a half-crystal dragon/half-genesai (air)!

But, wait for it! He changed his mind again. Now he just wants to play a psionic drow!