D&D 5E How Should Dragons Be Handled In 5e

[Mercule]

I guess I always assumed the 3e dragon sorcerer level was supposed to represent an equivalent awesomeness, but more pure. The flavor of 3e was such that human magic was pretty much debased imitation of draconic power. Dragons "cast" their spells as inherent spell-like abilities. Some may have been intentionally developed, others were just an inherent, "duh"-level understanding of how the multiverse worked. Either way, the dragon could manipulate magic in a way that was more incidental and natural than any arch-mage could truly internalize.

 

[Mattachine]

Back in AD&D, ancient dragons were not a challenge to higher level characters. Remember how many Dragon Magazine articles were dedicated to making dragons tougher opponents?

I would first like to remove the basis that there is a hierarchy of dragons, with white being the weakest and red the strongest. Dragons can have stats of similar power. Second, make sure the toughest dragons are challenging for the toughest heroes.

 

[keterys]

[sblock=Salamandrex Spell List]
4th
Greater False Life = Draconic Vigour

2nd
Bear's Endurance
Detect Thoughts
Eagle's Splendour
Resist Energy
Spider Climb = Claws of Steel

1st
Mage Armour = Shimmering Scales
Shield = Shimmering Scales
[/sblock]

Just make its stats include what it should have and drop this boring stuff - hopefully 5e will nip this problem at the spell root, but the idea of a dragon getting a good AC to start, then having a swing of 13 more (+4 mage armor, +7 shield, +2 cat's grace) is horrible design.

5E can do better than that.

 

[Someone]

I think it's telling that 3e had to turn dragons into wizards in order to make them believable threats.

 

[keterys]

I dunno - 5-7 attacks with power attack could be brutal on a dragon in 3e.

 

[El Mahdi]

IMO, Dragons in 7E should just be called Tarasques...

 

[amerigoV]

IMO, Dragons in 7E should just be called Tarasques...

Agreed - Dragons should be the top of the food chain, not something that is fought every level or two.

 

[Tallifer]

I speak as an ardent lover of the Fourth Edition when I say that I never again want to see dragons in first level adventure modules. (I refluffed the white dragon into a fiendish polar bear in the Dungeon Master Guide's adventure Kobold Hall.)

However I think that in the interests of amateur dungeon masters everywhere, dragons should be simple yet powerful like in the Fourth Edition. I do allow my dragons to cast rituals for the sake of story, but the combat itself is better kept more straightforward than in the Third Edition.

 

[Kaodi]

I think if I were going to mix and match dragon abilities in Pathfinder to create a generic " dragon " without sorcerer levels, I might go with...

Breath Weapon - Fire
Wyrmling - Immunity to Fire, Resist Cold 5, Water Breathing
Very Young - Sound Imitation, Resist Acid/Electricity 5
Young - Superheated, Resist Cold 10
Juvenile - Fog Vision, Smoke Vision, Resist Acid/Electricity 10
Young Adult - DR 5/Magic, Spell Resistance, Resist Cold 15
Adult - Frightful Presence, Tongues, Resist Acid/Electricity 15
Mature Adult - DR 10/Magic, Shout, Resist Cold 20
Old - Slow Aura, True Seeing, Resist Sonic 5
Very Old - DR 15/Magic, Greater Arcane Sight, Greater Dispel Magic, Resist Cold 25
Ancient - Reflective Scales, Dominate Person, Greater Shout, Resist Sonic 10
Wyrm - DR 20/Magic, Mind Blank, Resist Cold 30
Great Wyrm - Incinerate, Control Weather, Meteor Swarm, Resist Sonic 15

Or something like that...

 

[Mishihari Lord]

Previous editions aside, there are plenty of literary models to choose from. My personal favorite is probably Tolkein's Smaug, who destroyed an entire dwarven kingdom all by himself. So for my preferred dragon (which is not exactly Smaug) I'd like the following abilities: flame breath, flight, godlike combat abilities, amazing senses, unbelievable intelligence, immense strength, 100% immune to magic, and some kind of precognitive ability.