D&D General Thoughts about Purple Dragon Knights

[JPL]

So assuming a DM is crazy enough to run an all-Purple Dragon Knights party, what's a good level to actually pair up the rider and the mount? Because if you start the characters at 5th level per the "epic fantasy" suggestions of the new books, that's not a bad starting point for some squires on the cusp of knighthood. Maybe the first adventure is their "test quest" that the dragons send them on . . . fail and you'll never be a full dragon knight. End of the quest, everyone levels up to 6, everyone gets their dragon.

Would you run the dragons as PCs? Would the same player run dragon and rider?

Cormyr must be crawling with embittered failed squires. I'd build up the idea that the bulk of the Purple Dragons are actually sergeants-at-arms or esquires-at-arms --- former squires who have sort of aged out of being contenders to pair with a dragon, but remain loyal servants of Cormyr.

I'm wondering if you'd need to "Power Rangers" this campaign. The Knights and dragons fly over to wherever the adventure starts, and then the dragons kinda go off and do dragon stuff off-screen. The players do the investigation and the exploration and some level-appropriate tussles. Then the situation suddenly escalates. Summon the dragons! But then we'd skip the part where the situation escalates further and the dragons all merge into a mega-dragon. Probably.

Glory paladins would be first in line, obviously. Cavaliers, eldritch knights, bannerets, maybe a war cleric, maybe a valor bard.

 

[JPL]

Actually, that would be a crazy design challenge to adopt that Power Rangers model. Assume five 6th level Purple Knight riders. Assume five young amethyst dragons (CR 9). So your adventure can largely be geared toward a standard 6th level party, but then the climax has to be something that poses a credible threat to five riders + 5 dragons. Do you just throw a CR 20 bad guy at them and hope it works out?

 

[Zardnaar]

I woukd use weakee dragons. CR around a third of the party level. Maybe half party level say by lvl 10.

 

[JPL]

I figured that they needed to be Large dragons (assuming medium-sized riders) and that means young / CR 9, unless I wanted to fudge things a little.

 

[Zardnaar]

I figured that they needed to be Large dragons (assuming medium-sized riders) and that means young / CR 9, unless I wanted to fudge things a little.

Theres lower CR dragons. Just not true ones.

Small party each dragon is essentially another PC.

You can do it just expect the PCs to steamroll everything. More than 3 PCs I wouldnt do it.

 

[Weiley31]

But then we'd skip the part where the situation escalates further and the dragons all merge into a mega-dragon. Probably.

Nah nah nah, ya can't just skip the formation of the Mega Dragonzord.

Also you have to shamelessly steal the Dragon Dagger flute sequence bit by bit.

 

[I'm A Banana]

So assuming a DM is crazy enough to run an all-Purple Dragon Knights party, what's a good level to actually pair up the rider and the mount? Because if you start the characters at 5th level per the "epic fantasy" suggestions of the new books, that's not a bad starting point for some squires on the cusp of knighthood. Maybe the first adventure is their "test quest" that the dragons send them on . . . fail and you'll never be a full dragon knight. End of the quest, everyone levels up to 6, everyone gets their dragon.

Would you run the dragons as PCs? Would the same player run dragon and rider?

Cormyr must be crawling with embittered failed squires. I'd build up the idea that the bulk of the Purple Dragons are actually sergeants-at-arms or esquires-at-arms --- former squires who have sort of aged out of being contenders to pair with a dragon, but remain loyal servants of Cormyr.

I'm wondering if you'd need to "Power Rangers" this campaign. The Knights and dragons fly over to wherever the adventure starts, and then the dragons kinda go off and do dragon stuff off-screen. The players do the investigation and the exploration and some level-appropriate tussles. Then the situation suddenly escalates. Summon the dragons! But then we'd skip the part where the situation escalates further and the dragons all merge into a mega-dragon. Probably.

Glory paladins would be first in line, obviously. Cavaliers, eldritch knights, bannerets, maybe a war cleric, maybe a valor bard.

If I was to build a campaign around Cormyr and the PDKs and keep the lore from the recent books, here's how I might run it:

• Our antagonist list includes Werewyverns, the Cult of the Dragon (so dragons, and undead), and, broadly, "Aberrations." Amethyst dragons are also planar scholars, so I might add Fiends to the list (which also aligns with the PDK's knightly inclinations). Cormyr is having issues with the Cult of the Dragon, former and current dracoliches, and a shadow rift. This is a pretty healthy and diverse list of enemies.
• I think I'd select the Cult of the Dragon as the central antagonist. There's an active dracolich in Cormyr, the ruins of another, and the Well of Dragons, which is awash in dead dragons. So dragon cultists, dragons, and undead, with occasional forays into other areas. Werewyverns are a new cult of the dragon plot to become dragons, and maybe we have some werewyverns pursuing a kind of lichdom as well. Tiamat cultists and chromatic dragons can feature as important steps on that path.
• Every actual PDK apparently has been chosen by an Amethyst dragon, so maybe the PC's are all chosen by the same dragon, who serves as their main ally and patron. The dragon treats them as curiosities and as possessions - they are "his" knights. Part of his hoard.
• The Amethyst dragon has a special interest in the Shadowfell and in the Nine Hells, so there's good overlap in the planar study with the activities of the Cult of the Dragon.
• 1st Tier: The party goes up against the Cult of the Dragon as they work their mischief. At the top of the tier we have threats like mages, wyverns, and wraiths -- perfectly cromulent for the capstone of "undead werewyverns!". The amethyst dragon is mostly in the background. At the end of the tier, it lairs with one of the PC's (the new Bastion feature for PDK's).
• 2nd Tier: More dragons get involved. Werewyverns make their first true appearance ~ level 7 or 8. A Haunting Revenant made of the dragon bones in the Well of Dragons sounds fun, and we have a Cultist Heirophant and all the Young Chromatics (capping with a Young Red Dragon). Maybe the amethyst dragon helps fly the party to various locations as they uncover more about the Shadowfell and the Nine Hells.
• 3rd Tier: Adult Red dragon is the right CR, so let's loop that into the dragon cult. The werewyvern plot revolves around venom, so maybe our Adult Red is one of the sources of wyvern venom. The Amethyst dragon might become something the PC's need to save or protect from the Adult Red. Shadow Dragons make an appearance here, too.
• 4th Tier: Now, the Amethyst Dragon is on board with effectively "joining the party." Can't go into dungeons, but happy to fight while the party does the dungeon run. The dracolich fight happens and the Amethyst is participating as an ally (and allows me to make it two dracoliches!).

Keeps the dragon ally manageable, but constant.

 

[Weiley31]

Every actual PDK apparently has been chosen by an Amethyst dragon, so maybe the PC's are all chosen by the same dragon, who serves as their main ally and patron. The dragon treats them as curiosities and as possessions - they are "his" knights. Part of his hoard.

That's a FANTASTIC way about it/idea.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

Actually, that would be a crazy design challenge to adopt that Power Rangers model. Assume five 6th level Purple Knight riders. Assume five young amethyst dragons (CR 9). So your adventure can largely be geared toward a standard 6th level party, but then the climax has to be something that poses a credible threat to five riders + 5 dragons. Do you just throw a CR 20 bad guy at them and hope it works out?

That one CR 21 Elder Evil sitting frozen on top of a mountain between Cormyr and Daelands: Bonjour.

 

[Horwath]

I would just give them something similar to drakewarden ranger as dragons.

Size large:
speed: 40ft, swim 30ft, fly 60ft
HP: 5+5/level
AC: 14+prof bonus
Saves: Str, Con and Cha
Skills: Athletics, Insight, Perception(expertise), Intimidation
Abilities: STR 14, DEX 10, CON 14, INT 12, WIS 12, CHA 14
Senses: darkvision 120fr, blindsight 10ft

Actions:
Bite 1d6+STR+profbonus

Breath weapon 2×prof bonus of d6's
usable prof bonus per Long rest. +1 usage per short rest.

Bonus Actions:
Dash, Disengage