PhoenixPhyre
2019-01-07, 08:21 PM
I'm rebuilding how my setting's dragons work. In part, I'm dropping the "color = power" hierarchy and the fixed alignments, and giving each color of dragon unique traits. The difference between metallics and chromatics is that metallics are spell-casters and more likely to get involved with mortals (and thus learn to shapeshift). Another major change is that I've realigned the color/element match-up:
Color
Energy Type (Element/Plane)
Black
Necrotic (Abyss)
Blue
Lightning (Air)
Green
Acid (Earth)
Red
Fire (Fire)
White
Cold (Water)
Brass
Thunder (Air)
Bronze
Fire (Water, super-heated steam)
Copper
Acid (Earth, really sand breath)
Gold
Radiant (Astral)
Silver
Fire (Fire)
Black and gold break the pattern and are unusual--they can be spell-casters or not without changing color.
As such, I'm thinking of traits/special abilities that fit the set-up. Here are the ones I have so far:
Black: Regenerative Consumption (heal when they bite something), Planeshift 1/day (adult/ancient), shapeshifter. Spells, if present, follow a necromantic/fiendish theme.
Blue: Reactive freedom (can cast misty step at will as reaction to being hit or as bonus action)
Green: Amphibious, Active camouflage (pass without trace at will)
Red: Fire scrying (scrying 1/day using fire as a focus), Fire shaping (can make lasting structures out of fire, can control whether the fire burns people)
White: Ice Walk (as in the MM), Animal Domination (can cast animal friendship at will, dominate beast 3/day)
Brass: Gift of Tongues (constant effect tongues on self), shapeshifter, spell-caster using an aeromancer/mesmer theme.
Bronze: Amphibious, Water Shaping (like fire shaping, but water), shapeshifter, spell-caster using a hydromancer/plant(?) theme
Copper: Active camouflage, shapeshifter, spell-caster using illusionist/geomancy theme
Gold: Regeneration, planeshift 1/day (adult/ancient). Spells, if present, follow a divine warrior/purify-by-fire theme.
Silver: Friend of the People (casts charm person at will, targets unaware), spell-caster using a seer/transmuter(?)/pyromancer theme, shapeshifter.
Spell-casting is CHA-based, using full-caster progression as if they were a sorcerer of level = CR - 4. Wyrmlings can't cast spells. Dragons don't need material components for spells--they're their own arcane focus. Note that they're not pulling from the sorcerer list--they're using any spell that fits the theme.
Some of these traits aren't too pinned down and the balance is weak--are there better ones? Any suggestions?
Color
Energy Type (Element/Plane)
Black
Necrotic (Abyss)
Blue
Lightning (Air)
Green
Acid (Earth)
Red
Fire (Fire)
White
Cold (Water)
Brass
Thunder (Air)
Bronze
Fire (Water, super-heated steam)
Copper
Acid (Earth, really sand breath)
Gold
Radiant (Astral)
Silver
Fire (Fire)
Black and gold break the pattern and are unusual--they can be spell-casters or not without changing color.
As such, I'm thinking of traits/special abilities that fit the set-up. Here are the ones I have so far:
Black: Regenerative Consumption (heal when they bite something), Planeshift 1/day (adult/ancient), shapeshifter. Spells, if present, follow a necromantic/fiendish theme.
Blue: Reactive freedom (can cast misty step at will as reaction to being hit or as bonus action)
Green: Amphibious, Active camouflage (pass without trace at will)
Red: Fire scrying (scrying 1/day using fire as a focus), Fire shaping (can make lasting structures out of fire, can control whether the fire burns people)
White: Ice Walk (as in the MM), Animal Domination (can cast animal friendship at will, dominate beast 3/day)
Brass: Gift of Tongues (constant effect tongues on self), shapeshifter, spell-caster using an aeromancer/mesmer theme.
Bronze: Amphibious, Water Shaping (like fire shaping, but water), shapeshifter, spell-caster using a hydromancer/plant(?) theme
Copper: Active camouflage, shapeshifter, spell-caster using illusionist/geomancy theme
Gold: Regeneration, planeshift 1/day (adult/ancient). Spells, if present, follow a divine warrior/purify-by-fire theme.
Silver: Friend of the People (casts charm person at will, targets unaware), spell-caster using a seer/transmuter(?)/pyromancer theme, shapeshifter.
Spell-casting is CHA-based, using full-caster progression as if they were a sorcerer of level = CR - 4. Wyrmlings can't cast spells. Dragons don't need material components for spells--they're their own arcane focus. Note that they're not pulling from the sorcerer list--they're using any spell that fits the theme.
Some of these traits aren't too pinned down and the balance is weak--are there better ones? Any suggestions?