I'm running a game and I've got player wanting to play a dragon. Now I've NO problem letting a player play pretty much whatever they want in my game, as long as it follows the rules and "makes sense." I've been able to make the playing-a-dragon-PC-thing "make sense" in terms of the game, but I'm wondering about the rules aspect of this . . .
The Draconomicon covers Dragons-as-PCs for a few pages, but I'm also considering using the rules presented in issue 320 of 'Dragon.' Have any of you used either of these different sets of rules? I'm leaning toward the magazine's rules myself (the characters are starting out at 1st-level, and it seems easiest to go this route), but I'd like to anticipate any future problems that might pop up . . .
Brother D,
I did run a copper dragon from level one in a campaign I ran using the magazine rules. I used the rules from the magazine, but gave some extra burdens to it to level out with power.
First: The rapid growth/aging problem:
I ran my PC into an extraplanar being who... taught him the ritual of becoming. Every level dealt with another piece of the ritual (and thus more draconic power). My player loved it, but he was really into that sort of character.
Second: Prevent the Munchkin:
I also told him that his dragon was, as a part of the ritual, removing his natural aging abilities (meaning that he couldn't start taking levels of fighter at some point and expect to reap the benefits of the aged dragon).
I much prefer the Dragon versions of the rules to the Draconomicon versions, but I still think that the Draconomicon is an awesome book (and one of the few that makes my list of "good purchases").
I hope you find this useful
/d
I did run a copper dragon from level one in a campaign I ran using the magazine rules.
Thanks for the input . . . I'm definitely leaning toward using the rules from the magazine as it seems a bit more streamlined. I'll need to address the "rapid growth/aging problem" you indentified (and, of course, the player is talking about preferring an amethyst dragger vs. any of the dragons actually presented in the magazine!).
...but I still think that the Draconomicon is an awesome book (and one of the few that makes my list of "good purchases").
It is an incredible book! It's such a great resource - it's definitely one of my favorites!
I hope you find this useful
Thanks!
...the player is talking about preferring an amethyst dragger vs. any of the dragons actually presented in the magazine!).
IIRC, the Amethyst Dragon is about the same power level as the Silver or Blue dragon, thus making use of their racial classes could be a great jumping off point.
Good luck and good gaming!
/d
IIRC, the Amethyst Dragon is about the same power level as the Silver or Blue dragon, thus making use of their racial classes could be a great jumping off point.
Good luck and good gaming!
/d
Well, the player in question decided to go with a silver dragon, so I can pretty much just take the material as is from the magazine . . .
Thanks for input . . . !
It's going to be very hard to find these days, but if you're really interested in dragon PCs, you should try to find a 2nd edition supplement called "Council of Wyrms." It's a campaign setting setting in which all the characters are dragons (I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned in this thread yet).
Even though it's 2nd edition, with some work you might be able to adapt it to 3rd. It incorporates things like age categories instead of class levels, challenges for dragon PCs, etc...