Dragon Overview

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Dragons (overview)

Dragons are an ancient, winged reptilian race. They are known and feared for their size, physical prowess, and magical abilities. The oldest dragons are among the most powerful creatures in the world. Most dragons are identified by the color of their scales.

There are many know subspecies of dragons, several of which fall into three broad categories: chromatic, gem, and metallic dragons.

Chromatic dragons include black, blue, green, red, and white dragons; all are extremely evil and are feared by most.

The metallic dragons are the brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver dragons; these are noble and good, highly respected by wise people.

The gem dragons are the amethyst, crystal, emerald, sapphire, and topaz dragons; they are neutral with respect to good and evil, and are very charismatic and suave, masters of persuasion who delight in riddles. Though generally smaller and slower than other dragons, gem dragons are often wiser and more intelligent, and have other powers to compensate, like psionics.

In addition to the dragons in these three classifications, there are other dragons that may at first seem to be members of those categories. For instance, the steel dragon seems to be a metallic dragon, but has only one breath weapon; while each ``true'' metallic dragon has two. Likewise, the brown dragon seems to be a typical, evil chromatic dragon; but has no wings, so is not a ``true'' chromatic dragon.

Although all subspecies of dragons are believed to have come from the same roots tens of thousands of years ago, the present subspecies keep to themselves, working together only under extreme circumstances, such as a powerful mutual threat. Good dragons never work with evil dragons, however, though a few neutral dragon specimens have been known to associate with evil or good dragons. Gold dragons occasionally associate freely with silver dragons, and emerald dragons are sometimes found with sapphire dragons.

When evil dragons of different species encounter each other, they usually fight to protect their territories. While good dragons of different subspecies are more tolerant of each other, they are also very territorial. They usually try to work out differences in a peaceful manner. Gem dragons often settle inter-species disputes with riddling contests.

All subspecies of dragons have 12 age categories, and gain more abilities and greater power as they age. Dragons range in size from several feet upon hatching to more than 100 feet, after they have attained the status of great wyrm. The exact size varies according to age and subspecies. A dragon's wingspan is about equal to its body length; 15-20% of a dragon's body length is neck.

Generally, when multiple dragons are encountered they are a mated pair and young. Mated dragons are always young adults, adults, or mature adults; young dragons found with their parents are of the young adult stage or younger. To determine the age of young dragons roll 1d6: 1 = egg; 2 = hatchling; 3 = very young; 4 = young; 5 = juvenile; 6 = young adult.

During the early part of a dragon's young adult stage it leaves its parents, greed driving it on to start a lair of its own. Sometimes, although rarely, juvenile dragons leave their parents to start their own lives. As a pair of mated dragons age beyond the mature adult stage, they split up, independence and the lust for treasure driving them apart. Older dragons of either sex sometimes raise young, but only on their own -- the other parent leaves when the eggs are laid.

Dragons, especially older ones, are generally solitary due to necessity and preference. They distance themselves from civilization, which they consider to be a petty and foolish mortal invention.

Dragons are fearsome predators, but scavenge when necessary and can eat almost anything if they are hungry enough. A dragon's metabolism operates like a highly efficient furnace, making use of 95% of all the food the dragon eats. A dragon can also metabolize inorganic material, and some dragons have developed a taste for such fare.

Although dragons' goals and ideals vary among subspecies, all dragons are covetous. They like to hoard wealth, collecting mounds of coins and gathering as many gems, jewels, and magical items as possible. They find treasure pleasing to look at, and they bask in the radiance of the magical items. For a dragon, there is never enough treasure. Those with large hoards are loath to leave them for long, venturing out of their lairs only to patrol the immediate areas or to get food. Dragons like to make beds of their treasure, shaping nooks and mounds to fit their bodies. By the time they mature to the great wyrm stage, hundreds of gems and coins are imbedded in their hides.


(taken from the Monster Manual)


[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited June 30, 2001).]

 

hm. cool. I didn´t really know much about dragons before this except that they all are strong, smart, wealthy and "mind players".
thx for the info.

 

Dragons are really poweful, they are, especcially the great old ones.
Red dragon's strenght goes up to about 35 when it becomes reaaly old, and it means a lot. AC is magnificent too, in the fouties, which would be in the negative thirties by 2E.
I hope Bioware would sometime make a game where dragons would show their full potential. Bye bye, overbuffed powergamer parties! Here goes a Great Red Wyrm, and you can't hit him with yer Hackmaster +12.. Muhahah! errm... sorry

 

Nice post!

Unfortunately this cannot be considered true in BG/BG2 because...
"Baldur's Gate 2 is not an "AD&D simulation." It's a tactical story-based RTS featuring loosely interpreted Dungeons and Dragons-like rules."

 

that explains it.. I was jsut gonna ask where the shadow dragon and fiirkraag keep their treasures

 

Those 2 keep their treasures in the pouch at their side.
Their treasure is not much though as one cn see after slaying those...

 

Anyway, the pouch is sticked to them - if you petrify a dragon there is a high chance you'll also petrify pouch contents.

 

Oh no!

No decent treasure!
I mean after all Firkragg only holds one of the most powerful weapons on the face of Faerun!!!

 

BUT, in the 3rd ed. D&D Monster Manual there are no gem dragons so we must assume that they have become extinct (If there's something wrong and it dont look good, who you gonna call: DRAGONBUSTERS ) I think it is a litle weird that Wizards have cut out all the dragons that weren't Chromatic or Metallic, because if there are good and evil dragons why shouldn't there be neutral ones as well??

 

any chance of pickpocketing them?

 

Tis a grand sight, to pickpocket a dragon.
Especially steal a scale or two.
I think you can not pickpocket a dragon.

 

you think? I'm willing to try!

Oh yes, does anythign happen with the game once tyou've killed fiirkraag, for example, does that lord in the southwest corner say anything?

 

Don´t expect too much from pickpocketing a dragon for it simply won´t work I tried it on Firekraag and I did nothing else but pushing him around in his lair ...