Need help creating a black/red dragon hybrid.

[Curunir471]

This is my first time actually posting anything on this forum, I have been a lurker for far too long in my estimation. I come here seeking assistance because of the advice that I have gleaned from here has rarely led me astray.

So here is a little backstory for my 3.5 campaign , my campaign that I am running is set in what I hesitate to call a "hogwarts" situation. The pcs are a squad who will be fighting against other squads for supremacy, these squads could be from their school or another school, their school is flying, think "sky high" the others are not. So I want every squad to have an "ally" in the form of a magical creature. Here in lies my dilemma, in my world the good dragons have over time found evil dragon nests abandoned and raised those wyrmlings up to be good, though never a white or black and only once with a green, Pepsi as they lovingly call their new friend is a black/red hybrid whose mother was good and hid him away to keep him safe.

Now I have a request could anyone think of a good way to handle his stats? In essence I need an aging chart with stats and dcs. I know it's a lot of work but I love this little guy and I don't want to half as him. The only thing that I am sure of is that he will have a fire cone and a line of acid. Oh and he has a set of scaling plate mail, it will grow up with him, it's magical mitral.

I would appreciate any help on this front, thanks in advance.

[Eldan]

It is, in fact, possible to apply the half-dragon template to a dragon. That sounds like the easiest way. Half-red black or half-black red, your choice. Second is stronger.

[Curunir471]

The pcs are low level, would he outshine them as a half black red?

[Chronos]

That depends on how old the dragon is. As a rough rule of thumb, pick an age that has a CR about 2 below the party's level.

[Curunir471]

I think I'll go half red black, but I'll have it manifest later in his life, with some fiery stuff happening randomly until then. Thanks for the help.

[Glimbur]

Is the dragon a PC or a supporting NPC? That helps define how detailed you really need to be.

[Curunir471]

It will essentially be a cohort, but I'll control him. He'll be there from 2-20.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A given school won't have only a single class of students, there will be the new students in the beginners' class and the upperclassmen who are close to graduating, plus a number of classes in between equal to the number of years it takes to graduate. So this dragon shouldn't necessarily be helping the PCs every session, or even half of the sessions. An NPC will also have their own projects and interests, they won't be constantly helping the students with their tasks. For example, Hagrid was constantly up to something of his own and only occasionally helped out Harry and company. Any given NPC should be handled similarly, have them show up when you know they'll be needed, make them available for the PCs to go ask help from (often only in the form of information or advice), otherwise your favorite NPC will almost always just steal the show and make the PCs his sidekicks.

[Curunir471]

He's 4.5 years old, he isn't very wise. In this world the duergar and drop have mostly taken over the surface world. The host of magical creatures that were displaced have come to the schools of this world for refuge and in return they act as loyal friends and allies, sometimes even family. Every squad will have a special cohort. It's how the schools are run. I just need to be careful to not overshadow the pcs.

[ericp65]

Average the stats for a black and a red of the appropriate age category. For breath weapon, either a combination of acid and fire, or the ability to breath either by choice. Done :smallsmile:

Four and a half years old is still hatchling category, and will probably still need to be taught in draconic ways by a surrogate parent.

[Dusk Eclipse]

4.5 years is extremely young for a dragon they are almost like toddlers. In any case you have to really think which dragon will be the base, a Wyrmling Black dragon would be Tiny (less than 3 ft in length) while a Wyrmling Red dragon would be 5 ft.

[Curunir471]

@Ericp65 I was thinking the same as far as stats go, I was just wondering if anyone had already done it. Also we have a golden elder wyrm who takes care of the aforementioned evil dragon wyrmlings, who after being raised by her are not evil.

@ Dusk, I already said that it was the size of a black wyrmling so I'll just have to have him grow a bit more after he hits the juvenile age category in the next year or so, he's 4 and a half and black dragons hit juvenile at age 5.

[ericp65]

@Ericp65 I was thinking the same as far as stats go, I was just wondering if anyone had already done it. Also we have a golden elder wyrm who takes care of the aforementioned evil dragon wyrmlings, who after being raised by her are not evil.

@ Dusk, I already said that it was the size of a black wyrmling so I'll just have to have him grow a bit more after he hits the juvenile age category in the next year or so, he's 4 and a half and black dragons hit juvenile at age 5.

Back in 2nd Ed days, I created such hybrids for all combinations of the typical chromatics, as part of a Forgotten Realms campaign in the Damara region. Forced breeding program of the BBEG to create a devastating attack force that would really catch the heroes off guard. The usual stuff :smallwink:

[Curunir471]

Do you still have the stat blocks? I could convert them.

[ericp65]

Do you still have the stat blocks? I could convert them.

Sadly, no. They were in a box with various other gaming materials that someone decided I didn't need anymore, and the box and contents vanished one day, nearly fifteen years ago.

[Curunir471]

That is a sad thing my friend, I shall mourn them.