How to calculate the Volume of a Dragon

[Loki Laufeyson]

My Wizard uses Polymorph any Object on a regular basis, so I wondered what is the exact limit to which I can use this spell?

It effects 100 cubic ft. per caster level. Let's say level 20, that's 2000 cubic ft, or 10 by 10 by 20 ft.

This is more than a single large creature, because the main volume is the torso, which is just several feet.

Can anyone help me on this, how can I calculate the volume of an Adult dragon?

[BWR]

Sink it into a large pool of water and see how much the water level rises.

Alternatively, I'd just say, for something quick and dirty, calculate the volume of their size category and divide by 4 (perhaps a bit more)

[Loki Laufeyson]

Yes, sinking into water is fine, but how can I as a player know the result?

The GM has to tell me which size of dragons is susceptible to the spell, this requires actual calculations.

[Eldan]

You could probably approximate it as a cylinder or ovoid.

[Cog]

The Target entry of the spell is "One creature, or one nonmagical object of up to 100 cu. ft./level"

The dragon is a creature, not a nonmagical object, and so the size limitation does not apply; it works like practically any other spell with a Target: Creature entry. Note that when other spells restrict creatures from being targeted, they do it by type or by size category, not by volume.

[Chronos]

Moot anyway since they're creatures, but... Are weights given for dragons anywhere? Most living things have a density about the same as water, plus or minus 10%.

[Shining Wrath]

Moot anyway since they're creatures, but... Are weights given for dragons anywhere? Most living things have a density about the same as water, plus or minus 10%.

Water weighs 62.4 pounds per cubic foot.
A colossal creature weighs at least 125 tons, or 250,000 pounds. 250,000/62.4 = 4006.
A gargantuan creature weighs at least 16 tons, or 32,000 pounds. 32,000/62.4 = 513.
A huge creature weighs at least 2 tons, or 4,000 pounds. 4,000/62.4 = 64.

If Polymorph any Object did not have a separate clause for creatures, even a level 20 wizard would be incapable of polymorphing a colossal creature using that spell. There's always Wish, of course.

[Loki Laufeyson]

Ah, silly me - I use many spells but i pass over parts of them :smalleek:

There's always Wish, yes.

[Peelee]

Sink it into a large pool of water and see how much the water level rises.

Well, that was one of the fastest thread wins I've seen in a while. As already mentioned, question is moot for the intended purpose, but if you really want to calculate it....

An adult Red Dragon is Huge. That gives us the following stats:

Size Category: Huge

Size Modifier: -2

Grapple Modifier: +8

Hide Modifier: -8

Height or Length: 16ft

Weight: 2-16 tons (Wide range, Chronos. Probably on the lighter side to facilitate flight, since theirs is nonmagical)

Space: 15 ft

Natural Reach (Tall): 15 ft

Natural Reach (Long): 10 ft.

Adult Red Dragon is a wonky shape, so let's burn that bridge when we cross it and start easy. Said dragon occupies a 15x15 square on the grid, and is 16 ft. tall. This gives us 3600 cubic feet of volume. Of course, a lot of this is empty space, so it won't be the full 3600 cubic feet. Based off of this clearly-bigger-than-adult-Adult-Dragon picture (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/D%26D_red_dragon1.jpg), I'll estimate somewhere between half and two-thirds of the space is non-dragonal. I math by breaking down calculations into easy bits, so that gives us the average between 1800 cubic feet (half dragonal space) and 1200 cubic feet (1/3 dragonal space).

So, if you agree with the assumptions thus far, we have an adult Red Dragon weighing 2 tons with a volume of 1500 cubic feet. ish.

Methods used:
1.) Simple calculations with known formulas.
2.) Stats (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm) from SRD (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Red_Dragon)
3.) Dragonal volume estimated by imagining a box around that dragon's extremities and asking myself, "How many dragons could I fit in that box?"
Yes, the science kind of breaks down at the end.

[John Longarrow]

3.) Dragonal volume estimated by imagining a box around that dragon's extremities and asking myself, "How many dragons could I fit in that box?"


Did you calculate based on before or after putting said dragons into a blender?? :belkar:

[Peelee]

Did you calculate based on before or after putting said dragons into a blender?? :belkar:

Before, of course.

http://t4w.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/12/14/wib.gif
Dragon dust. Don't breathe this!

[Fouredged Sword]

Did you calculate based on before or after putting said dragons into a blender?? :belkar:

After, otherwise you still have space unfilled by dragon meat, and are not getting a good estimate. The trouble is getting a big enough blender.

[Septimus Faber]

After, otherwise you still have space unfilled by dragon meat, and are not getting a good estimate. The trouble is getting a big enough blender.

That...

... Is never something I thought I would read.

In my life.

Besides, I'm sure dragon bone is too solid to blend. Unless they have a honeycomb structure, like birds', to permit easy flight?

... I don't know.

[John Longarrow]

SeptimusFabrius,
Don't you get your blenders with Adamantium blades??? I figured that would be standard by now. They are MARVELous!!!

[Spore]

Dragons are Sauropsida like birds. Of course they have frail bones!

[Phelix-Mu]

Besides, I'm sure dragon bone is too solid to blend.

I live by the maxim

THERE IS NOTHING TOO SOLID TO BLEND.

As a confirmed druid/wizard, I know that it's simply a matter of finding the right tool and applying sufficient force. With a splash of dire tortoise so the dragon doesn't see me coming. *wink*

Lol, just got an image of a ninja dire tortoise hiding above the dragon, ready to deliver the killing blow.

[Shining Wrath]

The "blender" of which you speak is a 20th level Warblade with an adamantium greatsword using Time Stands Still