Equipping Dragons with a bit of magical "oomph"

[Pinjata]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking dragons, who live hunreds of years, should each have some adittional gear to protect themselves, as well as to make a good drop. I'm thinking of "gearing" some of chromatics, as follows:

Black
Ring of Free Action
Ring of Regeneration
Amulet of the Planes

Blue
Ring of Resistance (Fire)
Ring of Evasion
Hat of Disguise

Green
Necklace of Adaptation
Hat of Disguise
Ioun stone of Absorbtion

White
Ring of Resistance (Fire)
Amulet of the Planes
Ioun stone of protection

Red
Ring of Evasion
Bracers of Defence
Ioun stone of Awareness

Got any comments?

[Lord8Ball]

You are right about dragons using magic items. It really doesn't make sense that they hoard magical artifacts and don't use them to their benefit. One thing of note that is that I don't think the hat of disguise would work well on a huge dragon. I remember dragons in previous additions could polymorph into humans so you could probably give it an item to mimic that like some sort of jewelry of alter self.

[damascoplay]

Well, you are making their CR go higher by giving them magical items. Take that into account :P

btw, why does a green dragon has a Hat of Disguise? I could only imagine it wearing a giant fedora of some sort.

"M'Intruders."

Besides, i think ancient chromatic dragons should already have the innate power to shapeshift into any creatures giving their age and knowledge, so the Hat would be useless (?). Not to mention this part about the Disguise Self spell :

"The changes wrought by this spell fail to hold up to physical inspection. For example, if you use this spell to add a hat to your outfit, objects pass through the hat, and anyone who touches it would feel nothing or would feel your head and hair. If you use this spell to appear thinner that you are, the hand of someone who reaches out to touch you would bump into you while it was seemingly still in mid air."

So there's that.

[Pinjata]

As for Hat of Disguise: Does the Hat actually keep Hat shape?

I was thinking of a dragon reverting from this:
https://img00.deviantart.net/0119/i/2017/309/7/c/red_dragon_by_manzanedo-dbssb1s.jpg
to this
https://img00.deviantart.net/98e8/i/2015/110/a/f/sunny_dragon_by_gugu_troll-d6sm54u.jpg

plus the hat in both cases.

[damascoplay]

Well, the hat does require attunement in order to use it, so it would remain at the same size. And yeah, i think it can try to pass like another dragon, but it's enormous ego and manerism can denote his true nature.

PS: I'm sure you can make the hat go invisible while using it's effect. But where's the fun in that?

[Lord8Ball]

tips fedora

[Deox]

Well, you are making their CR go higher by giving them magical items. Take that into account :P

I would have to disagree with this. A dragon does not live to being old by being dumb. They are ruthless, cunning, subtle and arrogant. It is well within their limits to not only acquire interesting trinkets, but to employ them as well.

When I employ dragons in my games, they are rare and memorable. Personalities, traits, flaws, ambitions. They are few and far between, but world movers and shakers. That being said, I would personally outfit them with things that made sense for that particular dragon. While in a humanoid form, perhaps a favourite piece of jewelry or a specific weapon it fancies. A cloak, cape, hat or other are fine additions. In it's natural state, why not have it crunch on potions? Dragons love their amulets, medallions, necklaces, and periapts. Rings on claws? Check. Large bracelets over lower forelimbs? Absolutely.

[iTreeby]

If giving them a magic item would change their stat block then they should have a cr based on the new stat block. Lots of magic items wouldn't actually change the stat block though.

[BBQ Pork]

Let's say that dragons are:
-Magical by nature
-attuned to their hoards

In that case, they might be able to use the abilities of some of the items in their hoards, so long as they're in their lairs, without literally wearing the object.
Not saying that a Vorpal Sword in the pile would enhance their claw attacks, but they could get a +1 AC from a ring in there. Maybe there's a Ring of Regeneration and Bracers of Defense in there too.
( Now, using the sword through Telekinesis is another story... ;) )

I've given dragons access to Wizard spells before, and the results could be quite vexing to a party. Even a low-level spell, when applied to a monstrous creature, can be a significant force multiplier. Tread carefully.

[damascoplay]

I would have to disagree with this. A dragon does not live to being old by being dumb. They are ruthless, cunning, subtle and arrogant. It is well within their limits to not only acquire interesting trinkets, but to employ them as well.

When I employ dragons in my games, they are rare and memorable. Personalities, traits, flaws, ambitions. They are few and far between, but world movers and shakers. That being said, I would personally outfit them with things that made sense for that particular dragon. While in a humanoid form, perhaps a favourite piece of jewelry or a specific weapon it fancies. A cloak, cape, hat or other are fine additions. In it's natural state, why not have it crunch on potions? Dragons love their amulets, medallions, necklaces, and periapts. Rings on claws? Check. Large bracelets over lower forelimbs? Absolutely.

I'm not saying in any means that they shouldn't be capable of using magical items. I'm implying that using CERTAIN types of magic items can increase their CR based on how deadly/ resourceful the items they are wearing are. Just look at the Vampire stats in the MM pg 297. While his CR is 13, one wearing a Plate Armor and wielding a greatsword has a CR of 15 (as described in page 298). That's what i'm talking about.

I have np with dragons using magic equipments. In fact, that's what a dragon should do if they have the chance.

[EvilAnagram]

I think it depends on the dragon. I think green and black dragons are more than willing to take any advantage they can get, but a white dragon just wants to tear apart living things with its claws. Red dragons are interesting cases because they're very intelligent, but they're also the supreme example of arrogance in the universe, and I can easily see one refusing to use a magic item simply because he thinks it debases himself. I totally give them spells, though.

[Deox]

I'm not saying in any means that they shouldn't be capable of using magical items. I'm implying that using CERTAIN types of magic items can increase their CR based on how deadly/ resourceful the items they are wearing are. Just look at the Vampire stats in the MM pg 297. While his CR is 13, one wearing a Plate Armor and wielding a greatsword has a CR of 15 (as described in page 298). That's what i'm talking about.

I have np with dragons using magic equipments. In fact, that's what a dragon should do if they have the chance.


That is a fair assessment. Thank you for clarification and pointing out the vampire reference, I'll be sure to review it.

[Pinjata]

I think it depends on the dragon. I think green and black dragons are more than willing to take any advantage they can get, but a white dragon just wants to tear apart living things with its claws. Red dragons are interesting cases because they're very intelligent, but they're also the supreme example of arrogance in the universe, and I can easily see one refusing to use a magic item simply because he thinks it debases himself. I totally give them spells, though.

Comment on whites is really interesting. What sort of magic items, that represent improving white's hunting capabilities would be cool? A good hunter is stealthy and deadly or fast and deadly. I don't think any item gives target adittional movement (perhaps some ring of teleporting? something?) but as for stealth ring of invisibility seems just the thing.

Thoughts?

[Deox]

Comment on whites is really interesting. What sort of magic items, that represent improving white's hunting capabilities would be cool? A good hunter is stealthy and deadly or fast and deadly. I don't think any item gives target adittional movement (perhaps some ring of teleporting? something?) but as for stealth ring of invisibility seems just the thing.

Thoughts?

Intelligent, predatory hunter and stalker. Off the top of my head, white dragons could conceivably use the following (with adjustments as needed to "fit"):

Boots of Elvenkind
Cloak of Displacement
Robe of Scintillating Colors
Ring of Mind Shielding
Potion of Speed