Compilations of Benefits from Being a True Dragon?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Dragons are an integral part of Dungeons & DRAGONS, so it's to be expected that there's a ton of information about them spread throughout the sourcebooks and supplementals. Is there a list of all the benefits of being a true dragon, both in what they get directly and things they have access to beyond the obvious?

I know the following for sure:

Dragon Type: 12-sided Hit Dice. Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Dice (as fighter). Good Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves. Skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die. Darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. Darkvision out to 120 feet, blindsense out to 60', and superior low-light vision. Immunity to magic sleep effects and paralysis effects. Proficient with its natural weapons only unless humanoid in form (or capable of assuming humanoid form), in which case proficient with all simple weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry. Proficient with no armor. Dragons eat, sleep, and breathe.

Dragons do not take penalties to physical stats as they age.

Dragons of Old age and older can take [Epic] feats regardless of their level.

Dragons can trade the possibility of gaining racial spellcasting for a draconic archetype (from Dragons of Eberron).

The largest epic dragons (force, prismatic, time, etc) have their own special size category: Colossal+.

Spellcasting dragons (that aren't gem dragons) typically cast as sorcerers, but they can cast cleric spells as arcane spells, and some gain spells from the domains listed in their entries.

That's all I know about. Is there anything else I'm missing?

[ViperMagnum357]

Any True Dragon can become Colossal+ using enough age categories, via the Advanced Dragon entry in the ELH. That entry also specifies extras once those dragons hit advanced categories: including improved natural AC, breath weapon damage, Spell Resistance, caster level, Damage Reduction and improvements to all ability scores apart from Dexterity as additional benefits of advancing their Racial Hit Dice.

[zfs]

True Dragons can enter into a Dragon Pact (from Dragon Magic) with a Sorceror and get an additional spell slot in exchange for losing some HP.

[Crake]

Dragons are an integral part of Dungeons & DRAGONS, so it's to be expected that there's a ton of information about them spread throughout the sourcebooks and supplementals. Is there a list of all the benefits of being a true dragon, both in what they get directly and things they have access to beyond the obvious?

I know the following for sure:

Dragon Type: 12-sided Hit Dice. Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Dice (as fighter). Good Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves. Skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die. Darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. Immunity to magic sleep effects and paralysis effects. Proficient with its natural weapons only unless humanoid in form (or capable of assuming humanoid form), in which case proficient with all simple weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry. Proficient with no armor. Dragons eat, sleep, and breathe.

It's darkvision 120ft, superior lowlight vision, and blindsense 60ft.


Dragons do not take penalties to physical stats as they age.

Dragons of Old age and older can take [Epic] feats regardless of their level.

Dragons can trade the possibility of gaining racial spellcasting for a draconic archetype (from Dragons of Eberron).

The largest epic dragons (force, prismatic, time, etc) have their own special size category: Colossal+.

Spellcasting dragons (that aren't gem dragons) typically cast as sorcerers, but they can cast cleric spells as arcane spells, and some gain spells from the domains listed in their entries.

That's all I know about. Is there anything else I'm missing?

Something to note: all planar dragons lose spellcasting abilities. Also, not ALL spellcasting dragons can cast cleric spells. Of the chromatics, black, green and white cannot cast cleric spells, though all metallic dragons can.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

It's darkvision 120ft, superior lowlight vision, and blindsense 60ft.Then the SRD is wrong, because I copied and pasted.


Something to note: all planar dragons lose spellcasting abilities. Also, not ALL spellcasting dragons can cast cleric spells. Of the chromatics, black, green and white cannot cast cleric spells, though all metallic dragons can.You don't have to actually get said spellcasting to get said archetypes; the archetype section says so explicitly.

[Remuko]

Then the SRD is wrong.

You don't have to actually get said spellcasting to get said archetypes; the archetype section says so explicitly.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dragonTrue.htm

it says what Crake said here. unless you used a different SRD? Or you were just looking at the basic dragon entry which applies to all dragons except as noted, with true dragons having different features as part of being TRUE dragons instead of LESSER dragons.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dragonTrue.htm

it says what Crake said here. unless you used a different SRD? Or you were just looking at the basic dragon entry which applies to all dragons except as noted, with true dragons having different features as part of being TRUE dragons instead of LESSER dragons.I did copy/paste from the dragon type. I guess that's where the mixup came from, then.

Also, I know this doesn't count, but a certain 3rd party book with a name I'm not gonna mention says that dragons are rather talented in the metaphorical sheets, as males are extremely well-endowed (one size category larger than they have any right to be), and females are equipped to handle said males. Half-dragons share this trait. Another reason to play a (male) dragon, especially since players are free to fluff themselves however they want (within reason).

[Menzath]

True dragons can give up a sorcerer spell slot and spell known when leveling to gain a draconic aura with a bonus of 1/2 the spell slot. Dragon magic.

Dragons qualify as having the dragonblood subtype for the purpose of taking feats.
There are a bit of interesting feats that are dragon only.

[Nifft]

(...) players are free to fluff themselves however they want (within reason).

You may be interested to learn that fluffer is a profession (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluffer), and to fluff has a technical meaning.

Thus, informing your players that they "are free to fluff themselves" may have entertaining results.

[Crake]

I did copy/paste from the dragon type. I guess that's where the mixup came from, then.

Correct, what you pasted was what all dragons get. All true dragons on the other hand, get what's listed in the true dragon heading section (in addition to what they get for having the dragon type).

[WhamBamSam]

True Dragons can develop Dragon Psychoses (Dragon Mag 313), become Archdragons (Dragon Mag 321), and become Xorvintaal Dragons (MMV).


Dragons qualify as having the dragonblood subtype for the purpose of taking feats.
There are a bit of interesting feats that are dragon only.Any creature of the dragon type automatically qualifies for PrCs, feats, substitution levels, and spells that require the dragonblood subtype. This is in fact significantly better than simply qualifying as if they were dragonblooded, as automatically means automatically, so by RAW they can ignore other prerequisites.

[Ruethgar]

Dragons can trade the possibility of gaining racial spellcasting for a draconic archetype (from Dragons of Eberron).

This feature technically applies to all dragons, not just true. The text heavily implies true dragon, but doesn’t appear to actually state it.

Edit: To actually add to the post and not debate RAW. The MMI dragon Hatchlings are among the only ECL 0 playable creatures to have elemental immunities and subtypes. The Water subtype is pretty nice here, automatic swim checks and water breathing. Air would be nice if it was somehow defined what your guaranteed flight speed is.

Oh! Also the Alternate Form and Half Dragon Form feats from Dragons of Ebberon.

[ExLibrisMortis]

Draconic Archetypes don't trade racial spellcasting away, only the ability to cast spells from a set of domains, if available.

[Doctor Awkward]

-deleteed-

[Feantar]

The most important benefits are these two:


You can look down on other dragons.
You're part of the only racial subtype in which the No True Scotsman fallacy does not apply.

[Nifft]

You're part of the only racial subtype in which the No True Scotsman fallacy does not apply.
[/LIST]

But what if you're a Welsh Dragon?

You can't be a True Scotsman and Welsh at the same time.

[Bronk]

This feature technically applies to all dragons, not just true. The text heavily implies true dragon, but doesn’t appear to actually state it.

Maybe we can consider one of the best benefits of being a true dragon is being a dragon in the first place! :)

On that note, they also qualify for a number of dragon ACFs...

[Feantar]

But what if you're a Welsh Dragon?

You can't be a True Scotsman and Welsh at the same time.

No True Scotsman would be a Welsh Dragon! Not even through shapechange.

I was going to make a joke about how a Welsh dragon could never be printed as it would never go through spell check, but then I googled something.

This is the royal heraldic badge of Wales.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Royal_Badge_of_Wales_%281953%29.svg/150px-Royal_Badge_of_Wales_%281953%29.svg.png

[OgresAreCute]

No True Scotsman would be a Welsh Dragon! Not even through shapechange.

I was going to make a joke about how a Welsh dragon could never be printed as it would never go through spell check, but then I googled something.

This is the royal heraldic badge of Wales.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Royal_Badge_of_Wales_%281953%29.svg/150px-Royal_Badge_of_Wales_%281953%29.svg.png

Damn, this badge has it all. A crown, a dragon, incomprehensible gibberish...

[Nifft]

I was going to make a joke about how a Welsh dragon could never be printed as it would never go through spell check, but then I googled something.

Yep. And in the middle of that heraldry you can see their flag:

https://preview.ibb.co/cxiBaA/830px-Flag-of-Wales-1959-present-svg.png (https://ibb.co/jXyzTV)

So yeah, Welsh Dragons are probably one of the more commonly seen varieties on this planet.

[Doctor Awkward]

Damn, this badge has it all. A crown, a dragon, incomprehensible gibberish...

Y DDRAIG GOCH DDYRY CYCHWYN:
- "The red dragon inspires action."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Badge_of_Wales#Red_Dragon_badge