Dragon-adjacent beings

[Powerdork]

Is there a primer on the various ways one can be influenced by dragons, and how much depth there is to each?
What distinguishes a dragonblooded creature from a draconic creature, which is more dragon-y, and how does one become either?

[Particle_Man]

Well to start at the very low end of the scale, Sorcerers are said to have some dragons way back in their bloodline to explain the source of their magical abilities.

Speaking of bloodlines, there are those bloodline rules and dragons can be part of that.

Half-Dragons are obvious. Sadly the half-faerie dragon and half-pseudo dragon are not 1st party.

Dragonborn? Draconic template?

[DrMotives]

As far as which is more dragon-y, a dragonblood creature is a little bit dragon. They just picked up a feat, or sometimes a race, that gives them that. A draconic creature has a template that means some more dragon is in their family tree somewhere. If they have even more, they could be a half-dragon, which is as much as you can have without going into full dragon. Remember that the half-dragon template changes a creature type to "dragon".

[Particle_Man]

Interestingly, you can either become a half-dragon by, well, having a dragon dad or mom, or by pursuing a prestige class "Draconic Disciple" that pretty much puts you there.

[BowStreetRunner]

Have you already read Races of the Dragon and the Draconomicon? These cover a lot of your questions.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

You could always have one parent be a half-dragon and the other be a dragon. That'd make you three-quarters dragon.

You could also be a half-dragon dragon, with both parents being different kinds of dragon. If you don't want the template, just simulate it by taking a level or two in the Dragon #300 racial class, then follow with a level of dragonfire adept, using a different element than your native one.

[Red Fel]

Have you already read Races of the Dragon and the Draconomicon? These cover a lot of your questions.

Very much this. Because there's a lot of diversity even within a given group.

Example, the Dragonblood races. Silverbrow Humans are descended from the offspring of Silver Dragons and Humans - basically, the grandkids of Half-Dragons. But not all Dragonblood are specifically descended from Dragons. Fireblood Dwarves were slaves of Red Dragons, who basically absorbed some of that Red Dragon essence by a combination of adaptation and osmosis. Forestlord Elves are descended from Elves who made a pact with Green Dragons - that's right, they come by their powers by contract. Stonehunter Gnomes got their abilities by being hunting buddies with Copper Dragons. Frostblood Orcs drank White Dragon blood. The list goes on.

Point is, there's a massive spectrum between "direct offspring of a Dragon" and "tangentially associated with Dragons in a very slight way." And to cover the spread, you really ought to just read the books. Those two in particular.