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Mai
2020-05-10, 01:59 PM
I am thinking of running a game whete all the players are newly hatchdd wyrmlings, but i'm unsure how to do it properly.

I would probably use a system like 3.5/Ps ECL system everyone would start at roughly ECL 7-9, with the stats of a hatchling dragon, and maybe a little extra. Like a point by of 20 if I did it for D&D 5e. If I did it for pathfinder 2e, i would probably look over the type of dragon they chose and look at it'it's stats to determine an ancestry ability increases.

Any tips? I know P2 uses very weakened dragons with no hatchlings, which might be a problem.

CombatBunny
2020-05-12, 11:58 AM
An approach I have found useful is this:

All the players begin as wyrmlings or any other age category that you feel comfortable with. They don’t get to choose anything but the type of their dragon, nor abilities, powers, feats, nothing at all. They get what the monster manual describes for that kind and age of dragon. The only think they can choose is where to allocate their skill points based on ECL.

Then they travel and adventure as normal, but each time they gain a new level they actually gain nothing but the corresponding skill-points (you drop the ability increases, feats, adjustments, etc.). Once they reach an ECL appropriate for the next category in age/size, you replace all their stats (except for the skill points) for the new ones.

Don’t multi-class (their class will be Monster, don't try anything crazy like Monster-druid), don’t give them advancing options, don’t let them choose spells. Playing dragons is already stretching a lot the boundaries of what d&d was planned for. There are supplements that deal in more depth with dragons like the draconomicon, but unless you want to get into a lot of work, research and design, stick to the raw stats of what is presented in the dragon tables.

Still get ready to run your games into a more narrative way and walk away from the dungeon crawl, beating the next powerful monster tropes, because changing something as simple as playing with dragons, will change completely the way you run d&d and eventually you will be by your own (unable to rely on the manuals for rules). But that’s cool, that’s a very unique experience, just be prepared that eventually you will be playing without safety net.

Friv
2020-05-12, 12:44 PM
I am thinking of running a game whete all the players are newly hatchdd wyrmlings, but i'm unsure how to do it properly.

I would probably use a system like 3.5/Ps ECL system everyone would start at roughly ECL 7-9, with the stats of a hatchling dragon, and maybe a little extra. Like a point by of 20 if I did it for D&D 5e. If I did it for pathfinder 2e, i would probably look over the type of dragon they chose and look at it'it's stats to determine an ancestry ability increases.

Any tips? I know P2 uses very weakened dragons with no hatchlings, which might be a problem.

I have a suggestion, but you may not like it. There is an RPG specifically about playing very young dragons. It is called Epyllion (https://www.magpiegames.com/epyllion/), and it is about young dragons seeking to stave off corruption in a dragon-focused land. Might work out for you.

Mai
2020-05-12, 07:05 PM
Friv:
Yeah... it looks... fun? But it really does lack any sort of adventuring feel. I don't run dungeon grinds anyway, I tend to run sandboxes. But Epyllion seems to have no system for actual combat, which will cause problems. I am all for the power of friendship type games, but that's not what this was intended to be. And the name of the land is kinda cringy...

Bunny:
As for no advancement whatsoever between ages, that seems a bit much? Wouldn't that make levels pointless unless you had 3+? And that's best case in 3.5 or Pathfinder.


I had originally planned of effectively leveling them like in savage species, probably altered for 5e as one of my friends would have a hard time learning 3.5. She''s new to these games and doesn't like over complicated systems right now. But that won't work. 5e and P2 dragons lost the 12 ages thing which made it more reasonable. I may still try with another group though.

Thank you for your advice.

NotASpiderSwarm
2020-05-12, 08:05 PM
Do you want them to be dragon sorcerers/dragon rogues/dragon barbarians, or do you want them to be dragons?

If you want straight dragon chars, this thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?611731-3-5-How-About-Them-Dragons-(Reboot)&p=24491647&viewfull=1#post24491647) from the PBP subforum has a whole system laid out for leveling as a dragon with a 3.5 base.

If you're looking for more 4-char party with arcane/divine/rogue/beatstick, where they all happen to be dragons, then the solution is probably to scrap the 3.5 dragon stats* and homebrew your own up. Off the top of my head:

Probably want a Medium, Small, and Tiny variant. All get fly speed** and a claw-claw-bite attack routine. All get the pile of Dragon-type immunities and benefits. Breath weapons and immunities as normal for their dragon race, breath weapon deals 1d6 per 2 HD(class or racial both count), useable as a standard action every round. All dragon sizes gain +2 cha minimum, medium are looking at Str/Con bonuses, small and tiny get mostly mental bonuses, dex is always 10. Toss in +X nat armor if you feel like it. You'll have to work to balance the variants, and look ready to shut down cheese, but starting over from the ground up is probably better than sticking to the published options.

*never actually intended for PC use, no matter what the LA might tell you
**Starts at 100' Good for tiny, avg for small dragons, poor for medium. Every additional non-fly/ground*** speed means -20' to their fly.
***Ground speed of 40' for medium, 30' for small or tiny. Burrow/climb speed, if applicable, equal ground speed -10', swim speed equals ground speed.

Bohandas
2020-05-12, 08:13 PM
Check out Council of Wyrms 2e and Draconomicon (3.5e)