Half-Dragon PCs For All Worlds
Originally from Dragon Magazine, edited down and updated for 3rd Edition by me.
Fantasy genetics
Some basic restrictions should be laid down regarding
half-dragons. There are important exceptions to these rules, but
for the most part they should be taken as basic fantasy "truths."
First, only male dragons and female humans or demihumans can
create half-dragon children; female dragons cannot be impregnated
by male humans or demihumans, and beings other than humans or
demihumans cannot bear a dragon's children. (An exception occurs
with the Oriental dragons, as detailed later.) Demihumans include
elves, half-elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, kender, and similar
humanlike races (including drow). This category does not include
giants, ogres, orcs, half-orcs, half-ogres, goblins, centaurs, and
other "nonhuman" races; for now, we'll assume that these races are
not fertile with dragons, or that dragons won't have anything to
do with them.
Second, only those dragons with the innate power to
polymorph themselves into human or demihuman shape can
interbreed with the latter while in the latter's form.
Third, interbreeding is not possible while a dragon is using a
normal polymorph self spell, so a red dragon or shadow dragon
with a fourth-level spell slot could not impregnate a human or
demihuman female.
Fourth, some dragons that might have the power to create
half-dragon offspring simply have no interest in doing so, and
actively avoid it. These are most commonly dragons who have little
or no interest in humanity or have strong prejudices against
humans, demihumans, or mammals in general, greatly preferring the
company of other dragons alone. (This point allows us to eliminate
the half-platinum, half-adamantite, half-radiant, and other
potentially over-powerful types--not a bad thing, as these
admittedly make little sense in a carefully considered campaign.
Imagine Zeus falling desperately in love with an overly
intelligent hamster and wanting the fuzzy little rodent to bear
his children. One must draw the line somewhere!)
The COUNCIL OF WYRMS set provides the rules for generating
half-dragons in the Io's Blood islands campaign, and these rules
are generally followed here. However, not all dragons on all
worlds are alike, as you will see--and there are more sorts of
dragons than just gold, silver, and bronze. As noted above, we
also open up the world of half-dragon/half-human offspring.
General notes
Much of what follows applies to half-dragon offspring whose
dragon parents were a metallic type. The material is based on the
principles set forth in the COUNCIL OF WYRMS boxed set. The
children of Oriental dragons, however, are much different in
nature and receive much different treatment.
Half-dragons are subjected to considerable prejudice in many
lands on many worlds, making the majority of them exiles and
outsiders. The idea of creatures as different as dragons and
demihumans (or dragons and humans) having offspring is considered
repugnant by most individuals of any species, even within the
COUNCIL OF WYRMS setting. For example, half-dragons have no
official place in the COUNCIL OF WYRMS setting itself, even though
this is where they are most commonly found, and most half-dragons
find themselves cast out of the societies of either parent.
Even among those dragons who willingly engage in intimate
relations with human or demihuman mates, producing half-dragon
young is basically unacceptable. A dragon may truly love a mate,
but dragon societies of almost any land find the idea of creating
half-dragons intolerable. Thus, half-dragon young are quite rare.
Half-dragon infants take the physical form of their human or
demihuman parent. Few physical features identify a newborn babe as
a half-dragon, though there are telltale signs that a careful
observer could not miss. (Fear of discovery thus leads most
mothers to leave home, never to return, to seek a secure
wilderness area to give birth--often the lair of the dragon
parent.) The half-dragon newborn usually has eyes or hair that are
the color of the dragon parent's scales, such as gold, silver, or
bronze.
As they reach adulthood, half-dragons grow tall and lean, no
matter what human or demihuman blood mixes with their draconic
heritage. The dragon heritage then begins to develop, overwhelming
"lesser" genes. During adolescence, dragonlike powers manifest
themselves. (These are called "discretionary abilities" in D&D
game terms, as they are chosen by the player during the
character's progression.) These abilities become stronger and more
pronounced with time and use, until a half-dragon grows to full
power. Physical changes accompany the appearance of these
abilities, eventually metamorphosing the youth into a beautiful
and unique being--but the beauty is an alien one, not entirely
along human or demihuman standards.
A mature half-dragon looks like a very tall, slender humanoid
with elflike features: a thin frame, lean muscles, long limbs, and
pointed ears. It does not matter which human or demihuman stock
runs through the half-dragon's blood. Skin has the look and
texture of normal flesh, though with the pigmentation of the
draconic parent (golden, silvery, or bronze-tinged, for example).
The half-dragon's hair is luxurious and thick, of a deeper or
richer shade of the flesh's color. The fingers are long and thin,
with nails like talons. Yet the true mark of dragon heritage is in
the face, which has a remarkably reptilian appearance: snakelike
eyes, elongated features, and a hint of horns protruding from
above the temples. Half-dragons have no wings, no tails, and no
scales.
Half-dragons do not automatically learn any language except
for those taught by their parents. If the dragon parent is
present, whatever draconic languages that parent knows may be
learned, and the human or demihuman parent's native tongues also
may be picked up.
Beyond these generalities, half-dragons of various D&D game
worlds have few things in common. A short look at each world
follows, with appropriate notes and comments.
Discretionary/fixed abilities
As half-dragon characters mature and gain levels, they slowly
become more like their dragon parents. These changes are reflected
in the receiving of new abilities and powers as certain levels are
reached. Two types of new abilities are involved here:
discretionary and fixed.
Players, with their DM's permission, should decide which race
(human, elf, dwarf, gnome, halfling, kender, half-elf, etc.) is
mixed with their draconic heritage. As a starting character, the
half-dragon PC has all the racial abilities of his demihuman
parent (as detailed in the Player's Handbook or other
appropriate reference), though the character of course looks like
a half-dragon as previously described. Half-dragons with human
parents start with no racial abilities.
As half-dragons increase in level, the metamorphosis lurking
within them begins to manifest. Half-dragons at this point are
treated differently, depending on whether they have human or
demihuman parents.
At 2nd, 4th, and 6th level, the player of a half-dragon PC
with a demihuman parent can choose one of the draconic
discretionary abilities listed in the section "Half-dragon roster"
and add it to her character sheet. To balance this, the character
must lose one demihuman racial ability; this ability has been
superseded and replaced by one of draconic origin, showing the
character's inevitable shift toward dragonkind as her body
matures.
For example, a 2nd-level half-bronze/half-elf is about to take
the water breathing draconic ability. This replaces the
character's elven low-light vision. A DM should decide
beforehand if the player gets to choose which ability is replaced,
or if the decision is made through random selection by player or
DM.
Fixed abilities come into play here, too, but they are not
chosen and occur regardless of other factors. At 5th level, all
half-dragons with demihuman parents gain the ability to use their
talonlike nails as claw weapons. At 7th level, they reach their
full physical maturity and stop metamorphosing. While still
obviously humanoid, they are also obviously related to dragonkind.
At 7th level, they gain the ability to use their half-dragon
breath weapon. Each of these fixed abilities must replace one
demihuman racial ability, just as happens with discretionary
abilities.
A half-dragon with a human parent has no innate racial
abilities. The discretionary and fixed abilities are received as
described above, but without the loss of any other ability.
Furthermore, discretionary abilities continue to be received by
the half-dragon at even-numbered levels beyond the 6th, as the
half-dragon/half-human character becomes increasingly dragonlike
with age. The receiving of discretionary abilities ends only when
either the half-dragon has reached its maximum level within its
character class, and thus cannot progress further and receive new
abilities, or when no further abilities remain for it to take. A
half-dragon/half-human character is likely to be more powerful in
the long run than a half-dragon/half-demihuman character.
Half-dragon roster
The following material presents all the major types of
half-dragons so far known in the various AD&D game worlds.
Ability-score modifiers are used when half-dragon characters are
generated. Alignment tendencies do not have to be strictly
followed for PCs, but most half-dragons of each type have leanings
toward the alignments given.
Half-dragons can exceed the level limits for the allowable
classes listed here if they have high prime requisite scores (as
presented in the DMG, page 15). What specific class or kit they
belong to does not matter.
Discretionary and fixed abilities available to each
half-dragon type are listed below. Note again that not all these
abilities are available to half-dragon/half-demihuman characters,
as each such character usually receives only three discretionary
abilities and two fixed abilities, no matter what level of
advancement is achieved.
Half-Gold
Appearance: Normal half-dragon with dark brown-gold hair,
golden irises, pale gold skin.
Ability-score modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Wisdom, +1
Charisma.
Starting age: 14+1d4 years.
Alignment tendency: Lawful good.
Favored Multiclass: Sorceror.
Discretionary abilities: Water breathing (at will); speak
with animals (at will); bless (twice per day); detect lie
(twice per day); sleep (twice per day); dragon fear (three
times per day); immune to fire; immune to gas; 90-foot
darkvision.
Fixed abilities: Claw attacks (1d6, x2 critical); breath weapon
(spray of fire 10 feet long, damage 3d6, usable twice per day).
Half-Silver
Appearance: Normal half-dragon with silver-white hair,
silver irises, very pale gray-white skin.
Ability-score modifiers: +1 Strength, +1 Constitution, -1
Intelligence.
Starting age: 14+1d4 years.
Alignment tendency: Lawful good.
Favored Multiclass: Ranger.
Discretionary abilities: Feather fall (once per day);
wall of fog (once per day); cloud walk (one hour per level per
day); dragon fear (twice per day); immune to cold; 90-foot
darkvision.
Fixed abilities: Claw attacks (1d4, x2 critical); breath weapon
(spray of cold 8 feet long, damage 4d4, usable twice per day).
Half-Bronze
Appearance: Normal half-dragon with dark metallic-brown
hair, bronze irises, warm bronze (light to medium brown) skin.
Ability-score modifiers: +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1
Wisdom.
Starting age: 14+1d4 years.
Alignment tendency: Lawful good.
Favored Multiclass: Monk (note that half-bronze characters
must still follow the multiclass restrictions for monks as written in
the Player's Handbook).
Discretionary abilities: Water breathing (at will); speak
with animals (at will); create food and water (twice per day);
ESP (once per day); dragon fear (once per day); immune to
electricity; 60-foot darkvision.
Fixed abilities: Claw attacks (1d4, x2 critical); breath weapon (bolt
of lightning 8 feet long, damage 3d4, usable twice per day).
Half-Greyhawk
Appearance: Normal half-dragon, with dark gray hair,
steel-gray irises, and light gray skin.
Ability-score modifiers: +2 Intelligence, +1 Strength, -1
Dexterity.
Starting age: 14+1d4 years.
Alignment tendency: Lawful neutral, lawful good.
Favored Multiclass: Wizard.
Discretionary abilities: Cast cantrip (twice per day);
cast friends (once per day); dragon fear (once per day);
+4 bonus to saves vs. 1st-level wizard spells; +4 bonus to
saves vs. poison; 60-foot darkvision.
Fixed abilities: Claw attacks (1d3, x2 critical); breath weapon
(spray of poisonous gas forming 10-foot-square cube in front of
character, fort. save vs. D.C. 12 or die, usable twice per day).
Half-Steel
Appearance: Normal half-dragon, with dark gray hair, light
gray skin, and two-color eyes (one silver, one dark gray).
Ability-score modifiers: +2 Intelligence, +1 Strength, -1
Dexterity.
Starting age: 14+1d4 years.
Alignment tendency: Lawful neutral, lawful good.
Favored Multiclass: Wizard.
Discretionary abilities: Cast detect lie (twice per day);
cast charm person (twice per day); use dragon fear (once per
day); Spell resistance 16; ability to use any magical item meant
for mages/wizards; 60-foot darkvision.
Fixed abilities: Claw attacks (1d3, x2 critical); breath weapon
(spray of poisonous gas forming 10-foot-square cube in front of
character, fort. save vs. D.C 16 or must feign death for 2d10 turns
as per the spell, usable twice per day)
Drow-Dragon
Appearance: Normal half-dragon, with black hair, bright red
eyes, and deep maroon skin.
Ability-score modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdom.
Starting age: 14+1d4 years.
Alignment tendency: Chaotic evil.
Favored Multiclass: Rogue.
Discretionary abilities: Use detect magic (at will); cast
true seeing (twice per day); immune to charm, sleep, hold
magic; use dragon fear (once per day); +4 bonus to saves vs. and
-1 on each die of damage from heat/fire/cold/ice spells;
regenerate 1 hp/turn; 120-foot darkvision
Fixed abilities: Claw attacks (1d3, x2 critical), breath weapon
(spray of flesh-corrosive gas 5 feet long, damage 3d4, usable
twice per day).
Half-Iron
Appearance: Normal half-dragon, with black hair, dark gray
eyes, and medium-gray or ash-black skin.
Ability-score modifiers: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2
Intelligence, -2 Wisdom.
Starting age: 14+1d4 years.
Alignment tendency: Lawful neutral.
Favored Multiclass: Fighter.
Discretionary abilities: Immune to all heat/fire attacks and
spells; use dragon fear (once per day); cast heat metal (twice
per day); cast stone shape (twice per day); 90-foot darkvision.
Fixed abilities: Claw attacks (1d6, x2 critical), breath weapon
(spray of sparks 10 feet long, damage 3d6, usable twice per day).
Half-Dragon Characteristics (Male/Female)
Table 1: Height (Inches)
Race Base Modifier
Half-Gold 78/72 2d8
Half-Silver 76/70 2d6
Half-Bronze 74/68 2d4
Half-Greyhawk 66/64 1d6
Half-Steel 66/64 1d6
Deep Dragon 56/60 2d4
Half-Iron 76/72 2d8
Table 2: Weight (Pounds)
Race Base Modifier
Half-Gold 180/170 4d8
Half-Silver 160/130 3d8
Half-Bronze 150/120 3d8
Half-Greyhawk 130/120 2d6
Half-Steel 130/120 2d6
Deep Dragon 100/115 2d4
Half-Iron 170/150 4d8
Table 3: Age Range (Years)
Race Max. Mid./Old/Ven.
Half-Gold 300+5d10 150/200/300
Half-Silver 250+3d20 125/167/250
Half-Bronze 200+4d10 100/133/200
Half-Greyhawk 170+4d8 85/115/170
Half-Steel 170+4d8 85/115/170
Deep Dragon 350+4d20 175/233/350
Half-Iron 400+3d10 200/267/400