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| Dragon | - | Monsters | - | Dragon #98 |
Dragons are among the most interesting monsters in
the AD&D®
game system. But one of the bothersome facts concerning dragons is
that the claw/claw/bite damage done by a particular dragon type is
always the same, regardless of the age or size of the dragon. A small,
very young red dragon has the same damage potential as a huge,
ancient red dragon. Dungeon Masters who have trouble accepting
this ?fact? regarding dragons can use the system described in this
article, which assigns damage ranges for a dragon?s physical attacks
based on the creature?s age and size.
The system assumes that as a dragon grows older,
it continues to
grow in size as well. The eight different age stages of a dragon?s
life
are divided into three age categories:
| Age category | Age range |
| A | very young to sub-adult |
| B | young adult to old |
| C | very old to ancient |
If a Dungeon Master believes that a dragon stops
growing in size
when it reaches adulthood (age category B), then he should simply
disregard category C and consider category B to include the range of
young adult through ancient. Once the age category and the size of
a given dragon are known, the table to find the appropriate claw/
claw/bite damage is consulted.
The bite damage given for a specific dragon
type in the Monster
Manual is the ?center? of the system; those figures
are listed under
age category B for average-sized dragons, and other values for bite
damage are extrapolated out in both directions. As for claw damage,
I agree with Gregory Rihn (the author of "Self-defense
for dragons"
in Best of DRAGON® Magazine anthology, Vol. III) that the
listed
claw damage in the Monster Manual is too slight for any but the
smallest dragons. The claw damage given in the rule book for a
certain dragon type appears in the table here under the grouping of
age category B for small dragons. If a DM prefers that claw damage
be closer to what is listed in the Monster Manual, then
he should
simply use the listed claw damage for a dragon as that of category
B
and average size in the table, amending other claw damage ranges
downward as he sees fit, though claw damage should never be less
than 1-3 for any dragon.
The non-standard damage ranges given in the table
are derived as
follows: 3-14 is d12 + 2; 4-14 is 2d6 + 2; and 9-30 is 7d4 + 2.
The powers of the chromatic dragon and platinum dragon
are also
revised here, with an increase in their respective damage potentials.
Each of Tiamat?s heads is equivalent to that of a huge, ancient
dragon of appropriate dragon type. Bahamut?s damage is increased
to reflect his great size and power.
| Dragon type | Damage |
| Chromatic dragon | 3-24/6-24/5-30/6-36/7-42/1-6 |
| Platinum dragon | 2-24/2-24/6-60 |
Using the system based on these tables, the youngest
and smallest
of dragons are naturally weaker and can be more easily introduced
in a low-level campaign. The largest and oldest dragons are tougher,
and they provide an even greater challenge to high-level characters,
while Tiamat and Bahamut are truly fearsome opponents.
Black dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-10 | 1-4/1-4/1-12 | 2-5/2-5/2-16 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/2-16 | 1-6/1-6/3-18 | 1-8/1-8/5-20 |
| C | 1-6/1-6/3-18 | 1-8/1-8/5-20 | 2-12/2-12/6-24 |
Blue dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 2-5/2-5/2-16 | 2-7/2-7/2-20 |
| B | 1-6/1-6/2-20 | 1-8/1-8/3-24 | 1-10/1-10/5-30 |
| C | 1-8/1-8/3-24 | 1-10/1-10/5-30 | 4-14/4-14/6-36 |
Brass dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-10 | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 2-5/2-5/2-12 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/3-14 | 1-6/1-6/4-16 | 1-8/1-8/5-20 |
| C | 1-6/1-6/4-16 | 1-8/1-8/5-20 | 2-12/2-12/6-24 |
Bronze dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 2-5/2-5/2-16 | 2-7/2-7/2-20 |
| B | 1-6/1-6/2-20 | 1-8/1-8/4-24 | 1-10/1-10/5-30 |
| C | 1-8/1-8/4-24 | 1-10/1-10/5-30 | 4-14/4-14/6-36 |
Copper dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-10 | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 2-5/2-5/2-16 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/4-16 | 1-6/1-6/5-20 | 1-8/1-8/6-24 |
| C | 1-6/1-6/5-20 | 1-8/1-8/6-24 | 2-12/2-12/9-30 |
Gold dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 2-5/2-5/3-18 | 2-7/2-7/4-24 | 3-9/3-9/5-30 |
| B | 1-8/1-8/5-30 | 1-10/1-10/6-36 | 1-12/1-12/6-36 |
| C | 1-10/1-10/6-36 | 2-12/2-12/7-42 | 2-16/2-16/8-48 |
Green dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-4/1-4/1-10 | 2-5/2-5/2-12 | 2-7/2-7/2-16 |
| B | 1-6/1-6/2-16 | 1-8/1-8/2-20 | 1-10/1-10/4-24 |
| C | 1-8/1-8/2-20 | 1-10/1-10/4-24 | 2-12/2-12/5-30 |
Red Dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 2-5/2-5/2-16 | 2-7/2-7/2-20 | 3-9/3-9/2-24 |
| B | 1-8/1-8/2-24 | 1-10/1-10/3-30 | 1-12/1-12/3-36 |
| C | 1-10/1-10/3-30 | 2-12/2-12/3-36 | 2-16/2-16/7-42 |
Silver dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-4/1-4/2-16 | 2-5/2-5/2-20 | 2-7/2-7/2-24 |
| B | 1-6/1-6/2-24 | 1-8/1-8/5-30 | 1-10/1-10/6-36 |
| C | 1-8/1-8/5-30 | 1-10/1-10/6-36 | 2-12/2-12/7-42 |
White dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-8 | 1-4/1-4/1-10 | 2-5/2-5/2-12 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 1-6/1-6/2-16 | 1-8/1-8/2-20 |
| C | 1-6/1-6/2-16 | 1-8/1-8/2-20 | 2-12/2-12/3-24 |
Dragon Damage revisited
Finishing the figures for physical attacks
by Leonard Carpenter
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| Dragon attacks | - | - | - | Dragon damage revised |
| Dragon magazine | - | Monsters | - | Dragon #110 |
In "Dragon damage revised," in
DRAGON® issue #98, I suggested altering
the damage that dragons inflict with their
claws and fangs. For a given type of
dragon, the revised damage done with the
dragon?s claw and bite attacks would im-
prove with increasing size and age, just as a
dragon?s breath-weapon attack improves.
The article described a new system for
determining the claw and bite damage done
by the dragons in the Monster
Manual.
In this follow-up article, the same system
is now applied to the damage done by the
dragons of Monster Manual
II, the FIEND
FOLIO® Tome, and Oriental
Adventures.
Also presented are some suggested damage
revisions for the marvelous neutral dragons
created by Arthur W. Collins, which ap-
peared in DRAGON issue #37 and Best of
DRAGON Magazine, Vol. III.
In "Dragon damage revised," it
was
argued that for any species of dragon, the
claw/claw/bite routine of attacks should
inflict damage that gradually increases as
the dragon?s power increases. A huge red
dragon should do more damage with claw
and fang than a small red dragon. An an-
cient red dragon?s claws and teeth should be
deadlier than those of a very young red
dragon. Dragons that are larger, older, and
thus more powerful should do greater dam-
age with all attack forms, not only with
their breath weapon.
The tables below illustrate the revised
damage system for dragons. Each type of
dragon is divided into three columns of
increasing size: small, average, and huge.
The eight growth stages of a dragon?s life
are grouped into the following three age
categories:
A very young to sub-adult
B young adult to old
C very old to ancient
Once the age category and size of a given
dragon are known, consult the appropriate
table to find the revised claw/claw/bite
damage routine.
The official damage values listed for each
species of dragon are used as the ?centers?
of this system. From the official damage
values, all other values are extrapolated
outward in all directions on the tables.
Damage values gradually increase from
small size to huge, and from very young age
to ancient (age categories A to C). The
official bite damage for any dragon type is
used in the tables as age category B and
average size. Official claw damage is set as
age category B and small size, since I con-
sider the official claw-damage values too
slight for any but the smallest dragons.
Once a Dungeon Master understands
how the tables progress, he or she can tinker
with the values to create a damage progres-
sion system suitable for the DM’s own
campaign. The idea behind these tables can
be applied to any type of dragon — official
or not — that may be encountered in the
campaign. Remember that claw damage
should not fall below 1-3 hit points for any
dragon, nor should bite attack damage be
set at less than 1-6 hit points.
The unusual damage ranges in the tables
are derived as follows: 3-10 is d8 + 2; 3-12 is
d10 + 2; 3-14 is d12 + 2; 4-14 is 2d6 + 2;
6-42 is 4d10 + 2; and 7-28 is 3d8 + 4.
Tables I and II
list the revised damage
values for the Monster Manual II and
FIEND FOLIO dragons, respectively.
Some of these dragons also have a tail-swipe
attack. The tail attack is listed as the fourth
attack in a dragon’s attack sequence. The
base damage for the tail attack, like that for
the bite attack, is listed in the tables under
age category B and average size. Tail attack
damage progresses in the tables just as the
claw and bite attack damage value pro-
gresses. Those dragons possessing a tail-
swipe attack are the cloud and mist
dragons, and the shen lung (spirit dragon).
Two additional dragons are added to this
table, taken from the Oriental Adventures
book: the chiang lung (river)
and tun mi
lung (typhoon) dragons.
Table III revises the damage done
by the
neutral dragons created by Arthur
W. Col-
lins for DRAGON issue #37. These
gemstone-colored creatures are included in
this revision system in the hope that greater
interest will be generated for these novel
dragons. Damage does not increase so
dramatically for the neutral dragons be-
cause of their small size. An improved
damage potential for the ruling Ruby
Dragon is also described, to keep all the
figures in proper perspective.
Table I: Monster
Manual II dragons
Cloud dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-8/1-8/2-20/2-8 | 1-10/1-10/2-24/3-10 | 1-12/1-12/3-30/3-12 |
| B | 1-10/1-10/3-30/3-10 | 1-12/1-12/3-36/3-12 | 3-14/3-14/4-40/4-16 |
| C | 1-12/1-12/3-36/3-12 | 3-14/3-14/6-42/4-16 | 3-18/3-18/4-48/5-20 |
Mist dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/2-12/1-6 | 1-4/1-4/2-16/2-7 | 1-6/1-6/2-20/2-8 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/2-20/2-7 | 1-6/1-6/2-24/2-8 | 1-8/1-8/3-30/3-10 |
| C | 1-6/1-6/2-24/2-8 | 1-8/1-8/3-30/3-10 | 2-12/2-12/3-36/4-14 |
Shadow dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-4/1-4/2-8 | 2-5/2-5/2-9 | 2-7/2-7/3-10 |
| B | 2-5/2-5/3-10 | 2-7/2-7/3-12 | 2-9/2-9/4-16 |
| C | 2-7/2-7/3-12 | 2-9/2-9/4-16 | 3-12/3-12/5-20 |
Table II: Oriental Dragons
Li Lung (Earth)
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-6/1-6/1-10 | 1-8/1-8/1-12 | 2-7/2-8/3-10 |
| B | 2-8/2-8/2-16 | 3-10/3-10/2-20 | 3-12/3-12/2-24 |
| C | 3-10/3-10/2-20 | 3-12/3-12/2-24 | 4-16/4-16/3-30 |
Lung Wang (Sea)
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-8/1-8/3-18 | 1-10/1-10/4-24 | 1-12/1-12/5-30 |
| B | 1-10/1-10/5-30 | 2-12/2-12/6-36 | 3-14/3-14/7-42 |
| C | 2-12/2-12/6-36 | 3-14/3-14/7-42 | 3-18/3-18/8-48 |
Pan Lung (Coiled)
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-8 | 1-3/1-3/1-10 | 1-4/1-4/2-12 |
| B | 1-3/1-3/2-12 | 1-4/1-4/2-16 | 1-6/1-6/2-20 |
| C | 1-4/1-4/2-16 | 1-6/1-6/2-20 | 1-8/1-8/2-24 |
Shen Lung (Spirit)
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/2-12/1-6 | 1-4/1-4/2-16/1-6 | 1-6/1-6/2-20/1-8 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/2-20/2-7 | 1-6/1-6/2-24/1-8 | 1-8/1-8/3-30/1-10 |
| C | 1-6/1-6/2-24/2-8 | 1-8/1-8/3-30/1-10 | 1-12/1-12/3-36/2-12 |
T'ien Lung (Celestial)
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-4/1-4/2-24 | 1-6/1-6/3-30 | 1-8/1-8/3-36 |
| B | 1-6/1-6/3-36 | 1-8/1-8/4-40 | 1-10/1-10/4-48 |
| C | 1-8/1-8/4-40 | 1-10/1-10/4-48 | 2-12/2-12/7-56 |
Yu Lung (Carp)
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-8 | 1-4/1-4/1-10 | 1-4/1-4/1-10 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 1-6/1-6/2-16 | 1-6/1-6/2-16 |
| C | 1-6/1-6/2-16 | 1-8/1-8/2-20 | 1-10/1-10/2-24 |
Chiang Lung (River)
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-4/1-4/2-20 | 1-6/1-6/2-24 | 1-8/1-8/3-30 |
| B | 1-6/1-6/3-30 | 1-8/1-8/3-36 | 1-10/1-10/5-40 |
| C | 1-8/1-8/3-36 | 1-10/1-10/7-42 | 1-12/1-12/6-48 |
Tun Mi Lung (Typhoon)
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-12 | 1-3/1-3/2-16 | 1-4/1-4/3-18 |
| B | 1-3/1-3/2-16 | 1-4/1-4/2-20 | 1-6/1-6/3-24 |
| C | 1-4/1-4/2-20 | 1-6/1-6/2-24 | 1-8/1-8/3-30 |
Table III: Neutral Dragons
Crystal Dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-6 | 1-3/1-3/1-8 | 1-4/1-4/1-10 |
| B | 1-3/1-3/1-10 | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 1-6/1-6/2-16 |
| C | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 1-6/1-6/2-16 | 1-8/1-8/2-20 |
Topaz Dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-8 | 1-4/1-4/1-10 | 2-5/2-5/2-12 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 2-5/2-5/2-16 | 2-7/2-7/2-20 |
| C | 2-5/2-5/2-16 | 2-7/2-7/2-20 | 2-9/2-9/2-24 |
Emerald Dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-10 | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 1-6/1-6/2-16 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/2-16 | 1-6/1-6/3-18 | 1-8/1-8/5-20 |
| C | 1-6/1-6/3-18 | 1-8/1-8/5-20 | 1-10/1-10/6-24 |
Sapphire Dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-3/1-3/1-10 | 1-4/1-4/2-12 | 1-6/1-6/4-16 |
| B | 1-4/1-4/4-16 | 1-6/1-6/5-20 | 1-8/1-8/6-24 |
| C | 1-6/1-6/5-20 | 1-8/1-8/6-24 | 1-10/1-10/7-28 |
Amethyst Dragon
| - | Small | Average | Huge |
| A | 1-4/1-4/2-16 | 1-6/1-6/2-20 | 1-8/1-9/3-24 |
| B | 1-6/1-6/4-24 | 1-8/1-8/5-30 | 1-10/1-10/3-36 |
| C | 1-8/1-8/5-30 | 1-10/1-10/6-36 | 1-12/1-12/5-40 |
Ruby Dragon
| 2-12/2-12/4-48 |