IPB

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

 
Reply to this topicStart new topic
> Usually Fire, has any dragon ever...
knasser
post Feb 24 2008, 02:44 PM
Post #1


Shadow Cartographer
*******

Group: Members
Posts: 3,737
Joined: 2-June 06
From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West)
Member No.: 8,636




This is half a question on whether anyone has ever done this or if it's ever come up in cannon, and half a question on what people think of it...

The description for the powers common to dragons goes as follows:
QUOTE (SR4 @ pg296)
Innate Powers: Dragonspeech, Dual Natured, Elemental
Attack (usually Fire), Enhanced Senses (Enhanced Smell,
Low-Light Vision, Thermographic Vision, Wide-Band
Hearing), Hardened Armor 8, Mystic Armor 8, Natural
Weapon (Bite/Claws: DV 10P, AP –2), Sapience
Individual Powers: Animal Control, Compulsion, Corrosive
Saliva, Fear, Influence, Noxious Breath, Venom.


Note the "usually Fire" under Elemental Attack. I don't remember ever coming across a dragon in the setting that used something other than fire for its breath weapon - I'm pretty certain none of the greats in DotSW are mentioned as having anything else, but it's a vivid idea. I can see Leviathan's with Elemental Attack (Sonic) which could be pretty nasty underwater. But Blast, Electricity and Cold would also be pretty dramatic.

The only advantage I've taken of the above quoted section is to have a feathered serpent with a sting in its tail (venom). Has anyone else had any Blue, White, Green etc. dragons in their games? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

-Khadim.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Critias
post Feb 24 2008, 02:52 PM
Post #2


Freelance Elf
*********

Group: Dumpshocked
Posts: 7,324
Joined: 30-September 04
From: Texas
Member No.: 6,714



I've made a point of not really dealing with dragons much (IC or OOC), but I can't help but wonder why you felt you had to post all of a Dragon's innate powers to ask a question about one.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Ancient History
post Feb 24 2008, 02:58 PM
Post #3


Great Dragon
*********

Group: Members
Posts: 6,748
Joined: 5-July 02
Member No.: 2,935



Unlike D&D, a dragon's scale color generally has bupkiss to do with their personal powers. But yeah, there are reports of a dragon (the so-called "Lightning dragon") whose Elemental Attack is electricity.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
knasser
post Feb 24 2008, 03:02 PM
Post #4


Shadow Cartographer
*******

Group: Members
Posts: 3,737
Joined: 2-June 06
From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West)
Member No.: 8,636



QUOTE (Critias @ Feb 24 2008, 02:52 PM) *
I've made a point of not really dealing with dragons much (IC or OOC), but I can't help but wonder why you felt you had to post all of a Dragon's innate powers to ask a question about one.


Well it was worth quoting the line in question because it's a line I'd not really paid much attention to and I expect other people had forgotten / never noticed. In Shadowrun, it seems to me that Dragon Breath = Fire but the rules don't support that.

As to posting the whole paragraph, well I noticed that there were a few other things in there that seldom get noticed (I think), e.g. Noxious Breath, Corrosive Saliva, Fear). I'm also interested in people applying these powers in interesting ways also. Noxious Breath rounds out the D&D set of dragons whilst I would picture a dragon with corrosive saliva belonging to a dragon of particularly sinister aspect - something slinking along in a jungle swamp, perhaps.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
knasser
post Feb 24 2008, 03:06 PM
Post #5


Shadow Cartographer
*******

Group: Members
Posts: 3,737
Joined: 2-June 06
From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West)
Member No.: 8,636



QUOTE (Ancient History @ Feb 24 2008, 02:58 PM) *
Unlike D&D, a dragon's scale color generally has bupkiss to do with their personal powers. But yeah, there are reports of a dragon (the so-called "Lightning dragon") whose Elemental Attack is electricity.


Really? That's the first cannon reference to a non-fire breathing dragon I've come across. Do you know where it was?

As to D&D colour-coding, heh - indicating the powers of dragons is nothing compared to the way it gives away their personality in that game. It reminds me of an old D&D thread on How to Pick Up Dragons which had the advice "first, locate a dragon of metallic colour." (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I wasn't suggesting any sort of colour-coding for dragons in Shadowrun.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Ancient History
post Feb 24 2008, 03:22 PM
Post #6


Great Dragon
*********

Group: Members
Posts: 6,748
Joined: 5-July 02
Member No.: 2,935



Booryazmei the "Storm Serpent" in Shadows of Asia.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Pendaric
post Feb 24 2008, 04:21 PM
Post #7


Moving Target
**

Group: Members
Posts: 993
Joined: 5-December 05
From: Crying in the wilderness
Member No.: 8,047



My 2 cents, I have always felt that dragons in SR should be treated as individuals. Prominant NPC's rather than throw away monsters. As such, though this is only implied, signature powers are par for the course as each dragon is unique. The spell list alone makes for interesting reading. How could the runners really tell if the that fire sprayed from the dragon was its innate spell or just one of its many learned elemental manipulations spells for example? I essentially agree with your findings adn hope that it ellusidates others to a how dragons can be portrayed.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Stahlseele
post Feb 24 2008, 08:35 PM
Post #8


The ShadowComedian
**********

Group: Dumpshocked
Posts: 14,538
Joined: 3-October 07
From: Hamburg, AGS
Member No.: 13,525



i'd say that leviathan dragon . . that female in great britain, has probably some water based thingie O.o
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
knasser
post Feb 24 2008, 08:50 PM
Post #9


Shadow Cartographer
*******

Group: Members
Posts: 3,737
Joined: 2-June 06
From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West)
Member No.: 8,636



QUOTE (Stahlseele @ Feb 24 2008, 08:35 PM) *
i'd say that leviathan dragon . . that female in great britain, has probably some water based thingie O.o


It fits the water theme but... it makes no practical sense. Firstly, it will be used underwater so any attack that has to plough through that resistance is already impaired. Secondly, many of your potential targets will be aquatic creatures, either through nature or magic or science, meaning that a water attack may be less effective.

On the other hand, a sonic weapon underwater might likely have increased effect as water is a far better conductor of sound waves than air, is it not?

I also quite like the idea of eastern dragons commonly having lightening instead of fire, or maybe smoke. The temptation to have a pure black dragon dwelling in a swamp and having an acid breath weapon must be resisted however. Or maybe not... it would certainly add some more edge to a dragon encounter. Hmmmm.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post

Reply to this topicStart new topic

 



RSS Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 29th March 2024 - 02:17 PM

Topps, Inc has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. Topps, Inc has granted permission to the Dumpshock Forums to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with the Dumpshock Forums in any official capacity whatsoever.