Sunday, January 25, 2015

Dark Sunday: Bring on the Drakes

Long ago in Athas, the Dragons were killed or just disappeared. I don't believe that there was ever a definitive take on what actually did occur in the past to leave the Dragon of Tyr as the last dragon, if in name only. When 4th edition tackled dragons in the actual Dark Sun universe though they gave us drakes, dragon's less intelligent cousins. Before Dark Sun most of the drakes tended to be glorified guard dogs. Then came the elemental drakes.

The drake creation rules are simple:

  • Take a Dragon stat-line.
  • Remove flight speed, unless Air.
  • Remove Language.
  • Remove breath weapon.
  • Dial down the intelligence and charisma, up strength and dexterity.
Drakes don't have breath weapons instead they can manipulate the area around them. So where a fire dragon might breath fire a fire drake would blight the land they walk on with flames and cover their bodies in flame.

Water Drake, lives in the already few oases
 Water Drake:
-Fluff
One might find a water drake in an oasis, but only the drake. Typically the entire wildlife will be fodder for the drake.
-Crunch
Along with the instructions above, take a white dragon and replace breath weapon with an aura attack 10ft around its huge size. This aura is a zone of boiling or chilling water that it can excrete so considered Fire and Cold damage depending on attack.
Air Drake, one of the few species that can fly
Air Drake:
-Fluff
Drakes seldom flie those that do are known as Air Drakes. They climb to the top of ridges and palisades ready to pounce upon unwitting passers.
-CrunchStart with the instructions above, take a blue dragon and replace its breath weapon with an aura attack similar to the water drake. This aura is a zone of fog or push of strong wind. So fog would act as concealment against ranged attacks. Strong wind would act as a large push to get rid of melee attackers.

Enjoy the drake creating. These are just a set of homebrew guidelines not associated with Wizards of the Coast, feel free to change as you see fit.

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