dragon armour?

[Aaron]

ok, how about armour for dragons? prefferably only available by forging it, and probably some movement reduction for wearing it? this could help to just add a fairly big armour bonus while taking a chunk of movement speed from teh weight away?

also, same thing for claw attachments? you lose the attak type that you claws previously had, and get whatever bonus it gives you. so dragons could then get the death and acid attacks, but at the cost of losing the fire/cold/poison/lightning. again, only forgable?

[timbo]

What kind of armor values do humanoids have at higher levels? At lvl 100 my armor is roughly 85.

[cavesomething]

it depends to an extent on how much you care about spell failure. Most of the best armours (excluding the WDSM, but a lvl 100 probably won't have got that yet) are heavy, and therefore impede spellcasting.

There is no similar penalty for dragons.

[Leaf]

Most of the best armours (excluding the WDSM, but a lvl 100 probably won't have got that yet) are heavy, and therefore impede spellcasting.

There is no similar penalty for dragons.

Along with movement or max speed restrictions and a spell point regen penalty.

[timbo]

As a dragon I rarely cast spells excluding dragonbreath to clear little monsters.

I use rods for banishment, word of recall, identify, magic mapping, and sunspear.

Healing comes from potions.

[Lauwenmark]

ok, how about armour for dragons?

Gameplay-wise, dragons are not allowed to wear armour because it would make them too powerful when compared to other classes. Allowing armours such as those you suggest would make playing dragons too easy (basically, a simply apply/unapply of the armour would allow you to switch between dragon abilities and greater protection for no cost), IMHO.


Background-wise,

Simochus tells us in his Chronicles of the Ancient Empire that dragons do not wear armour because it is perceived as an insult to their own nature: "A dragon needs no such humanoïd tricks to be safe" is a common saying amongst the dragonkind.

In rare cases, there were dragons wearing some kind of armour. The problem was that not only they provided little supplementary protection over their already resistant scales, but also greatly reduced their mobility and magical skills. Most of the time, they were perceived as clumsy and useless.

Since Kaleran the Azure Drake attempted to overthrow Klaared the Black three centuries ago, the crafting of armours made for dragons was forbidden by the dragon king, and is considered as a capital crime. As for the other races, few would actually dare to defy the dragon edict and take the risk of being pursued by dragon head-hunters...

[Aaron]

yea, something like that, which is why i suggested the speed reduction, and have it have a high spell penalty. thats also why i said to make them smithable only.

[timbo]

And if a dragon wears armor a dm could come chase them around as a dragon executioner that can automatically shoot down a lightning bolt that strikes the dragon dead forever for breaking the dragon law.

That would be awesome!

[Lauwenmark]

yea, something like that, which is why i suggested the speed reduction, and have it have a high spell penalty. thats also why i said to make them smithable only.

I don't think it is enough - whatever penality you put on dragons wearing armours, they still have the possibility to remove it at any time, thus giving them a very flexible choice between high protection and higher speed/better spell skill.
The dragon class was designed precisely so it does not allow such flexibility - you are powerful in some areas, but you are weaker than other classes in armour protection. Even with the penalities suggested, dragons would be too easily adaptable to all situations, I think.

[Aaron]

like humans? btw, timbo, dragons are highly resistant to lightning. a bolt of pure magic (mana or something) would be needed.

also, what are your thoughts on dragon claw attachments? and i think you all underestimate the availaibility of the armour. if its smithable only, almost on one will have it but the determined who allready dont really need it.