Blue Dragons: Sand or Sea

[triqui]

Blue dragons breathe lightning bolts. Underwater lightning bolts burst in a sphere. Caster or creature, a lightning burst centered on you sucks without being immune / metallic. A breed of dragon which hunts and takes lair underwater isn't suiting to any current breath weapon, especially lightning. Try Control Water for devastating effect.

Sure the original was based on a little known tale about splitting the sea, but it covers water vortex inhalations and water spout exhalations too. Consider it a creature specific variant.

So you ask for a retcon removal of Bronze Dragons' breath?

 

[CM]

This is why we can't have nice things.


For crying out loud, make it both.

Blue dragons have thick, muscular bodies that make it difficult to maneuver in cramped quarters such as forests and swamps. Although strong, they are loath to challenge the physically superior red dragons for dominance of their mountain ranges. Thus they are most often found in deserts, rocky moors, and along coastlines--areas where green, black, and white dragons have no terrain advantage.

 

[Janaxstrus]

Aren't there such a thing as white alligators?
http://mvc.bioweb.dcccd.edu/weblinks/images/lead014b.gif
Yep, it seems there are. Even though I suspect their are ill-adapted to camouflaging in the swamp they would be worse than useless in the arctic. Either way, even if they are white, they are still apex predators. Now just imagine if they could breathe fire (or ice).

WHITE ALLIGATOR: Sometimes, alligators display a genetic mutation involving two recessive genes which causes the offspring to be white with blue eyes, or “Leucistic.” (They are not albino!)
Probability of this happening is 1 in 10,000. It is uncommon for these to survive long in wild because their white color makes them easy prey for birds, snakes and other alligators.

As I was saying...white alligators don't live long in a swamp.

 

[slobster]

WHITE ALLIGATOR: Sometimes, alligators display a genetic mutation involving two recessive genes which causes the offspring to be white with blue eyes, or “Leucistic.” (They are not albino!)
Probability of this happening is 1 in 10,000. It is uncommon for these to survive long in wild because their white color makes them easy prey for birds, snakes and other alligators.

As I was saying...white alligators don't live long in a swamp.

See, that's using real world logic. With D&D logic, the rare white alligator is not only guaranteed to survive, but it will also survive to be the oldest and largest alligator in the swamp. Despite its poor camouflage, it will be the deadliest to humans (or so the townsfolks' legends will tell you). And against all logic, it will show up repeatedly at the worst times when your players are travelling through the swamp, especially if there are a bunch of them on a single unstable boat paddling through the mists at twilight.

No, I'm not planning to include a great white alligator next time my players get to a swamp. Why do you ask?

 

[Derren]

See, that's using real world logic. With D&D logic, the rare white alligator is not only guaranteed to survive, but it will also survive to be the oldest and largest alligator in the swamp. Despite its poor camouflage, it will be the deadliest to humans (or so the townsfolks' legends will tell you). And against all logic, it will show up repeatedly at the worst times when your players are travelling through the swamp, especially if there are a bunch of them on a single unstable boat paddling through the mists at twilight.

No, by D&D logic, at least when compared to blue dragons, they would live in artic regions where their hide gives them a perfect concealment when they are on the snowy riverbanks. But some people would complain that white alligators in arctic regions don't make sense because they can't hide in the water so well.

For creatures found primarily flying the color blue makes a very good camouflage. And nowhere is the sky as blue as in the desert.
As apex predators, dragons only need camouflage when hunting, not as protection from attacks. And how do they hunt? Flying of course.

 

[MarkB]

Blue dragons breathe lightning bolts. Underwater lightning bolts burst in a sphere. Caster or creature, a lightning burst centered on you sucks without being immune / metallic. A breed of dragon which hunts and takes lair underwater isn't suiting to any current breath weapon, especially lightning.

But for a creature that can fly, and hunts targets in/on the water, Lightning breath is awesome.

 

[Steely_Dan]

"...because it's clean..."

 

[JeffB]

I voted classic, but like both, and would have no issue with either interpretation.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Blue dragons are mirages

Blue dragons love deception and illusion and trickery. They lair in deserts and use the environment to protect them, and to hinder their enemies. They gather wealth for their lair from the many ruins around. They fly in clear blue skies, and turn the sand to glass with their breath.

Blue dragons have no reason to be out to sea. They don't need to. I don't think it makes them better in any way. And it makes them WORSE in some ways, IMO.

 

[Ratinyourwalls]

Blue dragons are mirages

Blue dragons love deception and illusion and trickery. They lair in deserts and use the environment to protect them, and to hinder their enemies. They gather wealth for their lair from the many ruins around. They fly in clear blue skies, and turn the sand to glass with their breath.

Blue dragons have no reason to be out to sea. They don't need to. I don't think it makes them better in any way. And it makes them WORSE in some ways, IMO.

Really? I thought it was Greens who favoured deception and illusions and blues who were the more sociable of the chromatics...