Raising baby dragon against alignment?

[Wycen]

Best if that is left up to whatever convention the DM and player can agree upon.

I onced raised a baby silver dragon and its alignment became neutral good, (my character was true neutral).

On the bright side, a green dragon should be lawful evil, so as long as the 'parent' recognizes that, it might work for awhile.

 

[Greybar]

The questions of atonement and redemption are so wonderful for a story that I think you could have great fun exploring them. But it really depends on your style of game and style of GM.

I would suggest that the GM might well use an strict nomenclature-bound NPC to tell the ranger that the green dragon will always be an evil menace. "Blood will show", he says. Another, more compassionate NPC can tell the ranger that if both you and the dragon work hard at it, then he can be good. Which also has the terrible cutting side that if the dragon goes evil it's because you didn't try hard enough.

The existence of detect evil abilities and spells does complicate matters since one can always use that to check which side of the thin line you're on. But even that can be fun. I have a paladin character who, fearful that a party-member had strayed too far into the dark side, every night would detect evil on his companion. He was prepared that as soon as it showed him a dark soul, he would have no choice but to decapitate the now-lost friend.

john

 

[Epametheus]

Dragons are sentient and aware right out of the egg.

The green dragon hatchling will probably resent having to be under the protection of a puny mortal, and may well suspect the ranger of killing its rightful parents (even better if the ranger actually did).

He's gonna need to make a truce with it before he could really reform it.

 

[L0rd_Dark0n]

Sounds like a certain ranger needs to find a certain helm of opposite alignment for a certain green dragon hatchling...

IF the dragon isn't immune to it for some draconic reason. I don't know all the rules myself.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I would think that "always evil" may refer somewhat to the idea that wild animal are "always wild". You can take a tiger out of the wilderness as a cub, and train it, and it may be your best buddy day after day (think a sucessful magic act involving tigers). Then one day the act goes all wrong and you remember that the tiger is actually STILL a wild animal, even though you brought it up from day one.

Just because you raised it does not mean you domesticated the wildness out of it, or in the case of a dragon it may mean you never domesticated the evilness out of it.

It may act nice and be your best buddy for years until that ONE day it snaps.

Just my take.
DS

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Well, how about a mix?

It could be feasible that the chromatic dragon could be raised to be good, but like any other creature that has its own identity, it'll want to meet, know, and learn of its heritage/background. It could be feasible that it could revert to evil once again, seeing its human "parent" as nothing more as a captor that slew its parents and enslaved it from birth (thus, possibly vindicating the evil tendencies it may have, or at least those held by those of its ilk).

The Sanctified Creature template from Book of Exalted Deeds seems like a viable option, but it seems that has to deal with converting an evil creature to good (presumably after it has grown up a bit).

I'd suggest both options--the ranger can raise it to be good, but the creature should gain the Sanctified Creature template (by exposure to a sanctify the wicked spell) to avoid/lessen any chances of it returning to evil again.

The poor creature will most likely be an outcast--not trusted by good dragons (except for a few knowledgeable & forgiving few), hated/loathed by evil dragons, and only regularly receiving love & acceptance from the ranger & a few close others (the rest of the party).

I'd also say that the attitudes of the rest of the group will affect the creature's chances as well--something else to keep in mind.

 

[frankthedm]

The lawful evil from birth green dragon will respect you act like he is going with the program [class skill bluff] and unless you keep up with sence motive or magic the trasition to good will be very belivable.

i hope you are an elf

Dragon Age Categories
Category Age (Years)
1 Wyrmling 0–5 [8+cha bluff
2 Very young 6–15
3 Young 16–25
4 Juvenile 26–50
5 Young adult 51–100
6 Adult 101–200
7 Mature adult 201–400
8 Old 401–600
9 Very old 601–800

 

[Zappo]

"Always evil" doesn't sit well with me, but (shrug) if that's what the rules say...

Before being something the rules say, it is something the setting says. Or the metasetting, in this case. Dragons are born with loads of inherited knowledge from their ancestors, and that's probably the origin of their fixed alignment. So much for the newborn's "innocence". Other creatures with "always" alignments have other very valid reasons for it. It's not like the designers just throw arbitrary restrictions to hinder your gaming.

But most importantly, your good-hearted ranger is massively underestimating the dragon's intellect. You cannot adopt and raise a newly hatched dragon. It plainly and simply doesn't make sense. Why? Because it's already an adult by human standards, just look at its stats. It's not a child. You can raise a child. You can't raise an adult.

Get a wizard to craft a dragon-sized helm of opposing alignment, you'll have better chances.

 

[Crothian]

I think this is a great long term role playing experience. THe Dragon will behave like his alignment and the player will try to get him to change. Dragons are intelligent, so there could be some great interaction. Sounds the beginning to a great game.

 

[kenjib]

Dragons only inherit the knowledge of their ancestors if the DM wants it that way.