65 replies to this topic

[T.G.Maestro]

I always wondered about the real size of dragons - how big are they? Is the current BG2/IWD implementation realistic compared to the party for example?
I'm asking this because of a strange thing in Heart of Winter. At the end part of the game where you advance to find the lair of the white dragon matriarch, you cross a great cavern of ice. As you progress, you can notice that the rocks and great walls in the cavern are the bones and the skeleton of a GREAT dragon. To say the least, this skeleton is 10 times bigger than any living dragons in any of the BG/IWD games. Later you find out that those gigantic bones are the remains of the matriarch's former love, a male dragon, killed by the dragon queen itself.

Now please, could someone explain me the size of that immense dragon??!

[GreyViper]

IE is limited, so the ones that appear are somewhat small. Btw remember the Wyren skeleton from BG1, same thing.
I have a whole book dealing with dragons if you have more questions about them PM me.

Edited by GreyViper, 17 May 2004 - 08:55 AM.

[T.G.Maestro]

To be honest, if those skeletons show the real size of Dragons, then their pathetic HP values become even more annoying: I mean please, don't tell me that a gigantic creature like that has only 150-200 Hit Points...
I say a general HP value of 500 would be more fitting.

[T.G.Maestro]

Realms Dragons are only really dangerous in the novels when they have room to maneuver, and een then they always seem to end up slaughtered by the heroes

I'm more and more tempted to change this...

[Feanor]

I always wondered about the real size of dragons - how big are they? Is the current BG2/IWD implementation realistic compared to the party for example?
I'm asking this because of a strange thing in Heart of Winter. At the end part of the game where you advance to find the lair of the white dragon matriarch, you cross a great cavern of ice. As you progress, you can notice that the rocks and great walls in the cavern are the bones and the skeleton of a GREAT dragon. To say the least, this skeleton is 10 times bigger than any living dragons in any of the BG/IWD games. Later you find out that those gigantic bones are the remains of the matriarch's former love, a male dragon, killed by the dragon queen itself.

Now please, could someone explain me the size of that immense dragon??!   

I would vote for a very simple explanations : inconsistencies in IWD and BG games (and those are not the only ones).

[discharger12]

If you think of it, your monitor wouldn't even be able to handle a monster that big. It takes the whole cavern, and you have to look at it through your map.

Plus, I think a monster that big would seriously

1) Just step on your party members

2) Slow your game down ALOT (the huge size)

3) not be able to move around. How it got in that cave is a complete mystery to me

Edited by discharger12, 22 May 2004 - 08:59 AM.

[NiGHTMARE]

Well, the largest dragons in the Forgotten Realms are Red Great Wyrms, which have a body length of 174-183 ft. and a tail length of 162-171 ft. Firkraag is in fact a Red Great Wyrm (judging by his resistances, AC, etc), but it wouldn't have exactly been feasible to make him this large .

[khay]

I was disappointed by the dragons in NWN myself, I found them too small for my liking.

[Feanor]

3) not be able to move around. How it got in that cave is a complete mystery to me 

Many dragons are able to shapeshift in human form. Think at Firkraag, Adalon, Draconis, Abazigal. This way they could get in a cave.

[khay]

Maybe we`ll see something like that in the upcoming Dragon Age, since it`s a separate world developed by Bioware, they won`t have to tie themselves to FR-style dragons.

[Cryomancer]

Well, I don't think all FR dragons are wimps, just the white ones. Tis a shame, because IMO white dragons are the coolest. Black and Red dragons can be extremely tough. Also, have you ever fought any Gem dragons? Sapphire Dragon's supersonic breath weapon HURTS.

[Grunker]

All these problems with realism is because of the ruleset, D&D or AD&D, which are designed so the players can have fun, not realism.

If you want to play with a reaslistic ruleset try GURPS (Generic Universal Roleplaying System).

If you seek realism, GURPS will give it to you in ways you never thought possible.

[Archmage Silver]

Besides, white wyrms are supposed to be the weakest and smallest of dragons, so the game size scale probably isn't as wrong as Firkraag and others.

[Rk84]

Although it maeks little sense to have a white dragon as big as The Matriarch's mate, considering they are only supposed to grow somehwere around 44' ground to nose
realism considered, we will only ever have true-to-life sized dragons in RPGs when it is in first person.

Edited by Rk84, 23 April 2005 - 08:33 AM.

[Child]

Although it maeks little sense to have a white dragon as big as The Matriarch's mate, considering they are only supposed to grow somehwere around 44' ground to nose
realism considered, we will only ever have true-to-life sized dragons in RPGs when it is in first person.

And even then they wont fit on the screen....the post 2 above was mine...