Dragon Scale Mail

• Category: Armor (Scale Mail)
• Rarity: Very Rare (Requires Attunement)

Dragon Scale Mail is made of the scales of one kind of dragon. Sometimes dragons collect their cast-off scales and gift them. Other times, hunters carefully preserve the hide of a dead dragon. In either case, Dragon Scale Mail is highly valued.

While wearing this armor, you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class, you have Advantage on saving throws against the breath weapons of Dragons, and you have Resistance to one damage type determined by the kind of dragon that provided the scales (see the accompanying table).

Additionally, you can focus your senses as a Magic action to discern the distance and direction to the closest dragon within 30 miles of yourself that is of the same type as the armor. This action can't be used again until the next dawn.

Dragon	Resistance	Dragon	Resistance
Black	Acid	Gold	Fire
Blue	Lightning	Green	Poison
Brass	Fire	Red	Fire
Bronze	Lightning	Silver	Cold
Copper	Acid	White	Cold

Tactical Applications

Combat Strategy: Provides excellent protection against specific elemental damage types and dragon breath weapons. Dragon detection ability makes this invaluable for dragon hunting or avoiding dangerous encounters.

Class Synergies:

• Fighters/Paladins: Scale mail base provides solid AC improvement for heavy armor users
• Rangers: Dragon tracking ability enhances wilderness and hunting capabilities
• Barbarians: Elemental resistance stacks with rage resistances for incredible durability
• Dragon Hunters: Any class focused on hunting or studying dragons gains massive advantages

Build Considerations: Choose dragon type based on expected threats - Red/Gold for fire-heavy campaigns, White/Silver for cold environments, Blue/Bronze for storm giants and lightning.

Acquisition Methods

Crafting Requirements: Requires actual dragon scales (gift or from slain dragon), master armorsmith, and 15,000-25,000 gp. Crafting process takes months.

Common Sources:

• Grateful dragons who gift shed scales to worthy heroes
• Armor crafted from dragons slain by the party or previous heroes
• Ancient dragon hoards containing pre-made suits
• Dragon hunting guilds and specialized armorsmiths
• Inheritance from legendary dragon slayers

Alternative Acquisition: Sometimes found in museums, royal armories, or displayed as trophies in noble houses.

Value & Trade

Estimated Value: 20,000-40,000 gp, with premium prices for rarer dragon types (gold, silver) and discounts for more common types (red, green).

Trade Considerations: High demand among adventurers and collectors. Some dragons view wearing their kin's scales as offensive, while others see it as honoring the fallen.

Character Integration

Roleplay Elements: Creates connection to dragon lore and may attract attention from other dragons. The armor bears the personality and pride of its draconic origin.

Character Concepts:

• Dragon hunter seeking to understand their quarry better
• Heir to a legendary dragon slayer's legacy and equipment
• Scholar studying dragons who earned scales through peaceful contact
• Warrior who defeated a dragon and honors their victory through the armor

Adventure Hooks

The Dragon's Claim: A dragon discovers someone wearing armor made from their dead relative and demands explanation, tribute, or combat.

Scale Shortage: A master armorsmith needs specific dragon scales to complete a commission, requiring the party to negotiate with or hunt particular dragons.

Ancient Grudge: The armor's original dragon harbored ancient enemies who transfer their hatred to the current wearer.

Draconic Politics: Wearing scales from one dragon type affects relationships with other dragons, creating complex social dynamics.

Variants & Customization

Ancient Dragon Scale Mail (Legendary): Made from ancient dragon scales, provides immunity instead of resistance and enhanced dragon detection (100 miles).

Prismatic Dragon Mail (Artifact): Incorporates scales from multiple dragon types, providing resistance to multiple damage types but with unpredictable effects.

Living Scale Mail (Very Rare): Scales retain some draconic essence, allowing limited self-repair and color-changing camouflage.

Specialized Variants:

• Dragonborn Ancestral Mail: Enhanced connection for dragonborn characters to their draconic heritage
• Wyrmling Scale Mail: Made from younger dragon scales, lighter weight but reduced protection
• Overlord's Regalia: Complete armor set with matching helmet, gauntlets, and boots

Lore & History

Origins: First created by ancient dragon hunters who realized that dragon scales provided the best protection against draconic attacks, leading to agreements with some metallic dragons.

Historical Significance: Legendary suits have been passed down through generations of dragon hunters, each adding their own victories and modifications.

Cultural Impact: Represents the ultimate synthesis of draconic power and human craftsmanship, bridging the gap between mortal and dragon.

Magical Craft: The scales retain inherent magical properties from their draconic origin, requiring minimal additional enchantment during crafting.

Balancing Notes

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for mid-to-high levels (8-14) when characters regularly face elemental threats and have resources for very rare items.

Campaign Impact: The specific resistances may trivialize certain encounters while being useless against others, creating interesting tactical decisions.

Dragon Detection: The tracking ability can significantly alter dragon-focused storylines and should be considered in adventure planning.

Encounter Design

Recommended Challenges:

• Dragon encounters where the resistance and advantage shine
• Elemental-heavy adventures that showcase the specific damage resistance
• Social encounters with dragons who react to the armor's presence
• Scenarios where dragon tracking becomes crucial to the plot

Tactical Adjustments: Consider varying damage types to prevent the armor from trivializing all combat encounters.

Related Items

Dragon Equipment: Dragon Orb, Dragon Slayer weapons, and other draconic artifacts that create thematic armor sets.

Elemental Protection:

• Ring of Resistance (overlapping but complementary protection)
• Cloak of Protection (general defensive enhancement)
• Boots of the Winterlands (environmental protection)

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance the dragon hunting theme or provide additional elemental defenses.

Roleplay Opportunities

Draconic Heritage: Characters develop deeper connections to dragon lore and culture through wearing the scales.

Hunter's Pride: The armor serves as proof of the wearer's prowess and draws respect from other dragon hunters.

Elemental Mastery: Understanding the specific dragon type's nature provides insight into elemental magic and weaknesses.

Legacy Bearer: Carrying on the tradition of previous wearers creates opportunities for historical connections and inherited responsibilities.