"Hard to pair" dragons

[Gluria]

What are breeds that you find hard to pair up? Not as in "inclined to refuse/be uninterested" but breeds that you find hard to match aesthetically, because of their sprite pose, color combo etc.?

 

For example Wintertides imo are a massively wonderful breed but even though I tried some combos (golden Sonatas for example) I can't seem to find a pair that really matches.

 

Maybe if we share our headaches over our "complicated" we can get some inspo? Maybe find new and exciting matches even.

 

(Is this thread an excuse to see even more cool lineages? Maybe?)

[Ruffledfeathers]

Hmm, I do find mints to be hard to pair. They are so small! Lightstreaks are also hard, spitfires too.

[seventeendeer]

This is a fun thread, I like the idea of helping each other find cool matches for those hard-to-pair guys of ours!

 

I saw someone pair Wintertides with Iridichis some years ago, I thought that was gorgeous! Never would have thought to do that one myself. Mints I think go very well with some older dragons that match their retro art style well, especially Whites! Peppermint candy vibes.

 

I personally struggle to match female Arias ... I absolutely adore how vivid hot-pink they are, but that same thing makes them hard to find a match for that doesn't make the mate look washed out by comparison, in my experience. I feel like I need something else with a similarly loud color scheme. Anyone got any ideas?

[Long_Before_Sunrise]

Amarignis is a particularly difficult one for me. 

[blinkdog]

I really want to do something checkered with shallow water dragons but i feel like 2g hybrids are always hard to work with 😔

47 minutes ago, seventeendeer said:

I personally struggle to match female Arias

I’ve always like Arias + spring seasonals!

[seventeendeer]

25 minutes ago, blinkdog said:

I’ve always like Arias + spring seasonals!

 

Oh that is actually genius ... The saturated pink echoed in the spring Seasonal's accent colors + really saturated green ... Pink and green is one of my favorite color combinations, I gotta get in on this!!

 

59 minutes ago, Long_Before_Sunrise said:

Amarignis is a particularly difficult one for me. 

 

I personally fell in love with Amarignis/Thundersnow last year! Have a peep at this lineage I started, if you'd like! x)

[CandraCat]

 

@seventeendeer

 

Hellow! 😊

if I was thinking of starting an Aria checker, there are a couple directions I’d think in…..

For a ‘soft’ looking Aria checker I’d probably go with either regular pink or pair with purple, maybe white, or Silver…..

for an ‘edgier’ look, I’d prolly pair Aria with Black, I’m thinking 🤔 

a couple lil black dragons on your scroll will really help give you an easy aesthetic pairing for many breeds 😉 

@Long_Before_Sunrise

as for Amaringus, I was looking at them the other day! I was thinking they looked quite a bit like heartstealers but then I looked at them side by side and realized that they don’t look that much alike….. for them I’d prolly pick Mistra or Mirisia, they’re both beautiful breeds with a complimentary colour scheme…..

although it’s likely that black would prolly go well with them too….. 🤔 

 

I was mulling over a Vespine lineage, that one was tricky to think up a breed to pair with….. I think I may have settled on sun glory, but then I don’t think I got very far with breeding 😂 I think I just made a group for them, and put all the CBs of the right gender in it, and all the other ‘not-breeding’ stuff I have to do before I feel like I’m ready to start the actual breeding ‘process’

I always end up thinking of and putting aside dragons for a lineage, but it seems like there’s either never enough time, or never enough egg slots, or when I do have those 2 things, my dragons aren’t hot for each other 😅 

 

I think Arrakymas are a tricky one to find a pretty pairing for…. There are several that have complimentary colouring, but not shape, and vice versa….

their colouring is pretty unique, mostly that yellow-reddish-brown with a lil rainbow mixed in 😊 

and I’m still struggling to find a really good checker pair for vines…. I’ve been working on a PB line for them, but it would be nice to have a pretty checker for them….

but in the case of vines, it may be more of a ‘too many options’ than ‘not enough’ like there are earthquake greens, or the grey storm ones, or blacks, or one of the green-toned astraels…..

 

lotsa things to think about…

 

what an interesting thread this is 😊 

Edited November 18, 2023 by CandraCat
Had more to say

[Platykwak]

I don't even make lineages myself, but I like admiring them, and messing with the checker builders for the aesthetic.

 

Aria: With such a bright color, you can go equally bold! I personally admired pairings with Purple-Nebula, Sunset... Green Fire Gem?! Ooh!

 

Amarignis: She's so pretty but has the opposite problem, easily getting overshadowed, but it'd still be nice if a checker "popped" somehow...

Here's some of my ideas: Astralophyne, Cantormaris, Truffle, Cloudplume, Tercorn.

 

Mint: Ah, smol. I think that rougher pixels look better with each other:  Green-Nebula, Olive, Pink... Balloon, lol

 

Lightstreak: How about, Falconiform, Moonstone, Waterhorse, Red Fire Gem.

 

Spitfire: Actually, maybe Lightstreak itself? Skywing, Pyrovar, maybe female Hellfire.

 

Vespine: Was wondering about this recently. I think Howlers could look pretty good aside from Sunbeam.

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by Platykwak
Finally felt like adding example links

[Edenello]

I've occasionally been trying to find a pairing for Silvershade wyverns, but haven't found anything yet that I truly love. I love their sprites and want to do a lineage with them at some point; does anyone have any suggestions?

[Platykwak]

On 11/18/2023 at 2:15 AM, Edenello said:

I've occasionally been trying to find a pairing for Silvershade wyverns, but haven't found anything yet that I truly love. I love their sprites and want to do a lineage with them at some point; does anyone have any suggestions?

 

I think Silvershade could look nice with Luminox, especially male. Or Wrapping-Wing! Would a green Nebula or a green Fire Gem look like "too much"? Hooded Murkling?

Edited November 22, 2023 by Platykwak
Links!

[Diggie]

Hopping in to say Silvershades with Royal Blues or Witchlights are nice!

[Gluria]

12 hours ago, Ruffledfeathers said:

Hmm, I do find mints to be hard to pair. They are so small! Lightstreaks are also hard, spitfires too.

I feel you! Sometimes I wish we could pair Mints with pygmies tho, there might be some combos.

 

Arias look magnificent next to very dark or very light dragons, or bright blues ... like Aqualis Dragons.

 

I have a little Amarignis project going on with Omen Wyrms, I think they make a nice combo: https://dragcave.net/lineage/W6mX3

 

Wintertide x Iridichi is smth I've tried before too; that wasn't too bad actually.

 

I thought Silvershade Wyverns might go well with Spotted Greenwings but I'm not convinced tbh: https://dragcave.net/lineage/XRBen 😅

Maybe Mints after all

Edit: Silvershade x Mistletoe seems neat! https://dragcave.net/lineage/Xr80q

Edited November 18, 2023 by Gluria

[Platykwak]

Had fun experimenting with Wintertide aesthetic. I ended up liking these pairings: Candelabra, Astrael(Brown/Green/Blue), Gemshard(Red/Green/Citrine), Luminox, Xocoatl.

 

As for Arrakymas. Such an interesting sandworm. I think Abyss Watchers have potential. Maybe also Laculas. But different genders fit with different pairs!

Female Arra: Deep Sea, blue Gem Shard, Hydrophidius, Jaw Splitter, maybe Aeria Gloris. Pyro/Ke'maro Xeno or Blue Zyu, which might be challenging.

Male Arra:  Stratos, Striped River, Light Weaver, Xocoatl. For a challenge, Aquilo/Astrapi/Ke'maro Xeno.

 

Edit: I provided links now! I've been using Chazza's Lineage Builder site with its checker generator.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Platykwak
all the linkss

[Chaos Rider]

Wintertide x Aeria Gloris perhaps?

 

Wrapping wings are the Holiday dragon I can't find a good pairing for

[D-wing]

On 11/18/2023 at 8:15 AM, Edenello said:

I've occasionally been trying to find a pairing for Silvershade wyverns, but haven't found anything yet that I truly love. I love their sprites and want to do a lineage with them at some point; does anyone have any suggestions?

according to my freezing hatchling... x F hellfire!

https://chazza.me/dc/lineage-builder/view/d5befee12395240d0f9ceacf0ada98e080dbc7df

 

7 hours ago, Chaos Rider said:

Wintertide x Aeria Gloris perhaps?

 

Wrapping wings are the Holiday dragon I can't find a good pairing for

Do you like a famous pair (x red Nebula?) 

some testing:

https://chazza.me/dc/lineage-builder/view/a17d829caefeb947f7fa83be8a4d49e7d23097d3

https://chazza.me/dc/lineage-builder/view/d345a750dc4c7028a2f939e442b2c4f00a3fd90b

[Chaos Rider]

I think I'll go with Equinox. The others look too small in their boxes compared with Wrapping-wings

https://chazza.me/dc/lineage-builder/view/a3c9dbe4be1b5da56455c7462a7497b535ab4472

 

 

Red Pyralspite looks good too:

https://chazza.me/dc/lineage-builder/view/dfe426df36de372a04b79ddec483362149140afe

Edited November 19, 2023 by Chaos Rider

[Gluria]

Wrapping Wings go well with Spotted Greenwings -->

https://dragcave.net/lineage/kSCQJ

[Tawanda001]

IMO winter tides look great with another hard to pair dragon... sawtooth. Like so https://dragcave.net/lineage/2iavr

 

and I think I have a wrapping wing x royal crimson line that look good together

Edited November 21, 2023 by Tawanda001

[eeep]

The first dragon that comes to my mind are Anagallis dragons, just because they have a lot of "clashing" colors. However, the sheer amount of colors they have would probably lend themselves to some pretty unique looking pairings. I just haven't been struck by any inspiration / seen any existing Anagallis lineages.

[Gwathgor]

On 11/18/2023 at 1:15 AM, Edenello said:

I've occasionally been trying to find a pairing for Silvershade wyverns, but haven't found anything yet that I truly love. I love their sprites and want to do a lineage with them at some point; does anyone have any suggestions?

I happened to get a Black Marrow from Silvershade parent this Halloween and I really like this pairing; shame that it's a holiday breed, I don't have patience or good enough memory to work on those 😅

https://chazza.me/dc/lineage-builder/view/711be2c34e839ddce979d6ccc1853558bf53b2d8

 

 

3 hours ago, eeep said:

The first dragon that comes to my mind are Anagallis dragons, just because they have a lot of "clashing" colors. However, the sheer amount of colors they have would probably lend themselves to some pretty unique looking pairings. I just haven't been struck by any inspiration / seen any existing Anagallis lineages.

Not really that unique looking, tbh, but for a long time I've had an idea for a male Anagallis/female Sawtooth lineage:

https://chazza.me/dc/lineage-builder/view/9a4644b18de902d046f42c690a098b7351631741

And for Anagallis females I like Swallowtails:

https://chazza.me/dc/lineage-builder/view/97632d28d3ff3073473ea4395c0d72eff74ecbab

[Chaos Rider]

5 hours ago, eeep said:

The first dragon that comes to my mind are Anagallis dragons, just because they have a lot of "clashing" colors. However, the sheer amount of colors they have would probably lend themselves to some pretty unique looking pairings. I just haven't been struck by any inspiration / seen any existing Anagallis lineages.

Holly x Anagallis perhaps?

https://dragcave.net/lineage/EKh5K

[StarlightLion]

Anagallis are one of my stealth favourites, so I've got a few kicking about! A handful are paired with the four hols in my signature (ofc ) but I'm also particularly fond of f!Ana x Silver (https://dragcave.net/lineage/7TyLk), f!Ana x Arcana (https://dragcave.net/lineage/LyVwU), m!Ana x Xocoatl is too beautiful not to put, even though it's one of my hoards (https://dragcave.net/lineage/Kxvd6)

And I have this alternating Anagallis x Fire Gem baby that I snagged from the AP and I absolutely adore, I will be building this lineage further at some point! https://dragcave.net/lineage/47mc0

 

I've got a few Arias about, too; they're so bright it's hard not to like them! I'm especially fond of Aeon over Aria (https://dragcave.net/lineage/3pZX9) even though it's an odd pairing, Aria over Soulstone (https://dragcave.net/lineage/yIvGc), and Gold over Aria (https://dragcave.net/lineage/sT5VB).

 

For Arrakyma, I've been thinking about pairing them with Jaw Splitters, though they'd be more of a matchy pairing than a contrast pairing like I usually go for

 

Some of my hard-to-pairs include Blancblacks (they're so beautiful, I just can't find a two-headed pairing I like with them), Hunters (I really don't have an excuse for this one, they should be fairly easy to pair I think, and yet here I am), and Nocturnes. Oh boy, Nocturnes. I like their day sprites and I REALLY like their night sprites, but the switch between them, oof, it does me a hard one for sure lmao

[eeep]

13 hours ago, StarlightLion said:

I've got a few Arias about, too; they're so bright it's hard not to like them! I'm especially fond of Aeon over Aria (https://dragcave.net/lineage/3pZX9) even though it's an odd pairing, Aria over Soulstone (https://dragcave.net/lineage/yIvGc), and Gold over Aria (https://dragcave.net/lineage/sT5VB).

 

Aria + Soulstone looks so pretty! Love that purple look.

 

 

[Gluria]

On 11/21/2023 at 9:48 PM, Tawanda001 said:

IMO winter tides look great with another hard to pair dragon... sawtooth. Like so https://dragcave.net/lineage/2iavr

 

and I think I have a wrapping wing x royal crimson line that look good together

 

I'd never have thought of Wintertide x Sawtooth but you're right ... that IS a great look!

[Platykwak]

Speaking of Sawtooth. I think they go excellently with Algarres. (Female / Male Sawtooth.) It's nice to sometimes combine some humble colors!

 

For Algarres, I wanted to figure out some other pairings that don't do them injustice. Males go very nicely with Embers. (I like how they have the same pose.) Females look nice with male Terraes. (I got this idea from someone in their release thread pointing out their similarities.)

 

Btw I finally provided links to all my previous ideas for everyone's convenience.

 

15 hours ago, StarlightLion said:

Some of my hard-to-pairs include Blancblacks (they're so beautiful, I just can't find a two-headed pairing I like with them), Hunters (I really don't have an excuse for this one, they should be fairly easy to pair I think, and yet here I am), and Nocturnes. Oh boy, Nocturnes. I like their day sprites and I REALLY like their night sprites, but the switch between them, oof, it does me a hard one for sure lmao

 

For Blancblacks, Tangledrakin feels like a given. Although they don't "pop" quite as much as I'd like.

Ideas for Hunters: best not to think too hard, but best to avoid too much blue. Contrast can be cool! Abyss Watcher. Aria!  Falconiform! Galvanic! Horse! Pyrrhichios!

Nocturnes: This one's interesting. Let's lean into the gray but keep blue in mind. I legit started checking both sprites, but had to upload a "ghost breed" for the other version on a different tab.

Guardians look good with both. Amarignis can be nice. Pyropellis. Black Truffle. Boreal. Zyumorph.