Trait Layers & Effects

This is a detailed guide on how to layer traits, should you ever need one! All information is also available on the trait pages themselves.

Trait Layers

Some markings have to go in a specific order, while others can bend the rules. This page is a definitive guide for how traits are layered on a dragon. From top to bottom, here is the order! Anything not mentioned here are normal traits and layered underneath. For more details on each trait, click through to their guides. Note that some modifiers (such as Bumble) can optionally take on their own colors regardless of what markings the dragon has. There are also several Color Effects that markings can be affected by--make sure to check that Color Effect's rules to see what it can affect! When there are multiple Traits on the same layer, then all of those traits will show. For Normal Traits that are covered by higher traits, they will still follow minimum coverage rules when there is space.

Light Effect Traits

These will always show up on top of the scales (or skin, should your dragon not have scales). Because of that, they show on top of markings. If it is affecting a marking underneath (in example, Bioluminescence affecting Striped underneath a Cover Trait), then that marking will still show through as glowing light. Iridescence, Engraved, Gilded, Shimmer, Bioluminescence, Sheen, Translucent, Glitch, and Transparent Skin are examples of effects that will show through or over any other trait. Veil may optionally be used as a light effect where light does not reflect off of the scales.

Special Layer Traits

  • Pollen is a special display trait that affects the scales themselves. Wherever this marking touches, the scales of the dragon are removed, revealing the color of the flesh underneath. Pigment traits can affect Pollen, but those traits will always be washed out (for example, vampire will appear pink or light tan instead of red or brown).
  • Faded affects everything, even if it wouldn't normally be affected by color modifiers. It desaturates the entire dragon to below 50% and brightens everything to above 50%. The dragon otherwise follows normal elemental rules. This affects all marks, including things like Wild and Vampire, and overrides other Color Effects like Dazzle.
  • Free Display Traits can show up on top of anything, even Cover traits! They allow you to give any dragon a bit of personal flair, no matter what marks they have. These traits are: Accents, Freckles, and Mask .
  • Flaunt mixes and combines all Display traits. This means it can bring any marking to any layer, as long as the trait is distinguishable! Note that the effect of Pollen will still remain the same and remove scales wherever that marking touches, even if Flaunt is adjusting the layers of everything else.
  • Like Pollen, Veil removes any markings it touches. Unlike Pollen, it will not remove scales, so Pigment Traits will not show through in any way.
  • Somatic is a marking that causes two different designs to merge. This means it affects the whole design, regardless of what layer the design's markings are on.

Cover Traits

These are markings that cover anything underneath it (unless they are Charged, in which case they become Variable). The only things that will show through them are light effects. In rare cases, they may be affected by Color Effects. Read the individual guides to learn when Color Effects might affect them: Wild, Dancer, Origin, Fairy, Wild, Shark, Dancer. Occasionally, Pigment Traits appear on real-world animals. In this case, if you can find a photo reference of it, you can see Pigment Traits on top (note that you do not need to have a Pigment Trait on the gene for it to show on a Cover Trait--it is wrapped in to the Cover Trait's effect as long as it can appear on the real-world animal).

Pigment Traits

These traits affect the base pigment of the dragon. They might completely remove pigment, creating a colorless patch, or they might overproduce it and create a black area of scales. Because they affect pigment itself, they will hide any traits underneath it--there simply isn't any other color that can show in that area. At maximum, the Pigment Trait layer will cover 75% of solid area. When there are more than three Pigment Traits, you may use less than the minimum coverage for that marking, as long as the traits have roughly equal coverage. At minimum, 25% of Normal Traits will always show through a hole in the Pigment layer.

Variable Pigment Traits

  • These traits may be layered like regular Pigment Traits, or you may layer them underneath Pigment Traits:  Marked, Nebula, Dust, Chroma, Starry, Stitched, Stairstep, Frost.
  • Grunge - This trait may be layered like regular pigment traits or you may layer it underneath. Additionally, this acts as both a Color Effect and Light Effect. When being used as an effect, it can be used on traits from any layer.
  • Rusted - This trait may be layered like regular pigment traits or you may layer it underneath. Optionally, acts as a Color Effect. When being used as an effect, it can be used on traits from any layer.
  • Patina - This trait may be layered like regular pigment traits or you may layer it underneath. Optionally, acts as a Color Effect. When being used as an effect, it can be used on traits from any layer. Charged Patina's metallic sheen is a light effect.

Miscellaneous Traits

  • Foliage - In addition to a marking, this creates dry areas on the dragon's webbing or extremities that resemble leaf edges. Even if the marking is hidden by other markings, it may still affect the texture of whatever it would touch.
  • Orca, Splotched, Shimmer, Engraved, and Forged create a normal-layered marking on their own. However, if they affect another trait's edge, the affected trait can be from any layer category.
  • Comet and Echo will appear on the layer of whatever they affect.
  • Skunk - If it is only white, it may optionally be layered like a Pigment trait.