Jade

@JumpyMochi

Going to start with some working definitions to make sure we are both talking the same thing. Glass cannon, any dragon focusing on Strength or Intellect, with enough Quickness for the stage(s) they are intended to fight in. Primary stats, Strength and Quickness. Secondary stats, vitality is pretty much the only one because the other stats see so little use.

For the final primary stats, the starting breed often doesn't matter too much. Usually the impact is a point or two off the maximum possible for the secondary stat, again vitality* almost always, which doesn't matter too much; of course, checking if a build is possible is still a good idea before committing to a course of action.

*Losing 2 vitality is the equivalent of losing 40 maximum health. A level 25 dragon has at least 830 health, so losing that much health isn't nothing, but it isn't build breaking either. Giving up the points in the primary stats could be build breaking though.


Now, where the primary stats matter most is starting out with level 1 dragons leveling as a team. Tinctured dragons especially can use fewer scratches on many monsters throughout the leveling process, and some of the better base stat sets can make a difference, though less so.

I'm sure it would make a difference for using a mage too, but any gains are offset by the fact that mages are so much slower for leveling, so that while technically possible to have a mage while leveling I have ignored them due to additional time cost. Basically, I can't comment on exact situations since I've never tried; I know some players have hauled atrocious stat builds through the Coliseum by bringing a dragon with a heal ability along, but it cannot be recommended outside of exceptional circumstances.



That all said, some builds are impossible at level 25 without using tinctures. For example, a 133 STR/40 QCK build, which can be used well at the Forbidden Portal, has 2 stat points left over when built on a tinctured dragon. That is too few left over to create the build on any dragons natural base stats.



Now dragon element is something else, and an immutable, no changing that later on. For example, the Mire Flier build: it is recommended to pick an Arcane dragon due to them resisting some of the faster magic users, and compared to some elements that are weak to those magic users there is noticeable difference.


TL;DR Tinctures can make leveling dragons under their own power noticeably 'easier'/faster. Starting with favorable base stats can make a lesser difference, but limits a player to those breeds, and tinctures, plus energy battle stones, are cheaper than breed changes.