Talk:Lacrima/@comment-3001427-20120109164255/@comment-3001427-20120209154249

Well keep in mind that a Dragon Slayer is still largely human, lets say 4/5 human, 1/5 dragon. In this way they are able to use dragon-like abilities, but like you said regarding Wendy, using a particular power too much is exhausting to a human body and lethal if overused.

But yes its possible that a dragon's magical energy "washed off" on the child, which they adapted to over the years, changing their physiology. I would also venture that the "spells" taught to a Dragon Slayer may also be a key component. Since magic in the Fairy Tail world works by connecting your will to that of nature (or the world), its possible that usage of these spells (perhaps over a span of years most likely) causes the body adopt draconic characteristics.

Either way becoming a Dragon Slayer an Old-Style one at least is contingent on learning the art from a true Dragon. Artifical Dragon Slayers in my opinion simply implant a Dragon Lacrima (crystallized magical essence of a dragon or its magical power) and draw upon that. Since they are drawing directly upon this magic, their body would change as a result of its power flowing (hence why they almost always grow scales and become more draconic like). In that way its simply a byproduct of them using Dragon Slayer Magic, and NOT Dragon Force.

However for the third generation Dragon Slayers, its actually a means of quickly accelerating the process necessary to assume Dragon Force mode. Thats my assumption. In the upcoming chapters we should likely see them employing Dragon Force with the same potency as Natsu once did. Of course this will lead to all the Dragon Slayers scrambling to discover a means to acquire Dragon Force more quickly themselves, since it represents the height of their true Dragon Slayer power.