The books of Dungeons & Dragons are filled with dragons, creatures so iconic that the sport itself is known as after them. They’re an iconic menace and the traditional boss monster of the sport. With so many to select from, it may be a burden for a DM to sift via all of them, notably with the handfuls of types launched in Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons.
Each sort of dragon is exclusive, with its personal capabilities, behaviors, and psychology. Selecting the correct one for an journey and taking part in it to the hilt could make for a memorable journey that will likely be beloved by gamers. As such, it is essential for DMs to know among the greatest varieties of dragons obtainable, and to know what makes them tick.
Up to date July 1st, 2022 by Isaac Williams:Dungeons & Dragons’ roster is filled with unusual and highly effective dragons that, whereas extra situational than among the extra traditional and widely-known varieties, have their place in adventures. This checklist has been up to date to incorporate entries associated to among the extra esoteric and otherwordly dragons the sport presents.
15/15 Crimson Dragons Are Covetous And Simply Baited Into A Combat
CR: 4 – 27
Crimson dragons are the traditional D&D villain for good cause. They’re avaricious they usually like all method of gold and jewels, however what they appear to need probably the most is status. It is not the gold or tremendous items of their mountain hold that delights them, however the notion that it’s theirs.
- Fireplace breath weapon
- Can conjure gouts of magma or trigger earthquakes utilizing lair actions
- Capable of flip the world round their lairs into deserts and see via any open flames
Covetous creatures that they’re, purple dragons are greater than prepared to put waste to complete kingdoms with their fiery breath for even the smallest of slights. Nonetheless, for all their nice energy, they’re very insecure. Ought to an individual say that one other has a finer treasure than the dragon, neither the one that uttered the assertion nor the proprietor of this finer treasure will reside lengthy.
14/15 Dracoliches Are Highly effective Undead Spellcasters That Do not Combat Honest
CR: Varies
Liches and dragons are two of probably the most iconic and in style villains in Dungeons & Dragons, and the dracolich merely combines these ideas. As long-lived and clever magical creatures, dragons are each bit as able to reworking themselves into liches as humanoid creatures.
- Added necrotic injury resistance along with the dragon’s regular elemental resistance
- Magic Resistance grants benefit on saving throws in opposition to all spells
- Very troublesome to kill due to the facility of a phylactery
On condition that the very technique of changing into a lich is evil in and of itself, requiring the consumption of others’ souls, dracoliches are pure villains. They’re additionally immensely highly effective, combining the would possibly of a dragon with the immortality and magical prowess of liches, and are unlikely to easily wander right into a battle with the occasion. Though they preserve among the base instincts and conduct of the dragon they as soon as had been, outdated age and a naturally clever thoughts are prone to see them grow to be shrewder and fewer overt of their strategies.
13/15 Blue Dragons Are Vicious However Can Be Reasoned With
CR: 3 – 27
Dwelling in dry areas like deserts and steppes, the blue dragon is probably the most hospitable of the evil dragons. They make their lairs in barren, sprawling deserts, and use them to depart vacationers and interlopers at their mercy. They like order and mockery to chaos and outright devastation however aren’t any much less immoral than their fellow chromatic dragons.
- Highly effective line-based lightning breath weapon
- Can use lair actions to conjure mirages or sandstorms to confuse enemies
- Fills the area surrounding their lair with sinkholes and dirt devils, making journey nearly unattainable
The blue dragon has a fascination with jewels, notably these which are stunning or visually beautiful. A blue dragon could, in sure instances, depart a treasure behind if it feels it’d sully the remainder of its hoard. The beast calls for respect from all who observe it. It’s extra doubtless than not that an act of deference by an adventurer together with tribute could also be sufficient to dissuade this dragon from killing them.
12/15 Inexperienced Dragons Work Greatest From The Shadows
CR: 2 – 27
Manipulators and masterminds, the inexperienced dragon values data networks and slaves. They spew poison or corrosive vapor from their mouths and reside in deep forests. Inexperienced dragons are a persistent menace to any wooden elf group, and their affect and political machinations have undermined many an adventurer. A inexperienced dragon’s attain goes far past its residence forest because it makes use of its thralls to bribe or assassinate others.
- Space of impact toxic breath weapon
- Higher social expertise than many different dragons, opening alternatives for intrigue
- Capable of manipulate forests and creatures round their lair to do their bidding
The inexperienced dragon’s most well-liked treasure is something that one other creature has taken effort and time to craft. The extra effort and time put into the work, the extra the inexperienced dragon admires such issues. It’s normal to search out artwork, magical weapons, and armor in a inexperienced dragon’s hoard.
11/15 Sapphire Dragons Are Archetypal Gem Dragons
CR: 3 – 26
The 2 best-known classes of dragon in Dungeons & Dragons are the evil-aligned chromatic dragons and the morally-good metallic dragons. Nonetheless, a 3rd class does exist. Gem dragons fill the impartial a part of the alignment chart, starting from stalwart and lawful to chaotic and self-involved.
- Debilitating breath weapon that’s able to immediately incapacitating a goal
- Innate psionic powers for each out and in of fight
- Able to unimaginable feats of telepathy and in a position to manipulate stone within the area round a lair
Sapphire dragons are the long-lasting gem dragons, sticking to the impartial alignment completely. Not like different, extra benevolent gem dragons, sapphire dragons are delinquent and territorial, and thus extra prone to decide a battle with adventurers. In fight, they are often fierce, combining a strong bodily menace with psionic magic, mighty thunder-based melee assaults, and Telekinesis.
10/15 White Dragons Are Primal, Crafty Hunters
CR: 2-27
The least highly effective of the chromatic dragons, the white dragon hunts and prowls snowy areas unleashing its icy breath on others. They’re probably the most feral of the dragons and depend on their intuition moderately than their mind in nearly all issues. As soon as they’ve achieved their purpose of first rate shelter and a full abdomen, they’re as a rule glad.
- Highly effective melee assaults supplemented with combat-based lair results at larger ranges
- Surprisingly stealthy and cellular, particularly in icy environments
- Capable of lock down a lair with icy partitions and blizzards
White dragons are ambush predators that lack the cruelty of their kin. Their favored treasure is something priceless that appears like ice, thus their hoard is full of diamonds, silver, platinum, and light-hued gem stones. Nonetheless, a lot of their consideration is spent searching for the most effective, most difficult battle, moderately than on amassing loot for themselves.
9/15 Moonstone Dragons Are Fey Tricksters And Guardians
CR: 2 – 21
The Feywild is considered one of Dungeons & Dragons‘ brighter and prettier planes of existence, an exaggerated and magical echo of the Materials Aircraft that’s no much less harmful. The Feywild is chaotic and unpredictable, and its inhabitants are morally ambiguous and extra eager about satisfying their very own curiosities and vices than the well-being of others.
- A number of breath weapon types to deal injury or incapacitate foes
- Highly effective innate magical skills of many varieties
- Capable of cross planes each bodily and in communication
Moonstone dragons are each bit as harmful as different varieties of dragons, but additionally have a way of caprice that others lack. They are not inherently malicious, however they might simply have dealings with a celebration as members of a Fey Court docket or whereas searching for to protect areas of the Feywild from intruders.
8/15 Black Dragons Are Brutes Who Stay To Subjugate
CR: 2 – 27
By far the cruelest of the chromatic dragons, the black dragon actively takes pleasure within the struggling of different creatures. They’re ambush predators like white dragons, however they’re way more crafty, attacking and retreating if the foe is simply too highly effective. They use the pure setting of their swampy lairs to their benefit.
- Stealthy and amphibious with the intention to battle with ambush techniques
- Capable of manipulate swamps to entrap enemies out and in of fight
- Inflicts each acid and poison injury with breath weapon and lair actions
Black dragons benefit from the struggling of their prey, however they share the identical thirst for treasure as their ilk. Of their case, they lust after easy gold cash, particularly these from older and long-gone civilizations.
7/15 Gold Dragons Need Each Treasure And The Downfall Of Evil
CR: 3 – 28
Gold dragons stand at the apex of D&D dragon-kind. Their golden scales shimmer majestically as they transfer they usually breathe cones of nice fireplace to say their authority. Gold dragons make their properties in stone buildings, nice caverns, or castles, typically hiring loyal creatures to function guards. They are going to appoint themselves as guardians of excellent, discovering quests to meet and punishing evil ought to they discover it.
- Versatile breath weapon that may deal huge fireplace injury or weaken foes non-lethally
- Capable of rework right into a humanoid to reside amongst non-dragon societies
- Lair can perform as a beacon and refuge for good creatures in want
The gold dragon’s most well-liked treasure is that which shows artisanship. It is not unusual for there to be work and sculptures prominently displayed in its hoard. They like to speak earlier than preventing and are recognized to be conceited and dismissive.
6/15 Bronze Dragons Are Hardy, Pragmatic, And Simply
CR: 2 – 28
Making their properties close to coastal areas, the bronze dragon is of course inquisitive with a robust sense of justice. They search to battle evil in its many types and sometimes tackle a humanoid look to check vacationers’ ethical compass and to punish them ought to they act cruelly.
- Versatile breath that may deal injury or blast enemies away
- Specialised lair actions completely suited to fight at sea
- Capable of form change right into a humanoid creature at will at larger ranges
The bronze dragon’s pure fascination for warfare makes it one of many extra honorable and zealous metallic dragons in its pursuit to purge evil. Given the situation of their lairs, they typically have ceramics, gems, and priceless alloys that may survive contact with salt water amongst their possessions.
Amethyst Dragons
5/15 Shadow Dragons Are Clever And Can Trigger Untold Devastation
CR: Varies
Whether or not born at the hours of darkness aircraft of the Shadowfell or remodeled by spending too lengthy there, shadow dragons are disagreeable creatures. Wispy and insubstantial, they’re nonetheless eager threats in fight. Worse, they’re extremely clever, on par with gold dragons, and eclipsing even their purple kin of their crafty.
- Enhanced stealth and injury resistances
- Necrotic injury rather than a traditional elemental breath weapon
- Capable of increase slain foes as shadows
Innately hostile to a lot life, a shadow dragon can simply menace a celebration, having a number of extra skills to the extra customary sort. Nonetheless, they show most dangerous to cities or different crowded areas, as these killed by their breath assaults flip into Shadows – creatures recognized for being disproportionately lethal in comparison with their CR.
4/15 Copper Dragons Are Good-Natured However Tricksy
CR: 1 – 28
The copper dragon is a playful and really social trickster, although at occasions this dragon could appear to have extra in frequent with chromatic dragons than metallic attributable to their rapacious greed. Bronze dragons seek for leisure of their lives and won’t actively route evil until it ought to threaten their leisure. They make their properties in rocky areas with ravines or caverns and depend on their acid breath in fight.
- Instills chaotic and benevolent results within the area round its lair at excessive ranges
- Capable of battle lethally or nonlethally with acid or slowing breath weapons
- Many skills to restrain and hinder enemies
A bronze dragon’s favored wealth is not only bodily items. Although they could get pleasure from stunning metalwork and jewellery, in addition they look to joke or prank as having worth as properly (so long as it is not at their expense).
3/15 Elder Mind Dragons Are Abominations That Need Supremacy
CR: 22
Elder brains are the leaders of the aberrant illithids, also referred to as thoughts flayers, a race of alien beings who consider that they’re the superior type of life. They search to rule over others, utilizing them as thralls, hosts to parasitize into extra of their sort, or just as meals. Elder brains are a fearsome psionic menace however can lack direct fight potential.
- Capable of infect enemies with thoughts flayer tadpoles
- Extraordinarily highly effective Notion and Perception expertise
- Capable of disrupt enemy spellcasters’ focus
As such, a much more horrifying prospect is an elder mind that has parasitized a dragon. An elder mind dragon, present in Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons, is a menace on each degree. A possible villain wherever there are illithids, they’ll make for an acceptable last marketing campaign boss, notably when preventing alongside their illithid servants.
2/15 Brass Dragons Need Pals Extra Than Battle
CR: 1 – 28
The brass dragon is the weakest of all of the true dragons, but additionally probably the most social. They are going to spend hours in dialog with enemies and mates alike. Brass dragons hardly ever search for a battle and would like to debate issues moderately than flip to violence, utilizing their firey breath solely as a final resort.
- Breath weapon can burn enemies or put them to sleep
- Regional results might help good creatures discover refuge and hold them secure from the weather
- Capable of conjure gusts of sand and wind to buffet enemies out and in of fight
Brass dragons make their lairs in arid areas, and the middle of each brass dragon lair is the dialog corridor. Within the dialog corridor, the brass dragon retains its valued possessions. Its favored treasure is any handmade objects that make for good dialog items. Brass dragons even have valuable metals and gold, however they like issues that enable them to extra simply socialize with others.
1/15 Silver Dragons Have A Ardour For Humanoid Life
CR: 2 – 28
The silver dragon is the probably to reside amongst a humanoid populace in disguise. Utilizing its magic to cover its true kind, the dragon will ingratiate itself into society with out anybody being the wiser. It tries to not flaunt its draconic nature, however it would rework when essential to defend its mates utilizing its icy breath.
- Able to paralyzing or dealing chilly injury with a breath weapon assault
- Can form change to reside amongst humanoids
- Capable of create buildings of stable fog all through its lair
Silver dragons do not naturally search to stamp out evil, however they may appropriate an injustice ought to they see one. Silver dragons’ favored lairs are in icy mountains the place they retailer their favored treasure, priceless historic relics akin to historical crowns and legendary swords. In the event that they spend time in humanoid kind, they doubtless attempt to make their hoard as transportable as doable.
