Galidraan's Draconomicon

Introduction

Hello, adventurer! If you're reading this grimoire, you're trying to learn about the many dragons inhabiting our world and those beyond. This text aims to include all the dragon lore that I have gathered over my many years of adventuring and research, along with the studies of the many members of my Pathfinder's society. I have personally marked down the information on the dragons in this text, having compiled all of the information myself. I hope that this helps you on your many adventures in the years to come!

Credits

5th Edition Monster Manual
3.5 Edition Draconomicon

Note from the Editor

This book contains information from a variety of official sources from both 5th edition and older, along with homebrew content from myself and many other authors on the r/UnearthedArcana subreddit. I do not take credit for most of this information, nor will I make any profit from it. This is just meant to be a cumulative draconomicon for DM's who love running and roleplaying dragons as much as I do.

In fact, this document may seem like straight-up piracy. It's not, as I am adding much, but this is not for any sort of monetary gain nor profit in any other way. I have just tried my best to pull content from many different creators, sources, and editions of the game to make a cohesive Draconomicon

• u/DarthOrathian

Part 1: Draconic Basics

This part goes into detail on the physiology, lifespan, anatomy, mentality, and religion of dragons in a general sense. For more specific information, look at the chapter for the specific type or subtype of dragon you are looking for, found in Part 2. This section covers the more broad strokes.

Chapter 1: Anatomy & Physiology

At first glance, a true dragon resembles a reptile. It has a muscular body, a long, thick neck, a horned or frilled head with a toothy mouth, and a sinuous tail. The creature walks on four powerful legs with clawed feet, and it flies using its vast, batlike wings. Heavy scales cover a dragon from the tip of its tail to end of its snout. As you’ll see from the details to come, however, that first glance doesn’t begin to tell the whole story about the nature of dragons.

External Anatomy

Despite its scales and wings, a dragon’s body has features that seem more feline than reptilian. Refer to the illustrations on the next few pages as you read on.

Like a cat’s eye, a dragon’s eye has a comparatively large iris with a vertical pupil. This arrangement allows the pupil to open extremely wide and admit much more light than a human eye can.

The sclera, or “white,” of a dragon’s eye is often yellow, gold, green, orange, red, or silver, with an iris of a darker, contrasting color.

To a casual observer, a dragon’s pupils always look like vertical slits. If one were to look very closely into a dragon’s eye, however, one could see a second iris and pupil within the first. The dragon can shift and rotate this inner aperture p to 90 degrees, so that the inner pupil can overlay the outer one or lie at a right angle to it. This ocular structure gives a dragon extremely accurate depth perception and focusing ability no matter how much or how little light is available.

A dragon’s eye is protected by a leathery outer eyelid and three smooth inner eyelids, or nictitating membranes. The innermost membrane is crystal clear and serves to protect the eye from damage while the dragon flies, fights, swims, or burrows with its eyes open. The other two eyelids mainly serve to keep the inner membrane and the surface of the eye clean. They are thicker than the innermost membrane and less clear. A dragon can use these inner lids to protect its eyes from sudden flashes of bright light. A dragon’s eyes glow in the dark, but the dragon can hide the glow by closing one or more of its inner eyelids; doing this does not affect its vision.

A dragon’s ears often prove indistinguishable from the frills that frame its head, especially when the dragon is at rest. The ears of an an active dragon, however, constantly twitch and swivel as the dragon tracks sounds.

Not all dragons have external ears; burrowing and aquatic dragons usually have simple ear holes protected by an overhanging fringe.

A dragon’s mouth features powerful jaws, a forked
tongue, and sharp teeth. The exact number and size of a dragon’s teeth depend on the dragon’s age, habitat, and
diet; however, a dragon’s array of teeth usually includes
four well-developed fangs (two upper, two lower) that
curve slightly inward and have cutting edges on both the inner and outer surfaces. A dragon uses its fangs to impale and kill prey, and they serve as the dragon’s primary weapons.

Immediately in front of the fangs in each jaw lie the dragon’s incisors, which are oval in cross-section and have serrated edges at the top. When a dragon bites down on large prey, these teeth cut out a semicircle of flesh.

Behind the fangs in each jaw, a dragon has a row of peglike molars that help it grip prey. A dragon is not well equipped for chewing, and it typically tears prey into chunks small enough to gulp down. A dragon can create a sawing motion with its incisors by wiggling its lower jaw and shaking its head from side to side, allowing the incisors to quickly shear through flesh and bone.

Many dragons learn to seize prey and literally shake it to death. Other dragons have mastered the technique of grabbing prey and swallowing it whole.

Some dragon hunters boast that they can hold a dragon’s mouth closed, preventing the creature from biting. It is true that a dragon applies more force when closing its jaws than it does when opening them; however, holding a dragon’s mouth closed still requires prodigious strength. Even if an foe were to succeed in clamping its jaws shut, the dragon is likely to throw off the opponent with one flick of its head, claw its attacker to ribbons, or both.

The spines, frills, and other projections that adorn a dragon’s head make the creature look fearsome, and that is their main function.

A dragon’s horn is a keratinous projection growing directly from the dragon’s skull. A dragon with horns that point backward can use the horns for grooming, and they also help protect the dragon’s upper neck in combat. Horns projecting from the sides of a dragon’s head help protect the head.

A dragon’s spines are keratinous, but softer and more flexible than its horns. The spines are imbedded in the dragon’s skin and anchored to the skeleton by ligaments. Most spines are located along the dragon’s back and tail. Unlike horns, spines are mobile, with a range of motion that varies with the kind of dragon and the spines’ location on the dragon’s body. The spines along a dragon’s back, for example, can only be raised or lowered, whereas the spines supporting a dragon’s ears can be moved many different
ways.

The frills on a dragon’s back and tail help keep the dragon stable when flying or swimming.

To a scholar who knows something about the natural world, a dragon’s powerful legs are decidedly nonreptilian, despite their scaly coverings. A dragon’s legs are positioned more or less directly under its body, in the manner of mammals. (Most reptiles’ legs tend to splay out to the sides, offering much less support and mobility than a dragon or mammal enjoys.)

A dragon’s four feet resemble those of a great bird. Each foot has three or four clawed toes facing forward (the number varies, even among dragons of the same kind), plus an additional toe, also with a claw, set farther back on the foot and facing slightly inward toward the dragon’s body, like a human’s thumb.

Although a dragon’s front feet are not truly prehensile, a dragon can grasp objects with its front feet, provided they are not too small. This grip is not precise enough for tool use, writing, or wielding a weapon, but a dragon can hold and carry objects. A dragon also is capable of wielding magical devices, such as wands, and can complete somatic components required for the spells it can cast (see Spellcasting, below). Some dragons are adroit enough to seize prey in their front claws and carry it aloft.

A dragon can use the “thumbs” on its rear feet to grasp as well, but the grip is less precise than that of the front feet.

A dragon’s skin resembles crocodile hide—tough, leathery, and thick. Unlike a crocodile, however, a dragon has hundreds of hard, durable scales covering its body. A dragon’s scales are keratinous, like its spines. Unlike the spines, however, a dragon’s scales are not attached to its skeleton, and the dragon cannot make them move. The scales are much harder and less flexible than the spines, with a resistance to blows that exceeds that of steel.

A dragon’s largest scales are attached to its hide along one edge and overlap their neighbors like shingles on a roof or the articulated plates in a suit of armor. These scales cover the dragon’s neck, underbelly, toes, and tail. As the dragon moves its body, the scales tend to shift as the skin and muscle under them moves, and the scales’ free ends sometimes rise up slightly. This phenomenon has led some observers to mistakenly conclude that a dragon can raise and lower its scales in the same manner as a bird fluffing its feathers.

The majority of a dragon’s scales are smaller and attached to the skin near their centers. These scales interlock with neighboring scales, giving the surface of the body a pebbly texture. The scales are large enough to form a continuous layer of natural armor over the body even when it stretches or bulges to its greatest extent. When the body relaxes or contracts, the skin under the scales tends to fold and wrinkle, though the interlocking scales give the body a fairly smooth look.

A dragon’s scales grow throughout its lifetime, albeit very slowly. Unlike most other scaled creatures, a dragon neither sheds its skin nor sheds individual scales. Instead, its individual scales grow larger, and it also grows new scales as its body gets bigger. Over the years, a scale may weather and crack near the edges, but its slow growth usually proves sufficient to replace any portion that breaks off. Dragons occasionally lose scales, especially if they become badly damaged. Old scales often litter the floors of long-occupied dragon lairs.

When a dragon loses a scale, it usually grows a new one in its place. The new scale tends to be smaller than its neighbors and usually thinner and weaker as well. This phenomenon is what gives rise to bards’ tales about chinks in a dragon’s armor. These tales are true as far as they go, but one new scale on a dragon’s massive body seldom leaves the dragon particularly vulnerable to attack.

A dragon’s long, muscular tail serves mainly as a rudder in flight. A dragon also uses its tail for propulsion when swimming, and as a weapon.

A dragon’s wings consist of a membrane of scaleless hide stretched over a framework of strong but lightweight bones. Immensely powerful muscles in the dragon’s chest provide power for flight.

Most dragons have wings that resemble bat wings, with a relatively short supporting alar limb, ending in a vestigial claw that juts forward. Most of the wing area comes from a membrane stretched over elongated “fingers” of bone (the alar phalanges; see Skeleton, below), which stretch far beyond the alar limb.

Some kinds of dragons have wings that run the lengths of their bodies, something like the “wings” of manta rays. This sort of wing also has an alar limb with phalanges supporting the forward third of the wing, but the remainder of the wing is supported by modified frill spines that have only a limited range of motion and muscular control.

Eye of the Dragon

Most scholars remain unaware of how complex and unusual a dragon’s eye really is. In addition to its four layers of eyelids and its double pupil, a dragon’s eye also has a double lens. The outer lens is much the same as any other creature’s in form and function. The inner lens, however, is a mass of transparent muscle fibers that can polarize incoming light. The inner lens also serves to magnify what the dragon sees, and helps account for the dragon’s superior longdistance vision. A dragon’s retinas are packed with receptors for both color and black-and-white vision. Behind the retina lies the tapetum lucidum, a reflective layer that helps the dragon see in dim light. A dragon literally sees light twice, once when it strikes the retina and again when it is reflected back. It is the tapetum lucidum that makes a dragon’s eyes seem to glow in the dark.

Internal Anatomy

As you’ll see from the following section, a dragon’s resemblance to a reptile is literally only skin deep. Refer to the accompanying illustrations as you read on. These illustrations were acquired by a variety of brave Pathfinders while out on their adventures, and may not all be completely accurate, but they'll do.

Skeleton

Although complete dragon skeletons are hard to come by, most scholars agree that a little more than 500 bones comprise a dragon’s skeleton, compared to slightly more than 200 bones in a human skeleton. The bones in a dragon’s wings and spine account for most of the difference.

Dragon bones are immensely strong, yet exceptionally light. In cross-section they look hollow, with thick walls made up of concentric circles of small chambers staggered like brickwork. Layers of sturdy connective tissue and blood vessels run between the layers.

The accompanying diagram shows a dragon skeleton in detail. Significant parts of the skeleton are briefly discussed below.

The keel, or sternum (1), serves as an anchor for the dragon’s flight muscles. The scapula draconis (2) supports the wing. The metacarpis draconis (3) and alar phalanges (4) in each wing support most of the wing’s flight surface. In some dragons, the ulna draconic (5) has an extension called the alar olecranon (6) that lends extra support to the wing.

The thirteenth cervical vertebra (7) marks the base of a dragon’s neck. Every true dragon, no matter how large or small, has exactly 13 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, 7 lumbar vertebrae, and 36 caudal vertebrae.

Internal Organs

The insides of a dragon have several noteworthy features, all of which contribute to the dragon’s unique capabilities.

A dragon’s eyes are slightly larger than they appear from the outside. The bulk of the eye remains buried inside the skull, with only a small portion of the whole exposed when a dragon opens its eyes. The eye’s extra size helps improve the dragon’s ability to see at a distance. The eye’s spherical shape allows the dragon to move the eye through a wide arc, helping to expand its field of vision.

A dragon’s brain is exceptionally large, even for such a big creature, and it continues to grow as the dragon grows. It has highly developed sensory centers with specialized lobes that connect directly to the eyes, ears, and nasal passages. The brain also has large areas dedicated to memory and reasoning.

The larynx contains numerous well-developed vocal folds that give a dragon tremendous control over the tone and pitch of its voice. A dragon’s voice can be as shrill as a crow’s or as deep as a giant’s. Some scholars, noting that the Draconic language contains many harsh sounds and sibilants, conclude that a dragon’s vocal capacity is limited, but this is not so. Dragons speak a strident language because it suits them to do so.

The trachea connects the larynx to the lungs. It is the dragon’s conduit for respiration and also for its breath weapon.

A dragon’s vast lungs fill much of its chest cavity. The lung structure resembles that of an avian, which can extract oxygen both on inhalation and exhalation. In addition to being the organs for respiration, a dragon’s breath weapon is generated in its lungs from secretions produced by the draconis fundamentum (see below). A dragon’s mighty heart has four chambers, just like a mammal’s heart.

The draconis fundamentum is a gland possessed only by true dragons. Attached to the heart, it is the center of elemental activity inside the dragon’s body. All blood flowing from the heart passes through this organ before going to the body. The draconis fundamentum charges the lungs with power for a dragon’s breath weapon and also plays a major role in the dragon’s highly efficient metabolism, which converts the vast majority of whatever the creature consumes into usable energy. Blood vessels, nerves, and ducts run directly from the draconis fundamentum to the dragon’s flight muscles, charging them with enormous energy, and also to the lungs and the gizzard.

A dragon digests its food through a combination of powerful muscular action and elemental force. The interior of the gizzard is lined with bony plates that grind up chunks of food, and the entire organ is charged with the same elemental energy that the dragon uses for its breath weapon.

Musculature

Intact dragon carcasses are even more rare than intact dragon skeletons, making any catalog of a dragon’s muscles unreliable at best. Given the number of bones in a dragon skeleton, however, a dragon’s muscles must number in the thousands.

Overall, a dragon’s musculature resembles that of a great cat, but with much larger muscles in the chest, neck, and tail. Of most interest to scholars are the muscles involved in flight. These muscles can exert tremendous force and consume equally tremendous amounts of energy (which the draconis fundamentum supplies). The flight muscles are located in the chest and in the wings themselves. The alar pectoral is the main flight muscle and is used on the wing’s downstroke. The alar lattisimus dorsai draws the wing up and back. The alar deltoid and alar cleidomastoid draw the wings up and forward.

The muscles of the wings serve mainly to control the wing’s shape, which in turn helps the dragon maneuver in the air. The alar tricep and alar bicep fold and unfold the wings. The alar carpi ulnaris and alar carpi radialus allow the wings to warp and twist.

Metabolism

Laypeople, and some scholars, are fond of the terms “coldblooded” and “warm-blooded” to describe ectothermic and endothermic creatures, respectively.

An ectothermic creature lacks the ability to produce its own heat and must depend on its environment for warmth. Most ectothermic creatures seldom actually have cold blood, because they are able to find environmental heat to warm their bodies.

An endothermic creature doesn’t necessarily have warm blood. What it has is a body temperature that remains more or less steady no matter how hot or cold its surroundings become.

All true dragons are endothermic. Given their elemental nature, they could hardly be otherwise. A dragon’s body temperature depends on its kind and sometimes on its age. Dragons that use fire have the highest body temperatures, and dragons that use cold have the lowest. Acid- and electricityusing dragons have body temperatures that fall between the two extremes, with acid-users tending to have cooler bodies than electricity-users. Fire-using dragons literally become hotter with age. Likewise, cold-using dragons become colder as they age. Acid- and electricity-using dragons have about the same body temperature throughout their lives, with younger and smaller dragons having slightly higher temperatures than older and larger ones.

Unlike most endothermic creatures, dragons have no obvious way to shed excess body heat. They do not sweat, nor do they pant. Instead, the draconis fundamentum extracts heat from the bloodstream and stores the energy. In a sense, then, a dragon can be considered ectothermic (because it can use environmental heat). However, when a dragon is deprived of an external heat source, its metabolism and activity level do not change. Unlike a truly ectothermic creature, a dragon can generate its own body heat and is not slowed or forced into hibernation by exposure to cold.

Diet

Dragons are carnivores and top predators, though in practice they are omnivorous and eat almost anything if necessary. A dragon can literally eat rock or dirt and survive. Some dragons, particularly the metallic ones, subsist primarily on inorganic fare. Such dining habits, however, are cultural in origin.

Unfortunately for a dragon’s neighbors, the difference between how much a dragon must eat and how much it is able to eat is vast. Most dragons can easily consume half their own weight in meat every day, and many gladly do so if sufficient prey is available. Even after habitual gorging, a dragon seldom gets fat. Instead, it converts its food into elemental energy and stores it for later use. Much of this stored energy is expended on breath weapons and on the numerous growth spurts (see below) that a dragon experiences throughout its life.

Chapter 2: The Life Cycle

Barring some misfortune, a dragon can expect to live in good health for 1,200 years, possibly even a great deal longer, depending on its general fitness. All dragons, however, start out as humble eggs and progress through twelve distinct life stages, each marked by new developments in the dragon’s body, mind, or behavior.

Dragon Eggs

Dragon eggs vary in size depending on the kind of dragon. They are generally the same color as the dragon that laid them and the have the same energy immunities as the dragon that laid them (for example, black dragon eggs are black or dark gray and impervious to acid). A dragon egg has an elongated ovoid shape and a hard, stony shell.

A female dragon can produce eggs beginning at her young adult stage and remains fertile though the very old stage. Males are capable of fertilizing eggs beginning at the young adult stage and remain fertile through the wyrm stage.

The eggs are fertilized inside the female’s body and are ready for laying about a quarter of the way through the incubation period, as shown on the table below. The numbers given on the table are approximate; actual periods can vary by as much as 10 days either way.

Laying Eggs

Dragon eggs are laid in clutches of two to five as often as once a year. Ovulation begins with mating, and a female dragon can produce eggs much less often, if she wishes, simply by not mating. Mating and egg laying can happen in almost any season of the year.

Most dragon eggs are laid in a nest within the female’s lair, where the parent or parents can guard and tend them. A typical nest consists of a pit or mound, with the eggs completely buried in loose material such as sand or leaves. A dragon egg’s ovoid shape gives it great resistance to pressure, and the female can walk, fight, or sleep atop the nest without fear of breaking her eggs.

Dragons sometimes leave their eggs untended. In such cases, the female takes great care to keep the nest hidden. She or her mate (or both of them) may visit the area containing the nest periodically, but they take care not to approach the nest too closely unless some danger threatens the eggs.

Hatching Eggs

When a dragon egg finishes incubating, the wyrmling inside must break out of the egg. If the parents are nearby, they often assist by gently tapping on the eggshell. Otherwise, the wyrmling must break out on its own, a process that usually takes no more than a minute or two once the wyrmling begins trying to escape the egg. All the eggs in a clutch hatch at about the same time.

Properly tended and incubated dragon eggs have practically a 100% hatching rate. Eggs that have been disturbed, and particularly eggs that have been removed from a nest and incubated artificially, may be much less likely to produce live wyrmlings.

Table 1-A: Dragon Egg Characteristics

Color	Ready to Lay	Total Incubation	Size
Adamantine	165 days	750 days	Medium
Amethyst	165 days	660 days	Medium
Black	120 days	480 days	Tiny
Blue	150 days	600 days	Small
Brass	120 days	480 days	Tiny
Bronze	150 days	600 days	Small
Brown	150 days	420 days	Tiny
Cobalt	120 days	480 days	Tiny
Crystal	105 days	420 days	Tiny
Copper	135 days	540 days	Tiny
Emerald	150 days	600 days	Small
Gold	180 days	720 days	Medium
Gray	120 days	600 days	Small
Green	120 days	480 days	Small
Mercury	120 days	480 days	Tiny
Mithral	180 days	750 days	Medium
Obsidian	150 days	540 days	Medium
Purple	240 days	750 days	Medium
Red	165 days	660 days	Medium
Sapphire	150 days	510 days	Small
Silver	165 days	660 days	Small
Topaz	135 days	420 days	Tiny
White	105 days	420 days	Tiny

Wyrmling (Age 0-5 Years)

A wyrmling emerges from its egg fully formed and ready to face life. From the tip of its nose to the end of its tail, it is about twice as long as the egg that held it (the actual size of the wyrmling depends on the variety of dragon).

A newly hatched dragon emerges from its egg cramped and sodden. After about an hour, it is ready to fly, fight, and reason. It inherits a considerable body of practical knowledge from its parents, though such inherent knowledge often lies buried in the wyrmling’s memory, unnoticed and unused until it is needed.

Compared to older dragons, a wyrmling seems a little awkward. Its head and feet seem slightly oversized, and its wings and tail are proportionately smaller than they are in adults.

If a parent is present at the wyrmling’s hatching, the youngster has a protector and will probably enjoy a secure existence for the first decades of its life. If not, the wyrmling faces a struggle for survival.

Whether raised by another dragon or left to fend for itself, the wyrmling’s first order of business is learning to be a dragon, which includes securing food, finding a lair, and understanding its own abilities (usually in that order).

A newly hatched wyrmling almost immediately searches for food. The first meal for a wyrmling left to fend for itself is often the shell from its egg. This practice not only assures the youngster a good dose of vital minerals, but also provides an alternative to attacking and consuming its nestmates. Wyrmlings reared by parents are often offered some tidbit that the variety favors. For example, copper dragons provide their offspring with monstrous centipedes or scorpions. In many cases this meal is in the form of living prey, and the wyrmling gets its first hunting lesson along with its first meal.

With its hunger satisfied, the wyrmling’s next task is securing a lair. The dragon looks for some hidden and defensible cave, nook, or cranny where it can rest, hide, and begin storing treasure. Even a wyrmling under the care of a parent finds a section of the parent’s lair to call its own.

Once it feels secure in its lair and reasonably sure of its food supply, the wyrmling settles down to hone its inherent abilities. It usually does so by testing itself in any way it can. It tussles with its nestmates, seeks out dangerous creatures to fight, and spends long hours in meditation. If a parent is present, the wyrmling receives instruction on draconic matters and the chance to accompany the parent during its daily activities. Wyrmlings on their own sometimes seek out older dragons of the same kind as mentors. Among good dragons, such relationships tend to be casual and often last for decades (a fairly short period by dragon standards). The youngster visits the older dragon periodically (monthly, perhaps weekly) for advice and information.

Evil dragons, too, often counsel wyrmlings that are not their offspring—evil dragons lack any sense of altruism, but usually understand the role of youth in perpetuating the species. No matter what kinds of dragons are involved, such mentor-apprentice relationships require the younger dragon to show the utmost respect and deference to the older dragon, and to bring the mentor gifts of food, information, and treasure. Should the older dragon ever come to view the apprentice as a rival, the relationship ends immediately; when evil dragons are involved, the ending is often fatal for the younger dragon.

Very Young (Age 6-15 Years)

By age 6, a dragon has grown enough to double its length, though its head and feet still seem too big for the rest of its body. It becomes physically stronger and more robust. The dragon’s larger size often makes finding a new lair necessary. Many dragons relocate at this stage anyway, especially if they do not have parental support. (After the dragon has hunted in an area for five years, the location of the original lair might have become known to outsiders, or the area around the lair could become depleted of prey.)

In most ways, a very young dragon remains much like a wyrmling, albeit more confident in itself.

Young (Age 16-25 Years)

By age 16, most dragons begin a new growth spurt that eventually carries them to their adult size—though they still retain a wyrmling’s overlarge head and feet. Their intellects become sharper as they gain life experience and master their innate abilities.

At this stage, a dragon begins to feel the urge to collect treasure and to establish a territory (though it might well have done both sooner). In some cases, however, a young dragon continues to share its lair and its territory with nestmates or parents. Dragons that leave the nest when they become young often range far from their home lairs, seeking locales where they can set up housekeeping on their own.

Juvenile (Age 26-50 Years)

By age 26, a dragon is well on its way to adulthood. It has nowhere near the physical power of an adult, but it has an adult’s body proportions. Some species exhibit the first of their magical powers at this stage.

Young Adult (Age 51-100 Years)

As it passes the half-century mark, a dragon enters adulthood (although its body keeps growing for many more years). It is ready to mate, and most dragons lose no time in doing so.

By this age, a dragon’s scales have developed into armor formidable enough to turn aside all but magic weaponry or the teeth and claws of other dragons. A young adult dragon also masters its first spells and shows evidence of a formidable intellect.

A young adult dragon severs its ties with nestmates, mentors, and parents (if it has not done so already) and establishes it own lair and territory.

Adult (Age 101-200 Years)

During the second century of its life, a dragon’s physical growth begins to slow—but its body is just entering its prime.

With the dragon’s initial growth spurt over, the dragon’s body becomes even more powerful and healthy. An adult dragon continues to hone its mental faculties and masters more skills and magic.

At this stage in life, a dragon is most likely to take a longterm mate and share its lair with a mate
and offspring.

Mature Adult (Age 201-400 Years)

When a dragon passes the two-century mark, its physical and mental prowess continue to improve, though it usually undergoes little obvious physical change. By this stage of life,a dragon is truly a force to be reckoned with—and it knows it.

Mature adults display a degree of self-confidence that younger dragons lack. Mature adults seldom seek out danger just to prove themselves (except, perhaps, against other dragons). Instead, they act with purpose and confidence, often launching schemes that take years to complete.

Because of a mature adult’s power, wealth, and age, it seldom remains unnoticed in the larger world. Its name becomes known, at least among other dragons, and it often becomes the target of rival dragons or adventurers. One of a mature adult’sfirst orders of business is to review and improve the defenses in its lair. Often, the dragon relocates as a matter of prudence. The dragon never chooses its new lair hastily, and usually includes in its plans some scheme to secure more treasure. Bards’ tales of dragons destroying kingdoms and seizing their treasuries often have their roots in true accounts of what happens when a mature adult dragon is on the move.

Old (Age 401-600 Years)

By the time most dragons reach this age, their physical growth stops, though they become even more hardy, and their minds and magical powers continue to expand with the passing centuries.

Old dragons usually begin to show some outward signs of aging: Their scales begin to chip and crack at the edges and also to darken and lose their luster (though some metallic dragons actually take on a burnished appearance), and the irises in their eyes begin to fade, so that their eyes begin to resemble featureless orbs.

Most old dragons continue to hone the patient cunning they began to develop as mature adults. Though quick to defend what they regard as their own, they seldom rush into anything, preferring instead to plumb the possibilities in any situation before acting.

Very Old (601-800 Years)

After passing the six-century mark, a dragon becomes even more resistant to physical punishment. It begins mastering potent spells and magical abilities. This is the last stage of life in which female dragons remain fertile, and most females attempt to raise at least two clutches of eggs before their reproductive period runs out.

Ancient (801-1,000 Years)

By this stage, female dragons have reached the end of their reproductive years. Many females compensate by mentoring younger dragons of the species, as do many males. Ancient dragons have little to fear from much younger dragons that have not yet reached adulthood, and they have much wisdom and experience to pass on.

Most dragons at this age have minds to match the best and brightest humans, and they can tap into vast stores of knowledge, both practical and esoteric.

Wyrm (1,001-1,200 Years)

Surviving for more than a thousand years is a grand accomplishment, even for dragons, and this stage is a great milestone in dragon life. Even among rival dragons, a wyrm commands at least grudging respect. Male dragons at this stage are reaching the end of their reproductive years, but their exalted status among dragons practically guarantees them mates. Younger females often establish territories adjacent to a male wyrm for mating, for protection, and to make it easy for the offspring to gain the wyrm as a mentor.

Great Wyrm (1,201+ Years)

When a dragon passes the twelve-century mark, its mental and physical development is finally at an end, and the dragon is at the peak of its physical, mental, and magical powers, and prepare to begin their descent to twilight

Twilight and Death

Exactly how long a dragon can live after reaching the great wyrm stage is a matter of some debate (some scholars contend that a dragon lives forever). Unfortunately, dragons themselves are little help in this matter. They keep no birth records and are apt to exaggerate their ages.

The half-elf sages Guillaume and Cirjon de Cheirdon made a study of dragon ages by carefully noting when certain famous (and infamous) dragons reached their wyrm celebrations and then tracking their ages from there. Some later scholars suspect that Guillaume and Cirjon were silver dragons using half-elf guise, and that the speculations they published were in fact field notes. In any case, the pair eventually vanished, and their final resting places are not known. Perhaps they died in a dragon attack, or perhaps they are with us still, in other guises.

Guillaume and Cirjon established that the shortest-lived true dragon, the white, can live as long as 2,100 years. The true dragon species that lives the longest is the gold; Guillaume and Cirjon put the gold’s maximum age at 4,400 years.

In addition, the sages discovered that dragons can extend their life spans to some extent by entering a state called “the twilight.” That term, coined by Guillaume and Cirjon, refers to the closing phase of a dragon’s life. The cessation of growth at the great wyrm stage heralds the onset of death (as it does for most creatures that grow throughout their lives). A dragon can survive for centuries after reaching the great wyrm stage, but a dragon is mortal and cannot stave off death forever. The twilight occurs when the weight of a dragon’s years finally comes crashing down, forcing the dragon’s physiology into a downward spiral. A dragon’s twilight period can last for a number of years, but often the dragon succumbs when the twilight first sets in.

Avoiding the Twilight

Many dragons prefer to avoid a slow descent into death and leave the mortal coil with their dignity intact. Many great wyrms seem to just disappear at the ends of their lives. No one knows exactly where they go, but scholars have identified at least three possibilities: departure, guardianship, and dracolichdom.

Departure

A dragon can simply will its spirit to depart. Upon doing so, the dragon dies, and its spirit is released into the hereafter. A dragon prepares for its departure by consuming its entire hoard. Most dragons also travel to a dragon graveyard and die there.

Dragon graveyards are ancient places whose origins are lost even to dragon memory. As a rule, they are accessible only to flying creatures, being situated on mountaintops, in hidden valleys (surrounded by jungle, deserts, or mountains), on islands located in windless or storm-tossed seas, or in the depths of great rifts on the earth.

Within the graveyard, dangers abound. Storms of elemental energy often wash over dragon graveyards, and elemental vortexes often appear in random spots. Some of these may belch forth groups of hostile elemental creatures or suck the unwary right off the Material Plane and onto an elemental plane. Dragon carcasses or skeletons may spontaneously animate and walk about, attacking any living creatures they meet.

Dragon graveyards also are haunted by ghostly dragons.

Despite the dangers, dragon graveyards often draw visitors. According to legend, and some reputed discoveries, not all of a departed dragon’s consumed hoard is always destroyed, and many treasure hunters (showing dragonlike greed) eagerly seek out dragon graveyards for the treasures they are said to contain. Other visitors seek to obtain dragon remains for magical or alchemical purposes.

Guardianship

At the end of its normal life, a dragon can elect to become a guardian, literally transforming into part of the landscape. After the dragon consumes its hoard, it changes itself into a geographic feature: hills, mountains, lakes, swamps, and groves seem to be the most common choices.

Such areas become favorite places for dragons to lay their eggs. It is said that no nest of dragon eggs laid in such a locale will ever be disturbed. Wyrmling dragons living in the site are said to commune with the guardian spirit, receiving the knowledge they need to become strong adults.

As with dragon graveyards, legends say that some of the late dragon’s treasure may still remain hidden at the site, making these features prime targets for treasure hunters. Extracting the treasure (if it exists at all) is apt to be difficult. Younger dragons living at the site usually resent intrusions, as do absentee parents who have laid eggs there (as we have seen, dragons that leave their eggs untended often still keep watch over their nests). These sites also attract their share of ghostly dragons, adding a new element of danger for trespassers.

Dracolichdom

Some evil dragons enlist the aid of others to cheat death. The dragon and its servants create an inanimate object, called a phylactery, that will hold the dragon’s life force.

Next, a special brew is prepared for the dragon to consume. The potion is a lethal poison that slays the dragon for which it was prepared without fail.

Upon the death of the dragon, its spirit transfers itself to the phylactery. From the phylactery, the spirit can occupy any dead body that lies close by, including its own former body. If the body it currently inhabits is destroyed, the spirit returns to the phylactery, and from there it can occupy a new body. See the Dracolich entry, page [UNKNOWN], for details on the results of this process.

Life Cycle Rules

Rules: Newly-Hatched Wyrmlings

A newly hatched wyrmling cannot fly, takes a -2 penalty to Dexterity, and has a -2 penalty to attack rolls.

The wyrmling otherwise has all of the abilities noted for wyrmlings of its kind in the Monster Manual or in this Draconomicon. Its selections of skills and feats is similar to that of its parents.

Rules: Rearing a Dragon

Being an adoptive parent to a dragon is no easy task. Even good-aligned dragons have a sense of superiority and an innate yearning for freedom. Most dragons instinctively defer to older dragons of the same kind, but they tend to regard other creatures with some disdain.

Older and wiser dragons eventually learn to respect nondragons for their abilities and accomplishments, but a newly hatched wyrmling tends to regard a nondragon foster parent as a captor—or at best as a well-meaning fool. Still, it is possible for a nondragon character to forge a bond with a newly hatched wyrmling. Accomplishing this requires the use of Persuasion or Intimidation as well as (eventually) Animal Handling.

A character seeking to rear a newly hatched wyrmling must begin with a Persuasion or Intimidation check to persuade the dragon to accept the character’s guidance; 5 or more ranks of Knowledge (arcana) gives the character a +2 bonus on the check. The character’s Persuasion or Intimidation check is opposed by an Insight check by the dragon. The dragon has a +15 racial bonus on its check. Certain other conditions, such as those mentioned on the table below, can further modify the wyrmling’s Insight check.

Insight Check Modifiers

Condiiton	Modifier
Character tended to the dragon's egg during incubation	-2
Character was present at dragon's hatching	-5
Lawful/Chaotic Axis matches between dragon and character	-5
Good/Evil axis matches between dragon and character	-5
Alignment is an exact match	-5

This opposed check is rolled secretly by the DM, so that the player of the character does not immediately know the result of the check. If the wyrmling wins the opposed check, it regards the character as a captor and attempts to gain its freedom any way it can. (Most dragons, even newly hatched wyrmlings, are smart enough to forego an immediate attack on a more powerful being, and will wait for the right opportunity to escape.)

No attempt by this character to rear this dragon can succeed. This opposed check cannot be retried. If the character wins this opposed check, he or she can attempt to rear the dragon. The process takes 5 years, but once the rearing period begins, the character need only devote one day a week to the dragon’s training. Throughout the rearing period, however, the dragon must be fed and housed at a cost of 10 gp per day.

When the rearing period has run its course, the character attempts an Animal Handling check (DC + the dragon’s Hit Dice at the very young stage). Only one check is made, rolled secretly by the DM. A failed check cannot be retried. If the character’s Handle Animal check fails, the dragon is not successfully reared and seeks to leave, as noted above. If the check succeeds, the character can begin to train the dragon to perform tasks (the most common of which is serving as a mount; see Dragons as Mounts, page [UNKNOWN]).

For many characters, the ultimate purpose of rearing a dragon is to make it available to the character as a companion. In order for the dragon to serve as a companion, the dragon’s alignment must not be opposed to the character’s alignment on either the law-vs.-chaos or good-vs.-evil axis (for example, a lawful good character cannot attempt to rear a chaotic evil wyrmling).

During the rearing period, demonstrating good or lawful acts will encourage a change in alignment for an evil or chaotic wyrmling. After 3 good acts, an evil wyrmling will shift to neutral and a neutral wyrmling will shift to good, and vice versa. After 3 lawful acts, a chaotic wyrmling will shift to neutral and a neutral wyrmling will shift to lawful, and vice versa. These are ruled at the DM's discretion.

Onset of Twilight and Death

A dragon’s maximum age is a function of its Charisma score. For a chromatic dragon, multiply the dragon’s Charisma score by 50 and add the result to 1,200. This is the age when the twilight period begins for that kind of dragon. For a metallic dragon, multiply the dragon’s Charisma score by 100 and add the result to 1,200. For a gem dragon, multiply the dragon's Charisma score by 200 and add the result to 1,200. This difference reflects the fact that metallic dragons are longer-lived than chromatic dragons, and the gem dragons are older than either variant of dragons.

When a dragon’s twilight period begins, the dragon must make a DC 20 Constitution check. The dragon dies if the check fails. If the check succeeds, the dragon survives, but its Constitution score drops by 1. Each year thereafter, the dragon must succeed on another Constitution check in order to stay alive.

Avoiding Twilight

Any dragon that has reached the old age category or higher can depart, become a guardian, or become a dracolich. (Details of dracolichdom can be found on page [UNKNOWN].)

To depart or become a guardian, a dragon must consume at least 135,000 gp worth of treasure—or at least 90% of its hoard, if the dragon possesses treasure worth more than 150,000 gp. All the treasure must be consumed in the same day, and at least 120,000 gp of this treasure must have been part of the dragon’s hoard for at least 200 years.

After consuming the required amount of treasure, the dragon must find a dragon graveyard or suitable site to guard. Once it is at the graveyard or site, the dragon completes the process instantly simply by willing it to happen.

When a dragon departs, its body dies. When a dragon becomes a guardian, its body melds into the landscape. Once it has consumed the treasure, a dragon can delay departing or becoming a guardian for no more than 1 day per point of Charisma it has. If the dragon exceeds this time limit, the opportunity is lost, and the dragon cannot make another attempt to depart until it again consumes the required amount of treasure.

Dragon Graveyards

A dragon graveyard presents a macabre landscape of blasted earth littered with ossified dragon bones and fresher dragon remains.

Every dragon graveyard has at least one ghostly guardian, charged with protecting the place. The graveyard’s guardian is exactly like a ghostly dragon of a great wyrm dragon, usually a gold dragon or other dragon of lawful alignment. The guardian exists only to guard the graveyard, not to recover a lost hoard. The guardian cannot be put to rest by offering it treasure. If it is defeated in combat, the guardian reforms in 1 day.

Other ghostly dragons might be present also. These additional spirits are normal ghostly dragons.

Supernatural hazards abound in a dragon graveyard. Periodic storms of elemental energy rage through area. These storms are similar to fire storm spells cast by 20th-level characters, except that they can be composed of acid, cold, electricity, or fire, and they cover the whole graveyard. They typically strike every 1d4 hours, but the frequency can vary widely.

Dragon graveyards also contain areas in which the fabric of the cosmos is weakened. These unstable areas can be anywhere from 5 feet to 50 feet across. Every 1d4 hours, such an area is equally likely to expel a horde of elementals or draw everything within the unstable area into a vortex leading to an elemental plane. This vortex lasts for 1d4 minutes. Creatures that touch or enter the unstable area during the period of the disturbance are whisked to an elemental plane.

A weak spot always has a lingering aura of conjuration magic.

A dragon graveyard also has an ever-changing population of dragon skeletons and dragon zombies (see pages [UNKNOWN] and [UNKNOWN]) that have become animated by the supernatural forces in the graveyard. These creatures attack any living creature they meet, except for dragons that have come to the graveyard to die.

The legends about treasure in dragon graveyards are true. A dragon graveyard typically contains triple standard treasure for the guardian’s Challenge Rating. Though ghostly dragons normally do not have any treasure, a dragon graveyard accumulates bits and pieces of treasure that departing dragons have left behind and equipment from would-be looters who weren’t up to the challenge.

Rules: Guarded Sites

When a dragon becomes a guardian, it creates a geographical feature with an area of about 1 square mile per 5 points of Constitution the dragon had.

The feature created always resembles a dragon in some subtle manner. The contours of a hill might suggest a sleeping dragon, for example, or a lake might have the shape of a dragon’s head or footprint.

Dragon eggs laid in a guarded area become hidden by magical effects, provided the female laying them is of the same kind as the guardian. This effect lasts until the eggs hatch.

Any dragon of the same kind as the guardian and of juvenile age or younger can visit the area once a month and receive the benefits of a commune spell. Older dragons of the same kind as the guardian get the same benefit, but only once a year.

The heart of a guarded site may indeed contain a small amount of treasure left over from the guardian’s transformation (hidden near the heart of the site). Such a treasure contains coins and goods only and is of a level equal to one quarter of the guardian’s Challenge Rating at the time of its transformation. Removal of the treasure does not harm the guarded site, but most dragons take a dim view of such activity.

Chapter 3: Abilities

Draconic Senses

Like any predatory creature, a dragon has acute senses. These remarkable senses become even better as a dragon grows and ages, mostly because a dragon’s mind becomes ever more perceptive as the centuries pass. A dragon’s eyes, ears, and nose may not become any more sharper with age, but the dragon’s prodigious intellect can sift increasing amounts of information from its environment.

Vision

Dragons have vision superbly adapted to hunting. They enjoy excellent depth perception, which allows them to judge distances with great accuracy, and they have outstanding peripheral vision as well. Dragons can perceive motion and detail at least twice as well as a human in daylight, and their eyes adapt quickly to harsh light and glare. A dragon can stare at the sun on a clear summer day and suffer no loss of vision. Eagles and other birds of prey can perform similar visual feats. Such creatures often have poor night vision—and it may be this fact that leads some scholars to conclude that dragons don’t see well in the dark.

In fact, dragons see exceedingly well in dim light. In moonlight, dragons see as well as they can in sunlight. In even dimmer light, a dragon sees four times as far as a human can under similar conditions. Dragons can even see with no light at all.

When any illumination is present, a dragon sees in color. Its ability to discern hues is at least as good as a human’s. In the absence of light, a dragon’s vision is black-and-white.

Scent

A dragon’s sense of smell is nearly as well developed as its vision. This refined sense of smell is only partly dependent on the dragon’s sensitive nose; it also uses its forked tongue to sample the air, just as a snake does. A dragon’s ability to sense the presence of other creatures by scent makes it difficult to catch a dragon unawares, and hiding from a dragon is nearly impossible once a dragon is close enough to pick up the quarry’s scent.

Hearing

A dragon’s ears are about as sensitive as human ears, and the range of tones a dragon can hear is similar to what a human can hear. Even the youngest of dragons, however, has sharper hearing than a typical human, thanks to its ability to recognize important sounds for what they are and to filter out background noise and focus on significant sounds.

Blindsense

One outstanding example of a dragon’s sensory prowess is its blindsense—the ability to “see” things that are invisible or completely obscured. By using its nose and ears, and also by noticing subtle clues such as air currents and vibrations, a dragon can sense everything in its immediate vicinity, even with its eyes closed, when shrouded in magical darkness, or when swathed in impenetrable fog. Of course, some phenomena are entirely visual in nature (such as color), and a dragon that cannot see cannot perceive these phenomena.

Taste

A dragon’s sense of taste is highly discriminating. Dragons can note the slightest variations in the taste of water or food, and most dragons develop some peculiar culinary preferences as a result. Copper dragons, for example, relish venomous vermin. Perhaps the most infamous draconic taste is the red dragon’s preference for the flesh of young women. Curiously, dragons don’t seem to respond well to sweet flavors. Whether this is because they don’t like sweets or because they have difficulty distinguishing sweet flavors is unclear. Most dragons refuse to discuss the matter.

Touch

Thanks to its thick, scaly hide and clawed feet, a dragon has very little tactile sense. Smaller, younger dragons who have yet to develop impressive natural armor have better senses of touch than older dragons, making touch the only one of a dragon’s senses that gets less acute as a dragon grows and ages. A dragon interested in a object’s texture might touch or stroke the object with its tongue. Even so, a dragon’s tongue proves better at tasting than touching.

A dragon’s muted sense of touch might explain its preference for nests made from piles of coins, gems, or other treasure. A bed of so many small, hard, sometimes pointy objects might prove highly uncomfortable to a human, but to a dragon such an arrangement offers a comfortable tickle, like a nubby wool blanket.

Flight

Some sages speculate that a dragon’s ability to fly is partially magical; however, dragons have been known to take wing and maneuver inside antimagic areas where their spells and breath weapons do not work. A dragon owes its ability to fly, and its flight characteristics, to its peculiar anatomy and metabolism. A dragon weighs much less than a strictly terrestrial creature of the same size does, and its muscles—particularly the ones that enable it to fly—are exceptionally strong, giving the dragon’s wings enough power to lift the dragon into the air.

A dragon’s biggest problem in flight is just getting aloft. Given the chance, a dragon prefers to launch itself from a height, where it can gain speed by diving initially. Failing that, a dragon takes flight by leaping into the air, giving itself a boost by snapping its tail downward and pushing off with its hind legs.

Once airborne, a dragon stays aloft with deceptively slow and stately wing beats. The wings develop tremendous lift and thrust on each stroke, allowing the dragon to coast for brief periods. To further conserve energy in flight, a dragon makes use of any updrafts it can find. Under the right conditions, a dragon can soar for hours with little effort. A dragon attempting to fly a long distance usually begins by finding an updraft and spiraling upward to a comfortable altitude, then soaring from one updraft to another. Dragons can quickly cover great distances in this manner.

A dragon in straight and level flight holds its body fairly straight, with its neck and tail extended, its front legs tucked under its chest, and its rear legs thrown back. The dragon’s powerful neck and tail, along with the frills on its back, help keep it on course. Although a dragon’s wings do not resemble a bird’s wings, a dragon uses its wings as a bird of prey does, with smooth, steady downstrokes and quick upstrokes.

Wyrmlings are much less majestic flyers than older dragons; they have smaller wings and are forced to beat them furiously to stay aloft. They resemble fluttering bats when in flight.

Despite their vast wingspans, dragons can fly through relatively narrow openings simply by folding their wings and coasting through.

Most dragons have difficulty executing quick maneuvers in the air. They prefer to make wide, slow turns, using their tails as rudders. If a more violent maneuver is necessary, a dragon uses its head and tail to turn itself, and it can also alter the shape and stroke of its wings. Even so, a dragon has a wide turning circle, and only the smallest and most maneuverable dragon can turn within its own length.

Many dragons have perfected some acrobatic tricks to help them maneuver in tight spaces. The first of these is hovering. Normally, a dragon must maintain some forward momentum to stay in the air, but some dragons can beat their wings with enough speed and efficiency to halt their forward motion and hover in place. While hovering, a dragon can fly straight up, straight down, sideways, or even backward. Hovering takes considerable effort, however, and a dragon can do little else while it hovers. The downdraft created by a hovering dragon is considerable, and can create huge clouds of dust and debris. Some dragons can even use this downdraft as a weapon.

Other dragons can take advantage of their supple bodies to perform a wingover—a sort of aerial somersault that lets them change direction quickly. The dragon thrusts the front of its body upward and twists its body into a spin. This maneuver allows the dragon to turn in place through an arc of up to 180 degrees while maintaining its present altitude.

Other Modes of Movement

Running or Walking

A dragon on the ground moves like a cat, and can be just as graceful (though the bigger dragons tend to lumber along). When it’s not in a hurry, a dragon walks by moving two legs at a time. The dragon lifts one forefoot and the hind foot on the opposite side. Like a cat, with each step a dragon places its hind foot in the place where the corresponding forefoot was.

As it strides along, a dragon keeps its wings loosely furled at its side. If it is feeling lazy, it lets its tail drag behind. Usually, however, a dragon holds its tail off the ground, and the tail slowly moves from side to side in time with the dragon’s gait. The motion helps the dragon keep its balance. The tail sometimes brushes the ground, but only briefly and usually well to the left or right of the dragon’s body.

A running dragon can easily outpace the finest horse. It uses a galloping motion, moving both front legs together, followed by both back legs. The wings stay furled, but the dragon spreads them occasionally to maintain balance. The tail is held high.

Swimming

All true dragons can swim, though only a few kinds can be considered truly aquatic. Aquatic dragons have long, flat tails and webbing between their toes or in their shoulder joints.

A swimming dragon usually moves like a big reptile. It folds its wings tightly against its body and throws its legs back, creating a streamlined shape. It moves its body left to right in a sinuous motion, and its tail lashes from side to side, providing propulsion. The truly aquatic dragons sometimes employ their wings as big fins in the manner of a ray or an aquatic bird.

The frill along a dragon’s back helps it stay on course when swimming underwater, and also keeps the dragon from rolling over.

A swimming dragon steers with its head, tail, and feet. A dragon swimming at the surface often holds its head and neck out of the water, which allows it to scan the surface while most of its body remains submerged. A dragon also occasionally swims with just the upper half of its head out of the water. This restricts the dragon’s field of vision somewhat, but makes it practically undetectable.

Most dragons are obliged to hold their breath when submerged. However, the truly aquatic types can breathe underwater as easily as they take in water and extract oxygen from it. The dragon inhales water through its nose, and the water floods the lungs and is exhaled through the nose. The dragon handles the process as easily at it breathes air.

Burrowing

Any dragon can gouge out holes in the ground with its claws, but some dragons can also worm their way through sand or loose earth, moving as quickly as a human can move at a brisk walk.

Burrowing dragons tend to have shorter, thicker necks than other dragons, stubbier legs, and wedgeshaped heads. When burrowing, the dragon pushes with its head and uses its front feet to claw away material. The back legs kick the loosened material back past the dragon’s body. The tunnel the dragon makes when burrowing usually collapses behind it.

Combat Abilities

The vanity of dragons is legendary. Indeed, they have much to boast about, including a fearsome array of natural weaponry and a host of more subtle abilities that make them all but invincible in combat.

Breath Weapons

The most infamous weapon in a dragon’s formidable arsenal is its devastating breath. The chromatic dragons can produce blasts of elemental energy; the type of energy varies with the kind of dragon. The metallic dragons can produce elemental breath weapons, too, but they also produce a second type of breath that is nonlethal but potent in its own way. The gem dragons instead produce more unique elemental breaths, taking things like radiance and force and exhaling that instead.

No matter what form its breath weapon takes, a dragon generates it from deep inside its lungs, using energy generated from an organ near its heart called the draconis fundamentum (page 5). Fortunately for dragon hunters, a dragon cannot produce breath weapon effects continuously. Each breath depletes the dragon’s inner reserves of energy, and it usually requires at least a few seconds to produce another breath.

To use its breath weapon, the dragon first draws a very deep inhalation. If sufficient energy is available, the dragon immediately expels the weapon in a violent exhalation. If not, the dragon must wait until more energy builds up. The effect is not unlike a blacksmith fanning a fire that is slightly too small. A puff of air from the bellows produces intense heat, but burns up all the fire’s fuel, forcing the smith to add more fuel before fanning the flame again. A dragon seems to remain aware of the state of its inner energy and never tries to use its breath weapon too soon. Dragons, however, do not seem to have much control over how quickly their inner energy replenishes itself.

A dragon can discharge its breath weapon with little or no forewarning. Some dragons are adept at convincing timorous foes that a breath could come at any moment.

Frightful Presence

The mere appearance of a dragon can send pack animals fleeing in terror and shake the resolve of the most stalwart soldier. Usually, a dragon must be of at least young adult age to have this power.

Though some commentators speak of dragons inspiring supernatural fear, a dragon’s frightful presence has no magical component. Dragons are simply very good at striking fear in the hearts of foes, and they can do so whenever they take any action that is the least bit aggressive.

Immunities and Defenses

Though most forms of attack have at least a slim chance of working against a dragon, some attacks prove useless.

Every true dragon is immune to at least one type of elemental energy (acid, cold, lightning, fire, etc.), usually the same type of energy as the dragon uses for its breath weapon. This immunity stems from the dragon’s elemental nature. The same power that allows it to belch forth a blast of energy also keeps that energy from harming the dragon.

True dragons have superb internal temperature regulation and seldom suffer from the effects of excessive heat or cold. In addition, all draconic creatures are not subject to effects that put them to sleep or induce paralysis; such creatures possess an unstoppable vitality.

True dragons also develop a supernatural resistance to physical blows, which can prevent nonmagical weapons from harming them at all. Bards’ tales about marauding dragons enduring hails of arrows from defending archers without suffering so much as a scratch are all too true.

Thanks to their innately magical nature, true dragons also develop the power to shrug off the effects of spells. Older dragons ignore spell assaults from all but the most powerful magical practitioners.

Magical Abilities

All dragons develop innate magical abilities as they age. Among these is the ability to cast arcane spells.

A dragon’s innate magical abilities tend to reflect the character and attitudes of its species. For example, black dragons prefer damp and dismal swamps, and they also have the ability to create magical darkness. Copper dragons live in rocky hills and have the ability to shape stone. Often a dragon’s innate abilities have little direct impact on combat, but the dragon can use them to defend its lair or to prepare for battle.

A dragon’s spells tend to reflect its own personality. Each dragon develops a unique personal repertoire of spells (though many dragons choose similar spells for their sheer utility). No scholar has determined how dragons accomplish this, and it seems that dragons themselves don’t know how they do it. Dragons simply have an inborn talent for arcane magic. They develop rudimentary spellcasting powers as they approach adulthood. Humanoid sorcerers, who often claim their magical powers stem from a dragon ancestor, usually do not develop any magical aptitude until after puberty. Some scholars take this as a sign that no connection at all exists between sorcerers and dragons. Other scholars dismiss the disparity as an inevitable result of the vast differences between draconic and humanoid life cycles.

In any case, dragons exhibit a talent that sorcerers lack: They can cast most of their spells without the physical props other spellcasters find necessary.

Natural Armor and Weaponry

A dragon’s panoply of overlapping scales backed by layers of hide and muscle and supported by a strong, resilient skeleton offers considerable protection from attack. Even a Tiny dragon is typically as well armored as a human wearing chainmail. A big dragon’s scaly hide provides four or five times more protection than the best suit of plate armor can offer.

A dragon’s primary weapon in physical combat is its bite. A dragon can bite at creatures a fair distance way, thanks to its long neck.

A dragon’s claws are not as fearsome as its bite, and a dragon on the move often does not use its claws, but anyone fighting a dragon should be wary of them nevertheless.

A dragon of roughly human size or larger can strike effectively with the alar limbs at the forward edges of its wings. Though the alar limbs have vestigial claws, the wing is a bludgeoning weapon. A dragon usually keeps the “fingers” supporting the wing closed to avoid damaging the wing, much like a human clenches his fist when delivering a punch. A dragon’s wings may span hundreds of feet when they are fully extended, but it uses only a fairly small portion of the wing as a weapon.

A dragon of larger than human size can use its tail to deliver powerful blows. To do so, the dragon curls the tip of its tail upward and uses the upturned portion as a bludgeoning weapon. The biggest dragons have enough power in their tails to sweep them from side to side, knocking over smaller foes.

Very big dragons also can use their entire bodies as weapons, crashing into smaller opponents and pinning them to the ground, whereupon the dragon literally grinds them into the dirt.

Draconic Weaknesses

As formidable at they are, dragons have a few vulnerabilities their foes can exploit.

Dragons often prove susceptible to attacks involving an opposing element. For example, red dragons are immune to fire but susceptible to cold.

Outlook and Psychology

The most important element shaping a dragon’s outlook and state of mind is time. Dragons have no desire to live for the moment; they have a vast supply of moments stretching out before them. They do not worry about wasted time. If dragons have anything in excess, it is time, and they do not concern themselves with haste.

Even the dullards among dragonkind seek to fill their time by exercising their minds. Solving puzzles is a favorite activity, though the form these puzzles take depends on the kind of dragon involved. Some, such as the bronze and the copper, seek out challenging puzzles of a benign nature. Others, such as the red and the blue, contemplate a much darker brand of conundrums. They plot ways to satisfy their greed, to defeat opponents, and to gain power over other creatures. Many scholars believe that dragons owe their natural aptitude for magic to the mental games they constantly play just to keep themselves occupied.

Many dragons also seek knowledge for its own sake. Older dragons often become repositories of ancient wisdom and lore.

Humanoid adventurers usually seek fame and fortune through three stages of their lives (adolescence, adulthood, and middle age). Even the longest-lived elf attempts to cram the bulk of his accomplishments into these phases of life. Dragons, on the other hand, through desire and necessity, seek fame and fortune from the moment they emerge from the egg to the day they finally succumb to time’s eroding waves. Because it spreads its life activities out across its very long life span, a dragon takes much longer breaks between quests and adventures than a group of humanoid adventurers would take.

If a dragon were to join a group of adventurers, it might remain interested long enough to complete one or two quests. Then something else might catch its interest, and it would leave for years to engage in another activity. Upon returning, it would discover its former companions to be nearing retirement or already too old to go questing. The dragon, however, would still be young and vital, and growing stronger with each passing year. Although it would feel sadness at the loss of its companions, it would move on to new challenges.

All true dragons have great patience. They seldom hurry or rush, because they believe anything worth doing is worth doing right. For a dragon, doing something right usually involves spending a long time (from the viewpoint of shorter-lived beings) contemplating the next step.

A dragon’s longevity is perhaps the major source of its vanity and arrogance. A single dragon can watch a parade of beings come and go during its long life. How can a dragon consider such creatures as anything more than inferiors when it watches so many of them enter life, grow old, and die? And all the while, the dragon grows stronger and more powerful, proving its superiority (if only in its own mind). Dragons hold at bay the powerful entity of time, whereas lesser creatures succumb and fade with nary a struggle. With such power at its command, is it any wonder that a dragon believes itself to be the very pinnacle of creation?

A dragon can spring into action quickly if it finds its own life in peril, or if it must protect its mate, its offspring, or its hoard. Otherwise, few problems seem urgent.

A dragon’s wrath can stretch on for many human generations, matching the creature’s patience. The humanoid who wrongs a dragon may escape its wrath by dying a natural death before the dragon gets around to exacting revenge. The humanoid’s descendants, however, should be wary if they know about the situation, because the dragon might strike at them years or centuries after the original perpetrator has died.

Chapter 4: Society

Dragons keep to themselves, breaking their solitude only to mate, rear offspring, or obtain help in meeting some threat. Dragons of different species seldom form alliances, though they have been known to cooperate under extreme circumstances, such as when a powerful mutual threat arises.

Some scholars believe dragons suffer from xenophobia. This view is not far from the truth—any dragon simply enjoys its own company. When it becomes prudent or necessary to have a companion, a dragon seeks one out, but it prefers a companion as much like itself as possible.

Metallic dragons of different species are more apt to cooperate with each other than chromatic dragons are, though only gold and silver dragons are known to forge lasting friendships. The loquacious brass dragons enjoy the company of other metallic dragons, but most dragons (even other brass dragons) prefer to take brass dragons in small doses. Metallic dragons never cooperate with chromatic dragons.

Gem dragons tend to work together whenever they need to, which is rare. If necessary, they will form alliances with good or evil dragons, as long as it serves their goals and purposes.

When evil dragons of different varieties encounter one another, they usually fight to protect their territories. Good dragons are more tolerant, though also very territorial, and usually try to work out differences in a peaceful manner.

Territory

A dragon usually claims all the territory within a day’s flying time of its lair. The dragon will share this area with no other dragons except its mate and offspring (if it has any), and even then, younger dragons most often part after mating and leave their eggs untended.

Though chromatic dragons are not eager to share territory, they tolerate some overlap between their territories and those of neighboring dragons of the same species or alignment. These boundary areas become places where dragons can meet to parlay and exchange information. In many cases, a dragon shares overlapping territory with a mate or a potential mate.

Among dragons too young to mate, the need for security and defense usually overrides the desire for solitude. Clutches of dragons born together usually stick together until each individual is strong enough to survive on its own and establish its own lair.

Conflict and Interaction Between Dragons

When dragons fight, the conflict is seldom over territory. It is much easier for a dragon to simply take wing and find an unclaimed area than to risk injury and death in a battle with another dragon. Dragons most often fight for the opportunity to loot each other’s lairs. A dragon’s desire to amass large amounts of treasure is legendary, even among the dragons themselves, and every dragon knows that a victory over a rival is often the best way to gain wealth.

Dragons also fight over mates (such contests are not limited to males) and usually try to kill or drive away neighboring dragons of different alignments.

Enmity is particularly strong among chromatic and metallic dragons that typically inhabit similar territories. Blue dragons and brass dragons, for example, both prefer to live in deserts and often come into conflict.

When two or more dragons meet and wish to avoid a conflict, they usually take to the air and circle slowly, each examining the other carefully. If the dragons are of different sizes or ages, these preliminaries end fairly quickly. Status among dragons comes with age. Older dragons know they have little to fear from younger dragons, provided the senior dragon is not already injured. Younger dragons are likewise aware that their older brethren can slay them easily, and they know that negotiating gives them the best chance of surviving the encounter.

If the dragons in an encounter are the same age or size, they tend to be much more cautious, since a sudden attack by either dragon could doom the other. The dragons might circle each other for hours.

Once the preliminaries are over, the dragons converse. If they remain suspicious of each other, they stay aloft, with the older dragon or dragons slightly higher. While aloft, the dragons are obliged to bellow at each other, since they can’t easily close to conversational distance. Thanks to a dragon’s keen ears and tremendous vocal capacity, this hindrance to communication doesn’t present much of a problem. If the dragons become comfortable with one another, they often fly off to some high, inaccessible place where they can speak in private.

Mating

A dragon’s attitude and approach to mating depend on its species and its age. Dragons follow a number of reproductive strategies to suit their needs and temperaments. These strategies help assure the continuation of a dragon’s bloodline, no matter what happens to the parent or the lair.

Young adults, particularly evil or less intelligent ones, tend to lay annual clutches of eggs all around the countryside, leaving their offspring to fend for themselves. Older females sometimes lay eggs once a decade or even less often, but they usually produce at least one clutch during each age category in which they remain fertile. Often an older female lays several clutches of eggs over successive years, keeping one clutch to tend herself, giving one clutch to her mate (who carries the eggs to a separate lair), and leaving the rest untended. Sometimes a female dragon places eggs (or newly hatched wyrmlings) with nondraconic foster parents.

Adult and mature adult dragons are most likely to mate for the long term and to share the task of rearing young.

Older dragons are the most likely to mate and then raise their young on their own, and even males do so (with the female laying her eggs in the male’s lair or the male carrying the eggs to his lair). Older dragons also sometimes arrange nondragon surrogate parents for their offspring. One or both parents visit the surrogates periodically to determine how well they are handling the task.

Dragon mating is not all about reproduction, however, and dragons often mate out of love. This is particularly true among metallic dragons, but love certainly exists among chromatic dragons as well. Dragons of lawful alignment often mate for life (though if one of the two dies, the other usually finds a new mate). Dragons mated for life do not always remain together. They frequently maintain separate lairs and agree to meet at intervals. Lawful dragons are not always monogamous, and they have been known to build complex intricate living and breeding arrangements with multiple partners. Such relationships usually are built around an older dragon and younger mates, and can be either polygamous or polyandrous.

Chaotic dragons tend to change mates frequently, though as they get older they often develop a preference for a single mate.

Dragons are notoriously virile, able to crossbreed with virtually any creature. Among metallic dragons, crossbreeding often occurs when the dragon assumes another shape and falls in love, however briefly, with a nondragon. Chromatic dragons may simply feel adventuresome and create crossbreeds as a result. In either case, the dragon involved usually is a young adult. A dragon almost always either abandons its half-dragon offspring or leaves it in the care of its nondragon parent. Chromatic dragons typically remain unconcerned about the half-dragon’s fate. Metallic dragons believe (usually correctly) that the half-dragon will fare better among nondragons than it ever will among dragons.

Crossbreeds between dragon species are not unknown, but very rare. A hybrid dragon of this sort is usually left to fend for itself, but on occasion both parents (if they are on good terms with each other) might watch over it until it reaches adulthood.

Why Do Dragons Hoard Treasure?

When one thinks of a dragon piling up treasure and using it as a bed, it’s easy to accuse the creature of greed. After all, what good is all that wealth doing anyone?

Some sages equate a dragon’s desire to amass treasure with the behavior of jackdaws, pack rats, and other creatures that instinctively hoard bright, shiny objects. This observation is not without merit, because no dragon seems entirely able to explain why it wants to hoard treasure. Unlike a jackdaw or a pack rat, however, a dragon craves items of monetary value, not just shiny objects. Dragons are well aware of the value of their possessions. When faced with a selection of treasure, even the most virtuous dragon would like to take it all. If it has to choose, the dragon tends to favor the most valuable items. Dragons show a preference for items with intrinsic monetary value over items that are valuable because of their magic.

The sheer, primal joy a dragon derives from its hoard is nearly indescribable. In unguarded moments, a dragon will roll in a pile of treasure like a pig wallowing in the mud on a hot day, and the dragon seems to derive a similar degree of physical pleasure from the action.

A dragon also derives immense intellectual satisfaction from its hoard. It keeps an accurate mental inventory of the items in it, and a running total of the hoard’s total monetary value.

The draconic preoccupation with treasure doubtless has an instinctive element that may never be fully explained, but treasure hoarding among dragons has some practical benefits.

First, having a valuable treasure at hand gives the dragon some control over the circumstances of its own death (see Avoiding the Twilight, page 12). Dragons that lose their hoards often suffer so much emotional trauma that their spirits become restless even after death (see Ghostly Dragon, page [UNKNOWN]).

Second, and more important, dragons derive status among their own kind from the richness of their hoards. Though the primary measure of status among dragons is age, the value of a dragon’s hoard is what determines the relative status of dragons of the same age (when comparing hoard values, dragons consider magic items to be worth one-half their market value). A particularly large hoard can place a younger dragon on equal terms with an older dragon; a small one can demote it to an even lower status than its age alone would indicate.

Dragons with higher status have better access to mates. They have more influence among other dragons, and are more likely to be asked to render assistance or advice. This in turn increases their status even more.

Dragons tend to boast about the value of their hoards among their own kind, which is understandable, since a dragon cannot derive any status from its hoard unless other dragons know about it. Such boasting is not without peril, however, particularly among chromatic dragons, since evil dragons are not above stealing treasure from each other.

Among older dragons, treasure hoarding has an additional practical dimension. As a dragon ages, its magical aptitude gets greater, and the dragon becomes better able to employ the magic items in its hoard to its advantage.

Language

The language of dragons is one of the oldest forms of communication. According to the dragons themselves, it is second in longevity only to the languages of the outsiders, and all mortal tongues are descended from it. Its script was likely created long after its spoken form was standardized, since dragons have less need to write than other races. Some scholars believe the written form of Draconic might have been influenced by dwarven runes, but the wise don’t express this opinion within hearing of a dragon.

Many reptilian races (including kobolds, lizardfolk, and troglodytes) speak crude versions of Draconic, and present this as proof of their kinship with dragons. It is equally likely that these races were once taught or enslaved by dragons, and it is even possible that they took Draconic for their own simply to make a claim to common ancestors.

Presented on the following pages are a selection of words from the Draconic vocabulary, along with translations and the part of speech of the word. This is not in any way a comprehensive list, but contains many of the most basic terms in Draconic.

Basic Draconic Vocabulary

Common	Draconic	Part of Speech
above	svern	preposition
after	ghent	preposition
air	thrae	noun
and	vur	conjunction
animal	baeshra	noun
armor	litrix	noun
arrow	svent	noun
ash	vignar	noun
axe	garurt	noun
bag	waeth	noun
battle	vargach	noun
beautiful	vorel	adjective
bronze	aujir	noun
before	ghoros	preposition
behind	zara	preposition
below	vhir	preposition
beside	unsinti	preposition
big	turalisj	adjective
black	vutha	adjective
bleed	valeij	verb
blood	iejir	noun
blue	ulhar	adjective
bow	vaex	noun
burn	valignat	verb
bravery	sveargith	noun
breed	maurg	verb
bribe	durah	verb
but	shar	conjunction
cave	waere	noun
celestial	athear	noun
century	ierikc	noun
cleric	sunathaer	noun
claw	gix	noun
copper	rach	noun
cow	rhyvos	noun
coward	faessi	adjective
crippled	thurgix	adjective
dance	vaeri	noun, verb
danger	korth	noun
darkvision	sverak	noun
day	kear	noun
dead	loex	adjective

Common	Draconic	Part of Speech
deity	urathear	noun
demon	kothar	noun
die	loreat	verb
disembowel	gixustrat	verb
dragon	darastrix	noun
dwarf	tundar	noun
earth	edar	noun
elf	vaecaesin	noun
enchanted	levex	adjective
enemy	irlym	adjective, noun
evil	malsvir	adjective
eye	sauriv	noun
far	karif	adjective, adverb
fate	haurach	noun
few	lauth	noun
fire	ixen	noun
flee	osvith	verb
fly	austrat	verb
food	achthend	noun
for	ihk	preposition
forest	caesin	noun
fortress	hurthi	noun
friend	thurirl	adjective, noun
gem	kethend	noun
give	majak	verb
gnome	terunt	noun
go	gethrisj	verb
gold	aurix	noun
good	bensvelk	adjective
green	achuak	adjective
halfling	rauhiss	noun
hammer	jhank	noun
hate	dartak	noun, verb
heal	irisv	verb
home	okarthel	noun
human	munthrek	noun
if	sjek	conjunction
in	persvek	preposition
iron	usk	adjective
kill	svent	verb
leader	maekrix	noun
magic	arcaniss	noun
man	sthyr	noun
many	throden	noun
meat	rhyaex	noun

Common	Draconic	Part of Speech
mountain	verthicha	noun
name	ominak	noun
near	leirith	adjective, adverb
night	thurkear	noun
no	thric	adverb
nor	thur	conjunction
ogre	ghontix	noun
on	shafaer	preposition
one	ir	noun
or	usv	conjunction
orc	ghik	noun
peace	martivir	noun
pillage	thadarsh	verb
platinum	ux	noun
rain	oposs	noun
red	charir	adjective
rest	ssifisv	verb
scroll	sjir	noun
secret	irthos	adjective, noun
see	ocuir	verb
shadow	sjach	noun
silver	orn	noun
skin (hide)	molik	noun
slaughter	kurik	verb
small	kosj	adjective
smart	othokent	adjective
so	zyak	adverb, conjunction
soar	hysvear	verb
song	miirik	noun
sorcerer	vorastrix	noun
speak	renthisj	verb
spear	ner	noun
star	isk	noun
steel	vyth	adjective
stone	ternesj	noun
stop	pok	verb
storm	kepesk	noun
strong	versvesh	adjective
stupid	pothoc	adjective
sword	caex	noun
take	clax	verb
talk	ukris	verb
thief	virlym	noun
through	erekess	preposition

Common	Draconic	Part of Speech
to	ekess	preposition
tomorrow	earenk	noun
travel	ossalur	verb
treasure	rasvim	noun
tooth	oth	noun
ugly	nurh	adjective
undead	kaegro	noun, adjective
under	onureth	preposition
valley	arux	noun
victory	vivex	noun
want	tuor	verb
war	aryte	noun
water	hesjing	noun
we	yth	pronoun
wealth	noach	noun
weapon	laraek	noun
white	aussir	adjective
with	mrith	preposition
wizard	levethix	noun
woman	aesthyr	noun
wood	grovisv	noun
year	eorikc	noun
yellow	yrev	adjective
yes	axun	adverb
yet	sjerit	adverb
you	wux	pronoun

The Draconic script is also used when a written form is needed for the elemental languages Auran and Ignan. However, this use of the written form does not make it any easier for someone who knows Draconic to learn the languages of air and fire creatures.

Slight variations exist in the language used by the various kinds of chromatic dragons. These differences are similar to regional accents, with some slight differences in pronunciation from one version to the next. The accents do not hamper communication, but they are sufficiently obvious for a native speaker to know whether someone learned to speak Draconic from (for instance) a red dragon or a green dragon. The various metallic dragons have similar accents, but without any differences in pronunciation. The Draconic language has not changed significantly for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

The spoken form of the language sounds harsh to most other creatures and includes numerous hard consonants and sibilants. It includes sounds that humans generally describe as hissing (sj, ss, and sv), as well as a noise that sounds a great deal like a beast clearing its throat (ach).

Words that modify other words are placed before and after the word they modify. The most important modifier is always placed before the word, and it might be placed directly after the word as well if additional emphasis is desired. A speaker of Draconic who wanted to say a big, black, evil dragon was approaching and doubly emphasize its evil nature would say, “Malsvir darastrix turalisj vutha gethrisj leirith” or even “Malsvir darastrix turalisj vutha malsvir gethrisj leirith.”

Most Draconic words are spoken with emphasis on the first syllable. Important ideas are often expressed in spoken Draconic by emphasizing the beginning and the end of the word. In the written form, important words are marked with a special symbol of five lines radiating outward, similar to an asterisk (*). This form of emphasis is most often used by dragons when referring to themselves. The dragon Karajix, for example, might pronounce his name Ka-raj-ix and write it as *Karajix*. This form of emphasis is also sometimes used when commanding, threatening, warning, or making a point.

Draconic has no specific word for “my” or “mine,” instead using several prefixes depending on the exact meaning. The name of a physical object claimed as a possession by a dragon speaker would begin with “veth” or “vethi”; the name of an individual with a relationship to the dragon (such as a friend or relative) is expressed by the prefix “er” or “ethe”; and all other forms of possessiveness are represented by putting “ar” or “ari” before a word. Thus, for a dragon to say “my sword” or “the sword is mine” he need only say “vethicaex” (“vethi” plus “caex,” the word for sword), and “arirlym” translates as “my enemy” (“ar” plus “irlym,” the word for enemy). When indicating possession by another, the name of the possessor is combined with the object possessed into a single word that starts with “ar” or “ari.”

Pidgin Draconic

Here are some sample sentences and their translations into Draconic.

Mialee, talk to the ugly elf.
Milaee, ukris vaecaesin nurh.

The elf says the magic sword we want is in the lich's tomb.
Vaecaesin ner levex caex levex yth tuor persvek arikaegrowaere.

He'll take us to the mountain of the tomb if we pay him.
Vaecaesin tuor aurix clax yth ekess ariloexokarthel verthicha.

The cave is evil and dangerous. We should go.
Sauriv waere korth. Yth *gesrisj*.

Shut up you stupid coward! Get in there!
Thric ner, *pothoc* wux faessi! *Gethrisj* persvek!

Tordek, hit the orc with your axe.
Tordek, vargach ghik mrith aritordekgarunt.

A red dragon! Scram!
Charir *darastrix*! *Osvith*!

Religion

The dragon deities are all children of Io, the Ninefold Dragon who encompasses all the opposites and extremes of dragonkind. Creatures other than dragons can worship one of the deities described here.

Just as a human weaponsmith might venerate Moradin, or an elf archer pay homage to Ehlonna, so too could a dwarf, half-orc, or kobold worship a god or goddess otherwise associated with dragons. In fact, such worship is particularly common among the various reptilian (and Draconicspeaking) races, such as kobolds, lizardfolk, and troglodytes.

The following entries on the deities are formatted as follows:

Name

Other titles or commonly known names
Divine Power Level (High to low: Greater deity, intermediate deity, lesser deity, demigod)
Symbol of Deity
Deity's Alignment
Divine Portfolio/Realm of Influence
Common Worshippers
Clerical Domains
Favored Weapon for Worshippers: Mortal (Dragon)
Descriptive Text: Text describing the deity's personality, dogma, clergy, and temples.

Aasterinian

Messenger of Io, Hlal
Demigod
Symbol: Grinning dragon’s head
Home Plane: Outlands
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Portfolio: Learning, invention, pleasure
Worshipers: Chaotic dragons, free thinkers
Clerical Domains: Chaos, Dragon*, Luck, Travel, Trickery (Charm, Illusion, Trade)
Favored Weapon: Scimitar (claw)
Aasterinian is a cheeky deity who enjoys learning through play, invention, and pleasure. She is Io’s messenger, a huge brass dragon who enjoys disturbing the status quo.

Dogma

Aasterinian is flighty and quick-witted. She encourages her followers to think for themselves, rather than relying on the word of others. The worst crime, in Aasterinian’s eyes, is not trusting in yourself and your own devices.

Clergy and Temples

Aasterinian’s clerics are typically wanderers who travel in disguise or secrecy. Temples to the goddess are rare in the extreme, though simple shrines dot the landscape—quiet, hidden places where worshipers can rest peacefully on their travels.

Her followers enjoy friendly relations with those of Garl Glittergold, Fharlanghn, Olidammara, and similar deities.

Astilabor

The Acquisitor, Hoardmistress
Lesser Deity
Symbol: A twelve-faceted gem
Home Plane: Outlands
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Acquisitiveness, status, wealth
Worshipers: Dragons, those who seek wealth
Clerical Domains: Dragon*, Protection, Wealth* (Cavern, Metal)
Favored Weapon: Scimitar (claw)

Astilabor represents the natural draconic desire to acquire treasure and power. She dislikes the naked greed displayed by Tiamat and her followers.

Dogma

Astilabor values wealth and power, but without any stigma of greed. She instills in dragonkind the innate need for collecting and protecting the hoard. She claims that she cannot abide thievery of any kind from her worshipers, but often turns a blind eye if such acts are performed in the name of building one’s hoard.

Clergy and Temples

Astilabor accepts only clerics with a neutral aspect to their alignments, the better to remain pure to the goal of acquiring and protecting the hoard. Her clerics prefer not to get involved in conflicts between dragons, but often reward those whose hoards become large and valuable.

Astilabor is revered by dragons of all types and alignments, but actively worshiped by few. Most at least scratch out her symbol as a protective ward over their hoards.

Astilabor’s worshipers are friendly toward those of Moradin and Garl Glittergold (since those gods respect the value of a gem or coin as much as anyone), but they distrust followers of Olidammara, whom they believe to be thieves at heart.

Bahamut

The Platinum Dragon, King of the Good Dragons, Lord of the North Wind
Lesser Deity
Symbol: Star above a milky nebula
Home Plane: Celestia
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Good dragons, wind, wisdom
Worshipers: Good dragons, anyone seeking protection from evil dragons
Clerical Domains: Air, Dragon*, Good, Luck, Protection (Nobility, Storm)
Favored Weapon: Warpick (bite)
Bahamut is revered in many locales. Though all good dragons pay homage to Bahamut, gold, silver, and brass dragons hold him in particularly high regard. Other
dragons, even evil ones (except perhaps
his archrival Tiamat), respect Bahamut
for his wisdom and power. In his
natural form, Bahamut is a
long, sinuous dragon covered
in silver-white scales that
sparkle and gleam even in the
dimmest light. Bahamut’s catlike
eyes are deep blue, as azure as a
midsummer sky, some say. Others
insist that Bahamut’s eyes are
a frosty indigo, like the
heart of a glacier. Perhaps
the two merely reflect the
Platinum Dragon’s shifting moods.

Dogma

Bahamut is stern and very disapproving of evil. He brooks no excuses for evil acts. In spite of this, he is among the most compassionate beings in the multiverse. He has limitless empathy for the downtrodden, the dispossessed, and the helpless. He urges his followers to promote the cause of good, but prefers to let beings fight their own battles when they can. To Bahamut, it is better to offer information, healing, or a (temporary) safe refuge rather than to take others’ burdens upon oneself.

Bahamut is served by seven great gold wyrms that often accompany him.

Clergy and Temples

Bahamut accepts only good clerics. Clerics of Bahamut, be they dragons, half-dragons, or other beings attracted to Bahamut’s philosophy, strive to take constant but subtle action on behalf of good, intervening wherever they are needed but trying to do as little harm as possible in the process.

Many gold, silver, and brass dragons maintain simple shrines to Bahamut in their lairs, usually nothing more elaborate than Bahamut’s symbol scribed on a wall.

Bahamut’s chief foe is Tiamat, and this enmity is reflected in their worshipers. His allies include Heironeous, Moradin, Yondalla, and other lawful good deities.

Chronepsis

The Silent, The Watcher
Lesser Deity
Symbol: Unblinking draconic eye
Home Plane: Outlands
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Fate, death, judgment
Worshipers: Dragons, those who would observe
Clerical Domains: Death, Dragon*, Knowledge (Fate, Planning, Time)
Favored Weapon: Scythe (claw)
Chronepsis is neutral—silent, unconcerned, and dispassionate. He is the draconic deity of fate, death, and judgment. His form is colorless and without luster, marking him as an outsider to the struggles of the chromatic, gem, and metallic dragons.

Dogma

Chronepsis is a passionless observer of the world. He passes judgment on all dragons when they die, deciding where their souls go in the afterlife. Unlike Lendys (see below), Chronepsis is uninterested in justice: he merely observes what is and is not. He is also singularly uninvolved in the activities of the living, and strives to remain so. It is said that only a cataclysm of world-shaking proportions could rouse Chronepsis from his disinterest.

Clergy and Temples

Chronepsis has very few active worshipers and even fewer clerics, since most dragons don’t possess the balanced outlook to avoid interfering in the events they observe. The followers of Chronepsis count other faiths neither as allies nor enemies. Of the other deities, only Boccob the Uncaring shares a similar outlook, but neither deity cares enough to forge an alliance.

Falazure

The Night Dragon
Lesser Deity
Symbol: Draconic skull
Home Plane: Hades
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Decay, undeath, exhaustion
Worshipers: Evil dragons, necromancers, undead
Clerical Domains: Death, Dragon*, Evil (Darkness, Undeath)
Favored Weapon: Scimitar (claw)
The terrifying Night Dragon, Falazure, is neutral evil. He is the lord of energy draining, undeath, decay, and exhaustion. Some claim he has a decaying skeletal form, but others believe that he looks like a decrepit black dragon whose flesh is pulled tight over his bones.

Dogma

Falazure teaches that even a dragon’s long life span need not be the limit to a dragon’s existence. Beyond the world of the living is another realm, one of undeath eternal. It is generally accepted that Falazure created (or had a hand in the creation of) the first undead dragons, such as dracoliches, vampiric dragons, and ghostly dragons (see part 2).

Clergy and Temples

Among the draconic gods, perhaps only Bahamut and Tiamat have more nondragon worshipers than Falazure. Many necromancers of all races revere the Night Dragon, as well as intelligent undead such as liches and, especially, dracoliches. Temples to Falazure are always deep beneath the earth, cloaked in darkness and far from the sun and fresh air of the surface world. The followers of Falazure count all members of good-aligned faiths as their enemies. They may occasionally ally with the forces of Nerull, but such instances are rare.

Garyx

Firelord, All-Destroyer, Cleanser of Worlds
Lesser Deity
Symbol: Reptilian eye superimposed over a flame
Home Plane: Pandemonium
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Fire, destruction, renewal
Worshipers: Dragons, sorcerers, warlords, some druids
Clerical Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Dragon*, Evil, Fire (Renewal)
Favored Weapon: Sickle (claw)
Garyx the All-Destroyer symbolizes the sheer power and destructive force of dragonkind. Some argue that Garyx is actually insane, as a result of his long occupation
of the Windswept Depths of Pandemonium.
He appears much like a great wyrm red dragon.

Dogma

Garyx teaches by example, periodically traveling
to the Material Plane to wreak unholy
swaths of destruction across the landscape.
Those who revere him follow this
example, using their power to bring
ruin and devastation.

Clergy and Temples

Garyx pays little or no attention to his
clerics and worshipers, but they care
not. They believe that he grants them
the power to perform acts of destruction,
and that is enough. Perhaps curiously, some
druids also revere the renewal aspect of Garyx,
knowing that some devastation is always necessary
for rejuvenation to occur. Some within the Cult of Ashardalon (see page [UNKNOWN]) believe that the great wyrm is actually an avatar of the god Garyx. Few temples to Garyx are known to exist, though his worshipers often carve his symbol near their handiwork. Garyx shares traits in common with Kord and Erythnul, but has no interest in alliances.

Hlal

The Jester, The Keeper of Tales
Lesser Deity
Symbol: An open book
Home Plane: Arborea
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Humor, storytelling, inspiration
Worshipers: Dragons, bards, performers
Clerical Domains: Chaos, Dragon*, Good, Trickery (Rune)
Favored Weapon: Short sword (claw)
Hlal is a sleek, copper-colored dragon with a ready grin and a happy glint in her eye. Of the dragon gods, she is the most friendly to nondragons (even Aasterinian enjoys a reputation of playful danger).

Dogma

Hlal enjoys sharing stories and songs with those who appreciate such things, regardless of the listener’s race or background. She has little use for tyrants—even well-meaning ones—and even less patience for cruelty or bullying. She teaches that one must be free of restraint, whether real or psychological, in order to freely express one’s opinions.

Clergy and Temples

Hlal’s clerics are often multiclass cleric/bards, using music, poetry, and tall tales to spread the faith. Places of worship to Hlal are usually simple shrines, which can be packed up and moved to the next town or dragon lair at a moment’s notice. The followers of Hlal share much in common with those of Olidammara, and many characters pay homage to both deities simultaneously. Both Hextor and Vecna are among her chief enemies, because of their portfolios.

Io

The Concordant Dragon, The Great Eternal Wheel, Swallower of Shades, The Ninefold Dragon, Creator of Dragonkind
Intermediate Deity
Symbol: A multicolored metallic disk
Home Plane: Outlands
Alignment: True Neutral
Portfolio: Dragonkind
Worshipers: Dragons
Clerical Domains: Dragon*, Knowledge, Magic, Strength, Travel, Wealth* (Spell)
Favored Weapon: Scimitar (claw)

Io the Ninefold Dragon is neutral, for he encompasses all alignments within his aspects. He can (and does) appear as any dragon type, from the smallest pseudodragon to the largest great wyrm.

Dogma

Io cares only for his “children,” the dragons, and their continued existence in the world. In some cases, this means taking the side of the dragons against other races. In other situations, Io may actually help nondragons fight against a dragon who would otherwise jeopardize the ongoing survivability of the species as a whole.

He prefers to remain uninvolved in conflicts between dragons, though if such a conflict threatens to escalate he may step in (either personally or by dispatching Aasterinian or some other servitor).

Clergy and Temples

Io has even fewer clerics or shrines than most of the other draconic deities, since his outlook is so broad and allencompassing. Still, even the most devoted cleric of Bahamut, Tiamat, or any other dragon deity pays at least a modicum of homage to the Ninefold Dragon. He also occasionally finds clerics or adepts among the reptilian races, such as kobolds and troglodytes.

Io counts no other faiths as his enemies, knowing the value of neutrality in outlook. Even those of greatly varying alignment can find common cause under the banner of the Ninefold Dragon.

Lendys

Scale of Justice, The Balancer, Weigher of Lives
Lesser Deity
Symbol: Sword balanced on a needle’s point
Home Plane: Mechanus
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Portfolio: Balance, justice
Worshipers: Dragons
Clerical Domains: Destruction, Dragon*, Law,
Protection (Retribution)
Favored Weapon: Longsword (claw)
Unlike Chronepsis, who judges the life of a dragon
only after its death, Lendys metes out justice during
a dragon’s life. His scales are a tarnished silver,
some say because he cares more about judging
others than tending to himself.

Dogma

Lendys is the arbiter of dragonkind, serving as
judge, jury, and executioner alike. When a dragon
has committed an injustice against dragonkind,
Lendys (or one of his trio of great wyrm silver dragons)
is dispatched to deal out appropriate justice.
Punishments are severe, and appeals unheard of.

Clergy and Temples

The clerics and paladins of Lendys are justice-bringers as well, often serving as arbiters for local communities. In some cases, towns even rely on the local draconic worshiper of Lendys to parse out justice. Clerics of Lendys get along well with worshipers of St. Cuthbert, and poorly with those who follow a chaotic deity such as Kord, Olidammara, or Erythnul.

Tamara

Her Beneficence, Her Mercy
Lesser Deity
Symbol: Seven-pointed star on field of black
Home Plane: Elysium
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Life, light, mercy
Worshipers: Good dragons, healers, those desiring mercy
Clerical Domains: Dragon*, Good, Healing, Strength, Sun (Family)
Favored Weapon: Scimitar (claw)
Tamara is the kindest and most benevolent of the draconic deities. Some mistake this quality for weakness, though such beings don’t make the same error twice. She appears as a luminously beautiful silver dragon, her eyes shining with the brightness of the sun itself.

Dogma

Tamara believes in mercy,
both in life and in death.
Not only does she heal the sick
and tend the injured, she
delivers a merciful end to those
dragons nearing the end of
their natural lives. She fiercely
detests those who artificially
prolong the life of a dragon, particularly when it is against that dragon’s will.

Clergy and Temples

Tamara’s clerics are healers, but also deliverers of death to those who try to escape it. They prefer to destroy any undead they encounter, particularly draconic undead (such as dracoliches).

Though a peaceful and merciful faith, the worshipers of Tamara do not hesitate to stand against evil or tyranny. Tamara counts Pelor among her staunchest allies and Falazure, Hextor, Nerull, and Erythnul among her enemies.

Tiamat

The Chromatic Dragon, Creator of Evil Dragonkind
Lesser Deity
Symbol: Five-headed dragon
Home Plane: Baator (Avernus)
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Evil dragons, conquest, greed
Worshipers: Evil dragons, conquerors
Clerical Domains: Destruction, Dragon, Evil, Greed, Law, Trickery (Hatred, Scalykind, Tyranny)
Favored Weapon: War pick (bite)
All evil dragons pay homage to Tiamat; green and blue dragons acknowledge her sovereignty the most readily. Good dragons have a healthy respect for Tiamat, though they usually avoid mentioning her or even thinking about her.

In her natural form, Tiamat is a thick-bodied dragon with five heads and a wyvern’s tail. Each head is a different color: white, black, green, blue, and red. Her massive body is striped in those colors.

Tiamat has many consorts, including great wyrm dragons of the white, black, green, blue, and red varieties.

Dogma

Tiamat concerns herself with spreading evil, defeating good, and propagating evil dragons. She enjoys razing the occasional village, city, or country, but only as a diversion from more subtle, world-spanning plots. She is the villain who lurks in the shadows.

Her presence is felt but seldom seen. Tiamat constantly seeks to extend the power and dominion of evil dragons over the land, particularly when her subjects find themselves embroiled in territorial disputes with good dragons. Tiamat unfailingly demands reverence, homage, and tribute from her subjects. Lately, her Cult of the Dragon minions have been working nefariously to return her to the Material Plane from her prison in Avernus.

Clergy and Temples

Tiamat accepts only evil clerics. Tiamat’s clerics, like Tiamat herself, seek to place the world under the domination of evil dragons.

Though most evil dragons honor Tiamat, few keep shrines dedicated to her in their lairs because they don’t want Tiamat’s greedy eyes gazing at their treasure hoards.Instead, they dedicate vast, gloomy caverns to their deity and keep them stocked with treasure and sacrifices.

Tiamat claims not to need allies, though most believe she has bargains with many archdevils and lawful evil deities such as Hextor. Her enemies are numerous, including Heironeous, Moradin, and, of course, Bahamut.

Part 2: Chromatic Dragons

This part is dedicated to the different types of chromatic dragons. The information here has been difficult to obtain, as most chromatic dragons are not eager to share details about themselves, especially details pertaining to their combat strategies and weaknesses. Many Pathfinders died to bring us this information.

Chapter 1: Black Dragons

Black Dragons

Black dragons are among the most evil-tempered true dragons. They prefer dismal swamps or bogs, the more stagnant and fetid the better, but can be encountered anywhere water and dense vegetation are found together— including jungles, rain forests, and moors. They have no natural enemies, though they attack and kill almost anything unfortunate enough to stumble upon them. Black dragons living in forest areas often encounter green dragons, but the two species usually manage to maintain an uneasy truce, so long as the black dragons stick to the watery areas.

Black dragons make their lairs in large, damp caves or multichambered submerged caverns. They always dwell near water, and their lairs usually have a submerged entrance and a land entrance. Older black dragons hide both entrances to their lairs with plant growth.

Black dragons dwelling in dungeons prefer dark, watery locations.

Black Dragon Identifiers

A black dragon has deep-socketed eyes and broad nasal openings that make its face look like a skull. It has segmented horns that curve forward and down, somewhat like a ram’s horns, but not as curly. These horns are bone-colored near their bases, but darken to dead black at the tips. As the dragon ages, the flesh around the horns and cheekbones deteriorates, as though eaten by acid, leaving only thin layers of hide covering the skull. This phenomenon is not harmful to the dragon, but enhances its skeletal appearance.

Most of a black dragon’s teeth protrude when the mouth is closed, and big spikes stud the lower jaw. A pair of small horns jut from the chin, and a row of hornlets crown the head. The tongue is flat, with a forked tip, and the dragon often drools acidic slime, which adds to the dragon's reek of rotting vegetation and foul water.

A black dragon smells of rotting vegetation and foul water, with an acidic undertone.

A black dragon flying overhead is marked by a distinctive profile. Its horns, with their characteristic forward curve, are clearly visible. The wing membranes are marked with blobby stripes, and the leading edges of the wings are fringed or scalloped near the tips. A black dragon also has exceptionally long alar thumbs. The trailing edges of the wing membranes join the body ahead of the back legs.

On hatching, a black dragon’s scales are thin, small, and glossy. As the dragon ages, they become larger, thicker, and duller, helping it camouflage and blend in to the marshes and blasted ruins that are its home.

Black Dragon Mannerisms

The most evil-tempered and vile of the chromatic dragons, black dragons collect the wreckage and treasures of fallen peoples. These dragons loathe seeing the weak prosper and revel in the collapse of humanoid kingdoms. They make their homes in fetid swamps and crumbling ruins where kingdoms once stood.

All chromatic dragons are evil, but black dragons stand apart for their sadistic nature. A black dragon lives to watch its prey beg for mercy, and will often offer the illusion of respite or escape before finishing off its enemies. A black dragon strikes at its weakest enemies first, ensuring a quick and brutal victory, which bolsters its ego as it terrifies its remaining foes. On the verge of defeat, a black dragon does anything it can to save itself, but it accepts death before allowing any other creature to claim mastery over it.

Black dragons hate and fear other dragons. They spy on draconic rivals from afar, looking for opportunities to slay weaker dragons and avoid stronger ones. If a stronger dragon threatens it, a black dragon abandons its lair and seeks out new territory. Evil lizardfolk venerate and serve black dragons, raiding humanoid settlements for treasure and food to give as tribute and building crude draconic effigies along the borders of their dragon master's domain. A black dragon's malevolent influence might also cause the spontaneous creation of evil shambling mounds that seek out and slay good creatures approaching the dragon's lair.

Kobolds infest the lairs of many black dragons like vermin. They become as cruel as their dark masters, often torturing and weakening captives with centipede bites and scorpion stings before delivering them to sate the dragon's hunger.

Black dragons dine primarily on fish, mollusks, and other aquatic creatures. They also hunt for red meat but like to “pickle” it by letting it lie in ponds within or near their lairs for days before being eaten. The rotting flesh helps make the area even more foul—just the way the dragon likes it.

Black dragons are especially fond of coins. Older and craftier dragons sometimes capture and question humanoids about stockpiles of gold, silver, and platinum coins before killing them. Others move out into nearby rivers or lakes, where they menace boat traffic and demand that passing vessels pay tribute.

Contrary to their true nature of being fearful of other dragons, black dragons keep with their reputation for ferocity and usually fight for their mates. The females do most of the fighting, flying far and wide to locate a desirable male and then impressing him with a victory over a rival. Eggs are usually laid near the male’s lair, and the male is left to guard the young. Black dragon parents are protective, but give their offspring little support beyond the occasional bit of advice.

Eventually, the parent advises its offspring to leave the area before the older dragon decides to eat the youngster.

Although capable of breathing underwater, black dragons do little actual swimming; instead, they wallow in the shallows, enjoying the feel of the mud or simply lying in wait for prey. Black dragons prefer to ambush their targets, using their surroundings as cover. When fighting in heavily forested swamps and marshes, they try to stay in the water or on the ground; trees and leafy canopies limit their aerial maneuverability. When outmatched, a black dragon attempts to fly out of sight, so as not to leave tracks, and takes refuge in the deepest water it can find.

A Black Dragon's Lair

As listed above, black dragons dwell in swamps on the frayed edges of civilization. A black dragon's lair is a dismal cave, grotto, or ruin that is at least partially flooded, providing pools where the dragon rests, and where its victims can fr rment. The lair is littered with the acid-pitted bones qf previous victims and the fly-ridden carcasses of fresh kills,watched over by crumbling statues. Centipedes, scorpions, and snakes infest the lair, which is filled with the stench of death and decay.

Regional Effects

The region containing a legendary black dragon's lair is warped by the dragon's magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• The land within 6 miles of the lair takes twice as long as normal to traverse, since the plants grow thick and twisted, and the swamps are thick with reeking mud.
• Water sources within 1 mile of the lair are supernaturally fouled. Enemies of the dragon that drink such water regurgitate it within minutes.
• Fog lightly obscures the land within 6 miles of the lair.

If the dragon dies, vegetation remains as it has grown, but other effects fade over ld10 days.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; he dragon can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• Pools of water that the dragon can see within 120 feet of it surge outward in a grasping tide. Any creature on the ground within 20 feet of such a pool must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 20 feet into the water and knocked prone.
• A cloud of swarming insects fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon chooses within 120 feet of it. The cloud spreads around corners and remains until the dragon dismisses it as an action, uses this lair action again, or dies. The cloud is lightly obscured. Any creature in the cloud when it appears must make on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that ends its turn in the cloud takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage.
• Magical darkness spreads from a point the dragon chooses within 60 feet of it, filling a 15-foot-radius sphere until the dragon dismisses it as an action, uses this lair action again, or dies. The darkness spreads around corners. A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagicallight can't illuminate it. If any of the effect's area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled.

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Black Dragon Wyrmling

Medium dragon, chaotic evil

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• Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
• Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft., swim 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)	10 (+0)	11 (+0)	13 (+1)

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• Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +3, Wis +2, Cha +3
• Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4
• Damage Immunities acid
• Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
• Languages Draconic
• Challenge 2 (450 XP)

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Amphibious The dragon can breathe air and water.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damage.

Acid Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales acid in a 15-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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Young Black Dragon

Large dragon, chaotic evil

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• Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 127 (15d10 + 45)
• Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	14 (+2)	17 (+3)	12 (+1)	11 (+0)	15 (+2)

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• Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6, Wis +3, Cha +5
• Skills Perception +6, Stealth +5
• Damage Immunities acid
• Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

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Amphibious The dragon can breathe air and water.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) acid damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.

Acid Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales acid in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 49 (11d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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Adult Black Dragon

Huge dragon, chaotic evil

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• Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 195 (17d12 + 85)
• Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
23 (+6)	14 (+2)	21 (+5)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)	17 (+3)

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• Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +10, Wis +6, Cha +8
• Skills Perception +11, Stealth +7
• Damage Immunities acid
• Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 21
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

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Amphibious The dragon can breathe air and water.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) acid damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Acid Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales acid in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.

Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

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Ancient Black Dragon

Gargantuan dragon, chaotic evil

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• Armor Class 22 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 367 (21d20 + 147)
• Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
27 (+8)	14 (+2)	25 (+7)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	19 (+4)

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• Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +14, Wis +9, Cha +11
• Skills Perception +16, Stealth +9
• Damage Immunities acid
• Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 26
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)

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Amphibious The dragon can breathe air and water.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Acid Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales acid in a 90-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 67 (15d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.

Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

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Black Wyrm Dragon

Gargantuan dragon, chaotic evil

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• Armor Class 24 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 444 (24d20 + 192)
• Speed 40 ft., fly 120 ft., swim 60 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
29 (+9)	14 (+2)	26 (+8)	18 (+4)	16 (+3)	21 (+5)

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• Saving Throws Dex +10, Con +16, Wis +11, Cha +13
• Skills Perception +19, Stealth +10
• Damage Immunities acid; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
• Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, stunned
• Senses blindsight 90 ft., darkvision 240 ft., passive Perception 29
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 26 (90,000 XP)

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Acid Absorption Whenever the dragon is subjected to acid damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt.

Amphibious The dragon can breathe air and water.

Magic Resistance The dragon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Toxic Aura When a hostile creature begins its turn within 30 feet of the dragon, they have to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion. A creature can only be subjected to this condition once per hour.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes four attacks: one with its bite, two with its claws, and one with its tail.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit 20 (2d10 + 9) piercing damage plus 11 (2d10) acid damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d6 + 9) slashing damage.

Tail Sweep. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 20 ft., up to 5 targets within range. Hit: 17 (2d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 180 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Acid Breath (Recharge 4-6). The dragon exhales acid in a 120-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw, taking 81 (18d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 4 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Sweep Attack. The dragon makes a tail sweep attack.

Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (2d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

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Great Black Wyrm Dragon

Colossal dragon, chaotic evil

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• Armor Class 26 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 896 (60d12 + 500)
• Speed 40 ft., fly 150 ft., swim 80 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
30 (+10)	14 (+2)	28 (+9)	20 (+5)	18 (+4)	25 (+7)

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• Saving Throws Dex +11, Con +18, Wis +13, Cha +16
• Skills Perception +22, Stealth +11
• Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from magical attacks
• Damage Immunities acid; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
• Condition Immunities charmed, diseased, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, stunned
• Senses blindsight 120 ft., darkvision 240 ft., passive Perception 32
• Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal
• Challenge 32 (195,000 XP)

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Acid Absorption. Whenever the dragon is subjected to acid damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt.

Acid Blood. The dragon's blood is not red but a deep black and green, and is just toxic as its saliva. Whenever the dragon suffers slashing or piercing damage from a melee attack, if the attacker is within 5 feet of the dragon, they suffer 14 (3d8) acid damage. The dragon is immune to the Contagion spell and to all effects that would cause disease.

Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.

Dissolution. When the dragon uses its breath weapon on a structure, it can make a DC 20 Constitution check. On a success, the structure dissolves away and turns into a bubbling pool of acid which releases toxic fumes into the air, dealing 18 (5d6) poison damage and 32 (7d8) acid damage to all characters who enter it and to all characters begin their turn in it. On a failure, the structure suffers 180 (20d8x2) acid damage. If the structure is destroyed by this, it will melt away into an acidic puddle.

Dissolving Acid. When a character wearing nonmagical armor suffers damage from the dragon's acid breath, their armor is destroyed. When a character wielding a nonmagical weapon suffers damage from the dragons Acid Blood, their weapon is destroyed.

Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Massive Jaws. The dragon has huge, strong jaws like a massive crocodile. It deals +20 piercing damage with successful bite attacks.

Mythic Acid. The incredible power of this creature's acid is mightier than the strongest enchantments. Creatures who are immune to acid damage instead are treated as if they are resistant to the acid damage caused by this dragon and creatures who are resistant to acid damage instead treat it as if they were not. Creatures who are not resistant to acid damage are treated as if they were vulnerable to the acid damage of this dragon.

Siege Monster. The dragon deals double damage to objects and structures.

Toxic Aura. When a hostile creature begins its turn within 30 feet of the dragon, they have to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion. A creature can only be subjected to this condition once per hour.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Mythic Frightful Presence. It then makes six attacks: one with its bite, one Swallow, three with its claws, and one with its tail.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 52 (4d10 + 30) piercing damage plus 13 (2d12) acid damage and DC 20 Strength saving throw or be swallowed. At the start of each turn, all swallowed characters suffer 23 (5d8) bludgeoning + 32 (7d8) acid damage and are considered restrained and asphyxiating. If the dragon takes 70 damage from creatures inside it, it must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On failure, it vomits up all swallowed characters, releasing them and dealing half its normal acid breath damage to all characters in a 100-foot line, with a successful DC 26 Dexterity saving throw negating all damage. If a character is reduced to 0 HP while swallowed by the dragon, their body is dissolved.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d6 + 9) slashing damage.

Tail Sweep. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 20 ft., up to 5 targets within range. Hit: 17 (2d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage.

Mythic Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 240 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 26 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature that is frightened is also paralyzed. A creature of CR 10 or lower who becomes frightened in this way suffers a heart attack, instantly dropping to 0 HP and falling unconscious. A creature that would be made immune to fear through magic instead has advantage on its saving throw. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Acid Breath (Recharge 3-6). The dragon exhales acid in a 150-foot line that is 15 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw, taking 90 (20d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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Reactions

Mythic Reaction (6/Round) The dragon may make an attack with its bite, tail, or claws.

Tail Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage. If the target is size Huge or smaller, it is knocked prone.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 5 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Caustic Gaze (Costs 2 actions, 1/Day). The dragon chooses a creature with 60 feet. That creature loses 2d6 Constitution points. If this would lower a character to 0 Constitution, their blood turns to acid for the next 1 minute and if they are not immune to acid, they fall dead. Otherwise, they become incapacitated for 1d4 rounds.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Sweep Attack. The dragon makes a tail sweep attack.

Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (2d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

Acid Breath (Costs 3 Actions). The dragon uses its Acid Breath (Recharge 3-6), assuming it is recharged.

Chapter 2: Blue Dragons

Blue Dragons

Blue dragons are vain and territorial. They favor hot, arid areas. They prefer sandy deserts, but can be found on dry steppes and in hot badlands. A blue dragon guards its territory against all potential competitors, including other monsters such as sphinxes, dragonnes, and especially brass dragons. Blue dragons detest brass dragons for their frivolous ways, chaotic alignment, and propensity to flee from battle. Blue dragons prefer vast underground caverns for lairs— the grander the cavern, the better. They often choose lairs at the bases of cliffs where windblown sand has accumulated. The dragon burrows through the sand to reach the caves below.

Most blue dragons don’t bother to keep the entrances to their lairs free of sand; they simply burrow to get in or out. Many deliberately bury the entrances to their lairs before settling down to sleep or when leaving to patrol their territory. Dungeon-dwelling blue dragons prefer fairly warm and dry areas with sand or dirt floors.

Blue Dragon Identifiers

A blue dragon is conspicuous by its dramatic frilled ears and a single, massive horn atop its short, blunt head. The horn juts forward from a base that takes up most of the top of the head, and it usually has two points. The primary point is slightly curved and reaches well forward, with a smaller, secondary point behind. Rows of hornlets line the dragon’s brow ridges, and run back from the nostrils (which lie close to the eyesockets) along the entire length of the head.

A blue dragon has a short snout with an underslung lower jaw. It has a cluster of bladelike scales under its chin, and hornlets on its cheeks. Most of the dragon’s teeth protrude when its mouth is closed.

A blue dragon’s scales vary in color from an iridescent azure to a deep indigo, polished to a glossy finish by blowing desert sands. The size of its scales increases little as the dragon ages, although they do become thicker and harder. Its hide tends to hum and crackle faintly with built-up static electricity. These effects intensify when the dragon is angry or about to attack, giving off an odor of ozone and sand.

A blue dragon flying overhead is easily distinguished from a brass dragon by its batlike wings, which have short alar thumbs and a mottled or dappled pattern. The alar phalanges (the fingerlike bones that support the wing; see Internal Anatomy, page 6) have knobby joints, and the phalanges are all the same length, giving the wings a rounded look. The trailing edge of the wing membrane joins the body well ahead of the rear legs.

The dragon has a short, thick neck. The head is mostly featureless when viewed from below, but the ears are visible. The dragon’s tail is thick and flat.

Blue Dragon Mannerisms

Vain and territorial, blue dragons soar through the skies over deserts, preying on caravans and plundering herds and settlements in the verdant lands beyond the desert’s reach. These dragons can also be found in dry steppes, searing badlands, and rocky coasts. They guard their territories against all potential competitors, especially brass dragons.

A blue dragon will not stand for any remark or insinuation that it is weak or inferior, taking great pleasure in lording its power over humanoids and other lesser creatures.

A blue dragon is a patient and methodical combatant. When fighting on its own terms, it turns combat into an extended affair of hours or even days, attacking from a distance with volleys of lightning, then flying well out of harm’s reach as it waits to attack again.

Though they sometimes eat cacti and other desert plants to sate their great hunger, blue dragons are carnivores. They prefer to dine on herd animals, cooking those creatures with their lightning breath before gorging themselves. Their dining habits make blue dragons an enormous threat to desert caravans and nomadic tribes, which become convenient collections of food and treasure to a dragon’s eye.

When it hunts, a blue dragon buries itself in the desert sand so that only the horn on its nose pokes above the surface, appearing to be an outcropping of stone. When prey draws near, the dragon rises up, sand pouring from its wings like an avalanche as it attacks.

Blue dragons covet valuable and talented creatures whose service reinforces their sense of superiority. Bards, sages, artists, wizards, and assassins can become valuable agents for a blue dragon, which rewards loyal service handsomely.

A blue dragon keeps its lair secret and well protected, and even its most trusted servants are rarely allowed within. It encourages ankhegs, giant scorpions, and other creatures of the desert to dwell near its lair for additional security. Older blue dragons sometimes attract air elementals and other creatures to serve them.

Though blue dragons collect anything that looks valuable, they are especially fond of gems. Considering blue to be the most noble and beautiful of colors, they covet sapphires, favoring jewelry and magic items adorned with those gems.

A blue dragon buries its most valuable treasures deep in the sand, while scattering a few less valuable trinkets in plainer sight over hidden sinkholes to punish and eliminate would-be thieves.

A blue dragon’s vibrant color makes it easy to spot in barren desert surroundings, especially when the dragon is on the ground. When it wishes to be less conspicuous, a blue dragon burrows into the sand so that only the top of its head is exposed. This trick leaves the dragon’s massive horn sticking above the surface, but from a distance the horn tends to look like a jagged rock.

Blue dragons love to soar in the hot desert air, usually flying in the daytime when temperatures are highest. Some nearly match the color of the desert sky and can be difficult to see from below.

Although they collect anything that looks valuable, blue dragons are most fond of gems—especially blue sapphires. They consider blue to be a noble hue and the most beautiful color.

Blue dragons have a highly developed sense of order (with themselves at the top, at least locally). The oldest blue dragon in an area acts as an overlord to all lesser blue dragons living nearby. This suzerain receives homage from its subjects and settles any disputes, particularly those involving mates or territorial boundaries. Although any blue dragon in an area can challenge the suzerain for the right to rule, this seldom happens. A blue dragon that is unhappy with its suzerain usually moves to a new area—either one with a suzerain more to its liking, or one with no suzerain at all.

Blue dragons observe elaborate courtship and mating rituals involving exchanges of food and treasure, the consent of the suzerain, and announcements to other blue dragons. Older dragons of either sex might have multiple mates, but infidelity is rare. Blue dragons are usually attentive and effective parents, and do not often leave eggs unattended.

Typically, blue dragons attack from above or burrow beneath the sands until opponents come within 100 feet. Older dragons use their special abilities and magic, such as hallucinatory terrain, in concert with these tactics to mask the land and improve their chances to surprise the target. When stalking intelligent prey, they often use ventriloquism and mimicry to confuse and divide groups before closing in for the kill. A blue dragon runs from a fight only if it is severely damaged, since all blue dragons view retreat as cowardly.

A Blue Dragon's Lair

Blue dragons make their lairs in barren places, using their lightning breath and their burrowing ability to carve out crystallized caverns and tunnels beneath the sands.

Thunderstorms rage around a legendary blue dragon’s lair, and narrow tubes lined with glassy sand ventilate the lair, all the while avoiding the deadly sinkholes that are the dragon’s first line of defense.

A blue dragon will collapse the caverns that make up its lair if that lair is invaded. The dragon then burrows out, leaving its attackers to be crushed and suffocated. When it returns later, it collects its possessions — along with the wealth of the dead intruders.

Regional Effects

The region containing a legendary blue dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• Thunderstorms rage within 6 miles of the lair.
• Dust devils scour the land within 6 miles of the lair. A dust devil has the statistics of an air elemental, but it can’t fly, has a speed of 50 feet, and has an Intelligence and Charisma of 1 (−5).
• Hidden sinkholes form in and around the dragon’s lair. A sinkhole can be spotted from a safe distance with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. Otherwise, the first creature to step on the thin crust covering the sinkhole must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall 1d6 × 10 feet into the sinkhole.

If the dragon dies, the dust devils disappear immediately, and the thunderstorms abate within 1d10 days. Any sinkholes remain where they are.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• Part of the ceiling collapses above one creature that the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone and buried. The buried target is restrained and unable to breathe or stand up. A creature can take an action to make a DC 10 Strength check, ending the buried state on a success.
• A cloud of sand swirls about in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The cloud spreads around corners. Each creature in the cloud must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Lightning arcs, forming a 5-foot-wide line between two of the lair’s solid surfaces that the dragon can see. They must be within 120 feet of the dragon and 120 feet of each other. Each creature in that line must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) lightning damage.

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Blue Dragon Wyrmling

Medium dragon, lawful evil

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• Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
• Speed 30 ft., burrow 15 ft., fly 60 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	10 (+0)	15 (+2)	12 (+1)	11 (0)	15 (+2)

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• Saving Throws Dex +2, Con +4, Wis +2, Cha +4
• Skills Perception +4, Stealth +2
• Damage Immunities Lightning
• Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
• Languages Draconic
• Challenge 3 (700 XP)

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Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) lightning damage.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales lightning in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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Young Blue Dragon

Large dragon, lawful evil

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• Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64)
• Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 80 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
21 (+5)	10 (+0)	19 (+4)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)	17 (+3)

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• Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +8, Wis +5, Cha +7
• Skills Perception +9, Stealth +4
• Damage Immunities Lightning
• Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 19
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

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Actions

Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales lightning in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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Adult Blue Dragon

Huge dragon, lawful evil

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• Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 225 (18d12 + 108)
• Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 80 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
25 (+7)	10 (+0)	23 (+6)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	19 (+4)

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• Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +11, Wis +7, Cha +9
• Skills Perception +12, Stealth +5
• Damage Immunities lightning
• Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

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Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 18 (2d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales lightning in a 90-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.

Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

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Ancient Blue Dragon

Gargantuan dragon, lawful evil

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• Armor Class 22 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 481 (26d20 + 208)
• Speed 40 ft., burrow 40ft., fly 80 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
29 (+9)	10 (+0)	27 (+8)	18 (+4)	17 (+3)	21 (+5)

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• Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +15, Wis +10, Cha +12
• Skills Perception +17, Stealth +7
• Damage Immunities lightning
• Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 27
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 23 (50,000 XP)

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Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (2d10 + 9) piercing damage plus 11 (2d10) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d6 + 9) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d8 + 9) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales lightning in a 120-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw, taking 88 (16d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.

Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (2d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

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Blue Wyrm Dragon

Gargantuan dragon, lawful evil

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• Armor Class 24 (Natural Armor)
• Hit Points 526 (27d20 + 243)
• Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft., fly 120 ft

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
30 (+10)	10 (+0)	28 (+9)	19 (+4)	18 (+4)	22 (+6)

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• Saving Throws Dex +8, Con + 17, Int +12, Wis +12, Cha +14
• Skills Perception +20, Stealth +8, History +12, Intimidation +14
• Damage Resistances cold
• Damage Immunities lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
• Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, stunned
• Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 240 ft., passive Perception 30
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 28 (120,000 XP)

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Lightning Absorption. Whenever the dragon is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt.

Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The dragon's weapon attacks are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity.

Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Static Aura. When a hostile creatue begins its turn within 30 feet of the dragon, they have to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The creature may remake this save at the end of each of their turns. A creature can only be subjected to this condition once per hour.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes four attacks: one with its bite, two with its claws, and one with its tail.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) piercing damage plus 11 (2d10) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d6 + 10) slashing damage.

Tail Sweep. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 20 ft., up to 5 targets within range. Hit: 19 (2d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 4-6). The dragon exhales lightning in a 150-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 99 (18d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 4 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Sweep Attack. The dragon makes a tail sweep attack.

Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (2d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

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Great Blue Wyrm Dragon

Colossal dragon, lawful evil

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• Armor Class 27 (Natural Armor)
• Hit Points 960 (40d20 + 540)
• Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft., fly 120 ft

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
30 (+10)	12 (+1)	30 (+10)	22 (+6)	20 (+5)	26 (+8)

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• Saving Throws Dex +11, Con +20, Int +16, Wis +15, Cha +18
• Skills Perception +25, Stealth +11, History +16, Intimidation +18
• Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from magical attacks
• Damage Immunities lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
• Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, stunned
• Senses blindsight 120 ft., darkvision 240 ft., passive Perception 36
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 33 (260,000 XP)

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Lightning Absorption. Whenever the dragon is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt.

Lightning Aura. Whenever a hostile character begins its turn within 60 feet of the dragon, they suffer 10 (2d10) lightning damage.

Lightning Buildup. When a character makes a successful melee attack against the dragon, its Lightning Aura ability increases in damage by 1d10 (to a max of 6d10) for the remainder of the round.

Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The dragon's weapon attacks are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity.

Mythic Lightning. The incredible power of this dragon's lightning is more powerful than the strongest enchantments. Characters who are normally immune to lightning damage instead are treated as if they are resistant to the lightning damage caused by this dragon and characters who are resistant to lightning damage instead treat it as if they were not. Characters who are not resistant to lightning damage are treated as if they were vulnerable to it.

Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Siege Monster. The dragon deals double damage to objects and structures.

Spell Immunity. The dragon is immune to all spells of 3rd level or lower

Static Aura. When a hostile creatue begins its turn within 30 feet of the dragon, they have to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The creature may remake this save at the end of each of their turns. A creature can only be subjected to this condition once per hour.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes five attacks: one with its bite, three with its claws, and one with its tail.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +20 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d10 + 10) piercing damage plus 13 (2d12) lightning damage + DC 20 Strength Saving throw or be swallowed. At the start of each turn, all swallowed characters suffer 23 (5d8) bludgeoning, 14 (3d8) acid, and 14 (3d8) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +20 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d6 + 10) slashing damage.

Tail Sweep. Melee Weapon Attack: +20 to hit, reach 30 ft., up to 5 targets within range. Hit: 28 (4d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage.

Mythic Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 240 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 26 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature that is frightened is also paralyzed. A creature of CR 10 or lower who becomes frightened in this way suffers a heart attack, instantly dropping to 0 HP and falling unconscious. A creature that would be made immune to fear through magic instead has advantage on its saving throw. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 3-6). The dragon exhales lightning in a 180-foot line that is 15 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 28 Dexterity saving throw, taking 110 (20d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Reactions

Mythic Reaction (4/Round) The dragon may make an attack with its bite, tail, or claws, or use one of the following special options.

Tail Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +20 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage.

Counterspell. The dragon can cast counterspell at 3rd level 5 times per day.

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Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 4 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Sweep Attack. The dragon makes a tail sweep attack.

Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 28 Dexterity saving throw or take 24 (4d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

Lightning Breath (Costs 3 Actions). The dragon exhales lightning in a 180-foot line that is 15 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 28 Dexterity saving throw, taking 110 (20d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Colossal Roar (1/Day, Costs 3 Actions). Deal 30 (12d4) thunder damage to all enemies within 600 feet, and all enemies who are frightened of the dragon are stunned for 1d4 rounds.

Become the Storm (2/Day, Costs 2 Actions). The dragon conjures a storm around itself and launches forwards in a 100 ft. line, ignoring all cover and nonmagical barriers less than 10 feet thick. Any creature in the dragon's path as it travels must make a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they suffer 21 (6d6) lightning damage and become stunned until the start of the dragon's next turn. On a success, they suffer half damage and are not stunned.

When the dragon stops moving, any creature within 30 feet of the dragon must make a DC 21 Constitution save or take 21 (6d6) thunder damage and become deafened until the start of the dragon's next turn.

Chapter 3: Brown Dragons

Brown Dragons

Brown dragons are ferocious and primal dragons, typically looked down upon by the other chromatic dragons. Brown dragons are seen as much more practical than many other dragons. While a blue dragon may kite a caravan for days on end, or a brass dragon may leave suspicious tracks for adventurers to follow, only to end up in the dragon's lair, the brown dragon takes the path of least effort or resistance. If given the choice between storming a king's castle to take his gold and eat his people, or picking up a stray buffalo from a herd travelling across the desert, the brown dragon will likely choose the latter.

Like blue dragons, brown dragons leave the entrance to their lair covered, and just burrow in whenever they need to enter. Their lairs are typically built in abandonded ruins buried deep beneath the desert's shifting sands.

Brown Dragon Identifiers

A brown dragon is made most conspicuous by its unique wings, which sprout from its back right at the shoulders and connect all the way back to the tail, functioning as fins for burrowing through sand rather than flying through air. Their faces have a large set of horns jutting from their lower jaw, used to tear apart the sand before them as they burrow beneath the surface.

A brown dragon has a much longer snout with a lower jaw inline with its upper. Its teeth are jagged and lined perfectly, forming a barrier against the sand. Its teeth are entirely sealed when the mouth is closed, allowing nothing between them. Along its back along with the fin-like wings are a variety of horns, used to break through the sand before them and allow the dragon to burrow far faster than their draconic relatives.

A brown dragon's scales are very monochromatic, with very little range between shades of brown. They tend o reflect the shade of the sand around them. Their scales grow with their body, forming large plates that cover the dragon in a protective shell.

A brown dragon's legs are longer than most dragons, and their feet are wide and webbed, providing them better purchase both above and below the sands. Their front legs are extremely powerful, being the primary limbs used to navigate the sands.

Spotting a brown dragon is extremely difficult to all but the most experienced dragon hunters. They bury themselves beneath the sands and wait to ambush their prey in a flurry of claws, fangs, and sand.

Brown Dragon Mannerisms

Brown dragons rarely put themselves in positions of peril and tend not to seek out trouble, preferring to put forth the least amount of effort possible when enacting their goals. Coming face-to-face with one thus requires more work than with the other dragon species.

Rarely does a brown dragon attempt to build followers or rule kingdoms, instead remaining content in its relatively solitary existence within its lair.

To a brown dragon, the ultimate pleasure and comfort in life is food. Brown dragons have been known to travel thousands of miles in search of exotic creatures to eat, kidnapping them back to their lairs for a special meal.

Some brown dragons so greatly relish the desire to experience new tastes that they will forsake their normally careful mentality and put themselves at greater risk to take a bite out of their enemies. Brown dragons who successfully sample their prey enjoy musing on the particulars of that individual's flavors, even mid combat, as much an intimidation tactic as a natural response to the joys of food.

A brown dragon prefers to travel below the surface of the sands, completely hidden but able to utilize its tremorsense to stalk its prey. When the perfect opportunity presents itself the dragon strikes, bursting from the sand amidst its enemies and dragging its prey below the surface to feast.

Blue dragons and brown dragons often come into conflict when their desert territories overlap, and the two species carry a particular hatred for each other.

Food is the ultimate treasure to a brown dragon, and even more wealthy items within one’s hoard often include various expensive cutlery and crockery. Salted and smoked meats, which can keep for months in the dry desert heat, might be found one section of the lair, with another area commonly devoted to a vast collection of exotic seasonings and spices. Some brown dragons will even keep a herd of livestock in or around their lair to provide fresh meat as needed.

Besides these morsels, brown dragons also find interest in more conventional treasures like coins, unique artwork, or gems. Long-lost artifacts of ancient civilizations are particularly favored for their rarity and history, and in fact brown dragons value anything that may have fallen under a particularly famous individual’s ownership. These are collected to fill out the hoard, sometimes buried within the sands of the dragon’s lair for safety. Sometimes these treasures are used as bait, a chest of gold or priceless urn left half-buried in an oasis or a crossroads, the dragon waiting for greedy travelers to discover the prize before striking.

A Brown Dragon's Lair

Brown dragons den within the desiccated sands of deserts, where the environment is too harsh for most humanoid societies to survive and bother them. Their lairs are composed of rooms of shifting sand below the desert surface, some naturally formed by ruins or buried caves. Still some other dragons carve out homes within the ruins and tombs of ancient civilizations.

Ancient brown dragon lairs are guarded by a constantly raging sandstorm which blinds and disorients potential attackers as well as regions of entombing quicksand, which the dragon checks periodically for potential meals.

Brown dragons burrow new tunnels as needed, easy and willing to modify their lairs in case of intrusion. They will collapse roofs to entomb and suffocate attackers, or create miniature sandstorms within their lairs to blind or restrain foes.

Regional Effects

The region containing a legendary brown dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• A sandstorm rages within 6 miles of the lair. The strong winds of the sandstorm impose disadvantage on ranged weapon attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks. It extinguishes open flames, disperses fog, and makes flying by nonmagical means nearly impossible. A flying creature in a sandstorm must land at the end of its turn or fall.

• Dust devils scour the land within 6 miles of the lair. A dust devil has the statistics of an air elemental, but it can’t fly, has a speed of 50 feet, and has an Intelligence and Charisma of 1 (-5).

• Areas of quicksand surround the dragon’s lair. Quicksand can be recognized from a safe distance with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. Otherwise, a creature that steps into the quicksand must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be restrained.

If the dragon dies, the dust devils disappear immediately, and the sandstorm abates within 1d10 days. Any sinkholes remain where they are.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• Part of the ceiling collapses above one creature that the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone and buried. The buried target is restrained and unable to breathe or stand up. A creature can take an action to make a DC 10 Strength check, ending the buried state on a success.

• A cloud of sand swirls about in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The cloud spreads around corners. Each creature in the cloud must succeed on a DC l5 constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

• A whirling gale of sand rushes through the lair in a 15- foot-radius sphere until the dragon dismisses it as an action, uses this lair action again, or dies. The sphere is centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The gale spreads around corners. Each creature in the gale must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be restrained. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

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Brown Dragon Wyrmling

Medium dragon, neutral evil

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• Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
• Speed 30 ft., burrow 60 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	10 (+0)	13 (+1)	15 (+2)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)

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• Saving Throws Dex +2, Con +3, Wis +3, Cha +5
• Skills Perception +5, Stealth +2
• Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 15
• Languages Draconic
• Challenge 2 (450 XP)

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Sand Walk The dragon can move across sand without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of sand doesn't cost it extra movement.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.

Sand Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales blinding hot sand in a 15-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and being blinded on a failed save, or half as much damage and not being blinded on a successful one. A blind creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the blindness on a success.

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Young Brown Dragon

Large dragon, neutral evil

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• Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 133 (14d10 + 56)
• Speed 40 ft., burrow 80 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	10 (+0)	18 (+4)	17 (+3)	14 (+2)	20 (+5)

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• Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +8, Wis +6, Cha +9
• Skills Perception +13, Stealth +5
• Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 20
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

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Sand Walk The dragon can move across sand without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of sand doesn't cost it extra movement.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks; one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6+5) slashing damage.

Sand Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales blinding hot sand in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 49 (9d10) bludgeoning damage and being blinded on a failed save, or half as much damage and not being blinded on a successful one. A blind creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the blindness on a success.

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Adult Brown Dragon

Huge dragon, neutral evil

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• Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 195 (17d12 + 85)
• Speed 40 ft., burrow 80 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
24 (+7)	10 (+0)	21 (+5)	20 (+5)	16 (+3)	22 (+6)

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• Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +10, Wis +8, Cha +11
• Skills Perception +13, Stealth +5
• Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 23
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

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Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Sand Walk. The dragon can move across sand without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of sand doesn't cost it extra movement.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 18 (2d10 + 7) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Sand Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales blinding hot sand in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (11d10) bludgeoning damage and being blinded on a failed save, or half as much damage and not being blinded on a successful one. A blind creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the blindness on a success.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.

Sand Cyclone (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon slams its fins into the sand beneath it. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then burrow up to half its burrow speed.

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Ancient Brown Dragon

Gargantuan dragon, neutral evil

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• Armor Class 22 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 367 (21d20 + 147)
• Speed 40 ft., burrow 80 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
28 (+9)	10 (+0)	25 (+7)	22 (+6)	18 (+4)	24 (+7)

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• Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +14, Wis +11, Cha +14
• Skills Perception +18, Stealth +7
• Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 28
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 22 (30,000 XP)

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Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Sand Walk. The dragon can move across sand without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of sand doesn't cost it extra movement.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 20 (2d10 + 9) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d6 + 9) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d8 + 9) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Sand Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales blinding hot sand in a 90-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 71 (13d10) bludgeoning damage and being blinded on a failed save, or half as much damage and not being blinded on a successful one. A blind creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the blindness on a success.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.

Sand Cyclone (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon slams its fins into the sand beneath it. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (2d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then burrow up to half its burrow speed.

Chapter 4: Gray Dragons

Gray Dragons

Gray dragons are arguably the evilest of all chromatic dragons. They are described best as rapacious, venal, and overly greedy. Furthermore, they have a strange affinity to stone and it is reflected in their aura and breath weapon as well. They generally live in badlands, prairies, and scrublands where they will rarely be bothered. Gray dragons go by many names; fang dragons for their ferocity and wicked maws, stone dragons for their petrifying abilities, and spike dragons for the sharp spikes that cover their bodies.

Gray Dragon Identifiers

Their many fangs can be extremely long, and in many individuals prevent them from being able to properly close their mouths. Beneath this sea of teeth are sharp horns jutting out from the lower jaw, which allows the dragon to easily smash petrified victims.

The scales that cover a gray dragon can vary from limestone white to a much darker granite gray. Their ventral scales tend to be paler than the rest of their body, allowing it to remain hidden as its underbelly blends in with the clouds.

Some gray dragons lack the elemental powers and petrification abilities of their brethren. It is said that, in ages past, Tiamat blessed a few fang dragon eggs with control over acid and stone, and then tasked her new children with wiping out the inferior bloodline. Today such mundane fang dragons are all but extinct, still hunted once their existence is discovered, though a few may have persisted to the present.

Gray Dragon Mannerisms

Gray dragons delight in the hunt. The very act of stalking prey is perhaps more enjoyable to them than the actual rewards, and it is this love which defines their kind. It is not uncommon for local humanoids with powerful interests to successfully employ a gray dragon for a scouting or hunting mission; the very service itself is payment enough for the dragon, who would consider the work to be little more than a hobby.

Gray dragons prefer to remain aloft during their hunts, out of range of most creatures. Though they enjoy the chase, they are much less keen on fair fights and are likely to retreat when the odds stack against them.

Gray dragons are notoriously difficult to barter with, owing to their propensity to compromise on any stated principle and shift their opinions whenever a better alternative is presented. For a gray dragon, all that matters is payoff, wherever it comes from.

Shrewd diplomats can sometimes take advantage of this nature by promising future opportunities for worthy quarry. But gray dragons often look for excuses to begin elaborate chases, and will break off negotiations to present the terms of a hunting game. In these situations, the individual attempting to negotiate is often given a head start to flee as far as possible. And then the dragon begins to chase.

The prime hunting grounds for a gray dragon are dry prairies, scrubland, and other relatively flat terrain. They prefer to ride high thermals like massive condors, scouting for the tiniest movement across the plains.

When prey is finally discovered the dragon will slowly ride these thermals closer, sometimes taking hours, then divebomb from the clouds or directly overhead. Most open with their acidic breath, hoping to easily petrify their opponent and make off with their prize.

Gray dragons distribute their eggs widely, often leaving them in outpost lairs and leaving as soon as they are laid. The wyrmlings are forced to fend for themselves, but the ones who survive their first months are proven to be able to live for many years.

These young gray dragons hatch with small, barely-useable blades on their tails and the soft beginnings of spikes. Their acidic breath is not strong enough to fully petrify an opponent, but can still stiffen their muscles effectively enough to eat. As they mature their spikes harden and grow sharper, and their breath weapon grows more potent.

A Gray Dragon's Lair

Gray dragons make their permanent lairs within mountain ledges or other similar locations accessible only from the air. They prefer rocky cave systems, preferably with multiple choke points should it be necessary to defend the lair from attack. Gray dragons commonly leave their permanent lair for many months at a time, using their affinity with stone to collapse tunnels or block passages in order to protect it.

The outpost lairs that gray dragons construct are much like their permanent ones, though generally smaller. Here they stash any treasure they may have collected during their hunts, until such a time that they return to their permanent homes and add it to their growing pile of trophies.

Gray dragons defend their lairs with heaving stone and petrifying magic, cutting intruders off from each other to finish them off more easily. If need be, especially if attacked at an outpost, a gray dragon will bring down as much of the structure as possible before fleeing, then simply construct a new home somewhere else.

Regional Effects

Gray dragons tend to remain on the move too often to cause many intense effects on the surrounding countryside. The region containing a legendary gray dragon’s permanent lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• Medusas and basilisks are drawn to the lair, and they act as guards and mutual protectors to the dragon.
• Areas of the ground within 6 miles of the lair are covered in large, jagged stones. Such areas are difficult terrain, and a creature that attempts to move through them must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 5 (1d8) piercing damage.
• Pools of acid surround the dragon’s lair. Acid can be recognized with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Otherwise, a creature that steps into the acid or begins its turn there must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save the creature takes 31 (7d8) acid damage. On a successful save the creature takes half as much damage. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the greater restoration spell or similar magic. If the dragon dies, the medusas and basilisks abandon the lair within 1d10 days. Any areas of difficult terrain and pools of acid remain where they are.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• The dragon chooses a point on the ground that it can see within 120 feet of it. Stone spikes sprout from the ground in a 20-foot radius centered on that point. The effect is otherwise identical to the spike growth spell and lasts until the dragon uses this lair action again or until the dragon dies.
• The dragon creates a wall of rock on a solid surface it can see within 120 feet of it. The wall can be up to 60 feet long, 10 feet high, and 6 inches thick. When the wall appears, each creature within its area is pushed 5 feet out of the wall's space; appearing on whichever side of the wall it wants. Each 10-foot section of the wall has AC 15, 30 hit points, resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons, and immunity to necrotic, poison, and psychic damage. The wall disappears when the dragon uses this lair action again or when the dragon dies.

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Brown Dragon Wyrmling

Medium dragon, neutral evil

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• Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
• Speed 30 ft., burrow 60 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	10 (+0)	13 (+1)	15 (+2)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)

---

• Saving Throws Dex +2, Con +3, Wis +3, Cha +5
• Skills Perception +5, Stealth +2
• Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 15
• Languages Draconic
• Challenge 2 (450 XP)

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Sand Walk The dragon can move across sand without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of sand doesn't cost it extra movement.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.

Sand Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales blinding hot sand in a 15-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and being blinded on a failed save, or half as much damage and not being blinded on a successful one. A blind creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the blindness on a success.

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Young Brown Dragon

Large dragon, neutral evil

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• Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 133 (14d10 + 56)
• Speed 40 ft., burrow 80 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	10 (+0)	18 (+4)	17 (+3)	14 (+2)	20 (+5)

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• Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +8, Wis +6, Cha +9
• Skills Perception +13, Stealth +5
• Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 20
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

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Sand Walk The dragon can move across sand without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of sand doesn't cost it extra movement.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks; one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6+5) slashing damage.

Sand Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales blinding hot sand in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 49 (9d10) bludgeoning damage and being blinded on a failed save, or half as much damage and not being blinded on a successful one. A blind creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the blindness on a success.

Chapter 2: Dragons By Type

This chapter details the more specific physical traits of dragons by type, and how to identify a certain type of dragon out in the world. This chapter also includes draconic combat strategies, capabilities, and weaknesses. Use this chapter as a more practical guide to identifying, tracking, and defeating a dragon.

Types of Dragons

There are a few broad types of dragons found throughout the world, grouped into a variety of categories.

Chromatic Dragons

The chromatic dragons are typically evil and fearsome foes. Descended from the goddess-turned-devil Tiamat, the Queen of Dragons, the chromatic dragons are identified by the colors of their scales and the form of their breath weapon. The different subtypes of chromatic dragons are black, blue, brown, gray, green, purple, red, white, and yellow.

Gem Dragons

The gem dragons are less evil than their chromatic counterparts, but that doesn't make them any less dangerous. Typically neutral, the gem dragons descend from Sardior, the great Ruby dragon. The different subtypes of gem dragons are amethyst, crystal, emerald, obsidian, sapphire, and topaz.

Metallic Dragons

The metallic dragons are typically good and regal creatures. Descended from the dragon god Bahamut, the only platinum dragon, the metallic dragons are identified by the precious metal making up their scales and their breath weapons. The different subtypes of metallic dragons are adamantine, brass, bronze, cobalt, copper, gold, iron, mercury, mithral, silver, and steel dragons.

Planar Dragons

The planar dragons are a different type of dragon. They are not confined by one standard for each subrace, and are instead draconic beings that inhabit the many planes of existence outside of the Material Plane. These dragons are identified by whatever plane of existence you are currently adventuring in. The different subtypes of planar dragons include [INSERT PLANAR DRAGONS HERE]

Draconic Variants

In addition to the prior dragons, any of these types of dragons can be changed or evolve based on certain experiences or exposure to certain materials. These dragons are identified by a variety of features. The different subtypes of planar dragons include brainstealer dragons, shadow dragons, abberant dragons, ghost dragons, and dracoliches.