■ .

FIZBAN'S
TREASURY OF DRAGONS.
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CREDITS
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ON THE COVER ON THE ALT-COVER

Fizban the Fabulous protects a group of innocents as a Battling crystal and red dragons from Fizban's tales com e to
crystal dragon and a red dragon clash in the sky, in this vivid life, revealing the underlying conflicts of the cosmos in
painting by Chris Rahn. this painting by Anato Finnstark.

UK Disclaimer: No guarantee is made that this book was or was not

620(9274000001 EN
ISBN: 978-0-7869-6729-2
First Printing: October 2021
CA CE: remo11ed from the hoard ofa dragon. Be aware that items taken
from a dragon's hoard might carry traces of the dragon 's inherent
magic even long after they are removed from said hoard. Exposure
to another dragon 's hoard can reawaken that magic, with unpre-
dictable results.

987654321

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C.ONTEN'T S
Elegy for the First World ......................... 4 Ch. S: Draconomicon .............................. 75 Ancient Dragon Turtle ........................ 191
A Treasury of Dragons ............................... 5 Using the Entries ....................................... 75 Young Dragon Turtle ........................... 192
The First World ............................................ 6 Creating a Dragon ................................. 75 Dragon Turtle Wyrmling.................... 192
Dragons of Many Worlds ........................ 6 Dragon Adventures ................................ 75 Egg Hunters .............................................. 193
Dragonsight ............................................... 7 Dragon Lairs ........................................... 75 Egg Hunter Hatch ling ......................... 193
Ch. 1: Character Creation ........................ 9 Dragon Treasures .................................. 75 Egg Hunter Adult ................................. 193
Draconic Races ............................................ 9 Dragons of Legend ................................ 75 Elder Brain Dragon ................................. 194
Creating Your Character ........................ 9 Amethyst Dragons ..................................... 76 Emerald Dragons .................................... 195
Chromatic Dragonborn ........................ 10 Black Dragons ............................................ 80 Ancient Emerald Dragon ................... 195
Gem Dragon born ................................... 11 Blue Dragons .............................................. 85 Adult Emerald Dragon ........................ 196
Metallic Dragonborn ............................. 12 Brass Dragons ............................................ 90 Young Emerald Dragon ...................... 197
Subclass Options ....................................... 13 Bronze Dragons ......................................... 94 Emerald Dragon Wyrmling ............... 197
Monk: Way of the Copper Dragons ......................................... 99 Eyedrake .................................................... 199
Ascendant Dragon ................................. 13 Crystal Dragons ....................................... 103 Gem Greatwyrm ..................................... 200
Ranger: Drakewarden .......................... 15 Deep Dragons ........................................... 107 Gem Stalker..............................................202
Heroes of the Dragon ............................... 16 Dragon Turtles ......................................... 110 Ghost Dragon ...........................................203
Draconic Feats ........................................... 17 Emerald Dragons .................................... 114 Hoard Mimic ............................................. 204
Gift of the Chromatic Dragon ............. 17 Faerie Dragons......................................... 118 Hoard Scarabs ......................................... 205
Gift of the Gem Dragon ........................ 17 Gold Dragons ........................................... 121 Hoard Scarab ........................................ 205
Gift of the Metallic Dragon .................. 17 Green Dragons ......................................... 126 Swarm of Hoard Scarabs .................. 205
Moonstone Dragons ................................ 130 Hollow Dragon ........................................ 206
Ch. 2: Dragon Magic ................................ 19 Red Dragons ............................................. 133 Liondrake .................................................. 207
Spells ............................................................ 19 Sapphire Dragons ................................... 138 Metallic Greatwyrm ................................ 208
Magic Items................................................. 22 Shadow Dragons ..................................... 142 Metallic Sentinels .................................... 210
Hoard Magic Items .................................... 25 Silver Dragons ......................................... 145 Metallic Peacekeeper .......................... 210
Increasing Power ................................... 25 Topaz Dragons ......................................... 149 Metallic Warbler ................................... 210
Variable Properties ................................ 25 White Dragons ......................................... 153 Moonstone Dragons ................................ 211
Decreasing Power.................................. 25 Ancient Moonstone Dragon ............... 211
Hoard Item Quirks ................................. 25 Ch. 6: Bestiary......................................... 159 Adult Moonstone Dragon ................... 212
Hoard Item Descriptions ...................... 26 Amethyst Dragons ................................... 159
Ancient Amethyst Dragon .................. 160 Young Moonstone Dragon ................. 213
Draconic Gifts ............................................ 27 Moonstone Dragon Wyrmling .......... 213
Draconic Gift Descriptions .................. 28 Adult Amethyst Dragon ...................... 161
Young Amethyst Dragon .................... 161 Sapphire Dragons ................................... 214
Ch. 3: Dragons in Play ............................ 31 Amethyst Dragon Wyrmling ............. 162 Ancient Sapphire Dragon .................. 214
Roleplaying Dragons ................................ 31 Animated Breath ..................................... 163 Adult Sapphire Dragon ....................... 215
Dragon Characters ................................ 31 Aspect of Bahamut.. ................................ 164 Young Sapphire Dragon ..................... 216
Life Span .................................................. 35 Aspect of Tiamat... ................................... 166 Sapphire Dragon Wyrmling .............. 216
Reproduction ........................................... 38 Chromatic Greatwyrm ........................... 168 Sea Serpents ............................................ 218
Death of a Dragon .................................. 40 Crystal Dragons ....................................... 169 Ancient Sea Serpent ........................... 219
Undeath .................................................... 41 Ancient Crystal Dragon ...................... 170 Young Sea Serpent.. ............................ 219
Echoes across the Worlds .................... 42 Adult Crystal Dragon .......................... 171 Topaz Dragons ........................:,,.............. 220
Gods and Religion ................................. 43 Young Crystal Dragon ......................... 172 Ancient Topaz Dragon ........................ 220
Shape-Shifting ....................................... 44 Crystal Dragon Wyrmling.................. 172 Adult Topaz Dragon ............................. 221
Dragon Organizations .......................... 44 Deep Dragon ............................................. 173 Young Topaz Dragon ........................... 223
Followers ..................................................... 49 Ancient Deep Dragon .......................... 173 Topaz Dragon Wyrmling .................... 223
Dragon Relationships ........................... 49 Adult Deep Dragon .............................. 174 Creature Lists ........................................... 224
Dragons' Minions ................................... 52 Young Deep Dragon ............................ 175
Dragon Encounters ................................... 53 Deep Dragon Wyrmling ..................... 17 5 Sidebars
Dragon Adventures ................................... 55 Dracohydra ............................................... 176 Dragons and Dragons ................................ 5
Dragon as Monster ................................ 55 Draconians ................................................ 177 Dragons and Dungeons ............................. 7
Dragon as Schemer ............................... 56 Draconian Dreadnought .................... 177 Feats as Draconic Gifts ............................ 28
Dragon as Power .................................... 56 Draconian Foot Soldier ...................... 178 Dragons and Territory .............................. 37
Dragon Campaigns ................................... 58 Draconian Infiltrator ........................... 178 Dragons of Song and Steel ..................... 44
Campaign Events ................................... 58 Draconian Mage ................................... 179 Age and a Dragon's Lair .......................... 65
Dragon Factions ..................................... 59 Draconian Mastermind ...................... 180 Eldenser the Lurker .................................. 77
Dragon Gods ........................................... 60 Draconic Shard ........................................ 180 Rhashaak..................................................... 82
Ch. 4: Lairs and Hoards ......................... 63 Dragonblood Ooze .................................. 182 Iymrith .......................................................... 88
Dragon Lairs............................................... 63 Dragon bone Golem ................................. 183 Aasterinian .................................................. 93
Regional Effects ..................................... 64 Dragonborn Champions ........................ 184 Fireflash ....................................................... 98
Lair Actions ............................................. 65 Dragon born of Bahamut .................... 184 Galadaeros the Sunset Flame .............. 100
Dragon Hoards ........................................... 66 Dragonborn of Sardior ....................... 185 Saryndalaghlothtor ................................. 103
Age, Hoards, and Power ....................... 66 Dragonborn of Tiamat ........................ 185 Aremag....................................................... 113
Linking Hoards ...................................... 67 Dragonflesh Grafters .............................. 186 Raulothim .................................................. 115
Plundering a Hoard ............................... 67 Dragonflesh Grafter ............................ 186 Nathair Sgiathach ................................... 120
Hoard Quirks .......................................... 68 Dragonflesh Abomination .................. 187 Tamarand .................................................. 123
Competition for a Hoard ....................... 69 Dragon Followers .................................... 188 Cyan Bloodbane ....................................... 130
What's in a Hoard? .................................... 70 Dragon Blessed .................................... 188 Ashardalon ................................................ 137
Kinds of Treasure .................................. 70 Dragon Chosen ..................................... 189 Bleucorundum .......................................... 140
Creating a Hoard .................................... 72 Dragon Speaker ................................... 189 D'argent. ..................................................... 148
Dragonnel .................................................. 190 Astilabor .................................................... 152
Dragon Turtles ......................................... 191 Rime ........................................................... 157
 A TREASURY OF DRAGONS

Thi~ book in~i~t~ on ~orli~ dva9'n~ into

frttfe,, vnde-v~-hmdable- box~ a~ if the-
ve-ade-v~ had onl11DD 1e-av~ ov ~o to live-
and the-iv -Hn1 bab1-bvain~ wvld hold onl1
~o mvd-i k.Ylowle-dg, ...
-fizban

In the real world, dragons are a staple of folklore

and fantasy literature, resonating as symbols of
power and wisdom-and sometimes greed-across
countless cultures. In the many worlds of D&D,
dragons are ever-present monsters, relevant at every
level of play as dangerous threats, wise patrons, or
mysterious schemers.
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons is a comprehen-
sive guide to the dragons of the worlds of D&D. It
introduces the gem dragons-a family of five dragon
kinds-as well as a variety of other Dragons and
dragon-related monsters, character options, and in-
spirations.
This introduction sets the scene for what's to
come in the rest of the book. It introduces the myth
of the First World, created by Bahamut and Tiamat, For each kind of dragon, this chapter provides in- •
then discusses the role that dragons play in the spiration to help DMs craft dragon personalities
myths of many Material Plane worlds, as a reflec- and dragon-themed adventures, including sample
tion of that primordial story. It begins to explore the lair maps.
connections linking dragons on different worlds, Chapter 6 includes stat blocks and lore for a vari-
which is elaborated throughout the rest of this book. ety of new Dragons and dragon-oriented creatures.
Chapter 1 introduces draconic-themed options The family of gem dragons, aspects of the dragon
for adventurers, including three variant dragon- gods, dragon minions, and more can be found here.
born races, two dragon-oriented subclasses (the
Drakewarden ranger and the Way of the Ascendant DRAGONS AND DRAGONS
Dragon monk), feats, and roleplaying suggestions Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, as the name states, is a
that can connect characters of any class to a dra- book about dragons, but only secondarily a book about
Dragons-that is, creatures with the Dragon type.
conic theme.
Most of this book is concerned with the chromatic and
Chapter 2 discusses magic related to dragons, in- metallic dragons described in the Monster Manual,
cluding new spells, magic items, and draconic gifts as well as the gem dragons introduced in this book.
(supernatural gifts explicitly connected to a drag- These three families of dragons share a deeply magical
on's power). nature tied to the mythic history of the Material Plane.
Chapter 3 presents tips, advice, and tables to help A few other Dragons share many similar characteris-
Dungeon Masters build encounters, adventures, and tics, and several of them are presented alongside the
chromatic, metallic, and gem dragons in chapter 5.
whole campaigns around dragons.
These include dragon turtles and faerie dragons, as
Chapter 4 discusses dragon lairs and hoards, well as the deep dragon and moonstone dragon intro-
examining what a lair means to a dragon and ex- duced in chapter 6.
ploring the correlation between a dragon's magical It should be clear throughout this book whether
might and the value of the dragon's hoard. It also we're discussing a specific kind of dragon, the mem-
provides an alternative method for randomly creat- bers of the three great dragon families, or all creatures
with the Dragon type. But if you see the word "dragon"
~
;:\
ing a dragon's hoard.
(not capitalized) and you're not sure, assume we mean
u Chapter 5 provides extensive resources related
1-
z chromatic, gem, and metallic dragons.
::;
u
to each of twenty different draconic creatures.

ELEGY FOR THE FIRST WORLD 5

 Tiamat created Sardior together, and that "ruby-red"
THE FIRST WORLD Sardior then joined with Bahamut to craft the metal-
lic dragons and with Tiamat to craft the chromatic
dragons. Some dragons who have studied the poem
Poe-t~ do have- a wa~ of e,d,-/-i~ and believe that Sardior was destroyed and shattered
e-xa~va-H~ I ve-me-mbe-v that -time- a~ along with the First World and that the Ruby Drag-
on's splintered consciousness became the gem drag-
one- b15t bov-1~ pa-He-ne-e--tv-11~ di/1~- ons on the new worlds of the Material Plane.
dallrane-e-. A lot of hvw1 vp and wart
DRAGONS OF MANY WORLDS
-fizban Whether it is regarded as interpretive myth or his-
torical record, "Elegy for the First World" offers an
"Elegy for the First World" is an ancient Draconic explanation for the common elements that appear
poem of unknown origin, found with minor varia- in the legends and mythology of so many worlds
tions in the collections and traditions of dragons across the Material Plane. Dragons populated the
across many worlds of the Material Plane. Various First World from the time of its creation, and a va-
creation myths told on different worlds echo some riety of peoples came to live in the First World after
of the themes and notions of this poem, particularly their gods made war on the dragons. As such, the
when they describe dragons or draconic gods being similar natures of the creatures now inhabiting the
involved in creating the world. But the heart of the many different worlds of the Material Plane can be
poem is a profound assertion not found in any of seen as a product of the First World's sundering.
those individual myths. And because dragons are so tightly linked to the
The elegy suggests that before the myriad worlds essence of the Material Plane, they are thought to
of the Material P lane came into being, before Oerth be the only creatures that appear on every world
and Toril and Eberron and Krynn existed, the pri- formed from the shattering of the First World, even
mordial dragons- Bahamut and Tiamat- worked when they take on different forms.
together to create the Material Plane in the form of
a single First World. All the worlds that now consti- FORGOTTEN REALMS
tute the plane are, in the words of the poem, "seed- The most comprehensive histories suggest Tori!
ling realities" formed when the First World was (the world of the Forgotten Realms setting) has not
sundered in some unexplained catastrophe. always known dragons, at least not in their current
The story told in "Elegy for the First World" sug- forms. Many scholars theorize that Toril's dragons
gests a number of truths regarding the nature of evolved from some reptilian ancestor. And though
dragons. First, it portrays the ten varieties of metal- it's possible to read these theories as contradicting
lic and chromatic dragons as the first inhabitants of the story of "Elegy for the First World," it's also
the Material Plane. Dragons were made to populate possible to imagine that the newly formed Tori!,
the First World before any other worlds came into fragmented from the First World, retained a hazy
being, but they were supplanted by the teeming memory of the full ideal of dragonkind, which then
peoples that the gods of the Outer Planes brought to took thousands of years to manifest. Certainly, the
inhabit that world. The elegy likewise suggests that dragons of Tori! cleave closely to the draconic ar-
dragons are living embodiments of the primordial chetypes described in the Monster Manual, and al-
energy of the First World, which now flows through- though Bahamut and Tiamat have sometimes been
out the Material Plane, and that they are thus known by other names on that world (such as Xymor
inextricably linked to the magic of that plane. The and Tchazzar), they have always had a part to play in
religions of numerous worlds teach that Humanoids the world's divine drama.
are creatures of a dual nature- part material and
GREYHAWK
part spiritual, made of the essence of both the Ma-
Myths concerning the creation of Oerth (home to
terial Plane and the otherworldly Outer Planes. But
the Greyhawk setting) are few and often contradic-
dragons, at least in the view of "Elegy for the First
tory. Still, a number of those myths mention the
World," are wholly material, dwelling in the Material
dragon gods-or a single draconic creator, Io, who
Plane and embodying its essential nature.
shed his own blood to inspire creation. Dragons
Many worlds have myths and legends about Baha-
have been reclusive and rare for most of Oerth's
mut and Tiarnat, though these primordial dragons
recorded history, but ancient annals of the Sue! Im-
are sometimes known by other names. But "Elegy
perium record that that empire created the mighty
for the First World" differs from nearly all those
Orbs of Dragonkind for use in a war against a pow-
legends in its mention of Sardior, "first-born of
erful cabal of shadow-wielding red dragons.
dragonkind." The poem suggests that Bahamut and

ELEGY FOR THE FIRST WORLD

DRAGONLANCE between a dragon's incarnations. Some ancient
Legends say the world of Krynn (home to the Drag- dragons with well-developed dragonsight begin to
onlance setting) was created in the interplay be- weave grand plans that involve coordinating activ-
tween the High God and Chaos. Its most important ities across multiple worlds, culminating in cos-
cosmic powers have always been the three children mos-shaking events.
of the High God-Paladine, Gilean, and Takhisis, As one example, tales are told on multiple worlds
with Paladine and Takhisis easily identifiable as Ba- of the Material Plane regarding the red dragon
hamut and Tiamat. According to the creation myths Ashardalon. Less widely understood, though, is the
of Krynn, Paladine and Takhisis worked together fact that as one Ashardalon developed his dragon-
to create five dragons to rule the world, but Takh- sight, he concocted a scheme to preserve his exis-
isis secretly corrupted them, creating the first five tence by consuming his echoes on other worlds. All
chromatic dragons. Mourning the corruption of his these different Ashardalons thus became a single,
children, Paladine worked with the forge-god Reorx immensely powerful greatwyrm that fed on soul
to create the metallic dragons. Much of the history energy-and that prevented souls from incarnating
of Krynn involves the strife between Takhisis and into newly born creatures across the worlds.
Paladine and the ongoing effort to maintain balance Given most people's limited understanding of
between good and evil. Chromatic dragons have dragons' beliefs and philosophies, let alone dragon-
long been Takhisis's favored agents as she strives sight, many mortals are quick to describe dragons
to dominate the world, while metallic dragons have with heightened dragonsight as "dragon gods"-
helped the peoples of Krynn to foil her schemes. which they are not. Still, some powerful dragons
Meanwhile, Paladine, in the guise of a doddering old have so successfully extended their consciousness
wizard named Fizban, walked among the peoples across multiple incarnations, and so expertly coor-
of Krynn to aid them-just as Bahamut has done on dinated their activities across multiple worlds, that
many worlds throughout their long histories. they can seem godlike even to younger dragons. The
black greatwyrm Chronepsis once accomplished a
EBERRON feat similar to Ashardalon's, with one version of the
The myths of Eberron describe the involvement dragon devouring multiple echoes before leaving
of the three Progenitor Dragons in that world's the Material Plane and establishing a lair in the
creation: Siberys, the Dragon Above; Khyber, the Outer Planes.
Dragon Below; and Eberron, the Dragon Between.
These godlike beings are said to have created a DRAGONS AND DUNGEONS
microcosm of the multiverse in the depths of the Just as individual dragons have echoes across multiple
Ethereal Plane, sequestered away from the Outer worlds of the Material Plane, some places of tremen-
Planes and all the influence of the gods and other dous power that have a connection to dragons reso-
nate across the plane. Dungeons such as the Sunless
cosmic powers. Viewed through the lens of "Elegy
Citadel (buried by Ashardalon in his wrath), Dragon
for the First World," Eberron is thus not actually a Mountain (the lair of the red dragon lnfyrana), and the
fragment of the First World, but a second-generation ruined city ofXak Tsaroth (home to the black dragon
derivative of that original realm-yet even Eberron Khisanth) manifest in various ways across multiple
is profoundly shaped by dragons. worlds. Similarly, the power of mighty dragonslayers
often resonates around sites they build or inhabit. The
DRAGONSIGHT Tomb of Horrors is one such site, crafted by the lich
Acererak, whose uncountable evils included slaughter-
A little-known phenomenon supports the central ing metallic dragons for the magic of their blood.
ideas expressed in "Elegy for the First World." Artifacts associated with dragons can also resonate
Occasionally, dragons develop a sense known as across the different worlds of the Material Plane. The
dragonsight-an awareness of multiple incarnations clearest examples are the Orbs of Dragonkind, de-
of themselves across different worlds of the Mate- scribed in the Dungeon Master's Guide. On the world
rial Plane. Dragonsight is most common in ancient of Greyhawk, these artifacts were made during an era
when the Suel lmperium battled a cabal of red drag-
dragons, especially when their enormous hoards in-
ons. On Krynn, the orbs (known there as Dragon Orbs)
clude items from other worlds or powerful artifacts were created to defend the Towers of High Sorcery
whose histories span multiple worlds. Gem dragons, from dragon attack. In Faerun, the Orbs of Draconic
perhaps because of their connection to Sardior, are Influence were made by dragons to extend their influ-
most likely to develop dragonsight. ence over other dragons. The similarities among these
Dragons who develop dragonsight amass knowl- artifacts are not a matter of coincidence or convergent
edge that spans the Material Plane, making them magical evolution; these items partake of dragons'
unique connection to the magical fabric of the Material
among the foremost experts on worlds beyond their
Plane and echo across its many worlds.
own. With time, dragonsight can expand beyond
passive awareness to allow active communication

ELEGY FOR THE FIRST WORLD 7

 lN HIS GUISE AS A YOUNG MONK, 8AHAMUT

HELPS A PAIR OF ADVENTURERS PUT AN ENO TO

A YOUNG R:EO DRAGON'S OEPR:EOATIONS .

 CII prro 1

CHARACTER CREATION
ROM THE FOLK HERO DREAMING OF clear connections to a specific draconic ancestry.
liberating their people from a tyrannical When you're making a new character using one
blue dragon's reign to the idealistic aco- of these races, use the rules under "Creating Your
lyte who imagines purging the world of Character" to fill out the details.
Tiamat's corruption, many adventurers
aspire to be dragonslayers. In time, some have their CREATING YOUR CHARACTER
dreams realized-or shattered in spectacular fash- When you create your D&D character, you decide
ion, as they discover they are woefully unprepared whether your character is a member of the human
for the threat a dragon poses. race or one of the game's fantastical races. If you se-
This chapter is for any D&D character who hopes lect one of the dragonborn races in this chapter, fol-
or fears that they might one day face a dragon. But low these additional rules during character creation.
this chapter is also for the bard who has made a
lifelong study of dragonsong, the cleric devoted to ABILITY SCORE INCREASES
Bahamut, and the warlock who made an eldritch When determining your character's ability scores,
pact with a moonstone dragon. For dragons are not increase one of those scores by 2 and increase a dif-
always adversaries. They can be patrons, allies, and ferent score by 1, or increase three different scores
benefactors; they can scheme in the shadows; and by l. Follow this rule regardless of the method
they can dramatically shape adventurers' lives. you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or
The following sections present a variety of options point buy. ,.
for creating characters with a tie to dragons: The "Quick Build" section for your character's
class offers suggestions on which scores to increase.
"Draconic Races" presents variant dragonborn You're free to follow those suggestions or to ignore
race options to give characters a draconic heritage them. Whichever scores you decide to increase,
strongly linked to the three great dragon families.
none of the scores can be raised above 20.
"Subclass Options" allows monk and ranger char-
acters to explore deeper ties with dragonkind. LANGUAGES
"Heroes of the Dragon" includes inspiration for Your character can speak, read, and write Common
characters of any class to portray their training or and one other language that you and yourDM agree
magic as derived from a connection to dragons. is appropriate for the character. The Player's Hand-
"Draconic Feats" provides feats to forge con- book offers a list of widespread languages to choose
nections to the chromatic, gem, and metallic from. The DM is free to add or remove languages
dragon families. from that list for a particular campaign.

DRACONIC RACES CREATURE TYPE

Every creature in D&D, including every player char-
acter, has a special tag in the rules that identifies the
ltt all too ~a<;1 to pvefe,v a u-rnin wlov type of creature they are. Most player characters are
of dYa5°n&ovn, &vt whatt in<;id~ i<; what of the Humanoid type. A race option presented here
tells you what your character's creature type is.
r-~all1 ma-tt~v<;-whie-h i<; to <;a1, th~ <;or-f Here's a list of the game's creature types in al-
phabetical order: Aberration, Beast, Celestial,
of dama5"' th~iv DY~ath c.-an do to 10v. Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant,
-fizban Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead.
These types don't have rules themselves, but some
rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in
The dragonborn race in the Player's Handbook is
different ways. For example, the cure wounds spell
the most direct way to reflect a character with drag-
doesn't work on a Construct or an Undead.
ons somewhere far back in their ancestry. But for
players who want to try a more nuanced approach,
this section offers three variant dragonborn race
options that can be used to create a character with

CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTER CREATION 9

 CHROMATIC DRAGONBORN a failed save, the creature takes ldlO damage of the
type associated with your Chromatic Ancestry. On a
Dragonborn with chromatic ancestry claim the raw
successful save, it takes half as much damage. This
elemental power of chromatic dragons. The vibrant
damage increases by ldlO when you reach 5th level
colors of black, blue, green, red, and white dragons (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).
gleam in those dragonborn's scaled skin and in the You can use your Breath Weapon a number of
deadly energy of their breath weapons. Theirs is the
times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you re-
raw elemental fury of the volcano, of biting arctic
gain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
winds, and of raging lightning storms, as well as
Draconic Resistance. You have resistance
the subtle whisper of swamp and forest, toxic and
to the damage type associated with your Chro-
corrosive.
matic Ancestry.
CHROMATIC DRAGONBORN TRAITS Chromatic Warding. Starting at 5th level, as an
You have the following racial traits. action, you can channel your draconic energy to
Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. protect yourself. For 1 minute, you become immune
Size. You are Medium. to the damage type associated with your Chromatic
Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Ancestry. Once you use this trait, you can't do so
Chromatic Ancestry. You have a chromatic again until you finish a long rest.
dragon ancestor, granting you a special magical
CHROMATIC ANCESTRY
affinity. Choose one kind of dragon from the Chro-
matic Ancestry table. This determines the damage Dragon Damage Type

type for your other traits, as shown in the table. Black Acid
Breath Weapon. When you take the Attack action Blue Lightning
on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks Green Poison
with an exhalation of magical energy in a 30-foot
Red Fire
line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that area
must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your White Cold
Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus). On

IO CHAPTER l I CHARACTER CREATION

GEM DRAGONBORN save, it takes half as much damage. This damage
increases by ldlO when you reach 5th level (2d10),
Gem dragon born partake of the heritage of gem
11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).
dragons, who claim to be heirs of Sardior, the Ruby
You can use your Breath Weapon a number of
Dragon. The colors and mysterious powers of gem
times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you re-
dragons-amethyst, crystal, emerald, sapphire, and
gain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
topaz-gleam in these dragonborn's scaled skin and
Draconic Resistance. You have resistance to the
course through their veins. Theirs are the wonders
damage type associated with your Gem Ancestry.
of the mind, the force of will, the brilliant light of
Psionic Mind. You can send telepathic messages
insight, and the resounding echo of discovery-but
to any creature you can see within 30 feet of you.
also the desiccation of despair.
You don't need to share a language with the crea-
GEM DRAGONBORN TRAITS ture for it to understand these messages, but it must
You have the following racial traits. be able to understand at least one language to com-
Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. prehend them.
Size. You are Medium. Gem Flight. Starting at 5th level, you can use a
Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. bonus action to manifest spectral wings on your
Gem Ancestry. You have a gem dragon ancestor, body. These wings last for 1 minute. For the dura-
granting you a special magical affinity. Choose one tion, you gain a flying speed equal to your walking
kind of dragon from the Gem Ancestry table. This speed and can hover. Once you use this trait, you
determines the damage type for your other traits, as can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
shown in the table.
GEM ANCESTRY
Breath Weapon. When you take the Attack action
on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks Dragon Damage Type
with an exhalation of magical energy in a 15-foot Amethyst Force
cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dex- Crystal Radiant
terity saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution
Emerald Psychic
modifier+ your proficiency bonus). On a failed save,
the creature takes ldlO damage of the type asso- Sapphire Thunder
ciated with your Gem Ancestry. On a successful Topaz Necrotic

CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTE R CREATI O N II

METALLIC DRAGONBORN You can use your Breath Weapon a number of
times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you re-
Dragonborn with metallic ancestry lay claim to the
gain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
tenacity of metallic dragons- brass, bronze, copper,
Draconic Resistance. You have resistance
gold, and silver-whose hues glint in their scales.
to the damage type associated with your Metal-
Theirs is the fire of hearth and forge, the cold of
lic Ancestry.
high mountain air, the spark of inspiration, and the
Metallic Breath Weapon. At 5th level, you gain
scouring touch of acid that purifies.
a second breath weapon. When you take the Attack
METALLIC DRAGONBORN TRAITS action on your turn, you can replace one of your at-
You have the following racial traits. tacks with an exhalation in a 15-foot cone. The save
Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. DC for this breath is 8 + your Constitution modifier
Size. You are Medium. + your proficiency bonus. Whenever you use this
Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. trait, choose one:
Metallic Ancestry. You have a metallic dragon Enervating Breath. Each creature in the cone must
ancestor, granting you a special magical affinity. succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become
Choose one kind of dragon from the Metallic Ances- incapacitated until the start of your next turn.
try table. This determines the damage type for your Repulsion Breath. Each creature in the cone must
other traits, as shown in the table. succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed
Breath Weapon. When you take the Attack action 20 feet away from you and be knocked prone.
on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks
with an exhalation of magical energy in a 15-foot Once you use your Metallic Breath Weapon, you
cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dex- can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
terity saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution
METALLIC ANCESTRY
modifier+ your proficiency bonus). On a failed save,
the creature takes ldlO damage of the type associ- Dragon Damage Type
ated with your Metallic Ancestry. On a successful Brass Fire
save, it takes half as much damage. This damage Bronze Lightning
increases by ldlO when you reach 5th level (2d10), Copper Acid
11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).
Gold Fire
SUBCLASS OPTIONS DRACONIC DISCIPLE
3rd-Level Way of the Ascendant Dragon Feature
At 3rd level, a monk gains the Monastic Tradition
class feature and a ranger gains the Ranger Arche- You can channel draconic power to magnify your
type class feature. This section presents two new presence and imbue your unarmed strikes with the
options for those features-the Drakewarden for essence of a dragon's breath. You gain the following
the ranger and the Way of the Ascendant Dragon benefits:
for the monk. Draconic Presence. If you fail a Charisma (Intimi-
dation) or Charisma (Persuasion) check, you can
MONK:
use your reaction to reroll the check, as you tap
WAY OF THE ASCENDANT DRAGON into the mighty presence of dragons. Once this
feature turns a failure into a success, you can't use
M1 favovite- ~c.-e,Y1daY1t v~5"YI rYIOYlk.~ all it again until you finish a long rest.
Draconic Strike. When you damage a target with
Y1a~te- the-iv l,odi 11 amc.k~ alovd with an unarmed strike, you can change the damage
type to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison.
fvYI 0Y1omatopoe-ia~. Swi~h k.a-po~ iY1de,e,d. Tongue of Dragons. You learn to speak, read,
-nzbaYI and write Draconic or one other language of
your choice.
The dragon god Bahamut is known to travel the Ma-
BREATH OF THE DRAGON
terial Plane in the guise of a young monk, and leg-
3rd-Level Way of the Ascendant Dragon Feature
end says that he founded the first monastery of the
Way of the Ascendant Dragon in this guise. The fun- You can channel destructive waves of energy, like
damental teaching of this tradition holds that by em- those created by the dragons you emulate. When
ulating dragons, a monk becomes a more integrated you take the Attack action on your turn, you can
part of the world and its magic. By altering their replace one of the attacks with an exhalation of
spirit to resonate with draconic might, monks who draconic energy in either a 20-foot cone or a 30-foot
follow this tradition augment their prowess in bat- line that is 5 feet wide (your choice). Choose a dam-
tle, bolster their allies, and can even soar through age type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Each
the air on draconic wings. But all this power is in creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving
service of a greater goal: achieving a spiritual unity throw against your ki save DC, taking damage of
with the essence of the Material Plane. the chosen type equal to two rolls of your Martial
As a follower of the Way of the Ascendant Dragon, Arts die on a failed save, or half as much damage on
you decide how you unlocked the power of dragons a successful one.
within yourself. The Ascendant Dragon Origin table At 11th level, the damage of this feature -i'ncreases
offers a number of possibilities. to three rolls of your Martial Arts die.
You can use this feature a number of times equal
ASCENDANT DRAGON ORIGIN to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all ex-
d6 Origin pended uses when you finish a long rest. While you
have no uses available, you can spend 2 ki points to
You honed your abilities by aligning your spirit
use this feature again.
with a dragon's world-altering power.
2 A dragon personally took an active role in shaping WINGS UNFURLED
your inner energy. 6th-Level Way of the Ascendant Dragon Feature
3 You studied at a monastery that traces its teach- When you use your Step of the Wind, you can unfurl
ings back centuries or more to a single dragon's spectral draconic wings from your back that vanish
instruction, or one that is devoted to a dragon at the end of your turn. While the wings exist, you
god. have a flying speed equal to your walking speed.
You can use this feature a number of times equal
4 You spent long stretches meditating in the region
to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all ex-
around an ancient dragon's lair, absorbing that
pended uses when you finish a long rest.
lair's ambient magic.
5 You found a scroll written in Draconic that con-
tained inspiring new techniques.
6 After a dream featuring a five-handed dragonborn,
you awoke with the mystical breath of dragons.

CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTER C R EAT ION 13

ASPECT OF THE WYRM ASCENDANT ASPECT
11th-Level Way of the Ascendant Dragon Feature 17th-Level Way of the Ascendant Dragon Feature
The power of your draconic spirit now radiates from Your draconic spirit reaches its peak. You gain the
you, warding your allies or inspiring fear in your en- following benefits:
emies. As a bonus action, you can create an aura of
Augment Breath. When you use your Breath of
draconic power that radiates 10 feet from you for 1
the Dragon, you can spend 1 ki point to augment
minute. For the duration, you gain one of the follow-
its shape and power. The exhalation of draconic
ing effects of your choice:
energy becomes either a 60-foot cone or a 90-foot
Frightful Presence. When you create this aura, line that is 5 feet wide (your choice), and each
and as a bonus action on subsequent turns, you creature in that area takes damage equal to four
can choose a creature within the aura. The target rolls of your Martial Arts die on a failed save, or
must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against half as much damage on a successful one.
your ki save DC or become frightened of you for Blindsight. You gain blindsight out to 10 feet.
1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw Within that range, you can effectively see anything
at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded
itself on a successful save. or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible
Resistance. Choose a damage type when you acti- creature within that range, unless the creature
vate this aura: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. successfully hides from you.
You and your allies within the aura have resis- Explosive Fury. When you activate your Aspect
tance to that damage. of the Wyrm, draconic fury explodes from you.
Choose any number of creatures you can see in
Once you create this aura, you can't create it again
your aura. Each of those creatures must succeed
until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 3 ki
on a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save
points to create it again.
DC or take 3d10 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poi-
son damage (your choice).

CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTER CREATION

•
RANGER : DRAKEWARDEN DRAKE COMPANION
3rd-Level Drakewarden Feature
As an action, you can magically summon the drake
The-~ <;a~ that r-a~v<; te-nd to look- a that is bound to you. It appears in an unoccupied
lot lilc& the-iv be,<;ffal c..oMpariiori<;. That space of your choice within 30 feet of you.
The drake is friendly to you and your companions,
Male&<; Pr-a/c&vvavde-n<; aMo~ the- Mo<;t and it obeys your commands. See its game statistics
a-ftvacAive- of hvMarioid<;! in the accompanying Drake Companion stat block,
which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several
-fizban places. Whenever you summon the drake, choose
a damage type listed in its Draconic Essence trait.
Your connection to the natural world takes the form You can determine the cosmetic characteristics of
of a draconic spirit, which can manifest in physical the drake, such as its color, its scale texture, or any
form as a drake. As your powers grow, your drake visible effect of its Draconic Essence; your choice
grows as well, blossoming from a small four-legged has no effect on its game statistics.
companion to a majestic winged creature large and In combat, the drake shares your initiative count,
strong enough for you to ride. Along the way, you but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can
gain an increasing share of the awe-inspiring power move and use its reaction on its own, but the only
of dragons. action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless
Consider the source of the draconic spirit you you take a bonus action on your turn to command it
have bonded with. The Drakewarden Origin table to take another action. That action can be one in its
offers examples. stat block or some other action. If you are incapaci-
tated, the drake can take any action of its choice, not
DRAKEWARDEN ORIGIN just Dodge.
d6 Origin
You studied a dragon's scale or claw, or a trinket DRAKE COMPANION
from a dragon's hoard, creating your bond through Small Dragon

that token's lingering draconic magic.

Armor Class 14 + PB (natural armor)
2 A secret order of rangers who collect and guard dra- Hit Points 5 + five times your ranger level (the drake has a
conic lore taught you their ways. number of Hit Dice [dl 0s] equal to your ranger level)
Speed 40 ft.
3 A dragon gave you a geode or gemstone to care for.
To your surprise, the drake hatched from that stone. STR DEX CON INT WIS
4 You ingested a few drops of dragon blood, forever 16 (+3) 12 (+l) 15 (+2) 8 (-1) 14 (+2)
infusing your nature magic with draconic power.
Saving Throws Dex +l plus PB, Wis +2 plus PB
5 An ancient Draconic inscription on a standing stone Damage Immunities determ ined by the drake's Dracon ic
empowered you when you read it aloud. Essence trait
Senses darkvisio n 60 ft ., passive Pe rception 12
6 You had a vivid dream of a mysterious figure accom- Languages Draconic
panied by seven yellow canaries, who warned you of Challenge - Proficiency Bonus (PB) equals your bonus
impending doom. When you awoke, your drake was
Draconic Essence. When you summon the drake, choose a
there, watching you.
damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. The chosen
type determines the drake's damage immunity and the damage
DRACONIC GIFT of its Infused Strikes trait.
3rd-Level Drakewarden Feature
ACTIONS
The bond you share with your drake creates a con- Bite. Mclee Weapon Attack: +3 plus PB to hit, reach 5 ft., one
nection to dragonkind, granting you understanding target. Hit: ld6 plus PB piercing damage.
and empowering your presence. You gain the follow-
ing benefits: REACTIONS
Infused Strikes. When another creature within 30 feet of the
Thaumaturgy. You learn the thaumaturgy cantrip,
drake that it can see hits a target with a weapon attack, the
which is a ranger spell for you. drake infuses the strike with its essence, causing the target to
Tongue of Dragons. You learn to speak, read, take an extra ld6 damage of the type determined by its Ora-
and write Draconic or one other language of conic Essence.
your choice.

C HAPTER 1 I CHARACTER CREATION 15

... f
 •
.
•
A ORAGONBORN DRAKEWAROEN
SHt\RES AFFECTION WITH HER OR.AKE
COMPANION .

DRAKE'S BREATH
11th-Level Drakewarden Feature
As an action, you can exhale a 30-foot cone of
damaging breath or cause your drake to exhale it.
Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage
(your choice doesn't have to match your drake's
Draconic Essence). Each creature in the cone must
make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell
save DC, taking 8d6 damage on a failed save, or half
as much damage on a successful one.
This damage increases to 10d6 when you reach
15th level in this class.
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again
until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a
spell slot of 3rd level or higher to use it again.

PERFECTED BOND
15th-Level Drakewarden Feature
Your bond to your drake reaches the pinnacle of its
power. While your drake is summoned, you and the
drake gain the following benefits:
The drake remains until it is reduced to O hit Empowered Bite. The drake's Bite attack deals an
points, until you use this feature to summon the extra 1d6 damage of the type chosen for its Dra-
drake again, or until you die. Anything the drake conic Essence (for a total of 2d6 extra damage).
was wearing or carrying is left behind when the Large Drake. The drake grows to Large size. When
drake vanishes. you ride your drake, it is no longer prohibited from
Once you summon the drake, you can't do so using the flying speed of Bond of Fang and Scale.
again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend Reflexive Resistance. When either you or the drake
a spell slot of 1st level or higher to summon it. takes damage while you're within 30 feet of each
other, you can use your reaction to give yourself or
BOND OF FANG A ND SCALE
the drake resistance to that instance of damage.
7th-Level Drakewarden Feature You can use this reaction a number of times equal
The bond you share with your drake intensifies, pro- to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all ex-
tecting you and stoking the drake's fury. When you pended uses when you finish a long rest.
summon your drake, it grows wings on its back and
gains a flying speed equal to its walking speed. HEROES OF THE DRAGON
In addition, while your drake is summoned, you
Sorcerers whose magic comes from a draconic or-
and the drake gain the following benefits:
igin, rangers with a drake companion, and monks
Drake Mount. The drake grows to Medium size. who learn the ways of dragon masters are not the
Reflecting your special bond, you can use the only adventurers whose skills, spells, and class
drake as a mount if your size is Medium or features can have their source in the power of drag-
smaller. While you are riding your drake, it can't ons. A character of any class can have strong ties
use the flying speed of this feature. to dragonkind. The Draconic Character Ties table
Magic Fang. The drake's Bite attack deals an extra provides ideas you might draw on as inspiration for
1d6 damage of the type chosen for the drake's infusing your character with draconic flavor. The
Draconic Essence. classes noted in parentheses at the end of each en-
Resistance. You gain resistance to the damage type try are particularly appropriate for a given tie, but
chosen for the drake's Draconic Essence. you are not limited to those options.

16 CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTER CREATION

DRACONIC CHARACTER TIES Reactive Resistance. When you take acid, cold, fire,
dlO Draconic Tie lightning, or poison damage, you can use your re-
action to give yourself resistance to that instance
I revere and draw my power from one of the dragon
of damage. You can use this reaction a number of
gods-most likely Bahamut or Tia mat, but possi-
times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you re-
bly Sardior or a powerful dragon with heightened gain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
dragonsight, such as Aasterinian, Ashardalon, or
Chronepsis. (Cleric, paladin, warlock) GIFT OF THE GEM DRAGON
2 I revere or host a draconic spirit, akin to a nature or You've manifested some of the power of gem drag-
ancestral spirit. (Barbarian, druid, ranger) ons, granting you the following benefits:
3 I was part of an order that preserves the teachings Ability Score Increase. Increase your Intelligence,
of an ancient dragon founder. (Fighter, monk, pala- Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a max-
din, wizard) imum of 20.
4 I have a dragon for a mentor or patron. (Bard, Telekinetic Reprisal. When you take damage from
druid, fighter, rogue, sorcerer, warlock) a creature that is within 10 feet of you, you can use
your reaction to emanate telekinetic energy. The
5 I use my class features to take on draconic charac-
creature that dealt damage to you must make a
teristics. (Barbarian, sorcerer)
Strength saving throw (DC equals 8 + your profi-
6 I have a dragon tooth, horn, claw, or scale that I ciency bonus + the ability modifier of the score in-
use as a focus for my spellcasting. (Cleric, druid, creased by this feat). On a failed save, the creature
paladin, ranger, sorcerer, warlock, wizard) takes 2d8 force damage and is pushed up to 10
7 A dragon ancestor, or a dragon's gift to my ances- feet away from you. On a successful save, the crea-
tor, fuels my might. (Barbarian, fighter, sorcerer) ture takes half as much damage and isn't pushed.
8 My connection to nature gives me a strange link to
You can use this reaction a number of times equal
to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all ex-
a dragon whose presence alters the fabric of nature
pended uses when you finish a long rest.
around the dragon's lair. (Druid, ranger)
9 I recently discovered that a person I loved and GIFT OF THE METALLIC DRAGON
trusted was a dragon in disguise. (Any) You've manifested some of the power of metallic
10 I have an apparently mundane item that was stolen dragons, granting you the following benefits:
from a dragon's hoard, and inexplicable things hap-
Draconic Healing. You learn the cure wounds spell.
pen when I carry it with me. (Any)
You can cast this spell without expending a spell
slot. Once you cast this spell in this way, you can't
DRACONIC FEATS do so again until you finish a long rest. You can
A feat represents a character achieving mastery in also cast this spell using spell slots you have. The
one of their capabilities or discovering the ability to spell's spellcasting ability is Intelligence, Wis-
do something new. When this mastery arises from dom, or Charisma when you cast it with this feat
a draconic source-whether it's the gift of a dragon, (choose when you gain the feat).
the manifestation of some form of draconic heritage, Protective Wings. You can manifest protective
the blessing of a draconic god, or a consequence of wings that can shield you or others. When you or
slaying a dragon-it can have supernatural effects. another creature you can see within 5 feet of you
Here are feats that bestow draconic power, avail- is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to
able to you if you use the optional feat rule in the manifest spectral wings from your back for a mo-
Player's Handbook. ment. You grant a bonus to the target's AC equal
to your proficiency bonus against that attack roll,
GIFT OF THE CHROMATIC DRAGON potentially causing it to miss. You can use this re-
You've manifested some of the power of chromatic action a number of times equal to your proficiency
dragons, granting you the following benefits: bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you
finish a long rest.
Chromatic Infusion. As a bonus action, you can
touch a simple or martial weapon and infuse it
with one of the following damage types: acid, cold,
fire, lightning, or poison. For the next minute, the
weapon deals an extra ld4 damage of the chosen
type when it hits. After you use this bonus action,
you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTER CREATION 17

 I

I N ANY FORM, BA>-<AMUT DELIGHTS IN THE ' AHA.1 "

MOMENTS OF TEACHING YOUNG STUDENTS .
 C I I ,'\ P 'T i: 0 2

DRAGON MAGIC
HE MAGIC WOVEN THROUGH THE FABRIC ASHARDALON'S STRIDE
of the Material Plane is concentrated in 3rd-Level Transmutation
dragons and their lairs. This chapter is all
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
about the magic of dragons, unfolding in Range: Self
four sections: Components: V, S
"Spells" offers a selection of spells associated Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
with dragons. The billowing flames of a dragon blast from your
"Magic Items" presents several magic items asso-
feet, granting you explosive speed. For the duration,
ciated with dragons, many connected to the gem
your speed increases by 20 feet and moving doesn't
dragons introduced in chapter 6.
provoke opportunity attacks.
"Hoard Items" introduces a new kind of magic
When you move within 5 feet of a creature or an
items, which siphon the magical energy associated object that isn't being worn or carried, it takes ld6
with a dragon's hoard.
fire damage from your trail of heat. A creature or ob-
"Draconic Gifts" introduces magical gifts that char-
ject can take this damage only once during a turn.
acters might gain in connection with a dragon's
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell us-
death or other unusual circumstances. ing a spell slot of 4th level or higher, increase your
speed by 5 feet for each spell slot level above 3rd.
SPELLS The spell deals an additional ld6 fire damage for
each slot level above 3rd.
I am /(½c; 5'1avckd with m1 c;pe-lk; than DRACONIC TRANSFORMATION
I am with m1 vwp(½. Maffec-- c;have-d ic; 7th-Level Transmutation
c;oon impvove-d. Bvt whe-n it c.om(½ to m1 Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
pvddi~ we-11✓ 10v c--an't fx pe-vfu,t Components: V, S, M (a statuette of a dragon, worth
at least 500 gp)
-fizban Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

This section contains new spells that the DM may With a roar, you draw on the magic of dragons to
add to a campaign, making them available to player transform yourself, taking on draconic features. You
characters and monster spellcasters alike. The gain the following benefits until the spell ends:
Spells table lists the new spells, ordering them by Blindsight. You have blindsight with a range of 30
level. The table also notes the school of magic of a feet. Within that range, you can effectively see
spell, whether it requires concentration, whether anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're
it bears the ritual tag, and which classes have ac- blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an
cess to it. invisible creature, unless the creature successfully
hides from you.

SPELLS
Level Spell School Cone. Ritual Class
2nd Nathair's Mischief Illusion Yes No Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard
2nd Rime's Binding Ice Evocation No No Sorcerer, Wizard
3rd Ashardalon's Stride Transmutation Yes No Artificer/' Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard
4th Raulothim's Psychic Lance Enchantment No No Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
5th Summon Draconic Spirit Conjuration Yes No Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
6th Fizban's Platinum Shield Abjuration Yes No Sorcerer, Wizard
7th Draconic Transformation Transmutation Yes No Druid , Sorcerer, Wizard
*The artificer class appears in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything and Eberron: Rising from the Last War.

CHAPTER 2 I DRAGON MAGIC 19

 Se-ho{ay<; have, e,nga~ in [e,?1
cle,bate,<; oVe,y whe,fhe,y oY not fhi<; <;pe,/1
<;hov[cl pYope,y/1 be, attYibvfocl to me,.
ltone,<;t/~, l\1e, c.,ve,ate,cl <;o man1 fhi~, I
e,,an,t ye,a/11 ke,e,p mc.k- of fhe,m al/.
-nzban

, Evasion. If the creature is subjected to an effect that

allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take
only half damage, the creature instead takes no
damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and
only half damage if it fails.
As a bonus action on subsequent turns, you can
move the field to another creature within 60 feet of
the field.
NATHAIR'S MISCHIEF
2nd-Level Illusion
,I
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: S, M (a piece of crust from an
apple pie)
Breath Weapon. When you cast this spell, and as a Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
bonus action on subsequent turns for the duration,
you can exhale shimmering energy in a 60-foot You fill a 20-foot cube you can see within range
cone. Each creature in that area must make a with fey and draconic magic. Roll on the Mischie-
Dexterity saving throw, taking 6d8 force damage vous Surge table to determine the magical effect
on a failed save, or half as much damage on a suc- produced, and roll again at the start of each of your
cessful one. turns until the spell ends. You can move the cube up
Wings. Incorporeal wings sprout from your back, to 10 feet before you roll.
giving you a flying speed of 60 feet.
MISCHIEVOUS SURGE
FIZBAN'S PLATINUM SHIELD d4 Effect
6th-Level Abjuration The smell of apple pie fills the air, and each crea-
Casting Time: 1 bonus action ture in the cube must succeed on a Wisdom saving
Range: 60 feet throw or become charmed by you until the start of
Components: V, S, M (a platinum-plated dragon your next turn.
scale, worth at least 500 gp)
2 Bouquets offlowers appear all around, and each
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
creature in the cube must succeed on a Dexterity
You create a field of silvery light that surrounds saving throw or be blinded until the start of your
a creature of your choice within range (you can next turn as the flowers spray water in their faces.
choose yourself). The field sheds dim light out to 5 3 Each creature in the cube must succeed on a
feet. While surrounded by the field, a creature gains
Wisdom saving throw or begin giggling until the
the following benefits:
start of your next turn . A giggling creature is inca-
Cover. The creature has half cover. pacitated and uses all its movement to move in a
Damage Resistance. The creature has resistance random direction.
to acid, cold, fire, lightning, and poison damage.
4 Drops of molasses hover in the cube, making it dif-
ficult terrain until the start of your next turn.

20 CHAPTER 2 I DRAGON MAGIC

RAULOTHIM'S PSYCHIC LANCE Components: S, M (a vial of meltwater)
4th-Level Enchantment Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 1 action A burst of cold energy emanates from you in a 30-
Range: 120 feet foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a
Components: V Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a crea-
Duration: Instantaneous ture takes 3d8 cold damage and is hindered by ice
formations for 1 minute, or until it or another crea-
You unleash a shimmering lance of psychic power
from your forehead at a creature that you can see ture within reach of it uses an action to break away
the ice. A creature hindered by ice has its speed
within range. Alternatively, you can utter a crea-
ture's name. If the named target is within range, it reduced to 0. On a successful save, a creature takes
becomes the spell's target even if you can't see it. If half as much damage and isn't hindered by ice.
the named target isn't within range, the lance dissi-
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using
a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, increase the cold
pates without effect.
damage by ld8 for each slot level above 2nd.
The target must make an Intelligence saving
throw. On a failed save, the target takes 7d6 psychic SUMMON DRACONIC SPIRIT
damage and is incapacitated until the start of your 5th-Level Conjuration
next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes
half as much damage and isn't incapacitated. Casting Time: 1 action
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using Range: 60 feet
a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage in- Components: V, S, M (an object with the image of a
creases by ld6 for each slot level above 4th. dragon engraved on it, worth at least 500 gp)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
RIME'S BINDING ICE
2nd-Level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (30-foot cone)
.,
 MAGIC ITEMS
DRACONIC SPIRIT
Large Dragon, Neutral
If 10v happe-n to fnd ~ovv~e-lf in po~~~~ion
Armor Class 14 + the level of the spell (natural armor)
Hit Points 50 + 10 for each spell level above 5th (the dragon of a plafit1vM ~c.-avFt be- pve-pave-d fov
has a number of Hit Dice [dl0s] equal to the level of the spell)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft., swim 30 ft . ~ide- qfe,c.,t~: he-ad ~wive-I~, ~~p~ of
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA adMivafiot1, and M1viad C-OMpliMe-nt(
19 (+4) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)
-fizban
Damage Resistances (Chromatic and Metallic Only) acid, cold,
fire, lightning, poison
The following magic items are presented in alpha-
Damage Resistances (Gem Only) force, necrotic, psychic,
radiant, thunder betical order.
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft ., passive Perception 12 AMETHYST LODESTONE
Languages Draconic, understands the languages you speak Wondrous Item, Very Rare (Requires Attunement)
Challenge - Proficiency Bonus equals your bonus
This fist-sized chunk of amethyst is infused with
Shared Resistances. When you summon the dragon, choose
an amethyst dragon's ability to bend gravitational
one of its damage resistances. You have resistance to the cho- forces. While you are carrying the lodestone, you
sen damage type until the spell ends. have advantage on Strength saving throws.
The lodestone has 6 charges for the following
ACTIONS properties, which you can use while you are holding
Multiattack. The dragon makes a number of Rend attacks the stone. The stone regains ld6 expended charges
equal to half the spell's level (rounded down), and it uses daily at dawn.
Breath Weapon. Flight. As a bonus action, you can expend 1
Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, charge to gain the power of flight for 10 minutes.
reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: ld6 + 4 + the spell's level pierc- For the duration, you gain a flying speed equal to
ing damage. your walking speed, and you can hover.
Breath Weapon. The dragon exhales destructive energy in a Gravitational Thrust. As an action, you can ex-
30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity pend 1 charge to focus gravity around a creature
saving throw against your spell save DC. A creature takes 2d6 you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must
damage of a type this dragon has resistance to (your choice) on
succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be
a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
pushed up to 20 feet in a direction of your choice.
You call forth a draconic spirit. It manifests in an Reverse Gravity. As an action, you can expend
unoccupied space that you can see within range. 3 charges to cast reverse gravity from the stone
This corporeal form uses the Draconic Spirit stat (save DC 18).
block. When you cast this spell, choose a family of CRYSTAL BLADE
dragon: chromatic, gem, or metallic. The creature Weapon (Any Sword), Rare (Requires Attunement)
resembles a dragon of the chosen family, which de-
termines certain traits in its stat block. The creature This magic sword's blade is fashioned from a horn
disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the or spine from a crystal dragon. When you hit with
spell ends. an attack roll using this sword, the target takes an
The creature is an ally to you and your compan- extra ld8 radiant damage.
ions. In combat, the creature shares your initiative The sword has 3 charges and regains ld3 ex-
count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. pended charges daily at dawn. When you hit a crea-
It obeys your verbal commands (no action required ture with an attack roll using the sword, you can ex-
by you). If you don't issue any, it takes the Dodge ac- pend 1 charge to regain a number of hit points equal
tion and uses its move to avoid danger. to the extra radiant damage the sword dealt.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using While you're holding the sword, you can use a
a spell slot of 6th level or higher, use the higher level bonus action to cause it to shed bright light in a 30-
wherever the spell's level appears in the stat block. foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet,
to cause it to shed dim light in a 10-foot radius, or to
douse the light.

22 CHAPTER 2 I DRAGON M A GIC

I I .a
DRAGONHIDE BELT attack and damage rolls made with this flail. When
Wondrous Item, Uncommon (+1), Rare (+2), or Very you hit with an attack roll using it, the target takes
Rare (+3) (Requires Attunement by a Monk) an extra 5d4 damage of your choice of one of the
following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning,
This finely detailed belt is made of dragonhide.
or poison.
While wearing it, you gain a bonus to the saving
While holding the flail, you can use an action
throw DCs of your ki features. The bonus is deter-
and speak a command word to cause the heads
mined by the belt's rarity.
to breathe multicolored flames in a 90-foot cone.
In addition, you can use an action to regain ki
Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Dex-
points equal to a roll of your Martial Arts die. You
terity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 14d6
can't use this action again until the next dawn.
damage of one of the following damage types (your
DRAGONLANCE choice): acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. On a
Weapon (Lance or Pike), Legendary (Requires At- successful save, it takes half as much damage. Once
tunement) this action is used, it can't be used again until the
next dawn.
A dragonlance is a renowned weapon forged from
rare metal with the aid of powerful artifacts asso- GOLD CANARY FIGURINE OF
ciated with Bahamut. Different lances are forged WONDROUS POWER
for use by foot soldiers (as pikes) and by riders (as Wondrousitem,Legendary
lances), but the magical properties of the weapons
This gold statuette is carved in the likeness of a ca-
are the same.
nary and is small enough to fit in a pocket. If you use
You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls
an action to speak the command word and throw
made with this magic weapon.
the figurine to a point on the ground within 60 feet
When you hit a Dragon with this weapon, the
of you, the figurine becomes a living creature in
Dragon takes an extra 3d6 force damage, and any
one of two forms (you choose). If there isn't enough
Dragon of your choice that you can see within 30
space for the creature where it would appear, the
feet of you can immediately use its reaction to make
figurine doesn't become a creature. The two forms
a melee attack.
are as follows:
DRAGON WING Bow Giant Canary Form. The figurine becomes a giant
Weapon (Any Bow), Rare (Requires Attunement) canary (see the accompanying stat block) for up
The limb tips of this magic bow are shaped like a to 8 hours and can be ridden as a mount. Once
dragon's wings, and the weapon is infused with the the figurine has become a giant canary, it can't be
essence of a chromatic, gem, or metallic dragon's used this way again until the next dawn.
breath. When you hit with an attack roll using this Gold Dragon Form. While you are missing half or
magic bow, the target takes an extra ld6 damage more of your hit points, you can speak a different
of the same type as the breath infused in the bow- command word and the figurine becomes an
acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psy- adult gold dragon (see its stat block in the Mon-
chic, radiant, or thunder. ster Manual) for up to 1 hour. The dragon can't
If you load no ammunition in the weapon, it pro- use any legendary actions or lair actions. Once the
duces its own, automatically creating one piece of
magic ammunition when you pull back the string. GIANT CANARY
The ammunition created by the bow vanishes the Large Beast, Unaligned
instant after it hits or misses a target.
Armor Class 12
EMERALD PEN Hit Points 26 (4dl0 + 4)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
Wondrous Item, Uncommon
This pen is tipped with an emerald nib and requires STR DEX CON
no ink to write. While holding this pen, you can 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+l)
cast illusory script at will, requiring no material
components. Senses passive Perception 10
Languages-
FLAIL OF TIAMAT Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Weapon (Flail), Legendary (Requires Attunement)

ACTIONS
This magic flail is made in the image of Tiamat,
with five jagged heads shaped like the heads of five Peck. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (ldl0 + 2) piercing damage.
different chromatic dragons. You gain a +3 bonus to

CHAPTER 2 I DRAGON MAGIC 23

 figurine has become an adult gold dragon, it can't own, but you retain your languages, personality, and
be used this way again until 1 year has passed. memories. You can't use a dragon's Change Shape
or its legendary or lair actions.
In either form, the creature is friendly to you and
your companions. It understands your languages RUBY WEAVE GEM
and obeys your spoken commands. If you issue no Wondrous Item, Legendary (Requires Attunement
commands, the creature defends itself but takes no by a Spellcaster)
other actions.
The creature exists for a duration specific to each While you are holding this gem, you can use it as a
spellcasting focus for your spells.
form. At the end of the duration, the creature reverts
The gem has 3 charges and regains all expended
to its figurine form. It reverts to a figurine early if it
drops to O hit points or if you use an action to speak charges daily at dawn. When you cast a spell while
the command word again while touching it. When holding this gem, you can expend up to 3 charges to
the creature becomes a figurine again, its property ignore the spell's material components with a gold
can't be used again until a certain amount of time piece cost, up to 500 gp per charge expended.
When you finish a Jong rest, choose a spell from
has passed, as specified in the description.
any class list. The spell you choose must be of a
PLATINUM SCARF level you can cast. You know the chosen spell and
Wondrous Item, Legendary (Requires Attunement) can cast it with your spell slots of the appropriate
level until the end of your next long rest.
This scarf is made of sturdy cloth and covered in
platinum-colored scales. SAPPHIRE BUCKLER
As an action, you can pull a scale from the scarf Armor (Shield), Very Rare (Requires Attunement)
and speak a command word. When you do so,
choose one of the following effects: This crystalline blue shield is fashioned from a sap-
phire dragon's scale and is created to aid in rooting
Breath of Life. The scale disappears, and you or a out the influence of Aberrations. While wielding the
creature you touch regains 10d4 hit points. shield, you have resistance to psychic and thunder
Platinum Shield. For 1 hour or until you dismiss damage. Also, when you take damage from a crea-
it (no action required), the scale becomes a +l ture that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your re-
shield, which you or another creature can use. A action to deal 2d6 thunder damage to that creature.
creature wielding the shield has immunity to radi- As an action, you can use the shield to help you
ant damage. locate Aberrations until the end of your next turn. If
Radiant Hammer. For 1 hour or until you dismiss any Aberrations are within 1 mile of you, the shield
it (no action required), the scale becomes a magic emits a low humming tone for a moment, and you
light hammer, which you or another creature know the direction of all Aberrations within that
can use. The weapon deals 2d4 radiant damage, range. Once this property is used, it can't be used
instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for a again until the next dawn.
light hammer. It deals an extra 2d4 radiant dam-
age to chromatic dragons. TOPAZ ANNIHILATOR
Weapon (Firearm), Legendary (Requires Attunement)
Once three scales have been pulled from the scarf,
no more scales can be removed until the next dawn, This magic ranged weapon resembles a musket, but
when all the missing scales grow back. If you pull in lieu of any ammunition, it holds a glowing yellow
off a scale but don't speak a command word, it dis- scale from a topaz dragon in its heart.
appears after 1 minute. The weapon has a normal range of 100 feet and
a long range of 300 feet, and it has the two-handed
POTION OF DRAGON'S MAJESTY property. It deals 2d6 necrotic damage on a hit. If
Potion, Legendary this damage reduces a creature or object to O hit
This potion looks like liquid gold, with a single points, the target is reduced to dust. A creature re-
scale from a chromatic, gem, or metallic dragon duced to dust can be restored to life only by a true
suspended in it. When you drink this potion, you resurrection or wish spell.
transform into an adult dragon of the same kind as While the weapon is on your person, you can use
the dragon the scale came from. The transformation an action to cast the disintegrate spell (save DC 18).
lasts for 1 hour. Any equipment you are wearing or Once this property is used, it can't be used again un-
carrying melds into your new form or falls to the til the next dawn.
ground (your choice). For the duration, you use the
game statistics of the adult dragon instead of your

~
24 CHAPTER 2 I DRAGON MAGIC
HOARD MAGIC ITEMS associated with the dragon's age-putting a Wak-
ened item in a slain adult dragon's hoard does not
make it Ascendant, for example.
I've. le.+ acive.rrtvve.v<; pvt the.iv +01<; in
DECREASING POWER
m1 hoavci to <;te.e.p onc.-e. ov fwic.-e.. I c..-an
Just as hoard items can grow in power by absorbing
ne.ve.v !Ft a 5°oc1 niyit~ <;le.e.p while. the ambient magic of a dragon's hoard, so too can
these treasures fall back into slumber. If no creature
the.1've. the.ve., thovy,. It~ like. an itc..-h. is attuned to a hoard item and that item isn't in a
-riz.ban dragon's hoard, the item decreases in power by one
state every 30 days until it is Slumbering.
Certain magic items can absorb the ambient magic HOARDITEMQ;~U_I_R_K_S_ _ _ _ __
of a dragon's hoard. The mightier the dragon, the
more powerful the item becomes when it is steeped Hoard items often manifest strange qualities be-
in the dragon's hoard. These items, called hoard yond their intended function, regardless of the state
items, have four states, which are summarized on they're in. Roll once on the Draconic Quirks table to
the Hoard Item States table. A hoard item in its determine the quirk of a hoard item.
Slumbering state has certain base properties, and it
DRACONIC QUIRKS
gains additional properties when it enters the Stir-
ring, Wakened, or Ascendant state. d8 Quirk
When resting on the ground, the item points in the
HOARD ITEM STATES direction of the last hoard it steeped in.
State Age 2 The item's bearer can speak and understand Dra-
Slumbering conic.
Stirring Young 3 The item glows softly when within 60 feet of a
Wakened Adult Dragon or another hoard item.
Ascendant Ancient 4 The item's bearer gains a swimming speed equal to
their walking speed.
INCREASING POWER 5 The item's bearer has advantage on Intelligence
A hoard item left to steep in a dragon's hoard ab- (History) checks.
sorbs power from the hoard. Older dragons' hoards 6 The item's bearer has advantage on Charisma (In-
are charged with more magic and can empower timidation) checks made against non-Dragons.
hoard items to higher states.
7 The item grants its bearer resistance to the damage
Ordinarily, a hoard item must steep in a dragon's
type of the breath weapon of the last dragon whose
hoard for 1 year to reach the maximum possible
state allowed by the age of the hoard's dragon, as hoard the item steeped in.
shown on the Hoard Item States table. For exam- 8 The item's bearer dreams of the dragon whose
ple, a hoard item that steeps in a young dragon's hoard the item last steeped in.
hoard for 1 year enters its Stirring state, while one
that steeps in an ancient dragon's hoard for 1 year HOARD ITEM DESCRIPTIONS
reaches the pinnacle of its power and enters its As- Hoard items are presented here in alphabetical or-
cendant state. If there are one or more hoard items der. A hoard item's rarity changes depending on its
steeping in a dragon's hoard, the dragon is aware current state, as shown in each item description.
of them. The dragon also knows what these hoard
items are and what state (Slumbering, Stirring, DRAGON'S WRATH WEAPON
Wakened, or Ascendant) each of them is in. Weapon (Any), Rarity Varies (Requires Attunement)
When a dragon is slain, the magic surrounding This weapon is decorated with dragon heads, claws,
its hoard becomes volatile. This allows a hoard wings, scales, or Draconic letters. When it steeps in
item to steep more quickly in the hoard. A hoard a dragon's hoard, it absorbs the energy of the drag-
item steeped in a dragon's hoard for 8 hours rises on's breath weapon and deals damage of that type
one state (from Slumbering to Stirring, Stirring to with its special properties.
Wakened, or Wakened to Ascendant), as long as the Slumbering (Uncommon). Whenever you roll
steeping begins within 1 hour of the dragon's death a 20 on your attack roll with this weapon, each
and occurs within the dragon's lair. Steeping in this creature of your choice within 5 feet of the target
way can't raise the state of the item beyond the state

CHAPTER 2 j DRAGON MAGIC 25

takes 5 damage of the type dealt by the dragon's DRAGON-TOUCHED Focus
breath weapon. Wondrous Item, Rarity Varies (Requires Attunement
Stirring (Rare). The Stirring weapon has the by a Spellcaster)
Slumbering property. In addition, you gain a +1
This wondrous item can be a scepter, an orb, an
bonus to attack and damage rolls made using
amulet, a crystal, or another finely crafted object. It
the weapon. On a hit, the weapon deals an ex-
typically incorporates imagery of dragons' wings,
tra ld6 damage of the type dealt by the dragon's
claws, teeth, or scales.
breath weapon.
Slumbering (Uncommon). You have advantage
Wakened (Very Rare). The Wakened weapon has
on initiative rolls. While you are holding the fo-
the Slumbering property, and it improves on the
cus, it can function as a spellcasting focus for all
Stirring property. The bonus to attack and damage
your spells.
rolls increases to +2, and the extra damage dealt by
Stirring (Rare). The Stirring focus has the Slum-
the weapon increases to 2d6.
bering property, and it gains an additional property
As an action, you can unleash a 30-foot cone of
determined by the family of the dragon in whose
destructive energy from the weapon. Each creature
hoard it became Stirring:
in that area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving
throw, taking 8d6 damage of the type dealt by the Chromatic. Whenever you use a spell slot to cast
dragon's breath weapon on a failed save, or half as a spell that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or
much damage on a successful one. Once this action poison damage, roll a d6, and you gain a bonus
is used, it can't be used again until the next dawn. equal to the number rolled to one of the spell's
Ascendant (Legendary). The Ascendant weapon damage rolls.
has the Slumbering property, and it improves on the Gem. Whenever you use a spell slot to cast a spell,
Stirring and Wakened properties. The bonus to at- you can immediately teleport to an unoccupied
tack and damage rolls increases to +3, and the extra space you can see within 15 feet of you.
damage dealt by the weapon increases to 3d6. Metallic. When a creature you can see within 30
The cone of destructive energy the weapon cre- feet of you makes a saving throw, you can use your
ates increases to a 60-foot cone, the save DC in- reaction to give that creature advantage on the
creases to 18, and the damage increases to 12d6. saving throw.
Wakened (Very Rare). The Wakened focus has
the Slumbering and Stirring properties, and while
you are holding a Wakened focus, you can use it to
cast certain spells. Once the item is used to cast a
given spell, it can't be used to cast that spell again
until the next dawn. The spells are determined by
the family of the dragon in whose hoard it became
Wakened. An asterisk indicates a new spell that ap-
pears earlier in this chapter.
Chromatic. Hold monster, Rime's binding ice*
Gem. Rary's telepathic bond, Raulothim's
psychic lance*
Metallic. Fizban's platinum shield,* legend lore
Ascendant (Legendary). The Ascendant focus
has the Slumbering, Stirring, and Wakened prop-
erties. In addition, when you cast a spell of 1st level
or higher while holding this focus, you can treat the
spell as if it were cast using a 9th-level spell slot.
Once this property is used, it can't be used again un-
til the next dawn.
DRAGON VESSEL
DRACONIC GIFTS
Wondrous Item, Rarity Varies (Requires Attunement)
This vessel can be a potion bottle, drinking horn, or
Yov /:::.now the- pvove-Yb: don,t look- a
other container meant to hold a liquid.
Slumbering (Uncommon). As a bonus action, if clv-ac..onic..- j.ft- in the- Movth. Some, ~a1 itt
the vessel is empty, you can speak the command
word to fill the vessel with one of the following (your be,e,.av~e, of the- bve-ath we-apon. Bvt ve-a/11
choice): ale, olive oil, a potion of healing, or a potion ,tt the, ~Me-II.
of climbing. Once this property is used, it can't be
used until the next dawn. A potion you create in this -fizban
way loses its magical properties if it isn't imbibed
within 24 hours. As described in chapter 3, the death of a dragon
Stirring (Rare). In addition to the options for a can result in its power taking root in a character,
Slumbering vessel, you can fill a Stirring vessel whether that person is the dragon's chosen heir
with mead, a potion of fire breath, or a potion of or the dragon's killer. The result of this investiture
healing (greater). can vary widely in power and impact, from a minor
Wakened (Very Rare). In addition to the options charm to a complete transformation.
for a Slumbering or Stirring vessel, you can fill a Sometimes, a draconic gift has an obvious visual
Wakened vessel with wine, a potion of flying, or a manifestation, such as when a character is trans-
potion of healing (superior). formed into a dragonborn. Other gifts are invisible,
Ascendant (Legendary). In addition to the op- but no less potent. But on some worlds, the inves-
tions for other states, you can fill an Ascendant titure of draconic power is accompanied by some
vessel with whiskey, a potion of healing (supreme), kind of physical manifestation, especially if it's
or a potion of dragon's majesty (described earlier in derived from slaying a dragon. It might be small
this chapter). and easily hidden, but those who know to look can
SCALED ORNAMENT usually identify a dragonslayer (or another character
Wondrous Item, Rarity Varies (Requires Attunement) who carries a draconic gift) by a telltale sign. The
Draconic Marks table suggests some possibilities of
This ornament can be jewelry, a cloak, or another what these marks might look like.
wearable accessory. It appears to be fashioned from
a dragon's scale, tooth, or claw, or it incorporates DRACONIC MARKS
images in those shapes. d4 Visual Manifestation
Slumbering (Uncommon). You have advantage
One or both of the character's eyes change color
on saving throws you make to avoid being charmed
or frightened or to end those conditions on you. to resemble the dragon's eyes or scales.
Stirring (Rare). You gain a +l bonus to AC, and 2 The character's hair {or a streak ofit) changes
you can't be charmed or frightened. Moreover, each color to match the color of the dragon's scales.
creature of your choice within 30 feet of you has 3 A mark like a stylized dragon eye or claw appears
advantage on saving throws it makes to avoid being on the body.
charmed or frightened or to end those conditions
4 Patches of scales appear on the character's body,
on itself.
typically on the neck, shoulders, or forearms.
Wakened (Very Rare). The Wakened ornament
has the Stirring property. In addition, when you
would take damage of the type dealt by the breath
of the dragon in whose hoard the ornament became
Wakened, you can use your reaction to take no dam-
age instead, and you regain hit points equal to the
damage you would have taken. Once this property is
used, it can't be used again until the next dawn.
Ascendant (Legendary). The Ascendant orna- •
ment has the Stirring and Wakened properties. In
addition, while you are wearing the ornament, you
gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed and
can hover. While you are flying using this speed,
spectral dragon wings appear on your back.

CHAPTER 2 I DRAGON MAGIC 27

 DRACON IC GIFT DESCRI PTIONS the family of the dragon that is the source of this
gift. You can keep any skill proficiencies you gained
from your previous race, or you gain proficiency in
Some- of the- /e-(;c; wmmon dvawnic..- two skills of your choice.
51ft-c; l>ve, c;e-e-n b<½towe-cJ inc..-lvde, UJvbb1 DRACONIC SENSES
Draconic Gift, Rare
e,he,e,k,c; and an adorable- nafvve-; the-
You gain keen senses like a dragon's.
abilini to blow immac..-vlafo c;mofce, vi~; Blindsight. You have blindsight to a range of
10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see
and the- innate- c;e-nc;e, of vvhe-n 1ovv ~
anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're
ic; pe-vfe,c..-t/1 c;oft--boile-cJ. I wovldn>t mind blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see invisi-
ble creatures within that range, unless the creatures
that /ac;t one- m~c;e-lf. successfully hide from you.
-riz.ban Keen Senses. You have advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks.
The draconic gifts detailed in this section have ECHO OF DRAGONSIGHT
rarities like magic items. The rarity of a draconic Draconic Gift, Very Rare
gift corresponds roughly to the age category of the
You have begun to extend your awareness be-
dragon that bestowed it, as shown in the Draconic
yond the single world of the Material Plane that is
Gift Rarity table.
your home.
You can use a more common draconic gift for an
You can cast contact other plane as a ritual. The
older dragon, but exercise caution going in the other
entity you contact is a dragon on another world in
direction. Very rare and legendary draconic gifts
the Material Plane, so its knowledge of your world
can unbalance the game if they're given to low-level
might be limited. Also, this dragon is an echo of the
characters.
dragon who is the source of the gift, which might
affect its attitude and behavior toward you.
DRACONIC GIFT RARITY
Rarity Age Category FRIGHTFUL PRESENCE
Uncommon Wyrmling Draconic Gift, Very Rare
Rare Young Echoes of a dragon's might linger around you, and
Very rare Adult you can call on them to inspire fear in those who
stand against you.
Legendary Ancient
As a bonus action, you can manifest your fright-
DRACONIC FAMILIAR ful presence. Each creature of your choice that is
Draconic Gift, Uncommon within 120 feet of you and aware of you must make
a Wisdom saving throw against a DC equal to 8 +
You gain the aid of a draconic familiar, which might your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. A
be a splinter of the consciousness of a dragon that creature that fails becomes frightened of you for 1
invested you with power. minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw
You can cast the find familiar spell as a ritual with- at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on
out using any material components. When you cast itself on a success.
the spell in this way, your familiar always takes the Once you use this ability a number of times equal
form of a pseudodragon. to your proficiency bonus, you can't use it again until
Additionally, when you take the Attack action on you finish a long rest.
your turn, you can forgo one of your own attacks to
allow your pseudodragon familiar to make one at- PSIONIC REACH
tack of its own with its reaction. Draconic Gift, Very Rare
DRACONIC REBIRTH The psionic energy of a gem dragon empowers your
Draconic Gift, Uncommon mind. You gain resistance to psychic damage.
In addition, you learn the telekinesis spell. You
You become a dragonborn. You replace the racial can cast this spell without expending a spell slot.
traits of your original race with the traits of a chro- Once you cast this spell in this way, you can't do so
matic, gem, or metallic dragonborn (detailed in this again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast
book). The kind of dragonborn you become matches this spell using spell slots you have of the appro-
priate level. The spellcasting ability is Intelligence,

28 CHAPTER 2 I DRAGON MAGIC

Wisdom, or Charisma when you cast the spell with FEATS AS DRACONIC GIFTS
this gift (choose when you gain the gift). If your campaign uses the optional feat rules from the
Player's Handbook, your Dungeon Master might give
SCALED TOUGHNESS
you a feat as a variant draconic gift. You gain one feat
Draconic Gift, Legendary of your or the DM's choice, which is related in some
Your skin toughens, making you resistant to certain way to the draconic power you have acquired. Consider
types of physical harm. You gain resistance to pierc- these examples:
ing and slashing damage. • Your heightened senses give you a dragon's aware-
ness of your surroundings (Alert or Observant).
TONGUE OF THE DRAGON • Dragon's blood has made you hardy and resilient
Draconic Gift, Uncommon (Durable, Resilient, or Tough).
• Exposure to the primal energy of a dragon's body
You gain some of the majestic presence of a dragon. has given you a magical affinity for one damage type
Dragon's Speech. You can speak, read, and (Elemental Adept).
write Draconic. • You are infused with a dragon's charismatic gift for
Dragon's Voice. As a bonus action, you can make inspiration (Inspiring Leader).
your voice audible up to 300 feet away for 1 minute. • You are imbued with a dragon's intellect
Dragon's Wiles. You have advantage on Charisma (Keen Mind).
• The dragon's gift lingers in the form of good
(Persuasion) checks.
luck (Lucky).
• The dragon's inherent magic has transferred to your
own blood (Magic Initiate).
At the DM's discretion, you might also be able to gain
one of the draconic feats described in chapter l as a
draconic gift.

CHAPTER 2 I DRAGON MAGIC 29

IN HIS GUISE AS Fi-tBAN THE FABULOUS, BAHAMUT
HELPS TWO UNLIKELY HEROES ESCAPE THE
WRATH OF THE RED DRAGON PvROS .
 DRAGONS IN PLAY
HIS CHAPTER IS INTENDED FOR THE damentally magical biology, and the sheer enormity
Dungeon Master. The ideas and tables of their power.
herein can help inspire you as you prepare
to use dragons in your D&D game, whether DRAGON CHARACTERS
you're building a single climactic encounter The Dungeon Master's Guide includes a series of
or planning a whole campaign around these marvel- tables and guidelines designed to help you craft
ous creatures. The material here builds on what's NPCs. This section presents alternatives to those
in the Dungeon Master's Guide and the "Dragons" tables, helping you transform a dragon from a stat
section of the Monster Manual. It's divided into five block and a basic description into a full-fledged char-
main sections: acter in your campaign.
"Roleplaying Dragons" presents tips and tricks In chapter 5 of this book, you'll find additional ta-
for building a dragon character as complex and bles of personality traits and ideals that are custom-
distinctive as any other villain, ally, or mysterious ized to various kinds of dragons.
figure in your campaign. It includes tables to help
DRAGON APPEARANCE
you craft dragon personalities, as well as discus-
sions of dragon aging, reproduction, and death; d20 Appearance
dragons' relationship to undeath and religion; and Draconic letters or symbols engraved on promi-
draconic shape-shifting and organizations. nent scales
"Followers" explores the relationships between 2 Large scar
dragons and the various creatures that might
3 One eye missing or milky
serve their interests.
"Dragon Encounters" offers suggestions for build- 4 Crooked teeth
ing encounters that feature dragons, whether you 5 Notably overweight or underweight
want such an encounter to be the climax of an ad- 6 Elongated, sinuous body
venture or an obstacle in a larger narrative. 7 Shortened, stocky body
"Dragon Adventures" looks at the different roles a
8 Coins or gems embedded in hide
dragon can play in an adventure's story.
"Dragon Campaigns" talks about building worlds 9 Sculpted horns or claws
and campaign story arcs that put dragons at the 10 Rings piercing crest or wing edges
forefront of history and at the center of the charac- 11 Draped in some semblance of clothing, from a
ters' lives and adventuring ambitions. stole to a full robe
12 Unusual coloration (for example, a red dragon with
ROLEPLAYING DRAGONS an orange, brown, or purple cast)
13 Crouched, predatory posture like a stalking cat's
To povfva~ a c.-onvine-i~ hvrvian, one- rviv~t 14 Erect, almost bipedal posture
e-rvibocJ~ ffe;,e;,cJ, ~e-lf ~hn~~, and vijlanu-. 15 Scales covered with painted hand prints of minions,
admirers, or children
To povfva~ a c.-onvine-i~ cJv-a~n, one- rviv~t
16 Necklaces made of bones, horns, claws, or teeth
.,-e;,/ax. taken from enemies
-fiz.ban 17 Extra horns or spines
18 Elongated, fang-like teeth, or extra rows of teeth
Dragons are complex creatures with varied person- 19 Sharpened or serrated scales
alities, goals, priorities, and mannerisms. In that 20 Elemental energy matching the dragon's breath
respect, they're much like mortal folk-but dragons weapon, seeping out between the scales
are also shaped by their specifically draconic char-
acteristics, including incredibly long life spans, fun-

CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY 31

 IN SHAPE, S11.E, COLOR, ANO ORNAME N TATION.

DRAGON MANNERISMS d20 Mannerism

d20 Mannerism 13 Prone to uttering terrifying, guttural sounds, which
Rotates head from side to side when listening or are actually laughter
speaking 14 Enjoys mimicking Humanoid voices
2 Tail writhes constantly in a snakelike fashion 15 Dismisses modern cultures as historical curiositi es
3 Slowly and constantly fans wings sure to collapse imminently
4 Lowers head to speak eye-to-eye to smaller crea- 16 Has trouble discerning details of anything as small
tures-unless angry as Humanoids
5 Uses Draconic words and phrases even when 17 Sharpens claws or horns on nearby stone surfaces
speaking other languages 18 Manifests small signs of the breath weapon, such
6 Punctuates speech with bestial sounds-growls, as exhaling smoke rings, setting arc lightning danc-
roars, croaks, chirps, or whistles ing over teeth, or blowing acid bubbles
7 Fiddles with tip of tail 19 Sighs restlessly, giving an impression of tremen-
8 Absently chews on or picks at teeth with swords, dous boredom
spears, or lances 20 Deeply suspicious, treating all Humanoids encou n-
9 Quickly forgets names and invents random nick- tered as probable agents of a rival dragon
names instead
10 Burdens conversation with extensive historical con- DRAGON BONDS

text, whether or not it's relevant dlO Bond

11 Constantly twitches tail-and occasionally pounces I treasure one particular item in my hoard-a gift
on it from a person I loved, who is long since dead.
,.,. 12 Speaks an archaic form of Common (equivalent to 2 I am close to my siblings, whose lairs are nearby.
Shakespearean English) and doesn't understand I would go to great lengths to protect them-or
contemporary slang and idioms avenge them.

32 CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY

dlO Bond dlO Flaw or Secret
3 A nearby person intrigues me with fascinating 3 Given the opportunity, I eat to excess and then fall
questions and bizarre ideas. into a long, deep sleep.
4 I collect information about the worlds of the Mate- 4 I would rather let my fearsome reputation scare
rial Plane, and I would love to visit another world away intruders than fight them off.
someday. 5 Other dragons would scorn me if they knew how
5 I am devoted to Bahamut or Tiamat and put their fondly I regard my minions. They're so cute!
interests ahead of my own. 6 I am terrified of creatures from the Outer Planes-
6 I'm determined to destroy the adventurers who especially modrons.
slew my parent-and everyone connected to them. 7 Another dragon has sworn to find and destroy me.
7 I'm obsessed with attracting the attention of an- 8 Humanoids are not ready to learn the horrible cos-
other dragon. mic truths in the books in my hoard.
8 I feel an obligation to protect the creatures that in- 9 The prospect of living for centuries more exhausts
habit my territory (except the ones I eat). me.
9 I am trying to collect an extremely rare set of price- 10 I'm convinced that a version of me on a different
less treasures. world in the Material Plane is hoping to destroy me
10 I won't rest until I retrieve an item stolen from my and steal my hoard.
hoard.
How TO NAME YOUR DRAGON
DRAGON FLAWS AND SECRETS
dlO Flaw or Secret Man~ Common phvac;<½ have- ovijnc; in
I find adventurers fearsome, and I'm convinced
Pvac..onie,.. nam<½. c<0ive-at 8'o&~-moo&~/'
that I'll meet my doom at their hands one day.
2 One item in my possession is worth as much as '9'od~ 8'od~ @'mdvopc;/ and c<~dU)o/::::,c;1'
1

the rest of my hoard combined, and the fear that it all have- the-iv ovijnc; in the- name- of m~
might be stolen consumes me.
vapvi~ovc; fvie-nd 0ia~lothmo~lthac;,
vvhoc;e:, dvaf¥'n bve-ath alc;o pvodvu-cJ a
bopp~, mmpe-t-~ tvne-.
-Przban

Some dragons' names resonate with power and

inspire terror: Ashardalon, Dragotha, Klauth, Khel-
lendros, Malystryx, Vaskar. Others are intricate and
obscure, reflecting the grandeur of dragons' ancient
language: lngeloakastimizilian, Imvaernarhro,
K'rshinthintl, Claugiyliamatar.
Many dragons are better known by nicknames
and epithets. Klauth is commonly called Old Snarl,
and Khellendros is remembered as Skie and the
Storm over Krynn. lngeloakastimizilian is Icing-
death, lmvaernarhro is Inferno, and K'rshinthintl
and Claugiyliamatar are called Cyan Bloodbane and
Old Gnawbones, respectively.
When naming a dragon, take whatever approach
appeals to you. But bear in mind that dragons need
memorable names, and if you or your players have
trouble pronouncing a name, it's likely to be quickly
forgotten-or jokingly abbreviated.
The Dragon Name Elements table provides Dra-
conic morphemes that appear in dragon names.

CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY 33

 You can combine these elements to form a dragon
name. For each element, roll a d20, then choose one
of the four possible results from the table, or roll a
d4 to determine which column to choose from. If
you like, you can rearrange these elements and add
,.
or drop letters to create a smoother flow or a more
dramatic sound. For nicknames, look for inspira-
tion in the dragon's abilities, mannerisms, or most
famous acts.

DRAGON NAME ELEMENTS

d20 1 2 3 4
l Aeros Agha Akkan Alae
2 Andra Andusk Angkar Aradace
3 Arauth Arveia Aryz Atar
4 Auntyr Auth Bahr Bala
5 Calaun Ciym Claug Daerev
6 Dalagh Durg Eir Elden
7 Endar Ethar Fel Galad
8 Gaul Golos Guth lngeir
9 Ix lyliam Jhar Kerin
10 Lham Lothtor Malae Marun
11 Mere Miir Morn Nabal
12 Nur Nym Oloth Ontor
13 Othim Palar Raali Ragoth
14 Rith Rysear Saryx Ser .
15 Skad Surr Thal Thanach
16 Thoth Thrax Thriin Tostyn
Spells. The Monster Manual's variant rule about
17 Tratain Treori Turace Ualin making dragons innate spellcasters is an easy way
18 Umer Uryte Uxin Vaer to add variety to dragons without impacting their
19 Vala Valos Vine Voar challenge rating. Chapter 5 offers suggested spell
lists for different kinds of dragons, but you can also
20 Vureem Waur Zundae Zyreph
choose spells to reflect the dragon's character. A
CUSTOMIZING DRAGONS dragon who innately casts druid spells feels differ-
As discussed in the Dungeon Master's Guide, you ent from one who casts warlock spells. You can also
can customize any dragon's stat block to reflect the give a dragon spells of a higher level than the vari-
dragon's unique character. Minor changes such as ant rule allows, but such a tweak might increase the
those below are easy to make and have no impact on dragon's challenge rating-especially if those spells
a dragon's challenge rating. deal damage or impose conditions on targets.
Languages. Most dragons prefer to speak Dra- Other Traits and Actions. You can borrow traits
conic but learn Common for dealing with allies and actions from other monsters to add unique fla-
and minions. But given their high Intelligence and vor to a dragon. Consider these examples:
long life span, dragons can easily learn additional Change Shape. You can decide that a dragon ac-
languages. You can add languages to a dragon's quires this action at a younger age than usual, par-
stat block. ticularly if you want to feature a dragon in Human-
SkiJJs. Most dragons are proficient in the Per- oid form in your campaign. The "Shape-Shifting"
ception and Stealth skills, and many dragons have section later in this chapter offers more informa-
additional skill proficiencies. As with languages, you tion and inspiration. (See the metallic dragons in
can customize a dragon's skill list (even doubling the Monster Manual.)
their proficiency bonus with certain skills) to reflect Damage Absorption. You might decide that a red or
particular interests and activities. You can also give gold dragon is not only unharmed by fire damage,
a dragon tool proficiencies, particularly if the dragon but actually healed by it. (See the flesh golem in
spends time in Humanoid form. the Monster Manual.)
,,
34 CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY
Flyby. The dragon is an agile flier, quick to fly out WYRMLINGS
of enemies' reach. (See the peryton in the Mon- Much like adventurers in the first tier of play (levels
ster Manual.) 1 to 4), dragons in their first five years of life are still
Mimicry. Impersonating characters or their allies figuring out their capabilities and their place in the
could be a fun trick for a crafty dragon. (See the world. Thus, wyrmlings often rely on adult dragons
kenku in the Monster Manual.) or other companion creatures for safety.
Rejuvenation. You might decide that dragons in Wyrmlings most often think on a local scale-
your campaign, being an essential part of the an area no larger than might be covered by a few
Material Plane, are nearly impossible to destroy. farmsteads or villages. If adult dragons are rearing
A dragon's life essence might be preserved in the a clutch of wyrmlings, the younger dragons often
egg from which it first emerged, in its hoard, or in divide the adults' territory among them. A single
a cavernous hall at the center of the world, just as wyrmling might thus hunt an area covering only a
a lich's essence is hidden in a phylactery. (See the few square miles, but the presence of one wyrmling
lich in the Monster Manual.) indicates that more might be nearby. On the other
Special Senses. Most dragons have blindsight and hand, wyrmlings without adult dragons in their lives
darkvision. You might upgrade blindsight to true- might become allies or as captives of other kinds
sight, or you could give a dragon with a burrowing of creatures. Such wyrmlings are more likely to be
speed tremorsense. (See the introduction to the scattered from their nest mates.
Monster Manual.)
Tunneler. Any dragon with a burrowing speed WYRMLINC GOALS
could have this trait, moving through solid rock d6 Goal
and leaving a tunnel in its wake. (See the umber Establish independence from adult dragons (or
hulk in the Monster Manual.)
other powerful creatures)
LIFE SPAN 2 Acquire one valuable magic item or art object to
build a hoard around
3 Acquire minions who will bring food and treasure
Tr-1 not to b~ off~nde-d wh~n a dva5°n 4 Establish dominance over other wyrmlings in the
di<;mi<;<;~ 10v a<; ivv~l01ant Re-m~mb~~ same brood
5 Secure a partnership with a more powerful creature
10v miff b~ d~ali~ with an individva/
for safety
who hafohe-d into th~ wovld thY~ •
6 Find a good spot for a first independent lair •
c..ivi(i~-tion<; a5°, and not ~v~v1 dva5°n
ha<; th~ wi<;dom to <;~ how Ion~ h~Yo~ .•
c.-an e-ha~ th~ c.-ovv<;~ of hi<;tov1. BLUE WvRMLING

-fizban
•• •
Some dragons can live for over a thousand years,
outlasting the rise and fall of nations-or even whole
civilizations. A dragon's perspective on the passage
of time is naturally quite different from that of more
short-lived folk. But just as characters expand their
priorities and perspectives as they advance in level,
so do dragons as they age.
The tables in this section suggest possible goals
that reflect the priorities of dragons at different
ages. Of course, a dragon's goals are shaped by
many additional factors, including alignment, ideals,
bonds, and flaws. So use these tables as a starting
point, but flesh out each dragon's goals as you de-
velop a complete picture of the dragon's personality.

CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY 35

 YOUNG DRAGONS ADULT DRAGONS
Young dragons in their first century of life are sim- After their first century of life, adult dragons are
ilar in many ways to adventurers in the second tier mighty beings, akin to characters in the third tier
of play (levels 5 to 10), as they're beginning to come of play (levels 11 to 16). An adult dragon's influence
into their own among the most powerful creatures can extend across a whole region or continent.
of the Material Plane. Most adult dragons establish additional lairs to
This stage is when most dragons first establish expand their territory. These lairs are usually set
their own territory and lair. A young dragon's ter- 50 to 75 miles apart, so the dragon can fly from one
ritory covers an area about 50 miles across. This to the next in a single day's travel. An adult dragon
is also when dragons start to form the magical ties typically hunts the area around one lair for a month
that bind them to both their hoards and the regions or more, then moves on to another lair. The dragon's
around their lairs. magical connection to a lair can transform the sur-
Hunting dragons typically fly on a more-or-less cir- rounding region, as represented by regional effects.
cular path out to one edge of their territory and back
in a day, traveling about 75 miles in total. Young ADULT DRAGON GOALS
dragons also use their hunting flights to keep tabs d6 Goal
on happenings within their territory and are keenly l Find a good location for an additional lair
aware of other creatures whose territory neighbors
2 Acquire an artifact or a powerful magic item for the
or overlaps their own. A young dragon can become
hoard
a significant threat to a city or kingdom, either
through overt violence or subtle manipulation. 3 Establish a dynastic bloodline by producing young
4 Eliminate younger dragons who could become ri-
YOUNG DRAGON GOALS vals or threats if they are allowed to grow older
d6 Goal 5 Transform a large region into an environment suit-
Establish a lair and develop the land around it to able for the dragon's preferred sort of lair
maximize safety and good hunting 6 Develop dragonsight to pursue goals across multi-
2 Amass as much treasure as possible ple worlds
3 Acquire magical wards to help protect the lair
4 Sabotage the efforts of other young dragons to es-
tablish lairs in the local area
5 Earn the fear and respect of other creatures living
near the lair through displays of power
6 Secure the allegiance of loyal and powerful minions

36 CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY

•
.•
ANCIENT DRAGONS
Dragons are considered ancient once they reach
eight hundred years of life, and many live for centu-
ries more. Ancient dragons are among the mightiest
creatures in the multiverse, and like characters in
the fourth tier of play (levels 17 to 20), they are pow-
erful enough to alter the fate of the world and upset
the balance of power across the planes of existence.
An ancient dragon typically has several lairs, each
one suffused with powerful magic. The regional ef-
fects surrounding each of an ancient dragon's lairs
can combine to make that dragon's influence felt in
the natural world for hundreds of miles. In addition
to these magical effects, the dragon's ongoing pres-
ence can have a profound impact on the region's
ecosystems, populations, and politics.
Greatwyrms. The oldest ancient dragons some-
times transform into mythic creatures of godlike
power. These greatwyrms, described in chapter 6,
are nearly perfect avatars of draconic nature and
are so suffused with the magic of the Material Plane
that they are all but immortal. Many result from an-
cient dragons ritually combining multiple echoes of
themselves into a single corporeal form, as Ashard-
alon and Chronepsis are said to have done. Most
ANCIENT BLUE DRAGON
greatwyrms are at least twelve centuries old and
have hoards worth millions of gold pieces, but they
are otherwise similar to other ancient dragons in
their goals and perspectives.

ANCIENT DRAGON GOALS DRAGONS AND TERRITORY

As dragons age, their sense of territory expands, and
d6 Goal
many establish multiple lairs across the region they
Avoid decline by becoming Undead or seeking call home. The larger a dragon's territory is, the more
magical alternatives to aging likely it is to edge up against or overlap the territory
of another dragon. The territory of an adult or ancient
2 Transcend the limits of physical existence on a sin-
dragon often encompasses the territories of younger
gle world by uniting echoes across multiple worlds dragons, as long as the older dragon doesn't feel
or establishing a lair on another plane of existence threatened by the younger ones.
3 Acquire a particular artifact, perhaps to complete a Considering the regions of a campaign world, an
area about 50 miles across, such as a barony or a small
set (all three parts of the Regalia of Evil , the Eye of
forest, might include the territory of a single dragon
Vecna and Hand of Vecna, and so forth) who's young or older.
4 Collect a complete set of artistic treasures, such as An area about 300 miles across-a kingdom or a
large geographical region-can contain the territories
all the paintings of a great master, manuscripts for
of two to three dozen dragons, as long as most of
a famed author's entire body of writings, or every them are young. Only three or four adult or ancient
piece of jewelry made by a master artisan dragons are likely to occupy such a region. A single
5 Transform an entire world into an extreme envi - adult dragon might range over a region that includes
the territories of up to six or eight young dragons
ronment suitable as a lair-a volcanic hellscape, a
(which might include the adult's offspring), but adults
frozen wonderland, an arid wasteland, or the like typically share territory with other adults only as mates
6 Destroy one or more gods as an act of vengeance or as members of a special alliance or organization.
or to ascend to godhood A whole continent, about 3,000 miles across, might
include the territories of hundreds of young dragons
and dozens of adults, but rarely more than a handful of
ancient dragons.

,.. f

CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY 37

 REPRODUCTION dl0 Origin
5 Draconic Transformation. Enlightened non-dragons
(most often Humanoids) are transformed into
Pva9'nc; ave- /,Ice, /iZ-dvdc;. The-1 e-xic;te-d
dragon eggs when they die, when they experience
be-fove- hvmanoidc; and wi II e-xic;t lo~ profound enlightenment, or when they undergo a
ritual that might involve bathing in dragon blood
afre-v the-M, the-1 c.-an Manipvlate- ve-ali~~
or being devoured by a dragon . Humanoids and
fabvi0 and the-1 tvan<;u,nd natvval /awe;! dragons alike understand the transformation to be
Wait ... not like, /iZ-dvdc;. Ah! l---i/ce, majc.-. a transition into a higher state of existence.
6 Divine Origin. Only Bahamut and Tiamat can cre-
-frzfan
ate dragon eggs-each egg is the result of divine
intervention.
Dragon reproduction varies from world to world in 7 Spontaneous Formation. Dragon eggs arise nat-
the Material Plane and can vary further depending urally in certain regions, often in underground
on the family, kind, or individual nature of the drag- veins of metal ore or gems for metallic and gem
ons involved. Humanoids observing dragons have dragons, respectively, or in extreme environments
long assumed that their reproductive cycle resem-
(volcanoes, arctic wastes, deadly swamps, and so
bles that of mundane reptiles- that two dragons of
forth) for chromatic dragons. The eggs might hatch
different sexes mate and produce a clutch of eggs.
on their own, or they might have to be unearthed
Sometimes, on some worlds, this is true, but dragon
reproduction covers a wide range of other possibili- first by another creature, whether that's an adult or
ties. You can use the Origin of Dragon Eggs table to older dragon or a hapless miner.
choose a method of reproduction that holds true for 8 Parthenogenesis. An adult or older dragon can lay
all dragons on your world, to determine the origin of a clutch of eggs whenever the dragon feels ready
a specific clutch of eggs, or for anything in between. to rear a clutch of wyrmlings-or to impose that
responsibility on others.
ORIGIN OF DRAGON EGGS
9 Dragon Conclave. Five adult or older dragons of
dl0 Origin
different kinds come together to create a clutch
Spontaneous Reincarnation. When an adult or older of eggs, with each giving up a bit of life energy as
dragon dies , one or more eggs form in the dragon 's part of the process . This clutch of eggs hatches five
decomposing body. These eggs might grow like dragons of different kinds, depending on the drag-
fungus as the body rots away, they could appear ons making up the conclave.
among the ashes after the body is consumed by
10 Rejuvenation. An ancient dragon voluntarily enters
fire, or they might need to be mined out from a
a deep trance and eventually dies, leaving behind a
corpse that has turned to solid stone or metal.
single egg.
2 Seedlings of the First World. At the heart of the
world (underground , or in a remote area of pristine Once an egg comes into being, it must mature
wilderness) stands a tree on which dragon eggs before it is ready to hatch into a wyrmling. Typically,
grow like fruit . Once in a lifetime, each dragon feels
an egg thrives only in an environment appropriate
for a dragon of its kind- nestled in a pool of lava
an overwhelming urge to seek out this tree. After
for a red or gold dragon, in ice for a white or silver
finding it, the dragon must persuade its guardian
dragon, in rotting vegetation for a black or green
to relinquish one or more eggs .
dragon, in sun-heated sand for a brass or blue
3 Consuming Treasure. By eating a significant portion dragon, or in a storm-wracked sea cave or inhospi-
of their own hoards, dragons cause themselves to table moorland for a bronze or copper dragon. Gem
lay clutches of eggs. dragon eggs generally incubate encased in rock
4 Magical Crafting. Mirroring the creative acts of or in small caves. The incubation period for any
Bahamut and Tiamat, dragons craft their eggs egg might range from 6 months to several decades
through painstaking labor, then breathe the gift of
or longer.
life into them .

38 CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY

' , .
HALF- DRAGON S d6 Origin
Just as dragon reproduction is not necessarily a 3 True Love's Gift. Love occasionally blossoms be-
straightforward biological process, half-dragons
tween dragons and creatures of other kinds, and
come into being through a variety of means. The
this life bond can result in half-dragon children .
Half-Dragon Origin table below offers examples.
Most ha lf-dragons born of love are created as a
Dragons create half-dragon progeny for a wide
range of reasons. Some dragons create half-dragons magical gift.
to secure reliable minions. Others seed half-dragons 4 Blood Transformation. A creature that bathes in
around their lairs to make the area more dangerous or drinks the blood of a dragon can sometimes be
to interlopers. And on many occasions, half-dragons transformed into a half-dragon. A dragon might
simply appear spontaneously or are an acciden- voluntarily offer some blood to bring this about, or
tal consequence of a dragon's magical power and it could happen accidentally when a would-be drag-
influence. onslayer is splashed with dragon blood.
In some worlds, these same phenomena might
5 Cradle Favor. A dragon might bestow the gift of
explain the origins of dragonborn, kobolds, and per-
dracon ic power on a newborn baby or an unborn
haps the draconic gifts described in chapter 2.
child-as either a blessing or a curse.
HALF-DRAGON ORIGIN 6 Hoard Thieves. The hoard of an older dragon is
d6 Origin imbued with that dragon's power. Those who steal
Regional Effects. The magical influence of a drag- from such a hoard might transform into half-drag-
on's lair causes half-dragons to spontaneously ons as that power leaches into them .
arise among the area's other creatures.
2 Forbidden Fruit. A dragon can cause a particular
tree to produce magical fruit. When eaten by a
creature able to bear children, the fru it causes the
creature to bear a half-dragon .

CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY 39

 •

•
. ,
• •

•·
DEATH OF A DRAGON REGIONAL REVERSAL
As described in the Monster Manual and discussed
in more detail in chapter 4, a dragon's presence al-
Whe-n I g, I dve-am of pa<;<;i~ m~ <;pivit ters the region around the dragon's lair. When the
dragon dies, those effects typically end immediately
into that with whie-h I have- had the- or fade away over the course of several days. But a
mo<;t pvofovnd e-xpe-vie-nc..«. The- fvc;t traumatic death sometimes extends negative effects
throughout the region. These can include instanta-
thi~ that c..ome,<; to mind ic; a c.-avame-1 neous effects as well as lingering magic that persists
fve-ae,,/e, from the- rox~
Pvc..k. Tave-vn. Yvm! for ldlO days, as in the following examples:
-rizban Fouled Water. Water within 6 miles of the lair
changes color and is fouled for ldlO days.
Restless Sleep. Any creature that sleeps within 6
Dragons are intimately bound up with the fabric miles of the lair is troubled by nightmares for the
of magic that undergirds the Material Plane. As a next ldlO days.
result, the death of any dragon is an event of tre- Trembling Earth. An enormous tremor shakes the
mendous significance-and those who bring about a earth within 6 miles of the lair.
dragon's death are often changed forever. Wildlife Changes. Creatures previously attracted by
Some sages describe dragons as being akin to the dragon's presence undergo sharp behavioral
knots in the fabric of magic- concentrations of changes, perhaps attacking any creatures they see
power in material form. When a dragon dies, that or beginning a mass migration away from the lair.
knot is undone, sometimes resulting in a surge of Winds of Change. The weather within 6 miles of
magical energy. You can use the Dragon Death the lair changes dramatically.
Throes table to help you decide what happens when Withering Burst. Ordinary vegetation within 1 mile
a dragon dies. Characters who slay a dragon are of the dragon's lair blackens and shrivels.
often on their last legs when the dragon finally suc-
cumbs, so if an effect is likely to kill a character, roll PASSING THE MANTLE
again or choose a less dangerous result. When a dragon dies, the power enfleshed in the
dragon doesn't just disappear from the world. Over
DRAGON DEATH THROES time, it disperses, but in the moments immediately
d6 Effect
surrounding the dragon's death, it can be passed on
to others-or claimed. Sometimes (as discussed in
The dragon immediately uses one of its lair ac-
"Reproduction" above) a dragon's death gives rise
tions, centering the effect on itself. For example, to an egg, transferring the dragon's power directly
a fallen black dragon and any characters around it to a new generation. In other cases, a dragon at the
might be pulled into a nearby pool of water, and brink of death invests power into another creature-
a copper dragon's body might be swallowed sud- usually a dragon, but sometimes a sovereign, a sage,
denly in mud. or an adventurer. Moreover, those who slay a dragon
2 The dragon uses its breath weapon one last time. could seize the dragon's power.
The benefit conferred by this transfer of power is
3 The dragon's body transforms into stone, metal,
up to you. It might include one of the draconic gifts
lava, ice, or mist. Or the body dissipates, leaving
described in chapter 2 of this book, or a charm or
behind only a transformed heart or other organ.
blessing from the Dungeon Master's Guide. You can
4 Roll on the Wild Magic Surge table in the "Sor- also use the supernatural gifts in Mythic Odysseys
cerer" section of the Player's Handbook, re rolling ofTheros or the Dark Gifts in Van Richten's Guide
any inappropriate result. to Ravenloft as benefits (with definite drawbacks, in
S A surge of life energy erupts from the dragon, the case of Dark Gifts).
causing each creature within 120 feet of the body to Investiture. A dying dragon might willingly pass
gain the benefit of finishing a long rest. on power in different ways. The most common
6 The body is drawn through a portal to the lair of
one of the dragon's echoes on another world, in-
creasing that echo's power.

40 CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY

process is for the recipient to inhale the dragon's UNDEATH
dying breath-which often involves being subjected
to at least a diminished form of the dragon's breath
weapon. A gem dragon might psionically implant I've- ne-ve-v Me-t a c..-ve-afvve- I cJicJn't love-.
a gemstone in the recipient's body that carries the
dragon's power. A dragon might instead lay a claw Bvt I have- Me-ta few I cJicJn't want
on the recipient or bequeath a piece of treasure as alive-.
an embodiment of the transferred power.
Body and Blood. When a dragon dies a violent
-fizban
death, the dragon's power might linger in the corpse
for a short time. Drinking or bathing in the dragon's
Despite their incredible life spans, some dragons
blood; sleeping entombed in the carcass; or consum-
pursue undeath to extend their existences. Others
ing the dragon's heart, brain, eyes, breath-producing
stumble into undeath unwillingly or unwittingly.
organ, or muscle can be an effective way of claiming
Either way, an Undead dragon is a force to be
the fallen creature's magical might. Using a drag-
reckoned with.
on's corpse this way might be a trial in itself, as the
Dracoliches are created by cultists or necroman-
lingering energies in the body can cause serious
cers who either persuade or trick a dragon into un-
injury even after the dragon's death.
dergoing a foul ritual. In the world of the Forgotten
Automatic Transfer. It's also possible for a drag-
Realms, this ritual originated with the Cult of the
on's power to transfer immediately and automati-
Dragon, whose teachings (based on a mistranslated
cally to creatures that participate in the dragon's
fragment of ancient prophecy) maintain that "dead
death or that are present when the dragon dies. A
dragons will rule the world entire." The cult thus
burst of power might emanate from the dragon at
creates dracoliches as a step toward achieving that
the moment of death, affecting each creature within
particular vision of a future paradise. Similar rites
300 feet of the body. Or a fragment of power might
exist on other worlds, whether spread by cultists
enter every creature that has dealt damage to the
from Faen'.in, invented independently, or discovered
dragon over the course of the dragon's life.
by dragons who have dracolich echoes on Faerun.
 Chapter 6 details three additional kinds of dra- ECHOES ACROSS THE WORLDS
conic Undead. A hollow dragons comes into being
when a metallic dragon gives up mortal life so a
fragment of life essence can linger as an eternal It ta~ no addi-tional wov/c to be, infnifo.
guardian of a precious treasure or knowledge. Dra-
conic shards are lingering psychic projections of ~ a <;pide-ir <;~ thirovj, all it<; e,~e,<;1
psionic gem dragons. And dragons can also linger dira~n<; <;imp/~ ave-, onc.-e, and man~ -time,<;.
after death as ghost dragons.
Whatever form an Undead dragon takes, the -rizban
creature's transformation ripples throughout the
Material Plane. Every dragon has echoes on other
Dragons' unique connection to the magic of the Ma-
worlds, and when one dragon violates the natural
terial Plane and the history of the First World gives
cycle of life and death, that dragon's echoes are of-
them a mysterious link to other dragons across
ten affected- particularly in the case of dracoliches.
the myriad worlds of the Material Plane. In theory,
A dracolich's echoes suffer a wasting affliction that
every chromatic, metallic, and gem dragon that has
spreads out from the dracolich like a contagion. Af-
ever lived has had a unique echo on every world of
flicted dragons grow increasingly violent and cruel,
the Material Plane. Some of those echoes are very
and the physical deterioration they experience from
similar to each other, but others are more radically
aging accelerates. This wasting can even drive an
different.
affected dragon to seek out undeath.
You can use the Dragon Echo Characteristics
The Undead Dragon Adventure Hooks table trans-
table to help you decide what aspects of a dragon's
lates some of these ideas into inspiration for adven-
echo are similar to the dragon you know and which
tures revolving around Undead dragons.
are different. You can then use the other tables in
UNDEAD DRAGON ADVENTURE HOOKS
this chapter (including the Dragon Appearance,
Dragon Mannerisms, Dragon Bonds, and Dragon
d6 Adventure Hook
Flaws and Secrets tables), as well as the tables of
A dragon seeks help, desperate to prevent a personality traits and ideals in chapter 5, to help you
dracolich-worshiping cult from convincing the elaborate the differences between one dragon and
dragon's sibling, mate, or rival to become a dracol- the dragon's echo.
ich.
DRAGON ECHO CHARACTERISTICS
2 A dragon suffering from a wasting affliction asks
the characters to travel to another world, where d8 Echo Characteristics
they must destroy an echo of that dragon who has Same dragon kind and age, differing only in phys i-
become a dracolich . cal appearance
3 A pirate crew under the command of a ghost 2 Same dragon kind and age, differing only in a pecu -
dragon fights to recover the dead dragon's scat- liar mannerism
tered hoard. 3 Same dragon kind and age, but significantly differ-
4 A hollow dragon guards an artifact meant to be ent in personality, ideals, or alignment
used in the dire circumstances foretold in an an- 4 Same dragon kind and generally alike, but older or
cient prophecy. Now the prophecy is coming to younger by one category
pass, but the dragon won't let the artifact be used 5 Same age, different kind within the same family
for its intended purpose. (chromatic, gem, or metallic), and similar in ap-
5 A gem dragon from another world is searching for pearance and personality
the dragon's echo, which has become a draconic 6 Same age, different kind in a different family (with
shard. a similar breath weapon or habitat), with similar ap-
6 A dracolich keeps returning after being destroyed. pearance but very different ideals or alignment
The dracolich's connection to its echoes on other 7 Radically different in almost every way imaginable
worlds is keeping its soul intact, like a phylactery, but still bound by fate across the worlds
and the connection must be severed before the 8 Roll again, and in addition the echo is Undead (a
creature's threat can be ended. dracolich, hollow dragon, ghost dragon, or dra-
conic shard) or a shadow dragon .

42 CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY

GODS AND RELIGION enlightened dragons include Aasterinian (a brass
dragon who serves as a messenger for Bahamut
and is sometimes identified as a god of invention),
Mo~t cll-'d5-°n~ ,m:,n't what ~ovcl e,,a/1 piov~. Chronepsis (a black dragon who now resides in the
Outlands, sometimes imagined as a god of fate),
To v-e:-all~ Ur1Dl'de,,e, v-e:-liion, one- mv~t and Tamara (a silver dragon of transcendent benefi-
be:-liole:- one- ne:,e:,d~ he-Ip. cence, described as a god of life). A number of such
dragons of legend are discussed in more detail in
-Pizban sidebars in chapters 5 and 6.
Dragons are not religious by nature. They can
grow to become some of the most formidable
Bahamut and Tiamat, the primordial dragons and
creatures in the multiverse without relying on any
the purported creators of the First World, are the
external power, and they learn self-sufficiency and
closest things to gods among dragonkind. Since
self-interest from the moment of their hatching.
they share the same fundamental connection to
They do not appeal to divine powers for aid, nor do
the Material Plane as their dragon offspring, Ba-
they beseech them for mercy. That said, some drag-
hamut and Tiamat are ontologically distinct from
ons could be described as spiritual. A dragon might
the gods that hail from the Outer Planes. But for
cultivate an awareness of the interconnectedness
practical purposes, they are divine-worshiped by
of all that exists and strive to nurture the health of
mortal creatures, able to grant cleric spells to their
the whole or to exploit that connection. But even the
followers, and both ageless and immortal. Since the
most spiritual dragons have a keen sense of their
destruction of the First World, both primordial drag-
own importance.
ons now dwell in the Outer Planes-Bahamut on
Mount Celestia and Tiamat in the Nine Hells.
On many worlds, Humanoids worship Bahamut
and Tiamat as gods. On Krynn, they are the great-
est among the gods, though they are known there
as Paladine and Takhisis and are not always
pictured as dragons. In the Dawn War pantheon
described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, Ba-
hamut is revered as a god of justice and nobil-
ity, favored by paladins, while Tiamat is known
as a god of greed, wealth, and vengeance.
Dragons view the primordial dragons differ-
ently. To metallic dragons, Bahamut is more
like a king than a god. Individual dragons
might owe Bahamut allegiance, respect him,
pay tribute to him, and strive to emulate him.
Similarly, chromatic dragons might fear,
respect, envy, and appease Tiamat as a sover-
eign. But none of those attitudes and behav-
iors bear any resemblance in a dragon's mind
to the worship that mortals offer to their gods.
A few other dragons also command rev-
erence from their kin. These are often
greatwyrms who have undergone a sort of
apotheosis, joining multiple echoes of them-
selves into a single powerful form. A few are
ancient dragons who have cultivated their
dragonsight to such a degree that they can
coordinate the actions of their echoes across
the Material Plane, influencing events on
multiple worlds at once. Humanoids might
consider these dragons gods, but as with Ba-
hamut and Tiamat, dragons respect these fig-
ures for their wisdom, their might, their magic,
and their wealth; they don't worship them. Such
 SHAPE-SHIFTING elderly sage or wizard, other times as a young fisher
or monk. In any of these forms, he is often accom-
panied by seven gold dragons in the form of brilliant
The- -lime- a dva~n ~pe-nd~ in a hvmanoid yellow songbirds.
Famously, Bahamut traveled the world of Krynn in
fovm i~ not dive,e,,,t/~ ve-late-d to ovv opinion the guise of a human wizard named Fizban, guiding
of ~aid fovm. In fac.,f; dva~n~ g,ne-va/1~ the peoples of that world as they prepared for war
against the evil forces of Tiamat. In the same way,
di~ay-e,e, wi+h Mom/~ abovt vi~val ta~te-. some metallic dragons use their Humanoid forms to
Mo~t of ~ov ave, e-xtve-me-1~ mi~ide-d. influence people. Since they can remain in Human-
oid form indefinitely, metallic dragons often create
l--ook,~ ja~~~ have- not he-lpe-d. false identities and mundane lives for themselves.
-fizban Thanks to their keen intellects and strong person-
alities, shape-shifted dragons can easily end up in
positions of leadership-either overtly as mayors,
Most metallic and gem dragons can change shape to
high priests, the heads of knightly orders, or crime
take on a Humanoid or Beast form by the time they
bosses or behind the scenes as advisors, activists,
reach adulthood or ancient age. A few other Dragon
or the spouses of rulers.
varieties possess similar abilities (including deep
Of course, years of careful scheming can be
dragons, described in chapter 6), and you can give
quickly unraveled if a shape-shifted dragon's true
any dragon the Change Shape action of an adult or
nature is discovered. As a result, such dragons are
ancient dragon without affecting the dragon's chal-
careful to avoid being seen in their true forms. They
lenge rating (as noted under "Customizing Dragons"
show great caution in dealing with adventurers or
earlier in this chapter). Likewise, if you use the
anyone else who might have the magical ability
Monster Manual variant rule to make dragons innate
to expose their nature. And dragons who need to
spellcasters, you could give any adult or older dragon
revert to their true form are careful to do so out of
the polymorph spell to take on an alternate form.
sight-or to leave no surviving witnesses.
Dragons typically use their shape-shifting ability
Some metallic dragons believe that if they remain
to move about in the world without drawing atten-
in a shape-shifted form for too long, they'll lose the
tion to themselves. Dragons like to know as much
ability to revert to their true form. This is probably
as they can about the lands around their lairs and
just superstition, but many dragons claim to know of
the inhabitants of those lands, and posing as a more
others of their kind condemned to spend the rest of
innocuous creature is an easy way to gather such
a very long life trapped in Humanoid or Beast form.
information. Many metallic dragons also believe
Because of this belief, dragons who spend prolonged
they are following the example of Bahamut, who is
periods in the guise of other creatures often find pe-
known to wander the worlds of the Material Plane
riodic excuses to venture into the wilderness, letting
in Humanoid guise, appearing sometimes as an
them stretch their wings away from prying eyes.
DRAGONS OF SONG AND STEEL DRAGON ORGANIZATIONS
The propensity of some metallic dragons to spend
long periods of time in Humanoid form has led to nu-
merous bits of folklore, including tales in which these The- on/~ +hi~ be--tte-v +han g,tti~ a
shape-shifters are sometimes erroneously identified as
unique varieties of metallic dragons. dva~n involve-ct ... i~ g,tti~ f ve- dva~n~
In the world of the Forgotten Realms, stories speak
of "weredragons" or "song dragons," which are vari- involve-di
ously described as "beautiful humans transformed into
dragons" or as a distinct variety of metallic dragon.
The world of Greyhawk has legends of similar drag-
ons, called either Greyhawk dragons or steel dragons, Most dragons are solitary, living alone or keeping
which are said to favor life among Humanoids in the company with only a single dragon companion or
hustle and bustle of great cities. a tight family group. Occasionally, though, dragons
The creatures featured in these legends are almost form associations with other dragons in pursuit of
certainly copper, silver, or other metallic dragons who a common purpose. These associations are more
simply favored that particular form. Some dragons
common among lawful dragons and center around
even seem to prefer Humanoid form to their own and
delight in surrounding themselves with companions goals broader than a single dragon's territory or con-
who can answer their endless questions about Human- cerns. This section discusses several organizations
oid art, culture, history, and politics. whose plots can unfold across small regions, whole
worlds, or even multiple worlds.

44 CHAPTER 3 I DRAGO N S IN PLAY

CULT OF THE DRAGON entire ..." Guided by this new vision, Severin has
Founded in Faen1n, the Cult of the Dragon was worked tirelessly to bring about the ascendance to
based on a mistranslated prophecy that "dead power of living dragons, even attempting to bring an
dragons shall rule the world entire." For most of its avatar of Tiamat into the world to wreak havoc (and
history, the cult has focused on creating dracoliches nearly succeeding).
to fulfill this prophecy. Its members have been re- Dissent in the Ranks. Since the failure of Sev-
sponsible for creating more dracoliches than any erin's effort to bring Tiamat into the world, the Cult
other force on the Material Plane. And thanks to of the Dragon has been sharply divided. Some of
the corruption that spreads between worlds when- its members pursue Severin's new vision for the
ever a dragon embraces undeath (see "Undeath" cult, keeping their focus on his reinterpretation of
earlier in this chapter), the cult's influence has been the prophecy. Others still support the prophecy's
tremendous. old interpretation, continuing their efforts to create
In recent years, Tiamat has worked through a dracoliches.
young member of the Cult of the Dragon to alter Adventure Hooks. The Tyranny of Dragons ad-
the cult's foundational beliefs. The Dragon Queen venture details the cult's efforts to bring Tiamat's
steered this prophet, named Severin, to the correct avatar into the world. Beyond that plot, the Cult of
translation of the cult's foundational prophecy: the Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers sugges-
"... naught will be left save shattered thrones, with tions for how adventurers might encounter this sin-
no rulers but the dead. Dragons shall rule the world ister cult.
 (ULT OF THE DRAGON ADVENTURE HOOKS As described in Eberron: Rising from the Last
d6 Adventure Hook War, the dragons of the Chamber primarily act as
observers, gathering information about new aspects
A group of cultists has stolen a dragon egg, with
of the Prophecy. They are also charged with stop-
the dual goal of hatching a minion for themselves
ping any creatures attempting to use the Prophecy
and gaining leverage over the dragon who was car- for their own ends, including agents of the ancient
ing for the egg. But the dragon wants the egg back. Fiends known as the Lords of Dust. That said, some
2 A group of cultists is trying to access a magic por- members of the Chamber try to take the fulfillment
tal linking the Material Plane to Tiamat's domain, of the Prophecy into their own talons, directing the
hoping to break the seal that has kept the portal future toward outcomes they desire.
closed for centuries. Marks ofProphecy. The dragons of the Chamber
3 A dragon whose echo on another world has be-
recognize the dragonmarks that appear on the skin
of certain Humanoids on Eberron as manifestations
come a dracolich suffers from a wasting affliction
of the Prophecy. These marks reveal nuances of the
(see "Undeath" above). Members of the Cult of the
Prophecy to those who can understand them and
Dragon are trying to pers uad e th e afflicted dragon
lend symbolic weight to the actions of those who
to become a dracolich as well. bear them- for example, a person with the Mark of
4 A dragon a nd a dracolich, representing the o ppos- Storm might fulfill the role of "a mighty storm" in
ing factions of the Cult of th e Dragon, war aga inst the Prophecy. For this reason, agents of the Cham-
each other. Their battle is devastating the re gion ber are interested in the activities of dragonmarked
between their lairs and endangers countless in no- families and heirs.
cents. Prophetic Dragonsight. Most agents of the
Chamber assume the Draconic Prophecy is con-
5 A group of cultists searches for all the Orbs of Drag•
cerned only with the unfolding of possible futures
onkind, planning to use them to bend dragons to
on Eberron. A few of the organization's most ancient
th e ir will.
members, though, have developed their dragonsight
6 A fringe group of cultists decides to focus o n the enough to explore the ramifications of the Prophecy
"shattered thrones" part of the ancient prop hecy across other worlds of the Material Plane. Drag-
and attempts to assassinate rulers and destroy ons on multiple worlds might thus act as agents of
their seats of power. the Chamber, manipulating history on their own
worlds to see whether that affects the unfolding of
THE CHAM BER the Prophecy on Eberron. These elders reason that
A cabal of dragons called the Chamber keeps tabs if dragons can connect their echoes across worlds,
on events unfolding across the world of Eberron, then all worlds must exist in a sort of entanglement
monitoring and manipulating the fulfillment of the of causality. This makes the map of possible futures
ancient Draconic Prophecy. Most other creatures infinitely more complex and tantalizing-and subject
are merely pawns in the dragons' centuries-long to careful manipulation.
schemes, their needs and lives relevant only insofar Adventure Hooks. Eberron: Rising from the
as they intersect with the Prophecy. Last War contains abundant ideas for adventures
The Draconic Prophecy is not a single collection related to the Chamber's activities on Eberron. The
of oracular sayings, nor is it any kind of organized Chamber Adventure Hooks table here suggests
prediction of future events. Rather, the Prophecy is additional ways characters on other worlds might
a map of possible futures-an outline of the com- become entangled in the schemes and experiments
plex relationships of cause and effect. Dragons of of the Chamber, by way of agents whose awareness
the Chamber study it not to know what the future extends beyond Eberron.
holds, but so they can comprehend the possible con-
sequences of any action they or others might take-
consequences that might unfold over the course of
centuries. From the perspective of the dragons of
the Chamber, the tumultuous events of national his-
tories are but tiny waves in a vast ocean, but those
waves are often warnings of the mightier forces of
the tides.

CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY

•
I
CHAMBER ADVENTURE HOOKS Diverse Dragons. The hidecarved dragons of a
d6 Adventure Hook
lauth share a goal but often have little else in com-
mon. By design, each member of a lauth is usually
An agent of the Chamber has plundered the re-
a different kind of dragon, bringing particular abil-
search of an eccentric sage whose work is widely
ities and perspective to bear on the group's goal.
considered nonsense, suggesting that something Likewise, a lauth's dragons cover a range of ages,
important is hidden in the sage's notes . ensuring that the lauth's traditions outlive its old-
2 A dragon of the Chamber is convinced that drag- est members.
onmarked Humanoids on Eberron have echoes on Engraved Wards. The arcane markings carved
other worlds of the Material Plane, and seeks ways into hidecarved dragons' scales are magical protec-
to identify them. tions, intended to make the dragons more resilient
against the threats they might face in carrying out
3 A dragon of the Chamber draws the characters
the lauth's purpose. The longer dragons stay with a
from one Material Plane world to another, trying to
lauth, the more wards they receive. Most hidecarved
glean information about the Prophecy by examin -
dragons have one of these wards plus an additional
ing the relationship between the two worlds . ward for each age category above wyrmling. You
4 A member of the Chamber seeks to hire the charac- can roll for these effects on the Hidecarved Wards
ters to explore a dungeon that was recently discov- table or choose effects as you wish.
ered behind a sigil-inscribed stone seal.
HIDECARVED WARDS
5 A member of the Chamber believes that one of the
characters could serve as "the Child of Winter" (or d6 Ward Effect

some similar title) mentioned in the Prophecy and Immutability. The dragon is immune to any spell or
tries to manipulate the character into bringing the effect that would alter its form .
terms of the Prophecy to pass . 2 Inscrutability. The dragon is immune to any effect
6 A Fiend tries to trick the characters into slaying a that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts .
dragon belonging to the Chamber. Wisdom (Insight) checks made to ascertain its in-
tentions or sincerity have disadvantage .
HIDECARVED DRAGONS 3 Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on
On worlds across the Material Plane, dragons saving throws against spells and other magical
gather in small communities of three to five called
lauths. These dragons share a common territory
effects. ..
and hoard, live under a strict code of discipline, and 4 Damage Resistance. The dragon has resistance to

devote themselves to a common goal. Their most bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from
notable feature, though, is their practice of carving nonmagical attacks . •
arcane sigils of protection into their scales. 5 Additional Resistance. The drago n has resistance
Common Purpose. Dragons most often form a to one type of damage. Roll a d8 , rerolling if you
lauth when they identify a shared goal whose com- get a damage type the dragon is already resistant
pletion requires the sustained effort of a diverse or immune to: l, acid ; 2, cold; 3, fire; 4, lightning; 5,
group of dragons. The Lauth Goals table offers a necrotic: 6, psychic; 7, radiant; 8, thunder.
few examples.
6 Death Ward. The dragon can cast the death ward
LAUTH GOALS spell on itself and regains the ability to do so after
a long rest.
d6 Goal
Support the establishment of a powerful empire to Mystic Markings. The sigils engraved in the
maintain order in the lauth's territory scales of a hidecarved dragon echo across the Ma-
2 Bring about the downfall of a powerful empire terial Plane similarly to how a dragon becoming
Undead does. When a dragon joins a lauth, the
3 End the influence of Aberrations originating in the
dragon's echoes on other worlds gain a measure of
Underdark
the magical protection from the dragon's engraved
4 Seek out and destroy hundreds of cursed magic markings. Some of those echoes accept this inex-
items created by an ancient lich plicable boon without questioning it. Others investi-
5 Destroy an archdevil, a demon prince, a powerful gate the mystery and might end up awakening their
Celestial, or an archfey whose extraplanar influence dragonsight and discovering the nature of the lauths
is altering the lauth's territory affecting them- perhaps eventually founding their
,.
own lauths with other dragons in a similar situation.
6 Bring about (or prevent) the fulfillment of a proph-
ecy uttered by an ancient dragon centuries ago

CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY 47

...
 111DEC.ARVED DRAGONS ADORN THEIR
SC.ALES WITH MVSTIC. WORDS . INHERITORS OF THE FIRST WORLD
"Breathe, dragons: you are inheritors, / ruling the
wreck of the First World's destruction." To some
dragons, this closing couplet of "Elegy for the First
World" is not merely an exhortation to dominate the
Material Plane, but a call to recreate the original
world of the dragon gods. The draconic members
of an apocalyptic sect called the Inheritors of the
First World believe the cataclysm that destroyed the
original creation and brought the myriad worlds of
the Material Plane into being can be undone. In fact,
they teach that the Material Plane's worlds must be
destroyed and recombined so the creation can be
brought to its final, glorious purpose.
The goal of the Inheritors of the First World might
seem unattainable; at the very least, achieving it
would almost certainly require the intervention of
both Bahamut and Tiamat. But they would be op-
posed by the countless gods who are deeply invested
in the Material Plane as it is, and the two primordial
dragons have not coordinated their efforts toward a
common purpose since before the destruction of the
First World. Still, the Inheritors of the First World
are extremely knowledgeable about the multiple
worlds of the Material Plane, the connections be-
tween them, and means of traveling from one world
to another.
Awakening Dragonsight. The work of the Inher-
itors of the First World consists largely of devel-
oping dragonsight, which is latent in all dragons.
Leaders within the group have perfected multiple
techniques-from alchemical brews to elaborate
Adventure Hooks. The Hidecarved Dragons Ad- rites-to help spark the first flickering awareness of
venture Hooks table offers suggestions for how this a dragon's echoes on other worlds. They freely per-
order of dragons might get caught up in the affairs form these techniques on any dragons who yearn for
of adventurers. this birthright, believing that empowering dragon-
sight even in dragons with no intention of joining the
HIDECARVED DRAGONS ADVENTURE HOOKS
order ultimately helps advance their cause. A dragon
d6 Adventure Hook who decides to be initiated into the sect develops
A hidecarved dragon hires the characters to under- a basic awareness of multiple echoes and begins
take a quest in pursuit of the lauth's goal. to communicate directly with them in a process
2 A lauth becomes convinced that their goal de- akin to lucid dreaming by the time they undergo
mands the destruction of the characters.
initiation.
Any dragons with well-developed dragonsight, but
3 A lauth unexpectedly aids the characters' quest, especially members of the Inheritors of the First
which aligns with the hidecarved dragons' goal. World, can have the following trait, representing
4 A lauth opposes the characters' quest, which is at the ability to call on the knowledge of their echoes
odds with the hidecarved dragons' goal. across the Material Plane:
5 Following reports of a dangerous dragon in the re- Dragonsight Re11elation. The dragon can add half its proficiency
gion, the characters discover the dragon is part of a bonus, rounded down , to any ability check it makes that uses a
lauth whose goal is worth aiding. skill with which it lacks proficiency.
6 A dragon asks the characters to help figure out why Reverence for Sardior. A central tenet of the In-
mysterious arcane markings have suddenly ap- heritors of the First World is that a reborn Sardior
peared on the dragon's scales. Solving this puzzle will ultimately inspire Bahamut and Tiamat to join
might mean journeying to another world or finding forces once again and return to the task of creation.
Many members of the sect are gem dragons, who
a way to help awaken the dragon's dragonsight.

48 CHAPTER 3 I DRAGONS IN PLAY