Fantastic Friday: True Dragons in D&D (D&D5E)

In 3rd edition D&D, the designers introduced "Dragon" as a type of creature, which is a design element that has endured through to the current edition. This is a key idea -- that being Draconic is as fundamental to a creature's make-up as being constructed (Construct), born (Humanoid, Beast, some Monstrosities), or being made of the stuff of a highly-magical alternate plane (Elemental, Celestial, Fiend, Fey). 

However, there's a further distinction. Creatures such as wyverns and lindworms have the Dragon type, but the game recognizes that they aren't as iconic as "actual" dragons such as Smaug or Fafnir; these latter are referred to as "True Dragons." As befits a game with the word "Dragon" in the name, D&D has had a huge number of True Dragons over the editions. As D&D players are big fans of dragons, these dragons have frequently been updated to later editions, but there are always at least a few new dragons for each edition.

"True Dragons" are distinguishable because they have "Age Categories." In AD&D 1E and 2E, there were 8 categories ("Very Young" through "Ancient"), which indicated how many hit points the dragon had per 8-sided hit die. In 3rd edition, the concept was retained, but there were now 12 categories ranging from "Wyrmling" through "Great Wyrm," and the category dictated everything from number of hit dice to characteristics, from the size and power of the dragon's breath weapon to the number of magical powers they developed. In the most recent edition, True Dragons are give four stat blocks, for Wyrmling, Young, Adult, and Ancient age categories.

Most of the time, True Dragons can be divided into groups, usually under some unifying theme; for example, the original edition had the evil-aligned Chromatic Dragons and the good-aligned Metallic Dragons. I thought it would be useful to make a list of the True Dragons to keep track of updated 5E versions as fans and official products convert them.

Please note, links to DriveThruRPG and DM'sGuild are affiliate links.

Chromatic Dragons: the original "evil" dragons

Metallic Dragons: the original "good" dragons

Gem Dragons: psionic dragons made to have another set of non-good dragons, group introduced in Dragon #037, "That’s Not In The Monster Manual!" by Arthur Collins

Lung ("Oriental") Dragons: Asian dragons, group introduced in Dragon #024, "Chinese Dragons" by David Sweet
  • Chiang Lung (River Dragon): originally introduced in (1E) Oriental Adventures (1985); not officially updated, unofficial update in Lung Dragons (2021)
  • Li Lung (Earth Dragon): originally introduced in (0E) Dragon #024 (April 1979); not officially updated, unofficial update in Lung Dragons (2021)
  • Lung Wang (Sea Dragon): originally introduced in (0E) Dragon #024 (April 1979); not officially updated, unofficial update in Lung Dragons (2021)
  • Pan Lung (Coiled Dragon): originally introduced in (0E) Dragon #024 (April 1979); not officially updated, unofficial update in Lung Dragons (2021)
  • Shen Lung (Spirit Dragon): originally introduced in (0E) Dragon #024 (April 1979); not officially updated, unofficial update in Lung Dragons (2021)
  • T'ien Lung (Celestial Dragon): originally introduced in (0E) Dragon #024 (April 1979); not officially updated, unofficial update in Lung Dragons (2021)
  • Tun Mi Lung (Typhoon Dragon): originally introduced in (1E) Oriental Adventures (1985); not officially updated, unofficial update in Lung Dragons (2021) -- note that this is a different dragon from the Typhoon Dragon from the Catastrophic Dragons
  • Yu Lung (Carp Dragon): originally introduced in (0E) Dragon #024 (April 1979); not officially updated, unofficial update in Lung Dragons (2021)

Mystaran Dragons: dragons from Mystara

  • Crimson Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Savage Coast Appendix (1996); not officially updated
  • Crystalline Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Mystara Appendix (1994); not officially updated
  • Jade Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Mystara Appendix (1994); not officially updated
  • Onyx Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Mystara Appendix (1994); not officially updated
  • Red Hawk Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Savage Coast Appendix (1996); not officially updated
  • Ruby Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Mystara Appendix (1994); not officially updated
  • Diamond, the Star Dragon, Ruler of Lawful Dragons: originally introduced in (BECMI) Master Rules Set (1985); not officially updated
  • Opal, the Sun Dragon, Ruler of Neutral Dragons: originally introduced in (BECMI) Master Rules Set (1985); not officially updated
  • Pearl, the Moon Dragon, Ruler of Chaotic Dragons: originally introduced in (BECMI) Master Rules Set (1985); not officially updated
  • The Great Dragon, Ruler of Dragonkind: originally introduced in (BECMI) Master Rules Set (1985); not officially updated

Ferrous Dragons: dragons made to have more non-good "metallic" dragons, group introduced in Dragon #170, "The Dragon's Bestiary" by Jason M. Walker

Dragonlance Dragons: dragons from Krynn, group introduced in MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix

Spelljammer Dragons: space dragons

Epic Dragons: dragons designed to challenge characters of the highest tier, group introduced in the Epic Level Handbook

  • Force Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Epic Level Handbook (2001); not officially updated
  • Prismatic Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Epic Level Handbook (2001); not officially updated
  • Time Dragon: originally introduced in (3.5E) Dragon #359 (September 2007); not officially updated

Wrack Dragons: dragons native to the Scarred Lands setting, produced by Sword & Sorcery Studios, group introduced in (3.0E) Creature Collection (2000)

Planar Dragons: dragons native to other planes, group introduced in (2E) Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons (1990)

Arcane Dragons: dragons that focus on spellcasting rather than physical power, group introduced in Dragon #343, "Creature Catalog V" by Jake Manley
  • Hex Dragon: originally introduced in (3.5E) Dragon #343 (May 2006); not officially updated, updated as a template in The Book of Dragons: Volume II (2019)
  • Tome Dragon: originally introduced in (3.5E) Dragon #343 (May 2006); not officially updated, updated as a template in The Book of Dragons: Volume II (2019)

Catastrophic Dragon: part-elemental dragons, group introduced in Monster Manual 3 (2010), by Mike Mearls, Greg Bilsland, and Robert J. Schwalb

Primal Dragons: powerful dragons that come from the Elemental Planes and the Plane of Shadow, originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 2 (2010)

  • Brine Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 2 (2010)
  • Cloud Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 2 (2010)
  • Crystal Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 2 (2010)
  • Magma Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 2 (2010)
  • Umbral Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 2 (2010)

Esoteric Dragons: dragons that inhabit the Esoteric Planes, from (PF1E) Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 (2015)

  • Astral Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 (2015)
  • Etheric Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 (2015)
  • Dream Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 (2015)
  • Nightmare Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 (2015)
  • Occult Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 (2015)

Imperial Dragons: dragons that are guardians of ancient lands and servants of cosmic balance, originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)

  • Forest Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Sea Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Sky Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Sovereign Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Underworld Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)

Linnorms: primeval dragons from the far North, originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)

  • Cairn Linnorm: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Crag Linnorm: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Fjord Linnorm: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Gare Linnorm: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Adventure Path #50: Night of Frozen Shadows (2011)
  • Ice Linnorm: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Sea Linnorm: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Adventure Path #126: Beyond the Veiled Past (2018)
  • Taiga Linnorm: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Tarn Linnorm: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Tor Linnorm: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Fafnheir, Father of All Linnorms: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Lands of the Linnorm Kings (2011)

Planar Dragons: dragons that originate in the Outer Planes but migrate via portals or other methods to the Material Plane, originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)

  • Apocalypse Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Adventure Path #137: The City Outside of Time (2018)
  • Bliss Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Adventure Path #137: The City Outside of Time (2018)
  • Crypt Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Edict Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Adventure Path #131: The Reaper’s Right Hand (2018)
  • Havoc Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Infernal Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Paradise Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)
  • Rift Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (2011)

Outer Dragons: dragons that are native to the vast reaches of space, originally introduced (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 4 (2013)

  • Lunar Dragon: originally introduced (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 4 (2013)
  • Solar Dragon: originally introduced (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 4 (2013)
  • Time Dragon: originally introduced (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 4 (2013)
  • Void Dragon: originally introduced (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 4 (2013)
  • Vortex Dragon: originally introduced (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 4 (2013)

Esoteric Dragons: dragons that inhabit the Esoteric Planes, from (PF1E) Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 (2015)

  • Astral Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 5 (2015)
  • Etheric Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 5 (2015)
  • Dream Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 5 (2015)
  • Nightmare Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 5 (2015)
  • Occult Dragon: originally introduced in (PF1E) Pathfinder Bestiary 5 (2015)

Cosmic Dragons: dragons of cosmic power who act as agents of Balance, introduced by Tony Casper in the (5E) Cosmic Dragon Breviary (2020)

Renegade Dragons: some dragons don't fit in a category

  • Aquatic Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #134 (June 1988); not officially updated -- note that this is different from the Aquatic Dragon from the Dragonlance Dragons
  • Beljuril Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Dragon #265 (November 1999); not officially updated
  • Bile Wyrm: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Brainstealer Dragon: originally introduced in (3.5E) Dragon #337 (November 2005); not officially updated
  • Brine Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Annual: Volume 2 (1994); not officially updated
  • Cavern Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Cerilian Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Annual: Volume 3 (1995); not officially updated 
  • Chthonian Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Cloud Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Monster Manual II (1983); not officially updated
  • Deep Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (1991); not officially updated
  • Diamondback Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Dire Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Dzalmaus Dragon: originally introduced in (3.5E) Dragon #349 (November 2006); not officially updated
  • Entropic Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Fang Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #134 (June 1988); not officially updated
  • Faerie Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #062 (June 1982); updated in (5E) Monster Manual (2014)
  • Greyhawk Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Greyhawk Adventures (1988); not officially updated
  • Hollow Dragon: originally introduced in (4E) Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons (2008); not officially updated
  • Icthyodrake: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #134 (June 1988); not officially updated
  • Incarnum Dragon: originally introduced in (3.5E) Magic of Incarnum (2005); not officially updated
  • Mauve Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #096 (April 1985); not officially updated
  • Mist Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Monster Manual II (1983); not officially updated
  • Moonstone Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium Annual: Volume 1 (1993); not officially updated
  • Molten Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Oceanic Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Pink Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #156 (April 1996); not officially updated, updated by me here -- note that this is different from the Pink (Snack) Dragon below
  • Pink (Snack) Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Polyhedron #051 (January 1990); not officially updated, updated by me here -- note that this is different from the Pink Dragon above
  • Quasar Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #096 (April 1985); not officially updated
  • Rattelyr Dragon: originally introduced in (3.5E) Shining South (2004); not officially updated
  • Reef Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Rift Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Sand Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #134 (June 1988); not officially updated
  • Slarecian Dragon: originally introduced in (3.5E) Creature Collection II: Dark Menagerie (2001); not officially updated
  • Song Dragon / Weredragon: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #134 (June 1988); not officially updated
  • Steel Dragon: originally introduced in (2E) Draconomicon (1990); not officially updated -- note that this is different from the Steel Dragon from the Metallic Dragons or the Steel Dragon from the Ferrous Dragons above
  • Stone Dragon: originally introduced in (1E) Dragon #134 (June 1988); not officially updated
  • Tar Dragon: originally introduced in (3.5E) Creature Collection (2000); not officially updated
  • Vermin Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Vishap: originally introduced in (2E) Monstrous Compendium - Al-Qadim Appendix (1992); not officially updated
  • War Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary (2003); not officially updated
  • Wild Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated
  • Woolly Dragon: originally introduced in (3.0E) Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore (2002); not officially updated

Changelog:

  • 04/13/2021: Expanded intro. Noticed that Lung Dragons were actually introduced in the article "Chinese Dragons" in Dragon issue #024 two years before the Fiend Folio. Added Beljuril Dragons from the article "Magic and Monsters of the Volcanos" in Dragon #265. Eliminated Pseudodragon, which does not have age categories, unlike the Faerie Dragon.
  • 04/14/2021: Forgot to put Rahab's name in. Put in the Wrack Dragons, Tar Dragon, and Slarecian Dragon from the Scarred Lands setting.
  • 04/15/2021: Forgot to include the White Dragon under Chromatic Dragons. Bahamut and Tiamat appeared in Supplement 1: Greyhawk. Added Bile Wyrm, Cavern Dragon, Chthonian Dragon, Diamondback Dragon, Dire Dragon, Entropic Dragon, Molten Dragon, Oceanic Dragon, Reef Dragon, Rift Dragon, Vermin Dragon, Wild Dragon, and Woolly Dragon. from Legends & Lairs: Draconic Lore. Chiang Lung and Tun Mi Lung originally appeared in Oriental Adventures. Added Greyhawk Dragon from Greyhawk Adventures and the Steel Dragon from the Forgotten Realms Draconomicon supplement.
  • 04/16/2021: The Mystaran Dragons first appeared in the Master Rules Set. Added the Mystaran Dragon Rulers, War Dragon, Mauve Dragon, Quasar Dragon.
  • 04/19/2021: Added references to The Book of Dragons: Volume II. The Rust Dragon originally appeared in Planes of Law Monstrous Supplement.
  • 09/27/2023: Split the yellow dragon, of which there are two distinct versions. Moved electrum dragon to Metallics.
  • 09/29/2023: Fixed Astral Dragon source.
  • 10/12/2023: Added Pathfinder 1E dragons.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fantasy Friday: Old School Essentials Advanced Fantasy Races (OSE)

Image
 So, one of the many games I've backed on Kickstarter is Old School Essentials , which is a cleaned-up, streamlined, and corrected version of the B/X version of Basic Dungeons & Dragons (Moldvay/Cook) rules. Gavin Norman (who posts as Necrotic Gnome) does an incredible job editing and collating info into a super-easy-to-read format. One of the modifications to the B/X rules introduced in the OSE Advanced Fantasy book is separating race from class. In original B/X, the races are represented as classes, with the idea that, if you're playing an elf, that should be special enough in-and-of-itself. If you allowed non-human races to take classes, then players will play the non-humans because their innate abilities make them better than equal-leveled human characters. Separating race from class, the default introduced in AD&D, caused huge flamewars and continues to do so today. The Advanced Fantasy book has reasonable versions of the races so that, if it's your preferen
Read more

Eberron 5E: Race -- Shifter

With shifters, the problem is the new edition's focus on simplicity. Shifting changed your characteristics, and if you wanted your shifting to become really good, you had to take a tree of shifter feats. There were builds focusing entirely on maximizing your shifter advantages. The new edition doesn't really do temporary ability score changes in the same way -- the barbarian's rage, for example, gives a boost to damage and hit points, but doesn't require recalculating your character's abilities. Similarly, the gauntlets of ogre power / amulet of health / headband of intellect change the impacted ability score to a flat 19 -- a +5 bonus that's easy to plug in, and lasts indefinitely as long as you leave the item on. So I decided that 5E shifters should get their +1 stat bump from their trait, and tried to make the traits (which I had to rename "legacies" because "trait" in 5E is a very specific thing) almost as powerful as a feat,
Read more

Monstrous Monday: Blink Wooly Mammoth (D&D5E)

Image
Another creature adapted from Dragon issue #156, "Not Necessarily the Monstrous Compendium" -- the feared Blink Wooly Mammoth! It probably would have been even more thematically appropriate to have worked up the werelagomorph (were-hare) but I only thought of that last night. Ancient people, accompanied by the first domesticated dogs, hunted mammoths during the Endless Winter at the beginning of the world. Some mammoths developed a strange magical ability to escape their pursuers – the ability to teleport short distances. While the vast herds of mammoths were eventually greatly reduced through hunting, these blink wooly mammoths proved tricky and many herds survive at the outskirts of civilization, especially in areas that border frozen climates. Some sages believe that some ancient hunters may have bred their dogs in an attempt to create a hunting companion that was a match for these mammoths; these sages believe that this is the origin of the blink dog species. Blink Wooly
Read more