Dragons are the most significant threat a fantasy hero can hope to fight. However, there’s more to these flying disasters than just fire and gold.
Welcome in, noble adventurers! Fans of fantasy, roleplaying games, and any action gaming know that a dragon is one of the greatest threats you can face. Massive, deadly, and remarkably intelligent, these winged terrors have threatened the realms for ages. This is especially true in Dungeons and Dragons (I mean…it’s right there in the name).
However, not all of them are bad, and those that are don’t usually let you get close enough to ask. Not to worry, though, because, like Fizban before, we’re here to help you identify the wyrms of Faerûn and beyond!
Chromatic Dragons
When you think of dragons in D&D, the chromatics are probably the first to come to mind. Cruel, enormous, and dangerous, these evil-aligned beasts are a scourge on the lands. Accordingly, when a chromatic establishes its domain, the land warps to fit their twisted ideals.
- Red – The most well-known of the chromatic dragons. Associated with fire, lava, and tyranny, reds are the most powerful chromatic dragons. They covet gold above all things and demand tribute from those unfortunate enough to live under their gaze.
- Blue – Vain creatures of the desert. Blues do not tolerate any insult to their prowess. They are usually associated with lightning. Unlike their more aggressive cousins, they tend to strategize their battle strategies rather than attacking outright.
- Green – Dragons of the woodlands. Greens are the most cunning of the chromatic dragons. They prefer misdirection and subterfuge to actual combat and set elaborate traps for any who dare intrude on their domain. Even their breath is poison.
- Black – The devilish dragons of the swamps. These dragons favor ruin above all else, and the rotten lands they inhabit reflect their hatred for those they deem weak. They are the cruelest of all these beasts, and they spray acid from their mouth to destroy the trappings of the inferior.
- White – Skull-faced beasts of the tundra. White dragons are the most beastial of all dragons. They favor hunts above all else. They use their icy breath to freeze choice prey.
Metallic Dragons
Unlike their chromatic kin, metallics are usually much more noble and tend towards good alignments. However, this doesn’t make them any less dangerous; a kind predator is still a predator. Instead, they don’t actively seek to harm lesser beings. Sometimes, they even walk amongst them in polymorphed form. More than one benevolent but feared ruler has turned out to be a metallic in disguise.
- Brass – Gregarious collectors of the caves. Brass dragons are the most talkative of all dragons and love engaging in conversation. They crave magic items not to horde but as conversation starters. Their favorite artifacts are sentient items. Like their red cousins, their breath weapon is fire, but they can also put enemies to sleep.
- Bronze – Noble warriors of the coastlines. Bronze dragons make their lairs in coastal caves. They love observing battles and will occasionally join in if they believe the cause is just. Their lair is filled with treasures taken from sunken ships, as bronze dragons can breathe underwater. Their breath weapon is lightning, though they can also push enemies away.
- Copper – Covetous tricksters of the hills. Copper dragons are the most devoted to their horde and can turn hostile quickly if they feel it is threatened. As such, their lair contains dummy items and traps to dissuade treasure seekers. They have an acidic breath attack but can also slow their enemies to a crawl.
- Gold – Mighty destroyers of evil. Like their red kin, golds are the strongest of the metallic dragons. They make their lairs far from civilization to do their work without disturbance. Of all the metallics, they are the most likely to seek their enemies actively. They have a flaming breath weapon, but can also sap the strength of their enemies.
- Silver – Kind guardians of the mountaintops. Silvers are the kindest of all dragons, and happily go out of their way to assist good creatures. They make their lairs high above the clouds where they can watch lesser beings and study them. Like white wyrms, they have a cold breath weapon, but can also paralyze enemies in their tracks.
Gem Dragons
Introduced in Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons, the gem dragons are an interesting addition to the bestiary. As their name suggests, they are all associated with a gemstone. Though all of them can study spellcasting in their long lifespans, gems take this study to new heights.
- Amethyst – Mighty students of the multiverse. Amethysts are the strongest gem wyrms, devoting their time to studying the multiverse. Their breath weapon can produce gravitational anomalies, and they can psychically alter their lair.
- Crystal – Shining exemplars of the Empyrean. Crystals glow with an inner light, and their abilities reflect their connection to the Positive Plane. Their breath weapon is a beam of pure radiance, and they can disorient their enemies with flashes of light.
- Emerald – Elusive chroniclers of secrets. Emeralds observe the multiverse from afar, cloaking their presence to get closer to their targets. Their powers are bent to misdirect and distract. Even their breath weapon disorients their opponent.
- Sapphire – War-like conquerers of the realms. Sapphires favor conflict over all else, and actively seek to fight at every opportunity. Their breath weapon saps an enemy’s strength.
- Topaz – Twisted destroyers of ruin. Topaz dragons resided in the Negative Plane, and the dark magic of that realm has infused them with death magic. Accordingly, their breath can turn a healthy enemy into a rotten corpse in moments.
Other Wyrms
The fifteen examples above are not the only wyrms that populate the Realms. Moonstone and faerie dragons wander from the Feywild, beasts of the empty space assail Spelljammers, and the mighty dragon turtles ply the deeps. Even the Underdark isn’t free of wyrms, and no shortage of mighty beasts have fallen prey to an illithid tadpole. Wherever you look in the Multiverse, you’ll find plenty of variants of the great wyrms.
Tiamat and Bahamut
Above the chromatic and metallic dragons are their gods, the powerful beings that made them. For the chromatics we have the five-headed Archfiend Tiamat. This deadly beast known as the Dragon Queen possesses a head for each color of chromatic wyrm, and is a foe unlike any other. Her servants have sought to bring her to the Mortal Plane for centuries, but thankfully, they have been thwarted each time.
On the other hand, the metallics owe their allegiance to the great Platinum Dragon, Bahamut. Such is his power that many paladin orders have devoted themselves to his service. He is rumored to walk the mortal plane as a monk, usually accompanied by songbirds.
Wyrms of Legend
- The Chroma Conclave – A group of five chromatics that terrorized Tal’Dorei. Vox Machina defeated them in Campaign 1 of Critical Role.
- Themberchaud – A fat dragon raised by the Cult of the Dragon in the Underdark. He featured in the D&D: Honor Among Thieves film.
- Arveiaturace – A white dragon that terrorized the Ten Towns.
- Icingdeath – A white dragon that fought with Drizzt Do’Urden and became the namesake of one of his swords.
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From North Carolina to Texas and back to North Carolina again, Clint lives the life of a traveling artist. An avid gamer, writer, actor, pyrotechnician, and general nerd, he has finally turned his love of EDH into a career. When not busy being a clueless cowboy, Winterfell Bannermen, or whatever else acting life throws at him, he enjoys reading folklore from around the world, writing narratives for his Wargaming armies, or running D&D 5e games as a professional DM. Look for his storytelling podcast, By the Dancing Fire, or find him on Twitch at FeybornPhyrexian, where he produces MTG content.
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