(D&D) FIZBAN’S TREASURY OF DRAGONS

279 Pages·2021·30.54 MB·English

by  Wizards RPG Team

FIZBAN'S TREASURY OF DRAGONS
Make your dragons soar to new heights with this supplement for the world's greatest roleplaying game.
VIEW COVER ART
CONTENTS
Elegy for the First World
A Treasury of Dragons
The First World
Ch. 1: Character Creation
Draconic Races
Creating Your Character
Chromatic Dragonborn
Gem Dragonborn
Metallic Dragonborn
Subclass Options
Monk: Way of the Ascendant Dragon
Ranger: Drakewarden
Heroes of the Dragon
Draconic Feats
Gift of the Chromatic Dragon
Gift of the Gem Dragon
Gift of the Metallic Dragon
Ch. 2: Dragon Magic
Spells
Magic Items
Hoard Magic Items
Draconic Gifts
Ch. 3: Dragons in Play
Roleplaying Dragons
Dragon Characters
Life Span
Reproduction
Death of a Dragon
Undeath
Echoes across the Worlds
Gods and Religion
Shape-Shifting
Dragon Organizations
Followers
Dragon Relationships
Dragons’ Minions
Dragon Encounters
Dragon Adventures
Dragon as Monster
Dragon as Schemer
Dragon as Power
Dragon Campaigns
Campaign Events
Dragon Factions
Dragon Gods
Ch. 4: Lairs and Hoards
Dragon Lairs
Dragon Hoards
What’s in a Hoard?
Ch. 5: Draconomicon
See Index Below
Ch. 6: Bestiary
See Index Below
Credits
CH. 5: DRACONOMICON
Using the Entries
Creating a Dragon
Dragon Adventures
Dragon Lairs
Dragon Treasures
Dragons of Legend
Amethyst Dragons
Black Dragons
Blue Dragons
Brass Dragons
Bronze Dragons
Copper Dragons
Crystal Dragons
Deep Dragons
Dragon Turtles
Emerald Dragons
Faerie Dragons
Gold Dragons
Green Dragons
Moonstone Dragons
Red Dragons
Sapphire Dragons
Shadow Dragons
Silver Dragons
Topaz Dragons
White Dragons
CH. 6: BESTIARY
Amethyst Dragons
Animated Breath
Aspect of Bahamut
Aspect of Tiamat
Chromatic Greatwyrm
Crystal Dragons
Deep Dragons
Dracohydra
Draconians
Draconic Shard
Dragonblood Ooze
Dragonbone Golem
Dragonborn Champions
Dragon�esh Grafters
Dragon Followers
Dragonnel
Dragon Turtles
Egg Hunters
Elder Brain Dragon
Emerald Dragons
Eyedrake
Gem Greatwyrm
Gem Stalker
Ghost Dragon
Hoard Mimic
Hoard Scarabs
Hollow Dragon
Liondrake
Metallic Greatwyrm
Metallic Sentinels
Moonstone Dragons
Sapphire Dragons
Sea Serpents
Topaz Dragons
Creature Lists
SIDEBARS
Dragons and Dragons
Dragons and Dungeons
Feats as Draconic Gifts
Dragons and Territory
Dragons of Song and Steel
Age and a Dragon’s Lair
Eldenser the Lurker
Rhashaak
Iymrith
Aasterinian
Fire�ash
Galadaeros the Sunset Flame
Saryndalaghlothtor
Aremag
Raulothim
Nathair Sgiathach
Tamarand
Cyan Bloodbane
Ashardalon
Bleucorundum
D’argent
Astilabor
Rime
DISCLAIMER: NO GUARANTEE IS MADE THAT THIS BOOK WAS OR WAS NOT REMOVED FROM THE HOARD OF A 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 UNPREDICTABLE
RESULTS.
©2021 D&D Beyond | All Rights Reserved
Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and all Wizards titles and characters are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. ©2021 Wizards.
PREV CHAPTER CHARACTER CREATION
Elegy for the First World
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, Breathe, dragons; sing of the conquest,
forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. seeding the world with their legions of followers,
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum,
molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Each to their own habitation,
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, elves in their forests and dwarves in their mountains,
painting all over the in�nite canvas. Orcs in their caverns and canyons,
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; goblins in badlands and hal�ings in green �elds,
partnered, they labored in acts of creation. Lizardfolk lurking in marshes,
humans throughout every part of creation.
Breathe, dragons; sing then of Sardior,
ruby-red jewel they made in their likeness; Breathe, dragons; sing of Bahamut,
Sardior, �rst-born of dragonkind, maker of peace with the outsider deities,
labored alongside Bahamut and Tiamat, Welcomed to mountains celestial,
Shaping the dragons they crafted: worshiped by some as the Platinum Paladin.
dragons metallic and dragons chromatic. Sing of his journeys of seeking,
Breathe, dragons—draw in the life-gift striving to understand gods and their children,
breathed into you at the dawn of creation. Longing for Tiamat’s freedom,
grieving her loss from the face of creation.
Breathe, dragons; sing of the outsiders,
war-bringer gods with their mortal adherents; Breathe, dragons; sing of her freedom—
Teeming, they came to the First World, Tiamat loosed from her prison of torment!
seeking a home for their legions of followers. Tell how she rallied her children,
Mighty in magic and numbers, dragons chromatic, a spectrum of mayhem.
conquering deities seized their victory. Sing of her fury, her vengeance,
Fallen was noble Bahamut, lightning and venom, ice, �re, and corrosion,
Sardior hid in the heart of creation. Five-headed, monstrous, and mighty,
rampaging on a campaign of destruction.
Breathe, dragons; sing now of Tiamat,
raging in battle with no hope of victory. Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World,
She would not �ee or surrender, scattered in in�nite seedling realities.
�ghting as death reached its cold claws toward her. Sing of Bahamut and Tiamat,
War-bringers seized her and bound her, watching its sundering, mourning their labor.
snatched her from death, entombed her in torment— Sing too of Sardior, sundered,
Sealed in the darkness forever, consciousness scattered in minuscule fragments.
captive to gods laying claim to creation. Breathe, dragons: you are inheritors,
ruling the wreck of the First World’s destruction.
A Treasury of Dragons
This book insists on sorting dragons into little, understandable boxes as if the readers had only 100 years or so to live and their tiny
baby-brains could hold only so much knowledge…
-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 comprehensive guide to the dragons of the worlds of D&D. It introduces the gem dragons—a family of �ve dragon
kinds—as well as a variety of other Dragons and dragon-related monsters, character options, and inspirations.
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,
then discusses the role that dragons play in the myths of many Material Plane worlds, as a re�ection of that primordial story. It begins to explore the
connections linking dragons on different worlds, which is elaborated throughout the rest of this book.
Chapter 1 introduces draconic-themed options for adventurers, including three variant dragonborn races, two dragon-oriented subclasses (the
Drakewarden ranger and the Way of the Ascendant Dragon monk), feats, and roleplaying suggestions that can connect characters of any class to a
draconic theme.
Chapter 2 discusses magic related to dragons, including new spells, magic items, and draconic gifts (supernatural gifts explicitly connected to a
dragon’s power).
Chapter 3 presents tips, advice, and tables to help Dungeon Masters build encounters, adventures, and whole campaigns around dragons.
Chapter 4 discusses dragon lairs and hoards, examining what a lair means to a dragon and exploring the correlation between a dragon’s magical
might and the value of the dragon’s hoard. It also provides an alternative method for randomly creating a dragon’s hoard.
Chapter 5 provides extensive resources related to each of twenty different draconic creatures. For each kind of dragon, this chapter provides
inspiration to help DMs craft dragon personalities and dragon-themed adventures, including sample lair maps.
Chapter 6 includes stat blocks and lore for a variety of new Dragons and dragon-oriented creatures. The family of gem dragons, aspects of the
dragon gods, dragon minions, and more can be found here.
The First World
Poets do have a way of editing and exaggerating. I remember that time as one big, boring, patience-trying dilly-dalliance. A lot of
hurry up and wait.
-Fizban
“Elegy for the First World” is an ancient Draconic poem of unknown origin, found with minor variations in the collections and traditions of dragons
across many worlds of the Material Plane. Various creation myths told on different worlds echo some of the themes and notions of this poem,
particularly when they describe dragons or draconic gods being involved in creating the world. But the heart of the poem is a profound assertion not
found in any of those individual myths.
The elegy suggests that before the myriad worlds of the Material Plane came into being, before Oerth and Toril and Eberron and Krynn existed, the
primordial dragons—Bahamut and Tiamat—worked together to create the Material Plane in the form of a single First World. All the worlds that now
constitute the plane are, in the words of the poem, “seedling realities” formed when the First World was sundered in some unexplained catastrophe.
The story told in “Elegy for the First World” suggests a number of truths regarding the nature of dragons. First, it portrays the ten varieties of metallic
and chromatic dragons as the �rst inhabitants of the Material Plane. Dragons were made to populate the First World before any other worlds came
into being, but they were supplanted by the teeming peoples that the gods of the Outer Planes brought to inhabit that world. The elegy likewise
suggests that dragons are living embodiments of the primordial energy of the First World, which now �ows throughout the Material Plane, and that
they are thus inextricably linked to the magic of that plane. The religions of numerous worlds teach that Humanoids are creatures of a dual nature—
part material and part spiritual, made of the essence of both the Material Plane and the otherworldly Outer Planes. But dragons, at least in the view of
“Elegy for the First World,” are wholly material, dwelling in the Material Plane and embodying its essential nature.
Many worlds have myths and legends about Bahamut and Tiamat, though these primordial dragons are sometimes known by other names. But
“Elegy for the First World” differs from nearly all those legends in its mention of Sardior, “�rst-born of dragonkind.” The poem suggests that Bahamut
and Tiamat created Sardior together, and that “ruby-red” Sardior then joined with Bahamut to craft the metallic dragons and with Tiamat to craft the
chromatic dragons. Some dragons who have studied the poem believe that Sardior was destroyed and shattered along with the First World and that
the Ruby Dragon’s splintered consciousness became the gem dragons on the new worlds of the Material Plane.
Dragons of Many Worlds
Whether it is regarded as interpretive myth or historical record, “Elegy for the First World” offers an explanation for the common elements that appear
in the legends and mythology of so many worlds across the Material Plane. Dragons populated the First World from the time of its creation, and a
variety of peoples came to live in the First World after their gods made war on the dragons. As such, the similar natures of the creatures now
inhabiting the many different worlds of the Material Plane can be seen as a product of the First World’s sundering. And because dragons are so
tightly linked to the essence of the Material Plane, they are thought to be the only creatures that appear on every world formed from the shattering of
the First World, even when they take on different forms.
Forgotten Realms
The most comprehensive histories suggest Toril (the world of the Forgotten Realms setting) has not always known dragons, at least not in their
current forms. Many scholars theorize that Toril’s dragons evolved from some reptilian ancestor. And though it’s possible to read these theories as
contradicting the story of “Elegy for the First World,” it’s also possible to imagine that the newly formed Toril, fragmented from the First World,
retained a hazy memory of the full ideal of dragonkind, which then took thousands of years to manifest. Certainly, the dragons of Toril cleave closely
to the draconic archetypes described in the Monster Manual, and although Bahamut and Tiamat have sometimes been known by other names on
that world (such as Xymor and Tchazzar), they have always had a part to play in the world’s divine drama.
Greyhawk
Myths concerning the creation of Oerth (home to the Greyhawk setting) are few and often contradictory. Still, a number of those myths mention the
dragon gods—or a single draconic creator, Io, who shed his own blood to inspire creation. Dragons have been reclusive and rare for most of Oerth’s
recorded history, but ancient annals of the Suel Imperium record that that empire created the mighty Orbs of Dragonkind for use in a war against a
powerful cabal of shadow-wielding red dragons.
Dragonlance
Legends say the world of Krynn (home to the Dragonlance setting) was created in the interplay between the High God and Chaos. Its most important
cosmic powers have always been the three children of the High God—Paladine, Gilean, and Takhisis, with Paladine and Takhisis easily identi�able as
Bahamut and Tiamat. According to the creation myths of Krynn, Paladine and Takhisis worked together to create �ve dragons to rule the world, but
Takhisis secretly corrupted them, creating the �rst �ve chromatic dragons. Mourning the corruption of his children, Paladine worked with the forge-
god Reorx to create the metallic dragons. Much of the history of Krynn involves the strife between Takhisis and Paladine and the ongoing effort to
maintain balance between good and evil. Chromatic dragons have long been Takhisis’s favored agents as she strives to dominate the world, while
metallic dragons have helped the peoples of Krynn to foil her schemes. Meanwhile, Paladine, in the guise of a doddering old wizard named Fizban,
walked among the peoples of Krynn to aid them—just as Bahamut has done on many worlds throughout their long histories.
Eberron
The myths of Eberron describe the involvement of the three Progenitor Dragons in that world’s creation: Siberys, the Dragon Above; Khyber, the
Dragon Below; and Eberron, the Dragon Between. These godlike beings are said to have created a microcosm of the multiverse in the depths of the
Ethereal Plane, sequestered away from the Outer Planes and all the in�uence of the gods and other cosmic powers. Viewed through the lens of
“Elegy for the First World,” Eberron is thus not actually a fragment of the First World, but a second-generation derivative of that original realm—yet
even Eberron is profoundly shaped by dragons.
Dragonsight
A little-known phenomenon supports the central ideas expressed in “Elegy for the First World.” Occasionally, dragons develop a sense known as
dragonsight—an awareness of multiple incarnations of themselves across different worlds of the Material Plane. Dragonsight is most common in
ancient dragons, especially when their enormous hoards include items from other worlds or powerful artifacts whose histories span multiple worlds.
Gem dragons, perhaps because of their connection to Sardior, are most likely to develop dragonsight.
Dragons who develop dragonsight amass knowledge that spans the Material Plane, making them among the foremost experts on worlds beyond
their own. With time, dragonsight can expand beyond passive awareness to allow active communication between a dragon’s incarnations. Some
ancient dragons with well-developed dragonsight begin to weave grand plans that involve coordinating activities across multiple worlds, culminating
in cosmos-shaking events.
As one example, tales are told on multiple worlds of the Material Plane regarding the red dragon Ashardalon. Less widely understood, though, is the
fact that as one Ashardalon developed his dragonsight, he concocted a scheme to preserve his existence by consuming his echoes on other worlds.
All these different Ashardalons thus became a single, immensely powerful greatwyrm that fed on soul energy—and that prevented souls from
incarnating into newly born creatures across the worlds.
Given most people’s limited understanding of dragons’ beliefs and philosophies, let alone dragonsight, many mortals are quick to describe dragons
with heightened dragonsight as “dragon gods”—which they are not. Still, some powerful dragons have so successfully extended their consciousness
across multiple incarnations, and so expertly coordinated their activities across multiple worlds, that they can seem godlike even to younger dragons.
The black greatwyrm Chronepsis once accomplished a feat similar to Ashardalon’s, with one version of the dragon devouring multiple echoes before
leaving the Material Plane and establishing a lair in the Outer Planes.
©2021 D&D Beyond | All Rights Reserved
Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and all Wizards titles and characters are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. ©2021 Wizards.
ELEGY FOR THE FIRST WORLD DRAGON MAGIC
Character Creation
From the folk hero dreaming of liberating their people from a tyrannical blue dragon’s reign to the idealistic acolyte who imagines purging the world of
Tiamat’s corruption, many adventurers aspire to be dragonslayers. In time, some have their dreams realized—or shattered in spectacular fashion, as
they discover they are woefully unprepared for the threat a dragon poses.
This chapter is for any D&D character who hopes or fears that they might one day face a dragon. But this chapter is also for the bard who has made a
lifelong study of dragonsong, the cleric devoted to Bahamut, and the warlock who made an eldritch pact with a moonstone dragon. For dragons are
not always adversaries. They can be patrons, allies, and benefactors; they can scheme in the shadows; and they can dramatically shape adventurers’
lives.
The following sections present a variety of options for creating characters with a tie to dragons:
“Draconic Races” presents variant dragonborn race options to give characters a draconic heritage strongly linked to the three great dragon families.
“Subclass Options” allows monk and ranger characters to explore deeper ties with dragonkind.
“Heroes of the Dragon” includes inspiration for characters of any class to portray their training or magic as derived from a connection to dragons.
“Draconic Feats” provides feats to forge connections to the chromatic, gem, and metallic dragon families.
IN HIS GUISE AS A YOUNG MONK, BAHAMUT HELPS A PAIR OF ADVENTURERS
PUT AN END TO A YOUNG RED DRAGON’S DEPREDATIONS
Draconic Races
It’s all too easy to prefer a certain color of dragonborn, but what’s inside is what really matters—which is to say, the sort of damage
their breath can do to you.
-Fizban
The dragonborn race in the Player’s Handbook is the most direct way to re�ect a character with dragons 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 clear connections to a speci�c draconic ancestry. When you’re making a new character using one of these races, use the rules under “Creating
Your Character” to �ll out the details.
Creating Your Character
When you create your D&D character, you decide whether your character is a member of the human race or one of the game’s fantastical races. If you
select one of the dragonborn races in this chapter, follow these additional rules during character creation.
Ability Score Increases
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one of those scores by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different
scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy.
The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You’re free to follow those suggestions or to
ignore them. Whichever scores you decide to increase, none of the scores can be raised above 20.
Languages
Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. The Player’s
Handbook offers a list of widespread languages to choose from. The DM is free to add or remove languages from that list for a particular campaign.
Creature Type
Every creature in D&D, including every player character, has a special tag in the rules that identi�es the type of creature they are. Most player
characters are of the Humanoid type. A race option presented here tells you what your character’s creature type is.
Here’s a list of the game’s creature types in alphabetical order: Aberration, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid,
Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different
ways. For example, the cure wounds spell doesn’t work on a Construct or an Undead.
Chromatic Dragonborn