I haven't purchased a physical copy of a D&D book since... since Volo's? I borrowed Mordenkainen and Saltmarsh from a friend and eventually parted with them, but it's nice to say that I bought myself a copy of Fizban's Treasury of Dragons. It's the dragon book, how can I not buy it? It also meant that it took me a while to finish reading it cover to cover, and also I got distracted by my 3.5E/4E Monster Manual projects, which is why it took me a while for me to get into the swing of things.
It's also, I think, a lot easier for me to talk about bestiaries when I don't have to figure out the specifics of the continuity crossover or whatnot. Since there's a fair amount of dragons and dragon-related creatures in this book, I might actually split this into two articles depending on how much I have to say about them.
Anyway, the book is about dragons! It's half of the franchise name, so there's a lot of dragons in this one... and I am pleased to say that almost half of the book is the bestiary! Which meant it took me a while to read it, then to write up the article... then I cocked up and deleted the article and had to rewrite it again... but things got so busy that it took me almost a year to properly complete it. I originally had this article arranged alphabetically, but when I decided to split things into two articles, I decided to do the gemstone dragons and other important dragon subtypes first, and place the other minions at the second article.
Also, unlike previous D&D reviews, I think I was overtaxing myself by trying to talk about previous editions as well, so for this review and probably future installments, I'll just talk about the 5E editions. Since it's a possibility for me to cover previous bestiaries as well, I think it's a way for me not to overwhelm myself.
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Amethyst Dragon
So we'll start off with all the Gem Dragons or Gemstone Dragons... and I do remember these guys fondly from 3.5E. As the franchise expanded with crazy bestiaries in 2E and 3E, the Gem Dragons replaced the (frankly rather racist) Oriental Dragons as the 'neutral' dragons to the 'evil' chromatic and the 'good' metallic. The gem dragons also tend to be psionic, because I guess the fantasy here is that gemstones are tied to psychic telekinesis and telepathy or something! And... I guess the franchise's more recent reboots just didn't want the audiences to be too burnt out on dragon sub-variants until a dedicated Draconominicon-esque book is published? But my gut feeling is that there really isn't too much to differentiate each gem dragon variant from others of their kind, and we're already having trouble keeping track of the various metallic dragons as well. A lot of the same things that applied to their chromatic and metallic cousins are the same -- four different age classes, and they warp the literal reality around their lairs. In the gem dragons' case, though, they make gemstones spawn more often in the area around them. Wait, that's a good thing! Leave the dragon be, it'll increase the economical status of the nearby cities! Also, while they also hang out in other terrains, gem dragons are also mainly underground dwellers, and they are all able to tunnel through the earth much more easily into subterranean caverns.
Which is why, I feel, 5E's more expressive artwork ends up trying to make each of the five primary gemstone dragons a bit more distinct from each other. Previous editions of the gem dragons basically just gave them a colour and drew them with a crystalline texture and called it a day. 5E's Amethyst Dragon is a bit more distinctive, with those little amethyst spine-spikes floating psionically down its head and spine, and leading to a gigantic tail with big-ass gem claws. That's a bit more distinctive! The book even notes that the head gemstones are able to move around according to their mood. They're animated eyebrows! That's adorable!
The lore about these Gemstone Dragons is that they like to hide in the inner/lower planes deep within the earth, and are a bit more hermit-like... which lends to how Fizban's is primarily a book filled with sample dungeons for gem dragons. The Amethyst Dragons are the mightiest of the Gem Dragons (so I guess they are the equivalents of the Golds or Reds) and their primary interest is the study and psionic manipulation of the fundamental principles of the world like gravity or multiversal travel... which translates to them using psionic energy to defy said fundamental principles. I do like the fact that these Gem Dragons fly not by their very sheer wings, but with psionic force. That's pretty cool! I mean, I don't really think anyone is complaining about how dragons can conceivably realistically fly -- just handwave it with 'innate draconic magic' or whatever -- but it's cute that the dragons that's the most involved with innate laws of physics are the ones where the writers emphasize it. I've already talked about how the metallic dragons' breath weapons kind of blur together in my head, and the gem dragons do, too. Amethysts shoot Fus Ro Dah concussive force.
A fun little tidbit is that while Amethyst Dragons loathe any form of Aberrations from the Far Realm with passion, they find Flumps adorable. We all do! Anyway, the Amethyst Dragons look cool and all, but they're honestly just glorified hermit dorks that like to stay in their caves and research philosophy and the nature of multiversal draconic echoes. Relatable!
Crystal Dragon
Another variant of the Gem Dragons are the Crystal Dragons, who are still technically neutral. But where the Amethysts are occupied with logic and knowledge, the Crystal Dragons are infused with the Positive Plane, making them a bit more friendly. The game calls them as 'chaotic neutral', and they seem to be happy little buddies that are noted to be the friendliest among dragonkind. Fizban's Treasury even notes how the floating gemstones around its head and its dinosaurian neck will wiggle around or lie flush against its body, like a dog or cat's ears, depending on the dragon's mood.
Crystal Dragons are a bit more focused in their area of study, and they really like astrology and astronomy in particular, and are happy to do star-based fortune readings of any creature that visits their lairs in peace. Apparently they're very nurturing, and can even adopt dragon hatchlings of other colours, even White Dragons -- whom the book notes the Crystal Dragons often compete with for territories. Apparently, a Crystal Dragon's presence is so antithetical to White Dragons that they would often team up with their other enemy, the Frost Giants, to fight a Crystal Dragons.
All the gemstone dragons have a unique bit where their hatchlings are dull and gray and blend well into the rocky terrains, before they slowly adapt the glorious, shimmering gemstone colours as they mature. It's a neat little feature, and I think it's meant to reference how actual gemstones are created? Are crystals even considered gemstones? I'm not sure! The Crystal Dragon's breath weapon is basically a cone of blinding light.
I would also like to note that Fizban's includes both a full art of all the dragons, as well as a side-profile. It's a bit more obvious there how different each dragon's wings and hovering crystal thingies are. Also, Crystal Dragons have a tail that bifurcates into two! That's cool!
Sapphire Dragon
I think I did cover good ol' Sapphire Dragon a while back, back when it was released as a standalone creature block. The Sapphires are Lawful Neutral, and are extremely happy to engage in conflict. They're militant, territorial and are extremely defensive about their lairs. They unleash blasts of sonic energy that stuns enemies in place. The Sapphire Dragons are noted to be expert strategists at combat, making stratagems (heh) that involve their ability to freely maneuver underground. They aren't dumb, though, and often hang back to watch how their adversaries react before deciding on how best to attack them. Each Gem Dragon seems to have their own 'focus', and for the Sapphires it's their sensitivity towards any sort of Aberrations from the Far Realm, and are dedicated to stamping out these incursions before they spread.
Like many monster-based guidebooks, Fizban's gives examples of lairs and areas outside of it. Most Gem Dragons are able to spy through crystal formations throughout their expansive lair, or to whisper and charm their prey from afar. For Sapphire Dragons in particular, their presence causes a proliferation of giant spiders... which are the Sapphire Dragon's favourite prey. Convenient, I guess? They live almost exclusively in undeground tunnel networks, and sometimes even forge relationships with deep gnomes or dwarves. A fun little idea is that the Sapphire Dragon is able to make their lairs effectively impenetrable to most creatures by having no entrances and exits -- relying exclusively on their tunneling abilities.
They're also noted to have a hoard with magical items that correspond to their own interests, and for Sapphire Dragons it's weapons, armour, and any form of items relating to military warfare. I think I already spoke about the Sapphire Dragon's coolness, and I do like that their head-tentacles and tails have extra little pieces floating psionically off of it.
Emerald Dragon
Emerald Dragons are described as the most 'curious, cunning and manipulative', and they specialize in illusions to fool other people. But despite that rather unflattering description, they're then noted to only... want to observe other creatures? They basically collect information about everything -- either by illusions or shapeshifting into the locals. That's a facet which I think is something which depending on the Emerald Dragon in question, could be framed as either just innocent curiousity or malicious manipulation. The plot hook given by Fizban's notes that they are the information-collector that will aid Sapphire Dragons in giving them any intel about Far Realm aberrations. Except, y'know, instead of being a non-combatant informant, Emerald Dragons are likely to help Sapphires and adventurers with their psychically-disorienting dragon breaths. It's interesting how the book does emphasize the Emerald Dragons' shyness and their lack of trust, only really wanting to ask adventurers if they are properly experienced. I overall like these guys a fair bit, the idea of dragons that are much more manipulative and secretive is pretty fun.
Visually, I really do like the much more slim and bird-like look of the 5E Emerald Dragon. Love that those two very prominent ear-horns are actually still detached and are hovering above smaller horns that are attached to the dragon. The little close-up sketch art in the book give the appearance of horns that are broken off but are still hanging off it.
Topaz Dragon
Which is interesting because despite how regal the Topaz Dragons look, they're actually the token Chaotic Neutral out of the five 'basic' Gem Dragons. They are suffused with necrotic energy from the Negative Plane... but they're not quite evil, no. They're just Chaotic Neutral. Their psionic power manifests in the certainty of entropy, death and decay, which gives them the requisite necrotic breath... and a 'morbid and curmudgeonly' disposition, and I guess they tell a lot of morbid jokes. I do like this -- they're not evil, they're just a representation of natural decay being part of the circle of life and death. Interestingly, they do expedite this process, hunting down structures like crumbling castles and diseased plants, expediting their decay to make way for new growth. An adorable detail that Fizban's notes is that despite being amphibious and living in coastal areas, Topaz Dragons hate the water... but they really like giant squid. So they have to grumble and complain as they get wet. Oh, Topaz Dragons!
Notable that the Topaz Dragons often fight with territory with the nominally-good Bronze Dragons, and the book even notes that their hatred is 'inexplicably intense'. I also really like how their definition of sustainable decay often conflicts with druids, who only see the Topaz Dragons as wiping out swathes of countryside... which I feel would be a fun plot hook too, depending on who you side with.
Draconic Shard
The book would be dreadfully boring if all it did was to introduce dragon after dragon, and while I did put most of the not-exactly-a-dragon monsters in part 2 of this coverage, the Draconic Shard is actually a fun monster concept adjacent to the Gem Dragons. When a powerful enough Gem Dragon dies, the powerful psionic powers and the will of these dragons refuse to pass on, inhabiting a weapon or precious item within the dragon's hoard. This manifests as a spectral, shimmering image of the dragon in life. It's basically a dragon demilich, concept-wise? I love how the Draconic Shard apparently often disguises itself as a magic item that hangs on with adventurers, trying to subtly whisper in their ears to continue completing whatever task they set out to do.
Destroying the magic item doesn't immediately destroy the Draconic Shard either, since the spirit within can fly off and inhabit a nearby cracked gemstone -- and only when that gemstone is destroyed can the spirit be completely eradicated. A fun little concept, and a nice little adventure hook about how a dragon-heavy campaign doesn't necessarily mean you face differently-coloured dragons all the time.
Deep Dragon
Oh, hey, these guys! In previous editions, they were called Purple Dragons, and, as their name implies, creatures that make their lairs in the depths of the Underdark. They're noted to be chromatic dragons mutated by the subterranean lairs of the Underdark to be able to... exhale magical spores that instill fear and scar the mind? Damn, the Deep Dragons make you high! I didn't mention any previous editions in this review, but for the Deep Dragon I'll make an exception. 2E, 3E and 4E all depict the Deep Dragon as being purple and sleek and majestic, but 5E reinvents them as something a bit more appropriate to the cavern theme. The picture included in Fizban's shows the young, with its pale eyes and black-and-gray hide. But as they grow, apparently fungus will start growing across their body! Which the artwork shows the start of, with those earlobe-shaped fungus running down its neck. Additionally, the Deep Dragons' wings are attached to their front legs like a wyvern or a bat, which, again, fits the cave-dwelling concept a lot better.
I mean, shit, I really do like the 3E and 4E artworks for the Purple Dragon, but I also do admit that the 5E reinvention of the Deep Dragon with its fungus growths and bat body layout works so much better to fit the fantasy of a subterranean, cave-dwelling creature. Their lair actions all involve fungus of some kind, and... I'm all for any sort of dungeon that involves the manipulation of fungus! They're not dumb, though, and basically act as information brokers, preferring social manipulation and deal-making as opposed to direct combat. As with most chromatics, they look down at creatures that aren't useful to them.
Dracohydra
Dracohydras are the creation of insane magical experimentation which combines the magic of chromatic dragons with the blood of a hydra, resulting in... well, this! A creature with multiple chromatic dragon heads and a bunch of tails. They're not classified as 'true' dragons, although... damn, they look pretty fucking cool, yeah? The comparison between a hydra and the five-headed dragon goddess Tiamat is pretty easy to make, and I've seen my fair share of custom 'lesser Tiamat' stat blocks.
5E's artwork of the Dracohydra show two individual red and blue dragon heads, and two pairs of green and white dragon heads, and obviously just like the hydra, well... cut off one head, two more shall take its place! Only by sufficient damage can a head be permanently taken off the board. They're noted to be absolutely gluttonous, with each dragon head demanding for a feast of its own... and they can absolutely wipe out entire locales of the available food. The question is, of course, whether other dragons will tolerate the existence of these Dracohydras. Will they see the Dracohydra as a vermin to be exterminated, or a boon to be used against their enemies?
Moonstone Dragon
Despite its name being a gemstone, Moonstone Dragons aren't actually gem dragons, but are more like... uber-awesome Faerie Dragons. The descendants of a dragon whose egg was infused with Feywild energy, the Moonstone Dragons are graceful, elegant and 5E gives them the distinction of having plant-tendril fur running down their central lines. Because they are moonstone dragons, their singular head-horn and the nose-horn form the image of a crescent moon. That's neat!
Moonstone Dragons are playful and impetuous in their youth, not too dissimilar to Faerie Dragons, but they eventually mature into mature, wise teachers and storytellers within Feywild communities. Even the worst of them still care about nature. Moonstone Dragons are able to manipulate the realm of dreams, communicating with creatures who sleep near their lairs. They want treasure, but loathe material treasure (gold is 'noxious metal' to them) and instead prefers more fanciful things like truly heartfelt songs or paintings.
Very neatly peace-loving, which I felt is appropriate with the idea of a protector of nature and dreams. While benevolent, the Moonstone Dragons are still dragons and to that end are still able of doing many of the same things that their other draconic brethren can do. They remind me a lot of how the Green Dragons from World of Warcraft are, actually, and considering the Moonstone Dragons have been around since 2E, might be their original inspiration?
Ghost Dragon
Not to be confused with Shadow Dragons, which are dragons that can turn into shadow, these are GHOOOOOST Dragons. Different types of undead, baby! Just slap them as templates into different other kinds of creatures! I do like the specificity that these Ghost Dragons haunt their hoard, because of a dragon's intense attachment to their hoard. I really don't have too much to say here, it's always neat to see variations of monsters in the Monster Manual 'remixed' with each other to form things like Ghost Dragons. Bit basic, sure, but still neat!
Sea Serpent
Our last dragon sub-type is the Sea Serpent, and I'm slightly surprised to realize that there aren't a whole lot of Sea Serpents in D&D to my knowledge? It's such a common monster trope, but the go-to D&D aquatic monster are the Dragon Turtle and the Kraken, I guess. Anyway, Sea Serpents are noted to be actual dragons, too, and... they're basically what you expect from a fantastical sea serpent! Long, elongated body, giant mouth filled with fangs, fins and spines up the wazoo... it's neat that the two different size variations really do play up different fantasies, with the Young Sea Serpents being agile hunters around the size of a small boat that like to camouflage themselves before picking off a ship's crew one by one. Meanwhile, Ancient Sea Serpents do the whole Kraken/Leviathan thing of capsizing entire ships. Being true dragons, they have a breath weapon, in this case the icy depths of the ocean.
They're functionally, I think, the same thing as Dragon Turtles (and we get one of those below) but the flavour of having a giant dragon shaped like a turtle and a giant dragon shaped like a monster-eel is neat!
Ancient Dragon Turtle
Speaking of Dragon Turtles... Fizban's includes a bunch of 'super' versions of previously-seen monsters. And, well, they're basically the same thing, but super-duper-kaiju-sized! Like this wonderfully-drawn artpiece of an island-sized Dragon Turtle about to casually bash a fleet of ships! That's a big terrapin right there, and lord almighty, look at just how cool that rocky texture is, or the glowing storm that crackles around its body! The Ancient Dragon Turtle's very being will cause the seawater to boil around it, and for storms to appear.
Ancient Dragon Turtles are super-duper old Dragon Turtles that are able to combine the power of 'multiple echoes', which I don't remember Fizban's explaining properly, but I think the Dragon Turtle is able to call upon the power of other versions of itself in the multiverse? And, well, whatever the case, it sure is a big boy! I love the idea that these Ancient Dragon Turtles can sleep for years or centuries, actually being treated as an island until, well, the leviathan wakes up.
Chromatic Greatwyrm
We have a 'Greatwyrm' equivalent for all three primary sub-types of dragons, and we'll start off with the Chromatic one. And... it's really just an excuse for me to get all of you to appreciate the amazing art, really. These Greatwyrms are so old and had survived for so long that they approach the apex of their species' power, even Tiamat herself. 1200 years seems rather short for one of these ancient immortals, though, if you ask me.
Again tying into the multiverse mythos and the 'echo' theme, the origin of some of these Greatwyrms are those that have traveled to different worlds in the Material Plane and devoured their own echoes with rituals or by physical fighting. Their bodies have basically mutated so much that they no longer need to eat or drink, since the power of their hoard sustains them, and they unleash even more elemental devastation to those around them.
Metallic Greatwyrm
The Metallic Dragonkind can also transform into Metallic Greatwyrms, although being 'good guys', their transformation is a bit less destructive to the world around them, and presumably the fusing of echoes are a bit more consensual and possibly even aided by Bahamut. Again, a lot of the same stuff that applies to the Chromatic Greatwyrm also applies here, but it's just good stuff and protective stuff instead of a hunger for power and destruction.
Gem Greatwyrm
Meanwhile, the Neutral-aligned Gem Dragons, when they achieve Gem Greatwyrm status, are also a bit less malicious, fusing with their echoes throughout the Material Plane in an attempt to reunite the shattered consciousness of Sardior the Ruby Dragon -- the equivalent to Tiamat and Bahamut for the Gem Dragons. Apparently, according to the lore within this book, Sardior was the first creation of Tiamat and Bahamut, but was shattered with war against extraplanar gods. The Gem Dragons are born of Sardior's shattering, and the Gem Greatwyrms believe that only by combining into these super-gestalt forms can they start to resurrect their god. Five Greatwyrms of the five primary Gem subtypes are apparently going around seeking their echoes in the Material Plane, hoping to ultimately combine and revive their god. Neat!
Aspect of Bahamut & Aspect of Tiamat
And we'll close this out with the two epic-level entries in this bestiary, the Aspects of Bahamut and Tiamat. Which is to say, these are essentially Bahamut or Tiamat themselves, tossed into the physical realm -- as much of their true forms that can appear in the Material Plane. We already discussed Tiamat in the books revolving around her, although it's always welcome to see just how badass Tiamat looks in art. Look at her and her five heads all roaring defiantly and stuff. Bahamut the Platinum Dragon looks honestly a bit more mundane, although I guess those chronal energy or whatever he's exuding does make him look a bit more interesting?
The book does give a bunch of lore about Bahamut and Tiamat for those that never touched the previous versions. We do know a fair bit in 5E about Tiamat. She's the five-headed progenitor of the chromatic dragons, and is hanging out in the Nine Hells. Bahamut, meanwhile, is hanging out in the Seven Heavens and is the patron god for many mortals and metallic dragons that fight for honour and justice. Both Aspects are summoned to the Material Plane with sacrifice -- it's interesting how you can easily frame the ritual to summon the Aspect of Tiamat as something blasphemous, whereas the Aspect of Bahamut is summoned by a heroic sacrifice that will move ol' platinum-face.
Anyway, not a whole ton to say near the end here. It's been a while since I did one of these, and it's been a blast reading through Fizban's Treasury of Dragons for sure!
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons:
- Ancient Amethyst Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically neutral, CR 23
- Adult Amethyst Dragon: Huge Dragon (Gem), typically neutral, CR 16
- Young Amethyst Dragon: Large Dragon (Gem), typically neutral, CR 9
- Amethyst Dragon Wyrmling: Medium Dragon (Gem), typically neutral, CR 4
- Aspect of Bahamut: Gargantuan Dragon (Metallic), Lawful Good, CR 30
- Aspect of Tiamat: Gargantuan Dragon (Chromatic), Chaotic Evil, CR 30
- Chromatic Greatwrym: Gargantuan Dragon (Chromatic), typically Chaotic Evil, CR 27
- Ancient Crystal Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Chaotic Neutral, CR 19
- Adult Crystal Dragon: Huge Dragon (Gem), typically Chaotic Neutral, CR 12
- Young Crystal Dragon: Large Dragon (Gem), typically Chaotic Neutral, CR 5
- Crystal Dragon Wyrmling: Medium Dragon (Gem), typically Chaotic Neutral, CR 2
- Ancient Deep Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Neutral Evil, CR 18
- Adult Deep Dragon: Huge Dragon (Gem), typically Neutral Evil, CR 11
- Young Deep Dragon: Large Dragon (Gem), typically Neutral Evil, CR 5
- Deep Dragon Wyrmling: Medium Dragon (Gem), typically Neutral Evil, CR 1
- Dracohydra: Huge Monstrosity, typically Chaotic Evil, CR 11
- Draconic Shard: Huge Undead, typically neutral, CR 17
- Ancient Dragon Turtle: Gargantuan Dragon, typically neutral, CR 24
- Young Dragon Turtle: Huge Dragon, typically neutral, CR 10
- Dragon Turtle Wyrmling; Large Dragon, typically neutral, CR 4
- Ancient Emerald Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Lawful Neutral, CR 21
- Adult Emerald Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Lawful Neutral, CR 14
- Young Emerald Dragon: Large Dragon (Gem), typically Lawful Neutral, CR 8
- Emerald Dragon Wyrmling: Medium Dragon (Gem), typically Lawful Neutral, CR 2
- Gem Greatwyrm: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically neutral, CR 26
- Ghost Dragon: Huge Undead, any alignment, CR 17
- Metallic Greatwyrm: Gargantuan Dragon (Metallic), typically Lawful Good, CR 28
- Ancient Moonstone Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Neutral, CR 21
- Adult Moonstone Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Neutral, CR 15
- Young Moonstone Dragon: Large Dragon (Gem), typically Neutral, CR 8
- Moonstone Dragon Wyrmling: Medium Dragon (Gem), typically Neutral, CR 2
- Ancient Sapphire Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Lawful Neutral, CR 22
- Adult Sapphire Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Lawful Neutral, CR 15
- Young Sapphire Dragon: Large Dragon (Gem), typically Lawful Neutral, CR 9
- Sapphire Dragon Wyrmling: Medium Dragon (Gem), typically Lawful Neutral, CR 3
- Ancient Sea Serpent: Gargantuan Dragon, typically Neutral, CR 14
- Young Sea Serpent: Huge Dragon, typically Neutral, CR 8
- Ancient Topaz Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Chaotic Neutral, CR 20
- Adult Topaz Dragon: Gargantuan Dragon (Gem), typically Chaotic Neutral, CR 13
- Young Topaz Dragon: Large Dragon (Gem), typically Chaotic Neutral, CR 7
- Topaz Dragon Wyrmling: Medium Dragon (Gem), typically Chaotic Neutral, CR 2
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