In the expansive and ever-evolving world of Dungeons & Dragons, where Lich-Kings and Raven Queens plunge the material plane into darkness, goblin hordes raze entire villages, and Mindflayers dominate the minds of innocent townsfolk, it's easy to get caught up in the adventure before you realize you've been missing something along the way. Despite being one half of "Dungeons and Dragons," most players report countless "dungeon" encounters, but few report actual encounters with "dragons." Something of an unexpected truth when you consider how much impact the dragons of Faerûn have on Toril.

Releasing July 8th, Dragon Delves aims to rectify that issue with a collection of 10 adventures ranging from level 1 to 12, each featuring a different type of dragon for players to fight or aid along their journeys. Each adventure within the Dragon Delves anthology is crafted to explore the multifaceted nature of dragons, from the noble metallic dragons who champion justice and honor to the cunning chromatic dragons whose shadows darken the land far and wide.

While we await the release of Dragon Delves, let's take a deep look at the Dragons of Dungeons and Dragons, exploring their personalities, abilities, and fight tactics.

Notable Dragons in D&D Lore

Without a doubt, the dragons of Dungeons & Dragons are some of the most infamous entities that came out of the Monster Manual. Since the early days of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1st edition D&D), evil and good-aligned dragons have extended their influence far and wide, seeking positions of power as dragon overlords or as celestial dragon gods to be cemented in the pantheon for eternity. Many dragons have made their mark on the world around them and are known by many for their conquests.

Dragons in Faerûn

• Io: In many ways, it all starts with Io, the forefather and progenitor of all dragon kind. Io was a primordial dragon god, often attributed with the creation of the multiverse itself as a being whose origin dates back to before the concept of time. As Io was a god, his moral alignment was all-encompassing and undefinable as either bad or good. At least until he was killed in an epic battle with another primordial (the King of Terror). In their confrontation, Io was cleaved in two, and from his sundered form arose two new beings. Each representative of either side of Io's moral balance. Those beings were the siblings Bahamut and Tiamat.
• Bahamut: Known as the dragon god of justice, Bahamut is considered the good counterpart to his evil twin sister. Bahamut is adorned in platinum scales, a feature many believe to be exclusive to him as the leader of the metallic dragons. As a lawful good dragon, Bahamut avoids combat and instead elects to talk things out and pursue diplomatic resolutions. Bahamut often wears humanoid guises, allowing him to move around Faerûn freely and take in its many denizens' complex cultures and customs.
• Tiamat: Tiamat is the goddess of greed, queen of evil dragons, ruler of the chromatic dragons, and, without question, her brother Bahamut's rival. As personifications of their father's dueling morality, Tiamat and Bahamut could not be more different from one another. Tiamat's three heads and Wyvern-like figure differ significantly from Bahamut's more traditional draconic frame, but their differences aren't limited to their appearances. The most significant difference between Tiamat and her brother is how often Tiamat ends up at the center of endless adventures that threaten to throw the world into chaos. Tiamat is a major antagonist in the world of Faerûn and, in recent years, has set her sights on realms beyond. Arguably one of Dungeons & Dragons' most popular fictional characters to emerge from game books, over the years, Tiamat (and even her brother) has successfully pierced the veil of Dungeons & Dragons, most recently being featured in the 2024 Amazon Prime series Secret Level as (you guessed it) an antagonist who goes toe to toe with a party of heroes, very on brand for Tiamat. Tiamat has also appeared in several role-playing games outside Dungeons & Dragons, including Final Fantasy and Shin Megami Tensei.
• Klauth: Known to many as "Old Snarl," Klauth is a powerful and feared red dragon, infamous for killing rival dragons and amassing physical might and potent magical power. Klauth is a force to be reckoned with and recognized across Faerûn as one of the land's most brutal and cunning creatures.
• Themberchaud: An honorable mention for Themberchaud, featured in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. While it may have seemed a simple gag, it isn't so far from reality. Themberchaud really is recognized as a legend for his massive size and unwieldy frame.

Hoping to encounter these dragons in the wild? Check out these dragon-centric campaigns.

Encountering Dragons in Official Campaigns

Tyranny of Dragons

If you're looking to take on dragonkind in an epic quest designed to lead players through 1st to 15th level, Tyranny of Dragons is the definitive dragon-themed Dungeons & Dragons adventure and resource for dragon lovers available to date. Technically, Tyranny of Dragons combines two adventures, Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise of Tiamat, in which players will encounter the Cult of the Dragon (Tiamat's biggest fans), metallic dragons like the ancient gold dragon Protanther, who aims to thwart the cult, Tiamat herself, and maybe even encounter Bahamut along the way. Tyranny of Dragons is an adrenaline-filled adventure that blends political intrigue, faction alliances, and large-scale battles against hordes of draconic forces across Faerûn. Whether you're looking to run the entire campaign from top to bottom or just Hoard of the Dragon Queen/The Rise of Tiamat, Tyranny of Dragons is a fan favorite for D&D’s dragon enthusiasts.

Storm King's Thunder

A thrilling adventure that sets the people of Faerûn against the threat of the recently destabilized giant clans, whose social hierarchy has been shattered after the suspicious disappearance of their Storm King Hekaton. Players work to restore order by allying with or taking down various giant factions, with the looming presence of several key dragon figures who play a significant role in the chaos that makes up this campaign. In Storm King's Thunder, players will encounter Iymrith, an ancient blue dragon known as the Doom of the Desert, who plays the role of the primary antagonist with her cunning manipulations of giant politics and her combat prowess on the battlefield. Iymrith proves that dragons are intelligent creatures as she maneuvers the power vacuum created by the loss of King Hekaton, keeping the players on their toes as they race to unite Faerûn once more. Players may also encounter Klauth or Old Snarl, an ancient red dragon who can be a mighty friend or foe for the party.

Lost Mines of Phandelver

Perhaps the best introductory material for new Dungeons & Dragons players is Lost Mines of Phandelver, an adventure designed to check all the boxes. Intended to guide characters from level 1 to 5, Lost Mines of Phandelver introduces players to the world of D&D in more ways than one, making sure to lead adventurers towards an encounter with a young green dragon named Venomfang, who has laid claim to the ruins of Thundertree. In typical D&D fashion, players can ally with Venomfang and help him or confront him in a surprisingly epic battle for an otherwise low-level adventure.

Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Set in the northern frozen tundras of Faerûn, Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden features several dragons, including Arveiaturace, who flies over the Sea of Moving Ice, awaiting his inevitable encounter with the players. This campaign blends survival horror with exploration and a wealth of dragon-related lore, as the recent defeat of Icingdeath, a legendary white dragon, slain by a party of adventurers, underscores the setting.

The Dragonlance Saga

Starting to develop a taste for dragons? While Faerûn has an extensive roster of dragons to encounter, Wizards of the Coast still has plenty to offer in the unique campaign setting of Dragonlance. An entirely unique setting to Faerûn, with its own lore and mythos, Dragonlance originally debuted as a series of fiction novels, which were quickly adapted into a playable D&D setting by Wizards of the Coast. Since its release as a game module, Dragonlance has seen numerous campaigns and adventures, with its latest release in 2022 marking a new start for the setting.

While Dragonlance features many of the same conventions as Faerûn, its mythos, cosmology, and history are entirely different. The story of Dragonlance is centered around several major wars, each acting as a turning point in the history of the setting. After a cataclysmic event that devastated Krynn (the world in which Dragonlance is set), the dragon queen Takhisis (Tiamat’s equivalent in this realm) raises armies of evil dragons to conquer the land. Meanwhile, heroes must rediscover lost faith, forge alliances, and seek out the legendary dragonlances, the only weapons capable of turning the tide against evil. Whether fighting alongside dragons or taking them down once and for all, the Dragonlance setting is a dynamic dragon-themed conflict your party will never forget.

Dragon Delves

While several existing settings and campaigns promise tons of dragon-filled fun, a new release is poised to bethe most definitive collection of dragon-related adventures to date. Dragon Delves, set to release July 8th, is a collection of 10 dragon-related adventures designed to introduce players to the complex culture and hierarchy of dragon-kind by way of a series of quests, big and small. The goal of Dragon Delves is to provide more perspective on the varied moral codes of the many dragon types and, in so doing, offer the players a number of ways to resolve each adventure. Where Tyranny of Dragons is a non-stop thrill ride that throws players directly into the center of an epic conflict that threatens to throw the world into absolute chaos, Dragon Delves aims to offer players a variety of ways to engage with dragons that don't necessarily spell life or death for the people of Faerûn. While it is clear that the adventures begin to ramp up in intensity as Dragon Delves guides players through levels 1 through 12, the anthology presents a healthy handful of non-combat encounters that offer the players the chance to get to know the dragons of Faerûn as individual beings, with motivations and ambitions born from their personalities and backstories. Able to be dropped into almost any setting (including Dragonlance), this collection of adventures can act as side quests for your heroes or be bundled into an epic dragon-themed quest. While the specific contents of Dragon Delves are still a mystery, all signs point to the release being a magnificent resource for dragon lovers.

Fortunately, you don't have to wait for Dragon Delves to start your dragon-themed adventures today. The Roll20 marketplace offers everything you need to get your session live and ready for play, from Tyranny of Dragons to the entire Dragonlance saga. Plus, watch out for Dragon Delves, available for your VTT on July 8th!