Draconic creatures

The Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game contains many monsters that are similar or related to dragons but which are not "true dragons". These can be magical beasts, or creatures of other types, which resemble dragons. Alternatively, they could have the dragon type or keyword, but not be true dragons, or they could have the "dragonblood" subtype in the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

Ambush Drake

Ambush drake

Characteristics
Alignment	Neutral Evil
Publication history
Source books	Monster Manual III

Ambush drakes are dragons that are lupine in form rather than feline like true dragons. They are short, squat and compact compared to normal dragons, but still grow to be at least as large as an adult human. They have muscular limbs, and short spines on their necks and ugly heads. Their wings are disproportionate. Ambush drakes have grey bodies and back legs, with dark orangey-red heads, front legs and wings. They are far less intelligent than regular dragons.

Ambush drakes live in temperate planes, craggy valleys, and the borders of wastelands in packs of 3 to 12 individuals (solitary ones do exist, though). These packs have traditional draconic traits (the members enjoy hoarding treasure), only with the social habit in mind (individuals do not keep their own hoard, the hoard is shared by a pack). For the most part, however, Ambush drakes are more wolf-like than dragon-like, and are concerned mostly with hunting and killing and basically surviving life. They hunt in coordinated packs, closing prey into a corner and then attacking with their breath weapons. They can also use their teeth and claws, and according to Monster Manual III, they are also poisonous. Their concern is with food and treasure, not terror, and they will typically ignore fleeing prey, instead focusing on one they have weakened and is right in front of them.

Ambush drakes speak Common and Draconic, but rarely do so, preferring to use psionics. They packs share a communal consciousness, with all Ambush drakes being completely emphatic of other nearby ambush drakes.

Draconian

Further information: Draconian (Dragonlance)

Dracotaur

Dracotaur

Characteristics
Alignment	Usually Neutral Evil or Chaotic Evil
Type	Dragon
Image	Wizards.com image
Publication history
Source books	Monster Manual III

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the dracotaur is a dragon. They are sort of a dragon-centaur, having the upper body of a reptilian humanoid and the lower body of a dragon. They are nomadic hunter-warriors who practice sorcery and occasionally serve true dragons.

Dracotaurs are large creature which have the upper torso of a muscular reptilian humanoid, and the lower, quadrupedal body of a wingless dragon. Their eyes are black, their feet large and clawed, and their sharp teeth glisten.

The favored class of the dracotaur is the sorcerer. Dracotaur barbarians, fighters, and rangers are also common. Dracotaurs are not overly religious, with clerics of them being rare. If not, however, Dracotaurs worship Tiamat. They speak Draconic.

Dragonborn

Further information: Dragonborn

Dragonne

Dragonne

Characteristics
Type	Magical beast
Image	Wizards.com image
Stats	Open Game License stats

The dragonne is a magical beast that looks like a cross between a huge lion and a brass dragon. They make their homes in desert areas and live mostly on goats and other herd animals. They rarely attack humanoids.

In the Eberron campaign setting, the dragonne is the heraldic beast of the dragonmarked House Tharashk.

Dragon Turtle

Dragon Turtle

Characteristics
Image	Wizards.com image
Stats	Open Game License stats

A dragon turtle's hard shell is mistaken for the reflection of heavenly bodies on the water when it surfaces, and is accented with silver fringes. The shell's actual color is about the same color as the sea around it, and its limbs and neck are a lighter color, highlited with golden fringes. An adult can surpass forty feet in length.

Dragon turtles were one of AD&D's most powerful non-dragons. Although a dragon turtle has the head and power of a dragon it is not a true dragon. In the first Monster Manual the Dragon Turtle is not itemized along with the Chromatic and Metallic dragons, which continues to this day in the modern Monster Manuals.

According to the Monster Manual a dragon turtle is "perhaps the most feared of water creatures" signifying its significance as a major monster if not a major dragon. A dragon turtle's main breath weapon is steam and its shell makes it impervious to most weapons.

Elemental Drake

Elemental Drake

Characteristics
Alignment	Varies by Type
Type	Outsider
Image	Wizards.com image
Publication history
Source books	Draconomicon 3rd edition

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elemental drakes are dragons most closely related to wyverns. They hail from the Elemental Planes, and are sometimes used as mounts by jann. Unlike wyverns they are sentient.

• Air - Chaotic Neutral drake with air mastery and blinding sandstorm.
• Water - Neutral drake with water mastery and drench.
• Fire - Neutral Evil drake with heat attack.
• Earth - Lawful Neutral drake with earth mastery and tremor.
• Ooze - Lawful Evil drake with acid attack.
• Magma - Lawful Evil drake with burn attack.
• Smoke - Chaotic Evil drake with smoke breath weapon.
• Ice - Chaotic Evil drake with freezing touch.

Faerie Dragon

Faerie Dragons are little dragons, the size of a pseudodragon or a wyrmling with butterfly (fairy) wings on their back. Although they are small and cute, they can be very powerful. Most faerie dragons are Chaotic Good, they have a pure heart but they are also very playful.

In the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons game, wizards and sorcerers can select faerie dragon as familiars.

Half-Dragon

Half-dragon

Characteristics
Alignment	Varies due to dragon parent's alignment
Type	Dragon
Image	Wizards.com image
Stats	Open Game License stats
Publication history
Source books	Monster Manual 3.0 and 3.5, Draconomicon 3rd edition, Races of the Dragon

Half-dragons are fictional creatures in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.

A dragon's magical nature allows it to breed with virtually any species. This sort of conception usually happens when a dragon has been polymorphed or had its form changed in some way. Metallic half-dragons are usually kind except when abused by the common races in the game which will turn half-dragons away from all others except from its kin; those based on evil chromatic dragons often mirror their progenitor's outlook. Half-dragon's features are reptilian, with scales, horns, elongated faces and exaggerated teeth and claws. Some have wings.

When engaged in combat half-dragons are formidable creatures and can be nearly invulnerable to weak adventurers. All Half-Dragons have a breath weapon according to their variety. Gold, Red and Brass spew fire. Bronze and Blue breathe lightning. Black, Green and Copper exhale acid and corrosive gas. Silver and White dragons blow extremely frigid air and ice. In addition all half-dragons have a special immunity towards the element of their breath weapon. There are exceptions to this for different dragon types. For example, the Deep Dragon of the Forgotten Realms setting has a Corrosive Acid gas breath weapon, but has a Charm immunity rather than an acid immunity.

The recent accessory, Races of the Dragon, has information on playing a half-dragon character, making half-dragons based on other dragon types (such as the dragons of the Oriental Adventures or Forgotten Realms campaign settings or the planar dragons of the Draconomicon), and creating draconic creatures (which have some amount of dragon blood in their family, but not a dragon parent).

Landwyrm

Landwyrm

Characteristics
Alignment	Varies
Publication history
Source books	Draconomicon 3rd edition

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, landwyrms are wingless, predatory cousins of dragons. They lack the breath weapons that are a signature of true dragons. They have some basic similarities to wurms, such as different species inhabiting certain environments, and neither having wings. However, landwyrms have legs, unlike wurms.

• Desert Landwyrm - Neutral Evil landwyrm found in desert environments. Its heart burns with a patient evil as it waits for prey to pass by as it hides under the desert sand. They are often found in ruins and ancient tombs. It is usually the most intelligent type of landwyrm.
• Forest Landwyrm - Lawful Neutral landwyrm found in temperate forest environments. The kindest of the landwyrms. It may sometimes protect villages of gnomes.
• Hill Landwyrm - Chaotic Evil landwyrm found in temperate hills. A heavy-bodied, very stupid bully that will attack anything weaker than itself. It fears hill giants.
• Jungle Landwyrm - Neutral Evil landwyrm found in warm forests and jungles. Though it is very large, it can glide through jungle foliage like a small monkey. With its disease-bearing claws, it can kill almost anything. Its only predators are older green dragons.
• Mountain Landwyrm - Lawful Evil landwyrm found in mountain environments. The largest of the landwyrms, it can be 80 ft. long. It sleeps most of the time, but when it awakes, its tread can shake the earth.
• Plains Landwyrm - Chaotic Neutral landwyrm found in temperate plains. The smallest and weakest of the landwyrms. It commonly walks on its hind legs and resembles a raptor. It is a reputed scavenger.
• Swamp Landwyrm - Chaotic Evil landwyrm found in warm marshes. An extremely cruel and deadly monster whose eyes glow with malice. It preys on anything, even large black dragons.
• Tundra Landwyrm - Neutral landwyrm found in cold plains. It normally lies under the snow in semi-hibernation. It drinks the blood of warm-blooded creatures.
• Underdark Landwyrm - Lawful Evil landwyrm found underground. Its eyesight is very poor, but it has an excellent sense of smell.

Linnorm

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, linnorms are ancient, primeval cousins of dragons. Linnorms lack wings and hind legs, making them more serpentine than true dragons. All known linnorms are evil and cruel.

Linnorms are sometimes referred to as "Norse dragons".

• Corpse Tearer Linnorm - The most powerful linnorm, possesses energy drain, spells and acid breath.
• Dread Linnorm - Two-headed linnorm, the largest of its kind. They are also very intelligent and knowledgeable in matters of lore.
• Flame Linnorm
• Forest Linnorm
• Frost Linnorm
• Gray Linnorm - The smallest, meanest, and most aggressive of its kind.
• Land Linnorm
• Midgard Linnorm
• Rain Linnorm
• Sea Linnorm
• Swamp Linnorm - Amphibious linnorm, with acid breath, disease, and gaze of madness.

Pseudodragon

Pseudodragon

Characteristics
Alignment	Usually Neutral Good
Type	Dragon
Image	Wizards.com image
Stats	Open Game License stats
Publication history
Source books	Monster Manual 3.0, 3.5, and 4th edition

A pseudodragon is a small dragon-like creature in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Pseudodragons are not true dragons and are stereotypically wizard's familiars. They inhabit temperate forests in the wild, but they can be found as familiars in nearly any environment.

Pseudodragons typically have bodies about one foot long, with a two foot tail and weigh seven pounds. They can communicate telepathically and can also vocalize animal noises. While pseudodragons can bite, their main weapon is a stinging, poisonous tail. They are found in temperate forests and have chameleon like abilities, though their color is usually a brownish red.

Pseudodragons are described as playful and curious with the personality of a common house cat.^[1] They are highly valued as familiars.

Pseudodragons can vocalize animal noises, as well as communicate with creatures that speak Common or Sylvan via telepathy.

Pseudodragons in Greyhawk

Pseudodragons, though rare, are most often seen in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting as familiars, though some are known to exist in the wild. The best known pseudodragon in the setting is Edwina, familiar of Jallarzi Sallivarian.

Pseudodragons in Dragonlance

Pseudodragons are extremely rare in this world, and occasionally serve as familiars to Wizards of High Sorcery. They are known to be found on the Dragon Isles.

Spawn of Tiamat

Spawn of Tiamat

Characteristics
Alignment	Evil
Type	Varies (Dragonblood (in 3rd edition))
Publication history
Source books	Monster Manual IV, Monster Manual V
First appearance	Monster Manual IV

Spawn of Tiamat are the progeny of Dragons, though not themselves of the Dragon type. They are the main object in a theme recently applied to such settings as Eberron and the Forgotten Realms, in that Tiamat, the evil patron goddess of evil dragons, is waging war against Bahamut, and the mortal races. In order for her legions to be more effective, she has tweaked with the eggs of her Dragon minions to produce all manner of bizarre draconic creatures suited to special roles in the war, such as assassination, bodyguarding, elite shock trooping, and aerial/aquatic support.

Spawn of Tiamat are created by all manner of experiments and rituals and such upon the eggs, come in all shapes and sizes and forms, are of varying intelligence levels, perform all manner of roles, and are basically the most varied members of dragonkind. All however, are descended from true dragons serving Tiamat, and are fiercely loyal to both her and their parents. Spawn of Tiamat are named according to the color they and their parent are of, followed by the word spawn, and then the type of spawn they are. The creatures are the key elements in the Monster Manual IV, and the recent War of the Dragon Queen D&D miniatures pack. Below is a list of the known types of spawn of Tiamat, and a brief description of each:

Blackspawn Raider

These are created in large hordes to act like draconic ogres, minotaurs, orcs, goblins, lizardfolk and such. They gather in groups at camps on the fringes of civilization, and occasionally raid against a town or village. They look like wingless, orc-sized, humanoid black dragons with minotaur-like horns. They are often depicted with large swords or axes.

Blackspawn Stalker

These resemble spider-like black dragons. They have two sets of horns, razor-sharp teeth, 6 eyes, 8 legs, bloated abdomens, no wings, and two tails which can weave silk.

Bluespawn Ambusher

These perform, as their name suggests, the role of ambushing people. They lurk beneath the sand of their desert homes, or on top of a rock, and then leap forward like a pouncing lion and kill victims with their horn, claws, and lightning attacks. They resemble medium, wingless blue Dragons with leonine bodies. They have huge front legs for attacking, and long, muscular back legs for leaping.

Bluespawn Burrower

These resemble marmot-like, wingless Blue dragons with enormous front legs, paws and claws. As their name implies, their role is digging and tunneling.

Bluespawn Godslayer

These are designed for slaying Tiamat's most powerful foes and adversaries. They are created from the placing of her blessing upon one of her most trusted blue Dragon lieutenants. They resemble giant, wingless, humanoid blue Dragons who always carry a huge blade and an arm-length shield made from a Dragon's skull. They are very intelligent, extremely strong, and facalistly loyal behemoths. They are probably the most famous of the Spawn of Tiamat.

Bluespawn Stormlizard

These resemble wingless blue dragon-like rhinoceri. From their stubby front horn, they can cast lightning so powerful it can, as the creature's name suggests, create storms.

Greenspawn Leaper

These resemble fiendish, sugarglider-like green dragons. They have web-like wings between their limbs, and they specialize in leaping from trees, gliding, and ambushing victims from above.

Greenspawn Razorfiend

These resemble lanky, crested, humanoid green Dragons with wings growing from their arms and fingers the way those of a bat do. They live in swampy forests.

Greenspawn Sneak

These specialize in assassination, sabotage, spying and the like. They resemble tiny, very silent and stealthy, wingless, humanoid green dragons. They are often depicted with twin blades, and black leather armor.

Redspawn Arcaniss

These are the spellcasters of the spawn of Tiamat. They are extremely skilled at casting magic and spells, particularly ones associated with fire. They resemble humanoid, wingless red Dragons with crested, spiked heads and tails. They are depicted with spiked body armor, and a bronze, mace-like wand.

Redspawn Firebelcher

These resemble large, chubby, round, short-tailed wingless red dragons with bloated stomachs. They dwell in the lairs of true red dragons, and bask on the banks of pools of molten lava the way seals do on beaches. They attack, as their name suggests, by inhaling heat from the air, and then belching it out in enormous blasts of flame.

Whitespawn Berserker

These resemble fiendish, lanky, jointed, wingless, alien-like white Dragons. As their name suggests, they specialize in fighting with two weapons, usually a pair of spiked, serrated whips.

Whitespawn Hordeling

These specialize in overwhelming opponents. They resemble small, wingless, monkey-like white dragons who carry twin weapons and breath shards of ice. They always travel in huge groups, which attack in unison.

Whitespawn Iceskidder

These resemble bluish-white dracotaurs with claws like skis and sail-like wings attached to their arms. As their name suggests, they specialize in traveling on ice, using their claws as skates and their wings for direction.

Wyvern

Further information: Wyvern (Dungeons & Dragons)

External links

• Dragonne
• Far Corners of the World: Monsters of the Wetland - provides the swamp linnorm monster entry.

References

1. ^ Neverwinter Nights: Pseudodragon

• Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (TSR, 1989).
• Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams. Monster Manual (Wizards of the Coast, 2000).
• Monster Manual (1977)
• Collins, Andy, James Wyatt, and Skip Williams. Draconomicon (Wizards of the Coast, 2003).
• Richards, Jonathan M. "The Ecology of the Pseudodragon: The Sting." Dragon #269 (TSR, 2000).
• William, Skip; Tweet, Jonathan; and Cook, Monte. Monster Manual v3.5 (Wizards of the Coast, Inc; July 2003).
• Bonny, Ed, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Skip Williams, and Steve Winter. Monster Manual II (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
• Frazier, Jacob. "The Ecology of the Linnorm." Dragon #356 (Paizo Publishing, 2007).
• Rabe, Jean. "The Vikings' Dragons Part 1." Dragon #182 (TSR, 1992).
• Rabe, Jean. "The Vikings' Dragons Part 2." Dragon #183 (TSR, 1992).
• Wise, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Annual 1 (TSR, 1994).