D&D 5E D&D Gem Dragons Are Officially Back

So if you're (not) like me and you don't have the time or patience to watch Spoilers & Swag, you may have missed this awesome reveal... Gem Dragons are back! And I don't just mean back in a third-party book like Matt Colville's Strongholds and Followers (great book, check it out), I mean back officially for D&D 5e.

In case you don't know, Gem Dragons are the third-wheel of dragonkind... they are not Good (Metallic) or Evil (Chromatic), they are Neutral. This makes them easily overlooked in the struggle of good vs. evil, but they've popped up here and there in previous editions.

But it looks like Gem Dragons have returned, first to promote the sale of a very expensive sapphire dice set. This little paper fold-out is included (screenshots below), complete with lore for gem dragons and a statblock for the Adult Sapphire Dragon specifically.

Of course, if you don't want to buy a pricey set of dice for a statblock... you're in luck, as Nathan Stewart reveals that everybody else will get access to it "early in 2020, where we [WotC] will have some fun ways to get that out there." So it looks like some product will be released including the Neutral Dragons, a new adventure or maybe a new monster book!

Feel free to speculate, here's the images;

 

[Urriak Uruk]

But any recognizable in general?

Dragotha is probably the most famous, but he's technically a dracolich.

 

[Marandahir]

Dragotha is probably the most famous, but he's technically a dracolich.

Dragotha's Guide to Dragons: Living and Dead ?

Also that reminded me:

Dregoth's Guide to Drakes, Dragon-Kings, and Dray: A Dark Sun Draconomicon

 

[Chaosmancer]

If we get any new dragons, I actually hope it is closer to the Catastrophe Dragons. My own personal homebrew has been to make Dragon's almost elementals, so there are no "red" or "white" dragons, but Dragons who are like living volcanoes or glaciers.

So, seeing that concept actually acted it would be useful.

 

[Ancalagon]

In Iron Kingdom, there were only dragon individuals.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Providing more nuanced lore on the standard Dragon types, and spelling out every Dragon type from the history of the game, is probably enough for a whole Volo's style book.

True, a dragon themed MM4 is definitely an option. I would think such a book wouldn't be scheduled before 2Q 2021 at the earliest though?

 

[pukunui]

Well, it's almost September... did the gem dragons come out in a book and I missed it?

In fact... are there any new dragons "officially" out? Like the steel dragon, the yellow dragon, the brown dragon, the deep dragon... anything?

Thanks!

A single steel dragon makes an appearance in Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage. I think it just says to use the silver dragon stats, though.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Who would be a good Dragon related NPC from D&D history? Would an Ancient Dragon, like Ashardalon, be appropriat

Icasaracht is the main adversary in Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter.

There are several named dragons in BG2, but they are in supporting roles.

 

[Parmandur]

True, a dragon themed MM4 is definitely an option. I would think such a book wouldn't be scheduled before 2Q 2021 at the earliest though?

We'll, they seem to be aiming for a release every Quarter, and almost got there this year, except for the delay for Theros. I expect a Q1 release of something is probable, but if I were to bet on a new MM, it would be Q2 or Q4 (wildcard Q1, I'm going with a compilation like Saltmarsh or another licensed book).

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Assuming Forgotten Realms, I'd go to the old Wyrms of the North articles for storied dragons. A couple of them would later show up in Tyranny Dragons, including Arauthator, who should survive the battle, according to canon.

Dragonlance had Flamestrike, Ember, Silvara (gee, I wonder which type of dragon that one is), Skye, and more. Not familiar with any Greyhawk dragons, regretfully.

Who would be a good Dragon related NPC from D&D history? Would an Ancient Dragon, like Ashardalon, be appropriat

 

[Parmandur]

Assuming Forgotten Realms, I'd go to the old Wyrms of the North articles for storied dragons. A couple of them would later show up in Tyranny Dragons, including Arauthator, who should survive the battle, according to canon.

Dragonlance had Flamestrike, Ember, Silvara (gee, I wonder which type of dragon that one is), Skye, and more. Not familiar with any Greyhawk dragons, regretfully.

Ashardalon from Greyhawk is an Ancient Red Dragon who made a bid for godhood (the plot of the 3E Adventure Path starting with the Sunless Citadel), and got his own boardgame the Teens.