D&D's The Book of Dragons Comes Out in August

Starmaster said:

Release date is August 19th. It's been listed on Amazon for several weeks now:

https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Book-Michael-Witwer/dp/0593969316

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Good to know. I can pre-order it from Amazon.

So pretty!

Hey @dave2008, when’s the Tiamat book of dragons you mentioned in another thread? I found a list of wryms Ed did for dragon magazine and Inferno isn’t one covered.

EthanSental said:

Hey @dave2008, when’s the Tiamat book of dragons you mentioned in another thread? I found a list of wryms Ed did for dragon magazine and Inferno isn’t one covered.

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I have actually been putting the finish touches on it over the past few weeks. I need to revise my Tiamat stat block (full primordial dragon form), add some new hazards and two new monsters (about 75% complete), and then do a final editing pass. Oh, and update at least one piece of art. I would guess 4-6 weeks (given my schedule).

After that I many tackle stat blocks for the dragons in DK's "Book of Dragons"

PS - It took me longer than expected to update all the monsters to 2024 CR standards. I couldn't help but redesign all the dragons in the process!

Pre-ordered my copy of the book via Amazon a moment ago.

EthanSental said:

Hey @dave2008, when’s the Tiamat book of dragons you mentioned in another thread? I found a list of wryms Ed did for dragon magazine and Inferno isn’t one covered.

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I'm surprised there isn't any articles from the magazines covering him, especially after watching a video from MrRhexx about this very dragon from the Forgotten Realms.

I feel like there have been three or four official hardcover books all about D&D dragons published in like the last couple of years. I can understand Fizban's but is the appetite really here for so many naughty word books about naughty word fictional animals?

I also understand that like a lot of people get pulled into Dungeons and Dragons because they just read a book about dragons and then found out it was cross-promotion, so is that what wizards of the coast is trying to do here?

Book of Dungeons when?

Seriously, why aren't these two books the first published after the core books and a campaign setting? It's like they don't believe in the name on the cover or something.

Whizbang Dustyboots said:

I have a hard time picturing Tiamat writing anything. Ideally, it'll be Tiamat dictating to one of her servants.

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Me too, so I asked ChatGPT for help:

Tiamat’s Journal – Entry #987,904​

Bahamut gets a statue and I get another mortal summoning with bad lighting.

Ugh. Tuesday.

Woke up in Avernus. Again. Honestly, I thought being imprisoned in the Nine Hells would have more flair by now. Same sulfur. Same endless screaming. Same soul bargains brokered over tepid lava lattes.

My red head wants bloodshed. My blue head wants a mimosa. Black’s sulking (again), white is trying to eat the couch, and green won’t stop hissing about “mortals with attitude.” Frankly, I need a vacation. Or a continent to conquer. Whichever comes first.

Another warlock came groveling today—third one this week. Same pitch: “Oh mighty Tiamat, great chromatic queen, empower me to smite mine enemies.” Please. At least bring snacks if you're going to interrupt my afternoon with desperate oaths and unresolved mommy issues.

I told him I'd consider it if he fetched me a genuine ruby the size of a pony and stopped referring to my heads as a "branding problem." He seemed confused. I banished him. Green said I should’ve let him suffer longer. I told her we have standards.

Meanwhile, Bahamut’s out there doing his whole “shining paragon of justice” routine again. He rescued a village or gave a sermon or hatched a baby bird or whatever. Honestly, it’s exhausting. I’d smite him just to shut him up, but then he’d probably just reincarnate as something smug.

Anyway. That’s the day. Tomorrow I might devour a kingdom if I can muster the energy. Or reorganize the treasure hoard. Something cathartic.

Remind me to get new servants. The last ones melted. Apparently “don’t open the acid chamber” wasn’t specific enough.

—T

P.S. Still not over the fact that Bahamut has worship music and I have cultists who wear bones like accessories. Mortals have no taste.

MonsterEnvy said:

Only the Gold had the stretched sword thing.

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Just another reason to intensely dislike the new Gold design then.

The fish-like pseudowings were the thing I disliked most about the old design. They decided that was the single most important part.

Edit: I'd also say the top-down stretched view looking like weapons, at least, isn't unique to Gold. Some of the other concept art also pretty clearly has such an effect.

Of course, the only design I dislike more than Gold (which, as noted, I dislike a lot!) is the Black....because those wings are straight-up phobia fuel for me, as I have arachnophobia. Not as strong as it could be...but pretty strong. The unexpected sight of a spider has, in fact, made me scream bloody murder more than once in my life.