D&D 4E Draconomicon 3E or 4E

[Zardnaar]

3.5 one is really good, one of the few 3.5 books that is still fun to read now.

 

[Voadam]

3.5 Draconomicon has good metallics and mechanics and stats that are fairly compatible and usable in Pathfinder 1e.

4e's Draconomicon I shifts the description narratively with the Dawn War background and the Io split into Tiamat Bahamut story and some tidbits about Arkhosia and the dragon sponsored dragonborn empire. Mechanically this is fairly early on in 4e so the monster stats, particularly solos are not as tuned as they get in later monster books.

4e's Draconomicon II has the unaligned and mercenary metallics with crusading Bahamut leading some to paladiny goodness so there is a background to have them traditional good guys or as antagonists to good PCs.

2e's Draconomicon was a Forgotten Realms Sourcebook that introduced Io and a jokester dragon god, I did not care for either of those story elements, particularly how Io seemed to marginalize and diminish Tiamat and Bahamut, but the necromancer dragon god in the expanded dragon pantheon had a bit of appeal.

 

[Demetrios1453]

3.5 Draconomicon has good metallics and mechanics and stats that are fairly compatible and usable in Pathfinder 1e.

4e's Draconomicon I shifts the description narratively with the Dawn War background and the IO split into Tiamat Bahamut story and some tidbits about Arkhosia and the dragon sponsored dragonborn empire. Mechanically this is fairly early on in 4e so the monster stats, particularly solos are not as tuned as they get in later monster books.

4e's Draconomicon II has the unaligned and mercenary metallics with crusading Bahamut leading some to paladiny goodness so there is a background to have them traditional good guys or as antagonists to good PCs.

2e's Draconomicon was a Forgotten Realms Sourcebook that introduced Io and a jokester dragon god, I did not care for either of those story elements, particularly how Io seemed to marginalize and diminish Tiamat and Bahamut, but the necromancer dragon god in the expanded dragon pantheon had a bit of appeal.

Those dragon deities in the 2e version existed before the publication of the book. The 2e Monster Mythology (which was piblished before the Draconomicon) has them, for example, although FR uses alternate names for them (which is pointed out in the text). Io (Monster Mythology) = Asgorath (FR) and Hlal (FR) = Aasterinian (MM). The draconic deities were featured in Dragon Magazine articles even further back, I believe...

 

[Voadam]

Those dragon deities in the 2e version existed before the publication of the book. The 2e Monster Mythology (which was piblished before the Draconomicon) has them, for example, although FR uses alternate names for them (which is pointed out in the text). Io (Monster Mythology) = Asgorath (FR) and Hlal (FR) = Aasterinian (MM). The draconic deities were featured in Dragon Magazine articles even further back, I believe...

Check the descriptions in the links for the publishing dates. 2e's Draconomicon "was originally released by TSR in October 1990, then rereleased by Wizards of the Coast in 1999 with a new dragon on the cover."

Monster Mythology was May 1992.

But good point that the 2e Draconomicon has different names for them, Io is not mentioned but the Creator Dragon god who spawned everything is called Asgorath and Tiamat and Bahamut's natures and origins are mysteries while it is Monster Mythology that gives us Io and Tiamat and Bahamut being his self-spawned children representing his LG and LE aspects.

 

[TheAlkaizer]

3.5 Draconomicon has good metallics and mechanics and stats that are fairly compatible and usable in Pathfinder 1e.

4e's Draconomicon I shifts the description narratively with the Dawn War background and the Io split into Tiamat Bahamut story and some tidbits about Arkhosia and the dragon sponsored dragonborn empire. Mechanically this is fairly early on in 4e so the monster stats, particularly solos are not as tuned as they get in later monster books.

4e's Draconomicon II has the unaligned and mercenary metallics with crusading Bahamut leading some to paladiny goodness so there is a background to have them traditional good guys or as antagonists to good PCs.

2e's Draconomicon was a Forgotten Realms Sourcebook that introduced Io and a jokester dragon god, I did not care for either of those story elements, particularly how Io seemed to marginalize and diminish Tiamat and Bahamut, but the necromancer dragon god in the expanded dragon pantheon had a bit of appeal.

I do use the Dawn War Pantheon with a few extras for my games.

I have no interest at all in the stat block and I'm looking for lore, story and possible hooks I can use in adventures.

 

[MoonSong]

I do use the Dawn War Pantheon with a few extras for my games.

I have no interest at all in the stat block and I'm looking for lore, story and possible hooks I can use in adventures.

Then I'd suggest the 3.5 Draconomicon. It features a nice amount of lore (Chapter 1 is basically all lore), and has detailed descriptions of the chromatic dragons along with sample lairs, and many random treasure lists for these lairs. It has more lore, and some of the monsters are easier to adapt to 5e.