D&D General Dragons: What role do they play in your campaigns?

[Marc_C]

The game is called Dungeons & Dragons. We see a lot of dungeons but dragons can be far and few. Are they just another monster in your campaigns or do they play a central or unique role?

 

[Morrus]

I've never had a dragon play in one of my campaigns, but if they did I reckon they'd play a kobold sorcerer.

 

[Imaculata]

Dragons appear rarely in my campaigns. But when they do, they are often hostile and very dangerous. The older they are, the more cranky.

 

[Marc_C]

I've never had a dragon play in one of my campaigns, but if they did I reckon they'd play a kobold sorcerer.

Polymorph. Sneaky, sneaky... I like it.

(I see what you did there.)

 

[J.Quondam]

What I like about dragons is that they start with the letter D*, alliterate nicely with "Dungeons," make for a really cool ampersand logo, and come in a variety of fetching colors.

Seriously, dragons for me are just another option for friends or foes, albeit rare ones. It ultimately depends on the campaign, but generally I like dragons to be unique or otherwise special.

* Fun fact: Over one-fifth of the 5e Monster Manual is devoted to creatures that start with the letter D.

 

[Grendel_Khan]

In the campaign I'm running the modern-day characters PCs just had to go into a fantasy-like metaplane, and my plan is to have them deal with a dragon in the Shadowrun style--more like an evil genius/mastermind than a smashy kaiju. Always bugs me when games have dragons that are just sort of killable through pretty standard means.

 

[Xeviat]

In my setting, I've split dragons into two groups: Drakes, and true Dragons. Drakes are your big beasty; dangerous, need to slay them, the basic. They're intelligent, but not hyper so. They don't have a culture. Just big, dominant monsters.

Dragons, on the other hand, are akin to gods. But, that doesn't mean omnipotent gods, as my setting is animistic and has tons of lesser spirits that are seen as gods. Dragons are just one kind of such a god.

 

[ccs]

It varies wildly.
Recently:
In my last campaign dragons played..... zero role. The party only met two.
*Fairly early on they defeated the White dragon that had moved into the Phandalian area. It was mostly a fight with a dumb brute. They were supposed to learn that something was going on with Giants, thus the young dragon relocating to the area. They missed the connection between rumors of Giant activity & the influx of monsters into more civilized lands. Well, until very very late in the campaign.
*At one point the PCs interacted with Limryth(?) - the polymorphed Blue in SKT - in her Storm Giant guise in a non-combat social situation. But they failed to pick up on the clues as to what she was/or maybe they didn't care. Either way they ended up being manipulated by her.

The campaign before that? They came to the attention of the red dragon in ToA & eventually fought it in its lair.

In the coming campaign? Dragons will either be an important factor (Odyssey of the Dragon Lords) or little - none (a pirate based campaign)

 

[Stormonu]

End bosses.

I’ve never used them as “random” or mundane encounters - they’re always telegraphed and take some serious teamwork and planning to take down.

I don’t think I’ve used them as enemies I expect the characters to tackle below 8th level (with one exception), though the party may initially encounter and interact with them beforehand.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Varies. Sometimes they are just slightly smart brutal beasts. Sometimes they are scheming and grand opponents. Really all depends on the campaign. Generally the older they are, the more important they become to the overall campaign.