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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sword of Spirit" data-source="post: 6943913" data-attributes="member: 6677017">Forgot the original post I was going to make responding to the side comments. So, back to that...I really love D&D dragons. I pretty much do them exactly by the books (in 5e I definitely use the spellcaster option, because I see D&D dragons as casters), because of how much I like it. Whenever I hear a DM talking about how they change dragons in their campaign, it actually puts me off from wanting to play in it. It's taking out one of the best things about the game for me. I tolerate it in say Birthright, and I'm okay with it in Dark Sun (because it's variant D&D), but anything beyond that is a really hard sell for me. You're up against one of my favorites, and you'll have to do something incredible to make me interested.So, what do I do with my quintessential D&D dragons in the adventures I run? I think the one thing I do that I haven't really heard from anyone else is that I play each dragon as if it were my personal PC. This means they are in it to win. This means they will use as much intelligence as I and the statblock can muster. It means that if the party is a threat, they will carefully plan how to face them. They will judge their power level, and they will probably be accurate (unlike most monsters, which, given that the PCs usually win in D&D, apparently chronically underestimate PCs).As far as their role in the world, I don't tend to have them take too much of an interest in the lesser races (and to a dragon, everyone else is a lesser race, even their ancient enemies the giants). So while some dragons get involved in influencing humanoid society, most just claim their territory and devote themselves to dragon things. The specifics depend on individuals and species, but that generally involves creating the best hoard they can, according to their tastes. Some might supplement that with claiming dominion over easily bullied humanoids like goblinoids or kobolds, pursuing knowledge, shapeshifting and exploring the world incognito, or forming personal alliances with or watchful protection over favored lesser beings or their descendants. I'd just have to get into the dragon's head, think dragon thoughts, and decide how and what they would do, keeping in mind that laying around in a well protected and comfortable lair with a hoard of treasure and no one to bother them is generally considered the gold standard of successful dragonness.</blockquote>

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