The magic woven through the fabric of the Material Plane is concentrated in dragons and their lairs. This chapter is all about the magic of dragons, unfolding in four sections:
2 offers a selection of spells associated with dragons.
2 presents several magic items associated with dragons, many connected to the gem dragons introduced in 6.
2 introduces a new kind of magic items, which siphon the magical energy associated with a dragon's hoard.
2 introduces magical gifts that characters might gain in connection with a dragon's death or other unusual circumstances.
Spells
I am less guarded with my spells than I am with my recipes. Magic shared is soon improved. But when it comes to my pudding, well, you can't fix perfect.
This section contains new spells that the DM may add to a campaign, making them available to player characters and monster spellcasters alike. The Spells table lists the new spells, ordering them by level. The table also notes the school of magic of a spell, whether it requires concentration, whether it bears the ritual tag, and which classes have access to it.
| Level | Spell | School | Conc. | Ritual | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | Nathair's Mischief | Illusion | Yes | No | Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| 2nd | Rime's Binding Ice | Evocation | No | No | Sorcerer, Wizard |
| 3rd | Ashardalon's Stride | Transmutation | Yes | No | Artificer,* Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| 4th | Raulothim's Psychic Lance | Enchantment | No | No | Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 5th | Summon Draconic Spirit | Conjuration | Yes | No | Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| 6th | Fizban's Platinum Shield | Abjuration | Yes | No | Sorcerer, Wizard |
| 7th | Draconic Transformation | Transmutation | Yes | No | Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard |
Magic Items
If you happen to find yourself in possession of a platinum scarf, be prepared for side effects: head swivels, gasps of admiration, and myriad compliments.
The following magic items are presented in alphabetical order.
Hoard Magic Items
I've let adventurers put their toys in my hoard to steep once or twice. I can never get a good night's sleep while they're there, though. It's like an itch.
Certain magic items can absorb the ambient magic of a dragon's hoard. The mightier the dragon, the more powerful the item becomes when it is steeped in the dragon's hoard. These items, called hoard items, have four states, which are summarized on the Hoard Item States table. A hoard item in its Slumbering state has certain base properties, and it gains additional properties when it enters the Stirring, Wakened, or Ascendant state.
| State | Age |
|---|---|
| Slumbering | — |
| Stirring | Young |
| Wakened | Adult |
| Ascendant | Ancient |
Increasing Power
A hoard item left to steep in a dragon's hoard absorbs power from the hoard. Older dragons' hoards are charged with more magic and can empower hoard items to higher states.
Ordinarily, a hoard item must steep in a dragon's hoard for 1 year to reach the maximum possible state allowed by the age of the hoard's dragon, as shown on the Hoard Item States table. For example, a hoard item that steeps in a young dragon's hoard for 1 year enters its Stirring state, while one that steeps in an ancient dragon's hoard for 1 year reaches the pinnacle of its power and enters its Ascendant state. If there are one or more hoard items steeping in a dragon's hoard, the dragon is aware of them. The dragon also knows what these hoard items are and what state (Slumbering, Stirring, Wakened, or Ascendant) each of them is in.
When a dragon is slain, the magic surrounding its hoard becomes volatile. This allows a hoard item to steep more quickly in the hoard. A hoard item steeped in a dragon's hoard for 8 hours rises one state (from Slumbering to Stirring, Stirring to Wakened, or Wakened to Ascendant), as long as the steeping begins within 1 hour of the dragon's death and occurs within the dragon's lair. Steeping in this way can't raise the state of the item beyond the state associated with the dragon's age—putting a Wakened item in a slain adult dragon's hoard does not make it Ascendant, for example.
Decreasing Power
Just as hoard items can grow in power by absorbing the ambient magic of a dragon's hoard, so too can these treasures fall back into slumber. If no creature is attuned to a hoard item and that item isn't in a dragon's hoard, the item decreases in power by one state every 30 days until it is Slumbering.
Hoard Item Quirks
Hoard items often manifest strange qualities beyond their intended function, regardless of the state they're in. Roll once on the Draconic Quirks table to determine the quirk of a hoard item.
| d8 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | When resting on the ground, the item points in the direction of the last hoard it steeped in. |
| 2 | The item's bearer can speak and understand Draconic. |
| 3 | The item glows softly when within 60 feet of a Dragon or another hoard item. |
| 4 | The item's bearer gains a swimming speed equal to their walking speed. |
| 5 | The item's bearer has advantage on Intelligence (History) checks. |
| 6 | The item's bearer has advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks made against non-Dragons. |
| 7 | The item grants its bearer resistance to the damage type of the breath weapon of the last dragon whose hoard the item steeped in. |
| 8 | The item's bearer dreams of the dragon whose hoard the item last steeped in. |
Hoard Item Descriptions
Hoard items are presented here in alphabetical order. A hoard item's rarity changes depending on its current state, as shown in each item description.
Draconic Gifts
You know the proverb: don't look a draconic gift in the mouth. Some say it's because of the breath weapon. But really it's the smell.
As described in 3, the death of a dragon can result in its power taking root in a character, whether that person is the dragon's chosen heir or the dragon's killer. The result of this investiture can vary widely in power and impact, from a minor charm to a complete transformation.
Sometimes, a draconic gift has an obvious visual manifestation, such as when a character is transformed into a dragonborn. Other gifts are invisible, but no less potent. But on some worlds, the investiture of draconic power is accompanied by some kind of physical manifestation, especially if it's derived from slaying a dragon. It might be small and easily hidden, but those who know to look can usually identify a dragonslayer (or another character who carries a draconic gift) by a telltale sign. The Draconic Marks table suggests some possibilities of what these marks might look like.
| d4 | Visual Manifestation |
|---|---|
| 1 | One or both of the character's eyes change color to resemble the dragon's eyes or scales. |
| 2 | The character's hair (or a streak of it) changes color to match the color of the dragon's scales. |
| 3 | A mark like a stylized dragon eye or claw appears on the body. |
| 4 | Patches of scales appear on the character's body, typically on the neck, shoulders, or forearms. |
Draconic Gift Descriptions
Some of the less common draconic gifts I've seen bestowed include chubby cheeks and an adorable nature; the ability to blow immaculate smoke rings; and the innate sense of when your egg is perfectly soft-boiled. I wouldn't mind that last one myself.
The draconic gifts detailed in this section have rarities like magic items. The rarity of a draconic gift corresponds roughly to the age category of the dragon that bestowed it, as shown in the Draconic Gift Rarity table.
You can use a more common draconic gift for an older dragon, but exercise caution going in the other direction. Very rare and legendary draconic gifts can unbalance the game if they're given to low-level characters.
| Rarity | Age Category |
|---|---|
| Uncommon | Wyrmling |
| Rare | Young |
| Very rare | Adult |
| Legendary | Ancient |
- Draconic Familiar
- Draconic Rebirth
- Draconic Senses
- Echo of Dragonsight
- Frightful Presence
- Psionic Reach
- Scaled Toughness
- Tongue of the Dragon