Summary

  • Dragons are a central and iconic part of Dungeons & Dragons, providing a tactical challenge for players and adding to the immensity of the game.
  • Dragons appear in most, if not all, settings and editions of the tabletop game, although their lore and abilities often vary.
  • These dragons have unique powers, backstories, and motivations, making them both formidable foes and interesting characters in the game.

It should be no surprise that dragons are a big part of Dungeons & Dragons - after all, they're right in the title. The game's popularity and influence are a major source of inspiration within the fantasy genre, in a range of creative mediums, and its varied and terrifying depictions of dragons are a major part of that. However, unlike most other fantasy works, D&D doesn't have just one body of lore. There are multiple campaign settings available for the tabletop game, offering everything from the swords and sorcery of the Forgotten Realms to the multidimensional adventure of Planescape. Older editions even have their own settings yet to be adapted.

But no matter the setting, when it comes to DnD, no creature represents the magic of the game better than dragons. Even for high-level players, dragons can pose a serious threat, and often represent a tactical challenge. Even 50 years after the release of DnD's first edition, dragons are still a major feature of many campaigns. That goes double when there's so much lore to be found about the most powerful of DnD's mighty dragons; this makes these formidable foes into well-rounded characters, and can even add to the immensity of their power.

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10 Arauthator Has Sworn Revenge Against All Spellcasters

From The Rise Of Tiamat For Forgotten Realms

Arauthator the dragon in a Dungeons & Dragons illustration

Nicknamed the Old White Death, Arauthator is highly dangerous as his history of fighting mages and other dragons suggests. With 306 HP, a challenge rating of 15, and the ability to cast spells up to ninth level with a +8 bonus to hit, he's a force to be reckoned with. But in his natural element in the Sea of Ice, the white dragon is nigh-invulnerable, with the ability to scale walls of solid ice and reverse failed saving throws at will.

Arauthator's past is a tragic one, and explains his prickly attitude, especially when it comes to spellcasters. He was orphaned as a young dragon when his entire brood was slain by the mage Tulrun, and after that, he dedicated his life to revenge, not against Tulrun alone, but all mages. Arauthator's rampage continued until he met Tulrun himself. The two powerful casters engaged in peace talks, eventually agreeing that Arauthator would stop terrorizing the Silver Marches, but that Tulrun and his camp would let the dragon live in peace. However, their pact was short-lived and certainly won't prevent a DnD party from facing the dragon's wrath.

9 Klauth Is The Most Sinister Of D&D's Ancient Dragons

From Storm King's Thunder For Forgotten Realms

Image of a model of Klauth dragon from Dungeons & Dragons roaring

All ancient dragons are lethal, but none are more horrific than Klauth. While he appears to be an average red dragon, he is a far superior evil when compared to the rest of his ancient brethren. Also known as Old Snarl, he's widely recognized as one of the oldest dragons still alive in the Forgotten Realms setting - excluding those who cheated death by transforming into dracoliches. Klauth boasts a challenge rating of 25, spells up to level 14, and a Strength stat of 30 - that's a +10 bonus for those keeping score at home.

Klauth is most infamous for killing other ancient dragons that rival him, or otherwise threaten to surpass his own power. As a result, he is without question the strongest of all the ancient dragons. He dwells in the mountains of the Klauthen Vale - so named for him - and can cause magma to erupt from the ground to deter intruders. With the might of a dragon and the wisdom of a wizard, Klauth is one of the most feared and brutal creatures in the DnD universe.

8 Daurgothoth Is The Most Powerful Of D&D's Dracoliches

From D&D 3.5e

The black and blue dragon, Dracolich, from Dungeons & Dragons.

Compared to other dracoliches, Daurgothoth stands at the pinnacle of undead dragons. To say he's power-hungry would be an understatement: Daurgothoth aims to become the most powerful being in Faerûn, and intends to do so by raising his very own army of living, breeding dracoliches. He also happens to be an archmage, which means the oft-rigid rules of spellcasting aren't so strict for him. Daurgothoth can bend magic to his will, resulting in some truly powerful - and, for the party, devastating - spells.

Daurgothoth debuted in D&D's revised third edition, commonly known as 3.5e, with a challenge rating of 50. However, he's yet to make an official appearance in the current edition of D&D, 5e. However, several homebrew versions of Daurgothoth attempt to adapt the all-powerful dracolich to 5e rules, and he's just as powerful there as he's ever been.

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7 Capnolithyl Is A Vampiric Dragon

From 3.5e

an illustration of Capnolithyl, a dragon from D&D lore, sitting on a mountain of treasure and roaring

Capnolithyl looked like a regular black drake, but was actually a vampiric smoke drake who could change his form at will. Also known as Brimstone, Capnolithyl is able to change into a cloud of embers and possesses a magical collar that allows him to leave his hoard, something even most vampiric dragons aren't normally able to do.

The mage Sammaster, who founded the Cult of the Dragon and created the first dragonliches, approached Capnolithyl to help with his initial experiments. He started by turning Capnolithyl into a vampire, but then decided on another course of research and simply discarded the dragon. In retaliation, Capnolithyl helped to destroy the mage and took over his citadel. Although Capnolithyl and vampiric dragons have yet to appear officially in 5e,Capnolithyl's transformational abilities and pure Chaotic Evil alignment make him one of the most destructive dragons in DnD.

6 Borys Is Half-Dragon, Half-Human

From The Dark Sun Setting For 2e & 4e

Borys dragon in a Dungeons & Dragons illustration

Native to the world of Athas, which only appears in the Dark Sun campaign setting for 2e and 4e, Borys is somewhat different from other members of his race. Originally, he was the Sorcerer-King of the City of Doom, Ur Draxa, but the powerful figure became corrupted by his own lust for power.

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This occurred when Borys began to fuel his powers by sacrificing the life force of other living creatures. His powers eventually grew to the point where he was able to transform himself into a dragon. By doing so, he not only obtained the power of the ancient dragons but also enhanced his own psionic abilities. Attacks are scarcely able to pierce his leathery skin, and he's so consumed with his own goals that he's likely to ignore them even if they do. Although he's one of the most powerful beings in his own world, Borys, along with the entire Dark Sun setting, has yet to appear in 5e.

5 Dregoth Is Borys' Terrible Successor

From The Dark Sun Setting For 2e & 4e

Skeletal Dregoth dragon in a Dungeons & Dragons illustration

The demise of Borys in the Prism Pentad novel series brought a sense of hope and relief to the inhabitants of Athas. However, their hope was soon shattered following the return of the Undead-Dragon King Dregoth. According to the Dregoth Ascending trilogy, Dregoth spent over two millennia traveling across the multiverse thanks to the powers of the Planar Gate. Over the course of his travels, he discovered the presence of True Gods and studied their divine nature and power, seeking to claim it for himself. Upon his return, he had become so powerful that he was close to being considered the first true dragon god of Athas.

4 Bahamut Is A Draconic Deity

From All Editions Of D&D

Bahamut, also known as the Platinum Dragon or King of the Good Dragons, is a member of both the Draconic Pantheon and the Faerûnian Pantheon in the Forgotten Realms setting. In short, that means he's widely worshiped by dragons and humanoids both as the god of justice. Although his natural form is that of a platinum dragon, he'll often appear to humans as a wizened old man, sometimes in the garb of a typical peasant. He disdains combat and prefers to talk his enemies into surrender when possible - but don't mistake his pacifism for weakness.

Bahamut is incredibly powerful, and although he doesn't have an official stat block for 5e, his abilities are well described in the 2e - 4e sourcebooks entitled Draconomicon. He is able to buff his allies, can use several elemental breath attacks, and is immune to any and all spells cast below level five. To make matters worse, he can summon another dragon whenever he wishes, as an aspect of himself. With such overwhelming power, Bahamut is nothing short of a force of nature, showing why platinum dragons are one of the coolest dragons in D&D.

3 Tiamat Is Bahamut's Rival

From All Editions Of D&D

As the goddess of all evil dragons, Tiamat is the antithesis of her twin brother Bahamut. Tiamat is one of the most powerful bosses in Dungeons and Dragons and appears in several settings, but is best known for her role in the Forgotten Realms setting. She's also referenced extensively during the githyanki questline in Baldur's Gate 3, as lore has it Tiamat has an indeterminate deal with the dragon-riding gith.

Tiamat has a challenge rating of 30, with 615 HP and an armor class of 25. Like most dragons, she has access to Legendary Actions, Innate Spellcasting, and low-level Magical Immunity. However, her multiple heads grant her various additional boons: she can take one reaction per turn instead of per round, and cast a wide variety of elemental breath attacks. Also, Tiamat technically can't be killed: if she ever drops to zero HP, her corporeal form will disappear, but her essence will persist and can eventually revive her physical body.

2 Voaraghamanthar and Waervaerendor Are Powerfully Bonded Black Dragon Twins

From Forgotten Realms

Black Dragon sitting on a pile of treasure fighting a man and a woman in a Dungeons & Dragons illustration

The black dragon twins Voaraghamanthar and Waervaerendor do almost everything as a unit. Voaraghamanthar was called the Black Death, and his brother, the less famous of the pair, nicknamed himself the Rapacious Raider. The two dragons shared a strong, empathetic bond, and it almost seemed like they were one soul inhabiting two bodies. They don't exactly have a single official stat block. However, since each of them is a black dragon, it could be said that, as a unified soul, they have the power of two black dragons in one.

This is a unique ability, even among dragons, and they kept it a secret. To the twins, nearly all other living creatures were problems to be solved or food to be eaten, the only exceptions being other dragons or adventurers who had proved themselves useful.

1 Io/Asgorath Is The Draconic Creator Deity

From Forgotten Realms

The being known variously as Asgorath and Io is described in DnD lore as the absolute creator of all dragons, including the great wyrms and the dragon deities of the Draconic Pantheon. One myth from DnD's fourth edition states that Io created the dragons after their battle with Erek-Hus, the Primordial King of Terror. Although the battle ended with Io getting split in two, Bahamut and Tiamat were born from the two halves of their body.

Even without his body, Io’s consciousness still remains. They continue to watch over their children and will even personally intervene if the situation demands it. According to the Draconomicon, Io can appear as any type of dragon, including a great wyrm. Asgorath doesn't really have a stat block, since it's not expected that players will ever fight them - after all, they've been dead for millennia in most DnD settings. However, they're the closest thing the Draconic Pantheon has to an omnipotent, monotheistic god, and it's this incredible power and history that make Io the strongest dragon in DnD.

Even though they're not a playable race, portrayals of dragons in DnD vary just as much as humanoid characters. They're all more powerful than humanoid races, but some definitely outrank others. Some of them are good, some are evil; some are chaotic, some are lawful. They have relationships, families, and complicated interpersonal drama, some of which is defined by their unique history and culture, and some of which is immediately recognizable to anyone. As a result, dragons make the perfect guideline for future implementation of more complex non-playable races in future editions of Dungeons & Dragons.

Dungeons and Dragons Game Poster
Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons is a popular tabletop game originally invented in 1974 by Ernest Gary Gygax and David Arneson. The fantasy role-playing game brings together players for a campaign with various components, including abilities, races, character classes, monsters, and treasures. The game has drastically expanded since the '70s, with numerous updated box sets and expansions.

Franchise
Dungeons & Dragons
Original Release Date
1974-00-00
Publisher
TSR Inc. , Wizards of the Coast
Designer
E. Gary Gygax , Dave Arneson
Player Count
2-7 Players