Draconomicon: Dungeons & Dragons Accessory

by Andy Collins, James Wyatt, Skip Williams

The Book of Dragons This title takes a comprehensive look at the dragons of the D & D world from a variety of perspectives. It includes information on playing dragons and dragon-like creatures, how to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786928840
• ISBN13: 9780786928842
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 4.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 8.4" x 11.2"

Customer Reviews

A Must Own!!!

I've debated over and over on the role Dragons would take in my campaign. Once I made the decision to increase the draconic feel of my campaign, it was a no brainer to pick this one up. The anatomy section on the dragon was quite possibly the most interesting information I've ever read from WOTC. It really made the dragons feel less mythical and more real and tangible. The monsters presented are a welcome addition to the ecology of my world. The Dragonkin are great baddies added to any low level campaign. The Fang Dragon, reprinted from the Faerun monster manual, is absoltely one of my most favorite evil dragons, a pure monster. The Draconic template is fastly becoming one of my most favorite templates in my arsenal. However my most favorite section is the sample dragons. This section has helped me move the dragons to the pedestal they deserve. Too many campaigns reduce the dragon to a mere killing machine, and never really get under the skin of this wonderous race. This section reveals their motivations and trials, their tribulations and triumphs. I've spent many-a-night falling asleep to this section alone. I couldn't have been happier with my decision to purchase the Draconomicon. This is the crown jewel of my collection. I am absoltely in love with this suppliment. There is even feats and other character options, so if your playing a half dragon or running a game with Dragons in it, this suppliment is a must own. And this guide isn't only for people who play DND, any fan of our gargantuan winged friends will enjoy this book. There is a little for everyone in this guide.

Superb!

I understand that Wizards of the Coast originally planned the Draconomicon as a tabletop book of art. The Draconomicon does indeed contain excellent artwork, but Wizards transformed the book into Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Dragons, But Were Wisely Afraid to Ask Them. The Draconomicon has something for everyone--everyone, that is, who loves dragons. It contains creative, unique dragon prestige classes, spells and feats, including a whole new class of feats called metabreath feats. Some of the feats surely drew their inspiration from the scene in J.R.R. Tolkein's The Hobbit where Smaug the dragon single-handedly (or -tailedly) lays waste to the whole of Esgaroth in a few moments. Those feats will likewise turn some of your dragons into veritable engines of destruction--as they should be. It's not for naught that Gary Gygax named the game Dungeons and Dragons. While the Draconomicon focuses a great deal on our old friends the metallic dragons and our old enemies the chromatic dragons, it contains plenty of new dragons, good, evil and neutral. The new dragons, which include several undead, extra-planar, and even golem dragons, span the gamut from the fast and maneuverable elemental air drake at CR 6 to the colossal, thunderous landwyrm at CR 22. Lest you think that the Draconomicon offers material only for the DM and the dragon art connoisseur, let me assure you that it contains a dragon's hoard of material for players too. It contains PC prestige classes, feats, and spells. Now your PC can have a dragon familiar, a dragon cohort, or even a dragon mount. Special rules, modeled on the monster PC rules in Savage Species, even allow you to play a dragon PC, starting at 1st level! The Draconomicon stands out as one of the best birthday gifts I've gotten in the past four decades, and if one of the players in the campaign I run hadn't given it to me, I would have happily purchased it for myself. The Draconomicon is nothing sort of superb.

Excellent Book

I don't use dragons much and the price tag scared me off for quite a while but I finally bought this book and am glad I did. Even if you only use dragons sparingly like I do I find the book worth it simply because when I do use dragons I want the encounter to be important and challenging. Dragons straight out of the monster manual may be tough but I always find that my players prepare for the battle ahead of time and always make themselves immune to the breath weapon, the dragon's most powerful ability. Well this book has plenty of spells and metabreath feats to shock and dismay your PCs like spells to change the breath weapon energy type or feats to maximize the breath weapon. Also there are dragon prestige classes and dragon magical items.For players their are dragon based prestige classes such as a dragonhunter and a slew of magic items that can be crafted from a slain dragon's corpse. Also their are more spells for players either to combat dragons or to give the player dragon-like abilities such as a breath weapon.Lets not forget they also listed sample treasure hoards for every EL so you don't have to roll them all out. Also there are sample dragons of every major type and age if you don't want to go through the trouble of making up a dragon yourself. They also have sample dragon lairs for each type of dragon.A very good book.

Thar Be Dragons Here

The folks at Wizards have out done them selves on this one. If you wanted to know about dragons than this is the one shop stop. It covers everything from physiology, psychology, and society to how to run an effective dragon. This book covers running a dragon as an effective adversary as well as how they can fit into your campaign. It is loaded with dragon feats, spells, magic items, and tactics. They don't forget about PC's either. They have new feats and spells for characters that are dragon based. They have an in depth chapter on the dragon lairs and society. And of course new creatures and dragons. All in all one of the most complete and comprehensive books Wizards and TSR has put out in many years (and I have been roll playing and purchasing products for over 25 years). If you like or want to use dragons in your campaign at all I would HIGHLY recommend this book. I hope this is a peek into the future of all of Wizards roll playing works.

A great resource for dragon fans

If you think the Dragon section in the Monster Manual just isn't detailed enough for your tastes, this is the book for you.It has tons of both flavor and crunch, including information on the anatomy, physiology, life cycle, history and culture of dragons. There are prestige classes, magic items, feats and spells appropriate for both dragon characters and non-dragon characters. This book is useful for both players and DMs.From a player's perspective, it includes information on how to fight a dragon, and how to aquire a dragon mount or cohort, or even play a dragon as a PC.For the DMs, there is information on how to effectively run a dragon in combat, including how and when to use each of a dragon's numerous combat options, new dragon and dragon-like monsters, how to incorporate dragons into an adventure or a campaign, and most importantly, sample dragons of each major type at each age category, and sample lairs.If you have ever wanted to include dragons in your campaign, this is just the book for you. Even if you didn't, after you read this book, you might just change your mind.