Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons.
Fire Breath. The dragon exhales fire in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Weakening Breath. The dragon exhales gas in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or have disadvantage on Strength-based attack rolls, Strength checks, and Strength saving throws for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Change Shape. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the dragon's choice).
In a new form, the dragon retains its alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. Its statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form, except any class features or legendary actions of that form.
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
A Gold Dragon’s Lair
Gold dragons make their homes in out-of-the-way places, where they can do as they please without arousing suspicion or fear. Most dwell near idyllic lakes and rivers, mist-shrouded islands, cave complexes hidden behind sparkling waterfalls, or ancient ruins.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- The dragon glimpses the future, so it has advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until initiative count 20 on the next round.
- One creature the dragon can see within 120 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be banished to a dream plane, a different plane of existence the dragon has imagined into being. To escape, the creature must use its action to make a Charisma check contested by the dragon’s. If the creature wins, it escapes the dream plane. Otherwise, the effect ends on initiative count 20 on the next round. When the effect ends, the creature reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that one is occupied.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary gold dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Whenever a creature that can understand a language sleeps or enters a state of trance or reverie within 6 miles of the dragon’s lair, the dragon can establish telepathic contact with that creature and converse with it in its dreams. The creature remembers its conversation with the dragon upon waking.
- Banks of beautiful, opalescent mist manifest within 6 miles of the dragon’s lair. The mist doesn’t obscure anything. It assumes haunting forms when evil creatures are near the dragon or other non-evil creatures in the mist, warning such creatures of the danger.
- Gems and pearls within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair sparkle and gleam, shedding dim light in a 5-foot radius.
If the dragon dies, these effects end immediately.
Thinking about Gold Dragons? Definitely check out James Haeck's most excellent article on using them in your campaign - well worth the read!
wow . i love dragons
I was so confused when I rolled this as a random encounter for my players (I'm still pretty new to DMing). I can't think of a reason for a LG dragon to randomly attack the players without reason. I did some research and I think I'll just have him be shape shifted as another adventurer on the road or as a animal that follows them for a short while to observe them.
I'm still trying to reconcile why the gold dragon Aurinax -- from Waterdeep: Dragonheist -- let himself be turned into a patsy by Lord Neverember of Neverwinter. I like the overall design, but I will need to be creative to actually have each NPC work towards their own interests.
Anyway, I love gold dragons.
That’s a good setup. You seem to have the Gold Dragon MO down, well. Many Metallic Dragons spend the majority of their time shapechanged,
Another thing you could do with a Gold Dragon, if you were looking to introduce some potential for risk/reward, you could have the dragon take the form of a needy beggar, to test how the party treat the less fortunate. It’s a bit of a cliche setup, but it still works well.
Never understood why dragons don't come with spell lists.
:)
they used to in the older editions....3.5 and 2nd dragons had access to a list of spells. feel free to give your dragons spells if you are in the forgotten realms as i think they have always had spells in that campaign setting
Oh yeah, I've played since before 1st Edition in the 70's. I mean for 5th. I mean, they even based a full spellcasting race (sorcerer) after the idea that dragons are so magical that having some of their blood is enough to give you raw magical power. It was a pretty big part of dragons in previous editions. I've just found some 5e choices with stuff like that to be really odd.
wow
that actually sounds epic
i decided to make a character who is secretly an adult gold dragon
i'm new to DMing but wow my Friends and i are mainly druids and my friend turned into a golden dragon i'm so confused xD
Is there any real balancing reason for me to not give the shapechange feature to the young dragon? I want one in my world in elf form but I don't want it to be quite as strong as an adult
Even a young gold dragon is a powerhouse of a creature (CR10, AC18, 178 HP). If you party is in the appropriate level range to face a CR10 creature, then go for it. If you plan on introducing your Elf/dragon NPC as a potential Deus Ex Machina device to a lower level party, that's another matter (unless you plan on having a story based reason for a first or second tier level party having a Gold dragon as their patron), but not as something that swoops in and destroys all of you BBEG's in a matter of a few rounds if your party is getting their tails handed to them and are all in danger of ending up in the TPK zone.
Now....a young gold dragon who is shape changed into an Elf who just happens to bump into the party (ostensibly to check their intentions) who doesn't plan on blowing his cover until or unless there is a good reason to do just that) can play the role as an NPC with appropriate stats, although Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma from the dragon form always transfers over to whatever they shaped changed into. The "physical" stats (Str, Dex, Con) always fall in line with the race/creature chosen.
But in the end, it's your world. For sake of game balance, just watch how you introduce such a powerful NPC into your party. A large, gold dragon suddenly appearing to save the day may be exciting, but it's a little too cliché for my tastes. Try to think of the motivations behind why the gold dragon would want to enlist the help of the player characters. Information? Altruism? Insight on what motivates the characters? Taking out a threat?
just remember you use polymorph to transform into one and then use Clone
Dragons are exotic animals that have hardly been seen on the planet. But I think that there are some videos about people seeing a dragon that has been scaring people a lot and iI have seen videos of them and they are scary.
This just made me imagine the concept of "Gold Dragon Footage" except it's all blurry like when people claim to make Bigfoot footage and it is so funny to me
Im pretty sure that gold dragons are like the only dragons that arent sorcerers, they are wizards, weird but cool