In the 2024 Monster Manual, you’ll find over 500 new and revamped monsters for your players to encounter. Among this collection of creatures are the titular “dragons” of Dungeons & Dragons, which have been reimagined, refined, and reinvigorated. Whether these legendary creatures are your players’ worst nightmare or their benevolent patrons, they are ready to take their rightful place as rulers of the skies and terrors of the deep.
In this article, we’ll go over the new dragon design in the 2024 Monster Manual and get you ready to unleash these awe-inspiring creatures on your players!
- New Art and Lore to Inspire Dragon-Centric Adventures
- Spellcasting Lets You Harness Each Dragon’s Magical Might
- Revamped Actions Showcase Each Dragon’s Distinctive Abilities
- Dragon’s Legendary Actions Are Way More Legendary
- Dragon’s Lairs Are Deadlier and Easier to Run
Pre-order Your 2024 Monster Manual
Craft unforgettable encounters using the monster-filled pages of the 2024 Monster Manual! With new monsters designed for higher-level play and a trove of tools to help Dungeon Masters save time, this massive
If you want all three core rulebooks, you can save $60, get exclusive digital bonuses, and immediately access the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide and 2024 Player's Handbook when you pre-order the Digital & Physical Core Rulebook Bundle.
Subscribers can also access their pre-ordered digital copies early, starting February 4 for Master Tier subscribers and February 11 for Hero Tier subscribers.
New Art and Lore to Inspire Dragon-Centric Adventures
The 2024 Monster Manual has completely revamped the look and feel of each dragon to showcase their unique personalities and talents. This redesign is on full display in the Monster Manual with multiple pieces of art for each variation of dragon–including a full-page showcase of each dragon’s Gargantuan ancient form.
The new art in this book will provide DMs with endless inspiration on each specific dragon’s personality and how they act in certain situations. From an adult red dragon razing a city to an ancient brass dragon protecting adventurers from a sandstorm, this art will fuel adventures for years to come.
Inspiration for Each Stage of a Dragon’s Lifecycle
On top of new gorgeous pieces of artwork and revamped stat blocks, the 2024 Monster Manual provides information for each stage of every dragon’s evolution. You’ll learn about what drives a dragon, from their wyrmling infancy to the height of their ancient power, in addition to who they may ally themselves with in these various stages.
Not only will this provide DMs with more context on how these dragons act, but it will also help drive their imagination when it comes to creating adventures of their own!
Spellcasting Lets You Harness Each Dragon’s Magical Might
Dragons are beings of immense power and, in the 2024 Monster Manual, many elder dragons get to show off their innate magical spark with a new Spellcasting action. While each variety of dragon weaves their magic differently, every adult and ancient dragon in the 2024 Monster Manual has been given spells they can cast in one form or another.
For example, ancient black dragons are creatures of malice, and their spellcasting capabilities reflect their personality. These harbingers of suffering can now use their innate magic to terrorize foes with the Fear spell or dissolve their prey with Melf’s Acid Arrow and Vitriolic Sphere.
An antithesis to the black dragon, the ancient copper dragon uses its magic to delight and create community. It can use Detect Magic to seek out magical curiosities and Greater Restoration to cure the ailments of those in need.
Different Dragons Have Different Spellcasting Prowess
Dragons are known for their commanding force of will, and, as a result, their Spellcasting feature uses Charisma for their spellcasting ability modifier. However, not all dragons wield magic with the same capability.
White dragons, who are among the most primal chromatic dragons, don’t gain access to the Spellcasting feature. Instead, the elder white dragons channel their magical ferocity by casting the Fear spell through their Frightful Presence Legendary Action.
Conversely, red and gold dragons have extensive magical abilities that allow them to weave supernatural effects and cast powerful spells—though these abilities manifest in different ways. Gold dragons are more pacifistic and can use their magic to banish foes and compel others to speak the truth, whereas red dragons employ their magic to command and incinerate lesser beings.
Revamped Actions Showcase Each Dragon’s Distinctive Abilities
The last thing an encounter with a dragon should be is tedious. In the 2024 Monster Manual, dragons have been given more abilities that reflect their unique powers and make them terrifying foes to face. These legendary beasts have also been made easier to run without sacrificing the fun of encountering such a truly epic opponent.
Rend
Each dragon now has access to the Rend attack, which is its default melee attack. As the dragon increases in power and size, this attack evolves to display each dragon’s distinctive flavor.
In some younger dragons, it only deals Slashing or Piercing damage. However, other wyrmling and young dragons, as well as all adult and ancient dragons, infuse their Rend attacks with their elemental essence, such as Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison damage.
Multiattack
Each dragon’s Multiattack has been tweaked to accommodate the streamlining of their actions. In the 2024 Monster Manual, a dragon can use its Multiattack to make multiple Rend attacks, and some can even swap a Rend attack for a use of its special abilities.
For example, when an adult green dragon uses its Multiattack, it can replace a Rend attack with a use of Spellcasting to cast a level 5 Mind Spike. Similarly, an ancient gold dragon can replace a Rend attack from its Multiattack with a use of Spellcasting to cast a level 4 Guiding Bolt or use its Weakening Breath.
This change helps create variety and meaningful choices when running your dragons in combat. Most of these legendary creatures are vastly intelligent and possess a mind for tactics, and now they have the ability to flex this keen intellect to become true terrors on the battlefield.
If an ancient blue dragon sees that its foes are grouped under a rocky outcropping, it can make two Rend attacks against an immediate threat and then cast Shatter on the outcropping to bring it down on top of the sheltering creatures. Similarly, if an adult red dragon can’t catch more than one creature with its Fire Breath, it could use its Multiattack to make two Rend attacks and then shoot off a Scorching Ray to ignite a foe at range.
Dragon’s Legendary Actions Are Way More Legendary
Each type of adult and ancient dragon now gets distinctive Legendary Actions based on their abilities.
These new Legendary Actions allow dragons to channel their elemental essence and even cast spells when it is not their turn in Initiative, which ensures they are formidable and unpredictable forces of nature whenever they are encountered.
For instance, ancient white dragons, who embody the viciousness of arctic storms, can use a Legendary Action to assail their prey with a Freezing Burst that reduces their target’s Speed or use the Fear spell to send their enemies scattering.
On the other hand, ancient red dragons, full of fire and ferocity, can use a Legendary Action to sear creatures with Scorching Ray or use Command to bring them to their knees.
Dragon’s Lairs Are Deadlier and Easier to Run
A dragon without a lair is like a monarch without a kingdom. These domains are more than just a place for a dragon to sleep; they are extensions of the dragon’s power and safe grounds to build their hoard.
Dragons Are Even Scarier Within Their Lairs
In the 2024 Monster Manual, adult and ancient dragons are given a substantial power boost in their lairs. They can use more Legendary Actions per turn and have access to more Legendary Resistances, meaning they’ll have more offensive and defensive power than before.
Regional Effects Have Mechanical Implications
Similarly, the region containing a dragon’s lair has been given more mechanical effects than previous iterations, making traversing the land surrounding their lair easier for DMs to run and more immersive for players to experience.
For example, drinking water found within 1 mile of a black dragon’s lair can now cause the Poisoned condition for 1 hour. Likewise, finishing a Long Rest within the chilly fog surrounding a white dragon’s lair can now reduce a creature’s Speed by 10 feet for 1 hour.
Previously, the regional effects caused by a dragon’s lair were more ephemeral, and while they could help the DM set the scene, the players didn’t necessarily feel the impact of entering a dragon’s domain. Now, the region surrounding a dragon’s lair has become a perilous challenge to traverse, rife with the dragon's influence.
Pre-Order the 2024 Monster Manual Today
The 2024 Monster Manual breathes new life into dragons, further tempering their role as some of the most legendary foes—and allies—Dungeons & Dragons has to offer. With revamped stat blocks, innate spellcasting, and new Legendary Actions, these iconic creatures are more awe-inspiring than ever.
Whether your party faces the searing wrath of a red dragon or seeks wisdom from a benevolent gold dragon, each run-in with the redesigned dragons in the 2024 Monster Manual promises an unforgettable, epic encounter, so pre-order your copy today!
Mike Bernier (@arcane_eye) is the founder of Arcane Eye, a site focused on providing useful tips and tricks to all those involved in the world of D&D. Outside of writing for Arcane Eye, Mike spends most of his time playing games, hiking with his partner, and tending the veritable jungle of houseplants that have invaded his house.
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Posted Jan 9, 2025Glad the Dragon Types are going to be more distinctive.
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Posted Jan 9, 2025I'm assuming that the "Spellcasting" they mentioned means that the 5.5e monsters won't have spell slots like 5e used to? (Before MotM, that is)
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Posted Jan 9, 2025Pretty much. Even if they did, it would probably be Innate Spell-casting, so in this case, it doesn't make too much difference.
EDIT: Spell slots haven't been used for monsters in years. It's a shame because it gets rid of some flavor and makes everything a bit more generic and video-gamey. Still, it was their solution to the action economy issues stemming from spells, so there's that.
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Posted Jan 9, 2025I prefer the current spell casting monsters. Having to worry about slots is annoying for something likely to live only a few turns
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Posted Jan 9, 2025Yeah, I get it. I just liked that the monsters somewhat followed the same rules as the players did. It made things more consistent to me and kinda sold the impression that casters used their magic for more then just combat. Also helped measure what an NPC could do with their spells (EX: A mage with 6th level slots at the highest wasn't going to be able to Anti/Symp something in their house)
but yeah, none of that applies to combat. I just wish there was a system to determine what spells can be put on the list of a new monster (like it needs over 20 hit dice to have 5th level spells as 3/day, or something.)
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Posted Jan 9, 2025It also also makes the new counter spell better, if the monster isn't using a spell slot, they lose that casting of the spell.
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Posted Jan 9, 2025Correct. The updated NPC spell rules are better for both sides of the table IMHO
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Posted Jan 10, 2025Well, what's a lair action but yet another legendary action?
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Posted Jan 10, 2025There hasn't been any mention of 'lair actions' as they are in 2014. All it mentions above is that the creature gets more Legendary Actions if in their lair. This could be the replacement for Lair Actions.
Not sure whether I like this idea or not but it depends on how its actually done. The wording is currently ambiguous. Do they just get more uses of Legendary Actions in their lair? Do they get more choice of Legendary Actions to choose from if in their lair? Or do they get both of these things?
I hope its both of these things. That way the mechanics would largely have the same effect but with a simpler stat block (i.e. all Lair Actions rolled into the Legendary Actions list rather than have to track two separate things). Otherwise I feel some of the flavour and power would be lost. But we shall see....
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Posted Jan 10, 2025So, I have two questions that weren’t addressed:
1. How much of the new dragons comes from Fizban’s?
2. What about gemstone dragons?
Cheers!
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Posted Jan 10, 2025Wish they included an example so I could assume updated Gem dragons or missing previous edition dragons I use like brown grey cobalt nickel yellow ...there's alot
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Posted Jan 10, 2025a lair action is a legendary action that only happens in their lair, and usually only happens at initiative 20
basically it's like the environment itself is getting a turn and hurting the players
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Posted Jan 10, 2025None. The Dragons are the updated Chromatic, and Metallic Dragons.
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Posted Jan 10, 2025I know this is about dragons, but I will be most interest to see if Monster weapons get the same advantages as player weapons in the stat block. Nick, Cleave and so on, would it not be cool if dragon claws had cleave or nick as well ? I mean if a dagger can nick how much more of a nicking would a dragon claw do? Potentially the entire melee portion of the party.
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Posted Jan 10, 2025Wait... so we're back to Legendary Actions after the preview of the green dragon from a few months ago showed them omitted in favor of Reactions? Trying to decide whether I like that... I started using Reactions instead of Legendary Actions for some of my homebrew monsters in my campaigns these past few months, and it was an interesting experience.
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Posted Jan 11, 2025Dang I love dnd so much and dragon types are more distinctive now! Well, maybe I'll use more dragon related stuff
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Posted Jan 11, 2025i wait see my bronze dragons be look like in 2024
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Posted Jan 11, 2025Its a bit weird that they seemed to have ditched it. Or perhaps they're using both. I mean, a Legendary Action is basically equivalent to a special 3/turn reaction where the trigger is "after another creature's turn".
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Posted Jan 11, 2025Note: This will be an excellent opportunity for us to pay for more dragon lore.
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Posted Jan 11, 2025I feel you, what I don't like about the role out of onednd overall is that I feel like they probably could have done what earlier editions did and just published so many more books full of new content without redoing everything that already worked. I'd have loved to see fiend folio's and expanded monster manuals for 5e.
That being said, it keeps me busy since it gave me the opportunity to put out a full set of brown dragon statblocks based on the older editions and now I'm working on the yellow dragons!