10 Best Ways To Run Dragons In D&D

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As far as fantasy monsters go, dragons are among the most, if not the most, iconic. They show up in some games as boss monsters or the major antagonists of campaigns, but not as often as one might think given their inclusion in the game's title. Many official modules from Wizards of the Coast do not include dragons, or if they do, feature them briefly in side quests or one-off interactions.

Dragons got a bit more attention in 2021, when provided details on different types, their personalities and goals, and where they live. Still, there's little to go off of outside this book, and new DMs may struggle to incorporate dragons into their games in ways that feel impactful and true to the creatures' strength. The upcoming and will hopefully touch on these important figures a bit, but for now, here are ten tips for DMs looking to include dragons in their campaigns.

There's a reason dragons are revered and feared within fantasy settings. They are powerful, both within the lore of the Forgotten Realms and according to official dragon stat blocks. Many of these creatures, even those of the lowest challenge rating, have breath weapons that can melt whole parties and enough health and mobility to avoid going down quickly. As such, it is important for DMs to recognize whether their party can handle a dragon at a given point.

Fizban's Treasury of Dragons is introducing the Way of the Ascendant Dragon subclass for the Monk and the Drakewarden subclass for the Ranger to D&D.

Throwing low-level characters against a dragon can result in a total party wipe, something nobody wants that will likely leave players confused and upset. A critical rule of DMing is to avoid setting players up for failure, instead challenging them while providing paths to success. One reason dragons rarely appear in official content is because they are suited for high-level encounters, and many 5th edition modules are geared at lower level parties. Don't introduce a dragon without making it clear how