There’s a lot to be excited about regarding the 2024 revision ofDungeons and Dragons, with a rules makeover promised for just about every corner of the TTRPG. However, there’s one element ofDungeons and Dragons' update that looks to be going in a bold new direction.
The revision toD&D 5ewill be coming late 2024, though the revisedMonster Manualwon’t be in the hands of fans until February 2025. That volume in particular will contain some sweeping changes to monsters; not only are new monsters promised, but DMs trying to challenge high-level parties will be aided by high-CR monsters that hit harder, are easier to run, and have spell-like abilities that can’t be counterspelled rules-as-written. It’s also confirmed that every monster will get their own special trait, so monsters like the bandit captain and ogre will have more than hit points and damage at their disposal.
D&D’s Dragons Are Getting A New Coat Of Paint, And That’s Fantastic
Game Informer recently got the chance to unveil some ofD&D 2024’s new art, and dragons got a particular focus. Gold, red, and bronze dragons all have redesigns that were shown off by Game Informer, and they’re realized in stunning fashion. Not only do the revised versions of these drakes look amazing, but they potentially highlight some of the changes to dragon lore that have been hinted at in more recentD&Dvolumes.
D&D’s Redesigned Dragons Look Spectacular
Each dragon, from those in full art to those unveiled in concept form, looks absolutely great. Each design pops off the page with splendid detail—a good sign for the quality ofD&D’s updated core books. The metallic dragons give off a radiant sheen, the texture of their scales evident from just a glance. Meanwhile, the red dragon is rich in frills and horned, slinking along with a sinister, palpable weight.
ThePlayer’s Handbookartwork forD&D2024sports a battle between a red and gold dragon with players caught between, and does a great job at showing off these designs. The gold dragon in the background is the perfect size to sell the terror and awe evoked by its visage, one that looms large behind the party in the foreground. Moreover, this image of the beast shows off how the new dragons inD&D 2024will be taking some influence from dragons of other cultures. The gold dragon, benevolent and whiskered, already had some roots in Chinese dragons, but its long, coiling body now wears these inspirations on its sleeve. It also has cat-like eyes and a generally leonine head, connoting pride, leadership and wild wisdom.
D&D 2024’s New Dragons Hint Towards Alignment Changes
TheD&DbookFizban’s Treasury of Dragonsexpanded greatly on dragon lore, including new dragons and dice tables to generate motivations and personality traits for existing dragons. The former saw nonspecific creatures being tagged with ‘Typically’ in the alignment section of their stat block, while the latter saw dragons previously tied to one alignment receive suggested plot hooks outside of that alignment. Both changes imply that dragons in the 2025Monster Manualwill receive more diversity in alignment, allowing each drake to choose their own morality rather than having an inherent outlook.
The newly-unveiled dragon art hints at this changetoD&D’s alignment system.Red and gold dragons have both been given shades of gray, almost spelling out the change to alignment on their scales. This would make sense if true, since the 2014Monster Manualcategorizes dragon alignment based on scale color. A shift to more diverse alignments allows for more storytelling opportunities, pointing DMs in the direction of more nuanced dragon NPCs.
Dungeons and Dragons
Created by Gary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop game in which players craft their own worlds and band together to take on adventures through mysterious realms outlined in companion materials. One of the best role-playing games ever made, it has been adapted into a variety of video games and other media.
