5e:Gold Dragon

< Metallic Dragon

D&D 5e (2014) Varied ʰ 
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Gold Dragon Overview 

  

The most powerful and majestic of the metallic dragons, gold dragons are dedicated foes of evil.

Variant: Dragons as Innate Spellcasters

Many dragons have the ability to innately cast spells. Their Spellcasting Ability is Charisma, which also determines the number of spells it can cast.

Gold Dragon's Lair

 Gold dragons lair in remote places near lakes or rivers.

Lair Actions

 When fighting inside its lair, an gold dragon can use 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:

• Foreknowledge
• Banishment

Regional Effects

 Region near gold dragon's lair has the following effects:

• Dream Communication
• Beautiful Mist
• Glowing Gems

If the dragon dies, these effects end immediately.

List of Gold Dragons

5 Gold Dragons

Monster	Size	Type	Tags	Alignment	HP	CR	Habitat	Marked	Source
Gold Dragon Overview		Overview	Dragon, Metallic Dragon, Gold Dragon				Forest, Grassland	Noncanon	Varied
Adult Gold Dragon	Huge	Dragon	Metallic Dragon, Gold Dragon	Lawful Good	256	17	Forest, Grassland	Canon	SRD-OGL v5.1
Ancient Gold Dragon	Gargantuan	Dragon	Metallic Dragon, Gold Dragon	Lawful Good	546	24	Forest, Grassland	Canon
Gold Dragon Wyrmling	Medium	Dragon	Metallic Dragon, Gold Dragon	Lawful Good	60	3	Forest, Grassland	Canon	SRD-OGL v5.1
Young Gold Dragon	Huge	Dragon	Metallic Dragon, Gold Dragon	Lawful Good	178	10	Forest, Grassland	Canon	SRD-OGL v5.1

Otherlore

 ^{[SRD3 OGL]}  

 3.5e lore 

On hatching, a gold dragon’s scales are dark yellow with golden metallic flecks. The flecks get larger as the dragon matures until, at the adult stage, the scales are completely golden. Gold dragons’ faces are bewhiskered and sagacious; as they age, their pupils fade until the eyes resemble pools of molten gold.

  

 Wikipedia 

• Maximum Height: 22 feet
• Maximum Weight: 1,280,000 pounds
• Maximum Wingspan: 135 feet
• Breath weapon: Cone of fire, weakening gas
• Habitat: Anywhere, although they prefer secluded lairs
• Diet: Small gems and pearls; they do not eat any living creatures
• Preferred Treasure: Art, especially paintings and sculptures

Gold dragons are the most powerful of the metallic dragons (in some versions they are the strongest of all dragons), and the most dedicated to defeating evil. They spend the bulk of their lives in human form, seeking out evil and punishing wrongdoers to the best of its considerable abilities. Its typical mode of operation runs roughly along the lines of a sting operation: the dragon will listen for stories of dangerous or evil creatures or persons, then reveal its true form and mete out punishment. They prefer to turn villains over to law enforcement if available, but will ultimately take whatever actions they deem necessary in order to see justice served. They are best summarized as the paladins of the draconic world.

Physically, gold dragons are quite spectacular. Several large horns tipped with umber shoot sideways from their cheeks, and two very prominent horns point backwards along their heads. The most obvious feature is probably the tentacle whiskers that sprout from the top and bottom of the gold dragon's jaw, giving the appearance of a beard of sorts. Their wings, like those of brass and copper dragons, connect to the body all the way to the tip of the tail. From below, the overall shape resembles that of a brass dragon, but the different coloring and dramatic difference in size enables easy differentiation. When in flight, the gold dragon's wings ripple, giving the appearance of swimming rather than flying. They smell of saffron and incense.

Gold dragon eggs must be incubated in a nest of open flames. A newly hatched gold wyrmling appears similar to an adult, except that it lacks horns or tentacle whiskers. Both parents tend the eggs, and then take intense interest in their wyrmlings' care and education. At some point, however, the biological parents may send the wyrmling to live with foster parents; this allows the parents to undertake their own quests, as well as exposing the wyrmling to new experiences.

Unlike many species of dragons, gold dragons have a very firm and hierarchical social structure, encompassing all members of the species. This structure always has one gold dragon as its leader who is given the title "your resplendence", who serves until he/she either dies or steps down. At that time, all gold dragons congregate and choose the next leader of their kind. Sometimes two dragons may be chosen; in such cases, the two will share the duties of leadership. The position of leader, or 'top dragon,' does not so much involve the maintenance of order - gold dragons are famous for their good behavior - so much as the dispensing of advice and wisdom to any dragons who ask for it. Gold dragons are voracious learners, and they tend to become very wise and worldly as they age. They freely share their knowledge and experience to anyone who asks, dragon or not. In fact, it is not unknown for a gold Great Wyrm to take the form of a scholarly professor in order to spread its knowledge at some human center of higher education.

Unlike most other species of dragons, gold dragons devote immense time and energy to the construction of their lairs. The layout of their lairs often resemble those of elegant human mansions, albeit buried underground. Rooms are well-constructed and elegantly decorated with the many art treasures the gold dragon has collected over its lifetime. Typical rooms in a gold dragon's lair include a main hall, a banquet hall, a resting chamber, a study, a kitchen, a lobby, a storage room, and perhaps even a lavatory. Many gold dragons even have a glass-walled observatory, especially if they live underwater.

Gold dragons prefer to talk rather than to fight. They will never engage in combat if they believe it is unnecessary. Once they believe it is necessary, however, they are amazingly powerful opponents. Their ability to breathe fire rivals that of the eldest red dragons, and they will pour their entire being into a battle against evil. Gold dragons dislike killing, but they do not hesitate to do so if it is necessary in order to defeat an evil foe.

Sources and Notes