5e:White Dragon

< Chromatic Dragon

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

  

The smallest, least intelligent, and most animalistic of the chromatic dragons, white dragons dwell in frigid climes, favoring arctic areas or icy mountains. They are vicious, cruel reptiles driven by hunger and greed.

 ^{[SRD3 OGL]}  

The scales of a wyrmling white dragon glisten like mirrors. As the dragon ages, the sheen disappears, and by very old age, scales of pale blue and light gray are mixed in with the white.

  

• Breath weapon: Cone of cold
• Habitat: Arctic mountains
• Diet: Anything that moves, but must be frozen first
• Preferred Treasure: Diamonds
• Alignment: Chaotic Evil
• Image: Wizards.com image
• Notes:

White dragons are the weakest and the most feral of the classic chromatic dragons. Though dimmer than other dragons, they are still powerful enough to overwhelm most humans and have good long-term memories. Their heads and necks blend seamlessly into one another, and their wings are frayed along the edges. They have a flap of skin (dewlap) lined with spines under their chins. They have a high crest atop a streamlined head and a crisp, vaguely chemical odor.

White dragon eggs must be buried in snow or encased in ice to incubate. The parents do not tend or protect the eggs in any way, although they lay them near their lairs. A newly hatched white wyrmling has clear scales, which become white as the dragon matures. They are expected to survive on their own after hatching, although some white dragon parents will permit their young to live in their lair until they reach adulthood.

Adult white dragons have several abilities well suited to their arctic habitat. They can climb ice cliffs with ease, fly high and fast, and are exceptional swimmers. They love to swim in cold water. Much of their diet consists of aquatic creatures. White dragons are always hungry, and tend to become more savage as they mature. Knowing that they are the smallest and weakest of dragons, many whites harbor inferiority complexes. They take any opportunity to bully beings such as giants and younger dragons of other species.

White dragons lair in ice caves dug into mountains. Their lairs contain many more tunnels and chambers than those of other chromatic dragons. More powerful white dragons may turn a large iceberg into a floating lair. Such lairs have an underwater entrance as well as one to the open air.

White dragons are not strong combatants compared to other dragons. Their icy breath can freeze a foe solid. They avoid fights with more powerful dragons, but will take any opportunity to take their frustrations out on 'lesser' creatures. Whites also have exceptional memories, and will hunt down those who cross them, no matter how long it takes.

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.

White Dragon's Lair

 White dragons lair in icy caves and other deep chambers.

Lair Actions

 When fighting inside its lair, an white 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:

• Freezing Fog
• Jagged Ice Shards
• Opaque Wall of Ice

Regional Effects

 The region around a white dragon's lair

• Chilly, Obscuring Fog
• Freezing Precipitation
• Icy Walls

If the dragon dies, effects fade within 1-10 days.

List of White Dragons

5 White Dragons

Monster	Size	Type	Tags	Alignment	HP	CR	Habitat	Marked	Source
White Dragon Overview		Overview	Dragon, Chromatic Dragon, White Dragon				Arctic	Noncanon	Varied
Adult White Dragon	Huge	Dragon	Chromatic Dragon, White Dragon	Chaotic Evil	200	13	Arctic	Canon	SRD-OGL v5.1
Ancient White Dragon	Gargantuan	Dragon	Chromatic Dragon, White Dragon	Chaotic Evil	333	20	Arctic	Canon	SRD-OGL v5.1
White Dragon Wyrmling	Medium	Dragon	Chromatic Dragon, White Dragon	Chaotic Evil	32	2	Arctic	Canon	SRD-OGL v5.1
Young White Dragon	Large	Dragon	Chromatic Dragon, White Dragon	Chaotic Evil	133	6	Arctic	Canon	SRD-OGL v5.1, SRD-CC v5.1

Sources and Notes

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