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“Dragons” is a d20 sourcebook all about – you guessed it – dragons. Within the pages of this book is information on pretty much everything a DM could possibly need in order to make dragons the greatest monster in Dungeons & Dragons – as it should be.

Larger than the previous d20 sourcebooks from Alderac Entertainment Group, the 208 pages don’t waste any space. In other words, you will not see any side borders or half pages within this book, and that is worth mentioning in a time where both are commonplace.

I was impressed with the artwork in the book. While the pieces didn’t necessarily apply to the text, it kept the mood alive – the feeling that these creatures are at the top of the “food chain” as it were.

Section one is called “From Whence Legends Come”. It starts out with a three-page story about a dragon that’s seen it all, evidently. While the ending is depressing, the story does what it was most likely intended to do – to create a desire within the mind of the reader to understand what a dragon is.

The section is mostly about making a setting in the ancient times of a fantasy world when dragons were in control and fought epic good versus evil battles. While I didn’t care much for it, the space it took up was minimal, and others may get ideas from it.

Some dragon deities are included in this section that are given to represent the fact that these are the only deities around in this setting. Although I didn’t care much for these either, I did like the Ice Domain that was given as an example that I will most certainly use for ice deities in the various campaigns.

Section two is called “To Touch the Sky”. It starts off showing ways the skills that a PC has can be used with the information given in this book, such as the Alchemy skill showing how to harvest organs off a dragon in order to be used for ingredients in the manufacture of magical items. Following that are new feats, such as Animal Friend, Dragon Friend, Dragonsmith, Greedy Eyes, Hamstring, Invincible, Non-Threatening, and Sunder Natural Weapon – all of which are excellent additions to a DM’s feats list.

Next are grand prestige classes, such as Air Lord (those who ride dragons), Dragon Slayer (those who slay dragons), Student of the Dragon (martial artists who are taught by dragons), Wyrmfoe (those who have even more dragon’s blood in them than sorcerers), and Wyrmspawn (another way to handle those with dragons in their lineage).

After this are “Tools of the Trade”, items which can help a party of adventurers in dealing with dragons, such as Wingripper Arrows and Jaw Trappers as well as a weapon for dragons – Wingblades.

We now get to some information for DMs on how to handle dragons as allies, miniature dragons, and NPC reactions to dragon allies. Also discussed are using dragons as familiars and mounts. I found this all to be fascinating due to the logical and useful ideas given therein.

Next is “Dragon Alchemy”, which will help alchemists and enchanters find a use for every single part of a dragon’s body. The detail is extraordinary as there are many ways that parts of a dragon can be used as key ingredients for magical item manufacturing. Each kind of dragon makes different items which shows that the authors thought out everything and left no stone unturned. This also will help a DM provide more detailed backgrounds for magical items found now that one can offer a more detailed description of the item by providing clues as to what was used to create them. New magical items are also provided to show what can be made only with parts of dragons. My mouth waters just thinking with the many ways a group of adventurers could be rewarded by bringing a dragon’s body to an alchemist to be paid with a magical item for each. It reminds me of how my grandfather can bring a deer’s body to the butcher shop and can choose how he wants the meat given to him – whether brats, wieners, sausages, etc. In short, I found this part immensely clever.

Also included in this section is “Dragon Magic”, spells that are used by or against dragons. These are very entertaining, such as Become Dragon, Breath of the Great Wyrm, Dragonshield, Find Lair, Lock Dragon, and Magical Husbandry.

After this are Aerial Combat rules, which will most likely happen in dragon versus dragon battles. While only two pages, I found a lot of information that will make such battles more realistic.

Section Three is called “What Lies Beyond”. Here new dragons are introduced. The Elemental Dragons (dragons of neutrality) I found lacking due to the fact that they do not age or grow, therefore only having one set of stats. This makes them less useful in a campaign – providing fewer opportunities to incorporate them in one’s campaign. I’d have to say that I found the Gem Dragons, which are in the free web enhancement for the “Psionics Handbook”, a more useful as well as traditional option for neutral dragons in my campaign.

The next dragons, Undead Dragons, I found much more useful, providing statistics for each size of Skeletal Dragon, as well as Ghoul Dragons, Dragon Ghosts, Mummified Dragons and Vampiric Dragons.

The Dragon Golem I found lacking in that it says that nine dragons are needed to make one dragon golem – even tiny ones. I found this to be way too much. I also didn’t like the way they handled the breath weapon, saying it was hard to characterize. In any case any good DM should be able to fix this one up to make a good monster. The other dragons given aren’t worth mentioning.

Next are “Dragon Tactics”, which gives ideas in how dragons use certain spells and magical items for their benefit.

After this is “Dragon Lairs”. Here, ecology, location, defenses, minions, and hoards are discussed to make a better and more believable dragon lair. Also mentioned is the importance to make a lair unique in some way. Many examples are given as well as an example that could be used as an adventure in itself.

“New Monsters” follow such as Coin Creatures (an aberration that looks like a pile of treasure, Draconic Stalker (an aberration whose purpose is to kill all dragons), Hoard Beetles (vermin that keeps a dragon’s hoard nice and shiny), and Hoard Sentinels (plants that act as an early warning system for dragon lairs). I found these monsters intriguing and believe them to be fun to incorporate into an adventure involving dragons.

Next is a section on how to play dragons as PCs. Within, draconic prestige classes are given to coincide with each PC class given in the Player’s Handbook. I have to say that the ideas given will certainly spice up an evening if one of these are in an adventuring group. In fact, I’d have to say I would rather see a dragon PC than a dragon familiar, unless it was one of the miniature dragons, of course. Ideas definitely should come flooding to you in ways these classes can be used in a campaign whether you are a player or a DM.

The last section is titled “From Bone to Sinew” and deals with the “basics” of dragons from physiology to society. Each of the ten basic dragons are then further detailed individually by physical characteristics, habitat, society, combat tactics, interaction with other dragons, and differences.

When it’s all said and done, this book delivers what it’s supposed to, information on dragons that one can use. While, considering what I paid, it would have been nice to see a hardcover, I’d have to say that the money was well spent.

Dragons
Dragons Capsule Review by Jeff Klingbeil on 22/12/01 Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 5 (Excellent!) The first d20 sourcebook on dragons does little to disappoint. Product: Dragons Author: AEG Writing Staff Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Alerderac Entertainment Group Line: d20 Sourcebooks Cost: $26.95 Page count: 208 Year published: 2001 ISBN: 1-887953-37-X SKU: AEG 8502 Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by Jeff Klingbeil on 22/12/01 Genre tags: Fantasy	“Dragons” is a d20 sourcebook all about – you guessed it – dragons. Within the pages of this book is information on pretty much everything a DM could possibly need in order to make dragons the greatest monster in Dungeons & Dragons – as it should be. Larger than the previous d20 sourcebooks from Alderac Entertainment Group, the 208 pages don’t waste any space. In other words, you will not see any side borders or half pages within this book, and that is worth mentioning in a time where both are commonplace. I was impressed with the artwork in the book. While the pieces didn’t necessarily apply to the text, it kept the mood alive – the feeling that these creatures are at the top of the “food chain” as it were. Section one is called “From Whence Legends Come”. It starts out with a three-page story about a dragon that’s seen it all, evidently. While the ending is depressing, the story does what it was most likely intended to do – to create a desire within the mind of the reader to understand what a dragon is. The section is mostly about making a setting in the ancient times of a fantasy world when dragons were in control and fought epic good versus evil battles. While I didn’t care much for it, the space it took up was minimal, and others may get ideas from it. Some dragon deities are included in this section that are given to represent the fact that these are the only deities around in this setting. Although I didn’t care much for these either, I did like the Ice Domain that was given as an example that I will most certainly use for ice deities in the various campaigns. Section two is called “To Touch the Sky”. It starts off showing ways the skills that a PC has can be used with the information given in this book, such as the Alchemy skill showing how to harvest organs off a dragon in order to be used for ingredients in the manufacture of magical items. Following that are new feats, such as Animal Friend, Dragon Friend, Dragonsmith, Greedy Eyes, Hamstring, Invincible, Non-Threatening, and Sunder Natural Weapon – all of which are excellent additions to a DM’s feats list. Next are grand prestige classes, such as Air Lord (those who ride dragons), Dragon Slayer (those who slay dragons), Student of the Dragon (martial artists who are taught by dragons), Wyrmfoe (those who have even more dragon’s blood in them than sorcerers), and Wyrmspawn (another way to handle those with dragons in their lineage). After this are “Tools of the Trade”, items which can help a party of adventurers in dealing with dragons, such as Wingripper Arrows and Jaw Trappers as well as a weapon for dragons – Wingblades. We now get to some information for DMs on how to handle dragons as allies, miniature dragons, and NPC reactions to dragon allies. Also discussed are using dragons as familiars and mounts. I found this all to be fascinating due to the logical and useful ideas given therein. Next is “Dragon Alchemy”, which will help alchemists and enchanters find a use for every single part of a dragon’s body. The detail is extraordinary as there are many ways that parts of a dragon can be used as key ingredients for magical item manufacturing. Each kind of dragon makes different items which shows that the authors thought out everything and left no stone unturned. This also will help a DM provide more detailed backgrounds for magical items found now that one can offer a more detailed description of the item by providing clues as to what was used to create them. New magical items are also provided to show what can be made only with parts of dragons. My mouth waters just thinking with the many ways a group of adventurers could be rewarded by bringing a dragon’s body to an alchemist to be paid with a magical item for each. It reminds me of how my grandfather can bring a deer’s body to the butcher shop and can choose how he wants the meat given to him – whether brats, wieners, sausages, etc. In short, I found this part immensely clever. Also included in this section is “Dragon Magic”, spells that are used by or against dragons. These are very entertaining, such as Become Dragon, Breath of the Great Wyrm, Dragonshield, Find Lair, Lock Dragon, and Magical Husbandry. After this are Aerial Combat rules, which will most likely happen in dragon versus dragon battles. While only two pages, I found a lot of information that will make such battles more realistic. Section Three is called “What Lies Beyond”. Here new dragons are introduced. The Elemental Dragons (dragons of neutrality) I found lacking due to the fact that they do not age or grow, therefore only having one set of stats. This makes them less useful in a campaign – providing fewer opportunities to incorporate them in one’s campaign. I’d have to say that I found the Gem Dragons, which are in the free web enhancement for the “Psionics Handbook”, a more useful as well as traditional option for neutral dragons in my campaign. The next dragons, Undead Dragons, I found much more useful, providing statistics for each size of Skeletal Dragon, as well as Ghoul Dragons, Dragon Ghosts, Mummified Dragons and Vampiric Dragons. The Dragon Golem I found lacking in that it says that nine dragons are needed to make one dragon golem – even tiny ones. I found this to be way too much. I also didn’t like the way they handled the breath weapon, saying it was hard to characterize. In any case any good DM should be able to fix this one up to make a good monster. The other dragons given aren’t worth mentioning. Next are “Dragon Tactics”, which gives ideas in how dragons use certain spells and magical items for their benefit. After this is “Dragon Lairs”. Here, ecology, location, defenses, minions, and hoards are discussed to make a better and more believable dragon lair. Also mentioned is the importance to make a lair unique in some way. Many examples are given as well as an example that could be used as an adventure in itself. “New Monsters” follow such as Coin Creatures (an aberration that looks like a pile of treasure, Draconic Stalker (an aberration whose purpose is to kill all dragons), Hoard Beetles (vermin that keeps a dragon’s hoard nice and shiny), and Hoard Sentinels (plants that act as an early warning system for dragon lairs). I found these monsters intriguing and believe them to be fun to incorporate into an adventure involving dragons. Next is a section on how to play dragons as PCs. Within, draconic prestige classes are given to coincide with each PC class given in the Player’s Handbook. I have to say that the ideas given will certainly spice up an evening if one of these are in an adventuring group. In fact, I’d have to say I would rather see a dragon PC than a dragon familiar, unless it was one of the miniature dragons, of course. Ideas definitely should come flooding to you in ways these classes can be used in a campaign whether you are a player or a DM. The last section is titled “From Bone to Sinew” and deals with the “basics” of dragons from physiology to society. Each of the ten basic dragons are then further detailed individually by physical characteristics, habitat, society, combat tactics, interaction with other dragons, and differences. When it’s all said and done, this book delivers what it’s supposed to, information on dragons that one can use. While, considering what I paid, it would have been nice to see a hardcover, I’d have to say that the money was well spent.