Gold dragons are powerful, wise, aloof true dragons who dwell in out-of-the-way, temperate places, often near water features. Older gold dragons sometimes assume humanoid or beast forms to engage in brief, benign interactions with people.[8] No confirmed gold dragons have yet been named or appeared in Critical Role stories.
Description[]
Appearance[]
Aside from the distinctive color of its scales (starting dark yellow with gold flecks, with the flecks growing larger with age), a gold dragon is recognized by its whisker-like facial spikes, swept-back horns, dual neck frills, and sail-like wings extending to the tail.[3]
Abilities[]
The following is taken from the Monster Manual, 5th Edition;[1] none of the abilities have yet been demonstrated onstream.
- Saving throw proficiencies: DEX, CON, WIS, CHA
- Skill proficiencies
- All ages: Perception, Stealth
- Young and older: Insight, Persuasion
- Damage immunity: fire
- (Adult and older) Legendary resistance (3/day): When it fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
- Amphibious: Can breathe both air and water.
- Actions
- Fire Breath: Exhales a cone of fire, requiring a Dexterity saving throw to take half damage.
- Weakening Breath: Exhales a cone of gas, requiring a Strength saving throw to avoid taking disadvantage on all Strength saving throws, Strength checks, and Strength-based attack rolls for 1 minute, repeating the saving throw at the end of each turn.
- (Adult and older) Frightful Presence: Each creature of the dragon's choice within range must succeed at a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute, or until they succeed at the saving throw at the end of their turn.
- (Adult and older) Change Shape: Polymorph into a humanoid or beast with a Challenge Rating no higher than the dragon's, or back into its true form. Any equipment it is carrying can be absorbed or carried/worn by the new form or absorbed. The new form still has the dragon's lair actions (see below), personality, mental ability scores, hit points, and ability to speak, but otherwise gains the abilities and features of the new form.
- Bite: Reach 10 ft., piercing damage
- (Young and older) Claw: Slashing damage
- (Adult and older) Tail: Reach 15 ft., bludgeoning damage
- (Young and older) Multiattack: Frightful Presence (adult and older), one bite attack, and two claw attacks
- (Adult and older) Legendary actions (3/round)
- Detect: Make a Wisdom (Perception) check
- Tail Attack
- Wing Attack (costs 2 actions): Each nearby creature must succeed at a Dexterity saving throw or take bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone; the dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
- Lair actions (on initiative count 20):
- Glimpses the future to gain advantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until initiative count 20 of the next round.
- One creature the dragon can see within range must succeed at a Charisma saving throw or be banished to a plane the dragon dreams into being. The creature must use an action to make a contested Charisma check against the dragon to attempt to escape, or else stay in that plane until initiative count 20 of the next round. When the creature escapes, they appear in the same spot they left, or the nearest unoccupied space.
History[]
Official art of Ruin's Wake, by Irina Nordsol.[art 3]
As the Calamity was beginning, the gods prepared for war;[9] the Betrayer Gods each forged for their champions a sentient weapon with the life force of a greater fiend: the Arms of the Betrayers.[10] Gruumsh, the Ruiner, for his part, crafted a spear from the bone of an ancient gold dragon, instilling in it the life force of a bloodthirsty balor named Yarrowish; the spear came to be called Ruin's Wake.[11]
Trivia[]
- There are certain characters of Critical Role that are believed to be gold dragons, either by the fans or by part of the cast.
- Some fans speculate that Bolo, a supposed would-be reporter for Aeor who survived the destruction of Avalir, is either a gold, brass, or red Greatwyrm, and Brennan Lee Mulligan himself states this theory as a plausible identity for her.[12][13]
- Some fans believe Yussa Errenis, an old, wealthy, powerful, and beneficent elven arcanist who lives in a magically isolated tower near the docks of Nicodranas[14] and wears a long robe woven of threads that are either gold or shimmer like gold,[15] is a gold dragon in disguise. Additional evidence supporting this theory includes his distrust of magic that forces someone to show their true appearance;[16] the fact that he owns a scroll of Plane Shift written in an old form of Draconic;[17] his eye color;[citation needed] his love for formal magical training; and one instance in which his head turns at a seemingly impossible angle.[18]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., pp. 113–115.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., p. 115.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., p. 114.
- ↑ See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., p. 113.
- ↑ See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., p. 86.
- ↑ See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., p. 117.
- ↑
Ancient Gold Dragon on D&D Beyond
- ↑ See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., pp. 114–115.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 7.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 30.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 277.
- ↑ See "Exandria Unlimited: Calamity Interview with Brennan Lee Mulligan" at 0:16:43.
- ↑ See "Exandria Unlimited: Calamity Wrap Up" (Sx70) at 1:46:50.
- ↑ See "Homeward Bound" (2x48) at 2:04:02.
- ↑ See "Homeward Bound" (2x48) from 1:42:59 through 1:44:16.
- ↑ See "Titles and Tattoos" (2x84) at 0:32:27. "There are means within the Hall to disable such glamours [...] best not to cause a stir."
- ↑ See "Cat and Mouse" (2x128) at 3:09:41.
- ↑ See "The Neverending Day" (2x125) at 1:05:07.
Art:
- ↑ Depiction of an ancient gold dragon, by Autumn Rain Turkel from D&D: Monster Manual, page 113. This page contains unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
- ↑ Fan art of a gold dragon, by Clara (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Official art of Ruin's Wake, by Irina Nordsol (source). Used DM response with permission.