Thread by @newbiedm

I slayed a dragon and found this sitting atop its treasure hoard. Tonight at some point we shall explore it together with a flip through review of Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons! #dnd

As always, it’ll be a first-look where I look at its contents for the first tine along with you. This one interests me for two reasons:

1. The obvious Dragonalance tie

2. @aquelajames is the lead designer and I am a fan.

This flip through will have to wait until Sunday because I’m hanging out with my girl. 👍👍 it’s a good Saturday night!

When I was a Spanish speaking kid growing up in 80’s Puerto Rico, my exposure (and introduction) to fantasy was very limited. It really wasn’t until I moved to the states and discovered @WeisMargaret and @tracyhickman’s Dragonlance Chronicles, that I really discovered the genre.

That led to more fantasy, including really discovering and playing #dnd. I had the Red and Blue BECMI boxes as a kid in PR, but I didn’t really understand what they were or how to use them. It was very foreign to me.

So it’s very fair to say that Dragonlance was my first foray into fantasy and #dnd… it’s why a book like this in 5e that finally brings a Dragonlance NPC front and center, makes me smile.

Let’s see what old Fizban, Hero of the Lance, avatar of Paladine and embodiment of Lawful Goodness has to say about dragons in Disban’s Treasury of Dragons, @Wizards_DnD’s latest hardcover, due out this Tuesday.

If you follow me, by now you know the drill. This is a first glance at the book, pointing out stuff that catches my eye. I have yet to open and read it. I also need to mention (and thank) my friends at WOTC for supplying me with a press/review copy of the book. 👍

The lead designer of this book is @aquelajames, a long time #dnd designer I am a big fan of. Here are the rest of the credits.

Shout out to cartographer @DysonLogos, as I’m a fan of the style.

Table of contents.

The book opens with a sort of creation story for dragons.

Fizban and one of the seven canaries.

The book introduces gem dragons (in a 1st party product at least) to 5e. @jamesjhaeck wrote a gem dragon supplement for Kobold Press. It’ll be interesting to see how close he came to these!

All the world of the multiverse, the primes, apparently came from a single world forged by Bahamut and Tiamat.

Faerun, Greyhawk, Krynn, and Eberron each get a quick primer on how they fit into the dragon creation story.

Character options are all obviously centered on dragonborn characters.

Nice piece!

Gem Dragonborns.

Monks and Rangers each get a subclass.

Dude. 5e art gets better with every book.

Seven new spells, including one where Fizban is name checked.

I love how Bahamut takes on several forms throughout the art. Very nice.

13 new magic items, including these two…

Oh nice. This is a new thing. Hoard magic items.

I need to read this more in depth. Not quite getting how they work at a quick glance, but it seems interesting.

Draconic Gifts

If I see Fizban, then I call it Dragonlance art!

Okay, a whole chapter for DMs on roleplaying dragons and using them in campaigns and adventures.

I kind of love this section on naming dragons.

Art for every stage of a dragon’s life

Another form for Bahamut!

Okay this is cool. Plot hooks for dragon organizations across the multiverse.

A dragon as a business owner? A crime boss? Teacher? Expand your expectations of what a dragon adventure can be!

Oh….shiiiiit……

Look at this. 3 as of yet unpublished (in 5e) examples for dragon campaigns. Hints?

Lairs and hoards. Good stuff for DMs who struggle with building these. This is (5e) guidance years in the making.

Okay. Dad duty calls. Will pick this up later this evening. So far, lots of dragons but no dungeons. 😜

Okay, lets finish this flip through. What’s in a hoard? This is good practical advice with treasure tables that go a little deeper than the tables in the DMG.

So much awesome dragon art! I wish they’d make these 5e art pieces available in galleries like back in the 3e days.

Chapter 5 is all about detailing dragons and what makes them tick.

Personalities, hooks, and examples of existing dragons. Good stuff.

This chapter has mapped out lairs. Some include “side views”, but bot all. I wish they did. Also, I get why it happens, but large scaled squares are not my jam. Love the designs though. I am a fan of @DysonLogos maps.

Not* not bot. 😁

I am always a fan of new lair actions and environmental effects to steal and use elsewhere.

It’s also not just dragons, by the way…

Chapter 6 is a bestiary filled with the new gem dragons, and other creatures associated with dragons. We can see some updated stat block action here. Note the alignment and bonus actions for example.

Is this a new thing in dnd? An animated breath weapon that takes on a bipedal form? I don’t recall this in other editions… am I wrong?

Oh shit. Bahamut. CR 30 with mythic actions. Get out of the way.

I want to run these two against each other. 😳😳

Bruh. This is a f’ing walking campaign goal plot hook.

Dragonlance confirmed. I mean, what more do you need to run games set in Krynn? You have a dragonlance magic item, you have draconians…

There is stuff here for all levels, as expected. This dude’s kind of creepy.

Dragon followers. I love how the speaker is described as having “loud and authoritative” voices, and yet the image is a gnome. Size matters not. Judge me by my size, do you?

🥺

Oh hey, a beholderish dragon. Eye didn’t see that coming.

Dude. I love these greatwyrms.

This is just mean.

😒

I love it.

I picture these dudes sounding like c3po.

Oh cool unexpected monster. Yeah, i do run a game set on a ship after all.

Here’s the last page of the book.

Interestingly enough, you get the same number of monstrosities as you do dragons.

Art design shoutouts!

The special edition cover is as gorgeous as expected.

Dragonlance fans, you get a dragonlance magic item and a few draconian stat blocks. I suspect this pretty much confirms Krynn’s headed our way, when you take into account the DL anniversary and the new novel coming out by Weis and Hickman.

So at first glance, I think this book does what it sets out to do really well, get into the mindset of dragons and give DMs a bunch of tools, tips, and new toys to play with and add dragons to your campaigns. I like the variety of monsters, especially the greatwyrms.

The player options are ok. Subclasses for monks and rangers would get no use at my current table, we don’t have those classes, but the spells probably would.

I wonder what goes into picking subclasses for publishing.

Anyway! That’s my flip through for Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons.

I’ll keep an eye on this thread and try ro answer any questions that come up that aren’t too spoilery.

The book releases on Tuesday, go support your local store and pick it up there!

Thanks for following along. If you’re a new follower, hello!

These review copies were provided by @Wizards_DnD, and I do these first glance previews of upcoming products whenever I can.

If you like what I do here on twitter or elsewhere and want to buy me a cup of coffee as a thank you, I have a little tip jar on my profile. If not, sharing and RT my stuff is cool!

Thanks everyone!