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We’ve been having a lot of fun with the dragons from Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons in the Coliseum. It’s got some great items, but by far my favorites are the gem dragons.

The problem with regular dragons in D&D 5e is that they are relatively mundane. They don’t have magic weapons. Unless you follow variant rules, they don’t have magic. They don’t have magic resistance. In my opinion, dragons from the Monster Manual are radically underpowered. I’ve had people make the argument that dragons are intended to be hit and run monsters, and shouldn’t be expected to stand their ground in a fight. I can see their point, but I think a dragon should be dangerous.

Gem dragons have magic, exotic damage types, and most importantly, a bonus action teleport. This is key. It makes them dangerous as hit and run fighters. They can mix it up with PCs at melee range while their breath weapon is exhausted and get away without taking an opportunity attack. This is critical especially in case one of your players has the Sentinel feat. The last thing you want is for your dragon to be grounded for an entire turn while your whole crew of players hammer on it.

Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons Has Greatwyrms!

Another solid magical upgrade for your dragons is the Greatwyrm. The metallic and chromatic versions dwarf ancient dragons in power. Check Arcane Lance, newly added to my list of favorite Legendary Actions:

Ahhhh…delicious!

Our pricings for items from Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons are here. If you want some monsters that are a little less dangerous and a little more frustrating, check out my blocklist.

The Apocryphon of Voivode: Manual of the Dungeonsports Coliseum is finally here! OK, not here, but over on the DM’s Guild, but you can follow the link from here!

You could of course, scour the Coliseum Rules section of this website for the rules, and through the posts for all the great art. But indeed, you would not find every savory bit of content that is contained in these 22 pages of digital information. Nor would it all be so conveniently assembled and formatted for your enjoyment.

So, you might ask, “My Voivode, how much must I pay for this invaluable tome?” I mean, you just said it yourself, this knowledge is truly beyond valuation. But I would take pity on you, knowing you’re just a fledgling adventurer, and tell you that it would cost you naught. Download it for free! Although you can pay what you want, and I, your Voivode, would happily take your money, as it costs a lot to keep the Shieldbeast fed.

Apocryphon of Voivode: Who is it for?

You ask very good questions! Well, in my opinion, it’s for everyone. First off, it’s invaluable for those who would be contestants in the Dungeonsports Coliseum. While our little game is D&D 5e, there are a few additional rules to keep combat interesting. There is also substantial background on the history of the Coliseum and it’s denizens. Perhaps most interestingly, you can find information about becoming a follower of Verasundia or Mechanus, and learn what awards await the faithful.

Dungeons masters will find much of use in these pages as well. Creating combat encounters that can challenge high level PCs can be difficult. At the same time, you don’t want to throw something at your players they won’t be able to handle. Oh, the shame of an unearned TPK! These pages contain my guidelines for creating encounters that will challenge adventurers to the edge of their abilities.

Come and see the wonders inside The Apocryphon of Voivode!

Hello, I’m Voivode, a deranged (others have said it, and I agree) wizard with a giant extra-planar coliseum. When the entrance drops into your part of the planes, why don’t you come on in and join us for a fight or two?