Chromatic dragon

* 5e
* 4e
* 3e

**Chromatic dragons** were a type of dragon distinguished typically by a solid, non-reflective coloring of their scales, hence the name. They were generally evil, greedy, and predatory, and usually worshiped Tiamat, whom they regarded as their queen.

It was believed by scholars from Candlekeep that all species of chromatic dragons evolved from the proto-dragon species of the inficedraco genus.

## Types

Although there were many chromatic dragon species, the following are the ones known by sages of Faerûn:

Red dragons
Red dragons were greedy, chaotic evil creatures, interested only in their own well-being, vanity, and the extension of their treasure hoards. They were supremely confident, being the largest and most powerful of the chromatic dragons. Typically found living in mountainous regions, they breathed a cone of fire.
Black dragons
Black dragons, or skull dragons, were the most vile-tempered and cruel of all chromatic dragons. Excellent swimmers who normally lived in swamps and marshes, they preferred ambush attacks. They had a corrosive acid breath weapon.
Blue dragons
Blue dragons were manipulative, lawful evil chromatics who were infamous for their skill at creating hallucinations, and their cruel use of such things. They preferred aerial combat, which allowed them to use their electrical breath weapon most efficiently. Blue dragons most often lived in arid wastelands and deserts.
Green dragons
Green dragons were highly territorial, deceptive, forest-dwelling creatures who loved secrets and intrigue. Although lawful evil, they were duplicitous and cunning foes who loved combat. Their breath weapon was a cone of poisonous green gas.
White dragons
White dragons, also called ice dragons or glacial wyrms, were the smallest and weakest of the classic chromatic dragons. However, they were by no means harmless. White dragons were extremely well-suited to their arctic habitat and had excellent memories. They were more feral than other dragons, though, and always chaotic evil. They breathed a cone of ice or frost.
Brown dragons
Brown dragons, also called great desert dragons, were wingless, neutral evil dragons who laired in deserts. They preferred ambushes to straightforward combat, burying themselves in the sand.
Purple dragons
Purple dragons, also called deep dragons, were slender, agile dragons who patiently stalked their prey. They lived in the Underdark and were rarely found on the surface. Purple dragons often allied with drow, and considered themselves rivals of cloakers and mind flayers. They were chaotic evil and had a psychic "breath weapon" that confused and disoriented the target.
Gray dragons
Gray dragons, also called fang dragons, were rapacious, violent dragons that were good at physical combat but poor at flying. Some gray dragons possessed an acid breath weapon.
Yellow dragons
A very rare species of chromatic dragons, only a few individuals of this species had been spotted throughout history. Yellow dragons were solitary predators and secretive creatures, even among dragons.

## Appendix

### References

1. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). *Monster Manual 5th edition*. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:86–103|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 978-0786965614.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). *Monster Manual 4th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 74. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
3. ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). *Monster Manual 3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 70. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
4. ↑ Nigel Findley, et al. (October 1990). *Draconomicon*. (TSR, Inc), p. 8. ISBN 0-8803-8876-5.
5. ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). *Monster Manual 3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:76–77|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
6. ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). *Monster Manual 3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:70–71|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
7. ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). *Monster Manual 3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 72. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
8. ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). *Monster Manual 3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:74–75|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
9. ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). *Monster Manual 3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 77. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Bruce R. Cordell, Ari Marmell and Robert J. Schwalb (November 2008). *Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 30. ISBN 978-0786949809.
11. ↑ James Wyatt and Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). *Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 39. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 James Wyatt and Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). *Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
13. ↑ Nigel Findley, et al. (October 1990). *Draconomicon*. (TSR, Inc), p. 71. ISBN 0-8803-8876-5.

### Connections

Dragonkind
The Family of Dragons

True dragons**Metallic dragons:** Gold • Silver • Bronze • Copper • Brass • Iron • Mercury • Platinum • Steel
****Chromatic dragons**:** Red • Black • Blue • Green • White • Brown • Gray • Purple • Yellow
**Gem dragons:** Amethyst • Emerald • Sapphire • Topaz • Crystal • Obsidian
**Lung dragons**: Chiang lung • Li lung • Lung wang • Pan lung • Shen lung • T'ien lung • Tun mi lung • Yu lung
**Planar dragons**: Astral • Battle • Chaos • Ethereal • Faerie • Howling • Mirage • Oceanus • Pyroclastic • Radiant • Rust • Shadow • Styx • Tarterian
**Miscellaneous dragons:** Air • Ascendant • Brainstealer • Dzalmus • Force • Mist • Prismatic • Radiant • Rattelyr • Song • Vishap

**Lesser dragons**Dragon turtle • Hellfire wyrm • Pseudodragon • Rock wyrm • Scalamagdrion • Sea wyrm • Sunwyrm • Wyvern
**Drakes:** Guard • Portal • Smoke • Vulture

**Related creatures**Abishai • Dracon • Dracosphinx • Dragonborn • Dragonkin
**Dragonbloods:** Draconic creature • Dragonborn of Bahamut • Dragonspawn • Dragonwrought kobold • Drow-dragon (shadow) • Drow-dragon (deep) • Half-dragon • Kobold • Urd • Zar'ithra • Zekyl
**Undead dragons:** Dracolich • Vampiric