The strange magic pervading the Underdark twists deep dragons as they grow, so few adult deep dragons look alike. Their skin is usually pitted by fungal growths that spread across the body. Although lacking the versatile shape-shifting of metallic dragons, deep dragons can assume the form of animals or humanoids and often masquerade as snakes or dragonborn.

Adult deep dragons eliminate challengers with ferocious might, cunning ambushes, or fungal poisons. Some adult deep dragons plunder the surface for treasures and lore.

Making their lairs in the depths of the Underdark, deep dragons are nightmarish cousins of chromatic dragons. The warped magical energy of their subterranean realm gives them the ability to exhale magical spores that instill fear and scar the mind.

Deep dragons' black-and-gray hide is smooth like a salamander's, and their eyes are pale. As they age, their spore breath causes fungi to bloom across their skin, especially around the head and neck. Their wings are attached to their front legs and can fold in close to the body, allowing deep dragons to easily maneuver through relatively narrow tunnels.

Deep dragons often hoard secrets, delighting in knowledge of far-off lands. Many seek out new insights and tricks that they can use against other denizens of the Underdark, preferring social manipulation and crafty dealmaking to exerting themselves in combat. Deep dragons look down on any creature that isn't useful to them, though they are willing to bargain for knowledge they lack.

A Deep Dragon's Lair

Deep dragons make their lairs in well-hidden caves or sunless beaches in the Underdark, and these sites are often inaccessible without the ability to fly or dive underwater. They fill their lairs with secret passages and hiding places that allow them to escape or ambush visitors if the need arises. A well-cultivated lair abounds with Underdark fungi and plants, with the floor, walls, and ceiling covered in carpets of mold and moss, or featuring larger mushrooms and plants in neatly organized displays.

The challenge rating of a legendary deep dragon increases by 1 when it's encountered in its lair.

Ancient deep dragons often spend years sequestered among individualized libraries, fungal gardens, or collections of esoterica. When these venerable terrors venture forth to hunt, they can remake Underdark trade routes or coastal communities with their voracious appetites and love of destruction.

Making their lairs in the depths of the Underdark, deep dragons are nightmarish cousins of chromatic dragons. The warped magical energy of their subterranean realm gives them the ability to exhale magical spores that instill fear and scar the mind.

Deep dragons' black-and-gray hide is smooth like a salamander's, and their eyes are pale. As they age, their spore breath causes fungi to bloom across their skin, especially around the head and neck. Their wings are attached to their front legs and can fold in close to the body, allowing deep dragons to easily maneuver through relatively narrow tunnels.

Deep dragons often hoard secrets, delighting in knowledge of far-off lands. Many seek out new insights and tricks that they can use against other denizens of the Underdark, preferring social manipulation and crafty dealmaking to exerting themselves in combat. Deep dragons look down on any creature that isn't useful to them, though they are willing to bargain for knowledge they lack.

A Deep Dragon's Lair

Deep dragons make their lairs in well-hidden caves or sunless beaches in the Underdark, and these sites are often inaccessible without the ability to fly or dive underwater. They fill their lairs with secret passages and hiding places that allow them to escape or ambush visitors if the need arises. A well-cultivated lair abounds with Underdark fungi and plants, with the floor, walls, and ceiling covered in carpets of mold and moss, or featuring larger mushrooms and plants in neatly organized displays.

The challenge rating of a legendary deep dragon increases by 1 when it's encountered in its lair.

Deep dragon wyrmlings are lithe with a narrow frame and flexible wings. They slip through crevasses in the Underdark, from which they hunt to satisfy their voracious appetites.

Making their lairs in the depths of the Underdark, deep dragons are nightmarish cousins of chromatic dragons. The warped magical energy of their subterranean realm gives them the ability to exhale magical spores that instill fear and scar the mind.

Deep dragons' black-and-gray hide is smooth like a salamander's, and their eyes are pale. As they age, their spore breath causes fungi to bloom across their skin, especially around the head and neck. Their wings are attached to their front legs and can fold in close to the body, allowing deep dragons to easily maneuver through relatively narrow tunnels.

Deep dragons often hoard secrets, delighting in knowledge of far-off lands. Many seek out new insights and tricks that they can use against other denizens of the Underdark, preferring social manipulation and crafty dealmaking to exerting themselves in combat. Deep dragons look down on any creature that isn't useful to them, though they are willing to bargain for knowledge they lack.

Creating a Deep Dragon

Use the Deep Dragon Personality Traits and Deep Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive deep dragon characters, and use the Deep Dragon Spellcasting table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon.

Deep Dragon Adventures

The Deep Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for stories and adventures involving deep dragons.

Connected Creatures

Deep dragons appreciate the company of other dragons. Although they view most other species as inferior to dragonkind, having worth only as servants or tools, the rare individuals who impress them can sometimes earn respect as partners—albeit junior ones.

Young deep dragons establish lairs in familiar hunting grounds and defend their lairs with twisting passages and traps such as deadfalls. They dominate the local environment, consuming vast quantities of fish and pale crabs and cultivating fungal growths. They bully nearby communities when they can or enter into cautious arrangements with powerful Underdark settlements, such as drow cities.

Making their lairs in the depths of the Underdark, deep dragons are nightmarish cousins of chromatic dragons. The warped magical energy of their subterranean realm gives them the ability to exhale magical spores that instill fear and scar the mind.

Deep dragons' black-and-gray hide is smooth like a salamander's, and their eyes are pale. As they age, their spore breath causes fungi to bloom across their skin, especially around the head and neck. Their wings are attached to their front legs and can fold in close to the body, allowing deep dragons to easily maneuver through relatively narrow tunnels.

Deep dragons often hoard secrets, delighting in knowledge of far-off lands. Many seek out new insights and tricks that they can use against other denizens of the Underdark, preferring social manipulation and crafty dealmaking to exerting themselves in combat. Deep dragons look down on any creature that isn't useful to them, though they are willing to bargain for knowledge they lack.

Creating a Deep Dragon

Use the Deep Dragon Personality Traits and Deep Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive deep dragon characters, and use the Deep Dragon Spellcasting table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon.

Deep Dragon Adventures

The Deep Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for stories and adventures involving deep dragons.

Connected Creatures

Deep dragons appreciate the company of other dragons. Although they view most other species as inferior to dragonkind, having worth only as servants or tools, the rare individuals who impress them can sometimes earn respect as partners—albeit junior ones.