Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Black Dragon

[@karlhans8304]

TIMESTAMPS 01:03 Intro ends 01:03 - 01:53 Black Dragon Wyrmling in AJ Pickett`s Campaign 01:58 Basics of Black dragon 02:44 how dragons adapt to the elements and how dragons souls are tied to the elements 03:10 Black Dragons nature 03:35 Dragons mating 04:30 Black dragon parentage 04:40: Black Dragon eggs and hatching 05:30 Black Dragon birth info 06:00 Black dragons as wyrmlings 06:54 Black dragons nature and hunting 07:20 - 07:40 general info about dragons 07:46 How black dragons react to societies, parallels with green dragons 08:33 "black dragons view other as either mate, bait or food 09:10 Talking with a black dragon 09:52 Dragon reacting to a party while carrying money, what the loot might be and how it can impact the story 12:17 Black Dragons minions 13:06 Only the most sadistic kobolds will eventually remain in a black dragons service 13:50 Black Dragons influence on Lizardfolk 14:30 Oozes 14:50 Black Dragons hatred of other dragons 15:08 Black Dragon hybrids 15:24 Dragon hybrids are rare and hunted 15:40 Black + chromatic hybrids 16:30 Black + metallic hybrid (metallic dragons will hunt them) 17:27 Black half-Dragons and dragonborn 17:48 Black Dragonliches and cult of the dragon 18:13 Rage of the dragons (Dracorange) 19:29 Black Dragons and magic (they are rather sorcerers)

[@miketerran4140]

You have a monumental task ahead of you.

[@jeremiah1059]

You need a job.

[@GirtheAlienGoldfish]

My bearded dragon is watching this with pure fascination like, "Someday, I will get big and strong like big dragon friend."

[@metalk1tt3n]

in my homebrew setting a group of players during an evil campaign decided to "just be there when he wants help" after freeing a young black hatchling from a bear trap, years later irl and ingame that black dragon came back and turned a whole bandit camp into a soggy acid pool. when they genuinely thanked him he shrugged "You proved usefull before." and went back home.

[@AJPickett]

Sounds about right 🧙‍♂️

[@alexandriamason2355]

Khisanth, the death on black wings, is my all time favorite black dragon. When it takes an artifact to kill you, and your death throws sink a city into the sea, you are one bad ass dragon. Thank you Margaret Wells for writing the stories that got me into D&D in the first place, all those years ago.

[@YeahButNah100]

Margaret Weis* :)

[@randyranderson690]

My brother ran a game where we encountered a black dragon in a vast swamp. This dragon enjoyed stalking interlopers using fording boats or rafts as they poled through the swamp. He would stalk them submerged and release its acid breath underwater so that it would slowly dissolve the bottom of said boats or rafts until they sank. It would then pull them down one by one (aka Jaws) never revealing himself. It would also leave a small pile of treasure on the shore near a Froghemoth that it kept around as a 'pet' as another mode of ambush. I made many characters during that one campaign. Loved my brothers diabolical mind.

[@jeffcook360]

Since mimics are immune to acid, i stocked the black dragon lair with mimics, a mere annoyance for the pcs. After barely surviving the dragon, the dragon’s hoard nearly ate them.

[@AJPickett]

Excellent. How about mimic armor? Like venom's symbiotic alien suit.

[@Greenscyth22]

I like the idea of Dragon's with particularly odd character traits. Imagine a Black Dragon who is a bit of a food connoisseur. It's absolutely obsessed with collecting different types of "pickled" humanoids, bottling them in swamp water from unique locations. It might stalk an adventuring party to see if it contains a member of a race it hasn't yet encountered, then ambush and kidnap the victim. It might even consider a demon "pickled" in the waters of the River Styx to be the most prized delicacies of all.

[@kidyomu89]

dude yeS this is awesome, all dragons should have personality, "rah I am evil" isn't a personality, it's a good general guideline for them duh but they should still have a personality. A food connoisseur pickling obsessed black dragon sounds a bit silly, but it really can be just as if not scarier than your basic black dragon. The dark chef, salty and savory aromas noticeable even in the rotten acidic bog, pickled people in massive glass containers, just imagine it.

[@AJPickett]

I can never remember what that water tastes like... But yes! Also, halflings have quite a reputation for their delicious flavour.

[@DrTinyTeeth]

Love this

[@codyweaver7546]

Stealing this.

[@charlesharrison4077]

Hannibal lecture

[@SeraphimKnight]

The idea of a black/gold dragon hybrid seems really neat. A nightmare dragon? Give it a bit of shadowfell corruption and you have a truly terrifying foe on your hands.

[@tappingninja]

describe this nightmare dragon, I want to imagine it...

[@AJPickett]

Regional effect: everyone has a doll called Eleanor in their dreams, the doll is always there, watching them. People start to talk about the doll, they don't know what it means, why they all dream of it. No child is allowed to play with dolls in the region, they are totally outlawed.

[@lewispatton6550]

Nearly spat out some water when he mentioned a Black Dragon throwing a Gelatinous Cube at players.

[@christopherconard2831]

Worst pillow fight ever.

[@shakescan]

So... a tactical monster combination is gelatinous cube and clay golum as they are healed by acid. If a clay golum is in real trouble it can touch or even immerse itself in the cube. I'm thinking if a black dragon could create or have made clay golums for its lair there might be a real problem as the golums would be practically indescribable.

[@shakescan]

*indestructible

[@bleddynwolf8463]

thanks satan!

[@Lightzy1]

If black dragons could play Rust, they'd never need to leave their lair ever again.

[@trajanfidelis]

I imagine black and green dragons come into conflict with one another more than they do adventurers/metallic dragons

[@yanaleigh]

The barbarian in my group doesn't know this yet, but he's going to need to bring the heart of an adult black dragon to his god soon. 🐉

[@snakeinabox7220]

I'm making a Goliath married barbarian and eldritch knight Yas pleying 2 characters at once And ther goule is to kill a adult dragon they want glory and adventure then when Ther know all across the land as hero's Ther gowing to start a famaly

[@charlottewalnut3118]

Yeah that doesn’t signal that there’s going to be something horribly evil to do with this ritual I just need the heart of a male black dragon a little bit of orphans blood tears of a virgin and the hymen of a medusa. Standard stuff really

[@erikmartin4996]

@@charlottewalnut3118 the hymen of a Medusa Bwahahaha

[@nvfury13]

@@charlottewalnut3118 I mean, a lot of Barbarians are just gonna have most of that in their pack...

[@mrcorpsman123]

Deep down I'm sure all barbs know someone somewhere will ask them to retrieve them a dragon heart

[@olafisashark5105]

they're probably the most sadistic dragons of them all. White dragons are not far behind them just not as awful. I played in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons campaign (with 4 others) as a silver, the main villains were a cabal of every colorful species and took us 4 years to complete the journey, the worst of them with the most dangerous spells was a black Elder Dragon named dagon. We literally started from hatchlings...Our dungeon master was a man who had an imagination that was Second To None. He could explain things and such a vivid detail, you would see what he was saying if you closed your eyes. Some of the Best times of my life.

[@Naxthural]

A black dragon raids and loots a Red dragon's lair and drops it's haul in the middle of your town. The people take the wealth happily and share it amongst themselves. A few days later the Red dragon annihilates that town and the black dragon ambushes the Wounded Red to take the rest of the loot.

[@renarddubois940]

there's no way the red dragon wouldn't smell the Black's presence in his lair.. they would thread carefully, they always have contingency plans..

[@joshuacordle1059]

This is a brilliant example of the cunning and sadistic nature of black dragons.

[@makeytgreatagain6256]

@@joshuacordle1059 bjt it wouldn’t work cos red dragons would not only smell the Blakc dragon the red dragon has a plan for eveything they are tbh e ultimate INTJ

[@cameronpearce5943]

I had a fun trick where two young red dragons used their breath weapons in a volcanic lake to summon draconic steam mephits. I think it was a number equal to half the total damage of the breath weapon, and it summoned a fog cloud

[@AJPickett]

Nice

[@Daimon-X]

Say what you want, but Black Dragons are beautiful creatures in some kind horrific sense. 'Wound one man. Make him suffer. Make him bleed. Make him call out for help, and set a trap and kill those who come....' - Anonymous Black Dragon Black Dragons stand fast! Bless The Curse! It's time to purge the Mankind's enemies with Fire nad Bone! Wait, wrong Black Dragons

[@thunderstar6997]

As a reader of D&D and Dragonlance, Khisanth was always one of my favorite Black Dragons and a good template of what they are. Funny if you read the The Annotated Chronicles (Dragonlance Chronicles), the authors played out the meeting with Khisanth and the hero party. The game did not play out like the book and Khisanth killed them all.

[@UriahNeveah]

Our home brew setting is a bit of a mix, but in its lore we had an old black dragon lean more heavily on his chaotic nature and play the wild card in order to come to the aid of several metallic dragons during an invasion of gnolls. As a result, he became a king, a copper dragon won him over as a mate, and now there are a pair of young black and copper dragons in the campaign. Definitely some of my favorite NPCs.

[@reifuTD]

It's good to know how dragon cross species hybrids work and they work randomly. I've had this concept for this small pink dragon (like 12 foot) that can breath a gas of what's basically a Love/Hate potion. She could be so small because she's a hybrid of some kind and polymorphs as a small child to hide herself among people in a town or city and makes friends with other child who she sees as like her horde.

[@AJPickett]

Somewhat evil cupid dragon? I'm sold

[@debramyers9457]

I’m a halfling sorceress with black dragon blood, but didn’t do my research about black dragons before our campaign. My DM has been encouraging me to do some research and start to act a little more cranky. Starting to work on my growl and learn a little draconic.

[@AJPickett]

Have you practiced murdering yet? Start off small, you know, a necklace of butterflies...

[@debramyers9457]

@@AJPickett no murder, but I did steal a Staff of Power.

[@AJPickett]

@@debramyers9457 baby steps

[@charlottewalnut3118]

@@debramyers9457 try a little blackmail

[@debramyers9457]

So, here is the update. Miny now has a fish eyeball necklace (I made it myself), and memories from a couple centuries ago. Miny thought she was a “dragon-blood”, but turns out all the black dragons died in the war! And now after years of hiding, our troop is about to walk into The Dragon Empire! Hopefully Miny will get some answers.

[@hazbinhotelsuperfan3383]

A Black and Gold dragon hybrid would be a absolute terror on the battlefield

[@shakescan]

...I'm trying to think how that would happen, probably not through mating. Unless the black dragon raped a gold dragon (im not trying to be vulgar) or through some kind of artificial insemination; perhaps some twisted plot by a powerful Litch somehow using spells to get it done. A black and gold do not get along well. A hybrid would be beautiful though would it not? Black and resplendent with gold. I love the idea. It could be illustrated starting with shades of black then highlighting with gold. Imagine them bickering lol. Its hysterical. That's why I'm never getting married XD Good idea thanks!

[@martineshamzin7535]

@@shakescan You don't have to get along well to get pregnant.

[@dbensdrawinvids8390]

The idea of a vampiric dragon fills me with the primordial heebie-jeebies.

[@Zasek2112]

When humanoids die and become vampires their soul travels to it's afterlife and what appears to be a personality is just muscles moving and neurons firing. A dragon's soul is quite different, I'm not sure if dragon's spirit would be compatible with the vampiric process. Would love if someone could confirm. (that said, whatever happens in your game happens, just have fun with it :)

[@TheHornedKing]

@@Zasek2112 Vampire dragons are a thing in DnD.

[@Zasek2112]

@@TheHornedKing Fair enough. I just think out loud alot.

[@redevolution686]

I could imagine a black dragon stumbling on the group of adventures and trying to take one of them as bait to lure in the rest, as a sort of quick game. Just a thought though, keep up the great videos!

[@Harrowed2TheMind]

Shit can happen to your PC when the player is absent from the game, I guess? XD

[@redevolution686]

@@Harrowed2TheMind Absolutely!

[@Zasek2112]

I would have assumed black dragons have breeding habits similar to pray mantis, or maybe spiders, only even more vicious. Either the male dies immediately afterward or perhaps the female gets declawed, wingclipped and imprisoned for... reasons. I really love that you went right into it tho, and hybrids. It does deserve some thought. Love your work :D

[@ruhalajn]

To me, their personality is so much more the classic dragon than the red. Some of the art can get pretty goofy, unfortunately.

[@PlanetZoidstar]

Makes sense as older tales of Dragons had them more as being Poisonous and toxic, often found in swamps, marshes or forests. The firebreathing came much later.

[@LSDireWolf]

Haven’t even watched it yet but I’ve been loving the content lately!

[@coreyshorter8526]

Black Dragons until I found out about shadow dragons and then my inner necromancer was like "its beautiful! "

[@sunbreakerqueenofbronze621]

I had a hybrid between a black dragon and bronze dragon. He had four horns and he spat out napalm.

[@MrKlotzi123]

Gold-Black Hybrids? Jesus, that's a horrible Thing to even imagine.

[@seankelly4312]

I once made a oneshot of a black dragon who asked the party for help to reclaim his home after an orange dragon came in and kicked his ass. His name was Malvorak, and he is neutral-aligned and is confused by the party’s shenanigans and just waited the whole session to return home. His main physical trait is half his body is charred and mutilated from the orange dragon’s explosive breath.

[@sevendeadlysquids404]

Woah, Black Dragon (Bam-da-Lam)

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

Black Dragon Ate A Child! (Bam-Da-Lam) Damn Town Went Wild! (Bam-Da-Lam) Whoa, Black Dragon! (Bam-Da-Lam)

[@ryanulrich2147]

Yay, 30 minutes of AJ Pickett!!!!!!

[@michaelbeal1400]

1:50 in and I'm hooked. Well done sir, the next half hour is yours... These videos are the best investment I've made all year

[@That80sGuy1972]

Another great AJ Pickett lore video. I had a moderately (relative to the species) powerful Black Dragon meddler in one of my campaigns. Intelligent and cruel were understatements. He was meddling for game years before the party even knew he was a dragon. His magic was a mastery of the Transmuter school of magic, so he was often in a non-dragon form. When they finally did kill him, they collectively gave a sigh of relief... and they did not have that reaction to much tougher foes. Poxx (his name) was one of my most sadistic antagonists I ever made. My players did not care that his horde sucked relative to how much of a pain in the butt he was. They were just glad he was dead. One confessed to me that if he was not there when the party finally killed Poxx, he'd quit my group. I think I overdid that Black Dragon's cruelty, my players just loved hating him. Oh, and the end of Poxx was 2 rounds after he died... my players kept attacking is corpse until he did not look much like a dragon husk anymore.

[@handlebarfox2366]

kill it, burn it, throw the ashes in the sea... you never know.

[@strangent404a7]

Aren't clay golems healed by acid? That would make them the best minion for a black dragon, or the best foe if a tinkerer gets a hand on it

[@AJPickett]

Indeed!

[@johngleeman8347]

I love it. Now we know why a swamp area is lousy with orcworts, yellow musk creeper zombies, greenvises, fern blights, assassin vines, shambling mounds, giant red sundews, and horrifying giant vermin (ticks, leeches, mosquitoes, giant water bugs)! Darn skull dragon has moved in. X3

[@royriley6282]

Wait... Neverwinter Nights 2 is set around the Mere of Deadmen... and you fight two identical black dragons at one point... and it is where an immortal spirit dragon is located. Are they the twins you mentioned I wonder.

[@AJPickett]

Yes

[@coreyeaston6823]

I have two groups playing sharing a village as their base of operations. One group is fostering a pair of copper dragon eggs / wormlings and the other found a black dragon egg and it recently hatched. They put the three dragons together and hoped the copper dragons would smooth out the black dragon and teach it to be nice (and so it appeared). It waited until the parties were away. It tricked and locked and restrained the copper dragon worms and make them watch as he systematically killed nearly all the villagers. Why? Because it was fun, and it horrified the copper dragons. Now the party has to explain why the wormlings have been mentally scarred while under their care. Can't catch a break. Good times.

[@Zasek2112]

They actually tried to tame a black... LOL!

[@lollakasfamilianimi3246]

wormling black is strong enough to kill an entire village?

[@Zasek2112]

@@lollakasfamilianimi3246 without even trying probably.

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

When I started using Dragons back in my last DnD days in 2014 or 2016, I made them a fusion of the D&D Forgotten Realms & WarHammer fantasy, and one of the rules I came up with was the Draconic Tame power if you had a Dragon Horn, buuuut there a special cases, while you use it on a Green & White Dragon, a Red or Blue Dragon you would to have undertaken a quest to prove your strength, in the case of Black Dragon they would trie to trick you, since they could read your thoughts, like all Dragons,

[@HunterXMoon]

FINALLY! My favorite swamp beasty!

[@InquisitorThomas]

Shrek is a very close second.

[@shakescan]

Carnivorous plants... What Is This, LITTLE SHOP of HORRORS? 🦠🌵🌴🥀🍃😂😭

[@omniexistus]

Black dragons just suck hard if the DM includes equipment destruction due to their acid breath.

[@LoreFoundry]

In the DMG there are monsters that damage metal armor as part of their acid damage. I believe there is a gelatinous cube that has this effect

[@zacharyhawley1693]

Black Dragons are given such an unfair reputation. clearly elven propaganda. They just need a hug =p

[@handlebarfox2366]

you first :)

[@zacharyhawley1693]

@@handlebarfox2366 But you're the resident dragon hugging expert =D

[@theHedgex1]

I don't mind going last. By all means. I'm a gentleman go first.

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

I’m sure every Black Dragon will tell you it agrees with you.....

[@TheLoyalOfficer]

Great timing here! I just DMed a campaign (2nd Edition) where they killed a young adult black dragon! My first dragon battle (other than on computer of course) in about 30 years!

[@cliffcampbell8827]

You run 2nd edition?!? I thought we were a myth. Legends told in taverns over tankards of ale and a dying fire by old, bearded adventurers who's best days are behind them that have a flair for exaggeration and theatrics. It's good to know that there are 2nd edition heroes still out there.

[@TheLoyalOfficer]

@@cliffcampbell8827 BEST XP system in ANY version! That's the main reason why I play it. I also never liked the level limits of 1st edition. And thank you!

[@That80sGuy1972]

@@cliffcampbell8827 We still exist. We are also kings of the homebrew that 2nd Ed opened up for us, especially for fixes. 3rd Ed and after makes me want to take all my stuff and make it into its own game system, an AD&D parallel universe.

[@cliffcampbell8827]

@Al Kirk Whoa, hold ALL the way up. Did I read that correctly? You play 2nd...ONLINE?!? You're messing with me aren't you? Come clean, the truth will make you feel better, you'll be a better person for it. Deep down, inside you know I'm right.

[@cliffcampbell8827]

@Al Kirk When I read "play online" my first thought was: "there is a D&D computer game that has 2nd edition." Knowing better about getting my Hope's up from a brief smattering of dialog, I enquired further...my Hope's were dashed against the rocks like a silver medal cliff diver. *sigh* I know it's not your fault but I gotta blame somebody. Thanks for clarifying for me.

[@Arius_Astronomy]

A Black Dragon video! It really is October! *Bone Xylophone starts jamming*

[@saeyabor]

6:18 "Charming... to the last..." ~ Grand Moff Tarkin

[@moonringXD]

Oh also if you do a hybrid Dragon video could you mention pink dragons from dragon magazine 156 please! Oh and fantastic video! I can't believe there's only one chromatic Dragon to go!🧙‍♂️👍

[@373783001]

Please do Red Dragons next! Perfect time of the year for it. 👍

[@Vandelberger]

I had a Black Dragon born try and become a monk led by copper/ brass dragon born. He had rage issues but tried to separate himself from Tiamat.

[@AJPickett]

Black dragon born can be of any alignment since they are a player character race. That's the way I run it.

[@Vandelberger]

@@AJPickett Yes, this is true in my game as well, but his people had long embraced Tiamat. Another player was a High Elf who didn't like magic so much as combat and channeled her powers into becoming the elemental monk. The class wasn't well balanced and needed buffing, which I provided by giving her chi points relative to spell slots attained as a mage.

[@bartonbrevis3831]

Black-Red Hybrid ... two words ... Acidic Napalm. Also, the mass of the eggs (assuming 12" length and slightly more snake-ish oblong proportions) should be in the neighborhood of seven pounds. Based on a 6-inch long Ostrich egg weighing roughly three.

[@brianroberts783]

The thing is, though, that doubling the length would increase the volume 8 fold, so if a 6 inch egg weights 3 lbs, then a 12 inch egg should weigh 24 lbs!

[@bartonbrevis3831]

@@brianroberts783 It would, but I'm assuming a more snake like elongate egg, not one of ostrich proportions. My model was something more like two ostrich eggs laid end to end, and the gaps filled in so probably 2-3 times the volume of an actual ostrich egg, 7 to 9 lbs.

[@davidcannon3515]

One of my few favorite characters in a general high fantasy setting is a hybrid silver gold. Would love to see a video on hybrids some day.

[@jasonroberts9788]

I don't think hybrids exist in D&D outside of homebrew.

[@NoNo-lt9bi]

@@jasonroberts9788 they do, purple dragons are one exemple, and some people also consider the green, black, and white to be hybrids

[@davidfletcher6703]

I could see a hybrid of a chromatic and metallic dragon being a monstrous abomination like the Gaping Dragon from Dark Souls 1

[@tOGGLEwAFFLES]

How dare you speak of Dark Souls most adorable little snoot like that

[@gabrieladerre2862]

YAAAY!!!!! I've been waiting for this one, AJ!!!! Your original Red Dragon video, was the one that made me an instant fan of your work! It was also the first among your videos, that I watched!

[@darkhorse13golfgaming]

My warforged fighter tried to choke out a black dragon....so anyway our artificer has me scheduled for an arm replacement next week....

[@onemisterfranko]

fighters would do that, we tend to be the ones who boarder on brave and insane don't we? :)

[@darkhorse13golfgaming]

@@onemisterfranko somebody has to protect the squishies...er, I mean casters 🙂

[@onemisterfranko]

@@darkhorse13golfgaming casters get all the glory but we make sure they get the chance to even do their thing someone has to stand against the hoards or the dragon and stand in their way.

[@kidyomu89]

It's a shame there's so little out there about the crossbreed dragons. There's so much potential, so much awesome, awesome potential.

[@AJPickett]

Agreed. Guess it's up to me.

[@linguisticallyoversight8685]

The most overpowered metamagic for breath weapons is animate breath Especially for metallic dragons just imagine an animated cloud of knockout gas or paralytic or imagine if a force dragon used animate breath you're basically being attacked by a colossal size invisible stalker

[@angrygardengnome8383]

What a brilliant idea

[@linguisticallyoversight8685]

@@angrygardengnome8383 it's from the 3.5 E Dragonomicon There's also specific dragon only prestige classes Like The Bloodscaled Fury The Disciple of Ashardalon (The Dispassionate Watcher of Chronepsis) tide for my favorite Dragon Prestige class The Dragon Ascendant The Elemental Master (The Hidecarved Dragon) the other one The Sacred Warder of Bahamut The Unholy Ravager of Tiamat For player characters There are races and classes that synergize well with dragons or against them THE DRAGONBLOOD SUBTYPE which applies to all the Draconic races Dragonborn of Bahamut Spellscales Kobolds Dragon-Descended Half-Dragon /The Half-Dragon Paragon Things like the Platinum knight /Talon of Tiamat (Draconic paladins) Disciple of the Eye Dracolexi Dragon Devotee Dragonheart Mage Singer of Concordance Diamond Soul Adept The Dracolyte The Dragonkith The Dragonrider The Dragonsong Lyrist The Dragonslayer The Dragonstalker The Hoardstealer The Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries

[@SlothinAintEasy]

It may be lethal but boy are baby dragons adorable. "Awww its spitting acid..."

[@nvfury13]

Said the Xenomorph tending the baby Black Dragon.

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

So basically, a human baby, just without all the diaper changes....

[@atomicnectar]

My PCs found a dragon and now it’s basically making them bring it human sacrifices

[@ChasoGod]

Tiamat put to much edge into the making of these dragons.

[@destonlee2838]

HAGS, HAGS, HAGS, Annis, and HAGS love to act as matchmakers for skull dragons, encouraging metaliccross breeding and draconic conquests.

[@CreatorCade]

Hags would also make for great tutors in the dark arts and can act as a middle man in the soul market.

[@connorryan2715]

I’m pretty fresh into a DND campaign and I have plans to use a female ancient black dragon with nercomantic powers as a major antagonist serving as the cheif enforcer of the BBEG. I have plans to have her eviscerate a major city and lead the group of undead wyverns. I have hopes that she’ll be the Vader to by BBEGs Emperor

[@Megatron-yn6nc]

Love using Black Dragons as second-in-commands. I always give them a free shapeshift to use them as a Jafar or Maleficent character if the story needs it.

[@connorryan2715]

Megatron2826 I’ve been eager to use a Black Dragon in a campaign. Next to Reds they come across to me as the best Chromatic dragons to serve as a grand evil villain that just revels in death and destruction. I’ve got a pretty good motivation for mine to serve as the underling for the BBEG as well. I think she’ll serve as one of the more memorable villains of the game

[@nickfoster4569]

I'm using a black dracolich as the lieutenant of the BBEG in my campaign.

[@ARreckless14]

Absolutely amazing. These are the videos we need more of

[@AJPickett]

Thanks Tony.

[@whatifwevibed429]

I just got an adult black dragon miniature. This video is fantastic for getting acquainted with the beast!

[@nicolaezenoaga9756]

Thank you. Bronze dragons next?

[@purplehaze2358]

Would you be willing to do a video solely on various hybrid dragons?

[@AJPickett]

Yes

[@glorbojibbins2485]

That sounds neat

[@gertballyhead]

skull dragons have always been my favorite

[@darksoulsss2618]

Yeah they have that extra evil look.

[@d20avatar]

AJ may I recommend you check out all things d&d "how to raise your dragon"? It is a good story and pertinent to this video.

[@MisterTutor2010]

I wonder if baking soda might be toxic to black dragon, an idea so very basic :)

[@chazzwozzio]

Wokka wokka

[@xaviermartin3156]

This coment should be the first

[@erroneous6947]

If it drinks or eats an alkaline substance will the dragon explode or drown on hot foam? What a great idea.

[@filthiman]

Just when I was looking for something to listen to! Thanks AJ!!!

[@AJPickett]

Happy to be of service.

[@TheHornedKing]

Black dragons actually tend to favor necromancy? Makes sense. All that rot, disease and filth lends itself perfectly for the dark arts. As someone who favors necromancy, they speak to me. And speaking of black dragons and necromancy, shouldn't the black dracolich Daurgothoth have gotten a mention?

[@AJPickett]

That would be a Dracolich.

[@TheHornedKing]

@@AJPickett Fair enough.

[@blueturtle06]

I so enjoy your dragon videos! Will you be doing a video or set of videos on the Council of Wryms setting? I did like that concept TSR had of finally letting players actually play as dragons, but do not see it being rereleased for updated editions as dragons are so OP. It has been so many years since I read or had that supplement that I have forgotten most of what I read.

[@AJPickett]

I'm tempted.

[@epiccthulu]

I’m imagining an adult black dragon that carries slimes within it that it spews forth atop an unsuspecting party from the safety of a flyby

[@Zasek2112]

When it doesn't even find someone worthy of being breathed on and it just unblocks a nostral at them?

[@bigd7861]

DEATH BOOGER!!!!

[@Zasek2112]

@@bigd7861 Murder mucus.

[@AJPickett]

I had not considered that!

[@kidyomu89]

vore

[@d20avatar]

Sweet. Love black dragons.

[@nullvoid4063]

Beautiful. I’m planning on having a black dragon/spider hybrid as the final boss of a mad drow fleshwarper’s lab. I will have it scurrying around the ceiling, spewing insults and acid at the party. It’s newly gafted barbed tail and massive claws should give the players an unforgettable dragon lair fight. (To say nothing of the labs automated defenses made from reverse-engendered illithid tech. This video has given me many new and cool ideas for what I can add to make this fight memorable and the dragon unique. Not just in style, but a personality. Thanks AJ!

[@AJPickett]

Throw in a spider roper!

[@nullvoid4063]

@@AJPickett A spider roper? What an ugly, horrifying idea. I love it! it will come bursting out of some sort of freaky glass sarcophagus, soaked in unholy amniotic fluid, chattering and mewling in pain. It will add a puzzle element to the fight. The dragons corrosive breath will break out all manner of horrible things, so the party will have to be careful of where they stand, lest the acid eat away the restraints of some gibbering abomination... Thanks for the idea AJ! When the cleric is desperately trying to cure the 3rd downed party member, I'll tell them that AJ sends his regards! (And has a cool KZbin channel that they should check out.)

[@JanusHoW]

Unfortunately, there's only one notable black dragon that comes to mind in a published D&D campaign: Nightscale, a young black dragon that serves as the final boss of the adventure _The Forge of Fury_ - players that slay her or drive her away can claim her considerable hoard, the greatest prizes being a +2 greataxe and a +1 shield.

[@seanclark1304]

What about Voaraghamanthar aka the only twin Black Dragons that work together?

[@coreymerrill3257]

If you want to have dungeons and metroids , my recent idea of a beholder dreaming of being the head on a dragons body gives you mother brain from super metroid with a black or a red dragon body...idk which would fit better but i am certain it would be one of those two out of the "common" chromatic species. Sorry to blab so much A.J. , long ago i spent alot of time making concepts for games. Concepts are kind of my thing as im sure everyone can tell. ( i never said they are good concepts, lol) . Wizard vs sorceror. Merlin of camelot vs." Some who call him Tim" the enchanter! Another great video , sir.

[@coreymerrill3257]

This is a very plyable idea . while it can work wirh any creature,and there for could be a routine if not semi common monster at higher levels. i like making the presentation of the idea special if i can. I am having alot of fun lately mentally exploring differant combinations of the "beholder dream mutaions". A turasque is my latest. Start it off in the dream, with the players meeting. In a town that has a huge celebration happening . once there a person runs up and asks of you all want flyers outlining celebration scheduels and ceremonies and you all accept. the activities and games and fair are everything from standard games that have been deranged in various ways to the highly grotesque activities. The canned presevers are showcased in one area, im sure i dont need to say more than a big bamner over one booth says "canned jams and jellies and puddings." ...lawn gnome darts and the halfling toss are at midday and quarter past. A few pages later and the words "main events " take up one full sheet...is..that cured humanoid skin sith gold inlay?..." Come all and and spare yourselves the lasting torment of me hunting you down. I have slain the mighty and unstoppable beast known as the turasque and come for my pennance and rightly deserved rewards . celebrate...well, me , the one who is perfection and all seeing and all knowing. Who has no equal and many , many lesser failed attempts...they don't even have the right eye color.... Suddenly the huge central eye snaps open...oh what a horrible dream with all those ugly awfull creatures ...no self respecting eyetyrant would let those wretches into their minds... The beholder thinks to itself as it slowly wakes ." why does it feel like i have been sleeping for 20 years straight?" It also thinks... I need to stretch my....legs?...it stands up slowly with this gigantic body and gets used to its "archaic" way of momentum... A huge rumble is felt from the mountians and landslides start in rapid succession. A large mountain face explodes with rubble and launches stone shrapnel for miles perforating most anything it collides with. The beast emerges with a standard turasque body, thickened at the shoulders . in place of a neck and head are a massive eye over a massive toothy maw. 8 shell Plated eyestocks protrude from its carapacelike armored back...it starts lumbering into the valley leading to a huge capital city, insert your favorite super cool creature to attack the beh-rasque in the cities view...have your creature be vaporized in dbz esque fight. It looks like the beh-rasque is getting beaten to a pulp, but iit was just testing its new found durability , glared at the atacker with its central eye canceling all magic ,and hits it with a cone of cold, fireball,sunburst, prismatic ray,and two desintigrates and two meteorite spells . immediatly killing it if possible or followed by physical attacks . It heasbto the city and thats when you have your players wake up in a suitable location like an inn, half way around the world .

[@jgr7487]

I love these evil nonsensical packs of awesomeness!

[@moonringXD]

What type of chromatic dragon get along the best with each other? Also is the only reason black dragons are still prominent is because of the Dracorage mythal keeping other Lester chromatics teaming up and killing them and taking their place in the big five?

[@AJPickett]

Blue and Green get along a tiny bit better. As for the Dracorage... its my theory.

[@Darwyn4321]

Ah my favorite of the chromatic dragons. You can keep your red dragons, thank you very much.

[@Arius_Astronomy]

Yes, I will. I would prefer my death to be done with versus the prolonged imaginative torture of an Ancient Black Dragon.

[@Darwyn4321]

@@Arius_Astronomy XD

[@nevechristopher]

You are very talented and I appriciate your work greatly. Thank you for posting these videos. I'm finding it difficult to adequately express how much I enjoy them. Thanks again.

[@AJPickett]

I think you did it quite well :)

[@vaultscribe4501]

Like a lot of other evil creatures of intelligence, I imagine some black dragons might have the idea to exclusively turn their plots against creatures the dominant force in its territory already hate. Goblins, when humans are stronger nearby. Humans when orcs are stronger. It could cultivate reputations of alliance and trustworthiness, so that it can use those allies to probe, torture, and dominate rivals for mates, territory, and treasure. All while having powerful Kings and adventurers to call favors from when foes arise.

[@vaultscribe4501]

@Al Kirk let me know how it goes!

[@RavenMinis]

Black dragons are my favorite monster in 5e!

[@Dicyroller]

I am very sorry that I only have three of these to listen to. Since I have found your channel I have been listening to your monster manual play all when I cook. It has been a great inspiration. I may not do exactly what you would do, but I do take inspiration. Thank you.

[@gabrieladerre2862]

Have you bought a copy of The Dungeons and Dragons Cookbook, yet? I LOVE my copy! I haven't had it long. And unfortunately, the days when I've been able to cook, in our place, during an unusually hot Summer, here in The Northwest, have been few. After all, our kitchen is sealed off, to keep the rest of the place cooler. But I have managed to do some late night cooking, using my new cookbook! Everything has been a big hit, so far! The art/photography in the book is also lovely!

[@Dicyroller]

@@gabrieladerre2862 I have not, but I have friends who have and love it.

[@gabrieladerre2862]

@@Dicyroller It's definitely one of my favorites, in my entire cookbook collection! I'd definitely recommend it for anyone that enjoys cooking, and D&D!

[@Dicyroller]

@@gabrieladerre2862 Thanks Gabriel that's just the push I needed. I have so many D&D books and so many cookbooks why not a D&D cookbook.

[@osamasllamas6389]

Can you do a video explaining the new updated rules?

[@AJPickett]

I could, but I am not going to.

[@lorekeeper685]

Evil dragons are always fun

[@renarddubois940]

so they're basically cats?

[@agustinvenegas5238]

All dragons are enormous elemental reptilian cats with a fly speed when you get down to it

[@renarddubois940]

@@agustinvenegas5238 nah blue dragons are too nice, green dragons are too smart and red dragons are too honorable, cats are truly evil

[@renarddubois940]

@JomanJ cats are a very low bar

[@odinulveson9101]

Two things I want to say. First: my D.M scenario idea would involve adventurers give up the stolen Black dragons treasure, throw it into the river leading out of the swamp, past a Greens forest domain where a Green pick up some of it, the rest flows past an Orange dragons jungle domain and gathers the rest ALL while the adventurers try to flee from a pissed off Blacks wrath, by the rivers end destination to a coastal town. Adventurers gets to coastal city while a three way battle of stolen treasure occures between a Green, Orange and Black dragon. The Black might either ignore the Orange and Green for now until exacting destruction upon the adventurers hiding in the coastal town and to defend it against the eneaged Black. 2: Hmm Grey fang dragons do would make sense to be a cross breed of Whites and Blacks. And/ or just Tiamat ( which contain all colors, she just prefer to use the ones we know her of, maybe an upg Empress form could gain her 5 more different chromatic heads ) spawned them into existance without any colir mixing/ cross breed explanation.

[@tatsusama3192]

Umm, it's Dragon of Color, please - That Black/Gold dragon hybrid sounds/looks so awesome🤩 - Love that ending🤣

[@gabrieladerre2862]

Please do Red Dragons next!!! Although I'm still not playing, it's not stopping me from creating new Dark Lords, for Ravenloft. One of whom, is a Gold Dragon. He is also a former Chosen og Bahamut, and thus, he has paladin levels, as well as Blackguard, and Sorcerer levels too!!!

[@BigBadDevilDaddy666]

Yo, hes got many videos on all the dragons. Check out his channel.

[@gabrieladerre2862]

@@BigBadDevilDaddy666 I'm not sure who's channel that your suggesting that I check out? I've been a huge fan of AJ's videos, for the last few years!! He's awesome! And I'm very happy to have been here earlier than many others, as to have the joy of seeing his growth! Ironically, his first Red Dragon video, is the one that lead to me becoming one of his biggest fans!!! When it comes to D&D videos, he and MrRhexx, are tops!!! There are other great channels on here, that cover D&D!! However, those AJ, and MrRhexx, have been my two favorites, since I began watching them, back in 2016-2017!!! :)

[@boogaethje]

Pretty sure our DM is trying to set us up to track down , face a black dragon as part of a (what I assume to be) copper dragons game of Xorvintaal. "Oh look, a side quest...let's do that instead."

[@bradh3292]

How Nerdy? DEEPLY....... Have any you guys seen the opening to the Baulders gate 3? STARTS with MIND FLAYERS....

[@AJPickett]

Indeed, and a plane hopping jump drive on a spelljamming ship.

[@onemisterfranko]

Love these videos, they are always a fun time and very handy for when I'm looking up a monster or ideas on how to run them in a game. Thanks again for posting your videos! I've been running a game where the party is up against some nasty stuff even at only 8th level, you have a hag coven, a hobgoblin warlord and an adult black dragon who is a a 13th level wizard on top of being a black dragon. I play him somewhere between chaotic and neutral evil, he's cleaver and self interested playing a long game of his own rather than outright taking over the local area for now at least or killing the party out of sheer spite. My favorite part about playing him is that he shape changed himself into a hedge wizard named Wilbert, the real wizard having perished, he has since joined up with the party and been assisting them very directly in their efforts to defeat the hobgoblins and the hag coven, both of which he would like to see removed. But it's been interesting to see the players slowly realize something is deeply wrong with their companion "Wilbert" his eyes change to a sickly yellow, hands seem more claw like and his temperament becomes violent and cruel in battle, he's been shown to use draconic when he casts spells or grows angry. In spite of some misgivings and the beginnings of some cracks in the relationship he has aided them and indeed saved their lives more than once, though it has been out of self interest rather than genuine compassion while in the form of Wilbert the hedge mage. They have heard of how this dragon Black Hand has mastered black magic, plays with dead things and seems to be hunting them, as of last game in fact he took an opportunity during an evening rest to fly overhead and make sure he was spotted by the person on watch, he's enjoying his game with the party and pushing them into aiding him be it indirectly. Their goals do align though the desired end goal of the party and his own are very different. This whole time the party of two paladins, ranger, cleric and monk have been thinking they are on his trail and focused on the task before them, not yet fully realizing the devil has been beside them this whole time from the start. He confronted one of the paladins while they shared a watch and looked him dead in the eye and smiled, letting his yellow serpentine eyes flash, so the character knows its not a trick of the light his eyes are in fact that color, fallowing it up with the statement. "We need not be friends but, that dose not necessarily make us enemies..." Currently the group thinks he's a werewolf or shapeshifter, I don't think they imagine I would put such a key character much less a key antagonist right among them from almost the very beginning of the game. It's been a lot of fun and very interesting indeed, hopefully it all plays out well in the end. :)

[@AJPickett]

Nobody ever suspects a chromatic dragon of being a shapeshifter :D

[@onemisterfranko]

@@AJPickett There is only one other player in our group who has DM'd before me so he might raise an eyebrow and he's the paladin who Wilbert talked to about not necessarily being enemies. I go with the idea that any dragon can pull off the shape changer aspect of a metallic dragon given their magical nature and power, it seems a fairly simple trick, the scary thing is he keeps all his high stats in that form as well. It also helps that he's more of a neutral evil kind of dragon so he can be reasoned with to a point and is willing to play nice if its for mutual benefits and you don't try to stab him in the back. As to what happens after that mutual business done? well who knows... One thing that I have enjoyed is even as the party have done stuff like divine sense, detect good and evil around him and detect magic nothings come of it, the ranger who has dragons as a favored enemy is interesting since he can sense him yes but that larger range is actually to the dragons benefit for now, its one thing to sense him within six miles, it would be a very different situation if he was sensing this powerful dragon within one mile of the group. Iv'e very much enjoyed playing him as he studies the capabilities of each party member both in and out of combat all the while being careful to hide just how many spells he actually knows. It was a big thing when he saved the party using a teleport spell to get them away from a band of hobgoblins and ogres, his words where "Don't make me regret this!" as he whisked them off to safety. The questions and theories are mounting around the strange old man who seems to know and be far more capable than he first appeared to be upon first meeting. The question is how will it end? and what will be the reaction of both the party and players once he shows his true form and reality comes crashing down around them :)

[@MrJlovell7873]

Just want to point out a small piece of lore that was wrong. Sammaster didnt end the mythal (unless there was a rewrite that im not aware of) it was a massive coalition of the races around the sea of stars that killed sammaster and a cleric of lathander that destroyed the mythal

[@joshuazane3210]

You're quite correct. The cleric's name was Pavel Shemov. 🙂

[@brightglory5734]

My introduction to DnD dragons was a black dragon.

[@davanmar7731]

This is awesome! I was looking for a villain for my story. Have you heard of vampire dragons? They are so cool as well.

[@MidKnightOTC]

I hope there's a bg3 expansion with a black dragon as the big bad, with Astarion's charisma

[@TheRowdyJ]

absolutely love these dragon lore vids. 11/10.

[@manarayofhope2374]

I have been waiting for this one of some time

[@zmishiymishi5349]

Probably pickled hydras around! Highly addicted baron or outlaw might be willing to give it a try