Dungeons and Dragons Lore: The Fang and Grey Dragon

The Fang dragon is the precursor of the Grey Dragon, how this came about and what are the differences between the two, what are the abilites, traits and habits of these evil chromatic dragons? All this and more shall be revealed.

[@firetarrasque4667]

Tiamat is great. "I want everything to be mine, and if its not mine now I will kill it then take it."

[@AJPickett]

Orcus takes that one step further "I am lord of death, kill everything and rule the universe"

[@charlottewalnut3118]

@@AJPickett Tiamat shall devour him

[@lorekeeper685]

@@charlottewalnut3118 hope so! :3

[@starslayer8390]

Jeez, grey dragons are badasses. They're like black dragons on crack. The only reason they aren't unstoppable is their lack of magic.

[@AJPickett]

If your players are running to the rescue of a woman crying in pain and terror, then they get ambushed by a Fang Dragon that shrugs off low level spells and just pulps the spell caster, then leaps out of combat and a few minutes later, the party hears the spell casters voice taunting them from the trees... they will not soon forget the Fang dragon.

[@dukedevlan5457]

The honey badger of dragons

[@wingedflyingforce5139]

This sounds like a orange dragon, and a little bit like a grey. Perhaps the experiment was on a cross breed between a orange and grey, that was breed with an orange to be more like an orange, but remain the grey color and spikes, and then the final breed was given the demonic powers? I dunno, just a theory. Also I thought Tiamat only controlled the color dragons of her heads, I didn't know she controlled Greys. What does she think of the brown and yellow dragon? Why does she ignore them?

[@AJPickett]

Good question.

[@padalan2504]

I like to remake fang dragons into lead dragons. They are my misunderstood bad guy. Extreme resistance to magic and their breath is either pestilence(forces random mutations) or radiant (radiation, explodes after death). they reside near great sources of magic, or in places changed by magic. (they feed on magical pollution, so they often attack big high-elf cities) they don't have regular spells, but they have great knowledge of alchemy and can reshape their environment, create anomalies, create mutated minions out of local fauna or flora. when they make their lair, land and life around that lair starts to wither. after a while, strange mutated versions start to appear. If the dragon is left alone it will start to experiment, in the lair you can find laboratories and huge storages of potions and cures for all kinds of stuff. it has just a small hoard, to keep this project running. He can also remove curses and hexes with a ritual. it seeks cures for diseases and then reforms life forms, to quickly replicate these cures. and also tries to create life forms that could survive in extreme environments. once per 30 years, he returns back to the homeland of dragons, the dead lands in the north. lands that dragons polluted with necrotic energy, when they created a device, that could allow them to reincarnate and keep their memories beyond death. the lead dragons look like a bad guy at a first glance, but when you understand that they only try to restore life to a land their kind f#@**d up and cure diseases and stop plagues, It usually changes your opinion on them. Once it finishes its project it leaves and the environment is fully restored in 100 years.(with some new creatures or plants) And the mutants slowly wither away or evolve into something not as monstrous. But most of them leave instructions in their lair, to let adventurers know how to speed up the process of restoration. which could lead(heh, lead) to someone who has the power to fix the radiation. (powerful druids, or priests) Or it could be a map that leads to an artefact, that can purify the land or devour the radiation.

[@princessmaly]

It's always interesting to me how you smush together the flavor text from all the different versions of the game, making everything seem more cohesive than it actually is. And 4th Edition's dragons (tbh the dragons are pretty much all I care about outside making fun characters) are easily the most interesting despite the lack of Gem Dragons. It's really cool to think about 1st through 3rd edition Fang Dragons were "uplifted" ala 4th edition into a kind of inter-edition continuity. The books don't really acknowledge that but it works surprisingly well. Also, as far as the rest of the dragons in issue 134 the aquatic and stone dragons are something of a wash. There are similar dragons in later editions but they aren't... well, they're more variations on a theme than attempts at remaking the same dragons. Astral dragon even more so because even though it's plainly a dragon from the astral plane in 1st through 4th edition they're all characterized totally differently, so that would end up being like the rust dragon video where you just picked one. For a fun angle, think of Were or Song dragons as metallic crossbreeds, a "Billon" or copper-silver alloy dragon, and if that sounds weird at first you'll be surprised at how consistently they are described as more or less that. But if IIIIiiiiiii had to vote for which dragons you looked at next, I'd say Ferrous Dragons + Gruaglothor, Lung/Oriental Dragons, or Catastrophic Dragons. Those are like the big movers and shakers of dragonkind you've yet to cover, so I'd make that priority. But either way it's cool with me, I always enjoy when you make another fun dragon video ^w^

[@AJPickett]

Astral dragons are pretty interesting, when smushed :) The ferrous dragons are also some very cool niche dragons that are not on a lot of DM's radars (but really should be).. I can hear the grumbles of a lot of World Builder DM's who are griping about where these top predators are supposed to fit into the food chain of their fantasy world.. how can there be so many dragons!? They yell... well, I might have to do a video on that as well. Catastrophic dragons are also something that send them into a frothing rage, lol.

[@Jo-Heike]

Hey AJ, I wanted to suggest that you make a video about the alignments and how they effect monsters and monster ecology, after all some monsters are very closely bound with their alignment, like Devils and Demons.

[@AJPickett]

That is an excellent idea, thank you Jens!

[@TarsonTalon]

If Fang dragons are going extinct, I think it's a waste to use them as an enemy. There's a lot here to make an epic player character, specifically one with a vendetta against Tiamet, if not the gods in general. True, fang dragons have a taste for humanoids...but what if one found a taste for dragon souls instead? I'm thinking a fang dragon disguised as a monk class, since that would be a ridiculously powerful combination. However, I'd nerf it by saying some of the monk abilities are only effective against creatures of the same size class, or one above or below. Also, because they are a fang dragon, it would serve its best interests not to reveal its true identity to the general populace, for fear not only of upsetting the humanoids, but also revealing their location to grey dragons and dragon hunters as well (a sword made from fang dragon teeth is a valuable item). This means a person playing this character would probably not reveal their true selves to the party, unless things became incredibly dire, or felt they could keep the secret. Of course, if party members DIDN'T keep the secret, after making a promise...well, the fang dragon character would probably resort to more traditional fang dragon behaviors, meaning that they would hunt down and eat them, lol. Of course, this sort of character would be a DM's pet, since several campaigns can exist merely on this sort of character's story alone. After all, dragons live for hundreds of years, and after every major stage in this player's progression, chances are they would disappear for a few decades should the rest of the party be wiped. Or, they might just leave on their own accord once their identity is discovered, and cannot bear the weight of persecution by both good and evil alignments (which is probably why I heard its status was changed to 'chaotic neutral' at some point).

[@AJPickett]

Tarson Talon if such a character ever eventuates in an actual game as a PC, I'll draw him for you.

[@TarsonTalon]

Lol, would have to actually play D&D first. Have been watching a lot of 'Critical Role' though.

[@michaelwescott8064]

Turns out the soulleech bite is stronger than the acid of a grey, and the fangs are winning.

[@CDisawesome1]

The other chromatics like the Yellow, Orange, and Violet/Purple are ones I would like to see. In addition the Other metallics as well such as the Iron and Cobalt would be interesting.

[@mitchellange9818]

Hey, as a new DM I love these videos. Really helps with world building and adds plot points I add. Thanks AJ! The David Attenborough of D&D!

[@AJPickett]

heh, thanks :)

[@juggalox1000]

new game every time AJ says Dragon don't drink that would kill you

[@AJPickett]

lol, dragon, dragon, dragon, dragon, floor.

[@Mortablunt]

@@AJPickett You're NZ, though, your people have very high ethanol resistance.

[@AJPickett]

@@Mortablunt This is true.

[@aidencranston2601]

Awesome job AJ!! I am a DM whose sessions take place on a dragon continent, so just know that your dragon videos are being put to good use!

[@AJPickett]

excellent :)

[@firetarrasque4667]

The Fang dragon. I want to put one up against my 5E group but I'm not sure the power levels are quite equal. Its a group of 6-7 regularly who've recently hit level nine.

[@elricengquist9989]

If you are worried about it being abit too strong, or week have something added into the sheet that could increase or decrease the power of it to compensate. Like that it might have an old wound that inhibits it's abilities or stats abit.

[@anathema1828]

This video is excellent- fang dragon plot hooks brewing!

[@baneicorn7969]

My Barbarian's an Adult fang dragon True Polymorphed into a human form. She's a Barbarian, she hates everyone, and she's about as strong as your standard Dragonborn. She still bites tho. So bitey. Also angry that humanoids taste bad now, especially goblins.

[@amberkat8147]

I admit, I like them more as more honorable hunters. "Kill or be killed. The quality of my meal is the proof of my strength, a weak prey brings me sustenance but little else. And of course, it would be no fun if I knew I would always win."

[@Tonz_of_Fun]

I didn't know grey dragons were a real thing but I did make them myself with the ability to launch their scales and fly well. Kinda funny.

[@TheRaistlinMage]

Love all these videos. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[@AJPickett]

TheRaistlinMage most welcome :)

[@Aidan8et]

Very nice. I love learning lore about little-known creatures. Gives me fuel for my own game. My only complaint is the quiet level of sound. I had to turn up my speakers considerably to hear.

[@bryanteger]

Hey AJ! Just discovered your channel! and its awesome keep it comi!

[@ryanvanderheyden1972]

Thank you these videos are amazing and very helpful for people who aren't sure how a new monster will effect the out come of them story

[@AJPickett]

If you ever want clarification or additional info, always feel free to ask questions in the video comments, I am happy to help out, as, I am sure, other regular commenters are also.

[@4ltimit1]

It sounds like a certain kind of demon laid with a dragon not knowing they could spawn a fiend.

[@Drahjan_TheoryBREAK]

Fangs: Exhaustion Bite Greys: Petrifying Bite Both are equally terrifying. And fang dragons being demonic somehow if inspiring. I will have to get my hands on a stat block for these dragons and build an adventure around them. Imagine your party finding a Grey hunting a Fang. They may be in for a bad time.

[@miggypeso909]

Awesome video as always! Have you ever thought of doing something like this for creatures from other games? I think a video on a Great Horned Dragon from Rifts would be cool. Just a thought. Thanks for all the awesome videos!

[@AJPickett]

M Perez wooly dragons are worth a video, an animal level intellect and all that.

[@miggypeso909]

Oh yes,the neanderthal of dragons. Pure brute force,nothing else. Yeah that would be cool.

[@RedvsBluechurch1]

I'd love to see a video or videos covering the dragons from the 4e dragnomicon

[@thereeldeelsteel]

Never understood the purpose of rolling for damage from a dragons bite. If it's successful in biting you, you're more than likely going to die immediately unless you're wearing some crazy powerful armour that doesn't compress (the psi pressure of an adult dragons bite has to be easily powerful enough to crush full plate). From my knowledge of roleplaying games, armour is what determines whether you're hit or not and not something that mitigates damage received. Or am I wrong?

[@trentonmaloney3280]

nasty bit of work,that fella.... i wonder if they make a fang dragon mini.

[@AJPickett]

They do!

[@mudshrooze]

My maaaan! Unlike most people ive never been a huge dragon fan. I mean i like em i just find a lot of other fantasy creatures cooler. Regardless love the video :D thankyou always. Wish i had a cool job like yours.

[@AJPickett]

Laboratory technician? That's my actual job

[@mudshrooze]

AJ Pickett haha ofcourse. . No i was talking about how you make really good videos that people actually enjoy. What do you do as a laboratory technician? :)

[@AJPickett]

I extract DNA from dairy cow and goat tissue for parentage matching mostly.

[@mudshrooze]

Oh! okay, do you enjoy it? be honest :)

[@AJPickett]

Kendrick O'Rourke I do.

[@Lngbrdninjamasta]

I realize that despite being extremely informative video like always. I don't know if you mentioned the Grey Dragon having a breath weapon

[@AJPickett]

They did not have a breath weapon until Tiamat changed them, at which point the improved gray dragons had an acid breath weapon.

[@TheKing-qz9wd]

Hm. Petrify and acid. Yaaaa... Where did that anti petrify ring go? And my spear?

[@bigasswalrus1063]

Nergigante

[@seanwarren9357]

I couldn't help myself. :P Yeah, maybe not so brass or bronze, but then again, individuals can be as such. Anywho... 😅

[@jameswilliams2075]

If I was tiamat I would have just given them a petrification breath wepon with the soul eating bite

[@teaartist6455]

How are fang dragons bad at flying? Are they incapable to actually fly and just manage long, wing assisted jumps and controlled falls or can they fly but have a elliptical wingtype that is best suited for short bursts of speed and short flights (like most garden birds)?

[@AJPickett]

They prefer to use wings to assist in leaping ambush attacks, and to leap out of combat and into the tree canopy, from tree to tree, gaining cover, mobility and a better vantage point.

[@youtubestudiosucks978]

So could monsters be ancient people trying to rationalize the existance of aliens using the limited knowledge they had? Like some alien just dropped their exotic pet on a distant planet because it couldnt take care of it anymore like most pets are abandoned by humans the moment their slightly difficult. Like mermaids are alien goldfish and such

[@AJPickett]

There are no aliens visiting Earth, its just our own species travelling through time or dimensions. It makes perfect sense, given their alleged behavior, also, it may be that the leap from single to multicellular life is unique to this world, while the galaxy is brimming with single celled life forms, none of the others ever achieve it, the fact that cancer is just single cells that reject multicellular existence to instead become successful single cells is also a very strong indicator that this was a freak event that is very, very unlikely to happen. As such, our existence is extremely important and we are at the very dawn of sapient life in our galaxy, yes, there are 8 billion of us, but to our trillions and trillions of descendants, every single one of us is incredibly important! That is how I view each and every one of you.

[@rustyshackleford5095]

Love your show! Wheres the weredragon?

[@AJPickett]

How do you know I have not included pictures of them in the other dragon videos? Actually, go check out the Drow Dragon in the Rare Dragons video... that is a were-dragon

[@firetarrasque4667]

Would happens if someone drinks dragon blood?

[@chaddixon9764]

Still waiting on my Paladin video.

[@AJPickett]

noted.

[@nicke9012]

How about you do astral dragons.

[@AJPickett]

OK, right after the brown dragon.

[@nicke9012]

Thank you.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

i can't wait to see that vid too.

[@firetarrasque4667]

The Greys... I get it Tiamat. I really do. But their just not as exciting. Petrify bite, and a breath weapon (Huzzah!), But the soul bite is just... Amazing.

[@gwyndolin1536]

Fairy Dragon please!

[@Jonix2000]

Greetings from the Kingdom of Sweden

[@AJPickett]

Hej, tack för uppmärksamheten :)

[@22thevoice22]

Another good video my friend! No dubstep though? lol I think I have a good video concept for you. How do you feel about another class video, this time on Wild Mages?

[@AJPickett]

No dubstep. Wild mages eh? Would that not be covered by Sorcerers?

[@kyliepoe6231]

The Wild/chaos mage, kind of sorcerer... but I believe they originated from the Spellfire novel, and then a Dragon article which made a character class to play a Spellfire mage.

[@Slechy_Lesh]

I could send you some evil atmospheric intro music if you like

[@eymamma]

At least one viewe from Norway to man!

[@AJPickett]

Takk, veldig verdsatt!

[@jameswilliams2075]

The pennywise of dragons

[@ruhalajn]

I love grey dragons. I've never liked actual spellcasting in dragons. Innate spellike abilities are great, but I just can't wrap my head around dragons taking the time to "improve" upon themselves using the teachings of others. That would imply that the dragon itself is not the very best thing in existence and of course we know that can't be true.

[@SolidDragonUK]

Yeee boiiii

[@Taylor1989s]

What dragon would you use to use in a campaign with only tabaxi who stole purpose is to collect love ?

[@AJPickett]

Taylor Hicks what role did you want the dragon to have in the story?

[@Taylor1989s]

AJ Pickett not sure if it could have lore or an artifact. the group is level 2 to 5 so got any ideas on how to maybe build up to meet the dragon or fight it? Also witch dragon would be best for that?

[@marclytle644]

Said to devour the soul... oh so they are gingers.

[@ProffessorYellow]

hOW IS GREY CHROMATIC THO?

[@AJPickett]

*points at black and white*

[@derekbervin3532]

Wow I do rememberz baby dragoon fang yearx'sdrake'sordrakeə8

[@underfire987]

were dragon!

[@Stormbender27]

There dragon!

[@sakasil2]

I have a few statements for you... First, it would be a good idea to cite where you got your information because you can get in legal trouble for not doing so... and it also gives players the ability to read it for themselves as well. I want to see where you got the thought that the Fang dragon was augmented by demonic powers, because in my lore search there was no claim like that, the only tinkering done to fang dragons were to then create the grey dragon "It is said that a powerful entity, possibly Tiamat or her intermediaries, chose several unhatched gray dragon eggs to receive special treatment." it was not the original fang dragon that was augmented. unless you have a citation for this statement I could not find any supporting information for this.

[@JoshuaDuaneClark]

I read that somewhere, I think the draconomicon for 3rd edition

[@thedarkmaster4747]

So you could have adventures going though a grey dragon lair of petrified, mangled, maimed, mutilated, dismembered corpses as the grey dragon does perfect impressions of their final momments from memory. can they pull the names of relatives from people they meet, or is it just a genetic sent thing? they're kind of like the opposite to a silver dragon, maybe you could have them set up as arch rivals, not fighting each other dirrectly persay, but both trying to alter the lives of a group of humanoids, to ethier a horrible and torturous bleak grim miserable end, or a magnanimus triamph over adversity and the individuals inner demons.

[@AJPickett]

Silver dragons are often not that interested in individual humanoids, they have their own agenda and community to deal with that can take them out of humanoid society for extended periods of time, so, they are aloof at best, or treat humanoids are pawns, minions and sword fodder at worst, they are interested in the big picture, fighting evils that may exterminate a species, so, individuals getting killed along the way can be rationalized as acceptable losses in the pursuit of the greater good. Grey dragons are only that interested in individuals when it comes to what they can attain from them, either it is more loot for the lair, protection of the lair while they are away, or some fun sport and a meal, seasoned with a nice musk of terror. A grey dragon may negotiate some small service for a rare map to a series of buried dwarven crypts it can loot, but when the humanoid arrives with the map, the Grey savagely murders and eats them.. why? Because the first time they spoke, the humanoid was wearing chain mail, the second time, they were wearing a leather vest, thus they could swim better, and make for a better chase across some rivers in the area. Silver dragons, along with most other dragons (including chromatics) hate the Grey dragons, they consider them to be stupid savages, like the Orc's of Dragonkind.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

AJ Pickett 👍👍👍📖😵 you've basically cleared that all up. can't wait for your astral dragon video. what is the jist of the agenda of silver dragon society as a whole? "what do they do?" are grey dragons actively hunted by other dragons as orcs would be?

[@AJPickett]

The Dark master they are occasionally hunted, but dragons tend to avoid fights that they could lose. As for silver dragons, they are very diverse, but tend towards being like a dispersed population made up of folk heroes, gathering together only for special occasions or important missions.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

AJ Pickett so basically the marvel thor movies(asgardians) save they're all dragons. besides other dragons, what are the kind of things that take dragons out? what would be something that a dragon would actively be afraid of?🤔🤓

[@firetarrasque4667]

SECOND OR THIRD HAHA!

[@MaeljinRajah]

Seriously stop mumbling