Dragons are deeply connected to the worlds in which they dwell. The magic of the Material Plane flows through them. It empowers their breath weapons and their tremendous might; it pools in their lairs and tangles in the treasures of their hoards. This chapter, intended for the Dungeon Master, explores the connection between dragons and the world they inhabit and how that connection manifests in each dragon's lair and hoard.
"Dragon Lairs"Â discusses how the magic that suffuses dragons spills out into the world around the locations these creatures call home. This section includes suggestions for the kinds of locales where dragons like to build their lairs, as well as additional regional effects that might manifest around a lair. Additional lair actions round out this section.
"Dragon Hoards" explores the relationship between the size of a dragon's hoard and the dragon's magical might. This section discusses dragons' practice of dividing their hoards into multiple caches that extend their magical reach, and the items that can link those caches together. It also explores the magical quirks—including hauntings and curses—that can arise as enormous amounts of magical power are pooled in one place.
"What's in a Hoard?" provides tables to determine the contents of a dragon's hoard, expanding on the treasure tables in the Dungeon Master's Guide.
Fizban argues with a smug statue in the lair of an amused brass dragon
“Home is where the hoard is.”
— Fizban
A lair is not merely a den where a dragon happens to sleep. It's a nexus for all the magical energy bound up in a dragon. A dragon's lair is a home and carries all the emotional and magical resonance of that word. It's a sanctum and the repository of the dragon's hoard. It's a place of power, with echoes of its own across multiple worlds.
Consciously or not, young dragons establishing lairs for the first time often seek to establish them in sites of magical resonance. A dragon might look for a place where multiple ley lines of flowing magical energy intersect, a site where a meteorite crashed to earth or a strange mystical crystal lies buried underground, or a place where long-forgotten wizards of an ancient magocratic empire saturated the land with their powerful spells. As a result, a dragon's lair is typically not the only unusual and magically powerful feature in its region. You can use the Lair Location table for inspiration when placing a dragon's lair in or near such a feature.
| d10 | Unusual Feature |
|---|---|
| 1 | The area is a climate anomaly—a cool and lush oasis in a hot desert, a balmy spring within a frozen tundra, a drifting iceberg in a warm sea, a barren waste in the midst of a verdant forest, or the like. |
| 2 | The area is a wild magic zone. Whenever a creature casts a spell of 1st level or higher or activates a magic item, roll a d10. On a 1, roll on the Wild Magic Surge table in the Player's Handbook. |
| 3 | Natural rock formations align with celestial phenomena at particular times of the year. Stars and planets might line up with rock spires and windows on solstices and equinoxes, for example. |
| 4 | A dead god or titan is buried in the area. |
| 5 | The area is a vast crater, at the center of which is a long-buried meteorite. |
| 6 | A magical portal to another plane of existence releases dangerous energy—and sometimes creatures—into the area. |
| 7 | The area was a battlefield in an ancient war where thousands of soldiers were annihilated in a devastating magical assault. |
| 8 | Gravity does not function as expected in the area, which might manifest as giant floating earth motes or similar terrain. |
| 9 | An enormous tree—possibly the oldest living organism in the world—grows at the heart of the area. |
| 10 | A god left a profound impression on the site during an ancient visit to the Material Plane—perhaps a footprint, a pool of tears, or a splash of blood that has permanently infused the ground. |
“My favorite lair I've ever visited was a crystal dragon's. It turned everyone's voice into a high-pitched squeak. Remember, not all lair shenanigans are devastating!”
— Fizban
The area around a legendary dragon's lair is altered by the dragon's presence. The regional effects described in the Monster Manual and chapters 5 and 6 of this book are not the only ways a dragon's influence can manifest. You can add regional effects to make a particular dragon's lair feel unique and wondrous. Adding regional effects to a dragon's lair has no effect on the dragon's challenge rating, so you can use them freely to set the tone you want for your adventure.
Plant growth creates difficult terrain, sinkholes appear, and hedge mazes or icy walls limit movement. Additional regional effects in this category include the following examples:
Exposing Terrain. The terrain within 6 miles of the lair actively works to foil stealth, giving creatures other than the dragon disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Leaves change color to contrast with those trying to hide among them, branches move to reveal creatures, fog clears, and so on.
Smooth Roads. Difficult terrain within 12 miles of the dragon's lair is not considered difficult, as undergrowth moves out of a traveler's way, slopes are not as steep as they first appeared, and rough ground levels out under a traveler's feet.
Wilderness Hazards. Any of the wilderness hazardsdescribed in the Dungeon Master's Guide might manifest near the dragon's lair.