Dungeonsand Dragonshas a big year ahead of itself, promising fans a huge array of books. However, its important that oneDungeons and Dragonsexpansion isn’t ignored in this new frontier: Gem Dragons.
During August’sD&DDirect, a number of newD&Dbooks were announced for 2025. In addition to the revisedMonster Manual, which will complete the 2024 core rules, 2025 will bring a new starter set based on the classicKeep on the Borderlandsadventure. It will also bring two books revolving around The Forgotten Realms; not only will the year bring a player’s guide to the Realms, but a DM-facing rulebook that expands on a number of locations within the world.
2025’s Dragon Anthology Shouldn’t Ignore Fizban’s Treasury Of Dragons
One of the biggest announcements that came from this series of book reveals isD&D’s upcoming ‘Dragon Anthology’. Poised for summer 2025, this book will contain a number of adventures—each geared for a different player level. Each adventure will be focused around a dragon, with the overall goal being to help players experience the quintessential fantasy ofD&D, fighting those eponymous dragons. Though details around this book are scarce, the current messaging around it focuses on both Metallic and Chromatic dragons. However, there’s a third type of dragon, Gem dragons, that WOTC shouldn’t wait to reintroduce.
Gem Dragons Can’t Keep Going Unused
Gem dragons were reintroduced toD&Din 2021’sFizban’s Treasury of Dragons, though some of them date back to a 1980 issue ofDragonmagazine (6 years after the game’s inception). Despite being rooted well into the game’s early history, they’re often overlooked—and it’s not hard to see why. Gem dragons are neutral-aligned, whereas Chromatic dragons are associated with evil and Metallics with good. This naturally makes them less active in the theatrics ofD&D, but their psychic connotations also don’t help. Though psychic powers are the very reason many fans love these drakes, the game has been trending away from psychic powers in general—especially after the Mystic’s failure to get off the ground.
Though there’s a lot running against them, Gem dragons still deserve a place inD&D’s Dragon Anthology. WithD&Dtaking on the anthology format once more, there’s more than a little ground for experimentation—which would be perfect for fleshing out Gem dragons. Gem dragons got themselves some big fact files inFizban’s, but much of their lore revolves around justifying their lack of presence in other adventures. If the upcoming anthology can turn the isolationist nature of these dragons into a narrative arc, such as an adventure that has players try to convince an apathetic Gem dragon to help them, it could serve as a tool to help DMs use them in adventures.
Gem Dragons Should Be Made To Fit More In The World
D&Dhas a habit of introducing new ideas and then leaving them by the wayside, butD&D 2024could buck the trend. Fifth edition’s adventure modules and setting guides typically ignore many of the new monsters, spells, and species options introduced in monster books and player expansions. Fortunately, the elevation of aasimar and goliaths to core species is a mark of hope, as it shows how expanded material can still be wrapped into mainline worldbuilding.
Fizban’s Treasury of Dragonsintroduced some mainstay ideas, most notably an updated version of Dragonborn—which became a base forD&D 2024’s own revision. However, most of its concepts have gone ignored in other material, and Gem dragons have almost zero presence when compared to their brethren. Using them in the Dragon Anthology would give them a new lease on life, while also making the worlds ofD&Dfeel more cohesive.
Dungeons and Dragons
Created by Gary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop game in which players craft their own worlds and band together to take on adventures through mysterious realms outlined in companion materials. One of the best role-playing games ever made, it has been adapted into a variety of video games and other media.
