It should be no surprise that dragons are a big part of Dungeons & Dragons - after all, they're right in the title. The game's popularity and influence are a major source of inspiration within the fantasy genre, in a range of creative mediums, and its varied and terrifying depictions of dragons are a major part of that. However, unlike most other fantasy works, D&D doesn't have just one body of lore. There are multiple campaign settings available for the tabletop game, offering everything from the swords and sorcery of the Forgotten Realms to the multidimensional adventure of Planescape.
But no matter the setting, when it comes to D&D, no creature represents the magic of the game better than dragons. Even for high-level players, dragons can pose a serious threat, and often represent a tactical challenge. Even 50 years after the release of D&D's first edition, dragons are still a major feature of many campaigns. That goes double when there's so much lore to be found about the most powerful of D&D's mighty dragons; this makes these formidable foes into well-rounded characters, and can even add to the immensity of their power.
15 Nexus
From The Forgotten Realms
Nexus is a surprisingly simple name for a D&D dragon, but his full name — Larendrammagar — more than makes up for it. One of Nexus's biggest assets is his intelligence, especially regarding the subject of magic. As a result of this knowledge and his magical abilities, Nexus was a uniquely proficient spellcaster and created plenty of spells that non-dragons couldn't cast.
While plenty of powerful dragons constantly squabbled over world affairs, Nexus's lack of interest sets him apart. He isn't quite one of the most powerful in history overall, but it's hard to compete with him in the magical sphere.
14 Ashardalon Wasn't Stopped By Death
From The Forgotten Realms
Ashardalon has never made it to godhood in Dungeons & Dragons, but that hasn't stopped this powerful dragon from trying. In the meantime, he's managed to survive beyond death, escaping to the Astral Plane after being inflicted with a mortal wound.
Ashardalon's starring role was in third edition campaign material, but he hasn't been completely forgotten in the years since. The dragon has been referenced on multiple occasions in fifth edition D&D, and the 5.5e Dungeon Master's Guide includes a brief explanation of his history in the Lore Glossary.
13 Sardior Has Psionic Might
From Several Editions Of D&D
Sardior is one of the dragon gods of Dungeons & Dragons lore, acting as the ultimate deity of gem dragons. In theory, this might put him alongside Tiamat and Bahamut, the dragon gods of chromatic and metallic types. In practice, Sardior hasn't received quite the same love in D&D, but there's still more than enough reason to consider him one of the greats.
Sardior has fallen somewhat by the wayside over the years, and Fizban's Treasury of Dragons notes that "Sardior is said to have died in the destruction of the First World." The recent 5.5e iteration of D&D has placed a new emphasis on psionic character options, however, which gives Sardior a newfound relevance — and a potential opportunity to return to an active role in the lore. With psionic powers and a sharp wit, Sardior brings a lot to the table.
12 Niv-Mizzet Is As Cunning As It Gets
From Guildmasters' Guide To Ravnica
Niv-Mizzet is essentially an import to Dungeons & Dragons, joining the game with other Magic: The Gathering content in Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica. As such, he's never been represented with the unbelievable stat blocks that were more common in older editions, but he's extremely tough by 5e standards with a Challenge Rating of 26.
Outside of his physical prowess, what makes Niv-Mizzet such a unique threat is how smart he is. With 30 Intelligence, he's likely to outwit the party at every turn, which can be devastating when they're already the underdogs. Throw in some serious spellcasting progress, and the typical threats that dragons pose might be the least of the party's worries.
11 Tchazzar Achieved Divinity In The Mortal Realm
From Forgotten Realms
Tchazzar isn't at the top of the food chain in terms of D&D dragons, serving underneath the dragon goddess Tiamat. In that capacity, however, Tchazzar took on a role that puts most to shame. Lording over the confederation of Chessenta, Tchazzar built himself up as an object of worship, which, combined with a divine spark from Tiamat, allowed him to actually take on the role of a god.
In D&D 3e, Tchazzar was given a challenge rating of 40, placing him among the most elite challenges in the game, although it's still not a number that fully reflects his divinity. If he ever returns to D&D, it may very well be in a narrative capacity rather than as a Monster Manual challenge, but it's safe to say he'll never be a dragon to be trifled with.
10 Arauthator Has Sworn Revenge Against All Spellcasters
From The Rise Of Tiamat For Forgotten Realms
Nicknamed the Old White Death, Arauthator is highly dangerous, as his history of fighting mages and other dragons suggests. With 306 HP, a challenge rating of 15, and the ability to cast spells up to ninth level with a +8 bonus to hit, he's a force to be reckoned with. But in his natural element in the Sea of Ice, the white dragon is nigh-invulnerable, with the ability to scale walls of solid ice and reverse failed saving throws at will.
Arauthator's past is a tragic one, and explains his prickly attitude, especially when it comes to spellcasters. He was orphaned as a young dragon when his entire brood was slain by the mage Tulrun, and after that, he dedicated his life to revenge, not against Tulrun alone, but all mages. Arauthator's rampage continued until he met Tulrun himself. The two powerful casters engaged in peace talks, eventually agreeing that Arauthator would stop terrorizing the Silver Marches, but that Tulrun and his camp would let the dragon live in peace. However, their pact was short-lived and certainly won't prevent a D&D party from facing the dragon's wrath.
9 Klauth Is The Most Sinister Of D&D's Ancient Dragons
From Storm King's Thunder For Forgotten Realms
All ancient dragons are lethal, but none are more horrific than Klauth. While he appears to be an average red dragon, he is a far superior evil when compared to the rest of his ancient brethren. Also known as Old Snarl, he's widely recognized as one of the oldest dragons still alive in the Forgotten Realms setting - excluding those who cheated death by transforming into dracoliches. Klauth boasts a challenge rating of 25, spells up to level 14, and a Strength stat of 30 - that's a +10 bonus for those keeping score at home.
Klauth is most infamous for killing other ancient dragons that rival him, or otherwise threaten to surpass his own power. As a result, he is without question the strongest of all the ancient dragons. He dwells in the mountains of the Klauthen Vale - so named for him - and can cause magma to erupt from the ground to deter intruders. With the might of a dragon and the wisdom of a wizard, Klauth is one of the most feared and brutal creatures in the D&D universe.
8 Daurgothoth Is The Most Powerful Of D&D's Dracoliches
From D&D 3.5e
Compared to other dracoliches, Daurgothoth stands at the pinnacle of undead dragons. To say he's power-hungry would be an understatement: Daurgothoth aims to become the most powerful being in Faerûn, and intends to do so by raising his very own army of living, breeding dracoliches. He also happens to be an archmage, which means the oft-rigid rules of spellcasting aren't so strict for him. Daurgothoth can bend magic to his will, resulting in some truly powerful - and, for the party, devastating - spells.
Daurgothoth debuted in D&D's revised third edition, commonly known as 3.5e, with a challenge rating of 50. However, he's yet to make an official appearance in D&D 5e. However, several homebrew versions of Daurgothoth attempt to adapt the all-powerful dracolich to 5e rules, and he's just as powerful there as he's ever been.
7 Capnolithyl Is A Vampiric Dragon
From 3.5e
Capnolithyl looked like a regular black drake, but was actually a vampiric smoke drake who could change his form at will. Also known as Brimstone, Capnolithyl is able to change into a cloud of embers and possesses a magical collar that allows him to leave his hoard, something even most vampiric dragons aren't normally able to do.
The mage Sammaster, who founded the Cult of the Dragon and created the first dragonliches, approached Capnolithyl to help with his initial experiments. He started by turning Capnolithyl into a vampire, but then decided on another course of research and simply discarded the dragon. In retaliation, Capnolithyl helped to destroy the mage and took over his citadel. Although Capnolithyl and vampiric dragons have yet to appear officially in 5e,Capnolithyl's transformational abilities and pure Chaotic Evil alignment make him one of the most destructive dragons in D&D.
6 Borys Is Half-Dragon, Half-Human
From The Dark Sun Setting For 2e & 4e
Native to the world of Athas, which only appears in the Dark Sun campaign setting for 2e and 4e, Borys is somewhat different from other members of his race. Originally, he was the Sorcerer-King of the City of Doom, Ur Draxa, but the powerful figure became corrupted by his own lust for power.
This occurred when Borys began to fuel his powers by sacrificing the life force of other living creatures. His powers eventually grew to the point where he was able to transform himself into a dragon. By doing so, he not only obtained the power of the ancient dragons but also enhanced his own psionic abilities.
Attacks are scarcely able to pierce his leathery skin, and he's so consumed with his own goals that he's likely to ignore them even if they do. Although he's one of the most powerful beings in his own world, Borys, along with the entire Dark Sun setting, has yet to appear in 5e.