The Draconomicon is an optional sourcebook for the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

 role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

, providing supplementary game material focusing on dragons

Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game , dragons are an iconic type of monstrous creature used as adversaries or, less commonly, allies of player characters...

. Different versions of the Draconomicon have been printed for different editions of Dungeons & Dragons. The book's name would loosely be translated to Book of Dragon Names as a reference to the Necronomicon

Necronomicon

The Necronomicon is a fictional grimoire appearing in the stories by horror writer H. P. Lovecraft and his followers. It was first mentioned in Lovecraft's 1924 short story "The Hound", written in 1922, though its purported author, the "Mad Arab" Abdul Alhazred, had been quoted a year earlier in...

.

2nd Edition

The 2nd edition Draconomicon, the first book for Dungeons & Dragons by this title, was designed by Nigel Findley

Nigel Findley

Nigel D Findley was a game designer, editor, and an author of science fiction and fantasy novels and role-playing games .-Biography:Nigel Findley was born in Venezuela, in 1959...

, Christopher Kubasik

Christopher Kubasik

Christopher Kubasik, also known as Chris Kubasik is an American author of several role-playing games, sourcebooks, adventures and fiction novels set in them...

, Carl Sargent

Carl Sargent

Carl L. Sargent is a British author of several roleplaying game-based products and novels.-Early career:...

, John Terra, and William Tracy and released in 1990 as a Forgotten Realms

Forgotten Realms

The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...

 sourcebook. The book features cover art by Jeff Easley

Jeff Easley

Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...

 (uncredited), and interior illustrations by Brom

Gerald Brom

Gerald Brom is an American gothic fantasy artist and illustrator, known for his work in role-playing games, novels, and comics.-Early life:Brom was born March 9, 1965, in Albany, Georgia. As the son of a U.S...

, David Dorman

Dave Dorman

Dave Dorman is a science fiction, horror and fantasy illustrator.-Background:Dorman's parents are Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jack N. Dorman and Phyllis Dorman. Both parents are deceased. Dorman is married to award-winning TV/video producer, writer and publicist Denise Dorman of WriteBrain Media...

, Keith Parkinson

Keith Parkinson

Keith Parkinson was an American fantasy artist and illustrator known for book cover and game artwork for games such as EverQuest, Guardians, Magic: The Gathering and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes.-Early life:...

, Terry Dykstra

Terry Dykstra

-Works:Terry Dykstra has produced interior illustrations for many Dungeons & Dragons books and Dragon magazine throughout the 1990s.Dykstra also illustrated a number of Endless Quest series books.-External links:*...

, Fred Fields

Fred Fields

Fred Fields is an artist whose work has appeared largely in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR.-Biography:Fred Fields was born in northern Kentucky. He grew up in the small town of Burlington, Kentucky. Fields wanted to be an artist since childhood: "I don't know that...

, Robin Raab, Valerie Valusek

Valerie Valusek

-Works:Valerie Valusek has produced interior illustrations for many Dungeons & Dragons books and Dragon magazine since 1985, as well as interior art for several Dragonlance novels, and cover art for the 1992 module Rary the Traitor...

, and Karl Waller

Karl Waller

Karl Waller is an American artist whose work has appeared in comic books and roleplaying and collectible card games.-Early life and education:He graduated from the Pennsylvania School of Art in 1987, with a diploma in communication arts.-Career:...

. It contains general reference information about dragons, geography in the Forgotten Realms relating to dragons, dragon psychology, advice on role-playing dragons, along with new dragon species, a "hall of fame" of important dragons, new magic for dragons, a "hunter's guide", and four short adventures featuring dragons.

The book was released again in 1999 by Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...

 with new cover artwork. Both editions of the book contain the same information but a Wizards of the Coast logo is included in latter.

3rd Edition

The 3rd edition version of the Draconomicon contains information about dragon physiology and psychology, along with new dragon-only feats, spells, and prestige classes. There are also additional rules regarding aerial combat and breath weapons. Players can find new feats, spells, magic items, and prestige classes for use against dragons in this book. There are various types of new dragons and dragon-related creatures, along with sample statistics blocks for dragons of all the chromatic and metallic varieties of all ages.

4th Edition

In 4th edition, the Draconomicon is the name of a series of books covering dragons.

The first book is Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons, released in November 2008. Written by Bruce R. Cordell, Ari Marmell

Ari Marmell

Ari Marmell is an American novelist and freelance role-playing game writer.-Novels:His first novel, Gehenna: The Final Night, was published in 2004 by White Wolf Publishing...

, and Robert J. Schwalb

Robert J. Schwalb

-Career:His works for Dungeons & Dragons include: Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells , Drow of the Underdark -Career:His works for Dungeons & Dragons include: Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells (2006, with Robin Laws), Drow of the Underdark -Career:His works for Dungeons &...

, it is a 288 page hardcover that contains various information, including sample treasure hoards and monsters, including three types of true dragons new to 4th edition: brown, gray and purple dragons, known as desert, fang and deep dragons in earlier editions.

The second book, Draconomicon: Metallic Dragons, was written by Bruce R. Cordell and Ari Marmell and was released in November 2009. It introduced the new brass, bronze, cobalt, mercury, mithral, orium, and steel dragons.

Other uses

Draconomicon was also the name of a 1997 expansion pack

Expansion pack

An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...

 for the Spellfire

Spellfire

Spellfire: Master the Magic is a collectible card game created by Tactical Studies Rules and based on their popular Dungeons & Dragons role playing game. The game first appeared in 1994, shortly after the introduction of Magic: The Gathering, and was created as a response to the success of...

 collectible card game

Collectible card game

thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...

. It was released shortly before the buyout of TSR, Inc.

TSR, Inc.

Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....

 by Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...

.