Shadow Dragon

(From 5th Edition Monster Manual - 2014):

Shadow dragons are true dragons that were either born in the Shadowfell or transformed by years spent within its dismal confines. Some shadow dragons embrace the Shadowfell for its bleak landscapes and desolation. Others seek to return to the Material Plane, hungry to spread the darkness and evil of the Plane of Shadow.

Dark Portals. Portals to the Shadowfell manifest in forlorn places and the deep gloom of subterranean caverns. The dragons that lair in such places often discover these portals and find themselves transported to a new realm. Ancient dragons that sleep in their lairs for months or years at a time might find themselves spirited away, never knowing that a portal has formed without their knowledge as they dream.

Recast in Shadow. The transformation to a shadow dragon happens over a period of years, during which time a dragon’s scales lose their luster and fade to a charcoal hue. Its leathery wings become translucent, its eyes paling to pools of opalescent gray. Shadow dragons find sunlight abhorrent, and they are weaker in bright light than they are in darkness. Darkness makes the dragon fade to a spectral shadow of its former self.

The magical nature of dragons holds an attraction for the Shadowfell, which seems somehow to crave the might and majesty of these great reptiles. The Shadowfell also has a dispiriting effect on its denizens, such that the longer a creature remains on the plane, the more it accepts the plane’s malaise. As months and years pass for a dragon on the Shadowfell, it becomes aware of the transformation being wrought upon it, and yet can do nothing to prevent it.

Back in the World. A shadow dragon is so suffused with the power of the Shadowfell that even a return to the Material Plane can’t undo its transformation. Some shadow dragons attempt to lure other creatures from the mortal realm back to the Shadowfell to keep them company, at least until they tire of their guests and devour them. Others are happy to leave the Shadowfell behind forever, understanding that treasure and power are easier to come by in the Material Plane.

(From Fizban's Treasury of Dragons - 2021):

Creating a Shadow Dragon

Use the Shadow Dragon Personality Traits and Shadow Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive shadow dragon characters.

If you use the variant rule in the Monster Manual for making a dragon a spellcaster, shadow dragons typically have the spellcasting ability of their original forms. Over time, some shadow dragons might replace one or more of their innate spells with spells more appropriate to their tenebrous nature, such as darkness, fog cloud, misty step, or nondetection.

Shadow Dragon Personality Traits

d8 - Trait:

1 - I am a creature of endless consumption, always looking for the next thing to possess or devour.2I am rarely satisfied with what I have. I envy others’ lives and belongings.

3 - I’m constantly calculating my next move. If I’m not at least one step ahead of foes, I’m a step behind.

4 - I loathe my existence, and the only thing that pleases me is sharing my misery.

5 - It isn’t that I’m unsympathetic to others’ needs; I just don’t let sympathy get in the way.

6 - Everything is a transaction. I don’t do anything before I know what’s in it for me.

7 - It’s nearly impossible for me to conceal my contempt for others.

8 - I truly regret the things I have done and will do whatever I can to atone.

Shadow Dragon Ideals

d6 - Ideal:

1 - Merciless. Life doesn’t offer second chances, and neither do I. (Lawful)

2 - Hedonism. The multiverse is painful enough. Seek pleasure wherever you can find it. (Chaotic)

3 - Cruelty. The only release for my pain is to visit it upon others. (Evil)

4 - Aspiration. I will one day find an escape from this condemnation. (Any)

5 - Self-Serving. The petty concerns of other creatures are of no concern to me. I have enough to occupy my attention. (Neutral)\

6 - Compassion. My existence is misery, and no one else should have to suffer such torment. (Good)

(From 4th Edition Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons - 2008):

Shadow Dragons are treacherous monsters that prowl in the darkest corners of the Shadowfell. Whether skulking in the deeps of the plane’s Underdark or commanding armies from the ruins of old cities infested with undead, shadow dragons are a dreadful force in this realm.  At a glance, a shadow dragon appears insubstantial. Its dark hide and translucent scales help it blend into its dim surroundings. Shadow dragons might be mistaken for black dragons, but their heads feature rows of backward-pointing horns. A long fringe of spines emerges from the back of the dragon’s neck, and its powerful tail features a swimming fin. 

Shadow Dragon Lore: A character knows the following information with a successful Arcana check. DC 25: Shadow dragons infest crumbling cities and sunken palaces. They are greedy and rapacious, even for dragons, and hungry for power and wealth. Shadow dragons enslave other races to serve them as soldiers and servants. 

Shadow Dragon Tactics: A shadow dragon never fights fair. It lurks in the darkness, biding its time for the proper moment to strike. In fact, a shadow dragon might follow its quarry for hours before revealing itself. When it finally strikes, it drops globes of darkness, then uses shadow walk to move to the best position for its breath weapon, spending an action point to use it on that turn. While its foes struggle against the rotting power of that attack, the dragon tears into them with fangs and claws, spawning additional globes of darkness to help it teleport about the battlefield.

(From 3.5e Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons - 2003):

Shadow dragons are sly and devious creatures with ties to the Plane of Shadow. 

Shadow dragons have translucent scales and dark bodies, giving them an indistinct appearance; from a distance, they seem to be nothing but a foreboding mass of shadows. 

Combat: Shadow dragons prefer to attack from hiding, employing their shadow blend ability. They use illusion spells to confuse and misdirect their foes. Young adult and older shadow dragons’ natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Breath Weapon (Su): A shadow dragon’s breath weapon is a cone of billowing, smoky shadows with an energy drain effect. Creatures within the cone gain the number of negative levels indicated on the Shadow Dragons by Age table; the saving throw to remove the negative level is given on the table as well. A successful Reflex save (against the same DC) reduces the number of negative levels by half (round down). 

Shadow Blend (Su): In any condition of illumination other than full daylight, a very young or older shadow dragon can disappear into the shadows, giving it total concealment. Artificial illumination, even a light or continual flame spell, does not negate this ability. A daylight spell, however, does. 

Create Shadows (Su): Three times per day, a great wyrm shadow dragon can conjure a mass of leaping shadows with a radius of 100 yards and a duration of 1 hour (this is a creation effect). All normal and magical light sources are negated within this radius. All characters and creatures gain a +4 bonus on their Hide checks within the shadows, and can hide even if directly observed. Shadow dragons and other creatures with ties to the Plane of Shadow gain total concealment within the shadows, though they can move and attack normally. Their attacks gain a +2 bonus and deny their opponents any Dexterity bonus to AC, because they are considered invisible.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—mirror image, nondetection; 2/day—dimension door; 1/day—shadow walk.

(From 2nd Edition AD&D Monstrous Manual - 1991):

Shadow dragons are sly and devious. They are instinctively cunning and are not prone to taking risks.

At all ages, a shadow dragon’s scales and body are translucent, so that when viewed from a distance it appears to be a mass of shadows.

Shadow dragons speak their own tongue and a tongue common to all evil dragons. Also, 17% of hatchling shadow dragons can speak with any intelligent creature. The chance to possess this ability increases 5% per age category.

Combat: Shadow dragons prefer to attack from hiding, usually employing invisibility or hiding in shadows. They use illusion/phantasm spells to confuse and misdirect foes. Older dragons are especially fond of their non-detection ability.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A shadow dragon’s breath weapon is a cloud of blackness that is 40 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 20 feet high. Creatures caught in the cloud are blinded for one melee round and lose � (round up) of their life energy (levels or Hit Dice); a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon reduces the loss to � (round up). The life energy loss persists for a variable number of turns, shown on the table below. Negative plane protection spells prevent this life energy loss. A character who is reduced to 0 or fewer levels lapses into a coma for the duration of the cloud’s effect. A shadow dragon casts spells and uses its magical abilities at 6th level plus its combat modifier.

Shadow dragons are born immune to energy draining and with the ability to hide in shadows with 40% chance of success; this ability increases 5% per age category to a maximum of 95%. As they age, they gain the following additional powers:

Juvenile: mirror image three times a day (1d4+1 images); Adult: dimension door twice a day; Old: non-detection three times a day; Venerable: shadow walk once a day; Great wyrm: create shadows three times a day. (This ability creates a mass of leaping shadows with a radius of 100 yards, duration one hour. All magical {and normal} light and darkness sources are negated for as long as they remain in the radius. Creatures able to hide in shadows can do so in these magical shadows even if under direct observation. Shadow dragons and other creatures from the plane of Shadow can move and attack normally while hiding in these shadows, effectively giving them improved invisibility. A successful dispel magic spell banishes the shadows.)

Habitat/Society: Shadow dragons hate both bright light and total darkness, preferring variegated lighting with patches of diffuse light and deep, inky shadows. On the Prime Material plane, their lairs are always places that provide shadowy light for most of the day. They prefer ancient ruins, where they can hide underground when the sun is bright and still find shadows above ground during dawn and twilight. In the plane of Shadow, they live in dense thickets of trees and brambles, fortified castles, or labyrinthine caves. In either plane, they prefer to locate their lairs near colonies of other creatures that can alert them to potential foes or victims. The dragons seldom actually cooperate with these allies, however, though the dragons commonly prey on them.

Shadow dragons love dark-colored, opaque gems, and especially prize black stones. They also collect magical items that produce shadows or darkness. They use these items to turn areas filled with total darkness or light into masses of shadows.

Ecology: Shadow dragons eat almost anything. Their favorite food is rotting carrion, though they often kill for sport. Slain victims are left to decay until they become suitably foul. These dragons are equally fond of frost-killed, waterlogged, or salt-poisoned plants.