Dragon Delves: More Like Dragon Dabbles? A D&D Anthology That Doesn't Quite Breathe Fire
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
*Dragon Delves: Adventure Anthology* promises a deep dive into dragons for D&D, but it ends up feeling more like a shallow paddle, offering easy-to-use but somewhat underwhelming adventures that leave you wanting more fire.
So, Wizards of the Coast dropped *Dragon Delves: Adventure Anthology* for Dungeons & Dragons, and being a proper dragon nerd myself (think dragon shirts in high school – yeah, I was *that* cool), I was proper chuffed. Ten adventures centered around dragons? Fair dinkum, sounded like a right treat. But after diving in, I reckon it's a decent addition to the shelf, but it could have been *so* much more.
(Big shout out to Scott White at IGN South Africa for the initial impressions, by the way. Go check out his full review for even more dragon-y goodness!)
*Dragon Delves* throws ten short adventures at you, each focused on the chromatic (Green, Red, Blue, White, Black) or metallic (Gold, Silver, Brass, Bronze, Copper) dragons. You can slot 'em into your existing campaign or string 'em together for a level 1 to 12 dragon-slaying extravaganza. It's a nifty idea, even if I reckon a few tips for scaling the quests for higher levels would have been a proper boon. I mean, chucking in a young dragon instead of a wyrmling isn't exactly rocket science, but a bit of guidance never hurt anyone, right?
There's a fair bit of variety, from solving mysteries to dealing with sentient bags of holding (because *of course* that's a thing), and all of 'em involve a dragon encounter at some point. However, not every quest struck gold. That Gold Dragon adventure, “Baker’s Doesn't,” sounds like someone had a bit too much sugar that day. A golden dragon baking bread, animated candy creations, and taffy factories? I mean, I'm all for a bit of weirdness in TTRPGs (my players once adopted a cauliflower puppy, no joke), but it feels a tad out of place next to darker quests like “Death at Sunset” or “Shivering Death”. Still, could be a laugh in the Feywild, I suppose, or a bit of light relief after a particularly grim session.
The real strength here? How blimmin' easy it is to just *drop* these adventures into your game. Each one's designed for a session or two, and the first page tells you everything you need to know: where to slot it, what level it's for, the plot, how to prep, and the state blocks you need. Top marks for layout and design, Wizards. (And, let's be honest, all the 2025 5th edition books are looking proper slick).
Now, here's the rub. *Dragon Delves* doesn't include stat blocks for the creatures themselves. You'll need your trusty *Monster Manual* (either edition, apparently). A bit of a bummer, that. Imagine having unique stat blocks for each dragon, giving 'em a little something special. And where are the updated gem dragons, eh?!
Beyond the quests, there's a bit on how the dragons' visuals have evolved over the years. A two-page spread of artwork is nice and all, but I was hoping for more insight into how the design and gameplay of the dragon types have shifted over the franchise's history. How has Wizards approached their stat blocks, or why are they so reserved in showcasing dragons despite their importance to the franchise? Give us the juicy stuff from the vaults!
Dragons are, and always will be, proper cool. *Dragon Delves* offers a few quick outings to scratch that dragon itch. However, it didn't quite hit the heights I was expecting. The reliance on basic *Monster Manual* stats and the lack of high-level adventures is a bit disappointing. And Tiamat's absence? Bloody hell, that's a strange omission. This feels more like an intro package for dragons, ideal for newer or younger D&D players. More experienced players might want to look elsewhere for those epic dragon confrontations. I'm hoping this is just the beginning of more dragon-centric books and campaigns to come. Fingers crossed!
Tags: Dungeons & Dragons, TTRPG, Dragons, Adventure Anthology, Tabletop Gaming
Original article: IGN South Africa