The Field Guide to Floral Dragons was a collaboration between artist Kin Wald and Hit Point Press. Together they developed each floral dragon into a creature with a unique origin story, physiology, behavior, and habitat. Each floral dragon also comes with several quest hooks designed to start the characters on their adventures. Several floral dragons also have their own lairs—dens and nests where they make their homes, which increase their power.
Floral dragons first appeared in a series of zines released on the Hit Point Press Patreon. The zines were released in four themed seasons, each including four creatures from the collection. The project was so well received that a collected edition was launched on Kickstarter the following year. The crowdfunding campaign for the Field Guide to Floral Dragons raised over $1.1 million and allowed for the creation of eight new dragons and corrupted versions, expanding the number to 25+ dragons (and non-dragons), playable races and subclasses, adventures, and even coloring books and jigsaw puzzles.
With the creation of the hardcover Field Guide to Floral Dragons, we had the opportunity to expand the world of floral dragons. Floral dragons were always designed as an ecosystem of creatures that cohabitate—the seeds that fall from the friendly magnolia dragon’s tail provide food for smaller dragons such as the jade vine dragon and the heliconia dragon.
Also new to the book is the mushroom dragon, a creature controlled by the pleurossa fungus. The fungal network was created to corrupt floral dragons and absorb them into the hivemind. We created lore and roleplaying game mechanics to represent floral dragon corruption, so game masters (GMs) can create corrupted versions of any floral dragon they like.
A Tale of Revenge and Betrayal
Throughout the book, you’ll discover insightful notes from floral dragon researchers. Within these notes, a tale of curiosity, despair, revenge, and hope unfolds. Piecing together this story from the margin notes rewards the dedicated reader with an added layer of depth.
The field notes throughout the Field Guide to Floral Dragons were written by four different members of an adventuring party determined to learn as much as they could about floral dragons of all kinds. All the information found within the book is the result of this party’s research.
That same research led the group to a terrible threat—the pleurossa fungus. Piecing together the field notes tells the story of the party’s discoveries and how the actions of one of them led to the mushroom dragon’s creation.
The party members are Amina [she/they], an orc bard; Kaltaar [he/him], a dragonborn druid; Izora [she/her], a human sorcerer, and Zethandriel [they/them], an elf barbarian.
The Vespon
Even though it isn’t a floral dragon—or a dragon at all—the vespon has become the unofficial mascot of floral dragons. This fluffy beelike creature was prominently featured in the Kickstarter for the Field Guide to Floral Dragons campaign, taking center stage on the d6 spinner pin, and quickly captured everyone’s hearts.
In the fiction, vespons live happily near floral dragons and are a vital part of many ecosystems. They pollinate the flowers that grow on the dragons’ bodies. When vespons use the nectar of
a floral dragon to make honey, it is magical. The magic honey’s properties differ depending on
the type of floral dragon. Floral dragon honeys can be beneficial or deceptively tasty poison.
A Floral World
For floral dragons, biome is more important than specific location. Floral dragons don’t live in one set universe, meaning that you can use them in your original setting and roleplaying game campaign. The established locations in the Field Guide to Floral Dragons can easily be substituted for villages and forests in your own world.
For roleplaying GMs and players, floral dragons span the entire range of Challenge Ratings (CR), with smaller dragons much lower CRs to mighty godlike dragons at CR 27. This diversity in difficulty ensures that characters of all levels and players of all experiences can encounter floral dragons.
As part of a magical ecosystem, items can be made using floral dragon essences and honeys. This unique aspect of the world of floral dragons has been translated into roleplaying game material in the form of new magic items.
Floral dragons can be found in every possible environment, from snow-covered mountaintops to scorching deserts, and from vast oceans to lush forests. They can even be found in humanoid settlements. No matter where your story is set, there’s a floral dragon for it!
However, there are a few choice locations within the world of floral dragons that you can transplant into your own world. The most prominent of these is Appleholm, a village settlement where dragons and humanoids live side-by-side.
Who are the Floral Dragons?
Each floral dragon is unique and based on a specific type of flowering plant. The complete list of floral dragons is:
- Aconite Dragon
- Amaranth Dragon
- Cherry Blossom Dragon
- Children of the Wolf Tree: Azalea Dragon
- Children of the Wolf Tree: Rhododendron Dragon
- Clematis Dragon
- Dandelion Dragon
- Good Apple: Apple Tree Dragon
- Bad Apple: Manchineel Dragon
- Heliconia Dragon
- Hydrangea Dragon
- Jade Vine Dragon
- Lamium Dragon
- Larkspur Dragon
- Magnolia Dragon
- Ornithogalum Dragon
- Peony Dragon
- Pest: Florivore
- Pollinator: Vespon
- Pleurossa Fungus and the Mushroom Dragon
- Succulent Dragon
- Vampire Lily Dragon
- Water Lily Dragon
- Wisteria Dragon
Corrupted Dragons
To help GMs present the corrupted dragon storyline to their players, the Field Guide to Floral Dragons includes a corrupted dragon template, so you can create your own. The book also comes with four example corrupted dragons, one for each tier of 5e play
- Corrupted Azalea Dragon
- Corrupted Dandelion Dragon
- Corrupted Larkspur Dragon
- Corrupted Wisteria Dragon
Immerse Yourself in the World of Floral Dragons
Along with the Field Guide to Floral Dragons, there are many ways to experience floral dragons!
Floral Dragons: Miniatures
Floral dragon physical miniatures are available on the Hit Point Press store. Each floral dragon also has a sculpted STL file associated with it, available for purchase separately. With a floral dragon STL file, you can use a 3D printer to print your very own miniature! You can then paint the mini to your taste. STL files are sold individually and in themed collections: Florist, Gardener, Botanist, Flowering, Herbaceous, and Corrupted. You can also get all floral dragon STL files in one megabundle.
Floral Dragons: Coloring Book
Let your creativity blossom with the floral dragons coloring book! This coloring book gives you a new way to experience floral dragons, by putting the pencils in your hands! With 32 hand-drawn pages, your floral dragons can be any color you like.
Floral Dragons: 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
We created two jigsaw puzzles featuring art of floral dragons! Choose between a majestic apple tree dragon and a view of every dragon in the book. These puzzles grant you the satisfaction of completing an intricate illustration that is ready to display once finished.
Floral Dragons: GM Screen
The floral dragons GM screen comes with gorgeous art on the player-facing side, and helpful 5e rules references and an on-the-spot floral dragon name generator on the GM side! It’s perfect for any GM planning or running a floral dragons encounter in their game!
