Question

[Immabozo]

Why exactly do dragon's love gold and everything in their hoard, apart from rewarding invading knights for killing them.

[Greenish]

They absorb necessary nutrients from precious metals through their scales while lying on them.

or

The treasures get embedded in their skin creating an armour of sorts.

or

They're dragons.

[Unusual Muse]

The same reason humans love money; dragons just acquire more of it because they can. [insert "evil investment banker" comparison here]

[Krobar]

For the same reason most adventurers love big piles of gold and gems?

They like being wealthy?

[sleepyphoenixx]

It's Shiny

[TopCheese]

Two words come to mind "Greedy Bastards".

[Gildedragon]

For the same reason cats like catnip and humans like alcohol. Wealth is a mild intoxicant to them
Or
Hoard-building is a biological imperative; a part of their mating ritual.
Or
For the same reason dwarves are short and elves pointy eared: the legacy of folklore

[Psyren]

Draconomicon 27 talks a bit about hoarding treasure. What it boils down to is that even the dragons themselves can't explain it; they're a bit like magpies, except they understand value rather than just going after shinies.

It does mention that they get similar pleasure from rolling around in it the way pigs wallow in mud. Hoards are also a status symbol when they meet up with other dragons, to secure mates/territory/etc.

[Unusual Muse]

It does mention that they get similar pleasure from rolling around in it the way pigs wallow in mud. Hoards are also a status symbol when they meet up with other dragons, to secure mates/territory/etc.

See, just like investment bankers!

[Ellrin]

I liked the explanation in that old TV movie Flight of Dragons (can't remember if it came from the book or not): they use it for bedding. Soft metal like gold is less flammable than traditional bedding, more comfortable than harder metals and/or rock, and less dirty than... well, dirt.

Of course, this explanation is problematic in D&D for dragons with cold, sonic, and especially acid breath weapons.

[Immabozo]

Draconomicon 27 talks a bit about hoarding treasure. What it boils down to is that even the dragons themselves can't explain it; they're a bit like magpies, except they understand value rather than just going after shinies.

It does mention that they get similar pleasure from rolling around in it the way pigs wallow in mud. Hoards are also a status symbol when they meet up with other dragons, to secure mates/territory/etc.

you're to logical for this post!

but probably right.

[LordVonDerp]

treasure is a dragon delicacy, especially gemstones. Also greed stimulates a dragon's growth hormones. True Story.

[blackspeeker]

I forget where I read this but I think they are known tobinge on their entire hoard at the end of their life and then become one with the earth, it was weird

[hymer]

Fafnir was the great dragon that guarded a vast hoard of treasure. He was not a dragon to begin with, but after gaining his great treasure hoard through nefarious means, he took it away into the wild country and guarded it jealously. And because of his greed, he turned into a dragon, an embodiment of his greed.

[Story]

treasure is a dragon delicacy, especially gemstones. Also greed stimulates a dragon's growth hormones. True Story.

Fortunately, you can undo it by summoning a Unicorn, and Mindraping them into love.

[Immabozo]

Fafnir was the great dragon that guarded a vast hoard of treasure. He was not a dragon to begin with, but after gaining his great treasure hoard through nefarious means, he took it away into the wild country and guarded it jealously. And because of his greed, he turned into a dragon, an embodiment of his greed.

That's kinda a cool lore, explains where dragons come from and their hoard, but completely outside the rules for D&D (and thus, I am sure, it's lore)

[Psyren]

I forget where I read this but I think they are known tobinge on their entire hoard at the end of their life and then become one with the earth, it was weird

This is in Draconomicon as well: Dragons in Twilight typically either do this, or find a dragon graveyard and give up the ghost there. In both cases, they will usually eat their entire hoard first.


At the end of its normal life, a dragon can elect to become a guardian, literally transforming into part of the landscape. After the dragon consumes its hoard, it changes itself into a geographic feature: hills, mountains, lakes, swamps, and groves seem to be the most common choices.

[Shining Wrath]

Cue the people of Anatevya: "Tradition ... Tradition!"

More seriously, if you are part of a race that believes itself superior to all other races, then accumulating the treasure that matters to intelligent races is a way of displaying superiority. Less intelligent races are eaten. And that's the GOOD dragons.

Evil dragons may hope to lure adventurers in to be slain.

[Shining Wrath]

Fafnir was the great dragon that guarded a vast hoard of treasure. He was not a dragon to begin with, but after gaining his great treasure hoard through nefarious means, he took it away into the wild country and guarded it jealously. And because of his greed, he turned into a dragon, an embodiment of his greed.

That was Wagner and the Rhinegold.

[karkus]

Fafnir was the great dragon that guarded a vast hoard of treasure. He was not a dragon to begin with, but after gaining his great treasure hoard through nefarious means, he took it away into the wild country and guarded it jealously. And because of his greed, he turned into a dragon, an embodiment of his greed.

Can this work for me?

Because it would be kick-ass to transform into a dragon.

[KillianHawkeye]

Historically, dragons are the anthropomorphized personification of greed. They collect piles of treasure for which they have no practical use.

[Psyren]

Historically, dragons are the anthropomorphized personification of greed. They collect piles of treasure for which they have no practical use.

Actually, they can use many of the magic items due to their sorcerer casting. So staves and wands and robes and whatnot.

Combined with their shapeshifting and they can pretend to be the local archmage pretty easily.

[Immabozo]

Actually, they can use many of the magic items due to their sorcerer casting. So staves and wands and robes and whatnot.

Combined with their shapeshifting and they can pretend to be the local archmage pretty easily.

That's very true.