Flashwing's true origins are a mystery, but her first appearance came when Bash made a wish that he could fly and looked up to see a shooting star streak across the sky and land in a valley below. In the center of the glowing impact crater was a brilliant geode, which suddenly cracked open to reveal Flashwing. Bash may not have soared that day, but his heart sure did, because Flashwing was beautiful...and lethal. As soon as Bash stepped closer, the gem dragon turned towards him. Not knowing if he was friend or foe, she blasted him off the cliff with a full-force laser pulse from her tail! Perhaps Bash flew that day after all.
Description:
The smallest of the dragons is the Terrible Terror. This tiny menace is unmistakable, with a small, snakelike body and tiny wings. Terrors can be found roosting in the rafters of Viking barns and under the floorboards of Viking houses. Though a single Terror is too small to carry away a sheep or inflict much damage to a Viking, they are usually found in flocks. The largest on record was a mob of Terrors over two hundred strong. In those numbers, even the strongest Viking can be overwhelmed, and the biggest sheep can be stolen.
Personality:
Inquisitive and curious animals, their only downfall is their territorial in-fighting.
HAH! Factor:
They spend most of their energy fighting and competing with each other, like bickering siblings.
AHH! Factor:
Though small, their fire blasts are so pinpoint accurate, they're more like sniper bullets than flamethrowers.
Description:
Of all the dragons that inhabit the world, one of the most unusual and dangerous is the Hideous Zippleback. The Zippleback is one of the largest dragons you may encounter. It is unmistakable, with its twin heads. The heads are distinct, with separate thoughts and different personalities. Like most dragons, the Zippleback can fly, but their wings are small, and they spend most of their time on the ground. Zipplebacks are solitary, preferring to hunt alone. They come out after sundown, prowling dark forests for victims. The attack of the Zippleback is like no other. Instead of breathing fire, the Zippleback makes explosions. One head breathes gas, and the other head...lights it.
Personality:
This evasive, devious dragon can be a very slithery and tricky opponent. Its two heads can work in tandem (when they want to), to outsmart and attack any foe.
HAH! Factor:
The two heads are distinct, and do not share thoughts. When arguing with itself, the entire beast can stall out, making it completely vulnerable to attack.
AHH! Factor:
One head produces gas, while the other creates a spark. When the two heads combine, it creates a massive explosion of fire.
Description:
No dragon is more ferocious or more feared than the Monstrous Nightmare. This gigantic dragon has a long, snakelike neck and tail, and is covered with red scales and long, sharp spines. The Nightmare's gigantic head and mouth can swallow Vikings whole. This dragon can attack any time of the day or night, from the air or on the ground. It is highly aggressive and will never run from a fight. Its fire is thick and sticky, clinging to walls and running down hills like a flaming river. The Nightmare also has a nasty habit of setting itself on fire.
Personality:
Violent, stubborn, and tenacious. In battle, it's the first to arrive and the last to leave.
HAH! Factor:
It has a tendency to spit fire at off times, unintentionally, like coughing, sneezing, and laughing.
AHH! Factor:
Its attack strategy is to coat itself in fire and attack you as its flaming from nose to tail.
Description:
One of the toughest dragons in the world is the Gronkle. Gronkles have gigantic heads, short bodies, and round tails. They are lazy, and spend most of their time sleeping in communal heaps. They have even been known to fall asleep while flying, waking only when they crash into the ocean or the side of a mountain. Gronkles have relatively small wings that beat as fast as a hummingbird's. They are slow in the air, but make up for this with their maneuverability. A Gronkle can fly backwards, sideways, and even hover. Gronkles attack from the air, where their primary weapon is most effective. Gronkles chew rocks, melting them in their bellies and firing them as balls of molten lava.
Personality:
It is relentless, stubborn, and direct, like a compact berserker rhino, yet very loyal to its rider.
HAH! Factor:
Good luck waking up a Gronkle. They have been known to sleep through hailstorms.
AHH! Factor:
Its tail expands like a ram and will give you a nasty bonk on the head if you make it mad.
Description:
One of the most beautiful dragons in the world is the Deadly Nadder. It is easily recognized by the bright blue body and brilliant yellow spikes that cover it from head to tail. This colorful dragon is active during any time of the day or night. Nadders are quick and agile in the air and can fly for long distances, but will almost always land before attacking. Nadders travel and raid in groups, making them especially dangerous. The Deadly Nadder isn't the largest or the fastest dragon, but it possesses the hottest fire in the dragon world. The blast of a Nadder can melt steel or turn a man to ash in seconds. But the dangers of the Nadder don't stop there. The tail of the Nadder can be whipped around, releasing a volley of giant spikes that can penetrate trees, walls, and Vikings.
Personality:
It is flighty, aggressive, and has a quick and explosive temper. Its vanity is evident in the generous amounts of time it spends preening itself.
HAH! Factor:
Blind Spot: If you stand in front of a Nadder's nose, it won't be able to see you. Don't sneeze!
AHH! Factor:
Spine Time: Without warning, the prickly Nadder can whip hundreds of sharp spines at you from its tail. Better play nice.
Description:
The rarest and most intelligent of the known dragon species, the Night Fury is distinguished by its dark color and piercing yellow eyes, as well as its smaller size, heavy chest, and short neck. Possessing the largest wing-to-body ratio of all dragons, it can fly higher, faster, and longer than any dragon, and its incredible power-to-weight ratio renders it capable of vertical takeoff. Its unconventional fire (a semi-solid mass alight with an acetylene/oxygen flame) explodes its target on impact. Its signature attack mode is executed after sundown and from high altitude; enwrapped in its wings, it dives like a bullet, pulling up at the last moment to deliver one precise and explosive burst...then vanishing back into the darkness. The only warning is the ballistic noise the diving Night Fury makes. Its kamikaze attack, along with its cautious behavior and analytical mind, makes the Night Fury a devastating opponent with an extraordinary success rate. To date, no Night Fury has ever been brought down.
Personality:
Reclusive, analytical, and the most intelligent of the known dragon species.
HAH! Factor:
Picky Eater: If a Night Fury eats something it doesn't like, stand back. Flaming food flies fast.
AHH! Factor:
Kamikaze Bomber: Using the night to hide its dark hide, it dive bombs villages, ships, and armies virtually unseen.
Attack 1: Rainbow of Doom
Rainbow of Doom starts out as a normal ranged attack. It does low damage, but the explosion at the end of the rainbow can hit multiple enemies grouped tightly together. While most of the upgrades for this power are straightforward, Rainbow Singularity stands out. Fully charging Rainbow Singularity takes three seconds, but you can move around (at reduced speed) while charging it. Once the attack is charged, releasing the Attack 1 button sends out a small black hole. When it hits an enemy, it creates a gigantic rainbow vortex that sucks in and damages all nearby enemies!
Attack 2: Tempest Cloud
Send out one of these rain clouds, and it slides to a stop a few feet from Whirlwind. Any enemies near the cloud take damage every few seconds as lightning juts out from the cloud. This is a great power because you can release the cloud, then focus on evading enemies. Initially, you only get one cloud, but Triple Tempest is an early upgrade that allows Whirlwind to shoot out three clouds at once, filling the battlefield with damaging dark clouds. Improving the damage via Tempest Tantrum transforms Tempest Cloud from a low/medium damage attack to a high damage attack. Once you get Tempest Matrix, you can actually create a wall of Clouds with arcing blasts that serve as a defensive barrier against charging enemies.
Attack 3: Dragon Flight
Dragon Flight can be helpful for avoiding traps and slime on the ground, and also allows Whirlwind to speed through timed puzzles.
Wow Pow Power: Cloudbursting!
This is a great add-on for Tempest Cloud. The clouds fire off arcing rainbow shots. These rainbow shots are the same power as Whirlwind's regular Rainbow of Doom, so if you upgrade Whirlwind's Rainbow of Doom damage, the Cloudbursting! damage increases as well.
Soul Gem Ability: Rainbow of Healing
This is a great power to purchase if you are playing Skylanders with a friend in co-op mode. Just shoot a rainbow at a friend to give them some extra health. If you are playing by yourself, it doesn't have any use.
Attack 1: Crystal Shards
This is a great long-range attack. Not only does the Crystal Shard inflict above average damage for a rapid fire attack, but it also proves significant knockback against charging enemies. Once Flashwing unlocks the ability to stick Crystal Shards into nearby walls, this power becomes interesting. Use the crystal embedding to hit tough enemies from behind. Unlock Healing Crystals and you can get some extra health whenever you need it. Also, Armored Aura increases Flashwing's base armor by 40.
Attack 2: Shimmering Spin
Shimmering Spin is a deadly dash attack that can be used both offensively and defensively. When you get Reflection Deflection, Flashwing's base armor goes over 100 while spinning! The last upgrade in the Super Spinner path, Lights, Crystal, Action!, doesn't add too much to Shimmer Spin. The damage output from the laser is low, and you can't aim it. Definitely purchase Crystal Lighthouse first.
Attack 3: Surrounded by Shards
The best part about this power is that it's cheap. While hitting enemies behind Flashwing can come in handy, Surrounded by Shards is not a power you will use often.
Soul Gem Ability: Crystal Lighthouse
This is an astoundingly awesome addition to Flashwing's arsenal. Crystal Lighthouse requires Flashwing to be stationary, but once it's set up, it flashes the battlefield in a huge arc, damaging enemies within the light's radius every few seconds. Even after other powers are upgraded, this is Flashwing's highest-damaging attack.
Whirlwind is an air dragon with unicorn ancestry, two species that could not be more opposite in nature, which caused her to not quite fit in with either group. Other dragons were envious of her beauty, while unicorns shunned her for her ability to fly. But Whirlwind found peace within the dark and stormy clouds, where she learned to harness the tempest power within her. Despite her turbulent youth, she was the first to defend both dragons and unicorns when the trolls began hunting them, unleashing her ferocity in a brilliant and powerful rainbow that could be seen throughout many regions of Skylands. From that day forward, evildoers would quake when dark clouds brewed, and run from the rainbow that followed the storm.
