Old Gnawbone converts successful creature combat into Treasure tokens equal to the damage dealt to players. It rewards your entire team rather than only the Dragon itself, so a wide attack can produce a substantial mana reserve. Flying gives Old Gnawbone a way to contribute its own damage, while the Treasures can finance the next wave of creatures or an expensive activated ability.
In a deck with red, Aggravated Assault is a powerful partner. If each combat produces enough Treasure to pay the Assault's five-mana activation, you can use the additional main phase to create another combat and repeat the process. The sequence still requires attackers that can keep connecting and surviving, so it is not automatic merely because both permanents are present.
Token doublers such as Doubling Season increase the Treasures created, while artifact payoffs can give those tokens additional value. Academy Manufactor turns each Treasure into a Treasure, a Food, and a Clue, building resources for mana, life, and later cards. Even without extra support, banking the Treasures lets a successful attack fund later turns instead of requiring you to spend everything immediately.
At seven mana, Gnawbone benefits from a board that can attack immediately after it resolves. The Dragon normally lacks haste, but your existing creatures can still trigger it. Cast it before combat when the attack is favorable, and avoid assuming damage to creatures or planeswalkers produces Treasure; the trigger specifically requires combat damage to a player.
