Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales fire in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (18d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Description
The odor of sulfur and pumice surrounds a red dragon, whose swept-back horns and spinal frill define its silhouette. Its beaked snout vents smoke at all times, and its eyes dance with flame when it is angry.
A Red Dragon’s Lair
Red dragons lair in high mountains or hills, dwelling in caverns under snow-capped peaks, or within the deep halls of abandoned mines and dwarven strongholds. Caves with volcanic or geothermal activity are the most highly prized red dragon lairs, creating hazards that hinder intruders and letting searing heat and volcanic gases wash over a dragon as it sleeps.
With its hoard well protected deep within the lair, a red dragon spends as much of its time outside the mountain as in it. For a red dragon, the great heights of the world are the throne from which it can look out to survey all it controls—and the wider world it seeks to control.
Throughout the lair complex, servants erect monuments to the dragon’s power, telling the grim story of its life, the enemies it has slain, and the nations it has conquered.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Magma erupts from a point on the ground the dragon can see within 120 feet of it, creating a 20-foot-high, 5-foot-radius geyser. Each creature in the geyser’s area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
- A tremor shakes the lair in a 60-foot radius around the dragon. Each creature other than the dragon on the ground in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
- Volcanic gases form a cloud in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is lightly obscured. It lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round. Each creature that starts its turn in the cloud must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its turn. While poisoned in this way, a creature is incapacitated.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary red dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Small earthquakes are common within 6 miles of the dragon’s lair.
- Water sources within 1 mile of the lair are supernaturally warm and tainted by sulfur.
- Rocky fissures within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair form portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby.
If the dragon dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
i am playing as a moon stone dragon in my campaign using rules from the Draconomicon 176680000 page:143
Yes... There is a variant that lets them but they all should...
Why do red dragons have proficiency in stealth ?
We need Themberchaud's Apathetic Tumbling ability
They can learn spells if you so choose since they can provide verbal and semantic components. Materials are a little harder
Dragonborn?? ?? ? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?
I like cheeseburger
Having spent decades DM'ing 2E and 3.5E, and now diving into 5E, I must admit I'm somewhat taken aback by the changes in dragon difficulty. This adult red is weak sauce. It should pose a significant threat, potentially leading to a TPK if the party doesn't strategize and roll well. After all, red dragons are emblematic of D&D challenges.
To illustrate, in 3.5E, an adult red dragon had an AC of 29. This meant a fully-equipped 5th level martial class from 3.5E, with bonuses like +5 BAB, +4 STR, and +2 Magic Weapon, would need a roll of 18+ to make contact. But, a similar 5E character only requires a roll of 10+ (+3 PROF, +4 STR, +2 Magic Weapon). This doesn't just seem like a simple system variation, but rather an intentional adjustment to make the challenge more "accessible".
Further, the absence of spells or spell-like abilities for the dragon seems to diminish the creature's mystique and versatility. I fondly recall encounters where an adult red would:
To capture the essence of the iconic D&D dragon encounter, I'll have to incorporate some homebrew elements. I hope future iterations or expansions might revisit and enhance these legendary creatures to their deserving grandeur.
Agreed. 3.5E had suggested spells in the MM. And it has an anyone-can-hit AC. A maxed out 5th level martial had to roll an 18+ to hit a 3.5E adult red. In 5E it's only 10+.
Am I crazy, or is the damage from its Legendary action tail attacks not counted towards its CR? I was just homebrewing a monster that has identical stats, except it has Magic Resistance, and no Legendary Actions, but somehow I ended up at CR 18 despite having -51 DPR..and now I'm looking at this and counting the Legendary DPR it should be a CR 21 monster (131 average DPR, +13 to hit, offensive CR 21, 256×1.25 for fire immunity=320,+90 for Legendary Resistance=410 effective hit points, q AC 19, defensive CR 21)
an easy fix
your screwed its a hard fight tail whips and every
Cool dog, was red, was loud, ate the cat.
6/10
#would pet/pet/pet
If you do get Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, that can help ALOT
one in my campaign polymorphed into a dragonborn and he just steals shit and is generally a unpleasent individual to be around haha
I want to say this is the dnd mascot