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: +17 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) fire damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d6 + 10) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d8 + 10) 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 21 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 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw, taking 91 (26d6) 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 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (2d6 + 10) 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.
Dm why?
Shame on you meta gamer
Easy peasy for a 20 ranger gloom lurker at 600ft with the oathbow and sharpshooter with 20 Dex, and swift quiver..... oath bow causes adv on all attacks and 3d6 against a sworn enemy on all attacks, swift quiver gives 2 extra attacks for 10 turns, gloom lurker gives an extra attack and an additional 1d8 on the first attack. He more than likely dies even without hunters mark as long as you keep moving max distance while still firing. He cant even fly fast enough to catch up to you with in 10 turns.
And then the Dragon flies away...
So many things that could be done to prevent you from ever doing that; first being just not chasing a player on an open field with a dragon xD
terrible strategy because any DM worth their salt would play it as if it had brain cells. "oh, i can't reach. guess i should find cover or leave and deal with them another time". they also have a habit of being the finishers of a campaign, either they have grunts with them, you had to fight your way through grunts or there were traps that wore you down a bit. again, any well planned boss fight should have you triumph on the brink of death
600ft plus average of 30ft around for ten rounds is only 900ft, the dragon can dash 160 a round so over ten rounds that is 1600 ft. Basically if the dragon is dashing to get you it closes the 600 gap in about 4 round. Even if you moved 30 feet every round (average speed for player races) you are caught the next round with the dragon having movement to spare or are at least in range of it’s 90 foot breath weapon. That does not take into consideration hit probability, any spells the dragon may have, etc.
So.... not the best plan.
However, I personally find the melee damage of the dragon a little anemic: 2d10+10+4d6 for the bite and 2d6+10 for the claws is a make of 98 around which at high levels is easily undone my magical healing. Anyone else agree?
#harrenhal
The dragon could also just take notice that the ranger's arrows can't reach beyond 600 ft. and just stay beyond that reach. Then it just flies +600 feet over you and divebombs 660 (500+80+80) feet right next to you.
Xanathar's Guide pg. 77 Rate of falling from great height is 500 feet per round, so the dragon just drops to free fall and uses it's 80 (160 if dashing) ft. flying movement to right itself at the end of the fall.
I really love the way D&D depicts dragons. While some fantasies portray dragons as animalistic beasts that only know death and destruction, D&D, J.R.R Tolkien, and others show dragons as possessing some intelligence and wisdom. It puts a whole new spin on these creatures.
Where are the spells? Ancient red dragons can't cast spells?
This is why you never make the DM mad.
blending this with niv mizzet to really destroy my players
"Dragons are innately magical creatures that can master a few spells as they age, using this variant.
A young or older dragon can innately cast a number of spells equal to its Charisma modifier. Each spell can be cast once per day, requiring no material components, and the spell's level can be no higher than one-third the dragon's challenge rating (rounded down). The dragon's bonus to hit with spell attacks is equal to its proficiency bonus+ its Charisma bonus. The dragon's spell save DC equals 8 + its proficiency bonus + its Charisma modifier."
This is from the Monster Manual. I don't like this so my spellcasting dragons just go the 3rd edition route of having sorcerer levels. Literally just take a dragon and give them whatever level of sorcerer you want. Works pretty well. It is the beauty of DND, with no limitations you can just do whatever you want.
Yup, I'm with you. Dragons should be able to cast spells. And Ancient dragons, especially Red and Gold, should effectively be 18-20th lvl genius wizards or sorcerers. They should be able to cast a lot of spells, including 9th level. These are ******* dragons....not flying bags of hit points and claws.
mhtfuytvuyce6zyrt
Yeah, I basically gave the BBEG of my campaign (a green dragon) 20 levels in wizard. Dragons live for a long time, it wouldn't be hard for them to study magic and learn it. I definitely don't like the Monster Manual version.
This is what Dimension 20 used as their final boss for their Fantasy High campaign, yea? They named him "Kalvaxis (or Kalvaxus) Emperor of the Red Waste"? Or did they just sort of homebrew a dragon very similar?
i feel like you did....
how long is the lifespan of the red dragon