just a common thing with dragons, they do it in "The Hobbit" (which means it logically extends to the rest of LotR), and those books highly influenced this type of fantasy, generally it's so that you can have these be the 'big bad' in your campaign without the big bad ending up to be a thoughtless beast, which then makes me wonder, why only 6 intelligence?

My level 6 light cleric who's barely min maxed can 1v1 this thing with cantrips for the most part.

Welp, you get on in there with the blue eyes white dragon and reshiram in the pile of blue eyes white dragons wizards has had at one point

For those just like me reading this well after these groups have finished this module, Dragon of IceSpire Peak was written to have the killing of the Dragon to finalise the story. Are you also here because you're floundering after you've (allowed) your players to kill the dragon prematurely? Do you NOT want this kind of thing to happen to you?

Here's some advice (even directly from the module!)

1. The dragon disengages after it loses 10hp if encountered randomly.

2. If you're players think they're invincible (maybe some are trying to break the game or they're deliberately overpowered), have the dragon swoop down, act a surprise round and bite a PC cleanly in half and eat them in front of the other PCs. If they want to continue the quest like any normal person who WANTS TO LIVE, will run and hide. Explain why the dragon didn't kill them all because its hunger was satiated.

3. As the dragon approaches, a scared mob of orcs (whatever large number will f%^k up a party pretty solidly) fleeing from the dragon's breath weapon run into you and trample or fight you simply because you're in the way of their escape (think randomly flinging swords and axes, orcs riding heavy beasts trampling you).

4. Direct the dragon's attack toward a player causing specific problems - a very highly powered wizard, that lands and slaps the wand out of their hand or slashes their component bag (or bites off the wizard's hands) to neutralise the wizard in a way.

Players want to have fun, they want a challenge, they want to be scared and the DM makes the rules! A good DM will set appropriate challenges and narrative direction and if players are overpowered or kill the dragon before it is meant to be confronted in it's lair, that's on the DM. Are you just letting it happen or are you trying to create an immersive experience that will be memorable for players?

Ultimately, you could have the players confront and kill the dragon WHENEVER you want. I could very easily as a DM allow 2 x 1st level rangers fire arrows simultaneously, they both roll 20 to hit and narratively say that their precision strike (it is a 1 in 400 chance that they'd roll two 20s) that the arrows enter the eyes of the dragon and instakill it. Does it take out all it's hitpoints? NO! Does that mean I can't have them kill it? Also NO! BUT... maybe Cryovain, the Dragon of Icespire Peak was just a red wizard's pet? And now the quest is really the Red Wizard's Dragon of Icespire Peak! and Oila! You've now homebrewed like a legend DM!

Quote from Dudhhr >>

I’m running DoIP and we just did dragon barrow and circle of thunder (at level 5), defeated gorthok, then the dragon got rolled and was encountered as we were going back to phandalin, it got initiative 3, then the cavalier has mounted combatant (adv. on melee attacks from horse, some other things) and crit with the dragon slayer and warlock got 43 damage from a 3rd lv fireball then we killed the dragon

What happens if the dragon is killed when on a random encounter?

 hola Duddhur, se que tu comentario es de hace 4 años pero quizá a alguien mas le pueda servir mi respuesta, ocurre que el libro indica que el dragón no peleara a muerte amenos que sea en su guarida, cualquier otro combate contra el fuera de ella terminara con el dragón escapando 

cause proficency bonus 

Currently running DoIP for my friends and I'm a bit confused about the 5-6 part for cold breath. What does it mean? The players have already encountered the dragon twice and I've had to hold back on cold breath because of its damage and my confusion, but I can't keep it up as they level up enough to survive a proper encounter, especially in the Hold
Edit: I understand what it is now. For those who see this and might have the same question, when the dragon uses the breath, it can get it back if it rolls a 5 or 6 at the start of its turns after

I cannot use this for level 4s

Hi I‘m trying to run a oneshot with a dragon and am struggeling to decide what level to give to my players. Does the Challenge Rating 6 mean they are supposed to be level 6? I have 3 players.

also, can i change the alignment? Like, can the dragon actually be lawfully good or neutral good and then there are repercussions because the dragon was actually a nice dude?

Would this be a good boss to guard the sword of kas? open to other suggestions

the CR rating is a pretty loose range of the player level, but the CR rating of the monster does not, by no means, requires the players level to be the same. there are a few good CR calculators out there. here is my personal favourite: https://donjon.bin.sh/5e/calc/enc_size.html