Black Dragon
Dragon · Huge
_%E2%80%94_1665.jpg){kind=link}
Black dragons make their lairs in drowned ruins and the deepest reaches of swamps, where they lie under the black water with only their eyes showing. They strike at night, spitting acid that eats through armour and flesh, and they enjoy watching prey suffer. Marsh folk say the water turns sour and the fish die wherever one has settled.
- Danger
- Deadly
- How it is met
- Alone, by night
- Challenge
- 2-21
- SRD 5.2.1 stat blocks
- Black Dragon Wyrmling, Young Black Dragon, Adult Black Dragon, Ancient Black Dragon
Hear it
- Dragon Roar Mature (On Patreon, Guardian tier)
- Acid Breath (On Patreon, Guardian tier)
- Swamp Dragon Lair (In the album RPG Ambiences Vol. 2)
Where it is met
Also: Ruin
Stat blocks (D&D 5e)
Black Dragon Wyrmling
Medium Dragon (Chromatic), Chaotic Evil
AC 17 · Initiative +4 (14)
HP 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft., Fly 60 ft., Swim 30 ft.
| Str | Dex | Con | Int | Wis | Cha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 (+2), save +2 | 14 (+2), save +4 | 13 (+1), save +1 | 10 (+0), save +0 | 11 (+0), save +2 | 13 (+1), save +1 |
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4
Immunities Acid
Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 14
Languages Draconic
CR 2 (XP 450; PB +2)
Traits
Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon makes two Rend attacks.
Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) Acid damage.
Acid Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 11, each creature in a 15-foot-long, 5-footwide Line. Failure: 22 (5d8) Acid damage. Success: Half damage.
Young Black Dragon
Large Dragon (Chromatic), Chaotic Evil
AC 18 · Initiative +5 (15)
HP 127 (15d10 + 45)
Speed 40 ft., Fly 80 ft., Swim 40 ft.
| Str | Dex | Con | Int | Wis | Cha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 (+4), save +4 | 14 (+2), save +5 | 17 (+3), save +3 | 12 (+1), save +1 | 11 (+0), save +3 | 15 (+2), save +2 |
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +5
Immunities Acid
Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Darkvision 120 ft.; Passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Draconic
CR 7 (XP 2,900; PB +3)
Traits
Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks.
Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +7 , reach 10 ft. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) Slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) Acid damage.
Acid Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 30-foot-long, 5-footwide Line. Failure: 49 (14d6) Acid damage. Success: Half damage.
Adult Black Dragon
Huge Dragon (Chromatic), Chaotic Evil
AC 19 · Initiative +12 (22)
HP 195 (17d12 + 85)
Speed 40 ft., Fly 80 ft., Swim 40 ft.
| Str | Dex | Con | Int | Wis | Cha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 (+6), save +6 | 14 (+2), save +7 | 21 (+5), save +5 | 14 (+2), save +2 | 13 (+1), save +6 | 19 (+4), save +4 |
Skills Perception +11, Stealth +7
Immunities Acid
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Darkvision 120 ft.; Passive Perception 21
Languages Common, Draconic
CR 14 (XP 11,500, or 13,000 in lair; PB +5)
Traits
Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting to cast Acid Arrow (level 3 version).
Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +11, reach 10 ft. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) Slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) Acid damage.
Acid Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 60-foot-long, 5-footwide Line. Failure: 54 (12d8) Acid damage. Success: Half damage.
Spellcasting. The dragon casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 17 , +9 to hit with spell attacks):
At Will: Acid Arrow (level 3 version), Detect Magic, Fear
1/Day Each: Speak with Dead, Vitriolic Sphere
Legendary Actions
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Cloud of Insects. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 17 , one creature the dragon can see within 120 feet. Failure: 22 (4d10) Poison damage, and the target has Disadvantage on saving throws to maintain Concentration until the end of its next turn. Failure or Success: The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Frightful Presence. The dragon uses Spellcasting to cast Fear. The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Pounce. The dragon moves up to half its Speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
Ancient Black Dragon
Gargantuan Dragon (Chromatic), Chaotic Evil
AC 22 · Initiative +16 (26)
HP 367 (21d20 + 147)
Speed 40 ft., Fly 80 ft., Swim 40 ft.
| Str | Dex | Con | Int | Wis | Cha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 (+8), save +8 | 14 (+2), save +9 | 25 (+7), save +7 | 16 (+3), save +3 | 15 (+2), save +9 | 22 (+6), save +6 |
Skills Perception +16, Stealth +9
Immunities Acid
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Darkvision 120 ft.; Passive Perception 26
Languages Common, Draconic
CR 21 (XP 33,000, or 41,000 in lair; PB +7)
Traits
Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (4/Day, or 5/Day in Lair). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting to cast Acid Arrow (level 4 version).
Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +15, reach 15 ft. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) Slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) Acid damage.
Acid Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 22, each creature in a 90-foot-long, 10-footwide Line. Failure: 67 (15d8) Acid damage. Success: Half damage.
Spellcasting. The dragon casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit with spell attacks):
At Will: Acid Arrow (level 4 version), Detect Magic, Fear
1/Day Each: Create Undead, Speak with Dead, Vitriolic Sphere (level 5 version)
Legendary Actions
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Cloud of Insects. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 21, one creature the dragon can see within 120 feet. Failure: 33 (6d10) Poison damage, and the target has Disadvantage on saving throws to maintain Concentration until the end of its next turn. Failure or Success: The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Frightful Presence. The dragon uses Spellcasting to cast Fear. The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Pounce. The dragon moves up to half its Speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 ("SRD 5.2.1") by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
Open it in Biomes — MGS Toolbox