- Armor Class
- 22 (natural armor)
- Hit Points
- 546 (28d20+252)
- Speed
- 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
- Challenge
- 24 (62,000 XP)
- Proficiency bonus
- +7
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|
| 30 (+10) | 10 (+0) | 29 (+9) | 18 (+4) | 15 (+2) | 23 (+6) |
- Saving throws
- Dex +7, Con +16, Wis +9, Cha +13
- Skills
- Perception +16, Stealth +7
- Damage immunities
- fire
- Senses
- blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 26
- Languages
- Common, Draconic
Traits
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
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.
Legendary actions
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 ft. 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.
How ancient red dragons fight
An ancient red dragon is a Gargantuan, CR 24 monster and one of the deadliest creatures in the game. Its Fire Breath fills a 90-foot cone: DC 24 Dexterity save, 26d6 fire damage (91 on average) on a failure and half on a success. It recharges on a 5 or 6, and two failed saves will drop most 20th-level spellcasters.
Between breaths it uses Frightful Presence (DC 21 Wisdom, everyone of its choice within 120 feet) and then bites for 2d10 + 10 plus 4d6 fire and claws twice, all at +17 to hit: about 69 damage a turn if everything lands. It has AC 22, 546 hit points, immunity to fire, three uses of Legendary Resistance a day, and three legendary actions each round, including a Wing Attack (DC 25 Dexterity or 17 damage and knocked prone) that lets it fly off afterwards.
Common questions
How much damage does an ancient red dragon’s breath do?
26d6 fire damage, 91 on average, in a 90-foot cone. A successful DC 24 Dexterity save halves it. Fire resistance halves it again, and a rogue’s or monk’s Evasion takes nothing on a success.
What challenge rating is an ancient red dragon?
CR 24, worth 62,000 XP. By the Dungeon Master’s Guide’s encounter math, one ancient red dragon is a Deadly fight even for four 20th-level characters, whose Deadly threshold is 50,800 XP.
How many hit points does an ancient red dragon have?
546 (28d20 + 252), with AC 22. The 2024 Monster Manual lowers it to 507 hit points at the same CR, and gives it spellcasting.
How do you beat an ancient red dragon?
Fire resistance for everyone (Protection from Energy, a Ring of Resistance), spreading out so one cone can’t catch the party, and a way to ground it or reach it in the air. Burn through its three Legendary Resistances with cheaper save spells before you cast the one that matters.
Is an ancient red dragon immune to being frightened or charmed?
No. It has no condition immunities in the 2014 stat block, only immunity to fire damage. Legendary Resistance and good saving throws do the protecting.
An ancient red dragon is worth 62,000 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many ancient red dragons fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
Ancient Red Dragon 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the ancient red dragon, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
- Hit points: 546 → 507.
- Ability scores: CHA 23 → 27.
- New in its stat block: Rend, Spellcasting, Commanding Presence, Fiery Rays and Pounce.
- Gone from it: Bite, Claw, Tail, Frightful Presence, Detect, Tail Attack and Wing Attack.
- Armor Class
- 22
- Hit Points
- 507 (26d20 + 234)
- Speed
- 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
- Challenge
- 24 (62,000 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|
| 30 (+10) | 10 (+0) | 29 (+9) | 18 (+4) | 15 (+2) | 27 (+8) |
- Damage immunities
- fire
- Senses
- darkvision 120 ft., blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 26
- Languages
- Common, Draconic
Traits
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 Scorching Ray (level 3 version).
Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +17, reach 15 ft. Hit: 19 (2d8 + 10) Slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) Fire damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 24, each creature in a 90-foot Cone. Failure: 91 (26d6) Fire 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 23, +15 to hit with spell attacks):
At Will: Command (level 2 version), Detect Magic, Scorching Ray (level 3 version)
1/Day Each: Fireball (level 6 version), Scrying
Legendary actions
Commanding Presence. The dragon uses Spellcasting to cast Command (level 2 version). The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Fiery Rays. The dragon uses Spellcasting to cast Scorching Ray (level 3 version). 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.
