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    Brass Dragon 5e: Every Age, Sleep Breath and the Burrowing Fire Line

    A brass dragon is a chaotic good metallic dragon that breathes fire in a line and sleep gas in a cone. It's the gentlest of the metallics by CR: a brass wyrmling is CR 1, young CR 6, adult CR 13 and ancient CR 20. The adult has AC 18, 172 hit points, fire immunity, a 60-foot fire line at DC 18 and a burrow speed. Its Sleep Breath is the reason a brass fight rarely ends in a death: it would rather put the party to sleep and talk to them when they wake. The 2024 rules give it at-will Scorching Ray and a Scorching Sands legendary action.

    Table of Contents

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    Brass Dragon Age Comparison

    Fire Breath is a Dexterity save in a line; Sleep Breath is a Constitution save in a cone. They share a DC.

    AgeCR (XP)AC 2014 / 2024HP 2014 / 2024Fire lineDCFire damage 2014 / 2024Sleep cone, how long asleep (2014 / 2024)
    Wyrmling1 (200)16 / 1516 / 2220 × 5 ft.1114 (4d6) / 14 (4d6)15 ft., 1 min / 1 min
    Young6 (2,300)17 / 17110 / 11040 × 5 ft.1442 (12d6) / 38 (11d6)30 ft., 5 min / 1 min
    Adult13 (10,000)18 / 18172 / 17260 × 5 ft.1845 (13d6) / 45 (10d8)60 ft., 10 min / 10 min
    Ancient20 (25,000)20 / 20297 / 33290 ft. (10 ft. wide in 2014, 5 ft. in 2024)2156 (16d6) / 58 (13d8)90 ft., 10 min / 10 min

    Under the 2024 rules the adult is worth 11,500 XP and the ancient 33,000 XP in their lairs.

    Brass Dragon Wyrmling Stat Block (CR 1)

    Brass Dragon Wyrmling

    Medium dragon, chaotic good

    Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
    Hit Points 16 (3d8+3)
    Speed 30 ft., burrow 15 ft., fly 60 ft.
    STR
    15 (+2)
    DEX
    10 (+0)
    CON
    13 (+1)
    INT
    10 (+0)
    WIS
    11 (+0)
    CHA
    13 (+1)
    Saving Throws DEX +2, CON +3, WIS +2, CHA +3
    Skills Perception +4, Stealth +2
    Damage Immunities fire
    Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
    Languages Draconic
    Challenge 1 (XP 200; PB +2)

    Actions

    Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage.
    Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons. Fire Breath. The dragon exhales fire in an 20-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Sleep Breath. The dragon exhales sleep gas in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 1 minute. This effect ends for a creature if the creature takes damage or someone uses an action to wake it.
    Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.

    Brass Dragon Wyrmling

    Medium Dragon (Metallic), Chaotic Good

    Armor Class 15
    Initiative +2 (12)
    Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
    Speed 30 ft., burrow 15 ft., fly 60 ft.
    STR
    15 (+2)save +2
    DEX
    10 (+0)save +2
    CON
    13 (+1)save +1
    INT
    10 (+0)save +0
    WIS
    11 (+0)save +2
    CHA
    13 (+1)save +1
    Skills Perception +4, Stealth +2
    Immunities fire
    Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Blindsight 10 ft.; Passive Perception 14
    Languages Draconic
    Challenge 1 (XP 200; PB +2)

    Actions

    Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) Slashing damage.
    Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 11, each creature in a 20-foot-long, 5-footwide Line. Failure: 14 (4d6) Fire damage. Success: Half damage.
    Sleep Breath. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 11, each creature in a 15-foot Cone. Failure: The target has the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn, at which point it repeats the save. Second Failure: The target has the Unconscious condition for 1 minute. This effect ends for the target if it takes damage or a creature within 5 feet of it takes an action to wake it.
    Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.

    The brass wyrmling is a CR 1 creature worth 200 XP. It's tied with the copper wyrmling for the lowest CR among the SRD's true dragons (the pseudodragon is lower, but it's a different creature), which makes it the dragon a level 1 party can actually fight.

    It has one attack in either edition: a bite (2014) or Rend (2024) at +4 for 7. The 2024 version has 22 hit points instead of 16 and, more importantly, a Sleep Breath with no recharge. It can use that every turn, while the 14-damage fire line waits on its 5–6 recharge.

    Young Brass Dragon Stat Block (CR 6)

    Young Brass Dragon

    Large dragon, chaotic good

    Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
    Hit Points 110 (13d10+39)
    Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 80 ft.
    STR
    19 (+4)
    DEX
    10 (+0)
    CON
    17 (+3)
    INT
    12 (+1)
    WIS
    11 (+0)
    CHA
    15 (+2)
    Saving Throws DEX +3, CON +6, WIS +3, CHA +5
    Skills Perception +6, Persuasion +5, Stealth +3
    Damage Immunities fire
    Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
    Languages Common, Draconic
    Challenge 6 (XP 2,300; PB +3)

    Actions

    Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
    Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage.
    Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
    Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons. Fire Breath. The dragon exhales fire in a 40-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Sleep Breath. The dragon exhales sleep gas in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 5 minutes. This effect ends for a creature if the creature takes damage or someone uses an action to wake it.
    Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.

    Young Brass Dragon

    Large Dragon (Metallic), Chaotic Good

    Armor Class 17
    Initiative +3 (13)
    Hit Points 110 (13d10 + 39)
    Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 80 ft.
    STR
    19 (+4)save +4
    DEX
    10 (+0)save +3
    CON
    17 (+3)save +3
    INT
    12 (+1)save +1
    WIS
    11 (+0)save +3
    CHA
    15 (+2)save +2
    Skills Perception +6, Persuasion +5, Stealth +3
    Immunities fire
    Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Blindsight 30 ft.; Passive Perception 16
    Languages Common, Draconic
    Challenge 6 (XP 2,300; PB +3)

    Actions

    Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks. It can replace two attacks with a use of Sleep Breath.
    Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 10 ft. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) Slashing damage.
    Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 40-foot-long, 5-footwide Line. Failure: 38 (11d6) Fire damage. Success: Half damage.
    Sleep Breath. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 30-foot Cone. Failure: The target has the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn, at which point it repeats the save. Second Failure: The target has the Unconscious condition for 1 minute. This effect ends for the target if it takes damage or a creature within 5 feet of it takes an action to wake it.
    Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.

    The young brass has 110 hit points, AC 17, a 20-foot burrow speed and Persuasion +5. Its 2024 Multiattack is unusual: it can replace two of its three Rends with Sleep Breath, where every other 2024 metallic of this age swaps only one. So each turn it chooses between three Rends (45 damage if all hit) or one Rend plus a 30-foot cone of sleep.

    The 2014 young brass makes its sleepers stay down for 5 minutes, five times as long as the 2024 version.

    Adult Brass Dragon Stat Block (CR 13)

    Adult Brass Dragon

    Huge dragon, chaotic good

    Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
    Hit Points 172 (15d12+75)
    Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 80 ft.
    STR
    23 (+6)
    DEX
    10 (+0)
    CON
    21 (+5)
    INT
    14 (+2)
    WIS
    13 (+1)
    CHA
    17 (+3)
    Saving Throws DEX +5, CON +10, WIS +6, CHA +8
    Skills History +7, Perception +11, Persuasion +8, Stealth +5
    Damage Immunities fire
    Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 21
    Languages Common, Draconic
    Challenge 13 (XP 10,000; PB +5)

    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: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.
    Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
    Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) 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 16 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 .
    Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons. Fire Breath. The dragon exhales fire in an 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (13d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Sleep Breath. The dragon exhales sleep gas in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 10 minutes. This effect ends for a creature if the creature takes damage or someone uses an action to wake it.

    Legendary Actions

    The adult brass 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 adult brass 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 ft. of the dragon must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
    Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.

    Adult Brass Dragon

    Huge Dragon (Metallic), Chaotic Good

    Armor Class 18
    Initiative +10 (20)
    Hit Points 172 (15d12 + 75)
    Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 80 ft.
    STR
    23 (+6)save +6
    DEX
    10 (+0)save +5
    CON
    21 (+5)save +5
    INT
    14 (+2)save +2
    WIS
    13 (+1)save +6
    CHA
    17 (+3)save +3
    Skills History +7, Perception +11, Persuasion +8, Stealth +5
    Immunities fire
    Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Blindsight 60 ft.; Passive Perception 21
    Languages Common, Draconic
    Challenge 13 (XP 10,000, or 11,500 in lair; PB +5)

    Traits

    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 (A) Sleep Breath or (B) Spellcasting to cast Scorching Ray.
    Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +11, reach 10 ft. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) Slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) Fire damage.
    Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 60-foot-long, 5-footwide Line. Failure: 45 (10d8) Fire damage. Success: Half damage.
    Sleep Breath. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 60-foot Cone. Failure: The target has the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn, at which point it repeats the save. Second Failure: The target has the Unconscious condition for 10 minutes. This effect ends for the target if it takes damage or a creature within 5 feet of it takes an action to wake it.
    Spellcasting. The dragon casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16):
    • At Will: Detect Magic, Minor Illusion, Scorching Ray, Shapechange (beast or humanoid form only, no temporary hit points gained from the spell, and no concentration or temporary hit points required to maintain the spell), Speak with Animals
    • 1/Day Each: Detect Thoughts, Control Weather

    Legendary Actions

    Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the adult brass dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The adult brass dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.

    Blazing Light. The dragon uses Spellcasting to cast Scorching Ray.
    Pounce. The dragon moves up to half its Speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
    Scorching Sands. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 16, one creature the dragon can see within 120 feet. Failure: 27 (6d8) Fire damage, and the target’s Speed is halved 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.
    Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.

    The 2014 adult is the classic routine: Frightful Presence (DC 16), bite and two claws for 43 at +11, then Detect, Tail Attack or Wing Attack (DC 19) between turns.

    The 2024 adult adds Spellcasting (save DC 16):

    Its legendary actions are Blazing Light (cast Scorching Ray), Pounce and Scorching Sands: one creature within 120 feet makes a DC 16 Dexterity save or takes 27 (6d8) fire damage and has its Speed halved until the end of its next turn. Scorching Sands works once between the dragon's turns; Blazing Light has no such limit.

    The SRD 5.2.1 block prints a spell save DC (16) but no spell attack bonus, even though Scorching Ray needs one. Our derivation, not a printed number: Charisma +3 plus proficiency +5 (the same numbers behind DC 16) gives +8, which is what we use below. The ancient's block also prints only a DC (20); the same derivation gives +12.

    Ancient Brass Dragon Stat Block (CR 20)

    Ancient Brass Dragon

    Gargantuan dragon, chaotic good

    Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
    Hit Points 297 (17d20+119)
    Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
    STR
    27 (+8)
    DEX
    10 (+0)
    CON
    25 (+7)
    INT
    16 (+3)
    WIS
    15 (+2)
    CHA
    19 (+4)
    Saving Throws DEX +6, CON +13, WIS +8, CHA +10
    Skills History +9, Perception +14, Persuasion +10, Stealth +6
    Damage Immunities fire
    Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 24
    Languages Common, Draconic
    Challenge 20 (XP 25,000; PB +6)

    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: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage.
    Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
    Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 20 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 18 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.
    Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons: Fire Breath. The dragon exhales fire in an 90-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Sleep Breath. The dragon exhales sleep gas in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 10 minutes. This effect ends for a creature if the creature takes damage or someone uses an action to wake it.
    Change Shape. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the dragon's choice). In a new form, the dragon retains its alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. Its statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form, except any class features or legendary actions of that form.

    Legendary Actions

    The ancient brass 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 ancient brass 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 ft. 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.
    Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.

    Ancient Brass Dragon

    Gargantuan Dragon (Metallic), Chaotic Good

    Armor Class 20
    Initiative +12 (22)
    Hit Points 332 (19d20 + 133)
    Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
    STR
    27 (+8)save +8
    DEX
    10 (+0)save +6
    CON
    25 (+7)save +7
    INT
    16 (+3)save +3
    WIS
    15 (+2)save +8
    CHA
    22 (+6)save +6
    Skills History +9, Perception +14, Persuasion +12, Stealth +6
    Immunities fire
    Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Blindsight 60 ft.; Passive Perception 24
    Languages Common, Draconic
    Challenge 20 (XP 25,000, or 33,000 in lair; PB +6)

    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 (A) Sleep Breath or (B) Spellcasting to cast Scorching Ray (level 3 version).
    Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +14, reach 15 ft. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) Slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) Fire damage.
    Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 21, each creature in a 90-foot-long, 5-footwide Line. Failure: 58 (13d8) Fire damage. Success: Half damage.
    Sleep Breath. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 21, each creature in a 90-foot Cone. Failure: The target has the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn, at which point it repeats the save. Second Failure: The target has the Unconscious condition for 10 minutes. This effect ends for the target if it takes damage or a creature within 5 feet of it takes an action to wake it.
    Spellcasting. The dragon casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 20):
    • At Will: Detect Magic, Minor Illusion, Scorching Ray (level 3 version), Shapechange (beast or humanoid form only, no temporary hit points gained from the spell, and no concentration or temporary hit points required to maintain the spell), Speak with Animals
    • 1/Day Each: Control Weather, Detect Thoughts

    Legendary Actions

    Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the ancient brass dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The ancient brass dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.

    Blazing Light. The dragon uses Spellcasting to cast Scorching Ray (level 3 version).
    Pounce. The dragon moves up to half its Speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
    Scorching Sands. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 20, one creature the dragon can see within 120 feet. Failure: 36 (8d8) Fire damage, and the target’s Speed is halved 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.
    Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.

    The ancient brass is Gargantuan, with 297 hit points in 2014 and 332 in 2024. Its 2014 version has Change Shape and a 10-foot-wide fire line; the 2024 version narrows the line to 5 feet but pays it back elsewhere: three Rends at +14 for 26 each (78 total, up from 49 for the 2014 bite and claws), a level 3 Scorching Ray with four rays, and Scorching Sands for 36 (8d8) at DC 20.

    How the 2024 Brass Dragon Differs

    20142024
    Breath weaponsOne action, recharge 5–6, choose fire or sleepFire recharges; Sleep Breath doesn't
    Sleep effectFail once: Unconscious (1 to 10 min)Fail once: Incapacitated; fail again: Unconscious
    Waking a sleeperDamage, or anyone uses an actionDamage, or a creature within 5 feet takes an action
    Adult meleeBite + 2 claws, 43 damage3 Rends, 63 damage (fire on top of each)
    Adult legendary actionsDetect, Tail, Wing AttackBlazing Light, Pounce, Scorching Sands
    Save proficienciesDex, Con, Wis, ChaDex, Wis

    How Brass Dragons Fight

    A brass dragon doesn't need to win the fight. It needs to end it, and Sleep Breath does that better than fire.

    Sleep first, ask questions later. The 2024 adult's Sleep Breath is DC 18 Constitution in a 60-foot cone. A wizard with Constitution +2 fails on a 15 or lower (75%) and has to fail twice to fall asleep, so about 56% of the time that wizard ends up Unconscious for 10 minutes. The 2014 version is harsher: one failed save and the target is out.

    What sleep does to a party. An unconscious character drops what it's holding, falls Prone, automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saves, and takes automatic critical hits from attackers within 5 feet. Any damage wakes it. In 2024, an ally must be within 5 feet and spend an action to wake a sleeper, so a cone that catches three characters can eat the rest of the party's next round.

    The cruel combo, if it wants one. A sleeping character fails Dexterity saves automatically, so a fire line through sleepers deals full damage to every one of them (45 from an adult). It also wakes them. A chaotic good brass rarely does this. An evil creature using the same tactics (or a brass under someone's control) would.

    Burrow and resurface. With a burrow speed of 30 feet (the adult, in both editions) and fly 80, the brass can vanish into sand or loose earth and come up somewhere else to line up its fire. Anything that burrows can also escape a fight it's losing.

    Ranged pressure (2024). At +8 (derived above, not printed), Scorching Ray's three rays (2d6 each) hit AC 18 55% of the time, about 11.5 expected damage per casting. Blazing Light lets it cast that after another creature's turn, up to three times a round (four in its lair), and Scorching Sands can spend one of those uses on a 27-damage save once a round. That's steady pressure on a party trying to reach a flying dragon.

    Talk. Persuasion +8 on the adult, plus (in 2024) at-will Speak with Animals and a daily Detect Thoughts, all point the same way: a brass dragon would rather have a long conversation than a fight. Play it chatty, curious and hard to get rid of.

    Running a Brass Dragon Encounter

    These budgets are from the 2024 rules, for four characters.

    Brass dragonXPWhere it fits
    Wyrmling200Exactly the Low budget at level 1 (200)
    Two wyrmlings400Exactly the High budget at level 1 (400)
    Young2,300Moderate at level 5 (just past the 2,000 Low budget)
    Adult10,000High at level 9 (10,400); Moderate at level 11 (11,600)
    Adult, in lair11,500Moderate at level 11 (11,600)
    Ancient25,000High at level 15 (past the 21,600 Moderate budget); Moderate at level 17 (28,800)
    Ancient, in lair33,000Moderate at level 18 (34,800)

    Sleep Breath swings these numbers both ways. A brass that fights to kill is about as dangerous as its XP says. A brass that puts everyone to sleep and leaves ends the encounter with no damage at all, which is a fine outcome for a story-driven table. Check your build in the encounter calculator, which also gives the 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide rating.

    How Players Beat Brass Dragons

    • •Spread out against the cone, line up perpendicular to the line. The two breaths punish different formations. A 60-foot cone catches a clump; a 5-foot line catches a column. Stand loose and side by side.
    • •Keep a waker close. In 2024, waking someone takes an action from a creature within 5 feet. Pair characters so every likely sleeper has a buddy nearby, or just hit them for 1 damage.
    • •Elves and Trance. Elves have a trait that says magic can't put them to sleep (Fey Ancestry in 2014, Trance in 2024). Sleep Breath imposes the Unconscious condition rather than naming sleep, and the SRD doesn't say whether a breath weapon counts as magic, so whether an elf is immune is a DM ruling. Make it before the fight.
    • •No fire. It's immune to fire. Cold, lightning, thunder and force all work.
    • •Constitution and Charisma saves (2024). The 2024 adult has Constitution +5 and Charisma +3, down from +10 and +8. Its proficient saves are Wisdom +6 and Dexterity +5.
    • •Talk first. A chaotic good brass usually tells you what it wants. Give it a good story, a rare piece of news or a fair trade and the fight may never start.

    Brass Dragon Encounter Ideas

    The toll of tales. A young brass sits in the only pass through a range of dunes and won't let anyone through until they tell it a story it hasn't heard. Travelers who try to force their way past wake up later, unharmed, on the wrong side of the dunes, with their boots missing.

    The drought debt (2024 rules). An adult brass used Control Weather to end a drought for a desert town. Now it wants payment: a year of the town's best gossip, delivered in person. The town's new lord refuses, and the dragon is getting impatient. The party can broker a deal or stop a fight neither side will survive well.

    The sleepers in the oasis. A caravan is found at an oasis, everyone asleep and nothing stolen. A brass wyrmling is putting travelers to sleep so it can listen to them talk in their sleep, because it's lonely. Two wyrmlings make a High encounter for a level 1 party, but the better ending is a new friend.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What CR is a brass dragon in 5e?

    A brass dragon wyrmling is CR 1 (200 XP), a young brass dragon CR 6, an adult brass dragon CR 13 and an ancient brass dragon CR 20. These match in 2014 and 2024.

    What does brass dragon Sleep Breath do?

    In 2014, creatures in the cone that fail a Constitution save fall unconscious for 1 to 10 minutes by age. In 2024 the first failure leaves them Incapacitated until the end of their next turn, and a second failure makes them Unconscious. In both, damage wakes a sleeper, and so does another creature spending an action (within 5 feet, in 2024).

    Is a brass dragon immune to fire?

    Yes. Brass dragons are immune to fire damage and have no other damage immunities or resistances.

    Is the brass dragon evil?

    No. Brass dragons are chaotic good in both the 2014 and 2024 rules. Their Sleep Breath makes it easy to run a brass that stops a fight without killing anyone.

    What's the weakest metallic dragon?

    By CR, the brass and copper wyrmlings are tied at CR 1, and the brass is the lowest-CR metallic at every age after that: young CR 6, adult CR 13, ancient CR 20.

    What is the difference between a brass and a gold dragon?

    Both breathe fire, but the brass breathes it in a line and the gold dragon in a cone. The brass is chaotic good and puts creatures to sleep; the gold is lawful good, weakens Strength, and is much stronger (adult CR 17 vs CR 13). For the chromatic dragon with the same CRs from young age up (6, 13 and 20; its wyrmling is CR 2), see the white dragon.


    Stat blocks: System Reference Document 5.1 (2014) and 5.2.1 (2024), Wizards of the Coast, CC-BY-4.0. Tactics, encounter math and ideas are Loreify's own.

    This page includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Loreify is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.

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