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Red Dragon 5e: Stats for Every Age, Fire Breath and Tactics
A red dragon is the hardest-hitting chromatic dragon in 5e. The adult is a CR 17 Huge dragon with AC 19, 256 hit points, a fly speed of 80 feet and a 60-foot cone of fire that deals 63 damage (59 in the 2024 rules) on a failed DC 21 Dexterity save. The four ages run from a CR 4 wyrmling to a CR 24 ancient, and every one of them is immune to fire. In the 2024 rules the adult and ancient also cast spells: Command, Scorching Ray and Fireball, plus legendary actions that use them.
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Red Dragon Ages Compared
Every age has the same breath weapon shape (a cone), the same fire immunity and the same recharge (5-6). What grows is the cone, the damage and the save DC. Where the two editions differ, the 2014 number comes first.
Age
CR (XP)
AC
HP (2014 / 2024)
Fire Breath
Melee per round if all hit (2014 / 2024)
Wyrmling
4 (1,100)
17
75 / 75
15-ft cone, DC 13, 24 (7d6)
12 / 24
Young
10 (5,900)
18
178 / 178
30-ft cone, DC 17, 56 (16d6)
46 / 48
Adult
17 (18,000)
19
256 / 256
60-ft cone, DC 21, 63 (18d6) / 59 (17d6)
56 / 54
Ancient
24 (62,000)
22
546 / 507
90-ft cone, DC 24, 91 (26d6)
69 / 87
The jump that catches DMs out is young to adult: the CR goes up by 7, but the breath damage only rises from 56 to 63. The adult's real upgrades are Legendary Resistance, legendary actions and (in 2014) Frightful Presence or (in 2024) spellcasting. An adult fights smarter, not just harder.
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6).The dragon exhales fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
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.
Rend.Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) Slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) Fire damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6).Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature in a 15-foot Cone. Failure: 24 (7d6) Fire damage. Success: Half damage.
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 wyrmling is a Medium dragon with 75 hit points and a 15-foot cone of fire for 24 damage. A level 3 wizard with a +2 Constitution modifier has about 20 hit points, so a failed save drops them to 0. A 15-foot cone is small, though: it catches two or three characters only if they bunch up.
The 2024 version doubles the wyrmling's melee output. The 2014 wyrmling has one bite (+6, 12 damage including fire). The 2024 wyrmling makes two Rend attacks at the same +6 for 12 each. Against AC 16, each attack hits on a 10 or higher (55%), so the 2014 wyrmling averages about 6.6 damage a round between breaths and the 2024 one about 13.2. The 2024 block also drops the Constitution and Charisma save proficiencies, so its Con save falls from +5 to +3.
Multiattack.The dragon makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.
Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6).The dragon exhales fire in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
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.
Rend.Melee Attack Roll: +10, reach 10 ft. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) Slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) Fire damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6).Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 17, each creature in a 30-foot Cone. Failure: 56 (16d6) Fire damage. Success: Half damage.
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 red is the first age that flies at 80 feet and breathes a 30-foot cone, and its DC 17 save is high for a level 7 to 9 party. With a +2 Dexterity save, a character fails on 14 or lower (70%), so the expected damage per character caught is 0.7 x 56 + 0.3 x 28, about 48. Two breaths in a fight will drop most casters.
In melee, 2014 gives it a bite (20 damage with the fire) and two claws (13 each). The 2024 version swaps those for three identical Rends at +10 for 16 each. Against AC 18 it hits on 8 or higher (65%), which works out to about 30 damage a round in 2014 and 31 in 2024. Neither version has legendary actions or Legendary Resistance, which makes the young red the age where save-or-suck spells land. A failed save is a failed save.
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 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
Tail.Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence.Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 ft. of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 19 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 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (18d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
The adult red 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 red 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 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.
Challenge 17 (XP 18,000, or 20,000 in lair; PB +6)
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 Spellcasting to cast Scorching Ray.
Rend.Melee Attack Roll: +14, reach 10 ft. Hit: 13 (1d10 + 8) Slashing damage plus 5 (2d4) Fire damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6).Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 21, each creature in a 60-foot Cone. Failure: 59 (17d6) 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 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks):
At Will: Command (level 2 version), Detect Magic, Scorching Ray
1/Day Each: Fireball
Legendary Actions
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the adult red dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The adult red dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
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. 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.
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 two editions run the adult very differently.
2014 Adult Red Dragon
2024 Adult Red Dragon
Melee
Bite 26, two claws 15 each, tail 17 (reach 15 ft)
Three Rends, 18 each (13 slashing + 5 fire)
Fire Breath
63 (18d6), DC 21
59 (17d6), DC 21
Fear effect
Frightful Presence, DC 19 Wis, 120 ft
None. Uses Command instead
Spells
None
Command (level 2), Detect Magic, Scorching Ray at will; Fireball 1/day (DC 20, +12)
Legendary actions
Detect, Tail Attack, Wing Attack (2)
Commanding Presence, Fiery Rays, Pounce
Legendary Resistance
3/day
3/day, 4/day in lair
Saves
Dex +6, Con +13, Wis +7, Cha +11
Dex +6, Con +7, Wis +7, Cha +6
Initiative
Dex-based (+0)
+12
The 2014 adult is a brawler with a fear aura. The 2024 adult is a caster that also bites. It almost always wins initiative (+12), and it can attack a caster's concentration from 120 feet with Scorching Ray: three rays, each a separate +12 attack for 7 (2d6) fire damage, and each hit forces its own concentration save.
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
The ancient red 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 red 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 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.
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.
Challenge 24 (XP 62,000, or 75,000 in lair; PB +7)
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
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the ancient red dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The ancient red dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
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.
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 red is the strongest chromatic dragon in the SRD. Its 90-foot cone deals 91 damage on a DC 24 Dexterity save. A natural 20 doesn't automatically succeed on a save, so a character needs at least +4 just for a 5% chance of halving it.
The 2024 ancient trades 39 hit points (546 down to 507) for much better offense. Its three Rends deal 29 each (87 a round if all hit, against 69 in 2014), its Scorching Ray fires four rays, its once-a-day Fireball is cast at level 6 (38 damage, 11d6), and it gets one more Legendary Resistance (4/day, 5 in its lair). It can also cast Scrying once a day, which gives a DM a clean reason for the dragon to know the party is coming.
How Red Dragons Fight
A red dragon has two attack modes, and a well-run one switches between them every round: breathe when the breath is charged, claw or cast when it isn't.
Recharge math. Fire Breath recharges on a 5 or 6, rolled at the start of each of the dragon's turns: a 1 in 3 chance each round. Over a five-round fight it breathes 1 + 4/3, about 2.3 times on average; over three rounds, about 1.7. Plan around two breaths. Roll recharges openly with our dice roller so the table feels the tension.
Open from the air. At 80 feet of fly speed, an adult can start a turn out of reach, swoop to within 60 feet, breathe, and stay airborne. A 60-foot cone is 60 feet wide at its far end, so a party standing in a loose group gets caught almost entirely. Against DC 21, a character with a +2 Dexterity save fails 90% of the time and takes about 60 damage on average (0.9 x 63 + 0.1 x 31.5; about 56 against the 2024 breath). A level 13 wizard with a +2 Constitution modifier has about 80 hit points.
Melee between breaths. In the 2014 rules, the adult uses Frightful Presence as part of its Multiattack on the first round. Characters who fail the DC 19 Wisdom save are frightened: disadvantage on attacks while they can see the dragon, and they can't move closer. After that, bite and claws (56 damage if everything lands; at +14 against AC 19, each attack hits 80% of the time, about 45 expected) and three tail attacks as legendary actions (17 each).
The Wing Attack exit. The 2014 Wing Attack costs two legendary actions: every creature within 10 feet makes a DC 22 Dexterity save or takes 15 damage and is knocked prone, and then the dragon flies up to 40 feet. Prone characters still get opportunity attacks, but with disadvantage. Use it at the end of the fighter's turn to leave melee and set up the next breath.
The 2024 adult runs a control game. Commanding Presence casts Command at level 2, so it targets two creatures with a DC 20 Wisdom save. "Grovel" knocks the paladin prone and ends their turn. "Approach" pulls the archer into the next cone. "Flee" sends the cleric away from the fighter they were healing. Fiery Rays adds three more Scorching Ray attacks after another creature's turn, and Pounce moves the dragon half its speed and makes a Rend. Because Pounce has no once-per-round limit, the dragon can spend all three uses on it when it needs to reposition and chase.
Its Fireball answers a scattered party. When the party spreads out to avoid the cone, the 2024 adult casts Fireball (20-foot radius, DC 20 Dexterity, 28 damage) at the cluster around the healer. It's once a day, so save it for a round that catches three people.
When it retreats. A red dragon has no reason to die in a fight it's losing. Below half hit points, an adult flies away at 80 feet, waits for its breath, and comes back on its own terms.
Running a Red Dragon Encounter
Use the 2024 XP budget (SRD 5.2.1) for four characters:
Red dragon
XP
Moderate fight for four characters of level
High fight for four characters of level
Wyrmling
1,100
4 (budget 1,500)
3 (budget 1,600)
Young
5,900
8 (6,800)
7 (6,800)
Adult
18,000
14 (19,600)
12 (18,800)
Ancient
62,000
over budget even at 20 (52,800)
19 (68,800)
Each row gives the lowest level where one dragon fits inside that budget. The ancient never counts as Moderate. In its lair, a 2024 adult is worth 20,000 XP and an ancient 75,000.
Under the 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide guidelines (used by our encounter calculator), a solo adult red at 18,000 XP is Hard for four level 15 characters (Hard 17,200, Deadly 25,600) and Medium for level 17. A solo ancient is Deadly even for four level 20 characters (50,800).
Two practical rules:
•A solo dragon loses the action economy. Give it terrain the party can't easily reach (the air, a lava channel, a ledge 40 feet up the cave wall) or a few servants to absorb the party's first turn. A young red with a handful of kobolds or a pair of hell hounds is a better fight than a bare young red.
•Budget for two breaths. If two 60-foot cones would kill half your party before their third turn, the fight is too hard regardless of the XP math.
How Players Beat a Red Dragon
•Don't use fire. Every age is immune. Leave Fireball and Scorching Ray in the spellbook.
•Protect against fire, then spread out. Protection from Energy (fire) halves the breath for one character, and so does a tiefling's fire resistance (every 2014 tiefling, or a 2024 tiefling with the Infernal legacy). Then spread out: ringing the dragon on different sides beats lining up in front of it.
•Burn Legendary Resistance with cheap spells. The adult and ancient can turn three failed saves a day into successes (2024: four for the ancient, one more for either in its lair). Spend low-level save spells on it first, then use the big one.
•Target its weak saves, which depend on the edition. Intelligence (+3 for the adult) is its worst save in both, but few spells use it. The 2024 adult lost Constitution and Charisma proficiency (Con +7, Cha +6, against +13 and +11 in 2014), so Banishment is a real option once its Legendary Resistance is gone. A 2014 adult fails a DC 17 Charisma save only 25% of the time.
•Counter its spells (2024). It still uses Verbal and Somatic components, so Counterspell works. In 2024, the dragon makes a Constitution save, which is only +7 for the adult.
•Take away its sky. In the open, ranged characters matter most. A tunnel stops it hovering out of reach, but it also funnels the party into the cone, so use corners and side passages as cover. Haste gives advantage on Dexterity saves, a big deal against a DC 21 breath.
Red Dragon Lairs in the SRD
In SRD 5.2.1 (2024), "in lair" changes three numbers: the adult and ancient get one extra Legendary Resistance per day, their legendary action uses go from 3 to 4, and their XP rises (adult 20,000, ancient 75,000). Neither SRD lists red dragon lair actions or regional effects, and neither defines the lair; treat it as wherever the dragon keeps its hoard. Red dragon lair actions and regional effects come from the Monster Manual, not the SRD, so this page doesn't reproduce them.
Red Dragon Encounter Ideas
The smelter. A mining town's forge has been cold for a week because the young red dragon living in the caldera above it lets only one wagon of ore leave per month, and it eats the drivers. The town wants it dead. The mine owner wants the deal renegotiated, because the dragon also keeps every rival out. The party arrives during a delivery.
The scrying eye (2024). A 2024 ancient red casts Scrying once a day, and it has been watching the party for a week. Have it speak first through a messenger: it knows which inn they slept in, what they bought, and who their contact is. It wants them to retrieve something from a rival, and it doesn't make offers twice.
The wyrmling in the cellar. A noble has a red dragon wyrmling chained in his wine cellar as a status symbol. The chain is weakening, the wyrmling has 75 hit points and a fire breath, and the cellar sits under a timber-framed house during a party. The adult parent is looking for it, and the adult would rather burn the city than ask.
A red dragon wyrmling is CR 4, a young red dragon CR 10, an adult red dragon CR 17 and an ancient red dragon CR 24. The CRs are the same in the 2014 and 2024 rules.
How much damage does a red dragon's breath do?
Fire Breath deals 24 (7d6) for a wyrmling, 56 (16d6) for a young dragon, 63 (18d6) for a 2014 adult or 59 (17d6) for a 2024 adult, and 91 (26d6) for an ancient. A successful Dexterity save halves it.
How often can a red dragon use its breath weapon?
Fire Breath has Recharge 5-6. At the start of each of its turns, the dragon rolls a d6 and gets the breath back on a 5 or 6, a 1 in 3 chance per round. Across a five-round fight that averages a little over two breaths.
Is a red dragon immune to fire?
Yes. All four ages are immune to fire damage in both the 2014 and 2024 rules. They have no other damage resistances or condition immunities.
What spells can a 2024 red dragon cast?
The 2024 adult casts Command (level 2), Detect Magic and Scorching Ray at will and Fireball once a day, with spell save DC 20. The 2024 ancient adds Scrying, casts Scorching Ray at level 3 and Fireball at level 6, with DC 23. Wyrmlings and young red dragons don't cast spells.
What's the difference between a red dragon and a blue dragon?
Red dragons breathe a cone of fire and climb, so they suit mountain and volcano lairs. A blue dragon breathes a long line of lightning and burrows, which suits deserts. A red has more hit points at every age; a blue's line reaches farther but catches fewer characters.
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.