Adult Gold DragonCR 17 · Huge Dragon · Stat Block & Encounter Builder

Huge dragon, Challenge 17. AC 19, 256 hit points.

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Armour Class

Hit Points

256

Speed

40 ft.

Challenge

17 · 18,000 XP

Alignment

Lawful Good

The card

Stat Block

Huge Dragon · Lawful Good

Adult Gold Dragon

256

19d12 + 133 · 40 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft. · AC from natural armor

Blindsight 60 ft., Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 24

Languages: Common, Draconic

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
27 (+8)	14 (+2)	25 (+7)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	24 (+7)

Traits

Damage ImmunitiesFire

AmphibiousThe dragon can breathe air and water.

Legendary ResistanceIf the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

MultiattackThe dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

BiteMelee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage.

ClawMelee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.

TailMelee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful PresenceEach 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.

Breath WeaponsThe dragon uses one of the following breath weapons. Fire Breath. The dragon exhales fire in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Weakening Breath. The dragon exhales gas in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or have disadvantage on Strength-based attack rolls, Strength checks, and Strength saving throws 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.

How to actually run it

Tactics

The stat block tells you what it can do. This tells you what to do with it.

1Multiattack: The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

2Legendary Resistance means it can auto-pass failed saves a few times a day. Expect your first control spells to be shrugged off — plan around it.

3It is a legendary creature with 3 legendary actions between turns; fight it in its lair and it is far more dangerous than the stat block alone.

Pitch the fight

Encounter Difficulty

Encounter Builder

How bad is this fight?

Real DMG maths — XP thresholds by level, and the group multiplier that makes crowds so much worse than the raw total suggests.

Adult Gold Dragons4Party size4Party level3

Could kill someone — and at high enough numbers, the whole party.

Difficulty

Deadly

144,000 adj. XP · ×2

deadly at 1,600

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Counsel

Adult Gold Dragon, Answered

What is Adult Gold Dragon's challenge rating in D&D 5e?

Adult Gold Dragon is Challenge 17, worth 18,000 XP. Encounter maths multiplies XP by the number of monsters, so a group is deadlier than the raw total — use the calculator on this page.

What are Adult Gold Dragon's stats?

AC 19 (natural armor), 256 hit points (19d12 + 133), speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft.. Ability scores: STR 27, DEX 14, CON 25, INT 16, WIS 15, CHA 24.

What is Adult Gold Dragon resistant to?

Adult Gold Dragon is immune to fire damage. Pick a damage type it does not shrug off.

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