Ancient Black DragonCR 21 · Gargantuan Dragon · Stat Block & Encounter Builder

Gargantuan dragon, Challenge 21. AC 22, 367 hit points.

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Armour Class

Hit Points

367

Speed

40 ft.

Challenge

21 · 33,000 XP

Alignment

Chaotic Evil

The card

Stat Block

Gargantuan Dragon · Chaotic Evil

Ancient Black Dragon

367

21d20 + 147 · 40 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft. · AC from natural armor

Blindsight 60 ft., Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 26

Languages: Common, Draconic

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
27 (+8)	14 (+2)	25 (+7)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	19 (+4)

Traits

Damage ImmunitiesAcid

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: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage.

ClawMelee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.

TailMelee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 20 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 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.

Acid BreathThe dragon exhales acid in a 90-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 67 (15d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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.

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Encounter Difficulty

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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.

Ancient Black Dragons4Party size4Party level3

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

Difficulty

Deadly

264,000 adj. XP · ×2

deadly at 1,600

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Counsel

Ancient Black Dragon, Answered

What is Ancient Black Dragon's challenge rating in D&D 5e?

Ancient Black Dragon is Challenge 21, worth 33,000 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 Ancient Black Dragon's stats?

AC 22 (natural armor), 367 hit points (21d20 + 147), speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft.. Ability scores: STR 27, DEX 14, CON 25, INT 16, WIS 15, CHA 19.

What is Ancient Black Dragon resistant to?

Ancient Black Dragon is immune to acid damage. Pick a damage type it does not shrug off.

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