Red Dragon (/ˈrɛd ˈdræɡən/)

Flame dragon

Red dragons, referred to by sages as draco conflagratio horribilis, and sometimes flame dragons, fire wyrms, and mountain dragons, were a breed of chromatic true Dragon. They were covetous, evil creatures, interested only in their own well-being, vanity and the extension of their treasure hoards. They were supremely confident of their own abilities and were Prone to making snap decisions without any forethought. The largest and most powerful of the chromatic dragons, and just the worst not counting Tiamat, red dragons were also the most fearsome and cruel. These dragons delighted in ruin, death and destruction. They breathed a cone of fire. In countless lands, they were considered the archetypal villainous Dragon of legend and fable, exemplars of all their most notorious traits, and the red dragons thought so too.

“Rapacious, cunning, and destructive, red dragons are Tiamat's favored children, embodying the worst that dragonkind has to offer.”
Jothan Ironspell, from another world

The most covetous of the true dragons, red dragons tirelessly seek to increase their treasure hoards. They are exceptionally vain, even for dragons, and their conceit is reflected in their proud bearing and their disdain for other creatures. The odor of sulfur and pumice surrounds a red Dragon, whose swept-back horns and spinal frill define its silhouette. Its beaked snout vents smoke at all times, and its eyes dance with flame when it is angry. Its wings are the longest of any chromatic Dragon, and have a blue-black tint along the trailing edge that resembles Metal burned blue by fire.
The scales of a red Dragon Wyrmling are a bright glossy scarlet, turning a dull, deeper red and becoming as thick and strong as Metal as the Dragon ages. Its pupils also fade as it ages, and the oldest red dragons have eyes that resemble molten lava orbs.
Mountain Masters. Red dragons prefer mountainous terrain, badlands, and any other locale where they can perch high and survey their domain. Their preference for mountains brings them into conflict with the hill-dwelling Copper dragons from time to time.
Arrogant Tyrants. Red dragons Fly into destructive rages and act on impulse when angered. They are so ferocious and vengeful that they are regarded as the archetypical evil Dragon by many cultures.
No other Dragon comes close to the arrogance of the red Dragon. These creatures see themselves as kings and emperors, and view the rest of dragonkind as inferior. Believing that they are chosen by Tiamat to rule in her name, red dragons consider the world and every creature in it as theirs to Command.
Status and Slaves. Red dragons are fiercely territorial and isolationist. However, they yearn to know about events in the wider world, and they make use of lesser creatures as informants, messengers, and spies. They are most interested in news about other red dragons, with which they compete constantly for status.
When it requires servants, a red Dragon demands fealty from chaotic evil Humanoids. If allegiance isn't forthcoming, it slaughters a tribe's leaders and claims lordship over the survivors. Creatures serving a red Dragon live in constant terror of being roasted and eaten for displeasing it. They spend most of their time fawning over the creature in an attempt to stay alive.
Obsessive Collectors. Red dragons value wealth above all else, and their treasure hoards are legendary. They covet anything of monetary value, and can often judge the worth of a bauble to within a Copper piece at a glance. A red Dragon has a special affection for treasure claimed from powerful enemies it has slain, exhibiting that treasure to prove its superiority.
A red Dragon knows the value and provenance of every item in its hoard, along with each item's exact location. It might notice the absence of a single coin, igniting its rage as it tracks down and slays the thief without mercy. If the thief can't be found, the Dragon goes on a rampage, laying waste to towns and villages in an attempt to sate its wrath.

A Red Dragon's Lair

Red dragons lair in high mountains or hills, dwelling in caverns under snow-capped peaks, or within the deep halls of abandoned mines and dwarven strongholds. Caves with volcanic or geothermal activity are the most highly prized red Dragon lairs, creating hazards that hinder intruders and letting searing heat and volcanic gases wash over a Dragon as it sleeps. With its hoard well protected deep within the lair, a red Dragon spends as much of its time outside the mountain as in it. For a red Dragon, the great heights of the world are the throne from which it can look out to survey all it controls-and the wider world it seeks to control.
Throughout the lair complex, servants erect monuments to the Dragon's power, telling the grim story of its life, the enemies it has slain, and the nations it has conquered.

Chromatic Dragons

The black, blue, green, red, and white dragons represent the evil side of dragonkind. Aggressive, gluttonous, and vain, chromatic dragons are dark sages and powerful tyrants feared by all creatures-including each other.
Driven by Greed. Chromatic dragons lust after treasure, and this greed colors their every scheme and plot. They believe that the world's wealth belongs to them by right, and a chromatic Dragon seizes that wealth without regard for the Humanoids and other creatures that have "stolen" it. With its piles of coins, gleaming gems, and magic items, a Dragon's hoard is the stuff of legend. However, chromatic dragons have no interest in commerce, amassing wealth for no other reason than to have it.
Creatures of Ego. Chromatic dragons are united by their sense of superiority, believing themselves the most powerful and worthy of all mortal creatures. When they interact with other creatures, it is only to further their own interests. They believe in their innate right to rule, and this belief is the cornerstone of every chromatic Dragon's personality and worldview. Trying to humble a chromatic Dragon is like trying to convince the wind to stop blowing. To these creatures, Humanoids are animals, fit to serve as prey or Beasts of burden, and wholly unworthy of respect.
Dangerous Lairs. A Dragon's lair serves as the seat of its power and a vault for its treasure. With its innate toughness and tolerance for severe environmental effects, a Dragon selects or builds a lair not for shelter but for defense, favoring multiple entrances and exits, and security for its hoard.
Most chromatic Dragon lairs are hidden in dangerous and remote locations to prevent all but the most audacious mortals from reaching them. A black Dragon might lair in the heart of a vast swamp, while a red Dragon might claim the caldera of an active volcano. In addition to the natural defenses of their lairs, powerful chromatic dragons use magical guardians, traps, and subservient creatures to protect their treasures.
Queen of Evil Dragons. Tiamat the Dragon Queen is the chief deity of evil dragonkind. She dwells on Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. As a lesser god, Tiamat has the power to grant spells to her worshipers, though she is loath to share her power. She epitomizes the avarice of evil dragons, believing that the multiverse and all its treasures will one day be hers and hers alone.
Tiamat is a gigantic Dragon whose five heads reflect the forms of the chromatic dragons that worship her-black, blue, green, red, and white. She is a terror on the battlefield, capable of annihilating whole armies with her five breath weapons, her formidable spellcasting, and her fearsome claws.
Tiamat's most hated enemy is Bahamut the Platinum Dragon, with whom she shares control of the faith of dragonkind. She also holds a special enmity for Asmodeus, who long ago stripped her of the rule of Avernus and who continues to curb the Dragon Queen's power.

Dragons

True dragons are winged reptiles of ancient lineage and fearsome power. They are known and feared for their predatory cunning and greed, with the oldest dragons accounted as some of the most powerful creatures in the world. Dragons are also magical creatures whose innate power fuels their dreaded breath weapons and other preternatural abilities.
Many creatures, including wyverns and Dragon turtles, have Draconic blood. However, true dragons fall into the two broad categories of chromatic and metallic dragons. The black, blue, green, red, and white dragons are selfish, evil, and feared by all. The Brass, Bronze, Copper, Gold, and Silver dragons are noble, good, and highly respected by the wise.
Though their goals and ideals vary tremendously, all true dragons covet wealth, hoarding mounds of coins and gathering gems, jewels, and magic items. Dragons with large hoards are loath to leave them for long, venturing out of their lairs only to patrol or feed.
True dragons pass through four distinct stages of life, from lowly wyrmlings to ancient dragons, which can live for over a thousand years. In that time, their might can become unrivaled and their hoards can grow beyond price.

Dragon Age Categories

Category	Size	Age Range
Wyrmling	Medium	5 years or less
Young Dragon	Large	6–100 years
Adult Dragon	Huge	101–800 years
Ancient Dragon	Gargantuan	801 years or more
Greatwyrm	Gargantuan	1,200 years or more

The Mighty Menagerie fought one when it attacked them on the road to Forlione

— Session 23: Red Dragon Ambush Report

This is an article about Red Dragons as a whole, to really understand dragons it is important to look at them at their current "powerset" based on age. The only red Dragon that the Menagerie came across was an Young Dragon

Basic Information

Anatomy

Description

Red dragons were physically distinguished by their enormous size and wingspan, which was the widest of all dragons, both in absolute size and relative to body length. The outermost alar phalanx was extremely long and made the wing appear to taper, while the trailing edge was the longest section. The trailing edge joined the body behind the rear legs and partway along the tail.
And of course they were recognized by their scarlet and crimson scaled hides. A wyrmling had small, bright, and glossy scarlet scales (becoming pink on its belly), which turned dull and a deeper red by the time they were young dragons. In older dragons, the scales grew thicker and larger, and as tough as metal. In contrast to their red hide, their wings and neck frills turned a purple-gray, ash-blue, or blue-black toward the edges, similar to metal scorched in a fire, which darkened as they aged. The pupils of their eyes faded with age, such that especially old red dragons had eyes that seemed to be orbs of molten lava.
A red dragon had two large horns upon their head, which pointed backward toward their wings. These horns, which were big enough to be noticeable from below, could be either straight or twisted and any color from white as bone to black as night. They had smaller horns on their chin, cheeks, lower jaw, and in rows over their brow, as well as on their beak-like snout. They also had frills around their ears that often combined with their cheek horns as they got older and a backward-sweeping frill running down their necks and spine, from just behind the head to the end of the tail. The frills around the dragon's internal ears assisted its hearing, by collecting sounds and ascertaining directions. A red wyrmling had the two main horns, but the others were only stubs.
They smelled of smoke, sulfur, and pumice. Their bodies were so warm that the air around them occasionally shimmered as in a heat mirage while their blood was, when outside its body, hot enough to produce steam. Smoke blew from their nostrils constantly. When a red dragon was enraged, flames flickered in its eyes and nostrils.
The vanity of red dragons was often revealed in their prideful postures and the looks of disdain with which they regarded all others.
A hatchling had a 1‑foot-long (0.3‑meter) 3‑foot-long (0.91‑meter) body and 3‑foot-long (0.91‑meter) tail, while an adult had a body length of around 12 feet (3.7 meters) to 18 feet (5.5 meters) and a tail length of around 17 feet (5.2 meters) to 21 feet (6.4 meters). The biggest great wyrms grew to 35 feet (11 meters) or 36 feet (11 meters) long in the body, with tails 26 feet (7.9 meters) or even 50 feet (15 meters) long. However, earlier estimates had adults as big as 80 to 99 hands (8.1 to 10 meters) in body length and 68 to 87 hands (6.9 to 8.8 meters) in tail length, and great wyrms as big as 174 to 183 hands (17.7 to 18.6 meters) in body length and 162 to 171 hands (16.5 to 17.4 meters). As red dragons of the same age did not differ much in length, one considered small would be slender and wiry while one considered huge would be fat, muscular, or thick of body and limb. A healthy red measuring 40 feet (12 meters) in body length would weigh 5,000 pounds (2,300 kilograms).
A dragon egg could be identified as belonging to a red by the very faint reddish spots seen when held in front of an intense white light.

Customizing Dragons

FTD p33
You can customize any Dragon's stat block to reflect the Dragon's unique character. Minor changes such as those below are easy to make and have no impact on a Dragon's challenge rating.
Languages. Most dragons prefer to speak Draconic but learn Common for dealing with allies and minions. But given their high Intelligence and long life span, dragons can easily learn additional languages. You can add languages to a Dragon's stat block.
Skills. Most dragons are proficient in the Perception and Stealth skills, and many dragons have additional skill proficiencies. As with languages, you can customize a Dragon's skill list (even doubling their proficiency bonus with certain skills) to reflect particular interests and activities. You can also give a Dragon tool proficiencies, particularly if the Dragon spends time in Humanoid form.
Spells. See the "Variant: Dragons as Innate Spellcasters" inset(s), below.
Other Traits and Actions. You can borrow traits and actions from other monsters to add unique flavor to a Dragon. Consider these examples:
Damage Absorption. You might decide that this Dragon is not only unharmed by fire damage, but actually healed by it.
Whenever the Dragon is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt.
Flyby. The Dragon is an agile flier, quick to Fly out of enemies' reach. The Dragon doesn't provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
Mimicry. Impersonating characters or their allies could be a fun trick for a crafty Dragon. The Dragon can Mimic any sounds it has heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Rejuvenation. You might decide that dragons in your campaign, being an essential part of the Material Plane, are nearly impossible to destroy. A Dragon's life essence might be preserved in the egg from which it first emerged, in its hoard, or in a cavernous hall at the center of the world, just as a Lich's essence is hidden in a phylactery.
If it has an essence-preserving object, a destroyed Dragon gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the object.
Special Senses. Most dragons have blindsight and Darkvision. You might upgrade blindsight to truesight, or you could give a Dragon with a burrowing speed tremorsense.

Variant: Dragons as Innate Spellcasters

This Dragon can innately cast four spells, once per day each, requiring no material components. Each spell's level can be no higher than 3rd. The Dragon's spell save DC is DC 16, and it has +8 to hit with spell attacks.
A suggested spell list is shown below, but you can also choose spells to reflect the Dragon's character. A Dragon who innately casts Druid spells feels different from one who casts warlock spells. You can also give a Dragon spells of a higher level than this rule allows, but such a tweak might increase the Dragon's challenge rating—especially if those spells deal damage or impose conditions on targets.
Bane Heat Metal Hypnotic Pattern Suggestion
Source: FTD

Variant: Dragons as Innate Spellcasters

Dragons are innately magical creatures that can master a few spells as they age, using this variant.
A young or older Dragon can innately cast a number of spells equal to its Charisma modifier. Each spell can be cast once per day, requiring no material components, and the spell's level can be no higher than one-third the Dragon's challenge rating (rounded down). The Dragon's bonus to hit with spell attacks is equal to its proficiency bonus + its Charisma bonus. The Dragon's spell save DC equals 8 + its proficiency bonus + its Charisma modifier.
This Dragon can innately cast four spells, once per day each, requiring no material components. Each spell's level can be no higher than 3rd. The Dragon's spell save DC is DC 16, and it has +8 to hit with spell attacks. See the spell page for a list of spells the Dragon is capable of casting. A selection of examples are shown below:
Fireball Scorching Ray Haste Erupting Earth Aganazzar's Scorcher

Genetics and Reproduction

Reproduction

Mating was initiated by the female every century or so when she felt the urge to have children. She looked for the nearest red dragon male with the most wealth and power. As such, males never denied their advances, as it was a sign of prestige among other males to be requested to mate. Avoiding inbreeding, they knew one another's genealogies via their reputations. Nevertheless, red dragon courtship was a risky matter, as the majority of potential suitors were still considered also as dangerous rivals. Females conducted much of the courting, though it was not unknown for males to try as well, and it typically saw the younger, though still high-status, usually female dragon carefully approaching the elder, usually male dragon. Rarely did two red dragons fight over a potential mate; such a battle would inevitably be deadly, and when a superior suitor pressed their case, all but the most unwise lesser would give up. Females tended to be the aggressors in mating.
After mating, the male would leave the female and not return, or else the elder then left the younger to protect the eggs. A typical red dragon female produced two to four eggs, and could control the number of eggs to limit the number of offspring, primarily to reduce the number of potential competitors in future. They had an incubation time of 270 days to 660 days or 22 months, and they were laid after approximately 165 days or 5.5 months. All were viable if laid under ideal conditions, namely deep underground and close to a natural heat source, for example, in a volcano's empty lava tubes. It should be kept within an open flame or at a temperature of no less than 140 ℉ (60 ℃) but it could even be immersed in a pool of lava.
The female jealously guarded the clutch, occasionally with the assistance of an old or infertile female. She rarely laid down her own life for her hatchlings, but would fight harder to protect them.
However, once hatched, even the wyrmlings were left to take care of themselves. Often, within the first few months, they would fight and kill one another until only one remained; otherwise, they would remain cooperative until they came of age. They remained close to the hatchery for a few years before spreading out to find more food and their own lairs. Hence, a full surviving clutch typically included two to five offspring from several matings, ranging in age from wyrmlings to young adults. Once her young reached the young adult stage of development, or sometimes earlier, the mother's natural instincts overruled her maternal ones and she forced all of her young from her territory, as she saw them as competitors. In fact, on occasion, after the young left the nest, the mother entered a temporary state of insanity in which she would attack, slay, and devour her former mate, if present, and any young that dared returned. There was never any familial or generational loyalty.

Growth Rate & Stages

Aging

Under the categories of dragon aging, the offspring were counted as wyrmlings for the first 8 years and as young dragons for up to 200 years.
After 600 years or older, they started feeling the effects of age. They slept for increasingly longer periods, the range of their infravision and detect hidden or invisible creatures spells steadily shortened, and the chances of spell failure grew. After 700 years, these effects became pronounced and death of old age was a risk. On waking, an ancient red dragon could be very disoriented.
A red dragon became an elder at 950 years and an ancient dragon at 1,900 years. The oldest known red dragon lived to about 2,500 years.
When a red dragon was dying of old age, a few weeks before they expired they suffered a sudden senility or insanity. They became so unpredictable in this time they were especially dangerous. Otherwise, most would launch a suicidal attack against an old enemy, choosing to go down fighting and go out in a blaze of glory.
Like other dragons, they shed their skins as they advanced into each new stage of life. Red dragons would consume their old skins to regain specific nutrients.

Illness

While dragons could suffer the same range of mental illnesses as humans and other races, red dragons were more likely to display the signs of megalomania. Given the typical red dragon personality, this was extreme—the megalomaniacal red believed wholeheartedly they were nothing less than the most intelligent, most powerful, most important, and most beautiful of all creatures in all of existence.

Death

When a slain red dragon underwent environment diffusion—an uncommon occurrence by which a deceased dragon's body decayed and affected the local environment—there were two possibilities according to the landscape. In a mountainous or stony landscape, the ground split open where it had died, creating one or several small volcanic vents that spewed acrid smoke or else large sulfurous geysers. Otherwise, in less rocky or more fire-prone lands, a wildfire started, one that never spread beyond the site but also which never went out, no matter the weather or lack of fuel.

Ecology and Habitats

Lairs

Red dragons typically dwelled in warm mountainous regions, hills, desert mesas, and badlands, though these were not necessities. The main factors in them choosing a place to live were primarily a high elevation and secondarily a high temperature; while cold did not especially hamper them, they did not like it, but would put up with it for the sake of elevation. Many preferred to dwell within volcanoes—even within the caldera itself—or sulfurous geysers or other areas of geothermal activity, where the intense heat and dangerous gases kept others at bay and comforted a sleeping dragon. They liked to sleep near a source of heat. However, they could make their lairs almost anywhere, from ice-capped mountains to hills to deserted dwarf mines and holds.
They particularly loved to make their lairs in large caverns or cave systems that reached deep underground and received geothermal activity. These places were warm with the heat of their bodies and smelled of smoke and sulfur. Despite this, almost all red dragons required a high perch somewhere close by from which they could look over their domain—the higher the better, as they believed that their domain encompassed all that they could see. They were just as likely to be found up here as they were in their lairs. Otherwise, for security, they preferred to sleep and store their treasure deep underground, below masses of stone. Hence, noted dragon-slayer Smerdiuk Dragonbane mistakenly reported in The Compleat Dragon-Hunter that their lairs were often at the highest point in the region, as it gave them a sense of power and the ability to watch approaches.
Red dragons that dwelled within dungeons or the like would make their lairs in heated or fire-filled locations. In lieu of a high place with a panoramic view of the area, they keep watch in large open spaces or down long corridors, wherever they could get a wide view.
As it was rare for a natural cave system to have all the features a red dragon desired, they would claim spaces already excavated or constructed by others where possible, or else enslave other creatures to build or modify them. Hence, they would seize such places as dwarf holds and drow access tunnels. Furthermore, a red dragon ordered its minions to attend them as servants, keep the lair clean, keep watch for trespassers, and build monuments to it and place these around its lair. These praised the dragon's power and told of its life, deeds, and victories.
While within its volcanic lair, to defend itself and its hoard, a legendary red dragon could cause earth tremors, clouds of toxic gases, and geysers of magma or even clouds of noxious smoke or areas of intense heat. The lair of a legendary red dragon could alter the land around it, causing minor earthquakes up to 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) away, heating and tainting water sources within 1 mile (1.6 kilometers), and even opening portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire within rocky fissures, through which beings of elemental fire could cross over. They could also cause droughts and desertification up to 6 miles (9,700 meters) away or cause all open flames in that range to turn dark red and to constantly hiss, crackle, and spark in any circumstance. Alternatively, the dragon might use any open flame up to 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) away to listen through to a range of 30 feet (9.1 meters). (Such effects faded within a tenday if the dragon was slain.) For more conventional defenses, many reds enjoyed a well-camouflaged pit trap that would summon a fiendish megaraptor in with the victim.

Lands

As they made their lairs in high hills and mountainous regions, red dragons seemed particularly populous throughout the peaks of northwestern and northern Faerûn, especially those surrounding the great desert of Anauroch. They were rumored to be particularly numerous around the snow-capped mountains of the Spine of the World. In the mid–14 century DR, they'd also been sighted further east, over the Glacier of the White Worm and Ironfang Keep in the Earthspur Mountains.
Most likely, red dragons lived in more southerly parts of Faerûn too, but their habit of boasting of their hoards helped dragon hunters locate those who made their lairs close to civilization. Nevertheless, a couple of red dragons have been spotted over the Sunset Mountains in the Western Heartlands, the foothills of the Orsraun Mountains of Turmish, and even Tethyr.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Diet

They were carnivorous by choice, with a particular taste for young humans and elves, especially young women, an appetite for which they were notorious. They insisted that it just tasted better. It was not unknown for a red dragon to intimidate or charm the people of a local village into periodically sacrificing their young folk to them or else to kidnap young humanoids for later consumption. Otherwise, they made do with other humanoids, animals, and other dragons, again with a predilection for younger, tender flesh. Some dined on herds of domesticated livestock, appreciating the convenience, but preferred humanoids do the actual work. In any case, they preferred meat charred by flame, both liking the taste and finding it easier to digest.
Despite this, similar to most other dragons, red dragons could consume and live on just about anything, including vegetation and minerals. They just didn't want to, more than any other carnivorous dragon, so much so that a few would rather starve almost to death than eat anything other than meat. Strangely, red dragons were shy about discussing their dietary practices—the best way to find out was to ask them, at which they would threaten to eat the questioner.
Red dragons, as with some other dragon breeds, were unable to chew their food. Hence, to aid digestion, they swallowed small stones, pieces of metal, and even coins, which went into a small second stomach like a bird's gizzard. These stomach stones ground down their food and were eventually expelled in waste.
Red dragons were careful to bury their dung safely outside their lairs. It held small pieces of metal and stone and significant quantities of sulfur and potassium nitrate—two ingredients of blackpowder. Such sites were revealed by the sharp smell, but sparks, flame, or a red dragon's fire breath could cause them to explode unexpectedly. Canny red dragons used their waste pits as traps for attackers, by persuading them to dig there or breathing flame when they were in range.
They drunk alcohol where they could get it, but this did not cause inebriation, no matter the amount. They drank only small quantities of water as needed, for flesh contained enough moisture to meet their dietary needs.
Themberchaud, a red dragon fattened on the slaves of Gracklstugh.
Owing to their magical metabolism, red dragons could go long periods without food, such as when sleeping, but they woke up ravenously hungry. It was reputed they could eat up to twice their body weight. Indeed, for example, a young red of body length 40 feet (12 meters) and weight 5,000 pounds (2,300 kilograms) would ideally consume 10% of its own body weight, 500 pounds (230 kilograms), each day. This could be accounted for by three knights or one good-sized ogre. However, as with most dragons, they could fast for months at a time, then gorge themselves into a state of lethargy once more, catching up on what they'd missed. Continuing the example, after 20 days, the young red might feast on twenty times its daily amount of food, 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms), which could be supplied by a whole adventuring company, equipment included. But they typically ate much more than they required.
During their active periods, they were known as voracious hunters, whose hunger ensured that the populations of any nearby creatures did not grow beyond ecological stability. Fortunately, like other dragons, they were wise enough to hunt much further afield than their own territories and went into long periods hibernation to allow populations to recover. This was not done out of concern for the ecology, but enlightened self-interest, to save themselves starving.

Behaviour

Personality

“To have is nothing, to keep is all.”

— A red dragon saying

Out of all dragon kind, reds were the most avaricious and were constantly looking to expand their hoards with treasure, no matter whose it already was, and they were the most obsessive collectors. They valued material wealth more than anything else—if it was worth something, they wanted it. They adored gold more than any other precious metal, loving its look and sound, and gathered gold pieces and treasures to make up much of their hoard. They also collected gems of red and fiery hues, like rubies and fire opals. They did prefer things made of metal or stone that would withstand the heat of their lairs and flame and last through the ages; flammable goods of cloth, leather, or paper were less desirable. Females had a greater preference for treasures with reflective surfaces and they generally had little interest in art. Other than that, they were so greedy they generally didn't care what they collected, and while individual red dragons could have certain preferences, there were no common trends across the species. They accumulated amazing hoards and showed them off in pride as a show of their own superiority, with a particular love for anything taken from a slain rival. Treasure placement, however, was practical and tactical: coins comprised its bed, gems and shiny things were placed in very visible locations but they didn't surround themselves with mirrored surfaces, and humanoid-usable things like armors were stored well back, so as to lure thieves deeper in. Valued trophies were stored and displayed and gloated over separately. Massive stones could be used to seal particular treasures in hollows. They knew the value, origin, and precise location of every piece of treasure in their hoards, and remembered well how and when they'd claimed it. Losing even one coin or tiny trinket could cause a red dragon to fly into a rage and hunt down and mercilessly destroy the supposed thief. If they could not, then they would rampage across the land, slaughtering all they encountered and devastating local settlements where a thief might hide they could calm down.
Red dragons were known for their swift and fiery tempers—if angered, they would explode into a destructive rage and become even more impulsive and vengeful. They never forgave even the most minor offense, theft, or infraction, and would kill the offender or, if they were unavailable, instead raise havoc to inflict their outrage on everyone else. They would kill even on a whim. Such rages were in part due to their fragile pride and feeling that any loss, insult, or defeat meant a loss of status if not addressed—causing chaos and destruction assuaged wounded pride and mitigated lost status. Their rage could only be quelled with blood and death or great tributes of riches.

“How can one imagine anything more magnificent than... a dragon, the paragon of creation?”

— Bheilorveilthion, a red wyrm of another world

They were incredibly vain, even by dragon standards, and were supremely arrogant. They thought themselves chosen by Tiamat herself to reign in her stead, with all the world their dominion and all the beings in it their subjects, while all other breeds of dragon were inferior. Red dragons believed they were the pinnacle of draconic nature and all other dragon species had departed from this purity. They valued vengefulness, rapaciousness, avarice, and ferocity above other traits and recognized these traits in themselves with pride. Thus, maintaining their status among their fellow red dragons was their main focus.
Preferring their own company and engaging with others only when it had purpose, they were solitary creatures and cared little for news of other types of dragons, though they did look for news of other red dragons in their area and of affairs in the world in general. They used other charmed creatures as messengers, informants, and spies to bring them information, paying particular interest in the deeds of fellow red dragons, with whom they always competed for status. If they believed their own achievements and possessions to be greater than these other red dragons, then they stayed in their lairs, smugly congratulating themselves. However, if they learned that the achievements or possessions of the other red dragons were greater than their own, then they would fly into a jealous rage, decimating the surrounding area until they believed that they had outdone their rivals. The dragon became much less cautious and foolish during this time and much more likely to underestimate their foes.
In turn, a red dragon would take efforts to ensure that they were seen as superior to every other red dragon in the area. They would often burn down only half a village or let a single adventurer flee from a battle so that word of their power spread throughout the region. They would also boast about their magnificent hoards. However, not only would this anger other red dragons and attract rivals looking to gain status but it was also like a shining beacon to adventurers, dragon slayers, and treasure hunters.
Red dragons believed that if a being was not strong enough to protect what it had, then it did not deserve to keep it. This applied not just to treasure, but to life. They despised weakness among their own kind. If one ever found out that another of their kin showed any signs of fragility, either by getting badly wounded or becoming senile or weak in old age, then local red dragons would descend on the lair, stripping it clean and usually killing the owner.
Reds were also highly territorial. They were constantly on the lookout for intruders in their territory, and especially other dragons encroaching on it, which was cause for death. Entering an area a red considered its domain was just asking to be attacked, especially if it was a rival dragon. If the trespasser was another red dragon, then conflict was inevitable and the fighting the most vicious, as neither would dare show weakness to the other as a point of pride. Thankfully, most other species were smart enough to flee if they realized the area belonged to a red dragon. Rarely, red dragons would adopt a protective yet patronizing manner towards creatures they saw as inferior that lived within their self-imposed borders. A few liked to set themselves up as rulers of communities within their territory, enjoying the feeling of power, but they reigned as tyrants, demanding obedience and using threats to gain it, and killing or destroying those that did not comply. In their view, humanoids were a renewable resource. Communities in or around a red dragon's territory could appease it with tributes and sacrifices. Some even required worship, but others preferred more covert means of control, wherein they were the secret puppet-masters pulling the strings in a network.
Red dragons hated any authority other than their own. They never asked elders for advice or information, even if doing so would save their lives as, to them, admitting they needed something their elders had was the same as putting themselves under their authority.
Red dragons had a habit of playing with their food. For example, some would enjoy talking to their victims before they ate them. They also disliked getting wet. In fact, in many ways, they were most like housecats.
A female red dragon was, if anything, even more willing to fight, particularly other female red dragons, with food and treasure as secondary priorities. They were less likely to surrender or yield if defeated. They were also more intolerant of other creatures and more territorial, and while a male might accept a bribe to let a victim escape, a female red would decline, eat the victim, and take the bribe. However, she could be impressed by flattery.
It was of course possible for a red dragon to not conform to the above evil habits. For example, a young red might find itself sickened by the cruelty its older kin inflicted on innocents and, after some contemplation, depart for a remote area where it could make a life on its own terms (becoming chaotic neutral) or even try to stop or undo them somehow (moving toward neutral or even lawful and good). These rogue red dragons were rare, and were liable to be attacked by their fellows, though no more so than normal.

Combat

“Battle is a dragon's natural element; it is made for combat. It has teeth like spears, claws like scimitars, wings like hammers, and a tail like a battering ram. Lesser beings cower in its presence, and its breath fells armies.”

— Munwithurix, a red dragon of another world

Highly confident combatants, a red dragon would, on sighting a potential foe, decide in an instant whether to attack. They rarely stopped to size up a foe or make a plan, instead relying on a general strategy they'd figured out earlier, often over years and covering every imaginable situation, and picking it on the fly. Usually, though, they just flew into their foes and blasted them with fire, then used their claws on whoever was left. If attacking small, lone, and vulnerable creatures, they preferred to land and slay them with claw and fang, rather than use their flame and risk destroying whatever valuables they might have, but not if it meant defeat or death. Against large groups, they would use spells and fire breath before landing. Like any dragon, they could fight with their claws, teeth, wings, tail, and just sheer weight. They loved this chance to show off their strength, but weren't shy to use their fire breath either.
Though they fought just as well in the air as on the ground, a red dragon was not agile in flight, so they usually elected to land and fight on the ground when appropriate, where they showed remarkable mobility and grasp of tactics. They would jump from point to point or fly short distances to seize an advantageous location from which to cast their magic or breathe fire.
They were not above trickery, either. For example, a red dragon might use polymorph self to disguise itself as a fire giant and demand tribute from travelers in a mountain pass it claimed. Charmed beings and minions could be ordered to support the story. Those who tried to fight the so-called giant would be surprised by a dragon. In turn, a red dragon could be tricked or baited into a trap by exploiting its love of gold.
Despite its ferociousness and unwillingness to retreat or compromise, a red dragon was not mindless nor suicidally reckless. It had enough of a sense of self-preservation to know when not to attack or to break off combat against a superior opponent, albeit reluctantly and if it could retain its pride and status in doing so; retreating hurt their pride most of all. Nevertheless, after first blood had been drawn, they were much less likely to retreat, even if it was an option. Their overwhelming pride led more red dragons to fight to the death than any other chromatic dragons. In particular, the fearless and bloodthirsty red wyrmlings lacked the sense to flee and had no clever tactics to back them up, so they usually fight and win or die trying. However, they valued their sight over other senses, and a blinded red dragon was most likely to retreat or, if trapped, try to bargain or beg for its life, but not without lashing out at every sound and smell.
A red dragon would not always kill a defeated enemy. They would regularly let some survivors escape to tell of its victory and thereby bolster its status. With an obviously weaker opponent, they might intimidate or trick them into providing information or performing some deed. The only requirement was that the red dragon got what it wanted, and if not, the enemy should die.
On a larger scale, despite their selfishness, red dragons would agree to ally and cooperate against difficult targets, such as attacking a large town or a well-defended citadel, and adopt appropriate tactics. For a town, this might just be landing and rampaging through the streets, and for a citadel, this might be something more nuanced, with one starting fires and another picking off defenders with magic and breath.
Between red dragons, there was rarely a duel or challenge. Rather, the younger would usually just swoop in and ambush the elder.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Society

Activities

Like all chromatic dragons, reds lived their lives in cycles of activity and hibernation. While these cyclical rhythms weren't as extreme as green dragons, red dragons sealed themselves within their lairs for upwards of ten years at a time.
Their red scales gave them little camouflage or chance of them being overlooked. Young red dragons, especially wyrmlings, were easy prey for predators and hunters because of their bright, glossy, scarlet scales, so they tended to stay underground during the day and came out only at night until they felt that they could defend themselves properly. Otherwise, they gave little thought to caution or self-preservation and targeted anything they thought they could eat. Hence, they had difficult, dangerous lives. However, when they were older and not as brightly hued, and especially bigger and more powerful, they were much more confident. They preferred to be conspicuous, and had no wish to hide from lesser beings.
They spent their spare time concocting tactics for use in future battles, developing a wide variety of them. They were master strategists as a result. They also made schemes to achieve greater power, acquire more treasure, and defeat enemies.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Usage

It was said the flesh of red dragons tasted extremely spicy. To be properly prepared, it had to be exposed to open air for at least two days and aged for some time. Anyone who ate red dragon meat that was not treated in this manner was susceptible to horrible cramps and extreme pain. Even if properly prepared, the diner would suffer for it the next day. Reputedly, a historical lord of Mulmaster would eat only the brains of red dragons. Smerdiuk Dragonbane enjoyed red dragon meat, but declared anything else an acquired taste at best. Recipes and techniques were documented in The Fine Art of Cooking and Seasoning Red Dragon. One dish was dragonblood soup, which included the blood, heart, and possibly flesh of a red dragon and was a work of foodomancy.
As with other dragons, a suit of armor crafted from red dragonhide would of course be resistant to flame, protecting itself but not necessarily the wearer. Only proper dragoncraft armor, a shield, or mantle would also confer some of its resistance on the wearer.
The blood of a red dragon was naturally a boon to any spell of fire magic, whether in a potion or ink or used as a material component. For example, three drops of red dragon blood were a potential ingredient in the ink used to inscribe a burning hands spell into a spellbook, according to a recipe in Book of the Silver Talon; it made a fiery beam with greater range and usefulness.
The age of the Dragon will determine it's powerset, abilities, etc. Wyrmling, Young Dragon, Adult Dragon, Ancient Dragon, Greatwyrm - This also means it determines the harvesting.

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Harvesting

Instructions

Instructions: ecause this creature is an Dragon, the player should roll a Nature Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.

Type: Dragon
Skill: Nature
The parts available vary based on age.
Most Crafting Items have an acronym associated with it, such as "DMG". These acronyms refer to specific guide Books. For example, "DMG" refers to the "Dungeon Master's Guide". The acronyms for HHH and HHH2 refer to Hamund's Harvesting Handbook, a homebrew harvesting guide that offers a variety of homebrew (not official) magic items.
[quote] This kind of creature does not normally carry treasure in dragon form, but may possess many coins. This kind of creature will have a sizeable hoards somewhere.
This creature produce Harvested Meat, weight total of 4 lb. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 2 sp each
It also will have a higher quality of meat as well.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Abilities

Red dragons expelled an extremely devastating cone of fire. For an adult, this blast could be from 9 feet (2.7 meters) up to 50 feet (15 meters) or 60 feet (18 meters) in length and breadth, or even as long as 90 feet (27 meters) and 30 feet (9.1 meters). Its raw elemental fire could burn flesh and heat metal and, for ancient red dragons, could even overwhelm magical protections against fire.
They were naturally resistant or even completely immune to fire, but vulnerable to cold.
Like any dragon, and in addition to the common powers of chromatic dragons, red dragons gained an array of magical powers as they aged, though accounts of these varied. In one version, a young red dragon could affect normal fires thrice a day, a juvenile could use pyrotechnics thrice a day, an adult could heat metal once a day, an old red dragon could make a suggestion once each day, a very old one could use hypnotism once a day, and a venerable red could detect gems, kind and number three times a day up to a range of 100 feet (30 meters). In a later accounting, a juvenile could cast locate object once a day or more often as they got older, while an old red dragon could use suggestion, an ancient one could use find the path, and a great wyrm could discern location. They did not possess innate psionics.
Similarly, red dragons could learn and cast new spells of their own, similar to a sorcerer. They naturally favored fire-based spells as well as spells of detection and divination to help them analyze magic and appraise valuables.
They were skilled in appraisal, deception, and jumping, because, although they flew quickly, they were not very maneuverable. They could accurately estimate the value of any treasure or trinket, down to the last copper piece. They also had good hearing.
With its keen senses, a red dragon could track its prey like a ranger. This was especially effective if it had tasted a creature's blood beforehand and it was still wounded.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Language

Red dragons spoke Draconic with their own distinct accent, and also spoke both their own language and a language common to all chromatic dragons. They would also speak Common.
Moreover, soon after hatching, more than one in six wyrmlings could communicate with any sentient being, and the others gained this power as they aged, with over two-fifths possessing it by the time they were adults and almost three-quarters when great wyrms.

History

“Where the drops fell, the Powers of the World and the Powers of the Crystal Sun came together, and the Spawn of Asgorath came forth upon the face of the World. Red, they were, red that would later depart from its purity. But here before the beginning of Time, their red was the pure red of the shattered Crystal Sun.”

— Creation of the red dragons in the Book of the World

As told in the Book of the World, there was a draconic creation myth that told how, at the dawn of time, the great dragon god Asgorath died in the shattering of the Crystal Sun and where the drops of her red blood fell on the World, there emerged the Spawn of Asgorath. In mourning, these Spawn circled Asgorath and poured their breaths on the god to bring the god back to life, while one, the Renegade, shed their own blood on the World to create the metallic dragons. According to Dunkelzahn of Candlekeep in The Origin Myths – A Treatise, the Spawn of Asgorath almost certainly represented red dragons and this religion, doubtless created by red dragons themselves, upheld their supremacy among dragonkind and their views on purity, while the Renegade was likely Bahamut.
Circa 1357 DR, rumors spread in Mirabar that there was a great many red dragons living in the Spine of the World mountains, and that they were plotting a coordinated assault upon the lands to the south. While many sages dismissed this, stating red dragons were too greedy and selfish to work together like this, recent dragon attacks on Phlan and the Citadel of the Raven in the Moonsea were good evidence otherwise.

Historical Figures

Notable Red Dragons

Almandine

, this dragon attacked the Mighty Menagerie and the Elder of the Dawngreets.

Arsekaslyx

, Guardian of the Well, a pseudonatural protector of the Well of Dragons.

Ashardalon

, an ancient and fiendish red dragon who spanned the multiverse.

Balagos

, also known as "Dragonsbane" and "The Flying Flame", who laired in the Starspire Mountains.

Dran Draggore

, the high priest of the Darkmoon temple.

Ephelomon

, the red dragon consort of the Lich Queen Vlaakith CLVII who gifted the githyanki the scepter that symbolized the pact between the two races.

Firkraag of the Windspear Hills in Amn

, who used polymorph to regularly pose as "Lord Jierdan Firkraag".

Flashburn

, a venerable red of the High Moor worshiped as a goddess by local orcs.

Fyrentennimar

, also known as "Old Fyren", who laired in the Snowflake Mountains of Erlkazar and aided Cadderly Bonaduce in destroyed Castle Trinity.

Hoondarrh

, also known as "The Red Rage of Mintarn".

Imvaernarhro

, also known as "Inferno", an ancient wyrm of the Star Mounts.

Klauth

, also known as "Old Snarl", a great wyrm of the Spine of the World.

Lux

, a rogue red dragon that had a crisis of conscience during the 12 century DR.

Mistinarperadnacles Hai Draco

, also known as "Mist". She was the ancient red dragon who destroyed the avatar of Moander in 1357 DR.

Narlgathra

, who attacked Tangled Trees during the Rage of Dragons.

Palasiraks

, daughter of Pelendralaar, a dracolich ally of Kya Mordrayn and the Cult of the Dragon circa 1369 DR.

Tchazzar

, the "Father of Chessenta", was revered as a deity among his people well into the 15 century.

Themberchaud

, also known as "The Wyrmsmith of Gracklstugh".

Thraxata the Flamefiend

Velcuthimmorhar

, also known as "Hephaestus", who dwelt in the mountains west of Mirabar

Common Myths and Legends

Religion

Many red dragons were known to worship the deities Bane, Garyx (especially in his destroyer aspect), Loviatar, Malar, and Task. They were also the dragons most likely to venerate Asmodeus, owing to their tyrannical impulses. Strangely, a few on other worlds even worshiped Corellon as a god of magic. Red dragons naturally that the dragon creator god Asgorath the World Shaper was of chaotic evil nature like them.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Relationships

Red dragons hated silver dragons with a passion as their familiarity with the element of cold and other natural powers often made red dragons appear weak in battle with them, which they naturally resented. They also occasionally conflicted over territory, with the red's high perch often crossing into a silver's domain. Fights between them were often vicious and lethal, but silvers worked together and even enlisted human allies, so they generally got the advantage over the reds.
Similarly, red dragons who delved deep underground for their lairs would sometimes run into the deep dragons, also known as purple dragons, who dwelled in the Underdark.
As copper dragons regularly dwelled in hills that would be within view of a red dragon's perch, they commonly came into conflict, though the smaller copper dragons rarely won out against the more powerful red dragons in open battle. The coppers normally fled until they could find a way of improving their chances, like luring them into narrow winding canyons and caves where they could climb walls and outmaneuver a red dragon. Of course, coppers viewed reds as challenges to be irritated and embarrassed as much as possible without getting killed.
Above all, though, red dragons hated gold dragons, because they were so similar to them, yet their natural moral differences were extreme, and because golds were, in a red dragon's view, "nearly" as powerful as reds. However, while red dragons might loudly proclaim that they would fight and defeat any gold dragon they came across, they often found an excuse not to fight when that time eventually came. Despite the reds' overwhelming arrogance and confidence, they weren't stupid and understood—even if they'd never admit it even to themselves nor hear it from anyone—that an equivalent gold was more powerful and victory was far from certain in any battle between them. Nevertheless, out of pride and unwillingness to back down, reds sometimes attacked wandering golds even when clearly outclassed.
White dragons, meanwhile, were seen as unworthy of even a red dragon's rivalry, and whites sensibly stayed out of the more powerful reds' paths. Occasionally, they came into conflict, but a red dragon was often happy to let a white dragon neighbor live nearby, provided they stayed out of the way and out of sight.
If not as food, all lesser creatures were treated as nothing more than potential servants or tools for a red dragon to use, and only while they were useful and effective. A red dragon in need of minions would typically find some local chaotic evil humanoids and demand they pledge their service, and if they needed encouragement, killed off their leaders. Those who did survive and serve a red dragon must be constantly obsequious to it and were fearful of displeasing their master or even delivering bad news lest they be roasted and devoured. While some served willingly, others would flee given the chance. The red dragon displayed a patronizing manner to these minions, who served it as agents, spies, and emissaries.
A small contingent of red dragons served high-ranking githyanki as mounts and companions, following a treaty established with Tiamat during the war between the gith and the mind flayers. These red dragons served the githyanki during their young age, being dismissed as soon as they reached adulthood and keeping the wealth accumulated over their years of service. These dragons resented their time of servitude, but were eager to participate in raids thanks to the promise of treasure and of growing in power. The dragons remained loyal to their riders as long as they were treated respectfully and were given ample opportunities to pillage. While not all red dragons elected allied with the githyanki like this, few counted them as enemies. Some of the descendants of these red dragons remained with the githyanki in the Astral Sea, becoming pact dragons.

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Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Dragon

Genetic Descendants

• Adult Dragon
• Young Dragon
• Young Red Dragon

Scientific Name

Animalia, Draconia, chromaticus, red draconis

Origin/Ancestry

Dragon (Chromatic Dragon | Red)

Lifespan

The oldest known red dragon lived to about 2,500 years

Conservation Status

Chromatic dragons are not protected, by most. Many may offer rewards for their death, but some places may respect the dragon out of fear of consequences.

Average Height

Varies based on age.

Average Weight

A healthy red measuring 40 feet (12 meters) in body length would weigh 5,000 pounds (2,300 kilograms).

Average Length

Hatchling: 1'-3' body and 3' tail. Adult: 12'-18' body and 17' tail. Biggest greatwyrms grew 35-36' with tails 26'-50'

Geographic Distribution

• Hill Terrain
• Kampos
• Mountain Terrain
• Subtropical Climate
• Subtropical Dry Climate
• Temperate Climate
• The Dark Rain Forest
• Tropical Climate
• Warm Climate

Related Ethnicities

• Dragon Creatures

5E Statistics
Red Dragon

(Draco conflagratio horribilis Flame dragon Fire wyrm Mountain dragon)

Size	Wyrmling Medium Young Dragon Large Adult Dragon Huge Ancient Dragon Gargantuan Greatwyrm Gargantuan
Type	Dragon
Alignment	Chaotic Evil
Challenge Rating	Wyrmling 4 Young Dragon 10 Adult Dragon 17 Ancient Dragon 24 Greatwyrm 27

General Information

Movement	Flying, climbing
Vision	Darkvision, low-light vision, blindsight
Diet	Carnivorous
Intelligence	Exceptional
Language(s)	Common, Draconic
Favored Climate	Subtropical, Subtropical Dry, Temperate, Warm
Favored Terrain	Hills, Mountains

Appearance

Skin color(s)	Red (scales)
Typical build	Dragon
Distinctions	Horns, fire breath

History

First appearance

Dungeons & Dragons Volume 2: Monsters & Treasure (1974)

Session Reports

• Session 19: The Party Goes Troll Hunting Report
• Session 33: Spider Forest of the Feywild Report
• Session 35: Lost Time Report

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See Also: Red_dragon on Forgotten Realms Wiki