Red Dragon

(From 5th Edition Monster Manual - 2014):

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 Servants. 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.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• Magma erupts from a point on the ground the dragon can see within 120 feet of it, creating a 20-foot-high, 5-foot-radius geyser. Each creature in the geyser’s area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 ((6d6)) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

• A tremor shakes the lair in a 60-foot radius around the dragon. Each creature other than the dragon on the ground in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.

• Volcanic gases form a cloud in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is lightly obscured. It lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round. Each creature that starts its turn in the cloud must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its turn. While poisoned in this way, a creature is incapacitated.

Regional Effects

The region containing a legendary red dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• Small earthquakes are common within 6 miles of the dragon’s lair.

• Water sources within 1 mile of the lair are supernaturally warm and tainted by sulfur.

• Rocky fissures within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair form portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby.

If the dragon dies, these effects fade over the course of (6d6) days.

(From Fizban's Treasury of Dragons - 2021):

Creating a Red Dragon

Use the Red Dragon Personality Traits and Red Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive red dragon characters, and use the Red Dragon Spellcasting table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon.

Red Dragon Personality Traits

d8 - Trait:

1 - The thrill of the hunt and of battle makes my blood burn and stokes the fire in my heart. A pity there are so few foes and so little prey worthy of me.

2 - The worship of smaller creatures pleases me, though their weakness is pathetic—how can they do other than adore me?

3 - Nothing is better than to sleep and dream upon my hoard with the warmth of a full belly. Let those who would disturb me beware!

4 - Ah, if these foolish creatures only knew they were but pawns in the games I play to amuse myself.

5 - I know that others seek to steal my treasures, my beautiful baubles, won through strength and cunning. But they are mine. Mine!

6 - All that I survey, I could easily destroy. From time to time, it is important to remind these small creatures of the true extent of my power.

7 - Although my power and life span are vast, they have merely whetted my appetite for immortality.

8 - Heroes need foes to test them. Not all teachers can afford to be kind, and some lessons must be harsh.

Red Dragon Ideals

d6 - Ideal:

1 - Cruelty. Pain and fear are the most powerful tools. With them, any creature’s will can be broken. (Evil)

2 - Might. Only the strongest survive and prosper, so I must be the strongest of all. (Any)

3 - Greed. If I desire a thing, then it must be mine and mine alone. (Evil)

4 - Respect. All that I have achieved must be acknowledged and treated with the utmost respect. (Any)

5 - No Limits. I do whatever I please, whenever it pleases me to do so. (Chaotic)

6 - Responsibility. Fire destroys, but it can also temper when it is applied carefully—if the material tested is strong enough. (Lawful)

Red Dragon Spellcasting

Age        Spell Save DC        Spells Known

Ancient          21                 bane, dominate person, heat metal, hypnotic pattern, power word stun, suggestion

(From 2nd Edition AD&D Monstrous Manual - 1991):

Red dragons are the most covetous and greedy of all dragons, forever seeking to increase their treasure hoards. They are obsessed with their wealth and memorize an inventory accurate to the last copper. They are exceptionally vain and self confident, considering themselves superior not only to other dragons, but to all other life in general.

When red dragons hatch, their small scales are a bright glossy scarlet. Because of this, they can be quickly spotted by predators and men hunting for skins, so they are hidden in deep underground lairs and not permitted to venture outside until toward the end of their young stage when their scales become turned a deeper red, the glossy texture has been replaced by a smooth, dull finish, and they are more able to take care of themselves. As the dragon continues to age, the scales become large thick, and as strong as metal.

Red dragons speak their own tongue, a tongue common to all evil dragons, and 16% of hatchling red dragons have an ability to communicate with any intelligent creature. The chance to possess this ability increases 5% per age category of the dragon.

Combat: Because red dragons are so confident, they never pause to appraise an adversary. When they notice a target they make a snap decision whether to attack, using one of many “perfect” strategies worked out ahead of time in the solitude of their lairs. If the creature appears small and insignificant, such as an unarmored man, the dragon will land to attack with its claws and bite, not wanting to obliterate the creature with its breath weapon, as any treasure might be consumed by the flames. However, if a red dragon encounters a group of armored men, it will use its breath weapon, special abilities, and spells (if it is old enough to have them) before landing.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A red dragon’s breath weapon is a searing cone of fire 90’ long, 5’ wide at the dragon’s mouth and 30’ at the base. Creatures struck by the flames must save versus breath weapon for half damage. Red dragons cast spells at 9th level, adjusted by their combat modifiers.

Red dragons are born immune to fire. As they age, they gain the following additional powers:

Young: affect normal fires three times per day. Juvenile: pyrotechnics three times per day. Adult: heat metal once per day. Old: suggestion once per day. Very old: hypnotism once per day. Venerable: detect gems, kind and number in a 100’ radius three times a day.

Habitat/Society: Red dragons can be found on great hills or on soaring mountains. From a high perch they haughtily survey their territory, which they consider to be everything that can be seen from their position. They prefer to lair in large caves that extend deep into the earth.

A red dragon enjoys its own company, not associating with other creatures, or even other red dragons, unless the dragon’s aims can be furthered. For example, some red dragons who have charm spells will order men to act as the dragon’s eyes and ears, gathering information about nearby settlements and sources of treasure. When a red dragon’s offspring reach the young adult stage, they are ordered form the lair and the surrounding territory, as they are viewed as competition.

Red dragons are quick to fight all creatures which encroach on their territory, especially copper and silver dragons which sometimes share the same environment. The hate gold dragons above all else because they believe gold dragons are “nearly” as powerful as themselves.

Ecology: Red dragons are meat eaters, although they are capable of digesting almost anything. Their favorite food is a maiden of any human or demi-human race. Sometimes the dragons are able to charm key villagers into regularly sacrificing maidens to them.