Black Dragon

Evil-tempered, cunning, and malevolent creatures with crafty sinister faces. They lair in large, damp caves and multi chambered underground caverns.

Black dragon are sometimes known as skull dragons because of their skeletal faces. Adding to the skeletal impression is the gradual deterioration of the hide around the base of the horn and the cheekbones. This deterioration increases with age and does not harm the dragon. On hatching, a black dragon’s scales are thin, small, and glossy. As the dragon ages, they become larger, thicker, and duller, helping it camouflage itself in swamps and marshes.

Black dragons are especially fond of coins. Older dragons sometimes capture and question humanoids about stockpiles of gold, silver, and platinum coins before killing them.

Source(s)

3.5E Monster Manual I, 3E Monster Manual I, Monstrous Compendium Volume 1, 1E Monster Manual 1, Companion Boxed Set, Basic Boxed Set, Rules Cyclopedia, Tales of the Lance, Classic D&D Game, Monstrous Manual, Warcraft Manual of Monsters

Dragon (Water)
Environment: Warm marshes
Organization : Wyrmling, very young, young, juvenile, and young adult: solitary or clutch (2-5); adult, mature adult, old, very old, ancient, wyrm, or great wyrm: solitary, pair, or family (1-2 and 2-5 offspring)
Challenge Rating : Wyrmling 3; very young 4; young 5; juvenile 7; young adult 9; adult 11; mature adult 14; old 16; very old 18; ancient 19; wyrm 20; great wyrm 22
Treasure : Triple standard
Alignment : Always chaotic evil
Advancement : Wyrmling 5-6 HD; very young 8-9 HD; young 11-12 HD; juvenile 14-15 HD; young adult 17-18 HD; adult 20-21 HD; mature adult 23-24 HD; old 26-27 HD; very old 29-30 HD; ancient 32-33 HD; wyrm 35-36 HD; great wyrm 38+ HD
Level Adjustment : Wyrmling +3; very young +3; young +3; juvenile +4; others –

Black
Dragons by Age

Age

Size

Hit
Dice (hp)

Base Attack/Grapple

Attack

Fort
Save

Ref
Save

Will
Save

Breath
Weapon (DC)

Frightful
Presence DC

Wyrmling

4d12+4
(30)

+4/-4

2d4
(13)

–

Very
young

7d12+7
(52)

+7/+4

4d4
(14)

–

Young

10d12+20
(85)

+10/+12

+12

6d4
(17)

–

Juvenile

13d12+26
(110)

+13/+16

+16

+10

8d4
(18)

–

Young
adult

16d12+48
(152)

+16/+24

+19

+13

+10

+11

10d4
(21)

Adult

19d12+76
(199)

+19/+29

+24

+15

+11

+12

12d4
(23)

Mature
adult

22d12+110
(253)

+22/+38

+28

+18

+13

+15

14d4
(26)

Old

25d12+125
(287)

+25/+42

+32

+19

+14

+16

16d4
(27)

Very
old

28d12+168
(350)

+28/+46

+36

+22

+16

+19

18d4
(30)

Ancient

31d12+186
(387)

+31/+50

+40

+23

+17

+20

20d4
(31)

Wyrm

34d12+238
(459)

+34/+58

+42

+26

+19

+23

22d4
(34)

Great
wyrm

37d12+296
(536)

+37/+62

+46

+28

+20

+25

24d4
(36)

Black Dragon Abilities by Age
Age	Speed	Initiative	AC	Special Abilities	Caster Level	SR
Wyrmling	60 ft., Fly 100 ft. (average), Swim 60 ft.	+0	15 (+2 size,+3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15	Immunity to acid, water breathing	–	–
Very young	60 ft., Fly 100 ft. (average), Swim 60 ft.	+0	17 (+1 size,+6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17		–	–
Young	60 ft., Fly 150 ft. (poor), Swim 60 ft.	+0	19 (+9 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 19		–	–
Juvenile	60 ft., Fly 150 ft. (poor), Swim 60 ft.	+0	22 (+12 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 22	Darkness	–	–
Young adult	60 ft., Fly 150 ft. (poor), Swim 60 ft.	+0	24 (-1 size,+15 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 24	DR 5/magic	1st	17
Adult	60 ft., Fly 150 ft. (poor), Swim 60 ft.	+0	27 (-1 size,+18 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 27	Corrupt water	3rd	18
Mature adult	60 ft., Fly 150 ft. (poor), Swim 60 ft.	+0	29 (-2 size,+21 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 29	DR 10/magic	5th	21
Old	60 ft., Fly 150 ft. (poor), Swim 60 ft.	+0	32 (-2 size,+24 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 32	plant growth	7th	22
Very old	60 ft., Fly 150 ft. (poor), Swim 60 ft.	+0	35 (-2 size,+27 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 35	DR 15/magic	9th	23
Ancient	60 ft., Fly 150 ft. (poor), Swim 60 ft.	+0	38 (-2 size,+30 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 38	Insect Plague	11th	25
Wyrm	60 ft., Fly 200 ft. (clumsy), Swim 60 ft.	+0	39 (-4 size,+33 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 39	DR 20/magic	13th	26
Great wyrm	60 ft., Fly 200 ft. (clumsy), Swim 60 ft.	+0	42 (-4 size,+36 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 42	Charm reptiles	15th	28

Combat

Black dragons prefer to ambush their targets, using their surroundings as cover. When fighting in heavily forested swamps and marshes, they try to stay in the water or on the ground; trees and leafy canopies limit their aerial maneuverability. When outmatched, a black dragon attempts to Fly out of sight, so as not to leave tracks, and Hide in a deep pond or bog.

Breath Weapon (Su) : A black dragon has one type of breath weapon, a line of acid.

Water breathing (Ex): A black dragon can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use its breath weapon, spells, and other abilities while submerged.

Corrupt Water (Sp): Once per day an adult or older black dragon can stagnate 10 cubic feet of water, making it become still, foul, and unable to support animal life. The ability spoils liquids containing water. Magic items (such as potions) and items in a creature’s possession must succeed on a Will save (DC equal to that of the dragon’s frightful presence) or become fouled. This ability is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell. Its range is equal to that of the dragon’s frightful presence.

Charm Reptiles (Sp): A great wyrm black dragon can use this ability three times per day. It works as a mass charm spell that affects only reptilian animals. The dragon can communicate with any charmed reptiles as though casting a speak with animals spell. This ability is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell.

Other Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day-darkness (juvenile or older; radius 10 feet per age category), Insect Plague (ancient or older);

1/day-plant growth (old or older).

Skills : Hide, Move Silently, and Swim are considered class skills for black dragons.

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Black Dragon

Combat