Ash Dragon
Huge • Dragon • Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 18
Hit Points 150 (12d12 + 72)
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
Initiative +9 (19)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 (+6) | 17 (+3) | 23 (+6) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 17 (+3) |
Saving Throws Con +12, Dex +9
Skills Perception +15, Stealth +9
Damage Immunities fire
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 25
Languages Common, Draconic, Primordial (Ignan)
CR 17 (XP 18,000 or 20,000 in lair; PB +6)
Ashen Rebirth. When the dragon is reduced to 0 hit points, its body disintegrates to ash and falls to the ground. At the start of its next turn, Constitution Saving Throw: DC 10, the dragon. Failure: The dragon dies. Success: The dragon revives and gains 25 hit points. Additionally, the DC comulatively increases by 3 until the dragon finishes a long rest.
Fire Absorption. 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.
Gaseous Movement. The dragon doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks and can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without expending extra movement to do so. It can’t end its turn inside a space that isn’t large enough for its size.
Renewing Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, the DC for its Ashen Rebirth increases by 2.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks.
Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: +12, reach 10 ft. Hit: 11 (1d10 + 6) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons.
Ash Breath. The dragon exhales a cloud of scalding ash in a 60-foot cone. The area becomes heavily obscured for 1 minute or until a strong wind (such as one created by a gust of wind spell) disperses it. When a creature starts its turn inside the area, it takes 18 (4d8) fire damage. If that creature breathes, it also becomes poisoned until the end of its turn.
Heat Breath. The dragon exhales super-heated air in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes 31 (7d8) fire damage and gains one level of exhaustion. On a success, a target takes half as much damage and gains no exhaustion. A creature wearing medium or heavy armor makes the save with disadvantage.
REACTIONS
Thicken To Soot. Trigger: A creature the dragon can see within 120 feet of it moves through a cloud of ash. Response: The area becomes difficult terrain for the target this turn.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Create Ash Clouds. The dragon creates a heavily obscured 15-foot-radius sphere of swirling ash in a space it can see within 60 feet of it. The area lasts for 1 minute and behaves like the cloud created by the dragon’s Ash Breath.
Pounce. The dragon moves up to half its speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
Renew. The dragon regains 10 hit points and reduces the DC of its Ashen Rebirth by 2 (to a minimum of 10). The dragon can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Ash Dragon
Huge • Dragon • Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 17
Hit Points 115 (10d12 + 50)
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
Initiative +8 (18)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 (+5) | 16 (+3) | 21 (+5) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 17 (+3) |
Saving Throws Con +10, Dex +8
Skills Perception +13, Stealth +8
Damage Immunities fire
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 23
Languages Common, Draconic, Primordial (Ignan)
CR 14 (XP 11,500 or 13,000 in lair; PB +5)
Ashen Rebirth. When the dragon is reduced to 0 hit points, its body disintegrates to ash and falls to the ground. At the start of its next turn, Constitution Saving Throw: DC 10, the dragon. Failure: The dragon dies. Success: The dragon revives and gains 20 hit points. Additionally, the DC comulatively increases by 3 until the dragon finishes a long rest.
Fire Absorption. 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.
Gaseous Movement. The dragon doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks and can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without expending extra movement to do so. It can’t end its turn inside a space that isn’t large enough for its size.
Renewing Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, the DC for its Ashen Rebirth increases by 2.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks.
Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: +10, reach 10 ft. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.
Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons.
Ash Breath. The dragon exhales a cloud of scalding ash in a 60-foot cone. The area becomes heavily obscured for 1 minute or until a strong wind (such as one created by a gust of wind spell) disperses it. When a creature starts its turn inside the area, it takes 13 (3d8) fire damage. If that creature breathes, it also becomes poisoned until the end of its turn.
Heat Breath. The dragon exhales super-heated air in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes 21 (6d6) fire damage and gains one level of exhaustion. On a success, a target takes half as much damage and gains no exhaustion. A creature wearing medium or heavy armor makes the save with disadvantage.
REACTIONS
Thicken To Soot. Trigger: A creature the dragon can see within 60 feet of it moves through a cloud of ash. Response: The area becomes difficult terrain for the target this turn.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Create Ash Clouds. The dragon creates a heavily obscured 10-foot-radius sphere of swirling ash in a space it can see within 60 feet of it. The area lasts for 1 minute and behaves like the cloud created by the dragon’s Ash Breath.
Pounce. The dragon moves up to half its speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
Renew. The dragon regains 10 hit points and reduces the DC of its Ashen Rebirth by 2 (to a minimum of 10). The dragon can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Ash Dragon
Huge • Dragon • Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 19
Hit Points 189 (14d12 + 98)
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
Initiative +10 (20)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 (+7) | 18 (+4) | 25 (+7) | 16 (+3) | 17 (+3) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Con +13, Dex +10
Skills Perception +15, Stealth +10
Damage Immunities fire
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 25
Languages Common, Draconic, Primordial (Ignan)
CR 20 (XP 25,000 or 33,000 in lair; PB +6)
Ashen Rebirth. When the dragon is reduced to 0 hit points, its body disintegrates to ash and falls to the ground. At the start of its next turn, Constitution Saving Throw: DC 10, the dragon. Failure: The dragon dies. Success: The dragon revives and gains 30 hit points. Additionally, the DC comulatively increases by 3 until the dragon finishes a long rest.
Fire Absorption. 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.
Gaseous Movement. The dragon doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks and can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without expending extra movement to do so. It can’t end its turn inside a space that isn’t large enough for its size.
Renewing Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, the DC for its Ashen Rebirth increases by 2.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks.
Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: +13, reach 10 ft. Hit: 12 (1d10 + 7) slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage.
Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons.
Ash Breath. The dragon exhales a cloud of scalding ash in a 60-foot cone. The area becomes heavily obscured for 1 minute or until a strong wind (such as one created by a gust of wind spell) disperses it. When a creature starts its turn inside the area, it takes 22 (5d8) fire damage. If that creature breathes, it also becomes poisoned until the end of its turn.
Heat Breath. The dragon exhales super-heated air in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes 44 (8d10) fire damage and gains one level of exhaustion. On a success, a target takes half as much damage and gains no exhaustion. A creature wearing medium or heavy armor makes the save with disadvantage.
REACTIONS
Thicken To Soot. Trigger: A creature the dragon can see within 120 feet of it moves through a cloud of ash. Response: The area becomes difficult terrain for the target this turn.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Create Ash Clouds. The dragon creates a heavily obscured 20-foot-radius sphere of swirling ash in a space it can see within 60 feet of it. The area lasts for 1 minute and behaves like the cloud created by the dragon’s Ash Breath.
Pounce. The dragon moves up to half its speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
Renew. The dragon regains 10 hit points and reduces the DC of its Ashen Rebirth by 2 (to a minimum of 10). The dragon can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
QUICK REFERENCE
USING MONSTER VARIANTS
Monster variants allow the GM to adjust encounters to better match the party’s strength, narrative needs, or world-building logic. A weaker variant may represent a juvenile, wounded, or lesser specimen, while a stronger variant can serve as a leader, champion, ancient creature, or apex predator.
Variants can be used to fine-tune difficulty without changing the core identity of the monster, making them ideal for scaling encounters, reinforcing hierarchy within a faction, or creating memorable boss-style enemies. You can even use the same stat block but different variants in the same encounter if you want.
Design Note. Each monster is primarily balanced around its normal version. Weaker and stronger variants are derived adjustments and may not always preserve every tactical nuance or “feel” of the original creature. GMs are encouraged to review variants carefully and adjust abilities or tactics as needed to best suit their table.