Black Dragons

Black dragons are far and away the most vile tempered and cruel of all chromatic dragons. They smell like rotting vegetation and foul water, with an acidic overtone.

Basic Information

Anatomy

A black dragon flying overhead is marked by a distinctive profile. Its horns, with their characteristic forward curve, are clearly visible. The wing membranes are marked with blobby stripes, and the leading edges of the wings are fringed or scalloped near the tips. A black dragon also has exceptionally long alar thumbs. The trailing edges of the wing membranes join the body ahead of the back legs.
A typical black dragon’s outer layer of scales feels rough and leathery, like that of an alligator.

Genetics and Reproduction

Female dragons take the lead when it comes to breeding, choosing their mate largely based on the size of the hoard of prospective males, flying far and wide to locate a desirable male. Because of this, male black dragons will often brag about their accumulated wealth to communicative creatures or others of their own kind, in the hopes that rumors of their hoard will spread to any females in the area that were looking to mate. When two or more females select the same male as their partner, they will fight for dominance high in the air above the lair of the male, allowing him to gaze upon his future mate's victory in admiration.
The female gestates her eggs for 120 days. After laying, the 1 foot long eggs must be immersed in acid strong enough to deal at least 1d4 points of damage per round, or sunk in a swamp, bog, or marsh for 480 days before hatching.
Pre-Curse, eggs were usually laid near the male’s lair, and the male was left to guard the young. The Curse has forced many black dragon males to move to the Throne of Wings, although some females have also taken to mating with males anywhere and then traveling alone to the Throne of Wings.
Black dragons are not noted as good parents, relying more upon disguise and hiding to protect their eggs than upon guarding them personally. Black dragons will only protect their young so long as that responsibility doesn't threaten their own life. If they have to choose between saving their own life or those of their clutch or spawn, they would most certainly choose the former; though they would assuredly seek revenge afterwards. Black dragon parents are protective if they are present, but give their offspring little support beyond the occasional bit of advice. Eventually, the parent advises its offspring to leave the area before the older dragon decides to eat the youngster.

Growth Rate & Stages

Their wyrmlings are noted for their exceptional cruelty and their utterly insatiable appetites. They eat almost anything organic they can kill, even plants.
They are considered wyrmlings for the first five years, and reach adulthood at 50. They are considered ancient at 200 years.
On hatching, a black dragon’s scales are thin, small, and glossy. As the dragon ages, they become larger, thicker, duller and lighter, helping it camouflage itself in swamps and marshes. The most ancient black dragons appear almost purple in color.

Ecology and Habitats

Black dragons live in swamps, jungles and fetid marshlands, the more stagnant and fetid the better, but can be encountered anywhere water and dense vegetation are found together—including jungles, rain forests, and moors. They are cunning creatures who live to inspire fear and rule by intimidation. The black, glossy scales of black dragons add to their camouflage within swamp lands. They prefer to ambush their targets, using darkness or water as their cover.
They often make their lairs in damp or submerged caves or multichambered underground caverns near swamps or murky ponds. They always dwell near water, and their lairs usually have a submerged entrance and a land entrance. Older black dragons hide both entrances to their lairs with plant growth. Black dragons dwelling in dungeons prefer dark, watery locations.
Although excellent swimmers and capable of breathing underwater, black dragons do little actual swimming; instead, they wallow in the shallows, enjoying the feel of the mud or simply lying in wait for prey. 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 takes refuge in the deepest water it can find.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Black dragons dine primarily on fish, mollusks, and other aquatic creatures. They also hunt for red meat but like to “pickle” it by letting it lie in ponds within or near their lairs for days before being eaten. The rotting flesh helps make the area even more foul—just the way the dragon likes it.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Solitary and extremely territorial in their nature, black dragons seldom form clans, opting to do so only when they lived in the most hazardous of environments or when faced with a danger that could wipe out large swaths of their population. The Curse is one such danger, and there is a black dragon clan in the Throne of Wings known as the Black Dragon Breeding Collective focused on managing this problem.

Facial characteristics

A black dragon has deep-socketed eyes and broad nasal openings that make its face look like a skull. It has segmented horns that curve forward and down, somewhat like a ram’s horns, but not as curly. These horns are bone-colored near their bases, but darken to dead black at the tips. As the dragon ages, the flesh around the horns and cheekbones deteriorates, as though eaten by acid, leaving only thin layers of hide covering the skull. This phenomenon is not harmful to the dragon, but enhances its skeletal appearance. Most of a black dragon’s teeth protrude when the mouth is closed, and big spikes stud the lower jaw. A pair of small horns jut from the chin, and a row of hornlets crown the head. A large frill adorns the upper part of the neck. The tongue is flat, with a forked tip, and the dragon often drools acidic slime.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

They were solitary creatures that lived in the Dragon Swamps even before the Curse.

Civilization and Culture

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Black dragons are generally antipathetic towards other chromatic and silver dragons, but are outright hateful of most metallic dragons.
They have no natural enemies, though they attack and kill almost anything unfortunate enough to stumble upon them. Black dragons living in forest areas often encounter green dragons, but the two species usually manage to maintain an uneasy truce, so long as the black dragons stick to the watery areas.
Black dragons are especially fond of coins. Older and craftier dragons sometimes capture and question humanoids about stockpiles of gold, silver, and platinum coins before killing them. Others move out into nearby rivers or lakes, where they menace boat traffic and demand that passing vessels pay tribute.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Black_dragon

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Chromatic Dragons

Genetic Descendants

• Copper Dragons
• Emerald Dragons

Lifespan

2,200 or more years.

Average Height

7 feet tall

Average Weight

2,500 pounds

Average Length

31 feet long, with a 9 foot long body, 9 foot long neck, and a 13 foot long tail.

Average Physique

Black dragons appear abnormally slender in comparison to other chromatic dragons—wiry, but not gaunt. They have a 5 foot body width, with a maximum wingspan of 36 feet and the ability to fly within a space of 18 feet.

Adult Black Dragon

Large dragon, chaotic evil

Armor Class 19 (Natural Amor)

Hit Points (17d10+85)

Speed 40ft Fly: 80ft Swim: 40ft

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STR

23 +6

DEX

14 +2

CON

21 +5

INT

14 +2

WIS

13 +1

CHA

17 +3

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Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +10, Wis +6, Cha +8

Skills Perception +11, Stealth +7

Damage Immunities Acid

Senses Blindsight 60 Ft., Darkvision 120 Ft., passive Perception 21

Languages Draconic

Challenge 14

Amphibious: The dragon can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day): If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

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Actions

Multiattack: The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) acid damage.
Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Tail: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence: Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 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 Breath (Recharge 5-6): The dragon exhales acid in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

Can take 3 Legendary Actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary Actions are regained at the start of each turn.
Detect: The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack: The dragon makes a tail Attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions): The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 ft. of the dragon must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

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:
Pools of water that the dragon can see within 120 feet of it surge outward in a grasping tide. Any creature on the ground within 20 feet of such a pool must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 20 feet into the water and knocked prone.
A cloud of swarming insects fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon chooses within 120 feet of it. The cloud spreads around corners and remains until the dragon dismisses it as an action, uses this lair action again, or dies. The cloud is lightly obscured. Any creature in the cloud when it appears must make on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that ends its turn in the cloud takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage.
Magical darkness spreads from a point the dragon chooses within 60 feet of it, filling a 15-foot-radius sphere until the dragon dismisses it as an action, uses this lair action again, or dies. The darkness spreads around corners. A creature with darkvision can’t see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can’t illuminate it. If any of the effect’s area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled.

Black dragons dwell in swamps on the frayed edges of civilization. A black dragon’s lair is a dismal cave, grotto, or ruin that is at least partially flooded, providing pools where the dragon rests, and where its victims can ferment. The lair is littered with the acid-pitted bones of previous victims and the fly-ridden carcasses of fresh kills, watched over by crumbling statues. Centipedes, scorpions, and snakes infest the lair, which is filled with the stench of death and decay.

Regional Effects

The region containing a legendary black dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
The land within 6 miles of the lair takes twice as long as normal to traverse, since the plants grow thick and twisted, and the swamps are thick with reeking mud.
Water sources within 1 mile of the lair are supernaturally fouled. Enemies of the dragon that drink such water regurgitate it within minutes.
Fog lightly obscures the land within 6 miles of the lair.
If the dragon dies, vegetation remains as it has grown, but other effects fade over 1d10 days.

Black dragons prefer ambushes to straightforward fighting. They are vicious and ruthless adversaries, and their acidic bile dissolves through the heaviest armor with ease. Their only disadvantage is that their heavily wooded habitats typically prevent them from flying very high in combat.
This stat block is for a dragon around 50-200 years. For dragons of different age categories, check out the following:
Black Dragon Wyrmling (5-25 years)
Young Black Dragon (25-50 years)
Ancient Black Dragon (200-1,000 years)