Think you’ve faced tough foes in D&D? Prepare for the ultimate ice age! The Ancient White Dragon isn’t just another monster; it’s a cold-blooded mastermind of its frosty lair. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to survive – and even win – against this legendary beast. We’ll cover its brutal attacks, its tricksy lair actions, and exactly how to outsmart it. Whether you’re a player looking for an edge or a Dungeon Master crafting the ultimate challenge, this guide will give you the tools to conquer the frost and tell the tale of your victory. Let’s dive in and learn how to take down this icy terror! For a comparison, check out this guide on Ancient Black Dragons.
Ancient White Dragon 5e: Conquer the Frost
Facing an ancient white dragon in your Dungeons & Dragons 5e campaign? This isn’t your average Tuesday night monster hunt. We’re talking about a creature of immense power, a blizzard given life and razor-sharp claws. This guide will help you, whether you’re a player seeking triumph or a Dungeon Master crafting a memorable encounter; prepare your fire resistance potions. We’ll cover lore, stats, tactics, and strategies for both players and DMs.
The Ancient White Dragon: A Frozen Terror
Ancient white dragons are among the oldest and most formidable of the chromatic dragons. These gargantuan creatures, steeped in primordial ice magic, dwell in remote, frigid environments, dominating their territories with ruthless efficiency. An ancient white dragon embodies the raw, untamed power of winter, commanding blizzards, sculpting frozen landscapes, and instilling a chilling fear in all who dare trespass within its domain.
Understanding the Ancient White Dragon’s Might
The ancient white dragon is a fearsome adversary, a true apex predator. Its sheer power is legendary. Picture a colossal, ancient drake, scales the color of fresh snow, eyes blazing with cold fury. Statistically, we’re dealing with a formidable foe: Armor Class (AC) 20, a massive 333 hit points (HP), and a Challenge Rating (CR) of 20; you’ll also need healing spells. This isn’t a fight you can stumble into unprepared.
The dragon’s arsenal is brutal. We’re talking a powerful bite, vicious claws, a bone-crushing tail, and, of course, its chilling breath weapon that unleashes devastating cold damage. Its legendary actions mean it can strike multiple times per round, keeping your party constantly on the defensive. Even before the battle begins, its frightful presence can paralyze your heroes with fear, turning the tide even before the first ice shard falls; prepare for wisdom saving throws.
This isn’t a fight for the weak-hearted or the unprepared; you’ll need powerful magic items for this battle.
Key Stats and Abilities:
- Size: Gargantuan
- Alignment: Chaotic Evil
- Armor Class: 20 (natural armor)
- Hit Points: 333 (18d20 + 144)
- Speed: 40 ft., burrow 40 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft.
- STR: 26 (+8) DEX: 10 (+0) CON: 26 (+8) INT: 10 (+0) WIS: 13 (+1) CHA: 14 (+2)
- Saving Throws: Dex +6, Con +14, Wis +7, Cha +8
- Skills: Perception +13, Stealth +6
- Damage Immunities: Cold
- Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 23
- Languages: Common, Draconic
- Challenge: 20 (25,000 XP)
Special Traits:
- Ice Walk: The dragon can move across and climb icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra movement.
- Legendary Resistance (3/Day): If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
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: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) cold damage.
- Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
- Tail: Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) 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.
- Cold Breath (Recharge 5–6): The dragon exhales an icy blast in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 72 (16d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Actions:
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its 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 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
The Icy Lair: Home Advantage
White dragons lair in icy caves and deep subterranean chambers far from the sun. They favor high mountain vales accessible only by flying, caverns in cliff faces, and labyrinthine ice caves in glaciers. White dragons love vertical heights in their caverns, flying up to the ceiling to latch on like bats or slithering down icy crevasses.
A legendary white dragon’s innate magic deepens the cold in the area around its lair. Mountain caverns are fast frozen by the white dragon’s presence. A white dragon can often detect intruders by the way the keening wind in its lair changes tone.
A white dragon rests on high ice shelves and cliffs in its lair, the floor around it a treacherous morass of broken ice and stone, hidden pits, and slippery slopes. As foes struggle to move toward it, the dragon flies from perch to perch and destroys them with its freezing breath.
The ancient white dragon’s icy lair isn’t just a home; it’s a weapon. Think freezing caves, treacherous tunnels, and underground chambers designed to turn the party’s strengths into weaknesses; you’ll need survival skills for this encounter. The dragon leverages its environment flawlessly.
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:
- Freezing fog fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The fog spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. Each creature in the fog when it appears must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that ends its turn in the fog takes 10 (3d6) cold damage. A wind of at least 20 miles per hour disperses the fog. The fog otherwise lasts until the dragon uses this lair action again or until the dragon dies.
- Jagged ice shards fall from the ceiling, striking up to three creatures underneath that the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The dragon makes one ranged attack roll (+7 to hit) against each target. On a hit, the target takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage.
- The dragon creates an opaque wall of ice on a solid surface it can see within 120 feet of it. The wall can be up to 30 feet long, 30 feet high, and 1 foot thick. When the wall appears, each creature within its area is pushed 5 feet out of the wall’s space,
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