Black Dragon Wyrmling
Medium Dragon (Chromatic) · · CR 2
- Dragon (Chromatic)
- Medium
- Tier 1
As a medium dragon (chromatic) (chaotic evil), Black Dragon Wyrmling carries CR 2. Sourced from Monster Manual (5e 2014) and Monster Manual (5.5e 2024).
Stat Block
- Challenge Rating
- 2
- Type
- Dragon (Chromatic)
- Size
- Medium
- Alignment
- —
- Speed
- —
- Habitats
- —
- Sources
- Monster Manual (5e 2014), Monster Manual (5.5e 2024)
Ecology
Black Dragon Wyrmlings hatch in fetid swamps, mangrove deltas, and flooded ruins, where their amphibious bodies and acid breath give them an early apex-predator advantage. The mother lays clutches of 6–8 eggs in a hidden mound and abandons them; only the strongest hatchling tends to survive past the first season. Wyrmlings eat fish, frogs, snakes, and any soft-bodied creature they can ambush from the water.
Behaviour
Even at hatchling size, black dragons are **petty, malicious, treasure-obsessed**. They hoard shiny coins, broken jewelry, polished bone, and human teeth pulled from drowned victims. They speak Draconic from emergence and pick up Common quickly from listening. They are cowards in a fair fight, brilliant in ambush. They torment lesser creatures (frogs, peasants, lost children) for amusement and remember slights for years.
Origin
All chromatic dragons are believed to descend from Tiamat's brood, exiled to the Material Plane to spread her dominion. Black dragons in particular embody acidic decay and slow corruption — fitting their swamp habitat. A wyrmling's hoard often contains items lost from drowned merchants or raided villages decades ago; recovering such items can restart cold-case mysteries. Wyrmlings grow into **young black dragons** in 5–10 years if they survive.
Related Monsters
Frequently Asked Questions about Black Dragon Wyrmling
- What is the challenge rating of Black Dragon Wyrmling?
- Listed CR for Black Dragon Wyrmling: 2. Match it to a party that fits parties at the start of their adventuring careers.
- What type of creature is Black Dragon Wyrmling?
- Black Dragon Wyrmling is classified as a dragon (chromatic) in D&D 5e, medium size.