Half-Dragon
Medium Dragon · · CR 5
- Dragon
- Medium
- Tier 2
CR 5 medium dragon, neutral — that's Half-Dragon. Native to any. Sourced from Monster Manual (5.5e 2024).
Stat Block
- Challenge Rating
- 5
- Type
- Dragon
- Size
- Medium
- Alignment
- —
- Speed
- —
- Habitats
- Any
- Sources
- Monster Manual (5.5e 2024)
Ecology
Half-Dragons arise when a true dragon mates with a humanoid (most commonly a human), or when a wish or magical accident grants draconic traits to a mortal lineage. They are not a true species; each is unique, retaining most humanoid traits but gaining scales, wings, and breath weapon of their dragon parent. They eat a humanoid diet, but require more meat. They live longer than humanoid kin (200-400 years).
Behaviour
Half-Dragons inherit personality traits from both parents, often dramatically. A red dragon's child tends toward arrogance and greed; a gold dragon's child toward justice and pride. They struggle with social acceptance, viewed as monstrous by mortals and inferior by full dragons. Many become warlords, bandit kings, or solitary hermits. Some embrace humanoid society, becoming knights, mages, or merchants of unusual presence.
Origin
Dragons rarely consent to mate with humanoids, but exceptions exist: gold and silver dragons sometimes form genuine love bonds with mortals, while chromatic dragons may force pairings as humiliation or experiment. Some Half-Dragons result from magical curses, divine intervention, or alchemical accidents. Their bloodlines occasionally breed true for one or two generations, producing dragonblooded sorcerer dynasties.
Related Monsters
Frequently Asked Questions about Half-Dragon
- What is the challenge rating of Half-Dragon?
- On the bestiary CR scale, Half-Dragon sits at 5. It fits well-established adventuring parties.
- What type of creature is Half-Dragon?
- By creature type, Half-Dragon is a dragon, medium size.
- Where does Half-Dragon live?
- Half-Dragon doesn't tie to a specific biome — the DM places it where the campaign needs.