TEXT: 1
  Lair of The Red Dragon
  ncounter
  
  2
  3
  Epic Encounters are divided into three tiers of play, making them suitable for as 
  many different player groups as possible. The Damage Level and the Difficulty 
  Class (DC) of each check specified during the encounter is broken into three Tiers 
  of Play, shown in the table below. Whenever the text calls for a 'standard DC check', 
  or specifies that a creature suffers 'standard damage', refer to the appropriate 
  box below. For example, if you’re playing at the lower level, and you take standard 
  damage, you suffer d4 points of damage.
  For this encounter, we recommend lower tier players take on the Young Red 
  Dragon, middle tier players fight the Adult Red Dragon, and higher tier players 
  combat the Ancient Red Dragon.
  Tier of Play
  Difficulty Class
  Damage Level
  Lower (levels 1-4)
  12
  d4
  Middle (levels 5-10)
  14
  d8
  Higher (levels 10+)
  18
  d10
  Welcome to Epic Encounters, designed to help you take your 
  fantasy roleplaying games to the next level.
  In this booklet, you’ll find guidance on running an encounter, tips on making sure 
  every turn builds jeopardy and excitement, and for ensuring that you’ll keep your 
  players on their toes — if they have any left after this battle, of course!
  Before you play, use this handy checklist to ensure you’ve got everything prepared 
  and are ready to go.
   
  ✔ You’ve read this book. Use it for inspiration as well as guidance. Choose the bits 
  you like or use it all – the choice is up to you.
   
  ✔ Your players all have their dice and their character sheets and know that 
  something big is coming.
   
  ✔ The battle map is laid out, ready for use, and you’ve familiarised yourself with its 
  different areas and the variety of things that can happen over the course of 
  the conflict.
   
  ✔ You’re ready to have fun! Above everything else, remember that this is a game. 
  If you forget certain rules as the Gamemaster (GM), don’t worry. As long as you 
  and your players are laughing and enjoying yourselves, you’re doing it right.
  Before starting
  Encounter
  Lore
  Hooks
  Lair
  Combat Dashboard
  Approach
  Dragon Attack Pattern
  Dragon Abilities
  Lair Abilities
  Cinematic Moments
  Treasure
  Stats
  Fire Brand Kobolds
  Young Red Dragon
  Adult Red Dragon
  Ancient Red Dragon
  6
  7
  8
  10
  15
  16
  18
  19
  20
  22
  24
  25
  26
  28
  
  4
  5
  
  hoo
  6
  7
  What do your player characters know about the dragon they’re 
  going to confront? Are they experts in the draconic? Or have they 
  only just accepted that dragons are real and very, very deadly? The 
  following are some ideas to make the dragons in your fantasy game 
  unique. Dragons are amongst the deadliest creatures in the world; 
  some extra knowledge might even help your player characters 
  survive a little bit longer. Not all of the following has to be true in 
  your games; treat these as ideas to inspire how you depict dragons 
  — not as hard and fast rules!
   
  ✔ Dragons are one of the oldest 
  species in the world, and many of 
  them have walked with and served 
  gods. It’s said that they possess a 
  shared racial memory, accessible 
  to even the youngest and least 
  developed of wyrmlings. This makes 
  even the most juvenile of the great 
  lizards a dangerous foe not to be 
  taken lightly.
   
  ✔ Red dragons are the cruellest and 
  most vicious of their kind. They 
  exist in a constant state of paranoia, 
  convinced that every sentient 
  creature is a threat, and the belief 
  only grows stronger as they mature.
   
  ✔ Treasure is a red dragon’s most 
  beloved possession, as it is the 
  only thing that they believe they 
  can trust. After all, gold and gems 
  won’t stab you in the back; they just 
  remain beautiful forever. 
  A red dragon would rather destroy 
  its hoard than let it be taken.
   
  ✔ Red dragons are highly intelligent 
  creatures, but that doesn’t mean that 
  they think like humans, dwarves, or 
  elves. Red dragons see everything 
  in terms of what it contributes to 
  their wealth. Talking with a creature 
  that doesn’t know the whereabouts 
  of large quantities of gold? Waste of 
  time. Bite its head off.
   
  ✔ Red dragons have a reputation for 
  ferocity. And, given the extreme 
  age they live to, can terrorise whole 
  generations of the same family.
   
  ✔ Red dragons are inherently 
  theatrical, always behaving as 
  though they have an audience. They 
  deliberately pick out an individual 
  from any party of adventurers 
  and make a great noise about 
  their inevitable doom. Red 
  dragons are cruel, callous, but 
  surprisingly entertaining.
  Why have the player characters arrived here, at this place and 
  at this time? Choose one of these adventure hooks and weave 
  it into your adventure. They could be here entirely by accident, 
  or they could have been plotting this moment for years. 
  Choose what works for you.
   
  ✔ The dragon attacks villages 
  throughout the area, razing farms 
  and devouring livestock. Someone 
  needs to stop it.
   
  ✔ Any hunter wishing to prove 
  themselves worth their salt needs to 
  take down a fully-grown dragon in 
  its own lair.
   
  ✔ Gold. What kind of dragon doesn’t 
  have lots of gold? The rumours say 
  that this one certainly does. Piles of 
  the stuff.
   
  ✔ Arrogant and bored, the dragon 
  has issued a challenge to any 
  adventurers brave enough to enter 
  its lair: all the gold they can carry, if 
  they survive long enough to claim it.
   
  ✔ The dragon devastated a temple, 
  and the angered god is not 
  inclined to forgiveness. The player 
  characters are sent to deal out 
  divine retribution.
   
  ✔ The dragon kidnapped and enslaved 
  thousands in order to populate a 
  new realm it’s creating for itself. 
  The unfortunates must be freed, 
  and the dragon’s madness ended.
  
  8
  9
  The dragon is a creature of cruel 
  humour and abrupt, unconstrained 
  anger. Its paranoia influences its every 
  action, and it routinely develops sudden 
  extreme phobias and neuroses about 
  certain individuals, deciding that they 
  must die. This can change without 
  warning; the dragon might focus all of 
  its attacks on a player character who 
  has earned its ire through directly 
  challenging or offending it, only to decide 
  that the wizard clutching a spellbook 
  quietly at the back of the group is the 
  one who really wants its gold! 
  The dragon bellows its thoughts aloud 
  as it rampages, narrating its plans and 
  reasoning in a stream-of-consciousness 
  tirade. It always leads with its breath 
  attack, using this to terrify foes facing it 
  and to give it time to begin planning the 
  rest of its strategy. Because a dragon sees 
  everything as a transaction, it prefers 
  tactics which secure it victory as quickly 
  and effectively as possible. Using up 
  all that energy just to kill a few measly 
  heroes…that’s not economical at all!
  Red dragons need heat; it helps nurture the fire in their stomachs 
  and it keeps them alert. Their lairs, therefore, tend to be in warm 
  areas, usually ones of volcanic activity. The dragons use their flames 
  to shape these areas to their liking, carving out niches for treasure 
  or for stores of food to tide them over the winter, when they can’t 
  find the energy to hunt. Smoke and ash fill the air, and echoes of the 
  dragon’s breathing rasp along the stone corridors. Built by innately 
  magical creatures, a dragon's lair come to resemble them in a 
  myriad of strange ways. 
  In one chamber, the player characters might be able to hear the 
  dragon’s thoughts, as though they were in its brain. In another, the 
  rock walls might have crystallised into jagged protrusions identical 
  to claws. The smoke which fogs every corridor might form itself into 
  vast wings, buffeting the player characters as they sneak along. The 
  details are specific and numerous enough that the player characters 
  can never forget where they are.
  The cavern is 60 feet high and its roof is difficult to see, even for 
  those with darkvision, due to the smoke and ash in the air.
   
  ✔ A book of children’s stories featuring 
  knights fighting dragons, annotated 
  in a flowing, alien script.
   
  ✔ A large number of volcanic pebbles 
  made smooth — possibly by 
  draconic stomach acid.
   
  ✔ A bloody handkerchief with the 
  initials DH embroidered on it.
   
  ✔ Skulls arranged in elaborate 
  patterns at path intersections.
   
  ✔ An ornate ivory horn from a creature 
  the player characters can’t identify.
   
  ✔ A series of masterful portraits with 
  their subject’s faces burned away.
  Things you
  might find
  Tactics
  
  dashboard
  The following section gives you a range of different elements 
  you can introduce into an encounter to make it as memorable as 
  possible. Feel free to use this as a checklist, referring to it throughout 
  the fight, or just pick and choose the bits you like the best.
  The battle takes place in the humid confines of an ancient, volcanic cavern deep 
  beneath the earth, a wasteland of desert and rock. The stifling conditions are an 
  unavoidable part of the encounter. Pick one of the following aspects to inflict on 
  your player characters for the duration of the conflict. If you're feeling extra nasty, 
  you could even pick two!
   
  ✔ Sweltering Heat: Within the 
  cavern, open seams of lava give off a 
  relentless heat. The air barely stirs, 
  with next to no ventilation. It literally 
  burns to breathe! At the end of every 
  turn, characters take standard  
  fire damage. 
   
  ✔ Scorching Light: The red glow 
  from the lava bathes the cavern in 
  a strange, harsh light. Any player 
  character with darkvision as a racial 
  trait is treated as blinded for their 
  first turn in the cavern. The glow of 
  burning magma is an irritant to the 
  eyes of elves, dwarves, gnomes, and 
  other races which are used to  
  time underground. 
   
  ✔ Heat Haze: The constant haze 
  of the air in front of the player 
  characters makes gauging distance 
  harder, as surroundings seem to 
  shift and warp. Not to mention the 
  effect that heat has on bow strings. 
  All ranged attacks are made  
  at disadvantage
   
  ✔ Choking Fumes: The sulphurous 
  fumes emitted by the magma 
  roiling and pooling in the cavern 
  gets in the lungs and chokes the 
  player characters. Whenever a 
  character tries to run, they must 
  make a standard DC Constitution 
  saving throw or stop, at half their 
  movement value, in a dreadful 
  coughing fit and suffer standard 
  poison damage.
  Encounter aspects
  Smart player characters use the terrain 
  to their advantage. The cavern is filled 
  with unstable rocks, loose stalactites, 
  and slippery piles of gold which the 
  player characters can use to trip and 
  trick the dragon attempting to roast 
  them alive. Don’t forget, though, that 
  the dragon can use them too!
  Remember, if the player characters 
  aren’t seeing the opportunities available 
  to them in the cavern, have the dragon 
  make use of them until they start to 
  imitate it! Dragons have no compunction 
  when it comes to saving their own skin, 
  and they’ll do anything they can think of 
  to stay alive. Destroying sections of their 
  own home to kill a foe is very draconic 
  behaviour! Use the following list of key 
  descriptors to depict the dragon’s lair 
  for your players; it contains a number of 
  hints about the environment and how 
  it can be used.  Each different, utilisable 
  element of terrain has its own section to 
  make it easy for you to keep track.
  terrain
  Using the
   
  ✔ The cavern is swelteringly, 
  suffocatingly hot. 
   
  ✔ Open pools of lava spit out gouts of 
  gleaming orange fire and sparks. 
   
  ✔ The walls of the cavern are gouged 
  with strange scrapes and scratches. 
  Dust filtering down from cracks in 
  the walls adds to the choking smoke 
  in the cavern.
   
  ✔ Stalactites and stalagmites form 
  forests of razor-sharp jagged teeth.
   
  ✔ The beast paces the perimeter of 
  its home, unsure whether it can 
  smell something or someone that 
  shouldn’t be there. 
   
  ✔ The enormous hoard of gold and 
  silver shimmers in the heat glare 
  from the lava and slides beneath 
  huge clawed feet, almost catching 
  the dragon off balance. 
   
  ✔ Finally, the dragon tastes the air 
  before shaking its enormous, 
  serpentine head and bellowing, 
  ‘Reveal yourself!’
  10
  11
  
  12
  Lava pool
  If a player character is pushed 
  into one of the lava pools, 
  they take triple standard fire 
  damage per round until they 
  clamber out.
  Should they be immersed in 
  the pool for more than three 
  rounds, they are killed.
  Rock fall
  The dragon’s constant 
  meanderings around its home 
  in search of imagined (and 
  not-so-imagined) invaders 
  has made the walls unstable. 
  A successful Strength check 
  is enough to dislodge a 
  number of small boulders 
  which tumble down on the 
  dragon — should a player 
  character clamber up the walls. 
  Alternatively, a successful 
  strike with a ranged attack 
  does the job just as well. These 
  chunks of stone inflict standard 
  bludgeoning damage as they 
  collide with the stone wall.
  *GM TIP: Foreshadow a rock fall 
  by having the player characters 
  make a standard DC Wisdom 
  (Perception) check to notice the 
  grooves and the debris collecting 
  at the bottom of the wall and to 
  realise that the dragon’s constant 
  passage has made the wall 
  extremely unstable – only a little 
  push could cause some of it to 
  collapse on whoever or whatever 
  is underneath
  & stalactites
  A well-placed ranged attack 
  can bring a stalactite crashing 
  down. Combatants may 
  attack stalactites (AC10, 4 hit 
  points) to cause them to drop 
  from the vaulted ceiling. A 
  falling stalactite does double 
  standard bludgeoning damage 
  if successfully dislodged 
  from the roof. A combatant 
  forced back onto the point of a 
  stalagmite, after a successful 
  attack, suffers standard 
  piercing damage.
  Moving through the 
  stalagmites on the floor 
  requires a Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) check or a player 
  character takes standard 
  damage from becoming 
  caught amidst the sharp 
  stone edges.
  *GM TIP: The dragon is 
  quite capable of using these 
  formations to deliver horrible 
  damage. It might dislodge 
  stalactites with a tail attack, for 
  example, or grapple a player and 
  drop them onto a stalagmite 3
  Stalagmites
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  13
  4
  4
  1
  1
  5
  5
  2
  2
  3
  3
  3
  3
  3
  3
  
  The player characters get to choose how they approach this battle, 
  but they don’t get to do so without some form of response from their 
  foe! Detailed below are the dragon’s tactics, based on three potential 
  approaches the player characters might take.
  If the player characters attempt a 
  direct assault: Seeing its horde of gold 
  threatened by a belligerent group of 
  adventurers, the dragon immediately 
  attacks. It focuses its initial assault 
  upon the strongest and most martial 
  characters using its Fire Breath attack. 
  It then carefully manoeuvres itself 
  around the cavern to take on the 
  spellcasters, whom it hopes to bring to 
  the fore by removing their allies quickly. 
  The dragon is remorseless, hounding 
  any player character it can see and 
  attempting to drive them from its cave.
  *GM TIP: This approach results in the player 
  characters and the dragon rolling initiative 
  as usual
  If the player characters attempt 
  a tactical advance: The dragon is 
  suspicious but waits until an attack has 
  been launched against it or it spots one 
  of the player characters sneaking into 
  position. It immediately uses its Fire 
  Breath attack against the first player 
  character it can see. Once the rest of 
  the party have exposed themselves 
  through attacks, the dragon seeks 
  to drive them into the open, where 
  it can begin picking them off, one by 
  one, keeping the player characters 
  separated with its vast bulk.
  *GM TIP: If the player characters successfully 
  avoid the dragon’s notice, then they earn a 
  surprise round 
  If the player characters approach 
  openly and honestly: This is an 
  unusual tactic with a red dragon, a 
  species not exactly known for their 
  patience, honesty, or receptiveness 
  to conversation. The dragon cocks its 
  head quizzically if approached in this 
  fashion, waits until the player characters 
  are gathered in front of it — or are, at 
  least, nearby — and then immediately 
  unleashes its Fire Breath attack!
  *GM TIP: This approach results in the dragon 
  gaining a surprise round
   teeth
  Dragons shed their teeth. They 
  have to. Should a dragon’s 
  teeth or claws ever become 
  blunt, what kind of dragon 
  would it be? This dragon’s 
  teeth are here, neatly piled 
  into a mound, many of them 
  still extremely sharp. There 
  are several hundred at least. 
  These can be taken as a 
  weapon; in which case it has 
  the same statistics as a dagger 
  and does +1d6 extra damage 
  to dragons. They can also be 
  attached to an arrow shaft or 
  used as a spearhead; in which 
  case they add their additional 
  damage to the weapon’s base 
  damage. Forcing any creature 
  backwards into the pile inflicts 
  standard piercing damage to it.
  *GM TIP: Players can drive the 
  dragon back into the pile, but the 
  dragon can certainly do the same 
  to them – these teeth are its own, 
  after all!
  5
  Gold slide
  The dragon’s treasure 
  hoard is a mound of coins 
  and gems, needing just a 
  push to cascade down in an 
  unstoppable flood. A player 
  character can trigger this 
  avalanche with a standard 
  DC Strength (Athletics) 
  check. Any creature within 
  10ft. of the gold must make a 
  standard DC Dexterity saving 
  throw or be knocked prone. 
  Searching the dragon’s gold 
  requires a successful Wisdom 
  (Perception) check. The 
  first time a player character 
  searches it, it reveals a magic 
  item of the GM's choice.
  *GM TIP: Dragons are vicious, 
  covetous things and won’t let 
  player characters escape with 
  a single coin if they can help it. 
  See the "It's All Mine!" entry in the 
  ‘Cinematic Moments’ section.
  4
  Forgotten
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  15
  
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  Dragon
  The dragon attacks the 
  player characters viciously, 
  raining fire and savagery 
  down upon them. While 
  you’re free to determine the 
  order in which it attacks, the 
  GM may find the following 
  approach a useful guide for 
  determining the dragon’s 
  initial attacks. For more 
  detail on the attacks below, 
  see the Dragon Abilities and 
  Lair Abilities on page 18 and 
  19 respectively, or the Stats, 
  provided provided on pages 
  25 to 29.
  attack pattern
  Multiattack
  3
  5
  6
  7
  4
  Wall of Fire
   
  Target: The party's main magic-user 
  Dragon Behaviour: Contemptuously, 
  the dragon announces that it intends to 
  kill any fool who so much whispers the 
  words of a spell
  *GM TIP: Magic-users are always deadly, 
  even to dragons. Forcing a wizard, sorcerer, 
  or warlock to take a few turns to recover is a 
  good way to inject jeopardy into the fight
  Multiattack
  Lava Pool 
  Explosion
  Lord of Fire
  Magma Eruption
  2
  1
   
  Target: The loudest or most obviously 
  aggressive player 
  Dragon Behaviour: Deliberately 
  ignores attacks from other players, 
  explaining loudly how it intends to kill 
  "You first!"
  *GM TIP: This is meant to frighten the player 
  characters; it is a premeditated attack that 
  inflicts significant damage. 
  This should serve notice; this is a real battle!
   
  Target: The whole party - split them up! 
  Dragon Behaviour: Furious to have been 
  harmed by such petty, irrelevant creatures, 
  the dragon explains it intends to destroy 
  each player character individually. 
  And enjoy it.
  *GM TIP: The dragon's main aim here is to split the 
  party up. But, if it can do that and torch a player 
  character, it'll definitely take that option
  Fire Breath
   
  Target: The largest group of player 
  characters it can see. 
  Dragon Behaviour: Cruel laughter that 
  sets the cavern trembling
  *GM TIP: Make this hurt! It's the dragon's 
  biggest and most dangerous weapon, and the 
  dragon isn't going to be shy about that fact
   
  Target: The entire party 
  Dragon Behaviour: Irritated by the 
  player characters' reluctance to die, 
  the dragon smashes the lava pool in a 
  furious outburst
  *GM TIP: This works well as the precursor to 
  the dragon making a second Lair Attack, or 
  leaping into the lava pools. Think of it as the 
  supervillain making their escape!
   
  Target: The loudest or most obviously 
  aggressive player character - again! 
  Dragon Behaviour: Almost frothing 
  at the maw with anger, the dragon lets 
  loose another ear-shattering roar and 
  hurls itself towards its target
  *GM TIP: Don't be afraid to kill a player 
  character if they've charged in heedlessly. This 
  is a dragon, not a kobold! At the same time, if 
  the party can think of an amazing way to save 
  them, let them try it!
   
  Target: The largest group 
  of player characters 
  Dragon Behaviour: As surprised by 
  the sudden explosions as the player 
  characters, the dragon roars in anger as 
  they try to dodge the falling lava and warns 
  them that they'll endure worse soon
  *GM TIP: This is an ideal opportunity to allow 
  the player characters to regroup and gather 
  themselves for the next stage of the fight, 
  and for the dragon to do precisely the same. 
  The dragon's Fire Breath action is ready to 
  use again!
  
  18
  19
  In addition to the abilities listed in the Dragon Stats section, the red 
  dragon has access to a range of different, deadly abilities, detailed 
  below. Some of these abilities are passive, and some are active and 
  can be used in place of one of the dragon's standard actions. These 
  are extremely powerful abilities, and should be used sparingly. 
  Think of them as ways of keeping your player characters on their 
  toes. Do they think they know exactly what powers a red dragon 
  has? Might be time for them to think again!
  Tail Lash
  The dragon senses movement behind 
  it and lashes out with its tail. Whenever 
  a player character moves behind the 
  dragon, it may make this attack as an 
  immediate free reaction, doing standard 
  damage and knocking the player 
  character back 10 ft. in a straight line.
  *GM TIP: The dragon tries to use this attack 
  to knock player characters into stalagmites, 
  inflicting more damage and ensuring that 
  attacking it from behind is less appealing!
  Lord of Fire
  The dragon chooses a target and 
  lunges at them. Whenever the 
  dragon attacks, its first target must 
  succeed at a Wisdom saving throw 
  or become stunned with paralyzing 
  fear for 1 round. Afterwards, the 
  victim is shaken so much that they 
  suffer disadvantage on all attacks for 
  1d3 rounds unless they pass a Wisdom 
  saving throw.
  Immolation
  Instead of making a Fire Breath attack, 
  the dragon sucks super-heated air into 
  its lungs and narrows the stream of 
  its breath weapon into a searing jet of 
  liquid fire focused on a single target. 
  It strikes the first target it encounters, 
  unless they succeed on a standard 
  DC Dexterity saving throw. This 
  concentrates the dragon’s Fire Breath 
  attack into a straight line 5 ft. across. 
  The range of the Fire Breath attack is 
  increased by 30 ft. and inflicts an extra 
  triple standard fire damage.
  *GM TIP: This is a great opportunity for a 
  player character to be heroic and dive into 
  the path of the flame or knock a fellow player 
  character to safety. Be flexible with distances 
  and ranges in order to allow awesome 
  moments like this to happen!
  Heat Up
  When the dragon reaches half health it 
  immediately recharges its  
  Fire Breath attack.
  The player characters are fighting a red dragon in its lair. That’s a very, 
  very dangerous thing to do. To reflect that, in place of one of its actions, 
  the dragon can use one of these specific lair abilities. These can only be 
  used once, as they permanently reshape the map. 
  Summon 
  Minions
  The dragon calls on a number of Fire 
  Brand Kobolds it allows to inhabit its 
  cave for help. The dragon calls upon:
   
  ✔ Lower Tier: 1d4+2
   
  ✔ Middle Tier: 1d6+4
   
  ✔ Higher Tier: 1d10+6
  Stats for Fire Brand Kobolds can be 
  found on page 24
  Wall of Fire
  Channelling its flame with precision, the 
  dragon creates a wall of flame across 
  the cavern, driving the player characters 
  apart. It aims this ability between two 
  player characters in an attempt to split 
  the party into two. This wall of flame 
  lasts for 1d3 turns. Passing through the 
  flame incurs standard fire damage.
  Lava Pool 
  Explosion
  With a mighty blow of its tail and wings, 
  the dragon detonates the lava pools, 
  flinging magma into the air to rain down 
  on the player characters’ heads. Every 
  player must make a Dexterity saving 
  throw or suffer standard fire damage 
  from the falling debris.
  Magma 
  Eruption
  A new lava pool opens in the centre of 
  the cavern with a width and length of 
  10 ft. Any player character within 5 ft. 
  of the pool as it opens must succeed 
  on a Dexterity saving throw or take 
  standard fire damage as the intense 
  heat and roiling magma scalds them. 
  The new lava pool remains in place for 
  the duration of the combat, and can be 
  represented using the token supplied.
  Tremors
  The cavern trembles as the earth 
  shakes violently. 1d4 rounds after 
  the new lava pool opens, the player 
  characters and the dragon must make 
  a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked 
  prone, as the after-effects of the seismic 
  event throws them off their feet.
  Gas Leak
  A pocket of gas has been disturbed 
  by the volcanic seizures gripping the 
  cavern. Any player character within 
  10 ft. of the new lava pool must make 
  a standard Constitution check or take 
  double standard poison damage. Any 
  player character who fails also becomes 
  poisoned until they succeed on a 
  standard DC Constitution saving throw.
  
  Every great battle has awe-inspiring moments, those which leave 
  witnesses astounded. Try using these in your encounter to surprise, 
  shock, and entertain your players. 
  We’ve included a proposed point during the encounter at which it might 
  be useful to deploy these cinematic moments.
  Lava Diving
  The dragon hurls itself into the lava, 
  flinging bright streams of fire into the 
  air, where they hang for a moment 
  before falling on the adventurers. You 
  see its tail flick out once and then it’s 
  gone, swimming downwards.
  WHAT: Impervious to the boiling 
  lava which seethes and roils beneath 
  the floor of the cavern, the dragon 
  can submerge itself in the lava, swim 
  through the magma, and emerge from 
  another of the open pools. As an action, 
  when within 10 ft. of a lava pool, the 
  dragon can leap into the pool. This does, 
  however, incur an attack of opportunity 
  for any player character within range. 
  On its next turn, the dragon can then 
  appear at any of the other lava pools, 
  leaping from the pool as an action.
  WHEN: If the dragon takes notable 
  damage in a single round.
  Hovering 
  Beast
  Beating its wings with vast power 
  hovering above the cavern floor and 
  glimmering lava pools, the dragon is 
  able to evade your attacks with ease 
  even as the movement of its wings 
  buffet you about.
  WHAT: As an action, the dragon can 
  choose to hover, using its wings to 
  suspend itself above the ground and 
  send piles of treasure tumbling in all 
  directions. It may do so for a number 
  of rounds equal to half its Constitution 
  modifier (rounded down). This adds 
  +2/+3/+5 to its AC for the number 
  of rounds it hovers to all 
  melee attacks. Any player 
  character within 10 ft. of 
  the dragon when it 
  uses this action 
  must make 
  a Strength 
  check or be 
  knocked prone.
  WHEN: After the dragon has used its 
  Fire Breath attack and must wait for its 
  most potent weapon to recharge.
  It’s All Mine!
  A malicious smile touches the dragon’s 
  mouth as you approach. ‘It's all mine, 
  you shall never take it’  Then, with  a 
  powerful twitch of its enormous tail, a 
  lifetime of wealth in the shape of gold 
  coins, gems, and precious magical 
  items are swept into a massive wave 
  which crashes down upon you.
  WHAT: The wealth wave forces 
  players to dodge, on a Dexterity saving 
  throw, or be knocked prone. Half of 
  the dragon’s wealth is also destroyed! 
  (Players hate losing treasure!)
  WHEN: Halfway into the fight, when the 
  result hangs in the balance.
  Run, Little 
  Things!
  Even as the dragon lies, pierced by a 
  score of wounds and its blood pooling 
  by its broken wings, a slow serpentine 
  grin spreads across its face. Before you 
  can begin to form thoughts of victory, 
  rents of gleaming orange and yellow 
  begin to trace their way across its form. 
  The dragon gives a chuckle of victory 
  and then explodes. 
  WHAT: When it has reached 0 hit points, 
  the dragon can self-destruct, unleashing 
  a vast wave of fire which burns 
  everything it touches to ash. Any creature 
  within 20 ft. of the dragon as it explodes 
  must make a Dexterity saving throw or 
  take triple standard fire damage.
  WHEN: At the very end of the fight, as 
  its final, spiteful act.
  20
  21
  
  22
  23
  The only half-sensible reason for venturing into the cavern of 
  a greedy red dragon is the treasure you’ll find – no matter what 
  the paladin might argue. The following reward tiers are just 
  guidelines to give GMs an idea of what their player characters 
  might emerge with after their titanic battle. We tend to find 
  that GMs have a very clear idea of what kind of magic items 
  they want their players to have (and those they definitely 
  don’t), so there are no listed magic items here. Instead, we’ve 
  stuck to coins and suggested the number of magic items that 
  should be included in a fair reward.  
  This allows each GM to customise the treasure as they see fit.
  Lower Tier: 
   
  ✔ 8,000 gp
   
  ✔ 12,000 sp
   
  ✔ 2 magic items 
  of the GM’s 
  choice
  Middle Tier:
   
  ✔ 2,000 pp
   
  ✔ 10,000 gp
   
  ✔ 20,000 sp
   
  ✔ 3 magic items 
  of the GM’s 
  choice
  Higher Tier:
   
  ✔ 5,000 pp
   
  ✔ 20,000 gp
   
  ✔ 30,000 sp
   
  ✔ 4 magic items 
  of the GM’s 
  choice
  
  Young Red 
  Dragon 
  Large dragon, chaotic evil
  Multiattack
  The dragon makes three 
  attacks: one with its bite 
  and two with its claws
  Bite
  Melee Weapon Attack: 
  +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. 
  Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing 
  damage plus 3 (1d6)  
  fire damage
  Claw
  Melee Weapon Attack: 
  +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) 
  slashing damage
  Fire Breath
  (Recharge 5–6)
  The dragon exhales 
  fire in a 30 ft. cone. 
  Each creature in that 
  area must make a 
  DC 17 Dexterity saving 
  throw, taking 56 (16d6) 
  fire damage on a failed 
  saving throw, or half 
  as much damage on a 
  successful one
  Small humanoid (kobold), lawful evil
  Pack Tactics
  Kobolds have advantage on an attack roll against a 
  creature if at least one of the kobold’s allies is within 5 ft. of 
  the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated
  Sunlight Sensitivity
  While in sunlight, kobolds have disadvantage on attack rolls 
  as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight
  Short Bow
  Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 
  30/120 ft., one target  
  Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage
  Spear
  Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage
  To represent the Fire Brand Kobold minions the 
  dragon calls upon, you can use the tokens supplied 
  in the box, or alternately use the miniatures which 
  come as part of this Epic Encounter’s sister-set 
  Shrine of the Kobold Queen.
  Challenge
  (25 XP)
  1/8
  Challenge
  (5,900 XP)
  10
  Fire Brand 
  Kobolds
  AC: 18 (natural armor)
  Hit Points: 178 (17d10 + 85)
  Saving Throws:  
  DEX +4, CON +9, 
  WIS+4, CHA+8
  Damage Immunities:  
  Fire
  Special Abilities
  Actions
  Actions
  STR: 7 (-2)
  DEX: 15 (+2)
  CON: 9 (-1)
  INT: 8 (-1)
  WIS: 7 (-2)
  CHA: 8 (-1)
  AC: 12
  Hit Points: 5 (2d6 – 2)
  Speed: 30 ft
  Senses: Darkvision 60 ft. 
  Passive Perception 8
  Languages: Common, 
  Draconic
  STR: 23 (+6)
  DEX: 10 (+0)
  CON: 21 (+5)
  INT: 14 (+2)
  WIS: 11 (+0)
  CHA: 19 (+4)
  Speed: 40 ft. walk /climb 
  80 ft. fly
  Senses: Blindsight 30 ft. 
  Darkvision 120 ft. 
  Passive Perception 18 
  Languages: Common, 
  Draconic
  Skills: Perception +8, 
  Stealth +4
  25
  24
  
  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 
  10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 
  7 (2d6) fire damage
  Claw
  Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage
  Tail
  Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 
  15 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage
  Fire Breath
  (Recharge 5–6)
  The dragon exhales fire in a 60 ft. cone. 
  Each creature in that area must make 
  a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 
  63 (18d6) fire damage on a failed 
  saving throw, or half as much damage 
  on a successful one
  Frightful Presence
  Each creature of the dragon’s choice 
  that is within 120 ft. of the dragon 
  and aware of it must succeed on a 
  DC 19 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
  Huge dragon, chaotic evil
  Adult Red 
  Dragon
  AC: 19 (natural armor)
  Hit Points: 256 (19d12 + 133)
  Saving Throws:  
  DEX +6, CON +13 
  WIS +7, CHA +11
  Damage Immunities:  
  Fire
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day) 
  If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead
  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 10 ft. 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
  Adul
  Challenge
  (18,000 XP)
  17
  Legendary Actions
  Actions
  Special Abilities
  STR: 27 (+8)
  DEX: 10 (+0)
  CON: 25 (+7)
  INT: 16 (+3)
  WIS: 13 (+1)
  CHA: 21 (+5)
  Speed: 40 ft. walk /climb 
  80 ft. fly
  Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. 
  Darkvision 120 ft. 
  Passive Perception 23 
  Languages: Common, 
  Draconic
  Skills: Perception +13, 
  Stealth +6
  27
  26
  
  Huge dragon, chaotic evil
  Ancient Red 
  Dragon
  AC: 22 (natural armor)
  Hit Points: 546 (28d20 + 252)
  Saving Throws:  
  DEX +7, CON +16
  WIS +9, CHA +13
  Damage Immunities:  
  Fire
  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 ft. 
  of the dragon must succeed on a DC 25 Dexterity 
  saving throw or take 17 (2d6 + 10) bludgeoning 
  damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then 
  fly up to half its flying speed
  Ancien
  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: +17 to hit, reach 
  15 ft., one target.  
  Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) piercing damage plus 
  14 (4d6) fire damage
  Claw
  Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 
  10 ft., one target.  
  Hit: 17 (2d6 + 10) slashing damage
  Tail
  Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to
  hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
  Hit: 19 (2d8 + 10) bludgeoning
  damage
  Fire Breath
  (Recharge 5–6)
  The dragon exhales fire in a 90 ft. cone. 
  Each creature in that area must make 
  a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw, taking 
  91 (26d6) fire damage on a failed 
  saving throw, or half as much damage 
  on a successful one
  Frightful Presence
  Each creature of the dragon’s choice 
  that is within 120 ft. of the dragon 
  and aware of it must succeed on a 
  DC 21 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
  Challenge
  (62,000 XP)
  24
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day) 
  If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead
  Special Abilities
  Actions
  Legendary Actions
  STR: 30 (+10)
  DEX: 10 (+0)
  CON: 29 (+9)
  INT: 18 (+4)
  WIS: 15 (+2)
  CHA: 23 (+6)
  Speed: 40 ft. walk /climb 
  80 ft. fly
  Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. 
  Darkvision 120 ft. 
  Passive Perception 26 
  Languages: Common, 
  Draconic
  Skills: Perception +16, 
  Stealth +7
  29
  28
  
  pic Encounters
  Team
  Game Design
  Mat Hart
  Game Development
  Richard August
  Project 
  Management
  Matthew Elliott
  Writer
  Richard August
  Editing
  Christopher Lites
  Ben Clapperton
  Matthew Elliott
  Art
  Doug Telford
  Rhys Pugh
  Sculpting
  Ben Charles
  Russ Charles
  Tom Lishman
  Holly Woolford
  Graphic Design & 
  Layout
  Michael Ruocco
  Tom Hutchings
  Cristina Ruiz
  Playtesting
  Dominic Westerland
  Samantha Layton
  Founder & CEO
  Rich Loxam
  Founder & CCO
  Mat Hart
  Chairman
  Simon Spalding
  Non-Executive Director
  Ian Livingstone CBE
  Product Owners
  Alex Hall
  Sherwin Matthews
  Emma Benfield
  Development
  Bryce Johnston
  Samantha Laydon
  Jamie Perkins
  Steve Margetson
  Dominic Westerland
  Jordan Connolly
  Fraser McFetridge
  Richard August
  Sculpting & Art
  Ben Charles
  Russ Charles
  Tom Lishman
  Doug Telford
  Holly Woolford
  Graphic Design & Layout
  Tom Hutchings
  Abigail Thornton
  Cristina Ruiz
  Production
  Emma Foster
  Matthew Elliott
  Tom Rochford
  Ben Clapperton
  Nicolas Lu
  Louis Moore
  Aitch Parker
  Finance
  John Higham
  Vanessa O’Brien
  Marketing & Community 
  Management
  Derek Baker
  Sean Dooley
  Jamie Giblin
  Ronan Kelly
  Chynna-Blue Haycastle
  Charlotte Cloud
  Human Resources
  Gareth Reid
  IT
  Adam King 
  Operations
  Judy Guan
  Richard Jennings
  Fulfilment
  Mike Appleton
  David Fear
  John Hockey
  Alex Black
  Support & Sales
  Toby Davies
  Firoz Rana
  Ben Taylor
  Steamforged Games Tea
  30
  31
  
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the 
  Coast, LLC.
  System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards 
  of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, 
  Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, 
  Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve 
  Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax 
  and Dave Arneson.
  Epic Encounters: Copyright © 2020 Steamforged Games Ltd. 
  All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced 
  or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or 
  mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any 
  information retrieval system without our prior written 
  permission.
  PRODUCT IDENTITY
  The following items are designated Product Identity, as 
  defined in Section 1(e) of the Open Game Licence Version 1.0a 
  (OGL), and are subject to the conditions set forth in Section 
  7 of the OGL, and are not Open Content: All registered and 
  unregistered trademarks, service marks, business names and 
  designs belonging to, referring to, or otherwise associated 
  with Steamforged Games Ltd, together with all proper names 
  (including all those set out in the “Epic Encounters Names” 
  section below), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, character, 
  artworks and trade dress contained within or referred to in the 
  Epic Encounters game and/or any documentation or other 
  materials associated with it (including this Rules Companion 
  Document) (“Materials”). No portions of any Materials may be 
  reproduced in any form without written permission, unless 
  such reproduction is permitted in accordance with the OGL.
  Epic Encounters Names: Fire Brand Kobold; Fire Brand 
  Assassins; Magma Belcher Basilisk; Ember Rage Fire Snake; 
  Priest of the Bloody Flame; Mother Krangor.
  Licensing 
  Agreement
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”).  
  All Rights Reserved.
  1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/
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  Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material 
  including derivative works and translations (including 
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  existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) 
  “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, 
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  (d)”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and 
  includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines 
  to the extent such content does not embody the Product 
  Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any 
  additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content 
  by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this 
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  copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) 
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  by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, 
  Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise 
  create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or 
  “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game 
  Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open 
  Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of 
  this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open 
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  to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
  3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content 
  You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing 
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  worldwide, royalty—free, non— exclusive license with the 
  exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
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  contributing original material as Open Game Content, You 
  represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation 
  and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed 
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  Distribute.
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  with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or 
  all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, 
  or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open 
  Game Material so affected.
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  sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
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  unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the 
  extent necessary to make it enforceable.
  32
  33
  
  34
  35
  The kobolds speak of a saviour queen with visions of a 
  world made new, she vows, ‘in the image of the dragon’. 
  This new world will belong to the kobolds, and these 
  words are not without substance.
  Deep in a cavern, the queen whispers into a sleeping 
  dragon’s ear, seeding her zealous dreams in its mind.
  Shrine of the Kobold Queen
  Encounters
  steamforged.com
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  MINIATURES!
  PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ADVENTURE!
  
  36
  Copyright © 2020 Steamforged Games Ltd. All Rights Reserved
  Red Dragon
  A2 Double Sided 
  Mat
  18x Tokens
  
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