Highest CR Dragons

[YellowJohn]

The dragon type with the highest CR is the Prismatic dragon, followed by the Force dragon (both ELH).
Which dragon species comes in third? I'm also interested in Dragon Magazine material.

Edit: Typo

[Tzardok]

The Time Dragon from Dragon Magazine #359 has an even higher CR than the Prismatic Dragon (in the 90s for a Great Wyrm).

Edit: The highest CR for non-epic dragon races is 27 for Great Wyrm. Gold dragons, sand dragons (from Sandstorm), purple dragons (Dragon Compendium), axial dragons (Dragon Magazine #321) and ectoplasmic dragons (https://web.archive.org/web/20090601220618/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20040123a) (from the Mind's Eye article series on WotC's web site) have this CR. It should be noted that the ectoplasmic dragon was created in the phase between publishing 3.5 and publishing Expanded Psionics Handbook, so it is a 3.5 creature that still uses the 3.0 version of psionics.

[Biggus]

The Time Dragon from Dragon Magazine #359 has an even higher CR than the Prismatic Dragon (in the 90s for a Great Wyrm).

Edit: The highest CR for non-epic dragon races is 27 for Great Wyrm. Gold dragons, sand dragons (from Sandstorm), purple dragons (Dragon Compendium), axial dragons (Dragon Magazine #321) and ectoplasmic dragons (https://web.archive.org/web/20090601220618/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20040123a) (from the Mind's Eye article series on WotC's web site) have this CR. It should be noted that the ectoplasmic dragon was created in the phase between publishing 3.5 and publishing Expanded Psionics Handbook, so it is a 3.5 creature that still uses the 3.0 version of psionics.

The Time Dragon is listed as CR90 for great wyrm, but if you look at the CR list there's a mistake on it, it's pretty clear it should be CR100.

Apart from that, as Tzardok says. It's worth noting though that dragon CRs are horribly inaccurate and inconsistent; I recently checked over dragon CRs at the great wyrm stage and the "CR27s" came out as:

Gold 29
Purple 29
Axial 26
Sand 23

No idea about the ectoplasmic dragon, never heard of them until just now.

If we're including "lesser" dragons, Gravewyrm (CR45) and Glacierdrak (CR28) from an Epic Insights article (https://web.archive.org/web/20161101150309/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ei/20040109a) deserve a mention.

There were others in earlier editions which would almost certainly be epic dragons if translated to 3.5, like the miles-long Stellar Dragon (https://spelljammer.fandom.com/wiki/Stellar_dragon) from Spelljammer.

[YellowJohn]

Thanks guys.
Time dragons are a little too OTT for my purposes. I'll keep the others in mind though.

[Rebel7284]

Just to be clear, you are looking for a dragon species, not unique dragons, correct? I recall there was a wizards article with some epic dragons around including one with powerful necromancy abilities, but I am fairly sure it was unique.

[Tzardok]

Apart from that, as Tzardok says. It's worth noting though that dragon CRs are horribly inaccurate and inconsistent; I recently checked over dragon CRs at the great wyrm stage and the "CR27s" came out as:

Gold 29
Purple 29
Axial 26
Sand 23


Oh? How eactly did you check the CRs? Do you have some kind of guide or did you just let them fight some standardized group?

[Biggus]

Thanks guys.
Time dragons are a little too OTT for my purposes. I'll keep the others in mind though.

Is there some specific purpose you want them for? We might be able to make other suggestions if so.


Oh? How eactly did you check the CRs? Do you have some kind of guide or did you just let them fight some standardized group?

I use the average monster stats found here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?623578-3-5-Average-Monster-Stats-UPDATED-TABLE&highlight=average+monster+stats) and here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?172050-3-5-Average-Monster-Stats) as a starting point, then I compare things like damage per round, spell resistance and damage reduction to creatures of similar theoretical CR.

Then, I have a look at it's special abilities (and any vulnerabilities) and compare them to creatures of similar CR. Finally, I have a look at the thing as a whole and ask questions like "do any of these abilities synergize well (or conversely, make each other irrelevant)?".

I'm certainly not claiming my CR estimates are perfect, but I do think they're more accurate than the official ones. If you have access to Sandstorm, compare the great wyrm Sand Dragon* to the great wyrm Gold Dragon and tell me if you think they're the same CR.

*if you do look at the sand dragon, beware its error-riddled stats table. As well as the wonky bottom row, its saves don't add up and neither do its breath weapon save DCs

[Melcar]

Just to be clear, you are looking for a dragon species, not unique dragons, correct? I recall there was a wizards article with some epic dragons around including one with powerful necromancy abilities, but I am fairly sure it was unique.

Look in Dragons of Faerun! Its a CR 50 dragon. Cant remember its name!

[Tzardok]

Look in Dragons of Faerun! Its a CR 50 dragon. Cant remember its name!

Are you talking about Daurgothoth, the Creeping Doom? He's a black great wyrm dracolich with 20 wizard and 5 archmage levels. Nice guy.

[Biggus]

As the OP specifically asked for dragon species, I think it's safe to say that's what they're looking for rather than individuals. However, for completeness here's Daurgothoth (https://web.archive.org/web/20161101074742/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20020327a) (who under 3.5 advancement rules would come out as CR40) and while we're at it, Inferno/Imvaernarhro (https://web.archive.org/web/20161101190203/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060302b&page=4) who's also CR40 and AFAIK the only other individual dragon officially statted at CR40+.