Dragons live to be over 1,000 years old in DnD 5e. That is, as long as no upstart adventurers slay them in battle and lay claim to their vast hoard of treasure.
A dragon’s age is directly tied to its power, as well. From the age of 0-5, a dragon is but a mere wyrmling, a medium creature with a measly 2 to 4 challenge rating.
But if a dragon reaches the ripe old age of 801, they are an ancient dragon, a gargantuan monster with a challenge rating of 20+.
A dragon of who lives a millennia considered a wyrm, while one that celebrate their 1,200th birthday can call themselves a great wyrm.
Dragon Age Categories
| Category | Size | Age Range |
|---|---|---|
| Wyrmling | Medium | 5 years or less |
| Young | Large | 6-100 years |
| Adult | Huge | 101-800 years |
| Ancient | Gargantuan | 801 years or more |
Monster Manual, pg. 86
Matt Zane
Author, DnD Lounge
Matt Zane started DnD Lounge in 2021. Matt began playing DnD 5e in 2015, and has been DMing since 2017. He loves optimization, but also enjoys looking for creative ways to use spells and abilities that follow the spirit and letter of the rules. He also eschews pure optimization in favor of a more balanced approach, where building a character is primarily about serving an interesting story arc and party dynamics rather than maxing out DPR.