Black Dragon OSRS Guide: Taking on these Dark Draconic Terrors

OSRS has always been a series that prides itself on its ability to deliver consistently brilliant and high-quality content that pushes the series forward.

The developers have pushed out content for twenty years that have kept this large MMO world expanding beyond our wildest dreams and they have managed to do this by adding a wealth of quests, gear, minigames, bosses, and enemy types. Each have their own unique traits, require different items and skill sets to overcome and overall, make the game feel like a deep, nuanced and well-oiled machine.

If you have been playing this game since its birth back in 2001, all of this is probably second nature to you. However, for a casual player who is trying to get into the swing of things, the abundance of existing OSRS content can be very overwhelming. So that’s where we come in.

We have developed a series of essential handbooks on quests, enemies, armor variants, weapons, and many other important assets within OSRS. Our goal is to bridge the gap and allow anyone to enjoy everything that OSRS has to offer and take you from beginner adventurer, right up to the tippy-top where you are master of all you survey.

In this guide, we take a look specifically at the Black Dragon enemy type within OSRS. This powerful Chromatic Dragon offers one of the toughest challenges that a standard enemy can within OSRS, can deal huge damage, and also offers some interesting rewards for braving this encounter. So without further delay, here is everything you need to know about Black Dragons in OSRS.

What is The Black Dragon in OSRS?

Black Dragon

Black Dragons are a Chromatic Dragon enemy type that one can encounter within OSRS. In fact, they are the strongest basic dragon-type enemy within the game. In terms of appearance, this enemy looks exactly as you would imagine. It has the typical body composition of a Dragon, with two large wings, muscular hind legs, and supporting front legs, each with three sharp white claws.

It has a long black tail with a sharp tip at the end. It has a long face with a black spike on the chin that looks like a goatee. The creature has red, piercing eyes, two large white horns, and two sharp, black appendages that stick out in the left and right of the creature’s neck. The creature, as you would expect, is completely black unless stated otherwise above.

Here are the base stats belonging to Black Dragons within OSRS:

  • HP: 190
  • Strength: 200
  • Attack: 200
  • Defence: 200
  • Magic: 100
  • Ranged: 1

Black Dragons are 4×4 tiles in size, have a combat level of 227, have a max melee hit of 21, and a max Dragonfire hit of 50. This creature has an attack speed of four seconds, doesn’t have a particular slayer level but does have an associated slayer task, and players who slay this beast will receive 199.5XP for their efforts.

Where Can You Find The Black Dragon in OSRS?

Black Dragon 1

The Black Dragon can be found in several locations, with the majority of these areas not requiring an active slayer task to enter and take on these beasts. However, one area is clearly the best when it comes to taking down large numbers of Black Dragons in rapid time. Here is a list of all the locations where you will find Black Dragons in OSRS:

  • Taverley Dungeon
  • Taverley Dungeon (Upper Level)
  • Wilderness Slayer Cave
  • Lava maze dungeon
  • Corsair Cove Dungeon
  • Evil Chicken’s Lair
  • Mynydd

The best location to take on Black Dragons is hands down the upper level of Taverley Dungeon. This is due to the fact that you can encounter up to twelve Black Dragons in one area, which means quick spawns, quick kills, and more loot than any other location. However, it is important to remember that you can only access the upper level of this dungeon if you have completed Dragon Slayer II.

This area is located in Asgarnia and plays host to Black Dragons as well as Demons, Undead, bats, and spiders. The closest areas to this dungeon are Taverley which is due north, Falador which is off to the east, the Dark Wizard’s Tower in the South, and then Entrana which is west of Asgarnia. This is actually one of the largest Dungeons within the entire game and offers one of the widest enemy difficulty ranges as well.

To enter this dungeon, there are several tricks and tips that will cut down your travel times and make this whole encounter much less time-consuming and stressful. To get to this area you can use the Falador Teleport, teleport to your homestead if you have bought a house in Taverley, you can use the Burthorpe Games Room grouping teleport or Games Necklace.

The Explorer’s ring 2 will bring you just south of Falador, you can use the Balloon transport system to take you to Taverley or you can use the South portal in the Wizards’ Guild to bring you to the Dark Wizard’s tower. However, this does require 66 magic.

While most of the locations mentioned pale in comparison to the Taverley Dungeon upper level, something would be amiss if we didn’t mention the Wilderness Cave Black Dragon variants. These may only be fought in batches of three, however, the fact that these Black Dragons are combat level 247 not only offers an added challenge. It also offers a much more lucrative drop price.

These creatures have a much higher chance of dropping a rare item called the draconic visage, with the odds dropping to 5000/1 per kill. It’s still a long shot but even one lucky drop could see the player walk away with a staggering 2 million gold at the Grand Exchange. So it’s well worth heading over to this cave if you happen to be passing.

Do Black Dragons Have Any Immunities?

Unlike a lot of enemies within the game, Black Dragons have absolutely no immunities, meaning that you will be able to attack these creatures using poison weaponry, you will be able to use venom to your advantage. You will be able to call upon the help of Thralls and you will also have access to cannons if you so wish. This means that you can use the Dwarf Multicannon tactic to make the process of farming these monsters much more efficient.

What are the Requirements to Fight a Black Dragon in OSRS?

Dragons

Firstly, let’s begin with the stats that the player should have before they even consider taking on a Black Dragon. We believe that a player should have at least 70 defense and 80 ranged attack stats before they take on a Black Dragon. It is also recommended that the player have at least a level 55 slayer rating as this will grant them access to broad bolts which are ideal for the task at hand.

Plus, if you want easy access to the Black Dragons when inside the dungeon and don’t want to get caught in fights with other enemy variants, you’ll want to make sure you have level 70 agility to use the shortcuts available.

Then as for the gear that players should take. Firstly, if you are attending a crowded area such as Taverley Dungeon, we would urge you to have access to the Falador Teleport, bring some anti-poison and also bring a decent amount of high-quality food such as sharks on your trip. You will also need an anti-fire potion at the very least. However, for extended combat sessions, you will need an anti-dragon shield. This will protect against the beast’s strong dragon fire attacks.

We would also recommend that you bring a ranged weapon that is up to the task at hand. As this creature is weak to bolts, you will want to take full advantage of this. The best weapons for the job are the Armadyl crossbow, the Dragon Crossbow, the Rune Crossbow, Karil’s crossbow, or the Crystal bow.

Then with regards to the areas you attend to fight these creatures, you may need ro complete some quests. For access to Evil Chicken’s Lair, you will need to at least partially complete the quest Recipe for Disaster/Freeing Sir Amik Varze. Then for access to the upper level of Taverley Dungeon, you will need to complete Dragon Slayer II. Plus, if you want to access Mynydd, you will need to complete Song of the Elves.

Is There a Superior Black Dragon in OSRS?

Yes, there are actually several variants of the Black Dragon enemy type. The most relevant example is the Brutal Black Dragon. This creature in terms of appearance is rather similar to the standard variant. The key differences are that this Dragon is a mix of charcoal grey and black markings, plus, the creature has long, curved horns on its head.

It has a combat level of 318, has a size of 4×4 tiles, has a max melee hit of 29, and a max dragon fire hit of 50. It has a slayer level of 77 and players will be awarded 346.5xp for each successful kill. These creatures are found in the Catacombs of Kourend.

Then secondly, you have the King Black Dragons which are another superior form of Black Dragon. This is considered a boss fight, can be triggered as an instanced, private fight if the player chooses and offers one of the most challenging intermediate fights in the game. In terms of appearance, this Dragon is again, very similar to that of a Black Dragon. However, the key difference is that this dragon has three heads.

This Dragon is a wise and intelligent soul and within the game’s lore, we come to know that KBD is tired of adventurers attacking him. While he will always fight back when provoked, he wishes that they would just leave him alone to live out the rest of his days. This info can be obtained from Bob the Cat, a long-time friend of KBD.

TheThis Dragon has a combat rating of 276, is one of the largest dragons in the game, taking up 5×5 tiles, and has a max melee hit and dragon fire hit of 25 and 60, respectively. Players who beat this creature will receive 258 XP for their troubles. It is also worth noting that Baby Black Dragons are also present within the game, however, these creatures are much less imposing and dangerous and therefore not a superior variant.

How to Defeat The Black Dragon

Black Dragon Defeat

So now that you know the requirements to take on the Black Dragon, where to find the creature, and what this creature is all about, you’ll want to know how to successfully take down one without turning into Dragon food.

As we suggested, it is essential that you go to this battle with an anti-fire potion for short bouts and an anti-dragon shield for extended sessions. This will allow you to weather the firestorm that these dragons can deal out, meaning that you can focus your prayer protection on the melee attacks this creature can throw your way.

Also, it is essential that you have a good bow or ranged weapon and a good supply of broad bolts. The creature is susceptible to this kind of attack and yields the best and swiftest results. You can take this creature on with ranged magic attacks or melee but this only leaves you open to melee attacks of its own and the creature has a higher resistance to magic, so ranged is your number one option.

As for choosing your location, if you are a high level and not on a slayer task, we would suggest that the Wilderness Caves or Evil Chicken’s Lair are the best options as you have good access to teleports in these locations, you get better drops from the higher level enemies in the case of the former. Plus, these areas are rarely crowded so you don’t really have to plan for PvP griefers.

Other than these considerations, there are no special mechanics that the player needs to be aware of. The monster will alternate between a dragon fire attack and a melee attack but if you are positioned correctly and working the angles with a ranged weapon, it really won’t matter what this beast is doing. A handful of well-placed arrows and you’ll be victorious.

What are the Best Drops that the Black Dragon Offers?

So now that we have given you the ins and outs of how to best this Goliath Dragon, you may want to know what you will get for beating a Black Dragon. The Black Dragon is best known and farmed heavily for its draconic visage drop, however, this beast offers more than just this one item and if you are lucky, you can walk away with a drop that offers upwards of 3 million gold. Here is a list of all the best drops that Black Dragons offer within OSRS:

  • Dragon bones (guaranteed) – 1,589 gold
  • Black Dragonhide (Guaranteed) – 2,988 gold
  • Dragon token (guaranteed) – Not sold
  • Adamant platebody – 9,379 gold
  • Rune longsword – 18,548 gold
  • Blood Rune – 6,390 gold
  • Dragon javelin heads – 9370 gold
  • Adamantite bar – 1870 gold
  • Runite bar – 12,408 gold
  • Rune 2h sword – 37,670 gold
  • Nature rune – 12,864 gold
  • Rune battleaxe – 24,466 gold
  • Rune sq shield – 22,374 gold
  • Dragonstone – 11,754 gold
  • Rune kiteshield – 31,929 gold
  • Dragon med helm – 58,810 gold
  • Rune Spear – 11,796 gold
  • Shield left half – 65,262 gold
  • Dragon spear – 37,601 gold
  • Draconic visage – 1,995,127 gold

What Happens If I Die Fighting the Black Dragon?

Black Dragon Quest

As a Black Dragon is a non-instanced fight, players will have the opportunity to return to the area where they died and retrieve their gear. However, it is worth mentioning that if any player dies on their way to retrieve their gear, the gear will disappear and be lost forever, so we would urge the player to be cautious when returning to the scene of the crime for their lost possessions.

How Many Times Can You Kill Black Dragons In One Hour?

The Black Dragons within OSRS are formidable foes for intermediate-level and advanced players. So they will offer a tough challenge that could be difficult to sustain for an hour.

Plus, if you take on the 247 combat-level variants, this will take even longer to down one dragon. However, with the right equipment, a stocked inventory, and some experience of dealing with these creatures, we reckon that even the most unskilled player with the required stats would be able to take down around 30 of these creatures an hour. Whereas a very skilled and efficient player would be able to take down anywhere from 60/80 of these creatures.

This means that within one hour, going off the average profit per kill for these enemies, that players will earn anywhere from 156,651 gold to 463,155 gold.

FAQ Section

Question: What Is The Most Expensive Dropped Item In OSRS?

Answer: At the time of writing the most expensive item within the game is the Twisted Bow. However, this is a reward item and not a traditional dropped item. So we move on to the second most expensive item in the game, the Elysian Spirit Shield.

This is a shield that is crafted thanks to a monster drop called an Elysian sigil. This is currently the most expensive monster drop in the game as it allows you to craft this unique shield capable of offering the highest slot crush defence in the game. At the time of writing, this item is available on the Grand Exchange for 792,029,159 gold.

Question: What is The Draconic Visage Used For?

Answer: This item may have a huge sell value but we wouldn’t rush to sell this item right away. For you see, this item can be combined with an Anti-Dragon Shield to form a Dragonfire shield. This shield is the most effective defensive item when dealing with dragon fire attacks and is ideal for fighting dragons of any kind.

To craft this item, players will have to be at level 90 smithing ability. However, this stat can be boosted if needed. Plus, if this also isn’t an option, Oziach in Edgeville will agree to craft the item for you for a fee of 1,250,000. A fee that seems steep but it sure beats the hell out of spending tens of hours raising your smithing skill. This item is also dropped by Skeletal Wyverns.

Question: What Does the Dragon Token Do?

Answer: The dragon token is a guaranteed drop for the Black Dragon but serves a purpose concerning a different dragon. If you kill a Black Dragon in the Evil Chicken’s Lair, you will get a Dragon Token and with this, you will be able to summon K’klik, a fairy dragon who will help you progress in the quest Freeing Sir Amik Varze by turning your Brulee into a brulee supreme. If you try and use this item outside of the required areas you will be prompted with the message The dragon’s token doesn’t seem to work here. Try it in Lumbridge town or Zanaris.”

So that is our guide giving you all the information you could possibly need regarding the Black Dragon in OSRS. What did you make of this guide? Did you find this helpful and informative? What other guides would you like to see in the future? Let us know in the comments section below and as always, thank you for reading.

Overall

As you can see from the information above, the Black Dragon enemy type within OSRS is an interesting one that is well worth tracking down and farming. Not only for the incredible drop profit potential but also for slayer tasks, a wicked challenge, and a taster of what is to come when you eventually take on KBD or a Brutal Black Dragon. So if you haven’t already taken one of these brutes, get your crossbow at the ready and fight.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top