King Black Dragon

You have the option to create a private instance for this fight. On death, all unprotected items will be moved to a grave outside the instance. Any items left on the ground will be lost.

This article has a strategy guide. All information on mechanics and strategy will be on this page.

King Black Dragon
Released								24 September 2002 (Update)
Also called								KBD
Members								Yes
Combat level								276
Size								5x5
Examine								One of the biggest, meanest dragons around.
Combat info
Attribute								Draconic, Fiery
XP bonus								+7.5%
Max hit								25 (Melee) 65 (Dragonfire)
Aggressive								Yes
Poisonous								Yes (8)
Attack style								Stab, Dragonfire
Attack speed								4 ticks (2.4 seconds)
Respawn time								16 ticks (9.6 seconds)
Slayer info
Slayer level								None
Slayer XP								258 xp
Category								Black Dragons, Bosses
Assigned by
Combat stats
240				240				240				240				240				1
Aggressive stats
+0				+0				+0				+0				+0				+0
Melee defence
+40								+90								+90
Magic defence
+80												50% weakness
Ranged defence
+70								+70								+40
Immunities
Poison								0% resistance
Venom								0% resistance
Cannons								Not immune
Thralls								Not immune
Burn								Immune (weak)
Open in DPS calculator
Advanced data
Monster ID								239,2642
Link								MOID

The King Black Dragon, commonly referred to as KBD, is a three-headed dragon located in his lair, accessible only through the deep Wilderness. With a combat level of 276, he is one of the strongest dragons in Old School RuneScape.

His lair is a multicombat area. Though designated as a Wilderness boss, the lair itself is not in the Wilderness, so players cannot attack each other and there are no teleport restrictions. Completion of the Wilderness Diary also does not note his bone drops.

Players can pay 50,000 coins to fight the King Black Dragon in an instanced area inaccessible by other players (right-click Private option on lever). Players do not need to carry coins on them, as the fee may be deducted from the bank. Items dropped by the boss in this instance will disappear after 30 minutes, though items dropped by the player will disappear after the typical 3 minutes.

The King Black Dragon counts towards a black dragon Slayer task, except when assigned by Krystilia.

Location	Levels	Members	Spawns	Map	League region
King Black Dragon Lair (Wilderness)	276		1	Show map	Wilderness✓

Warning: The entrance to the King Black Dragon Lair (aka KBD Lair) is located in the Wilderness; watch out for player killers!

Note: After climbing down the ladder near the lesser demons, players must pull a lever surrounded by poisonous spiders to access the lair.

• The burning amulet teleports the player to the Lava Maze just south-east of the fenced area containing the entrance to the lair. This is the fastest and most reliable method of getting there.
• Wilderness Obelisks can be used, but be wary that using them will make encountering high-level monsters or PKers more likely. Players who have completed the hard Wilderness Diary can choose the obelisk they wish to teleport to, namely the obelisk closest to the lair at level 44 Wilderness. The nearest obelisk can be accessed if the player teleports to the Corporeal Beast area via a games necklace, exits the cave, and runs south-east to the obelisk and then south-east again.
• From Edgeville, players can make a waka canoe (requires 57 Woodcutting) at the canoe station and take it to the Wilderness. Upon arrival, the player will have to trek westward past some green dragons on the southern end of the Lava Maze before going slightly north-west toward the western part of the maze.
• North-west of Ardougne Castle, there's a lever that takes the player to the Deserted Keep. From there, after slashing the webs, head southward to a long fence and follow it either east or west to an opening. If following it east, beware of the Chaos Elemental. Once out, trek westward past the northern end of the Lava Maze before going slightly south-west toward the western part of the maze.
• The Ice Plateau or Ghorrock Teleport is among the fastest ways to get there. After teleporting, run south-east.
• The Arceuus spellbook's Cemetery Teleport teleports players to the Forgotten Cemetery, just south.

Players should be prepared to fight as soon as they enter the lair, as the King Black Dragon is aggressive and may attack immediately from a distance.

The King Black Dragon uses melee and dragonfire, which is of a higher tier compared to those made by adult chromatic dragons. It makes use of four different breath attacks; normal dragonfire alongside three special dragonfire attacks; shock, ice, and poison. These special dragonfire attacks deal less damage than normal dragonfire, but require more tiers of protection to reduce its damage. Without any protection, the normal dragonfire can deal up to 65 damage and special dragonfire 50.

The special dragonfire attacks have a chance of applying a second effect on the player when it hits them. Shock dragonfire reduces all of the player's stats by two, poison dragonfire can inflict poison starting at 8 if not protected against, and ice dragonfire freezes the player for 10 ticks (6.0 seconds).

An anti-dragon shield in combination with an antifire potion will prevent his regular dragonfire damage, and reduce his special dragonfire damage to 10. For more information, see the relevant section on the strategy page.

The following money making guide is available for the King Black Dragon:

The following drop rates are provided by Jagex, unless otherwise specified.

The average King Black Dragon kill is worth 19,428.48.

The average King Black Dragon kill while on a Konar task is worth 20,746.25.

The average high alch value of a King Black Dragon kill is 7,138.53.

The average high alch value of a King Black Dragon kill while on a Konar task is 7,535.51.

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	Price	High Alch
	Dragon bones	1	Always	3,324	96
	Black dragonhide	2	Always	6,120	180

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	Price	High Alch
	Dragon pickaxe	1	1/1,000	575,223	58,770

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	Price	High Alch
	Rune longsword	1	10/128	18,821	19,200
	Adamant platebody	1	9/128	9,440	9,984
	Adamant kiteshield	1	3/128	2,988	3,264
	Dragon med helm	1	1/128	58,090	60,000

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	Price	High Alch
	Fire rune	300	5/128; 10/128[d 1]	1,500	600
	Air rune	300	10/128	1,500	600
	Iron arrow	690	10/128	4,140	690
	Runite bolts	10–20	10/128	950–1,900	1,800–3,600
	Law rune	30	5/128	3,690	4,320
	Blood rune	30	5/128	11,220	7,200

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	Price	High Alch
	Yew logs	150 (noted)	10/128	16,500	14,400
	Adamantite bar	3	5/128	5,553	1,152
	Runite bar	1	3/128	12,265	3,000
	Gold ore	100 (noted)	2/128	14,400	9,000

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	Price	High Alch
	Amulet of power	1	7/128	2,267	2,115
	Dragon arrowtips	5–14	5/128	8,610–24,108	1,500–4,200
	Dragon dart tip	5–14	5/128	6,110–17,108	750–2,100
	Dragon javelin tips	15	5/128[d 1]	10,665	17,550
	Runite limbs	1	4/128	8,994	9,600
	Shark	4	4/128	4,212	408

There is a 8/128 chance of rolling the rare drop table. There is also a 2/128 chance of rolling the gem drop table.

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	Price	High Alch
	Nothing	N/A	1/52.25; Never[d 1]	N/A	N/A
	Coins	3,000	1/97.52	3,000	3,000
	Uncut sapphire	1	1/157.54; 1/80[d 2]	228	15
	Loop half of key	1	1/100.36; 1/98.46[d 2]	9,756	60
	Tooth half of key	1	1/100.36; 1/98.46[d 2]	9,887	60
	Uncut emerald	1	1/315.08; 1/160[d 2]	473	30
	Uncut ruby	1	1/630.15; 1/320[d 2]	1,087	60
	Runite bar	1	1/409.6	12,265	3,000
	Nature rune	67	1/682.67	11,457	7,236
	Rune 2h sword	1	1/682.67	38,123	38,400
	Rune battleaxe	1	1/682.67	24,639	24,960
	Law rune	45	1/1,024	5,535	6,480
	Death rune	45	1/1,024	8,325	4,860
	Steel arrow	150	1/1,024	900	1,050
	Rune arrow	42	1/1,024	1,974	10,080
	Adamant javelin	20	1/1,024	800	1,920
	Rune sq shield	1	1/1,024	22,747	23,040
	Dragonstone	1	1/1,024	10,735	6,000
	Silver ore	100 (noted)	1/1,024	6,200	4,500
	Nature talisman	1	1/1,680.41; 1/853.33[d 2]	268	2
	Uncut diamond	1	1/2,520.62; 1/1,280[d 2]	2,439	120
	Rune kiteshield	1	1/2,048	32,110	32,640
	Dragon med helm	1	1/2,048	58,090	60,000
	Rune spear	1	1/2,126.93; 1/243.04[d 2][d 3]	11,599	12,480
	Rune javelin	5	1/5,041.23; 1/2,560[d 2]	675	1,200
	Shield left half	1	1/4,253.86; 1/486.08[d 2][d 3]	65,355	66,000
	Dragon spear	1	1/5,671.81; 1/648.1[d 2][d 3]	38,438	37,440

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	Price	High Alch
	Key (elite)	1	Always[d 1]	Not sold	12
	Brimstone key	1	1/65[d 2]	Not sold	N/A
	Kbd heads	1	1/128	Not sold	30,000
	Clue scroll (elite)	1	1/450[d 3][d 4]	Not sold	12
	Prince black dragon	1	1/3,000	Not sold	N/A
	Draconic visage	1	1/5,000	3,745,441	450,000

• Killing the King Black Dragon for a key to open the closed chest in the north-east corner of his lair is the solution to the elite cryptic clue: Scattered coins and gems fill the floor. The chest you seek is in the north east.

There are 6 Combat Achievement tasks (totalling 12 points) available for King Black Dragon.

Name	Description	Type	Tier	Comp%
King Black Dragon Novice	Kill the King Black Dragon 10 times.	Kill Count	Easy (1 pt)	34.1%
King Black Dragon Champion	Kill the King Black Dragon 25 times.	Kill Count	Medium (2 pts)	28.9%
Claw Clipper	Kill the King Black Dragon with the Protect from Melee prayer activated.	Mechanical	Medium (2 pts)	31.1%
Antifire Protection	Kill the King Black Dragon with an antifire potion active and an antidragon shield equipped.	Restriction	Medium (2 pts)	35.3%
Hide Penetration	Kill the King Black Dragon with a stab weapon.	Restriction	Medium (2 pts)	29.3%
Who Is the King Now?	Kill The King Black Dragon 10 times in a private instance without leaving the instance.	Stamina	Hard (3 pts)	14.5%

• A group of players fighting the King Black Dragon as depicted in art.
• Bob talking to the King Black Dragon.
• R4ng3rno0b889 is killed by the King Black Dragon.

29 March 2004 – 29 August 2006	29 August 2006 – present

• King Black Dragon appears on one of the seven Postbag from the Hedge stamps.
• Engaging in combat with the King Black Dragon while not having any form of dragonfire protection gives unique messages in the player's chatbox when they are harmed by the various types of dragonfire:
  • Freezing: You're chilled to the bone by the dragon's icy breath!
  • Poison: You're badly scalded by the dragon's toxic breath!
  • Shocking: You're zapped by the dragon's shocking breath!
  • Burning: You're horribly burnt by the dragon's fiery breath!
• The King Black Dragon can talk, as seen in A Tail of Two Cats. During the first part of the final cutscene, when he is visited by Bob the cat, they have a conversation before being interrupted by R4ng3rno0b889.
• The King Black Dragon had a festive override wearing a santa hat, purple partyhat, and green partyhat during the 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 Christmas events.
• The King Black Dragon was the strongest monster in RuneScape Classic and retained the title until the introduction of RuneScape 2's first new boss, the Kalphite Queen.

v t e Bosses
World bosses	The Hueycoatl Scurrius Giant Mole Deranged archaeologist Sarachnis Kalphite Queen Corporeal Beast Gemstone Crab The Barrows Brothers Ahrim the Blighted Karil the Tainted Dharok the Wretched Guthan the Infested Torag the Corrupted Verac the Defiled The Dagannoth Kings Dagannoth Prime Dagannoth Rex Dagannoth Supreme God Wars Dungeon Kree'arra Commander Zilyana General Graardor K'ril Tsutsaroth Nex Moons of Peril Eclipse Moon Blue Moon Blood Moon The Wilderness bosses Revenant maledictus Chaos Fanatic Crazy archaeologist Scorpia King Black Dragon Chaos Elemental Vet'ion (Calvar'ion) Venenatis (Spindel) Callisto (Artio)
Instanced bosses	Amoxliatl Brutus (Demonic) Royal Titans (Branda the Fire Queen) (Eldric the Ice King) Zulrah Vorkath Phantom Muspah The Nightmare (Phosani's Nightmare) Yama Doom of Mokhaiotl Maggot King Mad Angel Sporadic bosses Obor Bryophyta The Mimic Hespori Skotizo The Forgotten Four The Leviathan The Whisperer Vardorvis Duke Sucellus
Slayer bosses	Shellbane gryphon Grotesque Guardians (Dusk) (Dawn) Abyssal Sire Kraken Cerberus Araxxor Thermonuclear smoke devil Alchemical Hydra
Minigame bosses	Crystalline Hunllef Corrupted Hunllef TzTok-Jad TzKal-Zuk Sol Heredit
Skilling bosses	Tempoross Wintertodt Zalcano
Raids	Chambers of Xeric Tekton Vanguard Vespula Vasa Nistirio Muttadile Great Olm Theatre of Blood The Maiden of Sugadinti Pestilent Bloat Nylocas Vasilias Sotetseg Xarpus Verzik Vitur Tombs of Amascut Akkha Ba-Ba Kephri Zebak Tumeken's Warden Elidinis' Warden