In the ever-evolving chessboard of Summoner’s Rift, few objectives rival the importance of Elemental Dragons. These mighty beasts offer more than just a stat boost – they shape the entire flow of a match. From early-game pressure to late-game dominance, understanding these dragons is vital for victory.
There are six Elemental Dragons in total: Chemtech, Cloud, Hextech, Infernal, Ocean, and Mountain. Each one brings a different advantage, and controlling them can flip the script on even the most one-sided games. When two teams contest control of the Dragon Pit, it’s more than just a skirmish – it’s a clash of ambitions with powerful buffs as the prize.
Let’s unravel the mechanics, buffs, map-altering effects, and strategic insights for every dragon in League of Legends.
Dragon Mechanics: Spawn Times and Scaling
The first dragon appears at 5 minutes, staying until it’s slain. The next spawns five minutes later, and this cycle continues until the Dragon Soul is claimed – granted to the team that kills four dragons of the same element.
After a soul is taken, the Elder Dragon spawns instead. Slaying it gives your team the Aspect of the Dragon, a temporary but devastatingly powerful buff that can tip the balance of the game in an instant.
Chemtech Dragon
A return from the dead, quite literally. Initially scrapped in Season 12, the Chemtech Drake came roaring back in Season 13 with revamped mechanics.
Passive Buff: Grants bonus attack speed based on missing health.
Chemtech Blight (stack): Increases tenacity and healing/shield power.
Chemtech Soul: Offers 11% bonus damage and damage reduction when below 50% health – ideal for bruisers and dive comps.
Stats
Health: 5730–10290
Attack Damage: 50
Attack Speed: 0.5
Armor: 21
Magic Resist: 30
Cloud Dragon
Swift and slippery, the Cloud Drake favors champions who thrive on speed and mobility.
Passive Buff: Out-of-combat movement speed and slow resistance.
Cloud Soul: After casting an Ultimate, gain 15% movement speed, scaling to 60% for six seconds.
Best For: Engage champions, mobile assassins, and global ult users.
Stats
Health: 5730–10290
Attack Damage: 35
Attack Speed: 1.0
Hextech Dragon
A tech-fueled menace, the Hextech Drake is the newest and most electrifying addition.
Passive Buff: Hextech Prowess gives bonus Ability Haste and Attack Speed.
Hextech Soul: Auto-attacks and abilities trigger a lightning strike, dealing up to 50 True Damage and slowing targets for two seconds.
Synergizes With: AoE-heavy teams and burst comps.
Stats
Health: 5730–10290
Attack Damage: 47
Attack Speed: 0.75
Infernal Dragon
Brute force incarnate. The Infernal Drake is all about raw damage.
Passive Buff: 6% bonus Attack Damage and Ability Power per stack.
Infernal Soul: Abilities and basic attacks cause explosions, scaling with your stats.
Best On: Carries and casters alike.
Stats
Health: 5730–10290
Attack Damage: 70
AoE Auto Attacks
Mountain Dragon
A juggernaut’s dream. The Mountain Drake rewards durability.
Passive Buff: 9% bonus Armor and Magic Resist per stack.
Mountain Soul: Grants a shield after being out of combat for five seconds, scaling with bonus AD, AP, and HP.
Strong On: Tanks, enchanters, and scaling supports.
Stats
Attack Damage: 105
Armor: 41
Magic Resist: 50
Ocean Dragon
Sustain central. The Ocean Drake lets teams recover in and out of combat.
Passive Buff: Regenerates Health every 5 seconds, scaling with missing HP.
Ocean Soul: Restores Health and Mana when damaging enemies.
Ideal For: Poke comps and extended fights.
Stats
Attack Damage: 70
Heal-Oriented Utility
Elder Dragon – The Game Closer
The Elder Drake doesn’t mess around. It spawns only after a Dragon Soul is claimed, and its buff, Aspect of the Dragon, can end games fast.
Burn Effect: Every attack inflicts 75 True Damage over 3 seconds.
Execute: Automatically kills enemies under 20% health hit by Aspect holders.
Stats
Health: 6400 + 290 per minute
Attack Damage: 105
Armor: 120–180
Magic Resist: 70–113
Dragon Slayer Buffs – Stackable Power
Each dragon kill grants a Dragon Slayer buff specific to its type, stacking up to four times:
Chemtech Blight: +6/12/18/24% Tenacity & Healing
Cloudbringer’s Grace: +5/10/15/20% Movement Speed & Slow Resistance
Hextech Prowess: +5/10/15/20 Ability Haste & Attack Speed
Infernal Might: +3/6/9/12% AD & AP
Mountainous Vigor: +5/10/15/20% Armor & MR
Oceanic Will: Heal 2.5/5/7.5/10% missing HP every 5s
Elemental Rift Map Transformations
After two dragons are slain, the map transforms based on the dominant elemental dragon:
Chemtech: Enhanced jungle plants. Shielding Honeyfruits, bigger Blast Cones, and more revealing Scryer’s Blooms.
Cloud: Wind zones for 20–35% bonus movement speed around buffs and pit.
Hextech: Teleporting gates added to bases and jungle paths.
Infernal: Walls destroyed, opening new flanking routes. Infernal Cinders give movement speed and ability haste.
Mountain: Rock formations appear, altering vision lines and jungle navigation.
Ocean: New and bigger bushes grow; healing Honeyfruits are more frequent.
Dragon Control Tips & Strategy
Vision Wins Games
Always set vision one minute before spawn. Clear enemy wards with Control Wards or Oracle Lens.
Positioning Is Everything
Help your Jungler if you’re nearby. Grouping in the pit without awareness can lead to deadly ganks or AOE combos.
Secure with Smite
Never rely on auto-attacks to finish a dragon. Use Smite, Feast, or Consume. Prevent steals from ultimates like Jinx R or Ezreal R.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to contest every single dragon – pick your fights wisely. If a dragon buff doesn’t fit your comp (like Cloud Soul on a tank-heavy team), it might be better to trade objectives. Season 14 even introduced alternatives like Void Grubs, adding more layers of choice.
The dragon pit isn’t just a battleground – it’s a strategic crossroad. Master it, and you’ll dictate the rhythm of the game.
GL HF!
