Dragon

The Dragon is the second most powerful neutral monster on Summoner's Rift in League of Legends.

Gameplay
Killing the dragon gives 190 gold to the killing team, as well as 25 gold and additional experience to the killer and nearby allies. It is described in-game as "A powerful and dangerous monster who can blow fire on its enemies causing damage over time and slowing attack speed. Slaying this foe grants global gold to your team".

Background
''The scent of chaos fuels the flames in the heart of the Dragon. Drawn to this war-torn land, the mightiest of beasts has settled deep within the Summoner's Rift, awaiting the next great war. To those who wake this slumbering ancient, beware: for his sharp teeth and suffocating breath have been tempered by the bravest of champions, and yet it is he that still thrives in the depths of the Rift.''

Strategy

 * Controlling and killing the dragon can lead to an experience and gold advantage for your team.
 * The 190 global gold is equivalent to approximately 7-8 minion kills for everyone on your team. So killing the dragon is roughly equivalent to killing 38 creeps (6 whole waves) and distributing the gold equally. It is generally considered to be worth as much as 2 champion kills, making it a very high value target.
 * When killing the dragon, check that the enemy team has not warded the area to avoid ganks.
 * Ganks at the dragon are in fact pretty frequent, as your team will be weakened by it and with limited escape paths. A good gank at the dragon may result in a lot of deaths for your team, with the dragon kill being stolen by the enemies.
 * Try to keep a ward in the river near the dragon to know if it has spawned or is being killed.
 * This ward also provides vision of enemy champions switching between the middle and bottom lanes.
 * Consequently you should consider pink warding or sweeping with oracles before attempting dragon.
 * Killing the dragon is one of the jobs of the jungler. He may require help from the team, especially from the bottom or the mid lane.
 * This is one of the reasons why there are usually 2 champions in the bottom lane, with the top lane being solo, when there is a jungler on your team.
 * and are examples of junglers that are capable of soloing the dragon at early levels.
 * Trying to kill the dragon before level 5 as a jungler is generally a bad idea. Try enlisting the help of your bottom lane allies temporarily for an early and easier kill.

Trivia

 * The Dragon is the only neutral creep in the game with Magic Resist higher than its Armor.