How to Breed an Apocalypse Dragon in DragonVale (Now Permanent)

The short answer: you need Plant, Lightning, Cold and Metal across both parents. The most reliable pairings are Cactus + Mine, Lichen + Magnetic, Copper + Paper and Mine + Ash. Incubation is 20 hours 12 minutes.

That oddly specific time is not a mistake. It is almost certainly a nod to 2012, the year the dragon was released — and the year of a certain widely-publicised end-of-the-world prediction. It is also genuinely useful, because no other dragon shares that exact timer.

📖 Table of Contents

1. The Four-Element Requirement
2. Every Working Combination
3. The 20:12 Timer — Your Best Friend
4. Why “Limited” Guides Are Out of Date
5. Step-by-Step: Your First Attempt
6. Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
7. Pro Tips From Long-Time Keepers
8. Gear and Gifts for Dragon Fans
9. Frequently Asked Questions
10. Your Apocalypse Checklist

🔑 The Four-Element Requirement

The Apocalypse Dragon is an element-coverage dragon rather than a fixed-recipe one. Any pairing that puts all four of those elements on the table is a valid attempt.

That is more flexible than it first appears, because hybrids carry multiple elements. A single dragon covering Plant and Metal does half the work on its own. This is why the recommended pairings look so different from one another — they are all just different ways of reaching the same four.

The constraint that catches people is Metal. If you have not opened the Metal branch, you cannot reach this dragon at all. Cactus, Mine, Lichen and Magnetic are all Metal-family dragons — so securing a Metal Dragon is genuinely step zero.

Key insight: Count unique elements, not dragons. Two dragons that each carry two elements only give you four if none of them overlap. If both your parents carry Metal, you are down to three and the attempt cannot succeed no matter how many times you run it.

🥚 Every Working Combination

Parent A	Parent B	Notes	Best For
Cactus	Mine	Both from the Metal family	⭐ Most reliable
Lichen	Magnetic	Lichen is a strong all-rounder	If you own Lichen already
Mine	Ash	Ash also appears in Jet combos	Mid-game parks
Copper	Paper	Less common pairing	Established players
Copper	Evergreen	Covers the four via hybrids	Alternative route
Steel	Ash	Metal-heavy pairing	If Mine is busy

⏱️ The 20:12 Timer — Your Best Friend

Most dragons share their incubation time with several others, which makes the timer an unreliable signal. The Apocalypse Dragon does not have that problem.

20 hours and 12 minutes is unique. Nothing else in the game uses that oddly specific number. The moment breeding finishes, if you see 20:12 on the clock, you have your Apocalypse Dragon. No ambiguity, no waiting to find out.

That precision also means you never need to wait out a failed attempt. Read the timer, and if it is anything other than 20:12, clear it and go again.

📅 Why “Limited” Guides Are Out of Date

If you search for this dragon you will find a lot of older material describing it as a limited event dragon available only around a specific window. That information is obsolete.

The Apocalypse Dragon was originally released as a limited-time event dragon, but it was later changed to permanent. It is now available year-round, with no seasonal restriction whatsoever.

This matters practically, because a lot of players see the old guidance, assume they have missed their window, and never attempt it. If you have been putting this dragon off because you thought it was seasonal, you can start today.

What has not changed: the element requirement and the incubation time. Older guides are still correct about how to breed it — just wrong about when.

🪜 Step-by-Step: Your First Attempt

1. Make sure the Metal branch is open. You need Metal-family dragons for most viable pairings.
2. Breed or acquire Cactus and Mine if you do not have them.
3. Count your elements: Plant, Lightning, Cold, Metal — all four, no overlaps wasted.
4. Check both parents are level 4 or higher.
5. Start breeding. Any cave works; there is no time or month restriction.
6. Read the timer the moment breeding completes.
7. 20:12? Success. Move it to the Nest.
8. Anything else? Clear it and retry immediately.

🚫 Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Mistake 1: Believing it is still a limited dragon

What happens: You skip it entirely, assuming the window has passed.

The fix: It was made permanent. Breed it whenever you like.

Mistake 2: Not having the Metal branch open

What happens: None of the recommended pairs are available to you.

The fix: Secure a Metal Dragon first — it is cheap from the Market and unlocks Cactus, Mine, Lichen and Magnetic.

Mistake 3: Overlapping elements

What happens: Both parents carry Metal, so your real coverage is three elements, not four.

The fix: Count unique elements. Overlaps do not add anything.

Mistake 4: Ignoring the minutes on the timer

What happens: You mistake another long timer for a success and wait pointlessly.

The fix: Look for 20 hours 12 minutes exactly. The minutes are the tell.

Mistake 5: Waiting out failed eggs

What happens: Nearly a day disappears on an egg you already knew was wrong.

The fix: Clear anything that is not 20:12 and retry straight away.

🎓 Pro Tips From Long-Time Keepers

1. Build the Metal branch first. It unlocks Apocalypse, Diamond and a long list of hybrids in one go.

2. Keep Mine permanently available. It appears in both Apocalypse and Diamond combinations.

3. Start attempts before bed. A 20-hour cycle overlaps neatly with a night plus a working day.

4. Learn the timer signature. 20:12 is the single clearest success signal in DragonVale.

5. Do not trust old guides on availability. Much of the material online predates the change to permanent.

6. Level your parents. Higher levels improve rare outcomes across the board.

🎁 Gear and Gifts for Dragon Fans

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How do you breed an Apocalypse Dragon in DragonVale?

Use two parents that between them cover Plant, Lightning, Cold and Metal. Reliable pairings include Cactus + Mine, Lichen + Magnetic, Mine + Ash and Copper + Paper. Incubation is 20 hours 12 minutes.

Is the Apocalypse Dragon still limited?

No. It was originally a limited event dragon but has been made permanent. It is available all year round. Older guides describing a seasonal window are out of date.

Why is the incubation time 20 hours and 12 minutes?

It is almost certainly a reference to 2012, the year the dragon was released. Usefully, that makes it a unique timer — no other dragon shares it, so 20:12 confirms success instantly.

Do I need the Metal Dragon first?

Effectively yes. Cactus, Mine, Lichen and Magnetic are all Metal-family dragons, and they appear in every practical pairing. Securing a Metal Dragon is the real first step.

Is there a time-of-day restriction?

No. Unlike the Moon Dragon, the Apocalypse Dragon can be bred at any hour, on any day, in any Breeding Cave.

Why do I keep failing with a correct combo?

Breeding is probabilistic. A correct pairing makes the outcome possible, not guaranteed. Check that your four elements genuinely do not overlap, then keep attempting — and clear any egg that is not 20:12 rather than waiting it out.

✅ Your Apocalypse Checklist

🔗 Keep Reading

• The Complete Guide to Metal Dragons
• How to Breed the Diamond Dragon (also needs Mine)
• How to Breed the Rainbow Dragon
• Browse the full Dragon Database
• Egg Timer Calculator

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Breeding outcomes in DragonVale are probabilistic. The combinations in this guide are community-tested, but no combination guarantees a specific dragon on any single attempt. Availability and times reflect the game as of 2026 and may change with updates. DragonVale World Guide is an unofficial fan resource and is not affiliated with DECA Games or Backflip Studios.