Shade
Monster Junkie
Bestiary Dragon
Bestiary Dragon
Dragon (Fire)
Environment: Warm forests and swamps
Organization: Wyrmling, very young, young, juvenile, and young adult: solitary or clutch (2–5); adult, mature adult, old, very old, ancient, wyrm, or great wyrm: solitary, pair, or family (1–2 and 2–5 offspring)
Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling 3; very young 4; young 5; juvenile 7; young adult 9; adult 11; mature adult 14; old 16; very old 18; ancient 19; wyrm 20; great wyrm 22
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: Wyrmling 5–6 HD; very young 8–9 HD; young 11–12 HD; juvenile 14–15 HD; young adult 17–18 HD; adult 20–21 HD; mature adult 23–24 HD; old 26–27 HD; very old 29–30 HD; ancient 32–33 HD; wyrm 35–36 HD; great wyrm 38+ HD
Level Adjustment: Wyrmling +3; very young +3; young +3; juvenile +4; others —
This dragon resembles a winged serpent, with a long, muscular tail, a small mouth, and a prominent crest. The air around it shimmers with heat.
Bestiary dragons are primitive, brutish dragons. They lack a breath weapon and magical attacks, but are clearly draconic in their long lifespans, durable hides, and melee prowess.
Bestiary dragons are fully carnivorous, and are generally the alpha predators within their territories. Elephants are the preferred prey of bestiary dragons, so these dragons often lurk near elephants trails or watering holes.
Combat
A bestiary dragon hunts like a python, lying in wait amid trees large enough to hold it or conceal it, then striking quickly from ambush and attempting to constrict its prey.
Because a bestiary dragon has a relatively small, weak bite, its bite attacks are treated as if it were one size category smaller. Unlike most true dragons, a bestiary dragon gains a tail slap attack at Tiny size. Its powerful tail attack deals greater damage than normal. Use the bite attack damage for a dragon of its size to determine tail slap damage. A bestiary dragon gains tail sweep, wing buffet, and crush attacks as normal for a dragon of its size.
Constrict (Ex): A bestiary dragon of Medium size or larger deals damage with a successful grapple check. The amount of damage dealt depends upon the creature's size, as indicated on the following chart. The bestiary dragon adds 1-1/2 times its Strength bonus on damage rolls made to constrict.
Size Constrict Damage
Tiny 1d4
Small 1d6
Medium 1d8
Large 2d8
Huge 3d8
Gargantuan 4d8
Colossal 6d8
Heat Aura (Su): A flying bestiary dragon continuously generates blasts of superheated air that burns all creatures and objects in its vicinity. The flying heat aura deals 1d8 points of fire damage x the dragon's age category. The following table indicates the radius based on the dragon's size.
Tiny - 5 ft. radius
Small - 10 ft. radius
Medium - 15 ft. radius
Large - 20 ft. radius
Huge - 30 ft. radius
Gargantuan - 40 ft. radius
Colossal - 50 ft. radius
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a bestiary dragon must hit with its bite or tail slap attacks. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins a grapple check, it establishes a hold. If it gets a hold with its bite, it can attempt to swallow the foe the following round. If it gets a hold with its tail slap it can constrict.
Thermal Riding (Ex): A bestiary dragon can direct the blasts of superheated air from its flying inferno power to fly at twice its normal speed when taking a charge or run action.
Swallow Whole (Ex): A bestiary dragon can attempt to swallow an opponent at least two size categories smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes bite damage plus 1d8 points of acid damage every round from the creature's digestive tract. A swallowed creature can attempt to cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 3 points of damage per age category of the bestiary dragon to its digestive tract (AC 10 plus half its natural armor bonus). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; other swallowed opponents must cut their own ways out.
A bestiary dragon's digestive tract can hold up to one opponent of two size categories smaller than itself, and four times as many of each size category below that. For example, a Huge bestiary dragon's digestive tract can hold 1 Medium, 4 Small, 16 Tiny, or 64 Diminutive or smaller opponents.
Skills: Climb, Hide, and Move Silently are considered class skills for bestiary dragons. A bestiary dragon has a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. *A bestiary dragon has a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks made in forest environments.
Feats: A juvenile or older bestiary dragon gains Hover as a bonus feat.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #199 (1993).
Bestiary Dragon
Dragon (Fire)
Environment: Warm forests and swamps
Organization: Wyrmling, very young, young, juvenile, and young adult: solitary or clutch (2–5); adult, mature adult, old, very old, ancient, wyrm, or great wyrm: solitary, pair, or family (1–2 and 2–5 offspring)
Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling 3; very young 4; young 5; juvenile 7; young adult 9; adult 11; mature adult 14; old 16; very old 18; ancient 19; wyrm 20; great wyrm 22
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: Wyrmling 5–6 HD; very young 8–9 HD; young 11–12 HD; juvenile 14–15 HD; young adult 17–18 HD; adult 20–21 HD; mature adult 23–24 HD; old 26–27 HD; very old 29–30 HD; ancient 32–33 HD; wyrm 35–36 HD; great wyrm 38+ HD
Level Adjustment: Wyrmling +3; very young +3; young +3; juvenile +4; others —
Code:
Bestiary Dragons by Age
Age Size Hit Dice (hp) Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha BaseAtk/Grp Attack Fort Ref Will Breath Weapon (DC) Frightful Presence DC
Wyrmling T 4d12+4 (30) 10 17 13 7 12 6 +4/–4 +6 +5 +4 +5 — —
Very young S 7d12+7 (52) 12 17 13 7 12 6 +7/+4 +9 +6 +5 +6 — —
Young M 10d12+20 (85) 14 17 15 9 12 6 +10/+12 +12 +9 +7 +8 — —
Juvenile M 13d12+26 (110) 16 17 15 9 12 8 +13/+16 +16 +10 +8 +9 — —
Young adult L 16d12+48 (152) 18 17 17 11 12 10 +16/+24 +19 +13 +10 +12 — 17
Adult L 19d12+76 (199) 22 17 19 10 12 12 +19/+29 +24 +15 +11 +13 — 20
Mature adult H 22d12+110 (253) 26 15 21 13 15 12 +22/+38 +28 +18 +13 +15 — 21
Old H 25d12+125 (287) 28 15 21 13 15 12 +25/+42 +32 +19 +14 +16 — 22
Very old H 28d12+168 (350) 30 15 23 15 17 14 +28/+46 +36 +22 +16 +19 — 25
Ancient H 31d12+186 (387) 32 15 23 15 17 14 +31/+50 +40 +23 +17 +20 — 26
Wyrm G 34d12+238 (459) 34 15 25 17 19 16 +34/+58 +42 +26 +19 +23 — 29
Great wyrm G 37d12+296 (536) 36 15 27 19 21 18 +37/+62 +46 +28 +20 +25 — 31
Bestiary Dragon Abilities by Age
Age Speed Init AC Special Abilities Caster Level SR
Wyrmling 60 ft., fly 100 ft. (average), climb 30 ft.. +3 18 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 15 Constrict, heat aura, improved grab, swallow whole— —
Very young 60 ft., fly 100 ft. (average), climb 30 ft.. +3 20 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 17 — — —
Young 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor), climb 30 ft. +3 22 (+3 Dex, +9 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 19 Thermal riding — —
Juvenile 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor), climb 30 ft +3 25 (+3 Dex, +12 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 22 Hover — —
Young adult 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor), climb 30 ft +3 27 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +15 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 24 DR 5/magic — 16
Adult 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor), climb 30 ft +3 30 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +18 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 27 — — 18
Mature 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor), climb 30 ft +2 31 (–2 size, +2 Dex, +21 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 29 DR 10/magic — 20
Old 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor), climb 30 ft +2 34 (–2 size, +2 Dex, +24 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 32 — — 21
Very old 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor), climb 30 ft +2 35 (–2 size, +2 Dex, +27 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 33 DR 15/magic — 23
Ancient 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor), climb 30 ft +2 40 (–2 size, +2 Dex, +30 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 38 — — 24
Wyrm 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (clumsy), climb 30 ft. +2 41 (–4 size, +2 Dex, +33 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 39 DR 20/magic — 25
Great wyrm 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (clumsy), climb 30 ft. +2 44 (–4 size, +2 Dex, +36 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 42 — — 27
This dragon resembles a winged serpent, with a long, muscular tail, a small mouth, and a prominent crest. The air around it shimmers with heat.
Bestiary dragons are primitive, brutish dragons. They lack a breath weapon and magical attacks, but are clearly draconic in their long lifespans, durable hides, and melee prowess.
Bestiary dragons are fully carnivorous, and are generally the alpha predators within their territories. Elephants are the preferred prey of bestiary dragons, so these dragons often lurk near elephants trails or watering holes.
Combat
A bestiary dragon hunts like a python, lying in wait amid trees large enough to hold it or conceal it, then striking quickly from ambush and attempting to constrict its prey.
Because a bestiary dragon has a relatively small, weak bite, its bite attacks are treated as if it were one size category smaller. Unlike most true dragons, a bestiary dragon gains a tail slap attack at Tiny size. Its powerful tail attack deals greater damage than normal. Use the bite attack damage for a dragon of its size to determine tail slap damage. A bestiary dragon gains tail sweep, wing buffet, and crush attacks as normal for a dragon of its size.
Constrict (Ex): A bestiary dragon of Medium size or larger deals damage with a successful grapple check. The amount of damage dealt depends upon the creature's size, as indicated on the following chart. The bestiary dragon adds 1-1/2 times its Strength bonus on damage rolls made to constrict.
Size Constrict Damage
Tiny 1d4
Small 1d6
Medium 1d8
Large 2d8
Huge 3d8
Gargantuan 4d8
Colossal 6d8
Heat Aura (Su): A flying bestiary dragon continuously generates blasts of superheated air that burns all creatures and objects in its vicinity. The flying heat aura deals 1d8 points of fire damage x the dragon's age category. The following table indicates the radius based on the dragon's size.
Tiny - 5 ft. radius
Small - 10 ft. radius
Medium - 15 ft. radius
Large - 20 ft. radius
Huge - 30 ft. radius
Gargantuan - 40 ft. radius
Colossal - 50 ft. radius
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a bestiary dragon must hit with its bite or tail slap attacks. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins a grapple check, it establishes a hold. If it gets a hold with its bite, it can attempt to swallow the foe the following round. If it gets a hold with its tail slap it can constrict.
Thermal Riding (Ex): A bestiary dragon can direct the blasts of superheated air from its flying inferno power to fly at twice its normal speed when taking a charge or run action.
Swallow Whole (Ex): A bestiary dragon can attempt to swallow an opponent at least two size categories smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes bite damage plus 1d8 points of acid damage every round from the creature's digestive tract. A swallowed creature can attempt to cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 3 points of damage per age category of the bestiary dragon to its digestive tract (AC 10 plus half its natural armor bonus). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; other swallowed opponents must cut their own ways out.
A bestiary dragon's digestive tract can hold up to one opponent of two size categories smaller than itself, and four times as many of each size category below that. For example, a Huge bestiary dragon's digestive tract can hold 1 Medium, 4 Small, 16 Tiny, or 64 Diminutive or smaller opponents.
Skills: Climb, Hide, and Move Silently are considered class skills for bestiary dragons. A bestiary dragon has a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. *A bestiary dragon has a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks made in forest environments.
Feats: A juvenile or older bestiary dragon gains Hover as a bonus feat.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #199 (1993).
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