620_17668_DraconomiconA.qxd 9/9/03 4:18 PM Page 201
SAMPLE BLACK DRAGONS Described below are twelve sample black dragons, one of each age category. The descriptions include basic personality and encounter notes that the DM will want to flesh out for his campaign, along with a set of statistics that make the dragon ready to play. Water Breathing (Ex): All black dragons can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use their breath weapons, spells, and other abilities underwater. Skills: A black dragon can move through water at its swim speed without making Swim checks. It has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. The dragon can always can choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. The dragon can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
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Assuming Rime spent his extra 3 skill points from his Intelligence increase on Hide, Listen, and Spot, his new statistics would be as follows: Rime: Male wyrmling white dragon; CR 2; Tiny dragon (cold); HD 3d12+6; hp 25; Init +6; Spd 60 ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 150 ft. (average), swim 60 ft.; AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +7; Grp –3; Atk +7 melee (1d4+2, bite); Full Atk +7 melee (1d4+2, bite), +2 melee (1d3+1, 2 claws); Space/Reach 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. (5 ft. with bite); SA breath weapon; SQ blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., icewalking, immunity to cold, magic sleep effects, and paralysis, low-light vision, vulnerability to fire; AL CE; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 4. Skills and Feats: Hide +16, Listen +8, Search +2, Sense Motive +3, Spot +8, Swim +16; Improved Initiative, Power Attack.
Breath Weapon (Su): 15-ft. cone, 1d6 cold, Reflex DC 13 half.
SAMPLE DRAGONS
Dexterity: Adjust the dragon’s initiative modifier, Armor Class, Reflex save bonus, and skill modifiers according to its new Dexterity modifier. In the example, Rime gained 4 points of Dexterity, which increased his Dexterity modifier from +0 to +2. Constitution: Adjust the dragon’s hit points, breath weapon save DC, Fortitude save bonus, and skill modifiers according to its new Constitution modifier. In the example, Rime gained 2 points of Constitution, which increased his Constitution modifier from +1 to +2. Rime doesn’t have a crush attack or tail sweep attack, but if he did, the save DCs against those attacks also would increase by 1. Intelligence: Adjust the dragon’s total skill points and skill modifiers according to its new Intelligence modifier. In the example, Rime gained 2 points of Intelligence, which increased his Intelligence modifier from +0 to +1 and gave him 3 extra skill points (1 point per Hit Die). Wisdom: Adjust the dragon’s Will save bonus and skill modifiers according to its new Wisdom modifier. In the example, Rime gained 0 points of Wisdom, leaving his Wisdom modifier unchanged. Charisma: Adjust the dragon’s frightful presence save DC, spell-like ability save DCs, and skill modifiers according to its new Charisma modifier. In the example, Rime lost 2 points of Charisma, which lowers his Charisma modifier from –2 to –3. If the dragon is a spellcaster, a change in Charisma also affects the save DCs for its spells and the number of bonus spells it gets. A dragon needs a Charisma score of at least 10 to cast any spells. Since Rime has no spellcasting ability, spell-like abilities, frightful presence, or Charisma-based skills, his reduced Charisma score has no real impact.
Blight Wyrmling Black Dragon Mean as the proverbial polecat, fiercely territorial, vain, and perpetually hungry, Blight tends to breathe acid first and consider the consequences later. Blight thinks of herself as the most dangerous creature in her patch of swamp. She is queen of all she surveys; however, she is a Tiny dragon and doesn’t actually survey very much. The mere sight of any creature more attractive than herself (and that’s most creatures) fills Blight with rage. She delights in destroying beautiful things, especially birds and small animals. Likewise, she scars small plants, trees, and even rocks just for the fun of it. Blight: Female wyrmling black dragon; CR 3; Tiny dragon (water); HD 4d12+4; hp 30; Init +4; Spd 60 ft., fly 100 ft. (average), swim 60 ft.; AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +6; Grp –4; Atk +6 melee (1d4, bite); Full Atk +6 melee (1d4, bite), +1 melee (1d3, 2 claws); Space/Reach 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. (5 ft. with bite); SA breath weapon; SQ blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., immunity to acid, magic sleep effects, and paralysis, low-light vision, water breathing; AL CE; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 11, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 8. Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Search +2, Sense Motive +2, Spot +6, Swim +14; Alertness, Improved Initiative.
pqqqqrs DRAGONS AND LANGUAGES All dragons speak Draconic. With their high degree of intelligence, most dragons have an affinity for language and speak additional languages as well. Many even study the science of language, developing a wide range of tongues. As with all intelligent creatures, a dragon speaks a number of additional languages equal to its Intelligence bonus. Dragons
with ranks in the Speak Language skill can speak a number of additional languages equal to those ranks. Additional languages commonly spoken by dragons include Auran, Celestial, Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
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