Dungeon Dragon, Ancient

This dragon has a long serpentine neck, small wings, and glistening scales. Two small horns dominate its triangular head. Its body is gray in color, with scales tipped in flecks of gold and green. Its eyes are rounded and gray.

Dungeon Dragon, Ancient (CR 14)

Huge Dragon (Shapechanger)
Alignment: Neutral
Initiative: +3
Senses: Dragon Senses; Perception +35
Aura: frightful presence (300 feet, DC 23)

Speed: 30 feet, Fly 200 feet (poor)
Space: 15 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 35, touch 7, flat-footed 35 (-1 Dex, +28 natural, -2 size)
Hit Points: 218 (19d12+95)
Saving Throws: Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +18
Damage Reduction: 15/magic
Immunity: enchantment spells and effects, paralysis, sleep
Spell Resistance: 25

Offense

Melee: bite +28 (2d8+16), 2 claws +28 (2d6+11), 2 wings +26 (1d8+5), tail slap +26 (2d6+16)
Reach: 10 feet (15 feet with bite)

Special Attacks: Breath Weapon (100 ft. line or 50 ft. cone, DC 25, confusion 1d6 rounds), crush

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 19th):

• At Will- Charm Person (DC 15), Charm Monster (DC 18), Detect Thoughts (DC 16), Suggestion, Mass (DC 20), Suggestion (DC 17)

Spells Known (CL 14th):

• 7th (3/day) - Hold Person, Mass (DC 21)
  
  
• 6th (5/day) - Antimagic Field, Dispel Magic, Greater
  
  
• 5th (6/day) - Persistent Image, Prying Eyes, Teleport
  
  
• 4th (7/day) - Arcane Eye, Detect Scrying, Illusory Wall (DC 18), Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser
  
  
• 3rd (7/day) - Arcane Sight, Deep Slumber (DC 17), Dispel Magic, Major Image (DC 17)
  
  
• 2nd (7/day) - Arcane Lock, Magic Mouth (DC 16), Make Whole, Phantom Trap, See Invisibility
  
  
• 1st (7/day) - Alarm, Hold Portal, Shield, Silent Image (DC 15), Ventriloquism
  
  
• 0 (at will) - Dancing Lights, Daze (DC 14), Detect Magic, Ghost Sound (DC 14), Light, Mending, Message, Prestidigitation, Read Magic

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
33 (+11)	9 (-1)	20 (+5)	20 (+5)	20 (+5)	18 (+4)

Base Attack Bonus: +19
CMB +32
CMD 41 (45 vs. Trip)

Feats: Alertness, Craft Wondrous Item, Fly-by Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Master Craftsman, Multiattack, Skill Focus (Bluff), Persuasive, Skill Focus (Craft [crystal carving]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [engineering])

Skills: Bluff +32, Craft (crystal carving) +24, Craft (traps) +17, Diplomacy +21, Disable Device +14, Fly +13, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +27, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +27, Knowledge (engineering) +33, Linguistics +27, Perception +35, Sense Motive +31, Spellcraft +27

• Racial Modifiers: +4 Perception

Languages: 24 languages (except Druidic), plus Common and Draconic

Special Qualities: Change Shape (alter self), craft crystal ball

Special Abilities

Breath Weapon (Su)

A dungeon dragon's breath weapon is a line or cone of warm mist. Creatures caught in the area must succeed on Fortitude save or be affected as if by a confusion spell for 1d6 rounds.

Change Shape (Su)

At will, a very young or older dungeon dragon can assume the form of any Small or Medium humanoid creature (as the alter self spell). It can remain in its humanoid form indefinitely. It cannot take the form of a specific individual.

Craft Crystal Ball (Ex)

Dungeon dragon parents begin teaching their wyrmlings the necessary skills and spells to craft a crystal ball soon after they leave the egg. A dungeon dragon gains the Master Craftsman feat for free as a bonus feat without having to meet the prerequisites.

Craft Wondrous Item (Ex)

Older dungeon dragons create new crystal balls with additional powers as they grow in intelligence and spellcasting ability. A young adult dungeon dragon gains the Craft Wondrous Item feat for free as a bonus feat.

Dominate Monster (Sp)

A great wyrm dungeon dragon can use this ability three times per day. It works as a dominate monster spell. This ability is the equivalent of an 8th-level spell.

Skills

Dungeon dragons gain a +4 bonus to Perception checks.

Spell-like Abilities

A dungeon dragon gains the following spell-like abilities, usable at will upon reaching the listed age category. Young-charm person; Juvenile-detect thoughts; Adult-suggestion; Old-charm monster; Ancient-mass suggestion; Great Wyrm-mass charm monster. The dungeon dragon uses these abilities to populate its dungeon with monsters it encounters in the surrounding terrain.

Ecology

Environment: Underground
Organization: solitary
Treasure: triple standard plus crystal ball


The dungeon dragon is a curious creature that gets amusement by watching other beings engaged in life and death struggles. To this end, a dungeon dragon sets up a labyrinthine lair, setting traps and populating it with monsters. Younger dungeon dragons tend to lair in natural caverns to ease the burden of construction. Older, more experienced dungeon dragons have been known to construct their own sprawling subterranean complexes, even to the point of hiring on dwarf work gangs and swearing them to secrecy.

Once the construction and refurbishing of its lair is complete, the dungeon dragon transforms itself into a humanoid and ventures into the surrounding countryside. There it spreads rumors and tales of this horrible catacomb in hopes of luring adventurers forth so it may watch them via its crystal ball. Young dungeon dragons often spend years living among humanoids, even to the point of joining adventurers involved in dungeon delves. On such adventures, the intrepid dungeon dragon takes notes regarding the devious traps and monsters it encounters so that it can add such things to its own lair.

Oddly enough, although a dungeon dragon goes to great pains to amass a treasure hoard, it cares little for material wealth. Rather, it uses the treasure it gathers as bait in its dungeon to lure in adventurers and provide it the entertainment it so greatly desires. Watching adventurers explore its catacomb is the only real treasure a dungeon dragon desires. The only material possession a dungeon dragon will risk its life to save is its crystal ball. Without this vital piece of equipment, all of the dragon's labor is in vain.

A dungeon dragon in its natural form prefers to flee any combat. It likes to watch other creatures engaged in fights for life, not itself. If forced into melee, it swats at opponents with its powerful claws and bite. A dungeon dragon is proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons and light and medium armor and shields.

Copyright Notice Author Erica Balsley.