Gold Dragon, Old

Golden scales cover the body of this majestic dragon, and a regal crest of horns arches backward above wise and piercing eyes.

Gold Dragon, Old (CR 18)

Gargantuan Dragon (Fire)
Alignment: Lawful Good
Initiative: -1
Senses: Dragon Senses; Perception +35
Aura: fire (5 feet, 1d6 fire), frightful presence (240 feet, DC 27)

Speed: 60 feet, Fly 250 feet (clumsy), Swim 60 feet
Space: 20 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 33, touch 5, flat-footed 33 (-1 Dex, +28 natural, -4 size)
Hit Points: 297 (22d12+154)
Saving Throws: Fort +20, Ref +12, Will +21
Damage Reduction: 10/magic
Immunity: fire, paralysis, sleep
Spell Resistance: 29
Weaknesses: vulnerability to cold

Offense

Melee: bite +30 (4d6+18/19-20), 2 claws +30 (2d8+12/19-20), tail slap +28 (2d8+18), 2 wings +28 (2d6+6)
Reach: 15 feet (20 feet with bite)

Special Attacks: Breath Weapon (60-ft. cone, 16d10 fire, DC 28), crush (4d6+18, DC 28), tail sweep (2d6+18, DC 28), weakening breath

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 22nd; Concentration +28):

• At Will- Bless, Daylight, Detect Evil, Geas/Quest

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
35 (+12)	8 (-1)	25 (+7)	22 (+6)	23 (+6)	22 (+6)

Base Attack Bonus: +22
CMB +38
CMD 47 (51 vs. Trip)

Feats: Alertness, Critical Focus, Extend Spell, Improved Critical (bite, claw), Iron Will, Multiattack, Quicken Spell, Stunning Critical, Vital Strike

Skills: Diplomacy +31, Fly +10, Heal +31, Knowledge (arcana) +31, Knowledge (history) +31, Knowledge (local) +31, Knowledge (nobility) +31, Knowledge (religion) +31, Perception +35, Sense Motive +35, Spellcraft +31, Swim +45

• Racial Modifiers: +8 Swim

Languages: Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elven, Halfling, 2 more

Special Qualities: Change Shape, detect gems, fast Flight, luck

Special Abilities

Change Shape (Su)

A very young or older gold dragon can assume any animal or humanoid form three times per day as if using polymorph.

Detect Gems (Sp)

A young or older gold dragon can detect gems three times per day. This functions as locate object, but can only be used to locate gemstones.

Fast Flight (Ex)

A young or older gold dragon is treated as one size category larger when determining his fly speed.

Fire Aura (Su)

An old or older gold dragon is surrounded by an aura of fire. All creatures within 5 feet of the dragon take 1d6 points of fire damage at the beginning of the dragon's turn. An ancient gold dragon's aura extends to 10 feet. A great wyrm's damage increases to 2d6. The dragon can activate or suppress this aura as a free action.

Luck (Sp)

Once per day an adult or older gold dragon can touch a gem, usually one embedded in the dragon's hide, and enspell it to bring good luck. As long as the dragon carries the gem, it and every good creature within a given radius of it (10 ft. per age category) receives a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. If the dragon gives an enspelled gem to another creature, only that bearer gets the bonus. The effect lasts 1d3 hours plus 3 hours per age category of the dragon. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.

Weakening Breath (Su)

Instead of a cone of fire, a gold dragon can breathe a cone of weakening gas. Creatures within the cone must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 1 point of Strength damage per age category (Will save half).

Ecology

Environment: Warm Plains
Organization: solitary
Treasure: triple


Gold dragons are the epitome of virtue.

Other metallic dragons revere their gold cousins as the agents of divine forces and the paragons of dragonkind, and often seek them for advice or aid.