Dragon, Black

Young Black Dragon Creature7

CE Large Acid Amphibious Dragon

Senses Perception +15; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet

Languages Draconic

Skills Acrobatics +14, Arcana +12, Athletics +17, Deception +15, Intimidation +15, Stealth +16

Str +6, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +2

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AC 25; Fort +17, Ref +12, Will +15

HP 125; Immunities acid, paralyzed, sleep

Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 90 feet, DC 23

Tail Lash [reaction] Trigger A creature within reach of the dragon’s tail takes an action to Strike or attempt a skill check; Effect The dragon Strikes with its tail at the triggering creature at a -2 penalty. If it hits, the creature takes a -2 circumstance penalty to the triggering roll.

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Speed 40 feet, fly 100 feet, swim 40 feet

Melee [one-action] jaws +19 (acid, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+9 piercing plus 1d6 acid

Melee [one-action] claw +19 (agile), Damage 2d6+9 slashing

Melee [one-action] tail +17 (reach 15 feet), Damage 2d8+7 bludgeoning

Melee [one-action] horns +17 (reach 10 feet), Damage 1d8+7 piercing

Arcane Prepared Spells DC 25, attack +18; Note To make a chromatic dragon spellcaster, remove the dragon’s Draconic Frenzy and Draconic Momentum abilities, and give it the spells listed below. You can swap out any number of these with other arcane spells, provided you keep the same number of spells for each level. You might also want to increase the dragon’s Intelligence or Charisma modifier by 1 or 2 to reflect its mastery of magic.

3rd slow, stinking cloud; 2nd blur, glitterdust, invisibility; 1st alarm, ray of enfeeblement, true strike; Cantrips (3rd) dancing lights, detect magic, prestidigitation, read aura, tanglefoot

Breath Weapon [two-actions] (acid, arcane, evocation); The dragon breathes a spray of acid that deals 8d6 acid damage in a 60-foot line (DC 25 basic Reflex save). It can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.

Draconic Frenzy [two-actions] The dragon makes two claw Strikes and one horns Strike in any order.

Draconic Momentum The dragon recharges its Breath Weapon whenever it scores a critical hit with a Strike.

Adult Black Dragon Creature 11

CE Large Acid Amphibious Dragon

Senses Perception +22; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet

Languages Common, Draconic, Jotun

Skills Acrobatics +18, Arcana +19, Athletics +24, Deception +20, Intimidation +20, Stealth +20

Str +7, Dex +3, Con +5, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +3

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AC 31; Fort +23, Ref +18, Will +21; +1 status to all saves vs. magic

HP 215; Immunities acid, paralyzed, sleep

Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 90 feet, DC 28

Tail Lash [reaction] Trigger A creature within reach of the dragon’s tail takes an action to Strike or attempt a skill check; Effect The dragon Strikes with its tail at the triggering creature at a -2 penalty. If it hits, the creature takes a -2 circumstance penalty to the triggering roll.

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Speed 50 feet, fly 120 feet, swim 50 feet

Melee [one-action] jaws +25 (acid, magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+13 piercing plus 2d6 acid

Melee [one-action] claw +25 (agile, magical), Damage 2d10+13 slashing

Melee [one-action] tail +23 (magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 2d12+11 bludgeoning

Melee [one-action] horns +23 (magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 1d10+11 piercing

Arcane Prepared Spells DC 30, attack +24; Note To make a chromatic dragon spellcaster, remove the dragon’s Draconic Frenzy and Draconic Momentum abilities, and give it the spells listed below. You can swap out any number of these with other arcane spells, provided you keep the same number of spells for each level. You might also want to increase the dragon’s Intelligence or Charisma modifier by 1 or 2 to reflect its mastery of magic.

As young black dragon, plus 5th black tentacles, mariner’s curse; 4th clairvoyance, dimension door, suggestion; 3rd paralyze; Cantrips (5th) dancing lights, detect magic, prestidigitation, read aura, tanglefoot

Breath Weapon [two-actions] (acid, arcane, evocation); The dragon breathes a spray of acid that deals 12d6 acid damage in an 80-foot line (DC 30 basic Reflex save). It can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.

Corrupt Water [one-action] (arcane, concentrate, necromancy); Frequency Once per day; Effect The dragon permanently befouls 10 cubic feet of liquid within 90 feet. The liquid becomes undrinkable and unable to support water-breathing life. This destroys liquid magic or alchemical items if they’re of a lower level than the dragon (a creature can attempt a DC 28 Will save to protect liquids in its possession). This doesn’t affect the liquids in a creature’s body.

Draconic Frenzy [two-actions] The dragon makes two claw Strikes and one horns Strike in any order.

Draconic Momentum The dragon recharges its Breath Weapon whenever it scores a critical hit with a Strike.

Ancient Black Dragon Creature 16

Uncommon CE Huge Acid Amphibious Dragon

Senses Perception +30; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet

Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin, Jotun, Orcish

Skills Acrobatics +25, Arcana +26, Athletics +32, Deception +29, Intimidation +29, Stealth +27

Str +8, Dex +5, Con +6, Int +4, Wis +5, Cha +5

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AC 39; Fort +30, Ref +27, Will +29; +1 status to all saves vs. magic

HP 325; Immunities acid, paralyzed, sleep

Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 90 feet, DC 35

Tail Lash [reaction] Trigger A creature within reach of the dragon’s tail takes an action to Strike or attempt a skill check; Effect The dragon Strikes with its tail at the triggering creature at a -2 penalty. If it hits, the creature takes a -2 circumstance penalty to the triggering roll.

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Speed 60 feet, fly 150 feet, swim 60 feet

Melee [one-action] jaws +33 (acid, magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d10+14 piercing plus 2d6 acid and 2d6 persistent acid

Melee [one-action] claw +33 (agile, magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 3d8+14 slashing

Melee [one-action] tail +31 (magical, reach 20 feet), Damage 3d10+12 bludgeoning

Melee [one-action] horns +31 (magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 2d10+12 piercing

Arcane Prepared Spells DC 37, attack +32; Note To make a chromatic dragon spellcaster, remove the dragon’s Draconic Frenzy and Draconic Momentum abilities, and give it the spells listed below. You can swap out any number of these with other arcane spells, provided you keep the same number of spells for each level. You might also want to increase the dragon’s Intelligence or Charisma modifier by 1 or 2 to reflect its mastery of magic.

As adult black dragon, plus 7th finger of death, mask of terror, reverse gravity; 6th dominate, true seeing, wall of force; 5th prying eye; Cantrips (7th) dancing lights, detect magic, prestidigitation, read aura, tanglefoot

Breath Weapon [two-actions] (acid, arcane, evocation); The dragon breathes a spray of acid that deals 17d6 acid damage in a 100-foot line (DC 39 basic Reflex save). It can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.

Corrupt Water [one-action] (arcane, concentrate, necromancy); As adult black dragon, but DC 35.

Draconic Frenzy [two-actions] The dragon makes two claw Strikes and one horns Strike in any order.

Draconic Momentum The dragon recharges its Breath Weapon whenever it scores a critical hit with a Strike.

Black dragon lairs are as foul as their souls. The floors are littered with rotting meat, and plundered treasures line the muck and slime of their dank caves amid twisted roots and creepers. Such places are often crawling with pests, snakes, and slimes. Though they claim natural caverns when they can, they make do with areas of dense, twisted vegetation within a swamp. Black dragon treasure hoards primarily consist of gems and expensive glass work, as valuables of softer substance can’t survive the dragon’s acidic presence.

About

Murderous tyrants of marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens, black dragons terrorize their domains with intense fervor. Gleefully sadistic, they rule their fetid principalities from a deep cave or otherwise isolated part of the swamp with a mix of Lightning-quick raids and subterfuge. Their hatred for other creatures is as acidic as their breath weapons, and they rarely tolerate even other dragons of their kind-except perhaps to mate or temporarily collaborate to take down a mutual enemy.

Black dragons are amphibious-although they breathe air, their gills also allow them to breathe water. Their frills and fins make them accomplished swimmers, well suited to their wetland environments and submerged lairs. They’re immune to the fetid water that comes as a result of their magical ability to corrupt water.