challenge takes a –2 penalty until the PCs achieve asuccess.Other Skills: Bluff, Endurance, Intimidate.Bluff (DC 28): The PCs exaggerate the benefits ofthe alliance. For each successful check, they achieve1 success. They can achieve up to 2 successes withthis skill. On a failure, the dragon recognizes the lie;the PCs can make no further Bluff checks in thischallenge, and they lose 1 success (if they have any).Endurance (DC 20): The PCs take several hours toprove that travelers can pass through the dragon’sterritory relatively quickly if the travelers don’t stopto rest; thus, travelers should not long disturb thedragon. If at least four PCs succeed on this check,they achieve 2 successes. They can achieve only 2successes with this skill.Intimidate (DC 26): The PCs show off their epicabilities and imply that if the dragon does not agreeto their request, they might have to clear the roadthe old-fashioned way. On a successful check, theyachieve 1 success. They can achieve only 1 successwith this skill. If the check fails or if the PCs attempta second check, the dragon attacks.Success: The dragon agrees to let guild caravanspass through its territory.Failure: The characters do not obtain an agreement.The guild must find another route or hiresomeone to kill the dragon.If the PCs have fewer than 4 successes when theyfail the challenge, the dragon later sends minions toattack them. If they have no successes when they failthe challenge, the dragon attacks.Draconic TrapsTraps might not be a dragon’s best friend, but they’recertainly good companions. A lair without traps islike a dragon without teeth; it might still be dangerous,but it lacks—so to speak—bite.Not all <strong>dragons</strong> lace their lairs with traps. Bestialvarieties such as grays and whites might not bother,instead relying on their own abilities, slaves, andminions to protect their lairs. Others lack the knowledgenecessary to build such devices and have notcaptured someone to do it for them. Still, at least halfof all draconic lairs have such safeguards. The olderthe dragon, the more likely it is to have at least a fewlethal devices lying in wait.Dragons use the classic standbys—rock falls,spikes, pits, and the like—as well as an array of theirown inventions. Dragon traps include mysticalelements, echoing the <strong>dragons</strong>’ elemental energy.Regardless of a trap’s origin, however, <strong>dragons</strong> lookfor a few specific traits and features in their homedefenses.Low and Slow: Dragons favor trapped floors andother traps that impede movement. A wyrm’s abilityto fly allows it to leave such devices constantly active,without risk of triggering them by accident.Compatible Damage Types: Whether with magicalenergy or with more mundane energy such asacid or alchemical fire, <strong>dragons</strong> like to employ trapsthat use the same sort of energy as their own breath.This situation ensures that a dragon’s own devices donot harm it, even if intruders trigger those deviceswhile engaged in battle with the dragon.Allies: Rather than leaving traps to do theirjobs untended, many <strong>dragons</strong> fight alongside theirdevices. Such <strong>dragons</strong> choose traps that complementtheir own combat abilities, such as traps that renderfoes more vulnerable to the dragon’s abilities or thatherd or guide intruders into precarious positions.Sample TrapsThe selection below describes a tiny fraction of thesorts of devices a dragon might employ (in additionto all those in the Dungeon Master’s Guide): two heroicand two paragon traps. For sample epic draconictraps, see “The Tomb of Urum-Shar” (page 142).Golden SpinesLevel 5 WarderTrap XP 200The gold that glitters before your eyes seems suddenly to warp andtwist. A brutal array of spines surges upward, gleaming like thetreasure itself.Trap: An array of spikes lies hidden among the coins of thedragon’s hoard, targeting a line of approximately 4 squares. Thedragon has had the spikes smelted from its own gold and otherprecious metals to better conceal the trap and to make thetreasure harder to steal.Special: The 400 gold spikes are worth 1 gp each and count aspart of the hoard’s value.Perception✦ DC 26: The character spots the tiny trigger wires hiddenthroughout the hoard.TriggerA character physically disturbs the hoard in any way orattempts to remove any items from it.AttackImmediate Reaction MeleeTarget: All creatures in 4 contiguous squaresAttack: +9 vs. ACHit: 2d8 + 5 damage.Effect: The treasure scatters. Any creature in a neighboringchamber hears this with a DC 15 Perception check.Countermeasures✦ An adjacent character can disconnect wires with a DC 17Thievery check, rendering one of the squares safe.✦ An adjacent character can disconnect the entire web of wireswith a DC 22 Thievery check, disarming the entire trap.✦ A character can remove a single visible item from the hoardwithout triggering the trap, with a DC 14 Thievery check.Failing in an attempt to use any of these countermeasures triggersthe trap.Upgrade to Elite (900 XP)✦ Increase each skill DC by 2.✦ Roll two attacks against each square.✦ Increase spiked squares to 8 (for 800 spikes).DRACONIC ENCOUNTERSCHAPTER 2 | DM’s Guide to Dragons49
Ghoul TeethLevel 9 LurkerTrap XP 400A faint click deep in the floor is the only warning as a swath oftiny projectiles shoots through slots in the flagstones. The missilesare discolored by some vile coating, and appear to be formed fromhumanoid teeth.Trap: A number of hidden slots in the floor, coveringapproximately 10 to 20 squares, launch tiny projectilespoisoned with a paralytic agent. Dragons frequently set thesetraps in open areas so that intruders remain vulnerable to theirbreath weapons.Perception✦ DC 24: The character notices the holes in the floor.✦ DC 28: The character notices the pressure plate.Additional Skill: Heal✦ DC 19: If any character examines a hole before triggering thetrap, that character can identify the substance caking the holeas a paralytic toxin.Initiative +11TriggerWhen a character steps on the pressure plate, the trap rollsinitiative.AttackStandard Action MeleeTarget: All creatures in squares with holesAttack: +12 vs. FortitudeHit: 2d6 + 6 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).Aftereffect: The target is slowed (save ends).Countermeasures✦ An adjacent character can disable the pressure plate with a DC24 Thievery check.✦ A character can move through the room while spotting andavoiding the holes, with a DC 24 Spot check for each round ofmovement. If the character moves at half speed, the DC is 19.Upgrade to Elite (1,600 XP)✦ Increase each attack roll and skill DC by 2.✦ On a miss, the trap deals half damage, and the target is slowed(save ends).Volatile HazeLevel 12 BlasterHazard XP 700The ground is all but hidden beneath a blanket of mist, rollingand waving less than 2 feet from the floor. When activated, themist takes on a sickly bluish hue, somewhere between the flicker ofthe lightning and the fading edges of an ugly bruise.Hazard: A volatile haze occasionally forms in an area of highmystical energy concentration, such as a dragon’s lair. A fainthaze in a 10-square burst, hanging at roughly calf level on ahuman, absorbs the energy given off by characters within it andthen launches that energy back at those characters.When the hazard is triggered, it takes on a crackling bluehue, and a ball of energy forms in the square at the center of theburst. An active haze does not change damage types with futureattacks or spells; it retains its initial type until deactivated oruntil 24 hours pass.A dragon fortunate enough to accumulate a volatile hazemight wait until intruders have entered the haze and thenbreathe, knowing that the haze will continue to attack for it.Dragons even fight within the haze, counting on their ownresistance to protect them.Perception✦ DC 21: The character notices the faint haze near the floor.Additional Skill: Arcana✦ DC 26: The character recognizes the mist for what it is.Initiative +12TriggerA creature within the haze uses or is attacked by a cold, fire,lightning, necrotic, radiant, or thunder effect. The haze makesan attack instantly and then rolls initiative.AttackImmediate Reaction or Standard Action Area burst 10Target: All creatures in or adjacent to squares with hazeAttack: +13 vs. ReflexHit: 4d6 + 5 damage, and the target is dazed until the end of itsnext turn. Damage is the same type as that of the trigger effect.Miss: Half damage, and the target is not dazed.Countermeasures✦ A character at the edge of the mist or in a targeted adjacentsquare when the haze attacks can attempt a DC 21 Acrobaticscheck as an immediate interrupt. If successful, that charactertakes half damage and immediately moves to the nearestuntargeted square.✦ A character can attack the ball of energy at the center of thehaze, which has AC 23, Fortitude 23, Reflex 23, Will 23, and 87hit points and is immune to the damage type it uses to attack.If destroyed, the haze makes a final attack and then dies. Itremains inert for 24 hours, after which time another energyattack can activate it.Upgrade to Elite (2,400 XP)✦ Increase each attack roll, and all defenses by 2.✦ Increase HP to 130.✦ Increase damage to 4d6 + 14.Thief’s CurseLevel 16 BlasterTrap XP 1,400What appears to be a normal (if valuable) bit of artwork suddenlyproves itself to be far, far more, as any would-be-thief slowly turnsto gold at its slightest touch.Trap: An object in the dragon’s lair that appears as an art item—possibly a decoration, possibly part of the hoard—is in fact amystical trap that causes those who trigger it to turn slowlyto solid gold. A dragon that makes use of a thief’s curse mightwait until intruders trigger the trap. If the dragon takes thisapproach, it hangs back just out of range, allowing the trap todo its work. Meanwhile, the dragon breathes and makes meleeattacks against those who try to flee.Perception✦ DC 25: The character notices the tiny runes etched on the artthat indicate it has magical properties.Additional Skill: Arcana✦ DC 30: The character knows what the runes signify. Thecharacter must have detected or been shown the runes toattempt this check.Initiative +16TriggerA character disturbs the object that the trap protects.AttackStandard Action Area burst 2 within 10 squaresTarget: All creatures in burstAttack: +14 vs. FortitudeHit: 4d8 + 3, and the target is immobilized (save ends). On its firstfailed saving throw, an immobilized target is restrained. On itssecond failed saving throw, the target is petrified. (The targetbecomes gold, but the gold corrodes into worthlessness within24 hours. This is normal petrification in all other respects.)Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed until the end of itsnext turn.Special: Destroying or deactivating the trap does not reversepetrification, which requires the Remove Affliction ritual.50CHAPTER 2 | DM’s Guide to Dragons
- Page 1 and 2: DragonsCruelandCunningThe evil and
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THE RUINS OF CASTLE KORVALDJASON A.
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Orc Raider (R)Level 3 SkirmisherMed
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several caves (areas 6 and 7) for i
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TacticsThe sentries employ common k
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Kobold Wyrmpriest (W) Level 3 Artil
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colored water on the map) is challe
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Eladrin Twilight Incanter (I) Level
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to the other side of the PCs, if po
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Area 1: The Winding PathQuite a few
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WHERE SHADOWS FALLCHAPTER 3 | Drago
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3 Bodak Skulks (S) Level 16 LurkerM
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2 Sword Wraiths (S) Level 17 Lurker
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is finally slain or defeated. That
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HEART OF DARKNESSCHAPTER 3 | Dragon
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JASON A. ENGLEOrukurtz (O)Level 19
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2 Firebred Hell Hounds (H) Level 17
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EnvironmentHellkiln is a violent is
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2 Azer Ragers (R) Level 15 BruteMed
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TacticsInfernus is a formidable opp
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Perception CheckDC 37: A thin seam
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Hellish HalberdLevel 25 Elite Obsta
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Jaws of DeathLevel 25 Elite LurkerT
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exists on the islands, but only in
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ABYSSAL LAIRCHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lair
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TacticsAn attack shocks Anthraxin,
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2 Goristros (G) Level 19 Elite Brut
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Five-Headed TrapLevel 30 BlasterTra
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REGNANT FANECHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lair
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REGNANT FANETacticsThe guardians fi
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2 Champions of Tiamat (C) Level 26
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168Chromatic DragonsBrown, gray, an
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space for seasonings, including sea
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172GRAY DRAGONGRAY DRAGONS ARE THE
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Adult Gray DragonLevel 12 Solo Sold
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Ancient Purple Dragon Level 28 Solo
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180Level 2 Encounter (XP 650)✦ 1
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Gray Dragon WyrmlingLIKE THEIR ELDE
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Purple DragonWyrmlingPURPLE DRAGON
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Red Dragon WyrmlingTacticsA red wyr
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Planar Dragons188Sometimes chromati
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190scales tipped in bronze, red, or
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A blazewyrm values its own life les
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Pyroclastic DragonNO DRAGON BETTER
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Faerie Dragon FlitterwingTacticsA f
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SHADOWFELL DRAGONSThe dragons of th
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Undead DragonsLong-lived as they ar
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Icewrought Dracolich Level 16 Solo
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204to create draconic wraiths, but
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Deathless HungerA DRAGON’S BODY B
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SiegewyrmTHE LARGEST OF THE DRACONI
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Other CreaturesThis section present
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DRACONIC PARASITEEven dragons are n
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DRAGONBORNSOME DRAGONBORN FIND TIAM
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(preferably dealing extra damage wi
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DRAGONSPAWNDragonspawn are savage m
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screams with well-placed turns of r
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DRAKETheir reptilian appearance cau
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KOBOLDKobolds are devious creatures
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Dragonkin KoboldsTHESE KOBOLDS TURN
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LIVING BREATHA POWERFUL DRAGON CAN
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SQUAMOUS THINGSQUAMOUS THINGS ARE A
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Dragon Hall of FameOver the history
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CYAN BLOODBANEOF ALL THE GREEN DRAG
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DRAGOTHAIN THE SHADOW OF FABLED WHI
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GULGOLDEEP IN THE SWAMPS OF A MARSH
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NEFERMANDIASDRY WINDS AND HOT SAND
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RIMEINHABITANTS OF THE FAR-FLUNG NO
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TIAMATTIAMAT IS THE EVIL GOD OF WEA
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246Aspect of TiamatTiamat is able t
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ZEBUKIELIN THE FINAL DAYS OF THE WA
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TemplatesAs described in the Dungeo
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C Acid Spray (immediate reaction, w
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In place of frightful presence, the
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The high-stakes game of chance pref