Converting True Dragons
Cleon
Legend
Challenge Rating 1 is fine. They're going to be hard to shoot down due to their protection from arrows, so a 1st or 2nd level party basically has to face their swoop attacks or use magic to take them out. However, they don't do much damage if they hit.
A pseudodragon is CR1 and they have 2 hit dice, nasty venom and spell resistance. Are these fellows so much nastier?
The original "nests may contain treasure types K, L, M, and 1-4 small gems (base 10 gp value)." isn't very spectacular for a CR2 monster. I'd be OK with standard coins and goods (gems and jewelery only).
Five pounds sounds good. The SRD Pseudodragon is 7 pounds and 3 feet long, but that includes a 2-foot tail. Hawkdragons are shorter (1.5 to 3 feet suggests 2-2.5 ft. on average) but I imagine they're stockier, shorter-tailed creatures with more raptor-like proportions.
Cleon
Legend
Just change the "loses an eye" to "blinded in an eye" so it can be healed by remove blindness/deafness and the problem is solved:
Revising...
Eye Gouge (Ex) - If a hawkdragon scores a critical hit with a claw while making a swoop attack (see below), the target must succeed at a DC 16 Reflex save or lose the sight in one eye, becoming permanently dazzled (or blinded if they lose the use of all their eyes). A remove blindness/deafness can heal the injury. The save DC is Dexterity based and includes a +4 racial bonus.
Cleon
Legend
I'm OK with double treasure, but there are a few glitches with the stats.
Its Grapple should be -9, not -10. [+1BAB -2 Str -8 size = +1 -10 = -9]
Its Attack line has the bite doing 1d4+3 when it should be 1d4-2.
We were going to add an Advancement Note that a Small hawkdragon has the same Dex as a Tiny one.
Shade
Monster Junkie
Fixed the hawkdragon.
Here's the next one...
Minidragon
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 5 (2 in flight)
MOVE: 6”/28” (MC: A)
HIT DICE: See Table 2
% IN LAIR: 33%
TREASURE TYPE: Incidental (usually J-N, Qx5)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See Table 2
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poisonous and corro sive spit, surprise 1-5 on 1d6
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magic resistance, minor spell immunities, multiple saving throw bonuses
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 35%
INTELLIGENCE: Semi- (low when empathically bound)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (See Table 2)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil, but immune to attack
CHANCE OF:
Speaking: See below
Magic Use: Nil
Sleeping: 10%
LEVEL/XP VALUE: Up to V/400 + 5 per hit point
These strange creatures look like winged snakes, and they are distant cousins to faerie dragons. They usually live in or near wilderness swamp areas, making their homes in the trunks of giant trees.
They freely associate with black dragons, who accept minidragons outside their lairs. Minidragons are dull green, while their underbellies are orange or scarlet. Their wings are patterned in alternating stripes of green and orange or green and scarlet. Rarer minidragons have bluish or yellowish tinges. There are no obvious differences between males and females.
Four times per day, a minidragon of adult age or older is capable of spitting a nerve toxin that can be used to disable or slay its enemies. The minidragon must make a to-hit roll with its venom in order to affect the target. This toxic spit has a 60’ range, with – 2 and - 5 to-hit modifiers for medium (21-40’) and long (41-60’) ranges.
If the poison hits, two saving throws must be made against its effects. The first. saving throw is against the effects of the nerve toxin. If the victim fails his saving throw vs. poison, he takes 1-4 hp damage per round for 3-6 rounds until death or until the poison is magically neutralized. Furthermore, the intense pain of the toxin causes the victim to take a -4 modifier on to-hit rolls, armor class, and saving throws for the first 1-4 rounds. The second saving throw is made for the victim’s armor, against a corrosive substance found in the venom. If the armor fails a save vs. acid (see the 1st Edition DMG, page 80), it loses one step of armorclass protection permanently. Magical armors lose their enchantments if this save is failed as well.
A neutralize poison spell neutralizes the nerve toxin but has no effect on the damage already done by it. Nor will this spell have any effect upon the damage done by the corrosive nature of the venom.
Minidragons have a permanent sense of empathy, as per the psionic discipline, that functions in a 20’ radius. This power gives them +4 to all their saving throws if attacked by creatures within this range, since they are able to instantly take evasive actions and dart for cover. Because of their unique constitution, minidragons receive an additional + 4 bonus to their poison and acid saving throws. All minidragons have an innate magic resistance of 35% and are immune to charm and summon monster spells.
Left alone, the minidragon is fairly even-tempered and will not usually attack humans unless angered or its lair is disturbed. Even then, the minidragon will usually sense if the intrusion is willful or not. If it senses the intrusion is an accident, the minidragon tries to warn off the intruder. If the minidragon senses that it is being hunted, it can be very cunning, as its empathic ability allows it to evade cap ture often. The minidragon’.s swift, darting movements while flying give it a better armor class. When its colorful wings are folded to its body, and it is in natural surroundings, the minidragon blends in with these surroundings so well that it surprises on 1-5 on 1d6.
In very rare instances, minidragons form an empathic bond with a friendly human or demihuman. The chance of this occurring equals the charisma score of the human or demihuman, expressed as a percentage chance that is rolled when the minidragon and character meet. If this roll fails, it cannot be rolled again for that one character. If it succeeds, the minidragon stays with the character and gains one point of intelligence every month for 1-4 months. The minidragon learns to speak the character.s preferred language in 3-6 months. This increase in abilities is lost if the character and the minidragon are separated by over 20. for longer than a month, The maximum intelligence score for a bonded minidragon is seven.
Minidragons have the age categories of major dragons, but lack the size categories, sensory powers, fear auras, and saving-throw bonuses. They cannot be subdued.
Though minidragons have 60’ infravision, they are not usually nocturnal. When trying to frighten or warn off a creature, they are capable of emitting a very loud and piercing hiss. Minidragons are also able to spit harmless spittle at an opponent, perhaps for the purpose of frightening it.
Minidragons have a simple language that is based upon the language that black dragons speak. Minidragons prize shiny objects such as pieces of glass, coins, or jewels. Minidragons are capable of hovering in one place. These drakes usually eat insects, rodents, berries, tubers, and nuts, but are quite capable of downing larger creatures for food, if necessary. Minidragons are fond of salt and often react to it as a cat does to catnip.
Table 2
Minidragon Age Categories
Age category Hit dice Bite damage Length
Very young 1 1-2 6”
Young 2 1-3 1’
Subadult 3 1-4 1’6”
Adult 3+2 1-4 2’
Old 4 2-5 2.3’
Very old 4+2 2-5 2’6”
Ancient 5 1-4 3’
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #146 (1989).
Here's the next one...
Minidragon
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 5 (2 in flight)
MOVE: 6”/28” (MC: A)
HIT DICE: See Table 2
% IN LAIR: 33%
TREASURE TYPE: Incidental (usually J-N, Qx5)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See Table 2
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poisonous and corro sive spit, surprise 1-5 on 1d6
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magic resistance, minor spell immunities, multiple saving throw bonuses
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 35%
INTELLIGENCE: Semi- (low when empathically bound)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (See Table 2)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil, but immune to attack
CHANCE OF:
Speaking: See below
Magic Use: Nil
Sleeping: 10%
LEVEL/XP VALUE: Up to V/400 + 5 per hit point
These strange creatures look like winged snakes, and they are distant cousins to faerie dragons. They usually live in or near wilderness swamp areas, making their homes in the trunks of giant trees.
They freely associate with black dragons, who accept minidragons outside their lairs. Minidragons are dull green, while their underbellies are orange or scarlet. Their wings are patterned in alternating stripes of green and orange or green and scarlet. Rarer minidragons have bluish or yellowish tinges. There are no obvious differences between males and females.
Four times per day, a minidragon of adult age or older is capable of spitting a nerve toxin that can be used to disable or slay its enemies. The minidragon must make a to-hit roll with its venom in order to affect the target. This toxic spit has a 60’ range, with – 2 and - 5 to-hit modifiers for medium (21-40’) and long (41-60’) ranges.
If the poison hits, two saving throws must be made against its effects. The first. saving throw is against the effects of the nerve toxin. If the victim fails his saving throw vs. poison, he takes 1-4 hp damage per round for 3-6 rounds until death or until the poison is magically neutralized. Furthermore, the intense pain of the toxin causes the victim to take a -4 modifier on to-hit rolls, armor class, and saving throws for the first 1-4 rounds. The second saving throw is made for the victim’s armor, against a corrosive substance found in the venom. If the armor fails a save vs. acid (see the 1st Edition DMG, page 80), it loses one step of armorclass protection permanently. Magical armors lose their enchantments if this save is failed as well.
A neutralize poison spell neutralizes the nerve toxin but has no effect on the damage already done by it. Nor will this spell have any effect upon the damage done by the corrosive nature of the venom.
Minidragons have a permanent sense of empathy, as per the psionic discipline, that functions in a 20’ radius. This power gives them +4 to all their saving throws if attacked by creatures within this range, since they are able to instantly take evasive actions and dart for cover. Because of their unique constitution, minidragons receive an additional + 4 bonus to their poison and acid saving throws. All minidragons have an innate magic resistance of 35% and are immune to charm and summon monster spells.
Left alone, the minidragon is fairly even-tempered and will not usually attack humans unless angered or its lair is disturbed. Even then, the minidragon will usually sense if the intrusion is willful or not. If it senses the intrusion is an accident, the minidragon tries to warn off the intruder. If the minidragon senses that it is being hunted, it can be very cunning, as its empathic ability allows it to evade cap ture often. The minidragon’.s swift, darting movements while flying give it a better armor class. When its colorful wings are folded to its body, and it is in natural surroundings, the minidragon blends in with these surroundings so well that it surprises on 1-5 on 1d6.
In very rare instances, minidragons form an empathic bond with a friendly human or demihuman. The chance of this occurring equals the charisma score of the human or demihuman, expressed as a percentage chance that is rolled when the minidragon and character meet. If this roll fails, it cannot be rolled again for that one character. If it succeeds, the minidragon stays with the character and gains one point of intelligence every month for 1-4 months. The minidragon learns to speak the character.s preferred language in 3-6 months. This increase in abilities is lost if the character and the minidragon are separated by over 20. for longer than a month, The maximum intelligence score for a bonded minidragon is seven.
Minidragons have the age categories of major dragons, but lack the size categories, sensory powers, fear auras, and saving-throw bonuses. They cannot be subdued.
Though minidragons have 60’ infravision, they are not usually nocturnal. When trying to frighten or warn off a creature, they are capable of emitting a very loud and piercing hiss. Minidragons are also able to spit harmless spittle at an opponent, perhaps for the purpose of frightening it.
Minidragons have a simple language that is based upon the language that black dragons speak. Minidragons prize shiny objects such as pieces of glass, coins, or jewels. Minidragons are capable of hovering in one place. These drakes usually eat insects, rodents, berries, tubers, and nuts, but are quite capable of downing larger creatures for food, if necessary. Minidragons are fond of salt and often react to it as a cat does to catnip.
Table 2
Minidragon Age Categories
Age category Hit dice Bite damage Length
Very young 1 1-2 6”
Young 2 1-3 1’
Subadult 3 1-4 1’6”
Adult 3+2 1-4 2’
Old 4 2-5 2.3’
Very old 4+2 2-5 2’6”
Ancient 5 1-4 3’
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #146 (1989).
