Homebrew A Leveled Up Bestiary

Enter the paper dragon. This is another creature that theoretically can be used quite seriously, or at least not as a pure joke. It’s also a creature that could make for a decent enough familiar, at least for a caster brave enough to deal with its dietary habits.


Art by Mark Nelson

Animated Object, Paper Dragon
Not Necessarily The Monstrous Compendium, Dragon Magazine #156
Created by Kay I. Lilley

Paper dragons are tiny, no more than six inches long, and resemble nearly two-dimensional, colorful illustrations of dragons. The first paper dragon was created by a wizard to be a guardian of their library, but something went wrong—it came alive, and it developed a taste for what it was meant to guard. The dragon consumed the wizard’s library down to the last spell scroll, then fled, and made more of its kind, which continue to plague spellcasters to this day.

Friendly But Destructive. Paper dragons are friendly, playful, and have a nearly child-like curiosity to them. However, they are also a major nuisance. Although they technically don’t need to eat, they love the taste of magical books and scrolls, and to a lesser degree, magical inks as well. The more powerful the spell on the scroll, the better it tastes. They have next to no self-control, and even the most well-meaning dragon is like a kid in a candy shop when in the presence of scrolls. Because of this, most wizards will gladly pay a lot of coin to paper dragon hunters.

If unable to find scrolls on which to snack, paper dragons will eat books of every kind. They prefer illuminated manuscripts or other heavily-illustrated tomes to “boring” books of just text. They also enjoy drinking ink—the rarer the better—which has a somewhat intoxicating effect on them.

Self-Replicating. Paper dragons are semi-alive and unlike most constructs, are capable of reproduction. They don’t do so the normal way, however. If one can find a spell scroll of at least 4th level or higher, and can restrain itself from gobbling it down, the dragon can then paint over the words with an image of a dragon, and the result is a new paper dragon.

Legends and Lore
With an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:

DC 10. Paper dragons are tiny, animated illustrations of dragons. They are normally quite friendly and curious.

DC 15. These creatures are considered nuisances by most wizards and scholars because their favorite foods are spell scrolls.

DC 20. A paper dragon can be permanently destroyed with dispel magic, requiring a DC 19 check.

Paper Dragon Encounters
CR 0-1 Paper dragon

Dragon Appearance
As an animated illustration, paper dragons don’t always resemble true dragons.

1. “Normal” dragon (chromatic, gem, metallic, etc.)
2. Many-headed, wingless dragon, wearing a crown on each head.
3. Serpentine dragon with feathered wings.
4. Wyvern with fancy frill down its neck, back, and tail.
5. Griffen-like dragon with bat-wings and barbed tail.
6. Scaled wolf-like dragon with snake-headed tail.
7. Two-legged dragon with humanoid head that wears a scholar’s hat.
8. Chimera with dragon-like horns on each head.
9. Serpentine dragon with head on each end.
10. Wingless, crocodilian dragon with three pairs of chicken legs and a long, forked tongue.

Behavior
1. Eating a scroll.
2. Reading a book, trying to decide if it’s tasty enough to eat.
3. Getting drunk off ink.
4. Rummaging through backpacks, looking for scrolls.

Names
Darrow, Grimani, Kells, Lindisfarne, Vrelant

Paper Dragon
Tiny construct (dragon)
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
AC 14
HP 7 (2d4+2; bloodied 3)
Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR 4 (-3) DEX 18 (+4) CON 12 (+1)
INT 12 (+1) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 13 (+1)

Proficiency +2
Maneuver DC 14
Saving Throws Dex +6
Skills Arcana +3, History +3, Perception +3
Damage Vulnerabilities magical slashing
Damage Resistances fire; bludgeoning, piercing
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, fatigue, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages —
False Appearance. While motionless, the dragon is indistinguishable from an illustration of a dragon.
Familiar. The dragon can communicate telepathically with its master while they are within 1 mile of each other. While the dragon is within 10 feet of its master, its master shares its Magic Resistance trait.
Flyby. The dragon doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of a creature’s reach.
Immutable Form. The dragon is immune to any effect that would alter its form.
Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Paper Thin. The paper dragon can pass through an opening of any size without squeezing.

Actions
Multiattack. The dragon makes one bite attack and one claws attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute, and while poisoned, the creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, it can’t add its Strength modifier to its damage, and its speed is reduced by 20 feet. A creature may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 slashing damage.
Devour Scroll. The dragon eats a spell scroll. It regains all lost hit points and can use its action at any time afterwards to cast the spell written on the scroll, as if it were reading the scroll. It can cast the spell no matter what spell list it is on, and it does not need to make a spellcasting ability check to do so. If the scroll was cursed, the dragon isn’t harmed by the curse. If the dragon eats a scroll before it casts the previous spell’s scroll, it loses the previous spell.

Bonus Actions
Nimble Escape. The dragon takes the Disengage or Hide action.

Reactions
Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker the dragon can see hits it with an attack, the dragon halves the damage against it.

Variant: Tome-Eater
Most paper dragons consume only spell scrolls. One who gets its claws on a spell book eats it one spell at a time, with each spell acting as a single scroll. However, a paper dragon may discover a more magical book, such as a tome of clear thought or a manual of guardians. In this case, the effects gained by eating that book are permanent. A dragon who ate a tome of clear thought would have its Intelligence score increase by 2; a dragon who ate a manual of guardians would learn how to make a specific type of guardian, and would not need to sprinkle the book’s ashes over a guardian it makes; and a dragon who ate a copy of How to Make Fiends and Influence People would gain a permanent cambion servitor.

A paper dragon called Lindisfarne eating all the magical scrolls is such a cool concept.

@WarDriveWorley requested this next one, so here it is: the pink dragon—a goofy-looking dragon that breathes soap bubbles and loves to tell jokes. I was shocked to find out that they actually appeared in a D&D novel (The Shattered Mask), at least according to one wiki. I have no idea what they were like in that novel. A dream sequence perhaps? No clue. As a note, you can tell this monster was submitted for 1e and they just hastily updated it to 2e. It’s Hit Dice are still listed as 6-8, rather than something the 2e format of 12 (base), and of course it has no table of age categories.

The article says they have echolocation. I like to imagine they have bat ears.

The pink dragon isn’t alone. Also in this article, Erik Freske created the tickler, a feather-winged ball of flesh that, well, tickled people, the end. They seem to go perfectly with the pink dragon’s humor motif. I decided to give pink dragons the (fey) tag and I’ll let them conjure ticklers. Ticklers will be in tomorrow’s entry, so you won’t have to wait long for their stats.

(They're also a good way to use Spelljammer's space clowns and Ravnica's Rakdos performers outside of those settings. I also use the nilbogs and yobbos in the Encounters lists--both of those can be found on the A5e tools site.)


Art by Mark Nelson

Pink Dragon (Chromatic Dragon)
Not Necessarily The Monstrous Compendium, Dragon Magazine #156
Created by Jeanne McGuire

Pink dragons have a somewhat dopey appearance, delicate pink coloration, and squeaky voices, leading many people to underestimate them—sometimes fatally. While they’re not cruel creatures, and in fact are friendly and highly garrulous, they imagine themselves to be amazing jokesters… and tend to eat those who don’t laugh at their jokes. Fortunately for would-be lunches, pink dragons are rarer and far weaker than most of their kin.

Natural Comedians? Pink dragons love humor and hijinks, to the point that copper dragons seem downright stolid in comparison—and while many copper dragons appreciate the pinks’ sense of humor, just as many find them boorish, childish, or worse, unfunny. A pink dragon’s thinks a fake arrow through the head is hilarious. Comedy, of course, is an art form, but not every pink dragon put in the effort to hone their comedic arts. Like most dragons, pink dragons are egotistical, but in an odd way. Most have no problem with telling self-depreciating jokes. But at the same time, they hate it when people laugh at them or if they feel that their audience doesn’t appreciate their routine, they become incredibly hostile. Many aren’t welcoming of even constructive criticism. Although normally jovial, their moods can turn on a dime.

Talkative. These creatures are as bad as brass dragons when it comes to their ability to talk. They will have conversations that last days and simply don’t understand that other people don’t want to talk to them. If listeners try to leave (and are polite about it), the pink dragon will follow them, nattering all the way. Even brass dragons eventually get tired of a pink’s garrulousness; while brass dragons love to talk about trivia and gossip, pink dragons tend to tell very long-winded stories. These stories usually have a point to them—perhaps even a very important one—but it may take hours or even days to get to that point.

Dragon Without A Clade. Although “technically” they are chromatic dragons, most other chromatics think that pink dragons are too ridiculous to count and have no patience for their antics. Some chromatic dragons go so far as to (nastily) say pink dragons are just metallic dragons without the shininess. At the same time, only brass and copper dragons come close to accepting pink dragons, and even they can only take pinks in small doses. Other metallic dragons just try to smile and nod and move away.

The only dragons that fully embrace a pink dragon are the faerie dragons. In fact, many of the more light-hearted fey, such as satyrs, love pink dragons. At least part of it is because these types of fey tend to have short memories so the pink dragon’s jokes never grow old to them.

Unlike most other dragons, pink dragons rarely attract the attention of kobolds and dragonbound warriors. However, some people view them as emissaries of the gods of laughter, and so clownish cultists and priests flock to their sides.

Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or History check, characters can learn the following:

DC 10. Incredibly rare and relatively weak, pink dragons usually lair underground. They are famed for their love of jokes.

DC 15. Pink dragons exhales blasts of soap bubbles, which are painful to the eyes at best and coat everything in corrosive lye at worse.

DC 20. Masters of illusions, all pink dragons have at least some ability with illusory magics, and many are capable of creating powerful and even dangerous illusions.

Pink Dragon Encounters
Terrain: cavern, mountain

CR 3-4 Pink dragon wyrmling with faerie dragon; pink dragon wyrmling and swarm of ticklers; 2 pink dragon wyrmlings
Treasure: 100 sp, 125 cp, dogeared jokebook (worth 25 gp), wand of prestidigitation, 2 fizzy lifters, spell scroll of silent image

CR 5-10 young pink dragon; young pink dragon with faerie dragon; young pink dragon and 2 satyrs; young pink dragon with 2 swarms of ticklers.
Treasure: 700 gp, 5 pink quartz gems (worth 10 gp each), 1 coral gems (worth 100 gp each), birdsong whistle, bottle of fizz, dust of sneezing and choking, potion of mind reading

CR 11-16 adult pink dragon; adult pink dragon with cult fanatic and 2d4 cultists; adult pink dragon with 2-3 faerie dragons or scarecrows (dressed to look like clowns); adult pink dragon with 1d4+2 satyrs; young pink dragon with jackalope; young pink dragon with 12 pixies and 4 swarms of ticklers.
Treasure: 180 pp, 825 ep, portrait of a famed bard painted on black velvet (worth 250 gp), 5 pink pearls (worth 100 gp each), 1 pink tourmaline (worth 100 gp), 1 pink spinel (worth 500 gp), bag of beans, sack of sacks, box of party tricks

CR 17-22 ancient pink dragon; adult pink dragon with 1d4+4 nilbogs and 1d4+4 yobbos.
Treasure: 3,150 gp, idol to a god of humor carved out of quartz (worth 500 gp), 4 pink topazes (worth 500 gp), pink sapphire (worth 1,000 gp), cage of folly, 2 potions of poison, philter of love, wand of paralysis

CR 23-30 ancient pink dragon with scarecrow harvester and 2 cult fanatics; 2 adult pink dragons
Treasure: 18,000 gp, famed humor playwright who disappeared years ago, 3 pink sapphires (worth 1,000 gp each), 2 opal rings (worth 2,500 gp each), fizzy rocks, impossible cube, liquid luck, marvelous pigments, spell scroll of feeblemind

CR 31+ pink great wyrm
Treasure: 1,800 pp, 20,000 gp, platinum necklace with 7 pink diamonds (worth 40,000 gp), nonmagical clockwork dancing clown (worth 7,500 gp), absurdist web, dancing sword, deck of many things, mirror of life trapping

Signs
1. Distant strained laughter.
2. Childishly silly images carved into cliffs.
3. The smell of soap in the air.
4. Floating pink bubbles that only burst when touched by a finger.

Behavior
1. “Entertaining” a guest with terrible jokes.
2. Practicing a routine.
3. In a bad mood because someone was mean to it.
4. Demands that a partymember pull its talon (will use breath weapon if it happens).

Pink Dragon Lair Features
The save DC for the following effects is 13+ the dragon’s proficiency modifier. Choose or roll one or more of the following lair features.
1. The entire lair is under the effects of something akin to a mirage arcane spell that makes it look like a brightly colored candyland.
2. All floors are slippery with soap. Anyone moving more than half their speed in a single turn must make a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone, ending their movement.
3. The lair contains pools of naturally effervescent water. As a legendary action, the dragon can drink from a pool, regaining a number of hit points equal to its Constitution score.
4. Magical illusions create distracting images throughout the lair. Physically interacting with an illusion reveals its nature and dispels the illusion. Perception and Investigation checks are made at disadvantage while in the lair.

Names
Charalizar, Cypripedio, Cherry Blossom, Loxinasrin, Strawberry

Variant: Pink Dragon Spellcaster
Some dragons develop the ability to innately cast spells. A pink dragon’s spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components. Each age category knows its own spells and those of younger age categories.
Young (save DC X): 3/day each: invisibility, mirror image
Adult (save DC X): 3/day each: dream, major image
Ancient (save DC 20): 1/day each: irresistible dance, mislead
Great Wyrm (save DC 20): 1/day each: weird

Ancient Pink Dragon
Legendary Gargantuan Dragon (Fey)
Challenge 19 (22,000 XP)
AC 18 (natural armor)
HP 297 (18d20+108; bloodied 148)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft. fly 80 ft.

STR 23 (+6) DEX 14 (+2) CON 22 (+6)
INT 15 (+2) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 18 (+4)

Proficiency +6
Maneuver DC 21
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +14, Wis +9, Cha +10
Skills Perception +8 (+1d6), Perform +10
Damage Immunities acid, fire
Condition Immunities blinded, confused
Senses blindsight 300 ft., passive Perception 23
Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan, one other
Echolocation. The dragon can’t use its blindsight while deafened.
Keen Hearing. The dragon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Innate Spellcasting (At Will). The dragon can cast minor illusion, and can make both a sound and image in a single casting. Its spellcasting trait is Charisma.
Slippery. The dragon has advantage on saving throws made to escape being grappled and restrained, and can move through an opening large enough for a creature one size smaller without squeezing.

Actions
Multiattack. The dragon attacks once with its bite and twice with its claws. In place of its bite attack, it can Spit Lye.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10+6) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8+6) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8+6) bludgeoning damage, and the dragon pushes the target 10 feet away.
Spit Lye. The dragon targets a creature within 60 feet, forcing it to make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 22 (4d10) acid damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. A creature that fails the save also takes 5 (1d10) ongoing acid damage. A creature can use its action to end the ongoing damage.
Bubble Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon breathes a cloud of opalescent pink soap bubbles in a 90-foot cone. The cloud remains in the area for 1 minute or until blown away by a strong wind, and the area is heavily obscured. The dragon’s vision is not impeded. When the dragon first breathes, and when a creature starts its turn inside the cloud’s area, a target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. A creature wearing a visored helm, goggles, or similar eye protection gains a d4 expertise die on this saving throw. On a failure, the creature is blinded until the end of its next turn and while blinded, is also confused and poisoned due to the painful, soapy bubbles and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration. In addition, the area and all creatures in that area when the dragon first used its breath weapon are covered in a film of soap that lasts for 1 minute. During this time, all creatures have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, at the start of each of its turns, must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone, and the next time it takes fire damage, it takes an additional 1d6 ongoing fire damage until it uses an action to douse the flames.

Reactions
Tail Attack. When a creature the dragon can see within 10 feet hits the dragon with a melee attack, the dragon makes a tail attack against it.

Legendary Actions
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Hilarity Ensues. The dragon emits a silly sound. Each creature of the dragon’s choice within 120 feet that can hear it must make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or be charmed by the dragon for 1 minute. While charmed, it finds everything the dragon says or does to be hilarious. A creature may make a new save at the end of each of its turns, and whenever it takes damage from any source, ending the effect on itself as a success. When it succeeds on a saving throw or the effect ends for it, it is immune to Hilarity Ensues for 24 hours.
Wing Attack. The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet makes a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it is pushed 10 feet away and knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its fly speed
Laugh Track (Costs 2 Actions). If the target has at least one target charmed by its Hilarity Ensues ability, it creates a swarm of ticklers (q.v.). The swarm appears in an empty space within 60 feet and follows the dragon’s orders.

Ancient Pink Dragon Variant: Pink Great Wyrm
The dragon is an elite monster, equivalent to two CR 19 monsters (44,000 XP). It has 594 (36d20+216; bloodied 297) hit points and the following trait:

The Show Must Go On. When the dragon is first bloodied, it immediately recharges its breath weapon, if it’s not already available. Additionally, the damage from the dragon’s Lyeburst is doubled.

The dragon has the following additional legendary actions.

Elite Recovery. The dragon ends one negative effect currently affecting it. It can do so as long as it has at least 1 hit point, even while unconscious or incapacitated.
Second Verse, Same As The First (Gaze). A creature within 120 feet makes a saving throw against Hilarity Ensues, even if it has already successfully saved within the past 24 hours.
You Ain’t Heard Nuthin’ Yet. (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon recharges its breath weapon
Bubble Spit (Costs 3 Actions). The dragon spits a bubble at a creature it can see within 90 feet, which bursts when it touches the creature. The creature must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a success, the creature takes 28 (8d6) acid damage. On a failure, the creature takes 56 (16d6) acid damage and is blinded, deafened, and confused until the end of its next turn, and pushed 20 feet in a random direction

*

Adult Pink Dragon
Legendary Huge Dragon (Fey)
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
AC 17 (natural armor)
HP 207 (18d12+90; bloodied 103)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft. fly 80 ft.

STR 20 (+5) DEX 14 (+2) CON 20 (+5)
INT 14 (+2) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 17 (+3)
Proficiency +5
Maneuver DC 18
Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +10, Wis +6
Skills Perception +6 (+1d6), Perform +8, Stealth +7
Damage Immunities acid, fire
Condition Immunities blinded, confused
Senses blindsight 300 ft., passive Perception 23
Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan
Echolocation. The dragon can’t use its blindsight while deafened.
Keen Hearing. The dragon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Innate Spellcasting (At Will). The dragon can cast minor illusion, and can make both a sound and image in a single casting. Its spellcasting trait is Charisma.
Slippery. The dragon has advantage on saving throws made to escape being grappled and restrained, and can move through an opening large enough for a creature one size smaller without squeezing.

Actions
Multiattack. The dragon attacks once with its bite and twice with its claws. In place of its bite attack, it can Spit Lye.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d10+5) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) acid damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8+5) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8+5) bludgeoning damage, and the dragon pushes the target 10 feet away.
Spit Lye. The dragon targets a creature within 60 feet, forcing it to make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 22 (4d10) acid damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. A creature that fails the save also takes 5 (1d10) ongoing acid damage. A creature can use its action to end the ongoing damage.
Bubble Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon breathes a cloud of opalescent pink soap bubbles in a 60-foot cone. The cloud remains in the area for 1 minute or until blown away by a strong wind, and the area is heavily obscured. The dragon’s vision is not impeded. When the dragon first breathes, and when a creature starts its turn inside the cloud’s area, a target must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. A creature wearing a visored helm, goggles, or similar eye protection gains a d4 expertise die on this saving throw. On a failure, the creature is blinded until the end of its next turn and while blinded, is also confused and poisoned due to the painful, soapy bubbles and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration. In addition, the area and all creatures in that area when the dragon first used its breath weapon are covered in a film of soap that lasts for 1 minute. During this time, all creatures have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, at the start of each of its turns, must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone, and the next time it takes fire damage, it takes an additional 1d6 ongoing fire damage until it uses an action to douse the flames.

Reactions
Tail Attack. When a creature the dragon can see within 10 feet hits the dragon with a melee attack, the dragon makes a tail attack against it.

Legendary Actions
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Hilarity Ensues. The dragon emits a silly sound. Each creature of the dragon’s choice within 120 feet that can hear it must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw or be charmed by the dragon for 1 minute. While charmed, it finds everything the dragon says or does to be hilarious. A creature may make a new save at the end of each of its turns, and whenever it takes damage from any source, ending the effect on itself as a success. When it succeeds on a saving throw or the effect ends for it, it is immune to Hilarity Ensues for 24 hours.
Wing Attack. The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet makes a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it is pushed 10 feet away and knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its fly speed
Laugh Track (Costs 2 Actions). If the target has at least one target charmed by its Hilarity Ensues ability, it creates a swarm of ticklers (q.v.). The swarm appears in an empty space within 60 feet and follows the dragon’s orders.

*

Young Pink Dragon
Large Dragon (Fey)
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
AC 16 (natural armor)
HP 133 (14d10+56; bloodied 66)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft. fly 80 ft.

STR 18 (+4) DEX 14 (+2) CON 18 (+4)
INT 13 (+1) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 15 (+2)

Proficiency +3
Maneuver DC 15
Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +7, Wis +4, Cha +5
Skills Perception +6 (+1d6), Perform +5
Damage Immunities acid, fire
Condition Immunities blinded, confused
Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 19
Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan
Echolocation. The dragon can’t use its blindsight while deafened.
Keen Hearing. The dragon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Innate Spellcasting (At Will). The dragon can cast minor illusion. Its spellcasting trait is Charisma.
Slippery. The dragon has advantage on saving throws made to escape being grappled and restrained, and can move through an opening large enough for a creature one size smaller without squeezing.

Actions
Multiattack. The dragon attacks once with its bite and twice with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d10+4) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) acid damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) slashing damage.
Bubble Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon breathes a cloud of opalescent pink soap bubbles in a 30-foot cone. The cloud remains in the area until the end of the dragon’s next turn, and the area is heavily obscured. The dragon’s vision is not impeded. When the dragon first breathes, and when a creature starts its turn inside the cloud’s area, a target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. A creature wearing a visored helm, goggles, or similar eye protection gains a d4 expertise die on this saving throw. On a failure, the creature is blinded until the end of its next turn and while blinded, is also confused and poisoned due to the painful, soapy bubbles and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration. In addition, the area and all creatures in that area when the dragon first used its breath weapon are covered in a film of soap that lasts until the end of the dragon’s next turn. During this time, all creatures have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, at the start of each of its turns, must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone, and the next time it takes fire damage, it takes an additional 1d6 ongoing fire damage until it uses an action to douse the flames.

*

Pink Dragon Wyrmling
Medium Dragon (Fey)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
AC 14 (natural armor)
HP 45 (6d8+18; bloodied 22)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 15 ft. fly 60 ft.

STR 14 (+2) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3)
INT 11 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 13 (+1)

Proficiency +2
Maneuver DC 12
Skills Perception +2 (+1d4), Perform +3, Stealth +7
Damage Immunities acid, fire
Condition Immunities blinded, confused
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan
Echolocation. The dragon can’t use its blindsight while deafened.
Keen Hearing. The dragon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Innate Spellcasting (At Will). The dragon can cast minor illusion. Its spellcasting trait is Charisma.
Slippery. The dragon has advantage on saving throws made to escape being grappled and restrained, and can move through an opening large enough for a creature one size smaller without squeezing.

Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d10+2) piercing damage.
Bubble Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon breathes a cloud of opalescent pink soap bubbles in a 15-foot cone. The cloud remains in the area until the end of the dragon’s next turn, and the area is heavily obscured. The dragon’s vision is not impeded. When the dragon first breathes, and when a creature starts its turn inside the cloud’s area, a target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. A creature wearing a visored helm, goggles, or similar eye protection gains a d4 expertise die on this saving throw. On a failure, the creature is blinded until the end of its next turn and while blinded, is also confused and poisoned due to the painful, soapy bubbles and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration. In addition, the area and all creatures in that area when the dragon first used its breath weapon are covered in a film of soap that lasts until the end of the dragon’s next turn. During this time, all creatures have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, at the start of each of its turns, must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone, and the next time it takes fire damage, it takes an additional 1d6 ongoing fire damage until it uses an action to douse the flames.

Faolyn said:

Some chromatic dragons go so far as to (nastily) say pink dragons are just metallic dragons without the shininess.

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Someone needs to do a write-up of the Rose Gold Dragon that they joked about in a D&Beyond article.

Twiggly the Gnome said:

Someone needs to do a write-up of the Rose Gold Dragon that they joked about in a D&Beyond article.

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Ooh! Do you have a link to that article? I haven't read any of them.

Faolyn said:

Ooh! Do you have a link to that article? I haven't read any of them.

Click to expand...

I wish I did! Unfortunately, the sites search function doesn't seem to include the articles.

IIRC, it was an aside about brass and bronze being copper alloys, and a musing on the existence of Rose Gold Dragons.

Twiggly the Gnome said:

I wish I did! Unfortunately, the sites search function doesn't seem to include the articles.

IIRC, it was an aside about brass and bronze being copper alloys, and a musing on the existence of Rose Gold Dragons.

Click to expand...

Oh well. It sounds like a neat idea, though.

*

As promised, the tickler. Which is apparently also the name for a type of filing system, the type that uses those file folders with the nubby hooks on either side that hang in a box. I did not know that.


Art by Mark Nelson

Tickler
Not Necessarily The Monstrous Compendium, Dragon Magazine #156
Created by Erik Freske

Ticklers are tiny fey that are born from laughter. They are nearly mindless creatures that resemble a tiny ball of featureless gray flesh with big puppy-dog eyes, moth-like antennae, and a pair of fluffy feathers that act as wings. They seem to feed off the sound of laughter, as they quickly leave someone who won’t or can’t laugh out loud.

Ticklers tend to travel in swarms. When they see a creature that is making noise of any sort, they descend en masse to tickle the creature, getting under its clothes and into sensitive spots. Their tickling actually can be dangerous—they can literally tickle a person to death. Fortunately, they’re easy to kill—even a lucky swat from a flailing arm can smoosh one. Even more fortunately, they can subsist on natural laughter, which they actually prefer. A place that generates a lot of laughter normally, such as an inn or a stage that holds comedies, may find themselves home to dozens of these creatures, who bask in the merriment without harming anyone.

Special Use. If a tickler’s wing is used as a material component in a hideous laughter spell, the target has disadvantage on all saving throws.

Made Minions. While most ticklers arise naturally from the Feywild, pink dragons are capable of creating them out of nothingness.

Legends and Lore
With an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:

DC 10. Ticklers are mindless creatures that are created by laughter.

DC 15. A tickler can literally tickle a person to death.

Tickler
Tiny fey
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
AC 14
HP 1 (1d4-1)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft.

STR 1 (-5) DEX 19 (+4) CON 8 (-1)
INT 1 (-5) WIS 3 (-4) CHA 4 (-3)

Proficiency +2
Maneuver DC 14
Skills Perception -2
Damage Vulnerability fire
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages —
Under-Armor Attacker. The tickler has disadvantage on attack rolls made against creatures wearing heavy armor, but advantage on attack rolls made against creatures that are not wearing armor.
Water Weakness. If the tickler is splashed with a gallon of water, it becomes incapacitated for 1 minute and, while incapacitated, its speed is 0.

Actions
Tickle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target is tickled bursts into laughter. It falls prone and is incapacitated until the end of its next turn. If the creature is tickled six or more times in the space of a minute, it takes a level of fatigue. This fatigue is removed when the creature does nothing strenuous for 1 minute.

*

Swarm of Ticklers
Medium swarm of Tiny fey
Challenge 1/2 (50 XP)
AC 14
HP 24 (7d8-7, bloodied 12)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft.

STR 1 (-5) DEX 19 (+4) CON 8 (-1)
INT 1 (-5) WIS 3 (-4) CHA 4 (-3)

Proficiency +2
Maneuver DC 14
Skills Perception -2
Damage Vulnerability fire
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages —
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and move through any opening large enough for a Tiny creature. It can’t gain HP or temporary hit points.
Under-Clothes Attacker. The swarm has disadvantage on attack rolls made against creatures wearing heavy armor, but advantage on attack rolls made against creatures that are not wearing armor.
Water Weakness. If the swarm is splashed with a gallon of water, it becomes incapacitated for 1 minute and, while incapacitated, its speed is 0.

Actions
Tickle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target is tickled bursts into laughter. It falls prone and is incapacitated until the end of its next turn, and must make a DC 9 Constitution saving throw or take a level of fatigue. This fatigue is removed when the creature completes a short or long rest.

I guess the tickler wasn't that popular. Can't say as I blame you.

One last silly monster, and boy did this article have a lot to offer. This next creature is, honestly, only barely a joke monster—it’s the tin guardian, which are designed to look like toy soldiers, only human-sized. Honestly, it’s barely even a joke monster. The “funniest” bit is that the line for Diet reads “Pretty little, considering that it doesn’t eat.” If this thing didn’t look like a tin toy British soldier and people didn’t assume tin = cheap (tin was worth a lot back in Those Days, because it’s rare), it would be a completely normal, if niche, creature.

The article says they all carry a saber, but since the actual toys were often made with rifles, I gave a variant option for that as well.

Use Guardian Signs and Behaviors.


Art by Mark Nelson

Guardian, Tin
Not Necessarily The Monstrous Compendium, Dragon Magazine #156
Created by Scott Wile

Tin guardians are relatively weak, but what they lack in size and strength, they make up for in resistance or immunity to many forms of damage. The careful mixture of alloys allow the elemental spirit within to be fully bound to the body, which prevents them from going berserk like other, weaker guardians are prone to doing. Tin guardians are made of metal that is cast into the form of a soldier, and they are often brightly painted so they appear to be wearing a military officer’s uniform. Many are painted to look like man-sized children’s toys, as well. They typically carry oversized sabers which are built into their bodies and cannot be easily removed.

Monster Encounters
CR 5-10 1-2 tin guardians; tin guardian and 1d4 hound guardians.
Treasure: 900 gp in chest made of rare woods (worth 75 gp), suit of noble's clothing with shoes and hat (worth 250 gp), tome which leads to the discovery of a rare 3rd-level spell, ever-shifting map, eyes of the eagle

Tin Guardian
Medium construct
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
AC 18 (natural armor)
HP 85 (10d8+40; bloodied 42)
Speed 25 ft.

STR 18 (+4) DEX 12 (+1) CON 18 (+4)
INT 3 (-4) WIS 11 (+0) CHA 1 (-5)

Proficiency +3
Maneuver DC 15
Damage Resistances piercing, slashing
Damage Immunities cold, fire, force, lightning, poison, psychic; damage from nonmagical, non-adamantine bludgeoning weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, fatigue, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t speak
Blunt Weapon. A nonmagical piercing or slashing weapon that hits the guardian is blunted after dealing damage, taking a permanent -1 penalty to damage rolls per hit. If this penalty reaches -5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical piercing or slashing ammunition is destroyed after dealing damage.
Immutable Form. The guardian is immune to any effect that would alter its form.
Magic Resistance. The guardian has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Reflect Lightning. Any time the guardian is targeted by a line spell or a spell that requires a ranged attack roll and that inflicts lightning damage, roll a d6. On a 1 to 5, the guardian is unaffected. On a 6, the guardian is unaffected and the effect is reflected back at the caster as though it originated from the guardian, turning the caster into the target.

Actions
Multiattack. The guardian makes two sword attacks.
Saber. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10+4) slashing damage. If the guardian scores a critical hit, the target is knocked prone.

Variant: Rifle Corps
In some higher-tech settings, tin guardians may be equipped with rifled muskets to which long bayonets are attached. Full details on rifled muskets and long bayonets can be found in the Adventures in Zeitgeist campaign setting. These guardians have the following actions, which replace the guardian’s Multiattack and Sword actions:

Multiattack. The guardian makes one musket attack and one bayonet attack.
Rifled Musket. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d8+1) piercing damage.
Long Bayonet. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) piercing damage.

Very good in a Steampunk setting or Victoriana of some kind.

GuyBoy said:

Very good in a Steampunk setting or Victoriana of some kind.

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Yup! It seems like a no-brainer for me. As I said, a lot of the "joke" monsters are actually very serious. OK, maybe not the pink dragon, but these guardians for sure.