dave2008
Legend
DRAGON TACTICS: ALTERNATE ACTIONS
All dragons have a typical claw/claw/bite attack and a breath weapon. However, as a dragon ages, not only does it increase in size, strength, magical ability, it also learns additional or improved methods of combat and tactics as indicated in the Dragon Tactics by Age table. The table list the age a dragon first learns to use a given tactic. Once it learns a tactic, it can use it at any subsequent age. A dragon may replace a standard action or a legendary action with any alternate action it knows as detailed in the alternate actions description.
DRAGON TACTICS BY AGE
BREATH WEAPONS
The dragon's breath weapon is its most iconic and devastating attack. As a dragon ages it learns more ways to use its breath weapon. The Dragon Tactics by Age table indicates when a dragon is able to use the breath weapon options below.
As a dragon ages it learns from its many years of battle and conquest, adding new maneuvers to its arsenal of attacks. The Dragon Tactics by Age table indicates when a dragon is able to choose the attack options below.
The flying speed provided in a dragon's stat block describes its typical combat speed. The speed at which it can execute quick turns and combat maneuvers. However, dragons are capable of much greater speeds. All true dragons have the following trait.
All dragons have a typical claw/claw/bite attack and a breath weapon. However, as a dragon ages, not only does it increase in size, strength, magical ability, it also learns additional or improved methods of combat and tactics as indicated in the Dragon Tactics by Age table. The table list the age a dragon first learns to use a given tactic. Once it learns a tactic, it can use it at any subsequent age. A dragon may replace a standard action or a legendary action with any alternate action it knows as detailed in the alternate actions description.
DRAGON TACTICS BY AGE
| Age | Tactics Known |
|---|---|
| Wyrmling | --- |
| Young | --- |
| Juvenile | --- |
| Young Adult | Snatch, Wing Buffet |
| Adult | Dive, Multi-claws, Strafing, Tail Sweep |
| Elder | Crush, Flyby Slam, Throw |
| Ancient | Sustained Breath |
| Wyrm | Shaped Breath |
| Great Wyrm | Death Breath |
BREATH WEAPONS
The dragon's breath weapon is its most iconic and devastating attack. As a dragon ages it learns more ways to use its breath weapon. The Dragon Tactics by Age table indicates when a dragon is able to use the breath weapon options below.
- Death Breath. When a dragon reduces a creature to 0 hit points with its breath weapon, it dies.
- Shaped Breath. When a dragon uses its breath weapon, it can mold it to avoid creatures of its choice in area or line of effect. The dragon can exclude a number of targets equal to its Intelligence modifier from taking damage from its breath weapon.
- Strafing. If a dragon moves in a straight line in the same round that it uses its breath weapon, it can add the movement to the length of its breath weapon. For cone shaped breath weapons, the added length is a line the width of the cone added to the end of the cone.
- Sustained Breath. The dragon continues using its breath weapon on the turn after it initiated its breath weapon. If it does so, it cannot take any Actions on its turn after sustaining its breath weapon.
As a dragon ages it learns from its many years of battle and conquest, adding new maneuvers to its arsenal of attacks. The Dragon Tactics by Age table indicates when a dragon is able to choose the attack options below.
- Throw. Instead of its multiattack action, the dragon makes a bite attack. On a hit, if the target is two size categories smaller than the dragon, the target is also grabbed and thrown 60 feet and knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes a solid surface, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage and be knocked prone.
- Ancient: Increase the distance a creature is thrown to 80 feet and the save DC to 20.
- Great Wyrm: Increase the distance a creature is thrown to 100 feet and the save DC to 23.
- Tail Sweep. Instead of its multiattack action, a dragon can make a Tail Slam attack against each target in a cone the length of its Tail Slam's reach. On a failed save, the target is knocked prone or pushed 10 feet*, the dragon's choice, but not stunned.
- Ancient: The distance a creature is pushed increases to 20 feet.
- Great Wyrm: The distance a creature is pushed increases to 40 feet.
The flying speed provided in a dragon's stat block describes its typical combat speed. The speed at which it can execute quick turns and combat maneuvers. However, dragons are capable of much greater speeds. All true dragons have the following trait.
- Overland Flight. When a dragon is not engaged in an encounter and has flown in a straight line for at least 2 rounds, it can move at 10 times its flying speed.
- Multi-claws. When a flying dragon takes the multiattack action, it can make four claw attacks instead of two claw and one bite attack, if it is attacking another airborne creature.
- Crush. An airborne dragon can use an action to land in the space of creatures one size category below its own. The dragon makes one claw attack on each creature in its space. On a hit, the target is also knocked prone and grappled. On a miss, the creature can use a reaction to move to a space adjacent to the dragon. If that target can't use a reaction or doesn't want to move, it is grappled. A target grappled this way is also restrained. A creature is no longer grappeld by the dragon if it moves or makes a claw attack on a different target.
- Dive. If a dragon flies straight down toward an airborne target for at least 60 feet, it can use an action to make a claw attack on the same turn. On a hit the target takes double damage and must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be stunned.
- Ancient: Increase the save DC to 20.
- Great Wyrm: Increase the save DC to 23.
- Flyby Slam. If a dragon flies at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then makes a Tail Slam attack, on a hit the attack does double damage and the dragon does not provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemies reach. Additionally, this attack does quadruple damage to objects and structures.
- Snatch. If a dragon flies at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then makes a Bite attack, and the target is three size categories smaller than the dragon, the target is also grappled on a hit. A creature grappled this way is also restrained and moves with the dragon. The dragon cannot make claw attacks against a creature it has snatched, in the same turn the creature was snatched.
- Wing Buffet.If the dragon moves at least 40 feet and comes to a stop on its turn, all attacks against the dragon are at disadvantage, the dragon gains a +5 AC bonus against ranged attacks, and the dragon must land at the end of its turn. If the dragon is within 15 feet of the ground containing loose dirt and debris when it stops, all creatures within 150 feet of the dragon must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be blinded. All effects last until the start of the dragon's next turn.
- Elder: Increase the distance above the ground to 20 feet, the range to 180 feet, and the save DC to 17.
- Ancient: Increase the distance above the ground to 25 feet, the range to 210 feet, and the save DC to 19.
- Wyrm: Increase the distance above the ground to 30 feet, the range to 240 feet, and the save DC to 22.
- Great Wyrm: Increase the distance above the ground to 40 feet, the range to 270 feet, and the save DC to 25.
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