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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 9269223" data-attributes="member: 6915329">The article our next monsters come from is simply called “Greater Drakes” and is a collection of six smallish (horse-sized), ridable dragons. These drakes are specified as being “greater” because they’re larger kin to the drakes presented in an article from Dragon #146, “Dragons are Wizards’ Best Friends.” I converted those drakes into faerie dragon variants.Anyway, it’s a shame that D&D never really leaned into the idea of dragon-mounts all that much outside of Dragonlance, especially in the earlier days when mechanical balance wasn’t as important as it is now. On the other hand, the earlier editions often seemed allergic to letting the players be too cool, so that’s probably why (plus not wanting to step on Dragonlance’s toes). While each drake has its own stats, they’re all rather similar. Similar enough that I’ve decided to do with them what I did with the equar: a single statblock with a bunch of variants.DrakeGreater Drakes, Dragon Magazine #260Creature by Johnathan M. RichardsDrakes are small dragon-kin—small being a relative term, as they are the size of a large draft horse. From a distance, they resemble young dragons, although the differences are clear from closer-up. Most notably, they have an enlarged throat pouch, which expands like a bullfrog’s when they expel their breath weapon and allows their calls to echo across the land. Their limbs tend to be proportionately shorter than those of a dragon as well. And most importantly—at least from the point of view of dragons—drakes only have animal-level intelligence.Lesser Dragons. Drakes are coveted as a mount by many cultures—elves, orcs, and lizardfolk have all domesticated drakes with rousing success. Dragons themselves tend to view drakes as pests that are mimicking the true draconic form without any of its beauty or grace and view them with disdain (or as a meal). To most humanoids, however, they have the benefits of the dragon while being good mounts without any of a dragon’s egotistical nature. Drakes are often belligerent, but those who are raised to be mounts are loyal and friendly towards their riders, and they work well with other drakes.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. Drakes are small relatives of the dragon, sometimes used as mounts.DC 15. There are numerous species of drake, each with their own abilities.DC 20. Although many drakes are raised in captivity, they breed the best in the wild. Their eggs are worth an enormous amount of money to those looking to raise one as a steed.Drake EncountersChallenge Rating 3-4 drakeChallenge Rating 5-10 2-3 drakes; drake with knight or veteran; drake with strider or veteran warriorTreasure: 400 gp, 120 sp, set of gold buttons (250 gp), thick silver chain necklace (75 gp), potions of stone giant strength and healing, boots of the winterlands. Optionally: 1d3 drake eggs (5,000 gp each)Signs1. A scale similar, but not identical, to a young dragon's scale.2. A shadow passing overhead3. A distant growling roar4. Small, dragon-like claw-printsBehavior1. Flying overhead and hunting; attacks on sight2. Being ridden on a standard patrol; the rider will land the drake to question the characters3. In its lair, caring for its eggs4. Feeding on a dead deer, hippogriff, or similar creatureDrakeLarge dragon; Challenge 3 (7000 XP)AC 14 (natural armor)HP 66 (7d10+28; bloodied 33)Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.STR 20 (+5) DEX 14 (+2) CON 18 (+4)INT 3 (-4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 6 (-2)Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 15Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13Languages —Keen Sight. The drake has advantage on Perception checks that rely on sight.ActionsMultiattack. The drake makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6+5) piercing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the drake can’t bite another target.Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+5) slashing damage, or 14 (2d8+5) slashing damage if the drake started its turn at least 20 feet above the target.CombatDrakes let loose with their breath weapon before diving on their prey from above. If being ridden, they obey their ri’er's orders. They retreat if bloodied or if they managed to grapple a potential meal in their jaws.Variant: ArsalonArsalons have thick, chitinous scales that are a dusty yellow-tan color with darker, coffee-brown wings on their wings and on stripes along their necks and short tails, the latter of which is tipped by a stinger. This coloration—along with their long, thin horns that resemble antennae—puts many people in mind of a giant bee or wasp when they see the drake. Arsalons also have a strangely net-like pouch on their throat which oozes a thick, nectar-like substance. This substance attracts bees and wasps, who build their nests in the pouch, gaining a home and protection and, in return, cleaning the drake’s teeth and scales for it. By contracting their neck muscles, the arsalon can expel the insects, who then attack the drake’s foes, allowing it to literally breathe bees. Very few creatures have tried to domesticate arsalons, save for a few groups of woodland-dwelling elves.Climate/Terrain: temperate; woodlands.The arsalon is AC 16, is immune to poison and the poisoned condition, and has the following additional actions:Multiattack. The drake makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. It can replace its Bite attack with a Stinger attack.Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d4+5) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) poison damage on a failed saving throw or half as much on a success.Bee Breath (Recharges After a Short or Long Rest). The arsalon exhales stinging insects in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) piercing damage and 10 (3d6) poison damage, and is poisoned for 1 minute on a failure, or half as much damage and is not poisoned on a success. Additionally, each creature in that area, whether they failed or succeeded on their saving throw, takes 3 (1d6) ongoing piercing damage and 3 (1d6) ongoing poison damage until they move at least 60 feet away from the arsalon.*Variant: FumarandiThese charcoal-colored drakes have eyes that glow like burning embers, and their black tongue constantly flicks in and out of its mouth, like that of a snake. Their horns and talons look like black pearls. They are warm to the touch, but not dangerously so. These drakes are rarely used as mounts. They generally don’t take well to domestication and dislike being ridden except by Small riders—although they can be easily bribed with shiny things.Climate/Terrain: temperate; desert, hill, mountainFumarandi have 57 (6d10+24; bloodied 28) hit points and are immune to fire damage. Its Bite has been altered and it has the following additional action:Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+5) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4) fire damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the drake can’t bite another target.Burning Smoke Breath (Recharge 5-6). The fumarandi breathes a 30-foot cone of burning smoke. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Additionally, creatures that failed their saving throw must use their next action to cough and retch from the smoke. Creatures that are immune to poison don’t lose their action to coughing. Finally, the breath’s area is considered heavily obscured for 1d4 rounds.*Variant: KavainusThe kavainus is called the ghost drake, both because is dusty-white scales absorb light and glow in the dark and because it has the ability to turn ethereal. Their skull-like heads have rows of sharp horns, and their dark eyes are deeply set, giving them the look of empty sockets. Kavainus mate for life and defend their young vigorously. They are the favored mount of both mountain-dwelling elves and of assassins.Climate/Terrain: subarctic, temperate; hill, mountainThe kavainus has the following additional traits:Ethereal Sight. The kavainus can see into both the Material and Ethereal Plane.Glows In The Dark. When in darkness, the drake sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius. Attack rolls made against it at this time are made with advantage.It also has the following additional actions:Ethereal Jaunt. The kavainus magically shifts from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane or vice versa. If it is being ridden, its rider travels with it. While ethereal, it can only be affected by creatures on the Ethereal Plane, and creatures not on the Ethereal Plane can’t perceive the drake and its rider unless they have some ability that specifically allows it.*Variant: RecthenbeastAlso called the muck drake, rechtenbeasts are ugly, lumbering things that resemble bloated, warty frogs. They have the typical drake’s long, serpentine tail, which looks misplaced on their lumpy bodies, and their wings are barely able to support their weight in flight. They are decent swimmers, however, making up for their clumsiness in the air. They are often used as mounts by lizardfolk and boggards.Climate/Terrain: temperate, subtropical; swampThe recthenbeast has a fly speed of 40 ft. and a swim speed of 60 ft, and has resistance to acid damage. It has the following additional traits:Limited Amphibiousness. The recthenbeast can breathe air and water. When breathing air, it must immerse itself in water once every 4 hours or begin to suffocate.Swamp Camouflage. When in a swampy environment, the recthenbeast has advantage on Stealth checks.It also has the following additional action:Muck Spit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: The target is poisoned and slowed until the end of its next turn. Additionally, each creature that is within 5 feet of the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn, due to the muck’s foul stench.*Variant: SilslithisSleekly beautiful and beyond graceful when swimming, these ocean-dwelling drakes are favored by many aquatic people. Their scales are pearly blues and greens, with lighter colored wings and frills.Climate/Terrain: subarctic, temperate, subtropical; coast, oceanThe silslithis has a swim speed of 80 feet and are resistant to cold damage. It has the following additional trait:Amphibious. The silslithis can breathe air and water.It also has the following additional action:Geyser Breath (Recharge 5-6). The silslithis breathes a 30-foot-long, 5-foot-wide line of powerful water. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Additionally, creatures that failed their saving throw are pushed back 10 feet and knocked prone. If the silslithis uses its breath weapon, affected creatures have advantage on their saving throw.*Variant: VandalraugAlso known as the battle drake, the vandalraug is easily domesticated into service and is relatively common among all war-mongering peoples, especially humans and orcs. They have orange eyes with slit pupils, but their scale coloring ranges widely, from greens to browns to grays to reddish-oranges. They sport heavy, curling horns, used primarily in mating combats, but they can be trained to use them in combat as well. The claws on the thumbs of its wings sport particularly long, nasty claws. Perhaps ironically, these war-trained drakes are one of the few species of drakes that lack a breath weapon.Climate/Terrain: subarctic, temperate, subtropical; hill, mountain, settlementThe vandalraug has is CR 4 (1,100 XP), has 76 (8d10+32; bloodied 38) hit points, and is immune to the frightened condition. It has the following additional actions:Multiattack: The drake makes four attacks: one with its bite, two with its claws, and one wing-slash.Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10+5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature and the vandalraug moves at least 20 feet straight towards the target before the attack, the target takes an additional 5 (1d10) bludgeoning damage and must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or fall prone.Wing-Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) slashing damage</blockquote>

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