Clockwork Dragon

[Halivar]

Clockwork Dragon
Huge Construct (Fire)
Hit Dice: 19d10 (104 hp)
Initiative: +0 (Dex)
Speed: 50 ft., fly 100 ft. (poor)
AC: 26 (-2 size, +18 natural)
Attacks: Bite +24 melee, 2 claws +19 melee, 2 wings +19 melee, tail slap +19 melee
Damage: Bite 2d8+10, claw 2d8+5, wing 1d8+5, tail slap 2d6+15
Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 20 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon
Special Qualities: Construct, fire sub-type, damage reduction 15/adamantine or epic, rust vulnerability
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +8
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 10, Con --, Int --, Wis 14, Cha 1
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary or Patrol (3-5)
Challege Rating: 16
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 20-28 HD (Huge), 29-37 HD (Gargantuan)

Clockwork dragons are used as mounts by the Jenowan Empire's elite Iron Dragoons (setting specific, change as you see fit). Though the dragoons are fierce and cunning, their mounts are mindless constructs. If the rider is felled, the clockwork dragon will simply carry out its last order, and usually in the simplest and most straightforward manner.

Combat
Iron Dragoons prefer strafing tactics with breath weapons to cause panic and disorder before descending to engage in melee. When used in conjuction with other forces, they will attempt to “herd” the enemy into an ambush, sometimes consisting of other Iron Dragoons.
If the clockwork dragon's rider should fall, the clockwork dragon immediately engages in physical melee with the enemy until it is destroyed.

Breath Weapon (Su): A clockwork dragon has one type of breath weapon, a 50 ft. cone of fire, 10d10 fire damage; Reflex save (DC 24) for half damage, usable every 1d4 rounds.
Construct: Immune to mind-influencing effects, sleep, paralysis, poison, disease and similar effects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain or death from massive damage.
Damage Reduction: A clockwork dragon has damage reduction 10/adamantine or epic.
Fire Subtype (Ex): A clockwork dragon is immune to fire damage but takes +50% damage from cold unless a saving throw for half damage is allowed. In that case, it takes half damage on success and +50% damage on a failure. In addition, cold effects slow the clockwork dragon (no save; forces it to land, if necessary), and a fire effect breaks the slow effect.
Rust Vulnerability (Ex): A clockwork dragon takes double damage from rust attacks unless a saving throw for half damage is allowed. In that case, it takes half damage on success and double damage on a failure.

Design notes:
This creature is modeled on a young adult red dragon (CR 12, CR 26 by Upper_Krust's revised CR's.).

This creature rated a CR 20.545 by UK's EL construction guide. With the golden rule, that's 18.8225, and with the silver rule that's ~15.999, which I rounded up.

EDIT: This creature was further tweaked for suggestions from the audience. It's CR is probably a bit higher than 15.999, but still acceptably rounded to 16.

 

[LazarusLong42]

One word: Yoink.

I dare say this is a very cool idea. I'm imagining gnomes mounted on these things, for some reason...

 

[Nifft]

Minions for Dispater! Very cool!

Issue: shouldn't it have some kind of Bonus HP for being a honkin' big Construct? (+40 HP for being Huge, I think.)

Issue: Iron Golems get DR 15/Adamantine, and they're only CR 13. Iron Dragons should get beefier DR too.

Issue: 3.5e makes opposite energy types (Cold, in this case) do +50% damage, whether a save is allowed or not. IMHO, to bow to the Golem-esque nature of the Clockwork Dragon, Cold effects should also cause a Slow effect (no save) for 3 rounds, and Fire should break the Slow effect.

-- N

 

[Halivar]

Issue: shouldn't it have some kind of Bonus HP for being a honkin' big Construct? (+40 HP for being Huge, I think.)

I couldn't find a mechanic for adding hitpoints. Is that in the MM? Adding hitdice would also increase a bunch of other things that I thought were high enough. Also, with the DR I think this is still a potent CR 16.

Issue: Iron Golems get DR 15/Adamantine, and they're only CR 13. Iron Dragons should get beefier DR too.

Your wish is my command.

Issue: 3.5e makes opposite energy types (Cold, in this case) do +50% damage, whether a save is allowed or not. IMHO, to bow to the Golem-esque nature of the Clockwork Dragon, Cold effects should also cause a Slow effect (no save) for 3 rounds, and Fire should break the Slow effect.

Thanks for bringing the new 3.5 rule to my attention. I was debating putting in the slow effect, but you convinced me.

 

[daTim]

I dare say with a +6 fortitude save this would get disentegrated very easilly by a group of 14-16th lvl characters.

 

[Halivar]

I dare say with a +6 fortitude save this would get disentegrated very easilly by a group of 14-16th lvl characters.

Constructs are immune to effects requiring a Fortitude save (including disintegrate). Still, the save is listed for completion (even golems in the MM have Fort saves even thought they don't need them).

 

[Nifft]

Constructs are immune to effects requiring a Fortitude save (including disintegrate).

"... unless the spell affects objects", which Disintegrate does quite nicely. Golems are immune to magic, which is why you can't just Disintegrate them. You could make this guy immune to Disintegrate if you were to make him a special variant of the Iron Golem (Fire breath weapon instead of poison, Dragon-shape instead of guy-with-sword, and different full attack sequence).

-- N

 

[Halivar]

You're right, Nifft. Disintegrate works just fine against these things. I probably need to playtest it a bit. One against a well-balanced group of level 16 is dead meat (err... metal), but a group of clockwork dragons would probably balance out a bit better (most wizards only have disintigrate as a one-off if they aren't planning for a big encounter).

Then again, I may need to add magic immunity. What do you guys think?

 

[Nifft]

I say you re-work it as a variant Iron Golem. They're well known, and the breath weapon is really the only major difference... except for Flight, which might have to go.

-- N