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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shade" data-source="post: 4986237" data-attributes="member: 287">Shadow DrakeFREQUENCY: Very rareNO. APPEARING: 1-3ARMOR CLASS: 5MOVE: 9./24. (MC: A)HIT DICE: See Table 8% IN LAIR: 25%TREASURE TYPE: Q, T, UNO. OF ATTACKS: 1 biteDAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4SPECIAL ATTACKS: Major spell use, major darkness/shadow powers, surprisebonus in darknessSPECIAL DEFENSES: High intelligence,create darkness, astral travel, magic resistance, major spell use, major darkness/shadow powersMAGIC RESISTANCE: See Table 8INTELLIGENCE: Average to highALIGNMENT: Neutral, chaotic neutralSIZE: S (See Table 8)PSIONIC ABILITY: NilCHANCE OF:Speaking: 90%Magic use: 30%Sleeping: 40%LEVEL/XP VALUE: Up to VI/750 + 6 per hit dice (maximum age and abilities)The shadow drake enjoys dark caves and heavily shadowed, peaceful forests.Sometimes one lairs near a group of pixies or brownies. Unlike other lesser dragons, they do not avoid civilized areas, sometimes creeping into cities at night. Their statistics are in Table 8.A shadow drake has an unusual innate power. In darkness or heavy shadows, it seems to merge with the shadows, becoming invisible even to ultravision and infra-vision. This drake enjoys stealth and is almost noiseless in flight, surprising foes five in six times if the area is in shadow or darkness. This drake can attack from shadows or darkness without becoming visible to prey. Its tiny talons are retractable and very sharp. Shadow drakes have no breath weapons.All shadow drakes have the innate ability to create darkness twice per day as per the illusionist spell, except that such darkness lasts for 24 hours. They can also create a smaller area of darkness, as per the spell except that it lasts only five minutes and is 10’ across; this power may be used at will. If cast upon a creature that does not make its saving throw vs. spells, this spell blinds the victim for the spell’s duration.Once a shadow drake has access to an area of magical darkness (even self-created), it can enter that darkness, wherein it can utilize other innate abilities. The first ability is to create a shadow duplicate of itself. This power is like the illusionist spell shades, except that the type of shadow monster created is an illusionary duplicate of the shadow drake without magical ability. This shadow duplicate cannot be told from the original, as per the illusionist spell mirror image. This power can be used but once per day. The second ability is to duplicate the effects of the illusionist spell demi-shadow monsters. There are no restrictions to this spell-like ability, and any creature the shadow drake can imagine can be created. This spell is always cleverly used to create a monster to cause the most disruption possible. This power may be used twice per day. The third ability available to shadow drakes while in magical darkness is rope trick, as per the illusionist spell. The shadow drake can hide in this extradimensional space for the duration of the spell, even if the magical darkness is dispelled. This power can be used twice per day.The shadow drake is a shy creature and often uses a shadow duplicate to lure creatures away from its lair. Some shadow drakes have magical abilities, having learned to cast illusionist spells from elder members of their species (though some learn spells from gnome or human illusionists in the vicinity). These spells are mostly defensive in nature but never include spells such as color spray, dancing lights, and other spells that create or involve light. See Table 8 for details.Shadow drakes love beautiful jewels and go to any length to secure them. They eat fruits and honey but often supplement their diets with small rodents and insects. Shadow drakes look like small dragons of an ash-gray color. While shy, they are also very curious and have been known to form temporary relationships with gnome, elven, and human spell-casters. They are particularly fond of illusionists.Ancient shadow drakes gain the power to shift to the Astral plane and back once per month. They can take no other shadow drakes with them. Shadow drakes of very old and ancient ages are known to have one further power, that of being able to dimension door from one area of magical shadow to another within a one-mile radius.TABLE 8: Shadow Drake’s Ages and Illusionist SpellsAge Category / HD/ Size / MR / Cantrips / First / Second / Third / FourthVery young     / 2 / 6” / 10% / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0Young         / 3 /1’ / 15% / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0Sub-adult    / 3+3 / 1’6” / 20% / 3 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0Young adult    / 4 /1’9” / 25% / 4 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0Adult        / 4+3 / 2’ / 30% / 4 / 2 / 1 / 0 / 0Old        / 5 /2’3” / 35% / 4 / 3 / 2 / 0 / 0Very old        / 5+2 / 2’6” / 40% / 4 / 4 / 3 / 1 / 0Ancient        / 5+4 / 2’9” / 50% / 5 / 4 / 4 / 2 / 1</blockquote>

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