Another BBEG, not meant to be fought by the party just at the moment... still, she'll catch up with them eventually, since they slew her (significantly younger) mate and stole her eggs.
She's a Very Old Blue Dragon Half-Fiend Shadow-Creature who's been living in Carceri for quite a while -- 600 years or so. She's recently made a deal with Bel to act as a mount for one of his lieutenants on occasion, and to provide him with sacrifices, in trade for knowlege about the Dragon Crest of Six Sapphire Eyes. So, her movements are currently quite constrained -- it will be several weeks before she finds out what the party did, and even then, she'll want to go find the Dragon Crest first.
Notes: Half-Fiend is nasty on Dragons. They've got a lot of HD, so SR gets very high, very quickly. The added spell-like abilities and ability boosts are sweet, as are the immunities and energy resistances.
The Shadow Creature template (MotP) is similarly cool. +50% speed rules for the very high draconic flight speed. The automatic resistance to cold will be a fun surprise when I make a Shadow Red Dragon. Shadow Blend is amusing as Baator -- "There's a shadow, and you suddenly can't see the huge dragon at all!" -- though really it's amusing on any Large or larger critter. Finally, Evasion, oh how I adore thee!
Nike Xarthrax -- Huge Outsider (Augmented Dragon, Native, Shadow, Evil)
Very Old Half-Fiend Shadow Blue Dragon (Sor2)
HD: 30d12 +2d4 +224 (394 hp)
Init: +2
Speed: 60 ft., Burrow 30 ft., Fly 225 ft. (Poor +Hover +Wingover)
AC: 41 (-2 size, +2 dex, +27 natural, +4 Insight), touch 14, flat-footed 35
- with Unholy Aura: 45, touch 18, flat-footed 39
- with Unholy Aura + Shield: 49, touch 18, flat-footed 43
BAB / Grapple: +31/+52
Attack (15 ft.): +42 (bite 2d8+13), or +42 (tail slap 2d6+19), or +42 (crush 2d8+19)
Full Attack (10 ft): +42 (bite 2d8+13), +42/+42 (claw 2d6+8 +1d6 Fire, 19/x2 +1d10 Fire), +40/+40 (wing 1d8+7), +40 (tail slap 2d6+19)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. (15 ft. bite)
SA: Smite Good (+20 damage) 1/day, Spell-Like Abilities, Sound Imitation [DC 30], Breath Weapon, Spells
SQ: DR 15/magic; SR 35; Immunity to Sleep, Paralysis, Electricity & Poison; Energy Resistance 10 (Fire, Acid), 20 (Cold); Fast Healing 2; Shadow Blend; Hide +6; Darkvision 120 ft.; Blindsense 60 ft.; Evasion; Frightful Presence [DC 34]
Saves: Fort +27, Ref +21 (Evasion), Will +26
- with Unholy Aura: Fort +31, Ref +25 (Evasion), Will +30
Abil: Str 37, Dex 14, Con 25, Int 22, Wis 19, Cha 28
Skills (Outsider skill points from Half-Fiend): Bluff +47, Concentration +40, Diplomacy +47, Escape Artist +35, Hide +31, Intimidate +47, Knowledge (Arcana, Planes) +39, Listen +37, Search +39 (+43), Sense Motive +37, Spellcraft +39, Spot +37 (+41), and Use Magic Device +47.
Feats: Multiattack, Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Hover, Wingover, Fly-By Attack, Combat Expertise, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Unholy Aura), Empower Spell-Like Ability (Horrid Wilting), Snatch
Sorcerer Spellcasting level 13 (DC 24 + spell level):
Level/per day: [item-provided spells], Spells Known
1/8: [Disguise Self], Divine Favor, Alarm, Shield, True Strike, Identify
2/8: [Misdirection], Silence 15 ft. radius, Detect Thoughts, Mirror Image, Hideous Laughter, Fog Cloud
3/8: [Displacement], Deeper Darkness, Suggestion, Haste, Stinking Cloud
4/8: [Greater Invisiblity], Dimension Door, Polymorph, Dimensional Anchor, Scrying
5/8: [Persistant Image], True Seeing, Cloudkill, Xorn Movement (MotP)
6/5: [Mislead], Heal, Shadow Walk
Spell-Like Abilities (30 HD, DC 34):
4/day: Plane Shift (to or from the Plane of Shadow only)
3/day: Create/Destroy Water (60 gallons), Ventriloquism, Darkness, Poison, Unholy Aura (Quick, 30 rounds)
1/day: Hallucinatory Terrain, Desecrate, Unholy Blight, Contagion, Blasphemy, Unhallow, Horrid Wilting (Empowered, 30d8), Summon Monster IX (fiends only), Destruction
Breath Weapon: 100 ft. line, 18d8 electricity [DC 33]
Frightful Presence: 270 ft. [DC 34]
Stuff: Dragon Crest of Six Sapphire Eyes, Flaxar's Claw-Rubies (one pair), Lesser Amulet of Rhyxli's Ward, bag of holding type IV, 17 infernal sapphires (25kgp each), ring of spell storing, wand of gaseous form (8 charges), wand of stoneskin (14 charges)
Dragon Crest of Six Sapphire Eyes: Major Artifact
This huge circle of white gold is set with six fist-sized sapphires and woven with strong draconic magic. Its power can only be realized by a wearer with dragon blood, be she a True Dragon, Half-Dragon, Dragon Disciple, or person with a Draconic Bloodline. (To someone without dragon blood, the Crest resists identification -- it does not even detect as magical unless they succeed at a Caster Level check [DC 46]). For a qualified wearer, it grants the following benefits:
- Sapphire Charisma: +8 Enhancement bonus to Charisma
- Sapphire Armor: +4 Insight bonus to AC
- Six Sapphire Sight: Permanent See Invisibility and Arcane Sight 240 ft., which extend into the Ethereal and Shadow planes.
- All-Around Vision: Can't be flanked, +4 to Spot and Search.
- Air Master: Immunity to [Air] and [Sonic] effects.
Caster Level: 35
Flaxar's Claw-Rubies: Minor Artifacts
This pair of darkly glowing rubies takes up both glove/bracelet slots. They must be forcefully inserted into the flesh of a creature with a Natural Armor bonus of 2 or greater (dealing 3d6 damage each), and are not considered attached until the damage is healed (naturally or magically). When worn as a pair (or more, for creatures with more than two claw attacks), they grant the following effects:
- Claw Enhancement: +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage per Ruby worn.
- Claw Special Abilities: all claw attacks gain the Keen and Flaming Burst special abilities.
- Spell Storing: one spell can be stored per Ruby worn.
Caster Level: 20
Lesser Amulet of Rhyxli's Ward: Minor Artifact
This simple black disc is pierced by a small hole, through which runs the tendon of a shadow mastif. It will adjust to fit any wearer with a neck. The amulet is a spell-keyed item, which allows its wearer to convert prepared Wizard spells or unused Sorcerer spell-slots into the following spells. Note that the expended spell or spell-slot must be at least as high level as the spontaneously cast spell.
1: Disguise Self
2: Misdirection
3: Displacement
4: Greater Invisibility
5: Persistant Image
6: Mislead
7: Greater Shadow Conjuration
Furthermore, the amulet grants all spells of the Illusion school +2 DC. This bonus stacks with that provided by (Greater) Spell Focus.
Caster Level: 20
CR: 27
(Shadow Template Menu Abilities (7): +2 Luck bonus to saves, Evasion, Fast Healing 2, Plane Shift to/from Shadow x4)
