Stats for a Classical Dragon

[Scorpion13]

Fire Breathing Dragon
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Huge Dragon
Hit Dice: 22d12+110 (253)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40ft
AC: 35(+0 dex,-2 size, +27 natural)
Attacks: 1 bite +25, 2 claws +18, 1 tail slap +20, 1 crush +14
Damage: bite 2d8+11, claws 2d6+11, tail slap 2d6 +8, crush 2d8 +15
Face/Reach: 10ft. by 20ft
Special Attacks: Breath Weapon
Special Qualities: Dragon Immunities, Spell Resistance, Dragon Fear, immunities
Saves: Fort +18, Ref +13, Will +17
Abilities: Str 33, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 4, Wis 19, Cha 13
Skills: Spot +12, Listen +14, Search +18
Feats: Snatch, Greater Cleave
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Climate: Underground, Hills, Forest and Mountain
Organization: Solitary, Family (2 parents and one hatchling)
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Neutral(evil)
Advancement: 22 –30 (huge), 30-40 (gargantuan)

Fire Breathing Dragons are massive reptilian monsters that can adapt to most climes, and are sometimes captured and used as guards by evil wizards and the like. They often set up in a cavern on a high mountain or in a dark forest, and raid nearby settlements, killing, burning and stealing. Though in all other respects they behave little better than animals, they have an uncanny ability to sort out items of worth. Gold, jewels and magic items all litter the Dragon’s domain.

Many settlements sacrifice young, virginal women to sate the beast. Although the monster has been reported to have eaten as much as 12 head of cattle in a single sitting, these sacrifices, or in lieu of young women, treasure worth as much as 10,000 gps, has satisfied many a dragon and staved off destruction for another few weeks. This is however quite expensive for the communities being terrorized, and most cannot keep it up for long. When they run out of sacrifices, the Dragon descends and destroys the community in one fell swoop, massacring the villagers and burning their buildings and crops.

Breath Weapon: Cone of fire 50 ft every 1d4 rounds. 16d10 (25)

Dragon Immunities: The Fire Breathing Dragon is immune to sleep and paralysis effects.

Spell Resistance: The Fire Breathing Dragon has a spell resistance of 22.

Dragon Fear: Everybody within 60 feet of the Fire Breathing Dragon must save vs. fear, DC 24 . Creatures with fewer than 4 hit dice that fail are panicked for 4d6 rounds. Creatures with more than 5 hit dice are shaken for 4d6 rounds. Creatures who save are immune to the fear for 1 day.

Immunities: The Fire Breathing Dragon is immune to fire and heat based attacks.



How does this stack up for a old-school, fairy tale style Dragon? I based it on an Adult Red Dragon, and it was inspired by the dragon in the Seventh Voyage of Sinbad.

 

[Krishnath]

I don't know where you're from or what kind of fairytales you grew up with, but, where I come from, dragons have always been described as cunning and intelligent creatures, and I doubt an int of 4 equals intelligent.

Anyways, it's still a nicely done write-up, if anything, I can always use it as a fire drake

Later, and good work.

 

[Scorpion13]

Interesting. Ive always experienced firy tale dragons to be voracious predators. I dont know if Fafnir was crafty, but Im pretty sure the idea of an intelligent, crafty dragons got popular until Smaug.

Fire Drake!? You insult me sir!


Well, no actually. In my capaign world this would be considered a fire drake, as he has no wings. I like the Tolkein dragon classification system. The names sound more mysterious and magical, and it keeps players from knowing what to expect next.

 

[Krishnath]

Well, fafnir was exceptionally dumb for a dragon...

Truth be told, I can't remember half of the old stories, but I alwasy remember the dragons. There was one tale from the north of england, about a large white wingless wurm (it spit poison, not fire or cold), that not only was very crafty, but also quite intelligent, and don't even get me started on the dragons from norse mytology (that was used as the base for the D&D linnorm). Nidhog is one of the nastier dragons from that.

But what I find truely interresting about dragons is that they are one of only three creature archetypes that can be found in all the worlds mythologies in one form or another (the two other being vampires and elemental spirits). In fact two of the most powerful deities in ancient sumerian mythology was described as dragons, Tiamat was one, unfortunatly the name of the other escapes me at the moment.

Anyways, I still like the work you put into it, but for me, it can never be anything other than a fire drake...

 

[Scorpion13]

A pox on thee!

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

Ah yes .. Nidhog, Nidhogg, Niddhogg, or Niddhoggr, depending on how you want to spell it.


Niddhogg (Quasi - Deity (0))
Colossal Dragon
Hit Dice: 50d12+1000 (1,325hp)
Initiative: +24 (+4 Dex, +20 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 40ft., fly 80ft.
AC: 47 (-8 size,+4 Dex, +40 natural, +1 profane), touch 7, flat-footed 43
Attacks: Bite +69 (+50 Base, +27 Str, -8 size) melee, 2 claws +64 melee, 2 wings + 59 melee, tail slap + 54 melee
Damage: Bite 4d10+27, claw 3d10 + 13, wing 2d10 + 13, tail slap 3d8 + 13
Face/Reach: 100 ft. by 500 ft./25 ft.
Special Attacks: Tail Sweep, Breath Weapon, Crush, Spell-Like Abilities, Summon Fiends, Summon Giants, Frightful Presence
Special Qualities : SR 50, Unholy Speed, DR 35/+3, quasi-deity, planewalk
Saves: Fort +47, Ref +31, Will +40
Abilities: Str 65, Dex 19, Con 50, Int 32, Wis 36, Cha 40
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) +200, Spot + 50, Listen + 50, Knowledge (Dragon lore) +100, Knowledge (Elven lore) +50, Knowledge (Nature - Lower Planes) +50, Knowledge (the planes) +100, Spellcraft +50, Wilderness Lore +200
Feats: Improved Initiative(x5)
Climate/Terrain: Lower Planes
Organization: Troupe (1 plus 1-6 great wyrm red dragons, 2-8 ancient red dragons, 2-12 old red dragons, and 2 - 16 young adult red dragons)
Challenge Rating: 40
Treasure: 100,000 gp, 3 random wands, a holy avenger sword +5, 4 random magic weapons, 20 gems of 1,000 gp value each
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: -
Niddhogg, the Primal Dragon, the Evil Lord of all Dragons, the One of Everfear, is a monstrous wyrm bigger than the largest ship. He is known to planewalkers as the "Nightmare Master of Evil". In his realm, Niddhogg's powers are supreme. His scales are old and dull, though a careful inspection will show that they were once red. Niddhogg is several million years old.
Niddhogg's Realm
Niddhogg rules a realm on the Gray Waste of approximately 1,500 miles radius. He rules it with an iron fist (or claw) and his summoned fiends and giants. Any creature attempting to leave Niddhogg's realm without his express permission finds a border of red fog at the edges of Niddhogg's domain. They must make a DC24 Will save to continue. If they fail, an illusion of Niddhogg frightens them, causing them to flee into Niddhogg's realm. If Niddhogg actively resists the creature's leaving, 1d6 ogres, 1d4 trolls, or 1d3 hill giants (depending on Niddhogg's whim of the moment) will be stationed there to fight creatures leaving.
COMBAT
Niddhogg summons fiends and giants to soften up its opponents before it attacks from the sky.
Tail Sweep (Ex): Niddhogg's tail sweep has a 60' radius, the Reflex save is DC 39, and it inflicts 6d8 + 27 points of damage (6d8 + 13 as a secondary attack).
Breath Weapon (Su): Cone of supernatural flame, 180' long, 28d10 damage, Ref DC39 for half. Half of this damage is fire; the other half is divine power and thus cannot be reduced by fire immunity, fire resistance, etc.
Crush (Ex): The Reflex save is DC 39, and it inflicts 6d8 + 27 points of damage (6d8 + 13 as a secondary attack).
Spell- Like Abilities : At will : burning hands, chain lightning, cloudkill, curse, death spell, desecrate, doom, enlarge, feather fall (cast upon another), fireball, flame arrow, flame strike, fog cloud, irritation, jump (cast upon another), lightning bolt, magic missile, nightmare, obscuring mist, spiritual hammer; 3/day : meteor swarm, peripety (epic spell), ruin (epic spell) .
Summon Fiends (Sp) : Once per hour, Niddhogg can summon 6d10 lemures, 4d10 dretches, 3d10 imps or quasits, 2d10 barbazu, 2d6 succubi or erinyes, 1d8 cornugons or vrocks, 1d4 gelugons or mariliths, or 1d2 balors or pit fiends with a 100% chance of success.
Summon Giants (Sp): Once per hour, Niddhogg can summon 3d6 ogres, 2d6 trolls, 1d6 hill giants, or 1d4 sun giants with a 100% chance of success.
Frightful Presence (Ex): Will DC 48, when first seen, shaken for 100 rounds.
Unholy Speed (Ex): Niddhogg gains a +1 profane bonus to its AC. Once per hour, Niddhogg may double its speed and increase the profane bonus to +3 for 10 rounds.
Planewalk (Su): Niddhogg may travel to any plane at will.

 

[Krishnath]

Scorpion: A pox? I'm glad I've had my shots then...

Khisanth: Something like that, nice work by the way.