Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DebiHuman 02-07-07, 04:58 PM	I guess I've been reading too many BBEG monster threads lately and I'm looking to create something that can be used at lower levels. Somebody once mentioned a coral dragon (don't remember which thread or even who mentioned it) but I couldn't find any information about one so I'm thinking of creating my own. First off, this critter is much smaller than most dragons (I'm working out the details and the stats now) so largest it will get is size Large and it will start out with less than average abilities. It should fit into any pre-existing eco-system with ease. Coral Dragon While coral dragons are among the smallest and weakest of dragons, rarely reaching large size, they are among the most devious. Like many of their species, coral dragons hoard treasure. Along with precious metals and gems, they collect carved shells, pearls, any thing made of glass or stone. They are not above haggling for the things they covet and will cheerfully trade items they dislike (mostly carved bones and teeth) for something sparkly though less valuable. Coral dragons eat coral, shellfish, eels, fish, and crustaceans, but find aquatic mammals distasteful. Birds of many varieties are considered a delicacy. Occasionally, they will plants – mainly kelp. Coral dragons generally spend the first few years entirely in and above the water, only coming ashore as young adults to compete for mates. They lay their eggs near carefully guarded coral reefs. They generally lair in underwater caves with access to large bodies of water. They monitor their territories vigilantly and are quick to ally with creatures that are more powerful. Coral dragons are among the most beautiful of creatures with their glistening scales tipped with orange and red. This bright display serves as a warning to other creatures as coral dragons possess a paralytic contact poison (DC: 25) in their skin which causes paralysis for 2d6 minutes. Coral Dragons speak Aquan, Common and Draconic. Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate are class skills for coral dragons. Coral Dragon Small Dragon (Aquatic) Hit Dice: 5d12+5 (37 hit points) Initiative: +4 Armor Class: 16 (+1 Size, +5 Natural), Touch 11, Flat-footed 11 Speed: 30 ft, Sw 50 ft, fly 80 ft good Base Attack /Grapple: +5/+1 Attack: Bite +6 melee or claw+1 melee or wing+ 1 melee plus poison Full Attack: Bite+6 melee (1d8) or 2 claws +1 melee (1d6) or 2 wing buffets +1 melee (1d4) plus poison Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will + 7 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 19 Special Attacks: poison Special Qualities: Amphibious, Dark vision 60 feet, Immune to magic sleep and paralysis effects, Low-light vision Skills: Bluff +12, Diplomacy+16, Hide+ 8, Intimidate +14, Listen+6, Sense Motive+7, Spot +9, Swim +8 Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative Climate/Terrain: Any water and coastal areas Organization: Solitary, Pair or Family (Pair with 1d4+1 young) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually Neutral Advancement: 6-8 HD (Medium) 9-10 HD (Large) Frightful Presence (Ex): A coral dragon can unsettle foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. Creatures within a radius of 30 feet are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the dragon. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 dragon’s HD + dragon’s Cha modifier) remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons. Immunities (Ex): Coral dragons are immune to sleep and paralysis effects. Poison (Ex): Coral dragons possess a paralytic contact poison (DC: 25) in their skin which causes paralysis for 2d6. A paralyzed character cannot move, speak, or take any physical action. He is rooted to the spot, frozen and helpless. Not even friends can move his limbs. He may take purely mental actions, such as casting a spell with no components. A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer can’t swim and may drown.
Keenath 02-07-07, 05:32 PM	This is probably neither here nor there, but I'd love to see more Dragon-type creatures that are not True Dragons (that is, dragons that have 11 age categories). We have Dragonnes, Wyverns, and Pseudodragons; I'd just love to see more like them. I think the True Dragon thing is overused, I guess, applied when it isn't necessary. Give the creatures two or three age categories (like Xorns) and that covers the niche without stepping on the toes of the ten core true dragons. I particularly endorse this for any creature whose description has them specifically acting at odds with the standard dragon -- for example, not keeping a hoard -- or whose eldest form is not particularly powerful. You don't want to get too fine a grain; there's no point to having 11 age categories if there's precious little difference between, say, Adult and Mature Adult. You might consider doing that with these guys, and possibly remove the "coral shard" breath weapon in favor of relying on their poison (similar to Wyverns and Pseudos). You could just use the Juve, Mature Adult, and Ancient or Wyrm, and stat it out from there. If you like that idea, I'd give the Young version the poison; give the Adult version a couple spell like abilities and/or the breath weapon; then give the Elder 5 or 6 caster levels. That's useful without being tiresome for the DM, and fits with the way a lot of core monsters are built.
gino 02-07-07, 05:51 PM	This is probably neither here nor there, but I'd love to see more Dragon-type creatures that are not True Dragons (that is, dragons that have 11 age categories). Yes! As much as I love the poisonous cuteness of a Coral Dragon, I don't see why a Dragon which rarely achieves Large size should have agr categories. Could you make it a medium creature with advancement possibilities (HD, Size)? cheers, Gino
DebiHuman 02-07-07, 08:58 PM	Thanks for your input. I am rethinking this li'l monster. It will certainly be easier to post with out all the freaking charts. :D I think I'll stat it up for dragon, small size and let it advance to medium and large (makes more sense). As for the breath weapon, it can be ditched. The "coral shard" didn't sit right to begin with but I was trying to be innovative. Losing it is not a problem. I am still not certain how to determine natural armor for this thing. It definitely has scales but I don't want to overpower it. Is there a specific ruling on these things or should I base it on it's constitution (12 which would give it a +2)? Debby
Keenath 02-08-07, 09:08 AM	Thanks for your input. I am rethinking this li'l monster. It will certainly be easier to post with out all the freaking charts. :D That's for sure! It'll be easier to read, too. I think I'll stat it up for dragon, small size and let it advance to medium and large (makes more sense).You can do that if you don't want the abilities to significantly change between the age categories. As for the breath weapon, it can be ditched. The "coral shard" didn't sit right to begin with but I was trying to be innovative. Losing it is not a problem.One of the nice things about creating a non-true dragon is not having to duplicate an old breath weapon or invent a new one! (If you must use a breath weapon, though, I think Roar -- sonic damage -- is totally underused.) I am still not certain how to determine natural armor for this thing. It definitely has scales but I don't want to overpower it. Is there a specific ruling on these things or should I base it on it's constitution (12 which would give it a +2)? It's not con based at all. Just glancing over the dragon charts, a Black dragon has natural armor equal to HD-1, so that's probably a good place to start from. A wyvern has 7 HD and natural armor 8, though. I guess the real answer is: figure out what you want its AC to be based on CR and such, then see what its size and dex give it, and apply natural armor to meet the remainder.
DebiHuman 02-08-07, 03:46 PM	Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. I've revised the dragon to a large degree. I think I got it right (finally).
gino 02-08-07, 07:26 PM	I'm sad: I liked the Breath weapon idea.:weep: Also I didn't see the physical description. Does it look like a seasnake, a fish (?), or a seahorse, etc? cheers, Gino
DebiHuman 02-09-07, 09:29 AM	Good point Gino. A coral dragon has a longer and more streamline body than a normal dragon--more like a linnorm but with longer legs and webbed feet and it has broad leaf-like wings covered with iridescent scales edged with red and orange colors. Basically take a look at a linnorm from MMII and give it longer legs and add wings as described above, and make it a much brighter color. As for the breath weapon, it was a novel idea but I couldn't quite make it work. It seemed like it spit coral rather than breath it and I couldn't quite get the damage to work appropriately without making the thing far more powerful which was the opposite of what I was trying to achieve. Debby
dengarbountyhunter 02-10-07, 07:06 PM	A sonic breath attack underwater? That's cool! It should deal x damage in air, and twice that damage underwater. I don't know exactly what's the ratio for sound travel in air vs. underwater, but it's Supernatural, so who cares? Edit: or if it's not damage but some fear effect (or maybe nausea?), increase the DC when underwater.
Keenath 02-10-07, 08:48 PM	A sonic breath attack underwater? That's cool! It should deal x damage in air, and twice that damage underwater. Edit: or if it's not damage but some fear effect (or maybe nausea?), increase the DC when underwater. heh, that would be cool, yes. I'd make the range double underwater, though, rather than upping the damage or DC, so it affects a 30' cone in air and a 60' cone underwater. I would only do that with a non-true dragon though, as dragons already have breath weapon ranges that increase with age, and would be truly ridiculous at the upper ages.