Dragon, Cave, Adult

Family: Dragon - Cave

Huge dragon, neutral evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 243 (18d12 + 126)
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., Earth Glide

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
26 (+8)	12 (+1)	24 (+7)	12 (+1)	12 (+1)	20 (+5)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +12, Wis +6, Cha +10 1
Skills Perception +10
Damage Immunities acid, poison, thunder
Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages Common, Darakhul, Draconic, Dwarvish, Goblin
Challenge 16 (15, 000 XP)

Special Traits

• Darkness Aura. An adult or older cave dragon can generate an aura of darkness that fills its space and the surrounding 20 feet. This darkness prevents normal vision and darkvision from functioning. Blindsight and truesight function normally. Activating or deactivating the aura is a bonus action.
• Earth Glide. An adult cave dragon glides through stone, dirt, or any sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish glides through water. Its burrowing produces no ripple or other sign of its presence and leaves no tunnel or hole unless the dragon chooses to do so; in that case, it creates a passageway 15 feet wide by 10 feet high. The spell move earth cast on an area containing an earth-gliding cave dragon flings the dragon back 30 feet and stuns the creature for one round unless it succeeds on a Constitution saving throw.
• Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
• Ruff Spikes. When a creature tries to enter a space adjacent to a cave dragon, the dragon can use a reaction to prevent the move by flaring its many feelers and spikes. The creature cannot enter a space adjacent to the dragon unless it makes a successful DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. If the saving throw fails, the creature can keep moving but only into spaces that aren’t within 5 feet of the dragon and takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage from spikes.
• Innate Spellcasting. The dragon’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
  • At will: detect magic, speak with dead
  • 3/day each: blur, counterspell, darkness, web
  • 1/day each: dispel magic, hold person

Actions

• Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d6 + 8) plus 3 (1d6) poison damage.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
• Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
• Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
• Poison Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales a cone of black poison gas in a 60-foot cone. Each target in that area takes 56 (16d6) poison damage and is poisoned if it is a creature; a successful DC 18 Constitution saving throw reduces damage by half and negates the poisoned condition. The poisoned condition lasts until the target takes a long or short rest or it’s removed with lesser restoration or comparable magic.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
• Reset Ruff Spikes. The dragon can use its ruff spikes as a reaction again before its next turn.
• Tail. The dragon makes a tail attack.
• Swift Bite (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon makes two bite attacks.