Dragon, Energy

Gargantuan dragon, unaligned

Armor Class 21 (natural armor)
Hit Points 437 (25d20+175)
Speed 50 ft., fly 90 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
25 (+7) 20 (+5) 24 (+7) 17 (+3) 29 (+9) 22 (+6)

Saving Throws Dex +13, Con +15, Wis +17, Cha +14
Skills Insight +17, Perception +25, Persuasion +14, Religion +11
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities radiant
Condition Immunities frightened, hated, misted
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 35
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 26 (90,000 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • Etherealness. As a bonus action the dragon enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can’t affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.
  • Ethereal Sight. The dragon can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
  • Incorporeal Movement. The dragon can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
  • Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
  • Lit. While conscious, the dragon sheds bright light in a 60-foot-radius sphere and dim light an additional 120 feet.
  • Magic Weapons. The dragon’s weapon attacks are magical.
  • Regeneration. The dragon regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
  • Spiritual Smite (20 points/Long Rest). When the dragon hits a creature with a melee weapon attack, it can expend one point to deal necrotic or radiant damage to the target (the dragon’s choice), in addition to the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 7 (2d6) for 1 point, plus 3 (1d6) for each additional point, to a maximum of 17 (5d6 for 4 points).

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes four attacks: one with its bite, one with its tail, and two with its claws.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10+7) piercing damage.
  • Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6+7) slashing damage.
  • Tail Slap. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8+7) bludgeoning damage.
  • Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 25 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.
  • Breath Weapons (Recharge 3-6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons.
  • Healing Breath. The dragon exhales life energy in a 40-foot cone and each creature in the area regains 54 (7d12+9) hit points.
  • Radiant Breath. The dragon exhales pure spiritual energy in a 120-foot line that is 20 feet wide. Each creature in that area must make a DC 25 Wisdom saving throw, taking 72 (16d8) necrotic damage or radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The dragon chooses which to use when it makes this attack.
  • Change Shape. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than 26, or back into its true form. The dragon reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment the dragon is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the dragon’s choice). In a new form, the dragon retains its alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. The dragon’s statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form, except any class features or legendary actions of that form.

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.

  • Sense Energy. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check. This check is made as if it had cast detect magic, though it does not require an action to see magical auras.
  • Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
  • Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of it must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (2d6+10) bludgeoning damage and be forced prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

ABOUT

When a dragon has lived for thousands of years and attained true enlightenment it transcends its scales, transforming into a being of pure energy. Doing so is no small feat and requires the accumulation of not only enormous wealth but great wisdom as well, so the libraries of aspiring dragons contain thousands of tomes of all kinds-there is no bit of knowledge they can afford not to attain. They are also very well-traveled, visiting and interacting with all the cultures they can find to complete this ascension.

For the first few hundred years after transformation an energy dragon is sublime towards others but as time drags on they become bored. Many of these powerful creatures like to “adopt” interesting creatures as “pets” often without them ever realizing it, thinking instead that their lives are charmed in some way.

Eventually however these dragons lose interest in this habit as well, their grip on reality gradually slipping away until ultimately they are no longer able to empathize with mortals. Once detached from the life they once knew an energy dragon becomes a terrible foe, a bane to everything and everyone that garners its attention.

Caution around an energy dragon is well-advised as they are fearsome enemies, able to mete out incredible suffering as they use the world around them to elude and evade combatants. An energy dragon saves its power until an enemy is weakened and vulnerable, unleashing most of its spiritual reservoir in an impressive display of force that often encourages retreat or surrender. There is almost no other way for a battle against an energy dragon to end-most are past the point of fearing death and fight to the very last.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Beasts 2. © 2020 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Celeste Conowitch, Darrin Drader, James Introcaso, Philip Larwood, Jeff Lee, Kelly Pawlik, Brian Suskind, Mike Welham.

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