Sand Dragon, Ancient

Family: Dragons

Gargantuan dragon, neutral evil

Armor Class 21 (natural armor)
Hit Points 507 (26d20 + 234)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft., fly 80 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
27 (+8)	12 (+1)	29 (+9)	16 (+3)	20 (+5)	18 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +17, Wis +13, Cha +12
Skills Nature +11, Perception +21, Stealth +9
Damage Resistances piercing
Damage Immunities fire
Condition Immunities blinded
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 31
Languages Common, Draconic, Terran
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +8

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the sand dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
• Sand Camouflage. The sand dragon has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in sandy terrain.
• Sandy Nature. The sand dragon is infused with elemental power, and it requires only half the amount of air, food, and drink that a typical dragon if its size needs.
• Stinging Sand. The first time the sand dragon hits a target with a melee weapon attack, the target must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw or have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The sand dragon uses its Frightful Presence. It then makes one Bite attack and two Claw attacks.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
• Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) slashing damage.
• Frightful Presence. Each creature of the sand dragon’s choice that is within 120 feet of the creature and aware of it must succeed on a DC 20 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 Weapon (Recharge 5–6). The sand dragon uses one of the following breath weapons:
  • Sand Blast. The dragon exhales superheated sand in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) piercing damage and 44 (8d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If a creature fails its saving throw by 5 or more, it suffers one level of exhaustion as it dehydrates.
  • Blinding Sand. The dragon breathes fine sand in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A blinded creature can take an action to clear its eyes of sand, ending the effect for it.

LAIR

Sand dragons live in sand or other loose, course soils. They can make themselves at home in deserts, salt flats, wastelands, and coastal dunes. Some sand dragons find convenient caves where they can dwell, but most dig deep below the surface, leaving a couple of well-supported tunnels where they can exit and enter. Piles of whatever common material they have in their lairs conceal these tunnels.

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the sand dragon can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• Create Sinkhole. A sinkhole opens beneath one creature the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be forced prone and buried in sand. If the buried target doesn’t have a burrowing speed, it is restrained and unable to breathe or stand up. A creature, including the buried target, can take an action to make a DC 15 Strength check, ending the buried state on a success. When the buried state ends, the target enters an unoccupied space within 5 feet of where it was buried and is prone.
• Evaporate Liquid. A container of liquid the dragon can see within 120 feet of it evaporates. If the container isn’t being worn or carried and is nonmagical, up to one gallon of the liquid is destroyed. If the container isn’t being worn or carried and the liquid or container is magical, the liquid must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw (with a bonus equal to +2 per level of rarity above common) or up to one gallon of the liquid is destroyed. If the container is being worn or carried, the creature holding the container must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the liquid’s destruction.
• Sand Wall. The dragon creates a wall of sand on a solid surface it can see within 120 feet of it. The wall can be up to 60 feet long, 10 feet high, and 5 feet thick, and it blocks line of sight. When the wall appears, each creature in its area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be pushed 5 feet out of the wall’s space, appearing on whichever side of the wall it wants. Each 10-foot section of wall has AC 10, 20 hit points, and immunity to necrotic, poison, psychic, and radiant damage. The wall lasts for 1 minute, until the dragon uses this lair action again, or until the dragon dies.

REGIONAL EFFECTS

The region containing a legendary sand dragon’s lair is warped by its magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• Dehydrate. Creatures, other than the sand dragon, within 1 mile of a sand dragon’s lair need twice as much water to avoid dehydration. Precipitation rarely falls, making the area hospitable only to the hardiest specimens.
• Prolific Vermin. Sand-dwelling vermin, such as scorpions and scarabs, become more numerous within 3 miles of the dragon’s lair.
• Sand Storms. Sand constantly swirls in small storms, impeding vision. Creatures within 1 mile of a sand dragon’s lair have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on vision. If the dragon dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.

is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

• Breath Weapon (Recharge 5–6). The sand dragon uses one of the following breath weapons:
• Sand Blast. The dragon exhales superheated sand in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 27 (5d10) piercing damage and 27 (5d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If a creature fails its saving throw by 5 or more, it suffers one level of exhaustion as it dehydrates.
• Blinding Sand. The dragon breathes fine sand in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A blinded creature can take an action to clear its eyes of sand, ending the effect for it.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The sand dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action 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 sand dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
• Tail Attack. The sand dragon makes a tail attack.
• Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The sand dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and be forced prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The sand dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action 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 sand dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
• Tail Attack. The sand dragon makes a tail attack.
• Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The sand dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be forced prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

ABOUT

Sand constantly sloughs from this brown dragon and twirls about in the air surrounding it. Falling sand reveals the creature’s desiccated form. Spikes of dried and caked sand jut from its body.

Overlords of dry and desolate domains, sand dragons enjoy the solitude of a harsh climate. They begrudgingly share territory with blue dragons and wasteland dragons, but these dragons often keep clear of each other.

Sometimes, they come together in alliances of convenience, though more often one of the dragons believes it can take the other’s territory by force.

Cantankerous Loners. A sand dragon’s desire for isolation and the scarcity of available food renders it an irritable host at best. A dragon’s first response upon noticing intruders rarely goes further than killing and eating them. Travelers who offer the dragon plenty of fresh meat stand a chance to pass through its domain unharmed. The sand dragon tolerates lesser creatures that inhabit the same land, such as sandwyrms, provided they don’t compete for resources. It may bully these creatures to hunt on its behalf.

Sand Sculptors. Sand dragons express themselves through the medium of sand or similar materials in their lairs. Spiraling towers erupt from the ground, reaching dozens of feet in height and seeming on the verge of collapse. In the rare instances where the dragons decide to attack settlements, they commit the location to memory and duplicate the buildings as sand sculptures to near perfection. They often etch screaming faces in the walls of the buildings to commemorate the terror they unleashed during their attacks. Sand dragons also use sand to encase the remains of those who dared attack the dragons in their lairs, molding the sand to match the likenesses of the creatures when they were alive.

Guardians of Lost Empires. When tons of sand, silt, and other debris cover up the remains of forgotten kingdoms, they may slumber undisturbed for centuries. Bored or curious sand dragons sometimes discover the ruins of these little-remembered empires and loot their ancient treasures and magic items. The dragons guard these locations closely, not wishing to encourage treasure hunting mercenaries to invade their lairs.