Drake, Coral

Swimming upright, this creature seemingly peels itself from the vibrant seascape before striking with needle-thin claws, shredding teeth, and a wickedly curved stinger.

Coral Drake CR 8

XP 4,800
NE Medium dragon (aquatic)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15

DEFENSE

AC 22, touch 13, flat-footed 19; (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +9 natural)
hp 115 (11d12+44)
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +8
Defensive Abilities camouflage; Immune paralysis, poison, sleep; Resist cold 10

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.
Melee bite +15 (1d6+4), 2 claws +15 (1d4+4), sting +15 (1d4+4 plus poison)
Special Attacks breath weapon, poison

STATISTICS

Str 19, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10
Base Atk +11; CMB +15; CMD 27
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lunge, Power Attack, Swim-By Attack
Skills Bluff +14, Diplomacy +9, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (nature) +8, Perception +15, Stealth +16, Survival +9, Swim +21; Racial Modifiers +12 Stealth, +8 Swim
Languages Aquan, Common, Draconic
SQ camouflage

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Breath Weapon (Su)

Coral drakes nurture their offspring in specialized throat sacks. They can pressurize these sacks to spew forth a 15-ft. cone of its spawn. Any creatures in this area take 6d4 damage from thousands of tiny bites. In addition, all creatures in the area become nauseated for 1 round (Fort DC 19, Con-based). A coral drake can use its breath weapon every 1d4 rounds since the creature must siphon its young back into its throat sack before expelling them again.

Camouflage (Su)

A coral drake’s coloration and shape lend to its stealth. For 10 rounds/day, a coral drake can shift its coloration, granting the benefit of 20% concealment These rounds need not be consecutive.

Poison (Ex)

Coral drake venom: injury— bite; save DC 19; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d4 Str and 1d4 Wis damage; cure 2 consecutive saves.

ECOLOGY

Environment warm oceans
Organization solitary
Treasure double

Like a piece of moving coral, this drake’s coloration and scale patterns change to match nearby anemones, corals, seaweed, and urchins. This adaptation allows the creature considerable stealth in its natural habitat. It avoids combat if it can, preferring to hide and protect its young. Long serrated spines stretch from the coral drake’s body, waving in brilliant colors against a blue sea. The creature’s long snout stretches out from its narrow face and an array of spikes and slender protrusions form a jagged crown.

Inside the mouth, serrated teeth form multiple ringed ridges where it’s young feed on leftover scraps of food and small parasites. Needle thin talons spring from finned appendages, and a stinger frilled with tiny barbs curves at the end of its slender tail. A coral drake measures 7 ft. from the tip of its snout to its barbed stinging tail. Thin and agile, the beast weighs less than 100 lb.

Both male and female coral drakes gestate their delicate eggs inside sacks within their mouths and throats. This oral incubation protects the vulnerable eggs, but even still, only a handful of these creatures ever reach maturity since their parents use the ravenous spawn for defense when faced with dangerous enemies. Coral drakes live in warm waters near great coral reefs. Many of these creatures hollow out small lairs in these reefs and protect their meager hoards with the aid of the area’s natural inhabitants. Taking advantage of its natural immunity to poison, coral drakes often choose lairs nestled in forests of poisonous urchins, stinging anemones, and toxic corals.

Aside from humankind, the coral drake harbors a several-generation old rivalry with dragon turtles. These beasts prize the same hunting grounds and nests and fight for supremacy in coastal reefs.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Midgard Bestiary for Pathfinder RPG, (c) 2012 Open Design LLC; Author: Adam Daigle with Chris Harris, Michael Kortes, James MacKenzie, Rob Manning, Ben McFarland, Carlos Ovalle, Jan Rodewald, Adam Roy, Christina Stiles, James Thomas, and Mike Welham.

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