Dragon, Planar

Planar dragons originate in the Outer Planes but migrate via portals or other methods to the Material Plane. There, they reshape their lairs to ref lect their home planes.

Age Categories

Many of a true dragon’s abilities, attacks, and other statistics improve as it grows. These increases are divided into 12 age categories—as a dragon ages, its statistics change as noted on the Dragon Age Categories table.

Age Category: This is the age category’s name.

Age in Years: This is the dragon’s actual age.

CR: This column modifies the dragon’s CR.

Size: This shows how many size categories by which to increase the dragon’s size, depending on its age. A true dragon does not gain the standard increases to ability scores when it grows; instead, true dragons gain ability score increases according to their age category, as indicated on the Dragon Ability Scores table.

Hit Dice: This shows how many Hit Dice a dragon gains in addition to its base Hit Dice as it grows. Increases to Hit Dice grant extra hit points, feats, and skill ranks, and also increase the dragon’s base attack bonus and base save bonuses. Dragons have a number of skill ranks equal to 6 + their Intelligence modifier per Hit Die. A dragon’s increases to ability scores for gaining Hit Dice are included in its total ability score increases (see the Dragon Ability Scores table).

Natural Armor: This shows by what amount the dragon’s natural armor increases with each age category.

Breath Weapon: Each dragon has a breath weapon that deals a base amount of damage. The listed multiplier increases the number of dice of damage dealt by the dragon’s breath weapon. Thus, a mature adult dragon with a base breath weapon that deals 2d8 points of acid damage would deal 14d8 points of acid damage (due to the ×7 multiplier).

Combat

The Dragon Attacks and Fly Speed table lists the natural attacks a dragon can employ and the damage they deal (a dash indicates that a dragon of that size does not have that attack). The dragon’s natural attacks overcome damage reduction as per weapons of the dragon’s alignment subtypes, if any. When they reach a specific size, dragons gain other abilities as described here.

Fly Speed: A dragon’s fly speed and maneuverability increase as indicated, according to its size.

Bite: This is a primary attack that deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon’s Strength bonus (even though it has more than one attack). A dragon’s bite attack has reach as if the creature were one size category larger (+10 feet for Colossal dragons).

Claws: These primary attacks deal the indicated damage plus the dragon’s Strength bonus.

Wings: The dragon can slam foes with its wings, even when flying. Wing attacks are secondary attacks that deal the indicated damage plus half the dragon’s Strength bonus.

Tail Slap: The dragon can slap one foe each round with its tail. A tail slap is a secondary attack that deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon’s Strength bonus (this is an exception to the normal secondary attack rules).

Crush (Ex)

A flying or jumping Huge or larger dragon can land on foes as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more size categories smaller than the dragon. A crush attack affects as many creatures as fit in the dragon’s space. Creatures in the affected area must succeed at a Reflex save (DC equal to that of the dragon’s breath weapon) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, it must attempt a combat maneuver check as normal. Pinned foes take damage from the crush each round if they don’t escape. A crush attack deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon’s Strength bonus.

Tail Sweep (Ex)

A Gargantuan or larger dragon can sweep with its tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half circle with a radius of 30 feet (or 40 feet for a Colossal dragon), extending from an intersection on the edge of the dragon’s space in any direction. Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are four or more size categories smaller than the dragon. A tail sweep automatically deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon’s Strength bonus (round down). Affected creatures can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage (DC = the DC of the dragon’s breath weapon).

Breath Weapon (Su)

Using a breath weapon is a standard action. A dragon can use its breath weapon once every 1d4 rounds. A breath weapon always starts at an intersection adjacent to the dragon and extends in a direction of the dragon’s choice. Breath weapons come in two shapes, lines and cones, whose areas vary with the dragon’s size. If a breath weapon deals damage, creatures caught in the area can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage. The save DC against a breath weapon is 10 + half the dragon’s HD + the dragon’s Constitution modifier. Saves against various breath weapons use the same DC; the type of saving throw is noted in the variety descriptions. A dragon can use its breath weapon when it is grappling or being grappled.

Additional Dragon Rules

Damage Reduction

Dragons gain damage reduction as they age, as indicated on each dragon’s specific entry.

Dragon Senses (Ex)

Dragons have darkvision 120 feet and blindsense 60 feet. They see four times as well as a human in dim light and twice as well in normal light.

Frightful Presence (Ex)

A dragon’s frightful presence has a range equal to 30 feet × the dragon’s age category number, but otherwise functions as detailed elsewhere.

Immunities (Ex)

Every dragon is immune to paralysis and sleep. In addition, a dragon is immune to several additional forms of attack, as given in its description.

Planar Infusion (Su)

A juvenile or older planar dragon can influence its surroundings as full-round action, causing an area with a radius of 30 feet × the dragon’s age category number to be treated as an extension of its home plane. This imposes that plane’s strong alignment traits and grants the plane’s enhanced and impeded magic traits, affects whether a creature is treated as native or extraplanar for the purpose of spells like dismissal, and creates minor sensory effects evoking that plane. This effect is immobile and lasts for 10 days or until the dragon dies or uses this ability again.

Spell Resistance (Ex)

When a dragon gains spell resistance, the value is equal to 11 + its CR.

Spells

A planar dragon knows and casts divine spells as per an oracle of the level indicated in its specific description. Its caster level depends on its age, as given for each type.

Dragon Age Categories
Age Category Age in Years CR Size Hit Dice Natural Armor Breath Weapon
1 Wyrmling 0–5 Base Base Base Base Base
2 Very young 6–15 Base + 2 Base + 1 Base + 2 Base + 3 Base × 2
3 Young 16–25 Base + 4 Base + 2 Base + 4 Base + 6 Base × 3
4 Juvenile 26–50 Base + 5 Base + 2 Base + 6 Base + 9 Base × 4
5 Young adult 51–100 Base + 7 Base + 3 Base + 8 Base + 12 Base × 5
6 Adult 101–200 Base + 8 Base + 3 Base + 10 Base + 15 Base × 6
7 Mature adult 201–400 Base + 9 Base + 3 Base + 12 Base + 18 Base × 7
8 Old 401–600 Base + 11 Base + 4 Base + 14 Base + 21 Base × 8
9 Very old 601–800 Base + 12 Base + 4 Base + 16 Base + 24 Base × 9
10 Ancient 801–1,000 Base + 13 Base + 4 Base + 18 Base + 27 Base × 10
11 Wyrm 1,001–1,200 Base + 14 Base + 4 Base + 20 Base + 30 Base × 11
12 Great wyrm 1,201+ Base + 16 Base + 5 Base + 22 Base + 33 Base × 12
Dragon Ability Scores
Age Category Strength Dexterity Constitution Intelligence Wisdom Charisma
1 Wyrmling Base Base Base Base Base Base
2 Very young Base + 4 Base – 2 Base + 2 Base + 2 Base + 2 Base + 2
3 Young Base + 8 Base – 2 Base + 4 Base + 2 Base + 2 Base + 2
4 Juvenile Base + 10 Base – 2 Base + 6 Base + 4 Base + 4 Base + 4
5 Young adult Base + 12 Base – 4 Base + 6 Base + 4 Base + 4 Base + 4
6 Adult Base + 14 Base – 4 Base + 8 Base + 6 Base + 6 Base + 6
7 Mature adult Base + 16 Base – 4 Base + 8 Base + 6 Base + 6 Base + 6
8 Old Base + 18 Base – 6 Base + 10 Base + 8 Base + 8 Base + 8
9 Very old Base + 20 Base – 6 Base + 10 Base + 8 Base + 8 Base + 8
10 Ancient Base + 22 Base – 6 Base + 12 Base + 10 Base + 10 Base + 10
11 Wyrm Base + 24 Base – 8 Base + 12 Base + 10 Base + 10 Base + 10
12 Great wyrm Base + 26 Base – 8 Base + 14 Base + 12 Base + 12 Base + 12
Dragon Attacks and Fly Speed
Size Fly Speed
(Maneuverability)
1 Bite 2 Claws 2 Wings 1 Tail Slap 1 Crush 1 Tail Sweep Breath Weapon
Line Cone
Small 150 ft. (average) 1d6 1d4 40 ft. 20 ft.
Medium 150 ft. (average) 1d8 1d6 1d4 60 ft. 30 ft.
Large 200 ft. (poor) 2d6 1d8 1d6 1d8 80 ft. 40 ft.
Huge 200 ft. (poor) 2d8 2d6 1d8 2d6 2d8 100 ft. 50 ft.
Gargantuan 250 ft. (clumsy) 4d6 2d8 2d6 2d8 4d6 2d6 120 ft. 60 ft.
Colossal 250 ft. (clumsy) 4d8 4d6 2d8 4d6 4d8 2d8 140 ft. 70 ft.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 6 © 2017, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, John Compton, Paris Crenshaw, Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, James Jacobs, Thurston Hillman, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, Jason Keeley, Isabelle Lee, Jason Nelson, Tim Nightengale, F. Wesley Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Todd Stewart, Josh Vogt, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.

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