How is this for modified/simplified damage and abilities? Tail sweep, trample, wing storm, and wing buffet have all been removed, and the number of attacks a dragon can make in a round has been reduced to 3. In exchange, the damage has been increased significantly (although dragons are still limited in how many attacks they can use against an individual creature), and the riders on the abilities have been somewhat altered.
HD | Bite (x1) | Claw/Wing/Tail (x2) |
1 +1 | 2d6 | 1d6 |
2 +4 | 2d8+1 | 2d4+1 |
3 +6 | 2d8+1 | 2d4+1 |
4 +12 | 2d10+2 | 2d6+2 |
5 +15 | 2d10+2 | 2d6+2 |
6 +24 | 4d6+3 | 2d8+3 |
7 +28 | 4d6+3 | 2d8+3 |
8 +40 | 4d8+4 | 2d10+4 |
9 +45 | 4d8+4 | 2d10+4 |
10 +60 | 6d6+5 | 4d6+5 |
11 +66 | 6d6+5 | 4d6+5 |
12 +72 | 6d8+6 | 4d8+6 |
13 +78 | 6d8+6 | 4d8+6 |
14 +84 | 8d6+7 | 6d6+7 |
15 +90 | 8d6+7 | 6d6+7 |
16 +96 | 8d8+8 | 6d8+8 |
17 +102 | 8d8+8 | 6d8+8 |
18 +108 | 12d6+9 | 8d6+9 |
19 +114 | 12d6+9 | 8d6+9 |
20 +120 | 12d8+10 | 8d8+10 |
21 +126 | 12d8+10 | 8d8+10 |
| | |
Dragon Natural Weaponry and Attack Forms
A dragon may make up to 3 attacks per round, one with its bite, and two with its claws. A dragons coordination and flexibility means that it can strike any creature near it with any of its attacks regardless of their relative position to the dragon, and can split its attacks any way it chooses amongst multiple opponents. However,
a dragon can only employ at most 1 attack against a single foe.
If a dragon succeeds on an attack by 4 or more against a creature two or more sizes smaller than itself, it inflicts an additional effect depending on what attack was used.
Bite: The creature is swallowed and takes damage as from the dragon’s bite each subsequent round. Swallowed creatures may attempt to fight their way out of the dragon’s gullet against an effective AC of 10, but only light piercing or stabbing weapons such as a dagger may be employed, and for each round that passes they have a cumulative -1 penalty to damage from such attacks. Nonetheless, any creature that succeeds in doing a number of points of damage equal to the dragons hit dice will be regurgitated from the dragon.
Claw: The creature is snatched in the dragon’s claws and is squeezed for automatic claw damage each subsequent round. The creature may still attack the dragon, but owing to the circumstances attacks are made at a -4 penalty to hit. The creature must make a successful bend bars/lift gates roll to free themselves, and may attempt to escape each round. A dragon can only hold one creature in each claw, and cannot attack with a claw that is holding a creature. A dragon may always voluntarily release a grappled creature, and may move with grappled creatures at half speed.
Wing: The creature is pushed 60 feet away from the dragon.
Tail: The creature is knocked prone
Dragons have several options they can use in place of making certain attacks. The following table provides a breakdown of a dragons normal combat routine, and the replacement options for each attack mode. Unless a dragon has multiple uses of a certain attack mode it cannot use multiple replacement options for the same attack mode in a round.
Normal Dragon Attacks in a Round | Can Replace With | |
Bite | Breath Weapon, Hypnotic Gaze, Psionic Ability, Spell, Spell Like Ability | |
Claw (x2) | Wing, Tail | |