Library / Bestiary

Dragon, Chromatic, Black, Ancient

CR 16.00 Dragon CE Huge

Description

Lording over the darkest swamps and marshes, black dragons are the undisputed masters of their domain, ruling through cruelty and intimidation. Those who dwell within a black dragon's reach live in fear. Black dragons tend to make their lairs in remote parts of the swamp, preferably in caves at the bottom of dark and fetid pools. Inside, they pile up their filthy treasure and sleep amid the roots and muck. Black dragons prefer their food a bit rotten and will often allow a meal to sit in a pool for days before consuming it. Black dragons prefer treasures that do not rot or decay, making their hoard, full of coins, gemstones, jewelry, and other objects made from stone or metal.

Ability Scores

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

Combat Stats

HP: 297 (22d12+154)
AC: 38, touch 8, flat-footed 38 (+30 natural, -2 size)
Speed: 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft.
Init: +4
Melee: bite +32 (2d8+16 plus 4d6 acid), 2 claws +31 (2d6+11), 2 wings +29 (1d8+5), tail +29 (2d6+16)
Space: 15 ft.
Reach: 10 ft. (15 ft. with bite)
BAB: +22
CMB: +35
CMD: 45 (49 vs. trip)
Fort: +20
Ref: +13
Will: +18
DR: 15/magic
SR: 27

Special Attacks

acid pool (50-ft. radius)

acidic bite

breath weapon (100-ft. line, DC 28, 20d6 acid)

corrupt water

crush

Special Qualities

speak with reptiles

swamp stride

water breathing

Feats

Alertness, Combat Expertise, Flyby Attack, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Multiattack, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Stealth), Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bite)

Special Abilities

Alertness from Feat

You get a +2 bonus on Perception and Sense Motive skill checks. If you have 10 or more ranks in one of these skills, the bonus increases to +4 for that skill.

Combat Expertise from Feat

You can choose to take a –1 penalty on melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every +4 thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the dodge bonus increases by +1. You can only choose to use this feat when you declare that you are making an attack or a full-attack action with a melee weapon. The effects of this feat last until your next turn.

Greater Vital Strike from Feat

When you use the attack action, you can make one attack at your highest base attack bonus that deals additional damage. Roll the weapon's damage dice for the attack four times and add the results together before adding bonuses from Strength, weapon abilities (such as flaming), precision based damage, and other damage bonuses. These extra weapon damage dice are not multiplied on a critical hit, but are added to the total.

Improved Initiative from Feat

You get a +4 bonus on initiative checks.

Improved Vital Strike from Feat

When you use the attack action, you can make one attack at your highest base attack bonus that deals additional damage. Roll the weapon's damage dice for the attack three times and add the results together before adding bonuses from Strength, weapon special abilities (such as flaming), precision based damage, and other damage bonuses. These extra weapon damage dice are not multiplied on a critical hit, but are added to the total.

Power Attack from Feat

You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all melee damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-handed weapon, a one handed weapon using two hands, or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an off-hand weapon or secondary natural weapon. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2. You must choose to use this feat before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.

Skill Focus from Feat

You get a +3 bonus on all checks involving the chosen skill. If you have 10 or more ranks in that skill, this bonus increases to +6.

Vital Strike from Feat

When you use the attack action, you can make one attack at your highest base attack bonus that deals additional damage. Roll the weapon's damage dice for the attack twice and add the results together before adding bonuses from Strength, weapon abilities (such as flaming), precision based damage, and other damage bonuses. These extra weapon damage dice are not multiplied on a critical hit, but are added to the total.

Weapon Focus from Feat

You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.

Skills

Fly +17, Handle Animal +26, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (arcana) +29, Knowledge (history) +29, Knowledge (geography) +29, Perception +34, Spellcraft +29, Stealth +23, Swim +44

Spells

spell-like abilities:

At will—Darkness, At will—Insect Plague, At will—Plant Growth

spells known:

5th (4/day)—Cone Of Cold, 5th (4/day)—Wall Of Force, 4th (7/day)—Arcane Eye, 4th (7/day)—Black Tentacles, 4th (7/day)—Dimension Door, 3rd (7/day)—Dispel Magic, 3rd (7/day)—Heroism, 3rd (7/day)—Hold Person, 3rd (7/day)—Slow, 2nd (7/day)—Blur, 2nd (7/day)—Glitterdust, 2nd (7/day)—Invisibility, 2nd (7/day)—Summon Swarm, 2nd (7/day)—Whispering Wind, 1st (7/day)—Alarm, 1st (7/day)—Mage Armor, 1st (7/day)—Magic Missile, 1st (7/day)—Obscuring Mist, 1st (7/day)—True Strike, At will—Dancing Lights, At will—Detect Magic, At will—Light, At will—Mage Hand, At will—Mending, At will—Message, At will—Prestidigitation, At will—Read Magic, At will—Resistance

Details

Type: Dragon
Alignment: CE
Size: Huge
Senses: dragon senses; Perception +34
Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Goblin, Orc
Source: Bestiary

Sources Used in This Record

40 House/Core

Uses feat: Alertness (Feat)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Uses feat: Combat Expertise (Feat)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Uses feat: Greater Vital Strike (Feat)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Uses feat: Improved Initiative (Feat)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Uses feat: Improved Vital Strike (Feat)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Uses feat: Power Attack (Feat)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Uses feat: Skill Focus (Feat)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Uses feat: Vital Strike (Feat)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Uses feat: Weapon Focus (Feat)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Darkness (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Insect Plague (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Plant Growth (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Cone Of Cold (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Wall Of Force (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Arcane Eye (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Black Tentacles (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Dimension Door (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Dispel Magic (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Heroism (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Hold Person (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Slow (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Blur (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Glitterdust (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Invisibility (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Summon Swarm (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Whispering Wind (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Alarm (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Mage Armor (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Magic Missile (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Obscuring Mist (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: True Strike (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Dancing Lights (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Detect Magic (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Light (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Mage Hand (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Mending (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Message (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Prestidigitation (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Read Magic (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
Knows spell: Resistance (Spell)

House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.

Rules