Black Dragon, Juvenile
Medium Dragon (Water) — CR 7
- Hit Dice
- 13d12+26 (110 hp)
- Initiative
- +0
- Speed
- Land 60 ft
- Armor Class
- 22, touch 10, flat-footed 22
- Base Attack / Grapple
- +13/+16
- Attack
- Bite +16 melee (2d6+3)
- Full Attack
- Bite +16 melee (2d6+3), 2 claws +11 melee (1d6+1), 2 wings +11 melee (1d4+1)
- STR
- 17
- DEX
- 10
- CON
- 15
- INT
- 10
- WIS
- 11
- CHA
- 10
- Fort / Ref / Will
- +10 / +8 / +8
- Challenge Rating
- 7
- Alignment
- Chaotic-Evil
- Organization
- solitary or clutch (2–5)
- Treasure
- Triple standard
- Environment
- Marshes
- Level Adjustment
- +4
- Caster Level
- 1
Special Abilities
Feats
The dragon’s head looks decidedly like a skull thanks to its deep-socketed eyes and wide, flat nasal opening. It has forward-curving horns and a spinal crest that peaks just behind the head and tapers off about three quarters of the way down the neck. An acidic smell surrounds the dragon, whose scales are mostly dull ebony and dark gray.
Description
Chromatic dragons form the evil branch of dragonkind. They are aggressive, greedy, vain, and nasty.
Black dragons are evil-tempered, cunning, and malevolent, characteristics that are reflected in their crafty, sinister faces.
Black dragon are sometimes known as skull dragons because of their skeletal faces. Adding to the skeletal impression is the gradual deterioration of the hide around the base of the horn and the cheekbones. This deterioration increases with age and does not harm the dragon. On hatching, a black dragon’s scales are thin, small, and glossy. As the dragon ages, they become larger, thicker, and duller, helping it camouflage itself in swamps and marshes.
Black dragons lair in large, damp caves and multichambered underground caverns. They smell of rotting vegetation and foul water, with an acidic undertone. Older dragons hide the entrance to their lairs using plant growth. Black dragons dine primarily on fish, mollusks, and other aquatic creatures. They also hunt for red meat but like to “pickle” it by letting it lie in ponds within the lair for days before eating it.
Black dragons are especially fond of coins. Older dragons sometimes capture and question humanoids about stockpiles of gold, silver, and platinum coins before killing them.
Combat
Black dragons prefer to ambush their targets, using their surroundings as cover. When fighting in heavily forested swamps and marshes, they try to stay in the water or on the ground; trees and leafy canopies limit their aerial maneuverability. When outmatched, a black dragon attempts to fly out of sight, so as not to leave tracks, and hide in a deep pond or bog.
Breath Weapon (Su): 80-ft. line, damage 8d4 acid, Reflex DC 18 half. Using a breath weapon is a standard action. Once a dragon breathes, it can’t breathe again until 1d4 rounds later.
Blindsense (Ex): Dragons can pinpoint creatures within a distance of 60 feet. Opponents the dragon can’t actually see still have total concealment against the dragon.
Keen Senses (Ex): A dragon sees four times as well a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.
Darkness (Sp): 3/day—as darkness, but 40-ft. radius. Caster level 4th.
Water Breathing (Ex): Can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use breath weapon, spells, and other abilities underwater.
Feats: This dragon has 5 feats available.
Skills: These skills are considered class skills for all dragons: Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spot and Use Magic Device. These skills are considered class skills for black dragons: Hide, Move Silently and Swim. This dragon has 112 skill points available.