Bronze Dragon, Ancient

Metallic dragons make up the good branch of dragonkind, but they are every bit as aggressive as their evil cousins when threatened or challenged. They also tend to be covetous and proud.

Bronze dragons are inquisitive and enjoy polymorphing into small, friendly animals to observe adventurers. They are fascinated by warfare, eagerly joining an army for a just cause—and good pay.

A bronze wyrmling’s scales are yellow tinged with green, showing only a hint of bronze. As the dragon approaches adulthood, its color deepens slowly to a darker, rich bronze tone. Very old dragons develop Bronzea blue-black tint to the edges of their scales. Powerful swimmers, they have webbed feet and smooth, flat scales. The pupils of its eyes fade as a dragon ages, until in the oldest the eyes resemble glowing green orbs.

Bronze dragons like coastal hills near deep fresh water or salt water. They often visit the depths to cool off or hunt for pearls and sunken treasure. They prefer caves that are accessible only from the water, but their lairs are always dry—they do not lay eggs, sleep, or store treasure underwater. A smell of sea spray lingers about them. Bronze dragons eat aquatic plants and some varieties of seafood. They especially prize shark meat. They also dine on the occasional pearl.

Bronze dragons dislike killing animals and would rather bribe them (perhaps with food) or force them away magically. They use detect thoughts to learn intelligent creatures’ intentions. When attacking they blind their opponents with fog cloud and then charge or, if flying, snatch them up. Against seafaring opponents they conjure up a storm or use their tails to smash the vessels’ hulls. If a dragon is inclined to be lenient, ships might be merely becalmed, fogbound, or broken-masted.

Breath Weapon (Su): 120-ft. line, damage 20d6 electricity, Reflex DC 33 half; or 60-ft. cone, repulsion compelled to do nothing but move away from the dragon for 1d6+10 rounds, mind-affecting compulsion enchantment effect, Will DC 33 negate. Using a breath weapon is a standard action. Once a dragon breathes, it can’t breathe again until 1d4 rounds later.

Frightful Presence (Ex): A young adult or older dragon can unsettle foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. Creatures within a radius 300-ft are subject to the effect if they have 32 HD or less.

A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will DC 33 remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons.

Crush (Ex): This special attack allows a flying or jumping dragon of at least Huge size to land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents of Medium or less size (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents).

A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon’s body (an area of 20-ft × 20-ft in this case). Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex DC 33 or be pinned, automatically taking 4d6+18 bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage from the crush each round if they don’t escape.

Tail Sweep (Ex): This special attack allows a dragon of at least Gargantuan size to sweep with its tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half-circle with a radius of 30 feet, 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 of Small size or less. A tail sweep automatically deals 2d6+18 bludgeoning damage. Affected creatures can attempt Reflex DC 33 to take half damage.

Snatch (Ex): The dragon can choose to start a grapple when it hits with a claw or bite attack, as though it had the improved grab special attack. If the dragon gets a hold on a creature of Medium size or smaller with his claws, or Large size or smaller with his bite, it squeezes each round for automatic bite or claw damage. A snatched opponent held in the dragon’s mouth is not allowed a Reflex save against the dragon’s breath weapon.

The dragon can drop a creature it has snatched as a free action or use a standard action to fling it aside. A flung creature travels 1d6×10 feet, and takes 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet traveled. If the dragon flings a snatched opponent while flying, the opponent takes this amount or falling damage, whichever is greater.

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.

Speak With Animals (Sp): At will—as speak with animals. Caster level 15th.

Water Breathing (Ex): Can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use breath weapon, spells, and other abilities underwater.

Alternate Form (Su): A young or older bronze dragon can assume any animal or humanoid form of Medium size or smaller as a standard action three times per day. The dragon can remain in its animal or humanoid form until it chooses to assume a new one or return to its natural form.

Create Food and Water (Sp): 3/day—as create food and water. Caster level 15th.

Fog Cloud (Sp): 3/day—as fog cloud. Caster level 15th.

Detect Thoughts (Sp): 3/day—as detect thoughts. Caster level 15th; Will DC 19.

Control Water (Sp): 3/day—as control water. Caster level 15th; Will DC 23.

Spells: As 15th-level sorcerer. *Can also cast cleric spells and those from the Animal, Law and Water domains as arcane spells.

Typical Sorcerer Spells Known (6/8/8/8/7/7/7/5; save DC 17 + spell level): 0—arcane mark, dancing lights, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, light, mage hand, ray of frost, read magic; 1st—animate rope, calm animals, magic missile, protection from chaos, shield; 2nd—calm emotions, eagle’s splendor, hold animal, resist energy, web; 3rd—blink, dominate animal, haste, sleet storm; 4th—dimension door, Evard’s black tentacles, order’s wrath, shout; 5th—animal growth, commune with nature, dispel chaos, Mordenkainen’s faithful hound; 6th—antilife shell, greater dispel magic, greater heroism; 7th—animal shapes, dictum.

Feats: This dragon has 12 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 bronze dragons: Disguise, Swim and Survival. This dragon has 468 skill points available.