Silver Dragon, Juvenile

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.

Silver dragons are regal and statuesque. They cheerfully assist good creatures that are in genuine need and often take the forms of kindly old men or fair damsels when associating with humans. A silver wyrmling’s scales are blue-gray with silver highlights. As the dragon approaches adulthood, its color gradually brightens until the individual scales are scarcely visible. From a distance, these dragons look as if they have been sculpted from pure metal. Silver dragons are sometimes known as shield dragons because of the silvery plates on their heads. As a silver dragon grows older, its pupils fade until in the oldest the eyes resemble orbs of mercury.

Silver dragons prefer aerial lairs on secluded mountain peaks or amid the clouds themselves. A faint smell of rain always accompanies them. Even in clouds, though, the lair always has a mag- ical area with a solid floor for laying eggs and storing treasure.

Silver dragons seem to prefer human form to their own, and they often have mortal companions, even forming deep friendships. Inevitably, however, a dragon resumes its true form and departs for a time. Silver dragons have a taste for human cuisine and can live on such fare indefinitely. Because they lair in similar territories, silver dragons and red dragons often come into conflict. Duels between the two varieties are furious and deadly, but silver dragons generally get the upper hand by working together against their foes, often with human allies.

Silver dragons are not violent and avoid combat except when faced with highly evil or aggressive foes. If necessary, they use fog cloud or control weather to blind or confuse opponents before attacking. When angry, they use reverse gravity to fling enemies helplessly into the air, where they can be snatched. Against flying opponents, a silver dragon hides in clouds (creating some with control weather on clear days), then jumps to the attack when it has the advantage.

Breath Weapon (Su): 40-ft. cone, damage 8d8 cold, Reflex DC 21 half; or 40-ft. cone, paralyzing 1d6+4 rounds, Fortitude DC 21 negate. 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.

Alternate Form (Su): A silver 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.

Cloudwalking (Su): A silver dragon can tread on clouds or fog as though on solid ground. The ability functions continuously but can be negated or resumed at will.

Feather Fall (Sp): 2/day—as feather fall. Caster level 4rd; Will DC 15.

Spells: As 3rd-level sorcerer. *Can also cast cleric spells and those from the Air, Good, Law and Sun domains as arcane spells.

Typical Sorcerer Spells Known (6/6; save DC 14 + spell level): 0—detect magic, detect poison, mage hand, mending, prestidigitation; 1st—chill touch, divine favor, protection from evil.

Feats: This dragon has 6 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 silver dragons: Bluff, Disguise and Jump. This dragon has 190 skill points available.