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Amber Dragon

by Jamie Baty

RC 171
Dragon (Fire)
Environment: Any Warm plains
Organisation: Wyrmling, very young, young, juvenile, and young adult: solitary or clutch (2-5); adult, mature adult, old, very old, ancient, wyrm, or great wyrm: solitary, pair, or family (1-2 and 2-5 offspring)
Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling 5; very young 7; young 9; juvenile 11; young adult 14; adult 16; mature adult 19; old 21; very old 22; ancient 24; wyrm 25; great wyrm 27
Treasure: Triple standard
Alignment: Always Chaotic, Usually Neutral
Advancement: Wyrmling 9-10 HD; very young 12-13 HD; young 15-16 HD; juvenile 18-19 HD; young adult 21-22 HD; adult 24-25 HD; mature adult 27-28 HD; old 30-31 HD; very old 33-34 HD; ancient 36-37 HD; wyrm 39-40 HD; great wyrm 42+ HD
Level Adjustment: Wyrmling +4; very young +5; young +6; others

Amber Dragons by Age

Age S Hit Dice (hp) Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha Base Attack/ Grapple Attack Fort Ref Will BW (DC) FP DC
Wyrmling M 8d12+16 (68) 17 10 15 14 15 14 +8/+11 +11 +8 +6 +8 2d10 + melt (16)  
Very young L 11d12+33 (104) 21 10 17 16 17 16 +11/+20 +15 +10 +7 +10 4d10 + melt (18)  
Young L 14d12+42 (133) 25 10 17 16 17 16 +14/+25 +20 +12 +9 +12 6d10 + melt (20)  
Juvenile L 17d12+68 (178) 29 10 19 18 19 18 +17/+30 +25 +14 +10 +14 8d10 + melt (22)  
Young adult H 20d12+100 (230) 31 10 21 18 19 18 +20/+38 +28 +17 +12 +16 10d10 + melt (25) 24
Adult H 23d12+115 (264) 33 10 21 20 21 20 +23/+42 +32 +18 +13

 +18 12d10 + melt (26) 26
Mature adult H 26d12+156 (325) 35 10 23 20 21 20 +26/+46 +36 +21 +15 +20 14d10 + melt (29) 28
Old G 29d12+203 (391) 39 10 25 24 25 24 +29/+55 +39 +23 +16 +23 16d10 + melt (31) 31
Very old G 32d12+256 (464) 41 10 27 26 27 26 +32/+59 +43 +26 +18 +26 18d10 + melt (34) 34
Ancient G 35d12+315 (542) 43 10 29 28 29 28 +35/+63 +47 +28 +19 +28 20d10 + melt (36) 36
Wyrm C 38d12+380 (627) 45 10 31 30 31 30 +38/+71 +47 +31 +21 +31 22d10 + melt (39) 39
Great wyrm C 41d12+451 (717) 47 10 33 32 33 32 +41/+75 +51 +33 +22 +33 24d10 + melt (41) 41

Amber Dragon Abilities by Age

Age Speed Initiative AC Special Abilities Caster Level SR
Wyrmling 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft. +0 17 (+7 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 17 Alternate form, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold, water breathing    
Very young 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft. +0 19 (-1 size, +10 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 19      
Young 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft. +0 22 (-1 size, +13 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 22   1st  
Juvenile 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft. +0 25 (-1 size, +16 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 25 Bane 3rd  
Young adult 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft. +0 27 (-2 size, +19 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 27 DR 5/magic 5th 21
Adult 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft. +0 30 (-2 size, +22 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 30 Luck bonus 7th 23
Mature adult 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft. +0 33 (-2 size, +25 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 33 DR 10/magic 9th 25
Old 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), swim 60 ft. +0 34 (-4 size, +28 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 34 Dominate person, detect gems 11th 27
Very old 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), swim 60 ft. +0 37 (-4 size, +31 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 37 DR 15/magic 13th 28
Ancient 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), swim 60 ft. +0 40 (-4 size, +34 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 40 Sunbeam 15th 30
Wyrm 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), swim 60 ft. +0 39 (-8 size, +37 natural), touch 2, flat-footed 39 DR 20/magic 17th 31
Great wyrm 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), swim 60 ft. +0 42 (-8 size, +40 natural), touch 2, flat-footed 42 Foresight 19th 33

1. Can also cast cleric spells and those from the Chaos, Luck, and Greed domains as arcane spells.

Note: Please reference the SRD entry on true dragons for related information, including ages, damage, breath weapon ranges, and special abilities common to all true dragons.
From a distance, amber dragons look very similar to gold dragons. Within 30ft however, their differences are apparent- the shimmering of the faceted scales is easily discernible.
As a gemstone dragon, the amber dragon maintains a strong dislike for the chromatic and metallic dragons of Mystara. They have a particular hatred for gold dragons, in spite of (or perhaps because of) their many similarities.

Combat
Amber dragons will parlay before entering combat, but usually only long enough to intimidate its foes or as a delaying tactic to form a combat strategy. In combat, they employ bane and their luck bonus; older dragons use their luck bonus at the start of each day. They make heavy use of spells in combat. They use their cone of fire sparingly to avoid unnecessary destruction of magic items, preferring the cone of gas to debilitate their enemies.

Breath Weapon (Su): An amber dragon has two types of breath weapon, a cone of melting fire and a cone of weakening, rotting gas. Creatures hit by the melting fire must make a second Fortitude save or all carried items begin to burn and melt. Paper items are destroyed instantly,; leather goods in 1 round; all other non-metal items in 2 rounds; nonmagical metal items in 3 rounds; and magical items of all types in 4 or more rounds. If the item has a bonus, add 1 round to the 4 round period for each plus. Items that grant immunity or resistance to fire also melt, but in double the time. Items may be saved by immersion in water or cooling by other means. If this is not done immediately, the items may be damaged.
Creatures within a cone of weakening, rotting gas must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 1 point of Strength damage per age category of the dragon. In addition, they must make a second Fortitude save or become infected with rot. Victims of the rot take 1 point of Constitution damage per age category of the dragon and all non-metallic items carried by the victim rot into dust in 10-60 minutes. Infected victims cannot naturally heal, or be healed by any spells or items until they have received a cure disease spell or effect. Should the victim be cured of the disease before the items rot away, the items will be saved as well.

Alternate Form (Su): An amber 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.

Water Breathing (Ex): An amber dragon can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use its breath weapon, spells, and other abilities while submerged (the cone of fire becomes a cone of superheated steam underwater).

Luck Bonus (Sp): Once per day an adult or older amber dragon can touch a gem, usually one embedded in the dragon's hide, and enspell it to bring good luck. As long as the dragon carries the gem, it and every allied creature in a 10-foot radius per age category of the dragon receives a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws and similar rolls, as for a stone of good luck. If the dragon gives an enspelled gem to another creature, only that bearer gets the bonus. The effect lasts 1d3 hours plus 3 hours per age category of the dragon but ends if the gem is destroyed. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.

Detect Gems (Sp): An old or older amber dragon can use this ability three times per day. This is a divination effect similar to a detect magic spell, except that it finds only gems. The dragon can scan a 60-degree arc each round: By concentrating for 1 round it knows if there are any gems within the arc; 2 rounds of concentration reveal the exact number of gems; and 3 rounds reveal their exact location, type, and value. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.

Other Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day bane (juvenile or older); 1/day dominate person (old or older), sunbeam (ancient or older), foresight (great wyrm).

Skills: Bluff, Disguise, and Swim are considered class skills for amber dragons.