Flamedrake
by Jamie BatyMA, RC 173
Large Fey (Fire, Extraplanar, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 6d6+6 (27 hp)
Initiative: +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 10 ft. (poor)
Armour Class: 18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d3 +4)
Full Attack: 2 Claw +6 melee (1d3 +4) and bite +1 melee (1d8 +2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/Cold Iron, drake traits, Fey Traits, Low-light vision, spell resistance 16
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 10
Skills: Bluff +9, Diplomacy +4, Hide +2, Listen +8, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +8, Use Magic Device +11
Feats: Hover, Improved Initiative, Power Attack
Environment: Plane of Fire or Any land
Organisation: Solitary, or Company (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic good
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large); 13-18 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
Flamedrakes are native to the Elemental Plane of Fire, and are very rare on the Prime Plane. They cannot normally travel between the planes, but may "ride" along with an elemental or other creature, either to or from their plane of origin. On the Prime Plane, flamedrakes can take the form of young fire giants (1-4 feet shorter than normal). They are sometimes found amidst similar real giants, acting for their own purposes. The nature of these purposes is elusive, but most seem content to observe what goes on.
On their home plane, flamedrakes cannot change into their giant form; instead, they assume the form of a small fire elemental.
Flamedrakes are omnivores. Like other drakes, their diet closely matches that of the humanoids they can resemble. In addition, these drakes are nourished by frequent contact with their native element. Given they take the form of a fire giant, arranging such contact is not a difficulty nor is something that would attract attention. An flamedrake deprived of contact with its native element will, over the course of days, become weakened (not to mention irritable). Of course, this differs little from the effects of food and water deprivation on humans.
Combat
In their true form, flamedrakes appear similar to dragons, but they are rarely encountered in this form. They are usually encountered in their fire giant form (when on the Prime) or as a fire elemental (on the Plane of Fire). They generally try to avoid fighting at all costs, and will flee if an opportunity presents itself.
Damage Reduction (Su): A flamedrake has damage reduction of 10/ Cold Iron.
Drake Traits (Ex):
•Fly (Ex): Drakes have small wings enabling them to fly at 10 ft (Poor) per round.
•Spell-like abilities: (3/day) - Invisibility, detect invisibility
•Second Sight (Ex): This is the ability common to all faeries and some mortals to be able to recognise a Fey creature's true form even when invisible to mortals, polymorphed or shapechanged.
•Change Shape (Su): A drake has the ability to assume the appearance of a specific creature or type of creature (usually a humanoid), but retains most of its own physical qualities. The exact form(s) it can take depend on the subtype. It can not take the form of a specific individual, and the form is the same every time. Changing shape results in the following changes to the creature:
The creature retains the type and subtype of its original form. It gains the size of its new form.
The creature loses the natural weapons, movement modes, and extraordinary special attacks of its original form.
The creature gains the natural weapons, movement modes, and extraordinary special attacks of its new form.
The creature retains all other special attacks and qualities of its original form, except for breath weapons and gaze attacks.
The creature retains the ability scores of its original form.
The creature retains its hit points and saves.
The creature retains any spellcasting ability it had in its original form, although it must be able to speak intelligibly to cast spells with verbal components and it must have humanlike hands to cast spells with somatic components.
The creature is effectively camouflaged as a creature of its new form, and gains a +10 bonus on Disguise checks if it uses this ability to create a disguise.
Note: A flamedrake can assume the form of a fire giant on the Prime plane and the form of a fire elemental on the Plane of Fire.
•Divine Disfavour: Drakes are unaffected by beneficial divine spells such as healing spells. Druidic spells affect them normally.
•Vulnerability to Holy Water: Holy Water does damage to Drakes like it would against an undead creature.
•Vulnerability to Iron: Drakes cannot use items made from iron, even in their alternate forms.
Spell Resistance (Ex): A flamedrake has a spell resistance of 16.
Fire Subtype: A flamedrake has immunity to fire. It has vulnerability to cold, which means it takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from cold, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure.
Skills: Flamedrakes have +2 to Sleight of Hand and +2 to Use Magic Item.