Sapphire Dragon
by Jamie BatyRC 171
Dragon (Earth)
Environment: Temperate and warm deserts
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 3; very young 4; young 6; juvenile 8; young adult 11; adult 14; mature adult 16; old 18; very old 19; ancient 21; wyrm 23; great wyrm 25
Treasure: Triple standard
Alignment: Always Lawful, Usually Neutral
Advancement: Wyrmling 7-8 HD; very young 10-11 HD; young 13-14 HD; juvenile 16-17 HD; young adult 19-20 HD; adult 22-23 HD; mature adult 25-26 HD; old 28-29 HD; very old 31-32 HD; ancient 34-35 HD; wyrm 37-38 HD; great wyrm 40+ HD
Level Adjustment: Wyrmling +4; very young +4; young +5; others
Sapphire 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 | S | 6d12+6 (45) | 13 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 10 | +6/+3 | +8 | +6 | +5 | +5 | 2d8 (14) | - |
| Very young | M | 9d12+18 (76) | 15 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 10 | +9/+11 | +11 | +8 | +6 | +6 | 4d8 (16) | - |
| Young | M | 12d12+24 (102) | 17 | 10 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 12 | +12/+15 | +15 | +10 | +8 | +9 | 6d8 (18) | - |
| Juvenile | L | 15d12+45 (142) | 19 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 14 | +15/+23 | +18 | +12 | +9 | +11 | 8d8 (20) | - |
| Young adult | L | 18d12+72 (189) | 23 | 10 | 19 | 14 | 15 | 14 | +18/+28 | +23 | +15 | +11 | +13 | 10d8 (23) | 21 |
| Adult | H | 21d12+105 (241) | 27 | 10 | 21 | 16 | 17 | 16 | +21/+37 | +27 | +17 | +12 | +15 | 12d8 (25) | 23 |
| Mature adult | H | 24d12+120 (276) | 29 | 10 | 21 | 16 | 17 | 16 | +24/+41 | +31 | +19 | +14 | +17 | 14d8 (27) | 25 |
| Old | H | 27d12+162 (337) | 31 | 10 | 23 | 18 | 19 | 18 | +27/+45 | +35 | +21 | +15 | +19 | 16d8 (29) | 27 |
| Very old | H | 30d12+180 (375) | 33 | 10 | 23 | 18 | 19 | 18 | +30/+49 | +39 | +23 | +17 | +21 | 18d8 (31) | 29 |
| Ancient | G | 33d12+231 (445) | 35 | 10 | 25 | 20 | 21 | 20 | +33/+57 | +41 | +25 | +18 | +23 | 20d8 (33) | 31 |
| Wyrm | G | 36d12+288 (522) | 37 | 10 | 27 | 20 | 21 | 20 | +36/+61 | +45 | +28 | +20 | +25 | 22d8 (36) | 33 |
| Great wyrm | G | 39d12+312 (565) | 39 | 10 | 27 | 22 | 23 | 22 | +39/+65 | +49 | +29 | +21 | +27 | 24d8 (37) | 35 |
Sapphire Dragon Abilities by Age
| Age | Speed | Initiative | AC | Special Abilities | Caster Level | SR |
| Wyrmling | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 100 ft. (average) | +0 | 16 (+1 size, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16 | Immunity to electricity, create/destroy water | - | - |
| Very young | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor) | +0 | 18 (+8 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 18 | - | - | |
| Young | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor) | +0 | 21 (+11 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 21 | - | - | |
| Juvenile | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor) | +0 | 23 (-1 size, +14 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 23 | Sound imitation | 1st | - |
| Young adult | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor) | +0 | 26 (-1 size, +17 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 26 | DR 5/magic | 3rd | 19 |
| Adult | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor) | +0 | 28 (-2 size, +20 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 28 | Identify | 5th | 21 |
| Mature adult | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor) | +0 | 31 (-2 size, +23 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 31 | DR 10/magic | 7th | 22 |
| Old | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor) | +0 | 34 (-2 size, +26 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 34 | Hallucinatory terrain | 9th | 24 |
| Very old | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor) | +0 | 37 (-2 size, +29 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 37 | DR 15/magic | 11th | 25 |
| Ancient | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 200 ft. (clumsy) | +0 | 38 (-4 size, +32 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 38 | Legend Lore | 13th | 27 |
| Wyrm | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 200 ft. (clumsy) | +0 | 41 (-4 size, +35 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 41 | DR 20/magic | 15th | 29 |
| Great wyrm | 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 200 ft. (clumsy) | +0 | 44 (-4 size, +38 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 44 | Mirage arcana | 17th | 31 |
1. Can also cast cleric spells and those from the Air, Law and Magic 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.
At a distance of 120 feet or more, the sapphire dragon cannot be distinguished from a blue dragon. At closer ranges the dragon's scales shimmer, revealing the mighty reptile's true nature.
Sapphire dragons exist in the same habitat blue dragons favour. Sapphire dragons love to soar in the hot desert air, usually flying in the daytime when temperatures are highest. Some nearly match the colour of the desert sky and use this coloration to their advantage.
Sapphire dragons can be quite conversational with creatures that carefully approach it and who show it respect. They particularly enjoy discussing magic and cultured topics such as art and literature. Those that can speak intelligently on those subjects often will be well received by the dragon. They have been known to be helpful to populations near their lairs and to those travelling through the desert as long as they show the dragon proper respect. The dragon is likely to have agents amongst these local populations to forewarn it of problems. However, should they be treated with disrespect, threatened or their lairs violated, sapphire dragons can be as wildly ferocious as the worst blue dragon.
Sapphire dragons lair in vast underground caverns, where they also store their treasure. Although they collect anything that looks valuable, they are most fond of gems
especially sapphires, and cultural treasures such as art. Sapphire dragons have what humans call a "refined taste". Their lairs tend to be opulent and decorated to be aesthetically pleasing.
As a gemstone dragon, the sapphire dragon maintains a strong dislike for the chromatic and metallic dragons of Mystara. They have a particular hatred for blue dragons, in spite of (or perhaps because of) their many similarities.
Combat
Sapphire dragons are cautious and extremely proud. They often will refrain from attacking until they know the intentions of the creatures it encounters. When the threat is obvious or known in advance, sapphire dragons attack from above or burrow beneath the sands until opponents come within 100 feet. Older dragons use their special abilities, such as hallucinatory terrain, in concert with these tactics to mask the land and improve their chances to surprise the target. They are very adept with magic and will use it liberally in battle. Sapphire dragons run from a fight only if they are severely damaged, since they view retreat as cowardly.
Breath Weapon (Su): A sapphire dragon has one breath weapon, a line of vaporising lightning. Creatures hit by the vaporising lightning must make a second Fortitude save or it and all carried items are vaporised for 10 x HD minutes. A vaporised character is treated as if under the effects of a gaseous form spell.
Create/Destroy Water (Sp): A sapphire dragon of any age can use this ability three times per day. It works like the create water spell, except that the dragon can decide to destroy water instead of creating it, which automatically spoils unattended liquids containing water. Magic items (such as potions) and items in a creature's possession must succeed on a Will save (DC equal to that of the dragon's frightful presence) or be ruined. This ability is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell.
Sound Imitation (Ex): A juvenile or older sapphire dragon can mimic any voice or sound it has heard, anytime it likes. Listeners must succeed on a Will save (DC equal to that of the dragon's frightful presence) to detect the ruse.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day identify (adult or older); 1/day hallucinatory terrain (old or older), legend lore (ancient or older), mirage arcana (great wyrm).
Skills: Bluff, Hide, and Spellcraft are considered class skills for sapphire dragons.