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Desert Drake

Desert Drake
My Images (midjourney.com)

Appearance: The desert drake cuts a striking figure against the sandy dunes, its sleek, serpentine body adorned with scales mottled in desert hues, blending seamlessly with its arid environment. Lacking forelimbs, it boasts massive wings on its lissome back, ready to unleash swift strikes from above.

Behavior: A fierce predator of the desert, the drake exhibits a relentless and merciless demeanor in its pursuit of prey. It is patient and calculating, often lying in wait atop rocky perches or concealed beneath the sands until the opportune moment to strike presents itself.

Habitat: Preferring the vast expanses of warm deserts, the desert drake makes its lair amidst rocky outcroppings and sandy dunes. It thrives in the harsh, unforgiving conditions of its arid homeland, where it can hunt with impunity and assert its dominance over the barren landscape.

Modus Operandi: The drake employs cunning tactics to ambush unsuspecting victims, using its burrowing ability to surprise prey from below or swooping down from the skies with its powerful wings. It strikes with lightning-fast speed, overwhelming its targets with a barrage of electrified sand and savage bites.

Motivation: Driven by an insatiable hunger and an innate desire for dominance, the desert drake seeks to establish itself as the apex predator of its domain. It hunts to satisfy its primal instincts and ensure its continued survival in the harsh desert wilderness.


  • Desert Drake 5e
  • Desert Drake Pathfinder
Desert Drake
Create

Large dragon (earth), neutral evil


Armor Class 21 (natural armor)
Hit Points 103 (9d12 + 45)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)


STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
22 (+6)15 (+2)21 (+5)8 (-1)11 (+0)12 (+1)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +8, Wis +3
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5
Damage Immunities paralysis, sleep
Condition Immunities frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Draconic
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)


Dazzling Emergence. During a surprise round, the desert drake can use Dazzling Display as a standard action.

Sandstorm Breath (Recharge 5-6). The desert drake exhales a ball of electrically charged sand that bursts into a 15-foot-radius cloud. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The cloud obscures vision as obscuring mist for 1 minute or until dispersed by wind.

Savage Bite. The desert drake can use its bite as a bonus action after using its Dazzling Display.

Speed Surge (3/Day). The desert drake can take an additional move action on each of its turns.


Actions

Multiattack. The desert drake makes one bite attack and one tail slap attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) lightning damage.

Tail Slap. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away from the desert drake.


Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the desert drake fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Speed Surge (3/Day). The desert drake can take an additional move action on each of its turns.


Description: The desert drake is a fearsome creature with scales mottled in desert colors, lacking forelimbs, and sporting massive wings on its lissome back. It stands upright with sinewy muscles rippling beneath its scaly hide, exuding an aura of strength and power. With piercing eyes that seem to hold ancient wisdom, the desert drake gazes stoically into the distance, embodying the spirit of the untamed wilderness.

Desert Drake
Create

This sleek dragon has scales mottled in desert colors, lacks forelimbs, and sports massive wings on its lissome back.

Desert Drake CR 8

XP 4,800
NE Large dragon (earth)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +10 natural, -1 size)
hp 103 (9d12+45)
Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +8
Immune paralysis, sleep; Resist electricity 20

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
Melee bite +15 (2d6+9/19-20 plus 1d10 electricity), tail slap +9 (1d8+3 plus push)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks dazzling emergence, push (tail slap, 10 ft.), sandstorm breath, savage bite

STATISTICS

Str 22, Dex 15, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 12
Base Atk +9; CMB +16; CMD 28
Feats Dazzling Display, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Fly +12, Intimidate +13, Perception +12, Stealth +10, Survival +12
Languages Draconic
SQ speed surge

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Dazzling Emergence (Ex)

During a surprise round, a desert drake can use Dazzling Display as a standard action.

Sandstorm Breath (Su)

As a standard action, a desert drake can spit a ball of electrically charged sand that bursts into a cloud. This attack has a range of 60 feet and deals 3d6 points of damage plus 4d8 points of electricity damage in a 15-foot-radius spread (Reflex DC 19 for half). The cloud remains for 1d4 rounds, dealing no damage but otherwise acting as obscuring mist. Once a desert drake uses its breath, it cannot do so again for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Savage Bite (Ex)

A desert drake applies 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier to damage dealt with its bite attack, and it threatens a critical hit on a 19-20.

Speed Surge (Ex)

Three times per day as a swift action, a desert drake can draw on its draconic heritage for a boost of strength and speed that allows it to take an additional move action that round.

ECOLOGY

Environment warm deserts
Organization solitary, pair, or rampage (3-12)
Treasure standard

Among the fiercest of their kind, desert drakes exhibit a lust for destruction as merciless as any desert storm. These fierce, ambush predators hunt by finding high perches among rocky outcroppings and surveying their surroundings. When likely prey wanders into sight, a desert drake dives into the sand and burrows toward its quarry or flies low with cover from dunes or other outcroppings.

Drawing near the likely path of its victims, it bursts from the sand or dives from above to catch foes off guard, preferring to attack targets that exhibit the most fear first. Before enemies can recover from the initial onslaught, a desert drake exhales a cloud of electrified dust, using its superior senses to press the attack. Mated pairs of desert drakes hunt larger prey and groups of victims, and rampages of the beasts might gather near overland trade routes to devour whole caravans.

A typical desert drake measures 15 feet long from nose to tail tip, has a supple, wormlike build, and weighs about 2,500 pounds.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.

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