Buy me a coffeeRiver Drake
“Deadly River Drake Spits Acid and Hunts Relentlessly—Can You Survive This Ferocious Beast?”
River Drakes are sleek, serpentine dragons, about 8 feet long and weighing 700 pounds. Their mottled green and brown scales blend perfectly with murky waters, while their streamlined bodies, wide fins, and leathery wings allow them to glide swiftly through both air and water. Their jagged teeth and whip-like tails give them a menacing appearance, and their acidic spit—a clear connection to their black dragon ancestry—further enhances their dangerous reputation.
Behaviorally, river drakes are cruel and cunning predators. They enjoy tormenting their prey before making a kill, often toying with fishermen, travelers, or animals near water. River drakes are known to attack not out of hunger alone but for sport, stalking targets from beneath the surface or harassing riverside villages in coordinated raids when in groups. When they do hunt, they prefer to slay more than they can eat, storing decaying corpses in underwater larders to feast on later, as they favor aged, rotting meat.
Habitat wise, river drakes thrive in temperate rivers and lakes, where the deep waters provide perfect concealment. They use the natural cover of vegetation, rocks, and murky depths to launch surprise attacks on both aquatic and land-based prey. Their affinity for water makes them highly elusive, able to slip beneath the surface to avoid danger or escape if outmatched on land.
In combat, their modus operandi is to ambush from the water, unleashing their signature weapon—caustic mucus—which can burn, entangle, and weaken foes. They rely on speed and agility, alternating between swift aerial strikes and underwater retreats. River drakes rarely fight to the death unless cornered, preferring to use their superior mobility to escape when outmatched.
Their motivation stems from a desire for dominance and survival. While they hunt for food, they are also driven by a primal urge to assert control over their territory, often terrorizing anything that intrudes upon it. Treasure offerings can sometimes pacify them, but their greedy and sadistic nature makes them unpredictable and dangerous even when bribed.
River Drake 5e
River Drake Pathfinder
River Drake
Medium Dragon, Neutral Evil
Armor Class: 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 85 (10d10 + 30)
Speed: 20 ft., swim 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 (+3) | 16 (+3) | 16 (+3) | 8 (-1) | 10 (+0) | 9 (-1) |
Saving Throws: Dex +7, Con +7, Wis +4
Skills: Perception +8, Stealth +7, Survival +4
Damage Resistances: Acid; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Condition Immunities: Paralysis, Sleep
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Scent, Passive Perception 18
Languages: Draconic
Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP)
Features
- Amphibious: The river drake can breathe both air and water.
- Darkvision: The river drake can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. It can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
- Slick Scales: The river drake’s skin is coated in caustic mucus, granting it resistance to acid damage.
- Camouflage: The river drake has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in aquatic or heavily vegetated environments.
Actions
Multiattack
The river drake makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
- Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + 3 piercing damage plus 2d8 acid damage.
- Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d4 + 3 slashing damage.
Caustic Mucus (Recharge 5–6)
The river drake spits a ball of caustic mucus at a point it can see within 50 feet. The mucus explodes in a 10-foot radius sphere centered on that point. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d8 acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally, creatures that fail the save are entangled in the mucus. An entangled creature can use its action to make a DC 15 Strength check, freeing itself on a success. Each round, an entangled creature takes 1d4 acid damage.
Pounce
If the river drake moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a bite attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the river drake can make one claw attack against it as a bonus action.
Speed Surge (Recharge 3–6)
As a swift action, the river drake can draw on its draconic heritage for a boost of strength and speed. It can take one additional move action on that turn.
Tactics
- Ambush Predator: River drakes excel at ambush tactics. They prefer to lurk beneath the water’s surface, using their camouflage to remain hidden until prey comes close. When they spot potential prey, they may use their Caustic Mucus ability to soften their targets before engaging in melee.
- Hit-and-Run: After using Caustic Mucus, the drake may retreat into the water to hide and wait for an opportunity to attack again, utilizing its Speed Surge to reposition if needed.
- Control the Battlefield: The river drake may use its environment to its advantage, positioning itself to block off escape routes and using its mucus to create zones of control on the battlefield, forcing enemies to make difficult decisions.
- Target Weaknesses: The river drake will focus its attacks on the weakest or most isolated targets, using its Pounce ability to knock foes prone and increase its chances of dealing damage.
Ecology
- Habitat: River drakes are typically found in temperate freshwater lakes and rivers, thriving in areas rich in vegetation where they can camouflage themselves effectively.
- Diet: They primarily feed on fish, small mammals, and unwary travelers, often hoarding excess prey in underwater lairs to rot and soften before consuming.
- Behavior: River drakes are solitary creatures but may gather in pairs during mating season. They are known to be territorial, fiercely defending their hunting grounds against intruders.
With graceful wings and wide fins, this sleek dragon looks equally well equipped to glide through sea and sky.
River Drake CR 3
XP 800
NE Medium dragon (aquatic, water)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 34 (4d12+8)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +4
Immune paralysis, sleep; Resist acid 20
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (average), swim 30 ft.
Melee bite +7 (2d4+3), tail slap +2 (1d4+1)
Special Attacks caustic mucus, pounce
STATISTICS
Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 9
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Improved Initiative, Power Attack
Skills Fly +10, Intimidate +6, Perception +7, Stealth +10, Survival +7, Swim +11
Languages Draconic
SQ amphibious, speed surge
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Caustic Mucus (Su)
As a standard action, a river drake can spit a ball of caustic mucus that explodes in a 5-foot-radius spread. This attack has a range of 50 feet, deals 2d8 points of acid damage, and entangles creatures in the area. A DC 14 Reflex save halves the damage and negates the entangle effect. An entangled creature takes 1d4 points of acid damage each round on its turn, and may attempt a new saving throw at the end of its turn every round to escape the entanglement and end the acid damage. Once a river drake spits mucus, it cannot do so again for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Speed Surge (Ex)
Three times per day as a swift action, a river 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 temperate rivers or lakes
Organization solitary, pair, or rampage (3-12)
Treasure standard
Preying upon fish and fishermen with equal ease, river drakes are scourges of freshwater expanses. They are thought to be related to black dragons, as evidenced by their acidic spit, water affinity, viciousness, and preference for rotten meat. Like other drakes, river drakes are cruel hunters, using a play-and-prey hunting style. When not hungry, they amuse themselves by stalking and harassing other creatures and travelers. An offering of treasure thrown into the water can distract a river drake, but such a bribe is unlikely to stave off a particularly hungry individual. River drakes often slay more than they can immediately eat because they favor aged meat, keeping underwater larders stuffed with kills in various stages of decay.
A river drake is a crafty, careful hunter that uses its watery home to provide concealment from creatures on the shore. If caught unawares while on land, it retreats to the water, or takes to flight if its enemies are prepared for aquatic combat, making constant use of its caustic mucus and great speed.
River drakes are much more likely to hunt in groups than most other drakes, threatening river traffic or assaulting lakefront or riverside towns if their numbers are large enough. However, these disorganized raids are quick to retreat from any hint of significant resistance. River drakes are 8 feet long and look much like small sea drakes. An adult river drake weighs about 700 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.