Monster Manual 2 Excerpts: Adamantine Dragon
So, for the first excerpt from Monster Manual 2 they've decided to reintroduce the metallic dragons for 4E and a new metallic species ; the Adamantine Dragon.
For this excerpt, we are given an Elder Adamantine Dragon which is a Level 21 Solo Soldier that has resist 25 against thunder.
If the PCs ever get into a fight with an Elder Adamantine Dragon, they must first overcome its Frightful Presence (standard; encounter). Enemies within close burst 10 that fail to defend with their Will are stunned until the end of the Elder Adamantine Dragon's next turn. After that, they still have a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).
Once the PCs have invoked its Draconic Fury (standard; at-will), they're in for a world of hurt. The dragon makes 4 claw attacks, each dealing 1d12+8 damage, on a single target and 1 bite attack on a different target that deals 2d8+8 and ongoing 10 damage (save ends). All of these attacks have a reach 2 and are against Reflex.
If an enemy enters or leaves an adjacent square from the dragon, he gives them a taste of its Wing Buffet (immediate reaction; at-will) that also has a reach 2 but this time against Fortitude. If hit, the enemy takes 1d10+8 damage and is knocked prone.
For its Breath Weapon (standard, recharge 5,6) it releases a close blast 5 of thunder against Fortitude that deals 3d12+6 thunder damage. Any miss still does half damage. However, at the start of the dragon's next turn, it makes a thunderous roar that automatically hits all within close burst 3 for 15 thunder damage. Like all dragons, the Adamantine Dragon can make a Bloodied Breath (free, when first bloodied; encounter) when it has bear the brunt of the PCs' attacks.
The Adamantine Dragon also has a minor version of its breath weapon. It can emit a Painful Resonance (minor, recharge 6) against the Fortitude of a single target within range 20 that deals 10 ongoing thunder damage and causes the target to be dazed (save ends both).
Now if you haven't heard, flavorwise, the metallic dragons were expected to go through some changes in 4E that will shed a bit of their goody image. Metallic dragons in older editions, as far as I remembered, were not constantly hostile and were sometimes friendly sources of advice or even jokes (Copper Dragon). This made them very helpful or even potential allies to the PC. But invoked their wrath and you are up for.....well, whatever angry dragons do.
Now in 4E, the metallics were suppose to be more aggressive so that PCs have more reasons to walk into a metallic dragon's cave ready for a fight than a nice chat (did someone tell me that 4E was not combat focused?) but this threw me a little off the boat.
Despite their relatively benign nature, many metallic dragons engage in cruelty.
Cruelty? I can certainly imagine a short-tempered or prone to violence metallic dragon (if you really want to play up the whole combat-oriented thing) but cruelty to me just sounds like a shinier version of the Chormatics. If that's the case, I'm not so sure if there is anymore real difference between the Metallics and Chromatics at all in terms of behaviour.
Well, perhaps the fact that maybe Chromatics prefer shiny objects for treasures while the Metallics prefer books. Books! Yes, Metallics have turned into bookwyrms!
I know I shouldn't be throwing my arms about this and I'm not really. Just pointing out the twisted metallic taste in my fluff tongue. I'll be looking forward to what see what I can do with this new flavor, hmm....a draconic dean in a university torturing students with an essay on adventurer consumerism? Wait, that sounds like real life.
What do you think about the Adamantine Dragon? Share your thoughts , whether about its stats or flavor, in the comments.
3 comments:
I think it's fine. Dragons aren't celestially-aligned nor demonic so there's no reason why there should be SUPERY DUPERY GOOD dragons and BABY-RAPING EVIL dragons. Having both be a different flavor of aggressive douchebag works for me.
I think it's another step with 4e towards the very-fighting-based D&D game and makes me miss the uniqueness and flavor the old metallics had.
Hope you've some fun with them :) since you obviously seem to like 4e.
Hey TheLemming,
Sorry it took so long to reply this.
I miss the old flavor too but I guess it can't be helped about how they would treat the Metallic dragons in 4E. Non-violent descriptions doesn't seem to be 4E strongest suit.
Either way, if I really couldn't get myself to see them as benign but cruel, there's nothing that's stopping me from reverting back to older edition flavors.
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