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Ancient Amethyst Dragon

Challenge
Tags
Terrain
str
22
dex
24
con
22
int
26
wis
16
cha
24

AC 20 (natural armor) 

HP 313 (19d20 + 114; bloodied 156)

Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft., fly 60 ft.


Proficiency +7; Maneuver DC 22

Saving Throws Con +13, Int +15, Wis +10, Cha +14

Skills Deception +14 (+1d6), Insight +10, Perception +10, Persuasion +14 (+1d6)

Damage Resistances force, psychic

Condition Immunities fatigue

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20

Languages Common, Deep Speech, Draconic, Undercommon, telepathy 120 ft.


Legendary Resistance (3/Day). When the dragon fails a saving throw , it can choose to succeed instead. When it does, its scales dull briefly, and it can’t use telepathy or psionic abilities until the end of its next turn.

Psionic Powers. The dragon’s psionic abilities are considered both magical and psionic.

Far Thoughts. The dragon is aware of any creature that uses a psionic ability or communicates telepathically within 100 miles of it. As an action, the dragon can psionically observe a creature, object, or location it is familiar with within 100 miles. While observing a subject in this way, the dragon can see, hear, and communicate telepathically, but it is blind and deaf in regard to its physical senses and does not require food or water. The dragon can psionically observe a subject indefinitely and can end this effect and return to its own senses as an action.

Innate Spellcasting. The dragon’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 22). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components. 

   3/day each: calm emotions , charm person , mass suggestion , modify memory

   1/day: plane shift , project image


ACTIONS 

Multiattack. The dragon attacks once with its bite and twice with its claws. In place of its bite, it can use Psionic Wave.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) force damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) slashing damage. 

Psionic Wave. The dragon psionically emits a wave of crushing mental pressure. Each creature within 20 feet makes a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw , taking 22 (4d10) psychic damage on a failed save or half damage on a success. Creatures charmed by the dragon make this saving throw with disadvantage

Concussive Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon psionically unleashes telekinetic energy in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area makes a DC 21 Constitution saving throw , taking 82 (15d10) force damage on a failed save or half damage on a success.  


REACTIONS

Assume Control (While Bloodied). When a creature charmed by the dragon begins its turn, the dragon telepathically commands the charmed creature until the end of the creature’s turn. If the dragon commands the creature to take an action that would harm itself or an ally, the creature makes a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw . On a success, the creature’s turn immediately ends.  


LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Charm. The dragon targets a creature within 60 feet, forcing it to make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw . On a failure, the creature is charmed by the dragon for 24 hours, regarding it as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although it isn’t under the dragon’s control, it takes the dragon’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can. At the end of each of the target’s turns and at the end of any turn during which the dragon or its companions harmed the target, it repeats the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Stupefy. The dragon targets a creature within 60 feet. If the target is concentrating on a spell, it must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or lose concentration.  

Psionic Wave (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon uses Psionic Wave.

Captivating Harmonics (1/Day). Each creature of the dragon’s choice within 120 feet makes a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw . On a failure, it becomes psionically charmed by the dragon for 1 minute. A creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Combat

While individual dragons have their own personalities and tactics, most rely heavily on their breath weapons. They use them whenever they can, preferably from maximum distance and while flying above their enemies. 

When fighting in the open, dragons often circle above their enemies as they wait for their breath weapons to recharge. They only close to melee if their enemies deal significant damage with ranged attacks, or if they can savage an enemy cut off from its allies. Once bloodied , dragons become more aggressive, attacking with bite and claws when their breath weapons aren’t available.

If a dragon is protecting its lair, it utilizes lair features, traps, allies, and architecture such as escape tunnels to keep up a hit-and-run fight, reappearing only when it has a fully-recharged breath weapon. If the dragon is forced into melee combat, it uses its bite and claws against a single foe. If it has legendary actions like Roar and Wing Attack, it uses them to disperse its other enemies.

If reduced to less than one-fourth its hit points while fighting in the open, a dragon flies away. However, it fights to the death to defend its lair, unless it can regain the upper hand through tricks or bargains.


Amethyst Dragon Lair Features

The save DC for the following effects is 13 + the dragon’s proficiency bonus. Choose or roll one or more of the following lair features:

1 The lair hosts many charmed or willing servants. Once per day when the dragon would use Charm, it can summon 3 cult fanatics instead. Creatures summoned in this way fight until killed or until the dragon dismisses them as a bonus action. 

2 Psionic illusions mask several passages through the lair. Spotting these illusions requires a successful Perception check against the lair’s DC. Physically interacting with an illusion also reveals its nature.

3 The lair resonates with the dragon’s psionic powers. The range of the dragon’s psionic abilities is doubled.  

4 The dragon’s words seem to ring true amidst the opulence and grandeur of its lair. Insight checks made to determine the dragon’s true intentions have disadvantage


Names

Ath Sathna, Berthelos, Emerensa, Pancharatnam, Parana Vol, Skiveneth


Legends and Lore

With an Arcana or History check, characters can learn the following:

DC 15 Like all gem dragons, psionic dragons boast powerful psionic abilities. They can communicate telepathically and exhale powerful blasts of telekinetic force.

DC 20 Ancient amethyst dragons can control the weak-willed using the power of their minds alone.

Description

Though still reclusive by draconic standards, amethyst dragons are the most diplomatic of the gem dragons. They favor nonviolent negotiations, but even deals they make in good faith seem to end in their favor. They make their lairs welcoming to humanoid guests and are always eager to resolve a conflict with words before resorting to talons or the earth-shattering force of their breath weapons.

Master Manipulators. To meet an amethyst dragon is to become its puppet. The moment it becomes aware of a creature, the dragon is already plotting to thwart the creature’s plans or claim it as a pawn. An amethyst dragon’s only saving grace is its lack of malice. Rarely does an amethyst dragon kill its foes outright, considering such violence a needless waste of resources. Instead, it seeks to turn each situation to its advantage—and occasionally to the advantage of its allies as well.  

Behavior

1 Dormant, telepathically viewing faraway events; angry if interrupted

2 Telepathically viewing the characters; wakes when they approach, offering knowledge

3 Allied with the characters’ enemies; attacks or offers false friendship

4 Gathering allies against a cosmic threat

Signs

1 A telepathic greeting

2 Quartz crystals protrude from ground and rock

3 Local humanoids speak of a mighty friend who protects them

4 Local humanoids greet travelers by name

Encounters

Amethyst dragons make their lairs near places where aberrant creatures find their way to the Material Plane.

CR 3–4 amethyst dragon wyrmling

Treasure 100 gp, 300 ep, 10 quartz gemstones (20 gp each), potion of greater healing

CR 5–10 young amethyst dragon ; amethyst dragon wyrmling with 1d4 deep dwarf soldiers , dragonbound warriors (see warrior ), or grimlock technicals

Treasure 500 gp, 6 statues (75 gp each), 3 rare books (250 gp each), lead and quartz crown (250 gp) that prevents the wearer’s thoughts from being read, oil of etherealness

CR 11–16 young amethyst dragon with 2 gargoyles , gibbering mouthers , or spies (see cutthroat )

Treasure 1,000 gp, 25 amethysts (100 gp each), adamantine greataxe (500 gp), berserker axe

CR 17–22 adult amethyst dragon

Treasure 5,000 gp, 50 amethysts (100 gp each), 40 rare books (250 gp each), 2 potions of invisibility , spell scroll of scrying , robe of the archmagi

CR 23–30 ancient amethyst dragon; adult amethyst dragon with assassin , chuul , xorn , or young amethyst dragon

Treasure 10,000 gp, 20 gold place settings (500 gp each), 20 rare books (250 gp each), 3 journals filled with precious secrets (10,000 gp each), 3 brains in vats (each is alive and can communicate telepathically), glowing pool (acts as 3 doses of potion of supreme healing ), rod of rulership

CR 31+ ancient amethyst dragon with rakshasa , salamander noble , or vampire mage

Treasure 50,000 gp, 3 6-inch-diameter amethysts (10,000 gp each), 10 pieces of royal jewelry (7,500 gp each), maps of 100 royal palaces, potion of supreme healing , helm of teleportation , staff of striking

Monster Type Description

Dragons include red and gold dragons, which are huge reptilian fire-breathers that number among the world’s most dangerous monsters. This type includes white dragons , which breathe killing frost, as well as smaller reptilian creatures related to true dragons, such as pseudodragons