AC 16 (hauberk)
HP 58 (9d8 + 18; bloodied 29)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 13
Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +3, Con +4
Damage Resistances fire
Skills Athletics +5, Intimidation +2 (+1d4), Perception +2, Survival +2
Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Draconic plus any two
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The veteran makes two melee attacks.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) piercing damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5-6). The veteran exhales a blast of fire that fills a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw , taking 24 (7d6) fire damage on a failed save or half damage on a success. A creature who fails the saving throw also suffers 5 (1d10) ongoing fire damage. At the end of each of its turns, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the ongoing damage on a success. This fire can also be put out in typical ways, such as immersion in water, and a creature who uses an action to drop prone can put out the fire with a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw.
BONUS ACTIONS
Tactical Movement. Until the end of the veteran’s turn, its Speed is halved and its movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks .
REACTIONS
Off-Hand Counter. When the veteran is missed by a melee attack by an attacker it can see within 5 feet, the veteran makes a shortsword attack against the attacker.
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or History check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 While some half-dragons are the offspring of a true dragon, any creature with dragon blood in its veins might be considered “half-dragon.”
DC 15 In many cases, half-dragons are the product of arcane magical rituals.
DC 20 Half-dragons exhibit many of the physical characteristics of true dragons. They possess powerful breath weapons and some even grow dragon-like wings.
Other Half-Dragons
1 half-copper dragon minstrel (CR 2)
2 half-black dragon troll (CR 5)
3 half-gold dragon holy knight (CR 6)
4 half-sapphire dragon cyclops (CR 7)
5 half-white dragon frost giant (CR 9)
6 half-earth dragon purple worm (CR 15)
When draconic blood flows through the veins of a non-dragon, that creature comes to exhibit dragon-like characteristics. A half-dragon has a dragon’s snout, fangs, and scaly hide, and possesses a breath weapon as devastating as that of a true dragon. Some half-dragons even grow wings. The lifespan of a half-dragon is far longer than that of most humanoids, with some half-dragons living 300 or 400 years.
Burning Blood. Mad wizards—or anyone in need of powerful minions—can infuse a creature with dragon blood. This painful process burns away much of a creature’s former nature, producing a servant loyal to its creator but perpetually tortured by the blood burning in its veins. Chromatic and gem dragons frequently employ this technique to create dependable servants.
Shape Changers. Metallic dragons that take humanoid form sometimes fall in love, mate, and even marry in that form. The product of such unions is a half-dragon. A metallic half-dragon is often nurtured by both its parents, though a humanoid parent may die of old age long before their half-dragon child is fully grown.
Dragonborn Champions. A child of dragonborn parents sometimes exhibits half-dragon characteristics. Often, a half-dragon dragonborn is expected to take on the role of chieftain or champion. Those half-dragons unwilling to take on the mantle of leadership often leave dragonborn society altogether.
Dragonborn champions are particularly common among dragonborn tribes that serve essence dragons.
1 Mercenary
2 Scouting for a dragon
3 On a mission far from its draconic master’s lair
4 Hiding its identity, fearful that a dragon’s minions pursue it
1 Clawed footprint
2 A single draconic scale
3 Scorched, frozen, or otherwise scarred rocks and trees
4 Distant roar
Half-dragons can be found in any environment but gravitate towards those favored by their draconic half.
CR 3–4 half-red dragon veteran ; half-red dragon veteran with thug or pseudodragon
Treasure 200 gp, 300 sp, broken dragon eggshell, 3 potions of healing
CR 5–10 half-red dragon veteran with 1d10 + 1 dragonbound warriors or soldiers ; half-shadow dragon assassin
Treasure 5 garnets (100 gp each), magic shortsword named Swiftclaw (acts as scimitar of speed )
Humanoids include a number of different intelligent, language-using bipeds of Small or Medium size. Humans and elves are humanoids, and so are orcs and goblins. Humanoids may employ magic but are not fundamentally magical—a characteristic that distinguishes them from bipedal, language-using fey, fiends, and other monsters. Humanoids have no inherent alignment, meaning that no humanoid ancestry is naturally good or evil, lawful or chaotic.