Lethus Dragon (3.5e Monster)

= Lethus Dragon =

Full article: Lethus Dragon (3.5e Monster)

''The Lethus Dragon is a horror that stems from places with strong negative energy, a body blacker than a Black Dragon that is wreathed in horrible black smoke. They are the evilest of dragons, and roam in places where death wanders, and where the dead themselves are ferried over. Some live in the cursed waters of the rivers Lethe, Styx and Phlegethon, the first from which they derive their name. Their most powerful attacks are not so much the weapons of their breath, but infernal screeches that rend the mind itself.''

Lethus dragons have foregone the majestic effigies of their Chromatic brethren, and are more warped, grotesque exemplars of the species of True Dragons. The oldest of them live unnaturally long, and they become unnaturally powerful. The first 6 categories are considered non-epic, and the last 6 are considered epic dragons.

Lethus dragons are first and foremost guardians of the places of the dead, and despite their vile nature, they are renowned for their indifference to pleas. By the consent of a lethus dragon, a specific soul may be restored and returned from the dead, but dealing with one of these creatures is very dangerous. Approaching a lethus dragon with the purpose of releasing an ally's soul from the dead without having a proper bargaining chip is a death sentence. Furthermore, lethus dragons delight in just finding out how far people are willing to go for their friends, a mindset that the dragon both loathes and respects.

Combat
A Lethus dragon’s natural weapons and any weapons it wields are treated as evil-aligned as well as magic (wyrmling – adult) or epic (mature adult – great wyrm) for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Aside from possessing the natural weapons, abilities and traits innate to all true dragons, Lethus dragons have the following unique qualities.

SRD:Breath Weapon (Su): The Lethus dragon has one type of breath weapon, for lack of a better word (as it's a psionic attack). It functions like an ultrablast attack that is projected in a cone of normal length for a dragon's breath weapon and with the associated damage in Table: Lethus Dragons by Age. Lethus dragons cannot shape their breath weapon in different forms like other primevals, but due to its insubstantial nature, a Lethus dragon's breath weapon passes through anything, even walls of force or similar warding effects. This means that the breath weapon passes straight through cover, total concealment and doesn't require line of effect. The DCs associated apply to Will saves for half damage.

 (Su): Within the confines of a Lethus dragon's body, magics with either the Darkness or Death descriptor are empowered and maximized, without requiring a higher level spell slot. Spell-like abilities based on spells with those descriptors are also enhanced.

Profane Protection (Ex): The Lethus dragon's body is protected by a vile protective shroud, bestowing upon it a profane bonus to its Armor Class equal to its Charisma modifier. A Lethus dragon also gains this bonus to all initiative checks.

Shadow Walk (Su): Lethus dragons have a profound understanding of the shadow plane. This ability functions like the spell, but the dragon can precisely control its destination and the ability functions more like a short range jump or teleport effect, as it creates instantaneous travel from one place to another place on the same plane (as long as said plane is coterminous with the shadow plane). The dragon can use his shadow walk ability for short range transportation, in order to throw its enemies off during battle. Furthermore, it can use Shadow Walk everywhere on planes coterminous with the shadow plane, using its own body, which is perpetually wreathed in smoky black shadow, as a medium. A Lethus dragon may use shadow walk to jump every 1d4 rounds. Maximum jump distance depends on the dragon's age category.

Spells: Lethus dragons cast spells as a sorcerer of their effective caster level.

Powers: Lethus dragons manifest psionic powers as a wilder of their effective caster level, which is also their effective manifester level.

Immunities (Ex): Energy drain, death effects, and negative energy.

Sample Lethus Dragon, Old
An old Lethus dragon's natural weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Breath Weapon (Ps): Cone, 60 ft., of ultrablast, damage 32d12, Will half (DC 41). The DC is Constitution based.

 (Ex): Within the confines of a Lethus dragon's body, magics with either the Darkness or Death descriptor are empowered and maximized, without requiring a higher level spell slot. spell-like abilities based on spells with those descriptors are also enhanced.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—deeper darkness, shadow conjuration (DC 25), shadow evocation (DC 26). 3/day—simulacrum. Caster level 26th.

Immunities (Ex): Immune to sleep and paralysis, immune to death effects, energy drain and other negative energy effects.

Sorcerer Spells Known (6/9/9/9/8/8/8/8/5; base DC 21 + spell level)
0—arcane mark, dancing lights, detect magic, flare, ghost sound, light, mending, open/close, read magic; 1st—cause fear, chill touch, disguise self, ray of enfeeblement, silent image; 2nd—command undead, ghoul touch, hypnotic pattern, mirror image, scare; 3rd—displacement, major image, ray of exhaustion, slow; 4th—bestow curse, contagion, enervation, phantasmal killer; 5th—false vision, mirage arcana, nightmare, persistent image; 6th—circle of death, eyebite, veil; 7th—limited wish, project image, waves of exhaustion; 8th—create greater undead, horrid wilting. Caster level 26th.

Wilder Powers Known (343 power points; base DC 21 + power level)
1st—disable, mind thrust; 2nd—inflict pain; 3rd—time hop; 4th—death urge; 5th—psychic crush; 6th—breath of the black dragon; 7th—divert teleport; 8th—psionic greater teleport. Manifester level 26th.