Prison for Dragons – New Monsters

NOTE: The zombie dragons previously featured here are now part of my Pay What You Want DMs Guild product Arachnids, Wraiths, & Zombies.

It’s time for part eight of the prison for dragons series! If you’ve been following these posts than you know that the dungeon I’m building in each entry is inspired by last month’s RPG Blog Carnival theme, “Unusual Dungeons,” which was chosen by Nils Jeppe of Enderra.

The dungeon I’m creating is a prison made to hold dragons built by aberrations. Here’s all the blog posts I’ve written about the subject so far.

• Part I – A general overview of dragon prisons
• Part II – The historical background and character hooks of a specific dragon prison, Shuzal
• Part III – A description of the area surrounding Shuzal and a table of random encounters
• Part IV – The surface level of Shuzal’s ruined entrance citadel
• Part V – The lower level of Shuzal’s ruined entrance citadel
• Part VI – The upper level of Shuzal prison
• Part VII – The lower (cell block) level of Shuzal prison

Now it’s time for Part VIII – monster stats!

That means in this post I’m going to show you some monsters I needed to create for the adventure because they don’t exist in any of the published material for fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons. Well, not yet anyway (to my knowledge). So read on below to get the statistics for an adult silver dracolich, an ogre chieftain, an ogre skeleton, an oni vampire, or all age categories of zombie dragons, read on below. Yes, I did put it all into a handy, dandy PDF for you!

Great Bear

Huge beast, neutral

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 126 (12d12 + 48)

Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	10 (+0)	18 (+4)	2 (-4)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)

Skills Perception +4

Senses passive Perception 14

Languages –

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Keen Sight and Smell. The great bear has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell.

Magic Resistance. The great bear has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack. The great bear makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.

Kerrinsalastraya, Adult Silver Dracolich

Huge undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)

Hit Points 243 (18d12 + 126)

Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
27 (+8)	10 (+0)	25 (+7)	16 (+3)	13 (+1)	21 (+5)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +12, Wis +6, Cha +10

Skills Arcana +8, History +8, Perception +11, Stealth +5

Damage Resistance necrotic

Damage Immunities cold, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned

Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 21

Languages Common, Draconic

Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The dracolich’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18). The dracolich can cast the following spells, requiring no material components.

1/day each: animate dead, blight, contagion, shield, vampiric touch

Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the dracolich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. The dracolich has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack. The dracolich can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) slashing damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dracolich’s choice that is within 120 feet of the dracolich and aware of it must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dracolich’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Breath Weapons (Recharge 5-6). The dracolich uses one of the following breath weapons.

Cold Breath. The draolich exhales an icy blast in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, take 58 (13d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Paralyzing Breath. The dracolich exhales paralyzing gas in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Change Shape. The dracolich magically polymorphs into an undead that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the dracolich’s choice).
In a new form, the dracolich retains its alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, cast spells, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, Magic Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. Its statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form, except any class features or legendary actions of that form.

Legendary Actions

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

Detect. The dracolich makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Attack. The dracolich makes a tail attack.

Wing Attack (Costs 2 actions). The dracolich beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dracolich must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dracolich takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects.

• The dracolich creates fog as if it had cast the fog cloud spell. The fog lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round.
• A blistering cold wind blows through the lair near the dracolich. Each creature within 120 feet of the dracolich must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) cold damage. Gases and vapors are dispersed by the wind, and unprotected flames are extinguished. Protected flames, such as lanterns, have a 50 percent chance of being extinguished.

Sepora, Tiefling Necromancer

Medium humanoid (tiefling), chaotic evil

Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)

Hit Points 99 (18d8 + 18)

Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	20 (+5)	15 (+2)	18 (+4)

Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +2

Skills Arcana +13, Deception +7

Damage Resistances fire

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Giant, Goblin, Infernal

Challenge 12 (11,500 XP)

Infernal Legacy. Sepora has the ability to cast innate spells as a tiefling. Her innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). She can cast the following spells, requiring no material components.

At will: thaumaturgy
1/day each: hellish rebuke (as 2nd-level spell), darkness

Magic Resistance. Sepora has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Spellcasting. Sepora’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). Sepora can cast the following spells.

At will: chill touch, friends, mage hand, shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, ray of sickness
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, detect thoughts, ray of enfeeblement
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, fireball, vampiric touch
4th level (3 slots): blight, greater invisibility, stoneskin
5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, dominate person, cloudkill
6th level (1 slot): create undead
7th level (1 slot): finger of death
8th level (1 slot): mind blank
9th level (1 slot): true polymorph

Actions

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Ogre Chieftain

Large giant, chaotic evil

Armor Class 16 (chain mail)

Hit Points 124 (13d10 + 52)

Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	10 (+0)	18 (+4)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)

Saving Throws Wis +5

Skills Insight +5, Intimidation +3, Persuasion +3

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages Common, Giant

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Actions

Multiattack. The ogre makes two attacks.

Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d12 + 5) slashing damage.

Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage.

Battle Cry (1/day). Each creature of the ogre’s choice within 30 feet that can hear it make an attack as a reaction. The ogre can ten make an attack as a bonus action.

Skeleton, Ogre

Large undead, lawful evil

Armor Class 11 (natural armor)

Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20)

Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	8 (-1)	15 (+2)	5 (-3)	7 (-2)	5 (-3)

Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8

Languages understands Giant, but can’t speak

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Actions

Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Vampire, Oni

Large undead, lawful evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 227 (13d20 + 91)

Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	18 (+4)	18 (+4)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	15 (+2)

Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +8, Wis +5, Cha +7

Skills Arcana +6, Deception +12, Perception +5, Stealth +9

Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages Common, Giant

Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

Shapechanger. If the vampire isn’t in the sunlight or running water, it can use its action to polymorph into a Tiny bat, Medium cloud of mist, Small or Medium humanoid, Large giant, or back into its true form.

While in bat form, the vampire can’t speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 30 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

While in mist form, the vampire can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing, and it can’t pass through water. It has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and it is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage it takes from the sunlight.

While in humanoid or giant form, other than its size the vampire’s statistics are the same in each form. The only equipment which transforms is its glaive, which shrinks so it can be wielded in humanoid form. If the vampire dies, it reverts to its true form, and its glaive reverts to its normal size.

Innate Spellcasting. The vampire’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). The vampire can cast the following spells, requiring no material components.

At will: darkness, invisibility
1/day each: charm person, cone of cold, gaseous form, sleep

Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the vampire fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Weapons. The vampire’s weapon attacks are magical.

Misty Escape. When it drops to 0 hit points outside its resting place (Sveja’s resting place is the trash pit in area C7), the vampire transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that it isn’t in sunlight or running water. If it can’t transform, it is destroyed.

While it has 0 hit points in mist form, it can’t revert to its vampire form, and it must reach its resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in its resting place, it reverts to its vampire form. It is then paralyzed until it regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in its resting place with 0 hit points, it regains 1 hit point.

Regeneration. The vampire regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in sunlight or running water. If the vampire takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the vampire’s next turn.

Spider Climb. The vampire can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Vampire Weakness. The vampire has the following flaws:

Forbiddance. The vampire can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.

Harmed by Running Water. The vampire takes 20 acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Actions

Multiattack (Vampire, Giant, or Humanoid form only). The vampire makes two attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.

Claws (Vampire form only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the vampire can grapple the target (escape DC 18).

Glaive (Vampire, Giant, or Humanoid form only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) slashing damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage in Small or Medium human form.

Bite (Vampire form only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the vampire. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid or giant slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the vampire’s control.

Charm. The vampire targets one humanoid or giant it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the vampire, the target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the vampire. The charmed target regards the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the vampire’s control, it takes the vampire’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the vampire’s bite attack.

Each time the vampire or the vampire’s companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the vampire is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.

Children of the Night (1/day). The vampire magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats or rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, the vampire can call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the vampire and obeying its spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until the vampire dies, or until the vampire dismisses them as a bonus action.

Legendary Actions

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

Move. The vampire moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Claw. The vampire makes one claw attack.

Bite (Costs 2 actions). The vampire makes one bite attack.

PDF!

As I mentioned up top you can take all these monsters home with you today for free by clicking on the PDFs below or you can just grab them all, plus a whole host of other baddies in the Exploration Age Bestiary PDF.

All Monsters

Great Bear

Adult Silver Dracolich

Tiefling Necromancer

Ogre Chieftain

Skeleton, Ogre

Vampire, Oni

If you want to grab this PDF at a later date, it will live in the Free Game Resources section of this site along with D&D fifth edition rules modules, backgrounds, spells, magic items, and more.

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