Axial Dragons
Image Source: Dragon Magazine #321, "Axial Dragons is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC."
Ancient Axial Dragon
Gargantuan dragon, lawful neutral
- Armor Class 22 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 533 (26d20 + 260)
- Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 27 (+8) 10 (+0) 30 (+10) 22 (+6) 23 (+6) 25 (+7)
- Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +17, Wis +13, Cha +14
- Skills Arcana +13, History +13, Perception +20, Stealth +7
- Damage Immunities acid, cold, fire, poison
- Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
- Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 30
- Languages All
- Challenge 24 (62,000 XP)
Immutable Form. The dragon is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 22, +14 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, true strike
1/day each: magic circle, forcecage, plane shiftLegendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 22 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 dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Force Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales a blast of powerful magic in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 25 Constitution saving throw, taking 81 (18d8) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
The dragon 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 dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 23 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.
Adult Axial Dragon
Huge dragon, lawful neutral
- Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 261 (18d12 + 144)
- Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 23 (+6) 10 (+0) 27 (+8) 19 (+4) 20 (+5) 21 (+5)
- Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +14, Wis +11, Cha +11
- Skills Arcana +10, History +10, Perception +17, Stealth +6
- Damage Immunities acid, cold, fire, poison
- Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
- Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 27
- Languages All
- Challenge 20 (25,000 XP)
Immutable Form. The dragon is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, true strike
1/day each: magic circleLegendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 19 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 dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Force Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales a blast of powerful magic in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 58 (13d8) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
The dragon 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 dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Young Axial Dragon
Large dragon, lawful neutral
- Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 184 (16d10 + 96)
- Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 23 (+6) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 17 (+3)
- Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +11, Wis +8, Cha +8
- Skills Arcana +8, History +8, Perception +13, Stealth +5
- Damage Immunities acid, cold, fire
- Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 23
- Languages All
- Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, true strikeActions
Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Force Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales a blast of powerful magic in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Axial Dragon Wyrmling
Medium dragon, lawful neutral
- Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 51 (6d8 + 24)
- Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1)
- Saving Throws Dex +2, Con +6, Wis +4, Cha +3
- Skills Arcana +3, History +3, Perception +6, Stealth +2
- Damage Immunities acid, fire
- Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
- Languages All
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, true strikeActions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage.
Force Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales a blast of powerful magic in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Axial Dragons
Flawless and awe inspiring beings with a philosophy just as sturdy as their body, axial dragons. They live on the ever turning machine of Mechanus and seek to expand what they all consider to be their form of true lawfulness and order. They may be found on other planes attempting to establish their order or philosophy as the correct one and are often stubborn in any attempts to change their mind. Modrons are equally alien to them as they are to most mortals but they find them more acceptable company if a little mindless at times.
Axial dragons are sometimes mistaken for a metallic species due to the nearly perfect reflective sheen they have. Their scales start off as light blue but as they age they turn darker and more purple. Their scales begin to fuse together into large spots of smooth surfaces and always sparkle as if freshly polished. Their rigid fan like wings move in perfect order along with the perfect symmetry of their horns, limbs, and swishing tail. Even if their body were to be harmed it would grow back without scarring or loss of function.
The breeding of axial dragons is a private matter no one is privy to, in fact no creature aside form themselves breeds with other axial dragons. Some assume this is prejudice while others say it is simply how they desire the most perfect parent for their offspring. The dragons themselves offer no comment.
Philisophical but Stubborn. Axial dragons are always looking for ways to improve their own moral philosophies by seeing ways theirs is superior to others. One is more likely to find them actively exercising their philosophy on the worlds as a whole as well as taking breaks to meditate on it for weeks at a time. Actively changing the attitudes and ideas they believe in is an uphill battle that is vertical. It's easier for another axial dragon to attempt this though still a several month to year long endeavor.
Shapers by Law. An axial dragon is so dedicated to their ideas that they actively travel to other worlds and begin their efforts to shape it according to their well thought out infallible plans. What exactly their vision for the world is varies wildly as some may be trying to ensure that only a certain variety of diamond exists, others could hunt down and convince other philosophies that they think are wrong to their side, and a few even go out trying to correct the blood of people by eliminating all descendants of racially mixed parents (something that is looked down upon by most other dragons). Fighting others, even if they have no direct conflict with the dragon, is instrumental in proving and refining their combat to be the superior style.
Vaults of Valuables. Just like any other dragon, axial dragons have their hordes. While others have their hordes be precious gems or metals, an axial dragon prefers treasures that support the conclusions of their philosophy. Knowledge from scholars who came to similar conclusions often have their literature collected by the dragon along with any personal paper or evidence of their truth being the correct one. Sometimes they may even horde an entire settlement as their own if they exercise what the dragon believes to the be the best law in the multiverse.
An Axial Dragon's Lair
Ever little thing that surrounds their lair is put into a perfect order. Whether this is every single blade of grass forming straight lines or trees having their branches organized into perfect circles with an equal angle between all limbs, or all animals moving in near uniform lines, all life begins to follow a pattern determined by the dragon itself.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- The dragon predicts the actions of other creatures with its own labyrinthian mind. The dragon rolls three d20s and records the numbers rolled. It can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by itself or a creature that it can see with one of these foretelling rolls. It must choose to do so before the roll. Each foretelling roll can be used only once.
- Material is reshaped to make it difficult for creatures to move. Fluid thickens and solids vibrate in a 20-foot radius sphere within 120 feet of the dragon. A creature moving through the area must spend 4 feet of movement for every 1 foot it moves. This effect lasts until the dragon dismisses it as an action, uses a different lair action, or dies.
- A strong burst of organized material crushes a 15-foot cube the dragon can see within 120 feet. Each creature in the area must succeed on a 15 DC Strength saving throw or take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and be restrained until the end of their next turn.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary axial dragon's lair is warped by the dragon's magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Fauna moves in an orderly fashion within 6 miles of the lair. They act in perfect harmony with each other and move with mechanical precision in small groups even if normally lone wanderers.
- Flora grows in grid-like patterns within 6 miles of the lair, moving into these patterns if previously disorganized.
- Geometric patterns of the dragon's choice begin to appear frequently in inorganic material within 1 mile of the dragon's lair.