Exotic Flying Mounts
Exotic flying mounts are extremely rare and in great demand. Each of these mounts can attack when in battle but are not specifically trained for combat. The costs associated with these mounts is much higher than that of land mounts, as the training involves a master trainer and a great deal of time. Not only does the mount need to learn to fly with a rider, but the rider must also learn how to remain on the mount when airborne.
The Homunculus cannot be purchased, as it is created and bonded to the owner.
The Giant Dragonfly
Flying insects are usually annoying. Mosquitoes bite you, leaving you itchy and annoyed. Bees and wasps sting. Flies are just nasty, vile little creatures. Dragonflies, on the other hand, have a seemingly mystical aura about them and the Flying Dragonfly is no exception. Dragonflies come in a variety of colors including blue, green, yellow, and red. They are some of the most colorful insects on the planet. While common dragonflies come in a range of sizes from half an inch long to over 5 inches long, the Giant Dragonfly can reach sizes up to 10 feet long.
Exceptional Flyers There are few creatures that can match a dragonfly's spectacular flying ability. Dragonflies have two sets of wings with muscles in the thorax that can work each wing independently. This allows them to change the angle of each wing and practice superior agility when in flight. Dragonflies are able to fly in any direction, including sideways and backward. They also have the ability to hover for up to one minute. Not only are they agile, but they are extremely fast, being able to travel 1/4th a mile in one minute.
Eyes and Legs They don't simply chase down their prey. Instead, they are able to grapple them in midair with their legs and feet. A Giant Dragonfly can judge the speed and trajectory of a target and adjust their flight to intercept prey without any guidance from the rider.
Nearly all of the Dragonfly’s head is made up of its eye, granting them an incredible vision that encompasses almost every angle except right behind them. With nearly 30,000 lenses, they are unmatched amongst other insects in their ability to see clearly. On a sunny day, it is nearly impossible to escape the notice of the Dragonfly, even if the rider is unable to see any potential threat.
Giant Dragonfly
Large beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 20 (3d10+4)
- Speed 10 ft., fly 120 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (-1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)
- Skills Acrobatics +5, Perception +8
- Senses passive Perception 18
- Languages ---
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Flyby. The dragonfly doesn't provoke opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
Keen Sight. The dragonfly has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely of sight.
Dive Attack. If the Dragonfly is flying and dives at least 30 feet straight forward towards a target and and the rider hits with a melee weapon attack, the attack does an extra 3 (1d6) damage to the target.
Actions
Legs. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+1) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, the the dragonfly can't use its legs on another target.
The Giant Pteranodon
The common Pteranodon are some of the largest known flying reptiles, with wingspans up 20 feet. The Giant Pteranodon is even larger, having the ability to carry larger creatures and soar faster and farther than their smaller brethren could ever dream. Their natural habitat is along the coastline as Pteranodon spends most of its day over the ocean, looking for fish. Flying a Giant Pteranodon is not an easy skill to master, but once you do this creature will always remain loyal.
Glider vs. Flyer How the Giant Pteranodon moves through the air is unlike other traditional flying mounts. Their wings are not only long but very strong. Those who observe the Giant Pteranodon often say that these massive wings seem to never move during flight.
Primarily a glider, these massive mounts rarely have to actively flap their wings to fly. The crest on top of its head stabilizes the Giant Pteranodon during flight, giving it a grace that one would not expect from such a creature. This allows for a surprisingly smooth ride when mounted, shocking many first time riders.
No Teeth, but a Mean Beak In the common language, the word Pteranodon means “Wing and Toothless.” Even though these animals are carnivores, they have no teeth to speak of. What the Giant Pteranodon does have is a long, sharp beak that is longer than the entire rest of their head. In nature they use this beak to hunt fish, being experts at diving from the sky to spear fish and other aquatic prey from the sea. As a mount, the Pteranodon can skewer it prey, both on the ground and in the air.
Giant Pteranodon
Large beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 37 (6d10+6)
- Speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+2) 2 (-4) 9 (-1) 5 (-3)
- Skills Perception +1
- Senses passive Perception 11
- Languages ---
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Flyby. The pteranodon doesn't provoke opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy's reach. This includes the rider.
Actions
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (3d8+2) piercing damage.
The Flying Homunculus
Usually a tiny creature, the Flying Homunculus is the result of painstaking work done by gnomes wizards who wished to use these bonded creatures to travel faster than their legs could carry them. Many say that the mystical bond between the Flying Homunculus is even stronger than that of a tiny Homunculus and its creator. Having confidence in the Homunculus to fly without dropping its creator and the Homunculus relying upon the abilities of the rider to protect it from the dangers that lurk in in the sky, the bond between the two is strengthened beyond that which is commonly expected
Fall to Your Death The Flying Homunculus retains its bite attack with it potential to poison a target. Poison can be costly for enemies in flight, as an extremely successful bite will result in the target falls unconscious. Since you can't fly when your in that state, the bite itself is relatively harmless, but the fall could very possibly kill you.
Flying Homunculus
Medium Construct, neutral
- Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 20 (3d8+4)
- Speed 20 ft., Fly 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 7 (-2)
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10
- Languages understands the languages of its creator but cant speak.
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Telepathic Bond. While the homunculus is on the same plane of existence as its master, it can magically convery what is sense to its master, and the two can communicate telepathically.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d6) piercing damage. The target must succeed on a DC 10 constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is instead poisoned for 5 (1d10) minutes and unconscious while poisoned in this way.
The Living Whirlwind
Spawned in Eberron, living spells are an unintended consequence of the cataclysm that befell the former nation of Cyre, now known as the Mournland. While it is unclear even today how the magical energy that was released during the Last War created living spells, the Living Whirlwind may be one of the most powerful spells that gained sentience. Unlike most living spells, Living Whirlwinds have traveled far and wide, and it rumored a select few have even navigated their way to other planets in the Material Plane. Hard to find and even harder to tame, the Living Whirlwind is a fearsome mount for those brave enough to its rider.
Flying While on the Ground A Living Whirlwind does not leave the ground but floats along any terrain effortlessly. It will race across the ground when not mounted, picking up dirt and debris as it goes. When used as a mount, the rider mounts the whirlwind by stepping into it and is carried to the top, 30 feet in the air. So while the Living Whirlwind may not actually fly, its rider certainly does.
Spell Mimicry Even though the Whirlwind is a sentient creature, it retains some version of the abilities it had when it was just a simple spell. Corrupted during its creation, the Living Whirlwind no longer has the ability to suck up Medium or smaller creatures and objects that are not secured to anything or anyone, nor can it hurl its victims up to 60 feet away from it in a random direction.
Instead, when the rider moves the Living Whirlwind so that it occupies the same space as its target, they will take damage from the swirling winds and debris it has kicked up. Furthermore, the Living Whirlwind has the chance to restrain the creature and carry it along in its wake until they are able to free themselves.
Living Whirlwind
Large Construct, unaligned
- Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 39 (6d10+6)
- Speed 25 ft., 30 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
- Damage Resistances piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks
- Damage Immunities bludgeoning
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, poisoned, prone
- Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages -
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Air Form The elemental can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Magic Resistance. The whirlwind has advantage on saving throws against spell and other magical effects.
Actions
Magical Strike Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit; reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage.
Spell Mimicry (Recharge 5-6). When the living whirlwind moves into a creature's space, it must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw. A creature takes 11 (4d6+3) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. In addition, a medium or smaller creature that fails the save must succeed on a Strength saving throw or become restrained in the whirlwind. A restrained creature moves with the whirlwind and falls when the spell ends, unless the creature has some means to stay aloft.
A restrained creature can use an action to make a Strength or Dexterity check against your spell save DC. If successful, the creature is no longer restrained by the whirlwind and is hurled 1d4 × 5 feet away from it in a random direction.