Monster Manual

Gold Dragon Abilities by AgeAge Speed Initiative AC Special Abilities Caster Level SRWyrmling 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), +0 17 (+7 natural) Alternate form, immunity to fire, — —swim 60 ft touch 10, flat-footed 17 vulnerability to cold, water breathingVery young 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), +0 19 (–1 size, +10 natural) — —swim 60 ft. touch 9, flat-footed 19Young 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), +0 22 (–1 size, +13 natural) 1st —swim 60 ft. touch 9, flat-footed 22Juvenile 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), +0 25 (–1 size, +16 natural) Bless 3rd —swim 60 ft. touch 9, flat-footed 25Young adult 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), +0 27 (–2 size, +19 natural) DR 5/magic 5th 21swim 60 ft. touch 8, flat-footed 27Adult 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), +0 30 (–2 size, +22 natural Luck bonus 7th 23swim 60 ft. touch 8, flat-footed 30Mature adult 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), +0 33 (–2 size, +25 natural) DR 10/magic 9th 25swim 60 ft. touch 8, flat-footed 33Old 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), +0 34 (–4 size, +28 natural) Geas/quest, detect gems 11th 27swim 60 ft touch 6, flat-footed 34Very old 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), +0 37 (–4 size, +31 natural) DR 15/magic 13th 28swim 60 ft. touch 6, flat-footed 37Ancient 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), +0 40 (–4 size, +34 natural) Sunburst 15th 30swim 60 ft. touch 6, flat-footed 40Wyrm 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), +0 39 (–8 size, +37 natural) DR 20/magic 17th 31swim 60 ft touch 2, flat-footed 39Great wyrm 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy), +0 42 (–8 size, +40 natural) Foresight 19th 33swim 60 ft. touch 2, flat-footed 42*Can also cast cleric spells and those from the Law, Luck, and Good domains as arcane spells.DRAGONadult stage, the scales are completely golden. Gold dragons’ facesare bewhiskered and sagacious; as they age, their pupils fade untilthe eyes resemble pools of molten gold.Gold dragons can live anywhere. Their lairs are secluded andalways made of stone, whether caves or castles. These usually haveloyal guards: animals appropriate to the terrain, storm giants, orgood cloud giants. Giants usually form a mutual defensive agreementwith a dragon.Gold dragons usually sustain themselves on pearls or smallgems. Such gifts are well received, as long as they are not bribes.CombatGold dragons usually parley before fighting. When conversingwith intelligent creatures, they use Intimidate and Sense Motiveto gain the upper hand. In combat, they employ bless and theirluck bonus; older dragons use their luck bonus at the start of eachday. They make heavy use of spells in combat. Among theirfavorites are cloudkill, delayed blast fireball, fire shield, globe of invulnerability,maze, sleep, slow, and stinking cloud.Breath Weapon (Su): A gold dragon has two types of breathweapon, a cone of fire and a cone of weakening gas. Creatureswithin a cone of weakening gas must succeed on a Fortitude saveor take 1 point of Strength damage per age category of thedragon.Alternate Form (Su): A gold dragon can assume any animalor humanoid form of Medium size or smaller as a standardaction three times per day. This ability functions as a polymorphspell cast on itself at its caster level, except that the dragon doesnot regain hit points for changing form and can only assume theform of an animal or humanoid. The dragon can remain in itsanimal or humanoid form until it chooses to assume a new oneor return to its natural form.Water Breathing (Ex): A gold dragon can breathe underwaterindefinitely and can freely use its breath weapon, spells, andother abilities while submerged (the cone of fire becomes a coneof superheated steam underwater).Luck Bonus (Sp): Once per day an adult or older gold dragon cantouch a gem, usually one embedded in the dragon’s hide, andenspell it to bring good luck. As long as the dragon carries thegem, it and every good creature in a 10-foot radius per age categoryof the dragon receives a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws andsimilar rolls, as for a stone of good luck (see the item description,page 267 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). If the dragon gives anenspelled gem to another creature, only that bearer gets thebonus. The effect lasts 1d3 hours plus 3 hours per age category ofthe dragon but ends if the gem is destroyed. This ability is theequivalent of a 2nd-level spell.Detect Gems (Sp): An old or older gold dragon can use this abilitythree times per day. This is a divination effect similar to a detectmagic spell, except that it finds only gems. The dragon can scan a60-degree arc each round: By concentrating for 1 round it knows ifthere are any gems within the arc; 2 rounds of concentrationreveal the exact number of gems; and 3 rounds reveal their exactlocation, type, and value. This ability is the equivalent of a 2ndlevelspell.Other Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—bless (juvenile or older);1/day—geas/quest (old or older), sunburst (ancient or older), foresight(great wyrm).Skills: Disguise, Heal, and Swim are considered class skills forgold dragons.Adult Gold Dragon: CR 16; Huge dragon (fire); HD 23d12+115,hp 264; Init +4; Spd 60 ft., swim 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor); AC 30,touch 8, flat-footed 30; Base Atk +23; Grp +42; Atk +32 melee(2d8+11, bite); Full Atk +32 melee (2d8+11, bite), +27 melee(2d6+5, 2 claws), +27 melee (1d8+5, 2 wings), +27 melee (2d6+16,tail slap); Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft. (bite 15 ft.); SA breathweapon, crush, frightful presence, spell-like abilities, spells; SQalternate form, damage reduction 5/magic, darkvision 120 ft.,immunity to fire, sleep, and paralysis, low-light vision luck bonus,spell resistance 23, vulnerability to cold, water breathing; ALLG; SV Fort +18, Ref +13, Will +18; Str 33, Dex 10, Con 21, Int20, Wis 21, Cha 20.Skills and Feats: Bluff +13, Concentration +20, Diplomacy +30,Disguise +28, Hide –1, Intimidate +24, Jump +46, Knowledge(arcana) +20, Knowledge (local) +25, Knowledge (nobility and royalty)+15, Listen +30, Move Silently +7, Search +28, Sense Motive+27, Spellcraft +28, Spot +30, Swim +19; Survival +15; Alertness,85