Monster
Ancient Deep Dragon
Outside your table’s allowed sources
Official reference · FRAiF · 2014
- Creature type
- Dragon
- Size
- Gargantuan
- Armor class
- 20
- Hit points
- 247 (15d20 + 90)
- Speed
- Walk 40 ft., Burrow 40 ft., Fly 80 ft., Swim 40 ft.
- Challenge rating
- 18
- Alignment
- Neutral Evil
- Strength
- 23
- Dexterity
- 16
- Constitution
- 22
- Intelligence
- 19
- Wisdom
- 18
- Charisma
- 21
- Passive Perception
- 26
- Initiative
- +15
- Saving Throws
- dex: +9; wis: +10
- Skills
- perception: +16; stealth: +15
- Senses
- Blindsight 60 ft., Darkvision 300 ft.
- Languages
- Common, Draconic, Undercommon
- Resistances
- poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities
- charmed, frightened, poisoned
Traits
Legendary Resistance (4/Day, or 5/Day in Lair)
If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack
The dragon makes three Rend attacks.
Rend
Melee Attack: +12, reach 15 ft. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) Slashing damage plus 5 (1d10) Poison damage.
Nightmare Breath (Recharge 5–6)
Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 20, each creature in a 90-foot Cone. Failure: 44 (8d10) Psychic damage, and the target has the Frightened condition until the end of the dragon's next turn. Success: Half damage only.
Bonus actions
Shape-Shift
The dragon shape-shifts into a Small or Medium Humanoid or a Small or Medium Beast, or it returns to its true form. Its game statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed.
Legendary action uses: 3 (4 in its lair). The creature can use one option at the end of another creature’s turn and regains spent uses at the start of its turn.
Legendary actions
Pounce
The dragon moves up to half its Speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
Spore Salvo
Constitution Saving Throw: DC 20, one creature within 30 feet of the dragon that it can see. Failure: 16 (3d10) Poison damage, and the target has the Poisoned condition. It repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. After 1 minute, it succeeds automatically. Success or Failure: The dragon can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Regional effects
The region containing an adult or ancient deep dragon's lair is changed by its presence, creating the following effects:
- Preservation of Knowledge: Books and other written forms of communication with 1 mile of the lair become magically protected and can't be damaged by nonmagical means.
- Restless Sleep: When a creature finishes a Long Rest within 1 mile of the lair, the creature makes a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature doesn't reduce its Exhaustion level as a result of finishing that Long Rest. Creatures with Immunity to the Poisoned condition are immune to this effect.
- Verdant Growth: Vegetation and fungi within 1 mile of the dragon's lair grow faster and cover a greater area than normal. Foraging in this area yields twice the usual amount of food. The dragon is immediately aware of the presence of any creature that eats this enhanced vegetation.
If the dragon dies or moves its lair elsewhere, these effects end immediately.