Hyper Metabolism. When the dragon digests a fleshand-blood creature of Small size or larger, it regains 21 (6d6) hit points. A dead creature or a creature at 0 hit points that is swallowed by the dragon is immediately digested.
Juggernaut. If the dragon would be moved from its space, it may take a reaction to prevent that movement.
Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks: one with its Bite and two with its Claw. The dragon may replace one of these attacks with its Challenging Roar.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (4d12 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled and restrained (escape DC 20). Challenging Roar. The dragon roars a mighty challenge to its enemies. Each creature within 120 feet that can hear the roar must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or be compelled to meet the dragon’s challenge for 1 minute. A creature so challenged cannot willingly move away from the dragon and cannot affect creatures other than the dragon with its spells, attacks, or abilities. A creature may repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. A creature immune to the charmed condition is immune to this effect.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (2d12 + 7) slashing damage.
Flensing Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales a blast of air and sand that tears flesh from bone in a 40-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must attempt a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or take 54 (12d8) slashing damage, or half as much on a success. A creature that fails the saving throw by 5 or more has its hit point maximum reduced by an equivalent amount. This effect lasts until it takes a short or long rest or receives magical healing from a spell of 4th level or higher.
Description
If a brown dragon wyrmling is able to eat its weight in food each day for more than 500 days, it will grow to become a young brown dragon. Beefier than other true dragons, these teenage specimens have developed new physiological abilities and battle tactics that suit their large forms. Unless raised in an unusual environment, a brown dragon’s sinister nature becomes dominant. This makes these dragons heartless and selfcentered, refusing to do anything unless it directly benefits their interests. Some even develop cruel habits, such as holding struggling prey in their mouths just to feel them squirm.
While far from dull, young brown dragons act with a shortsighted stubbornness, unable to plan more than a step or two ahead or see the big picture of a given situation. Each young brown dragon starts to develop a unique palate, finding it more enjoyable to eat certain foods rather than whatever they come across. A dragon will go to some lengths to acquire its preferred food, which can be used as leverage by a shrewd negotiator.
Lair and Lair Actions
A Brown Dragon’s Lair
Brown dragons enjoy lairing underground and filling their lairs with stores of food in various states of decay (not that it matters much to the dragon). In place of a hoard, a dragon gathers its favorite foodstuffs and drinks. A brown dragon will only gather treasure if it has some means to purchase a good meal on a consistent basis.
These lairs must be large to accommodate a brown dragon’s girth and are protected by huge boulders that are rolled in front of passageways. Essential to a lair’s composition is a source of fresh water, as brown dragons thirst as much as they hunger and prefer to move as little as possible after a big meal. Minions are rare, for few creatures can tolerate a brown dragon’s stench only to wind up a meal when the dragon gets peckish.
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 cause the same effect two rounds in a row.
• A shroud of thick, whirling sand surrounds the dragon in a 10-foot-radius sphere that moves when it moves. Until the next initiative count 20, ranged attacks against the dragon are made at disadvantage and the area is considered heavily obscured.
• A ferocious stench fills the lair. Each creature other than the dragon in the lair must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or fall prone. A creature that is prone from this effect cannot stand up from prone until the end of its next turn.
• A buried carcass unearths within the lair. The dragon can take an action to consume the carcass and digests it immediately.
Regional Effects
The region containing a brown dragon’s lair is influenced by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects within 10 miles of the lair.
• Whenever a humanoid creature finishes a long rest within the area, it smells delicious for the next 24 hours. Creatures have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) ability checks to detect the creature by smell, and local predators prefer the meat of such creatures over their typical prey.
• Solid stone in the area transforms into sandstone, which can be moved through by burrowing creatures but is considered difficult terrain.
• Flesh-and-blood creatures in the area must consume twice as much food in order to avoid the effects of starvation.
If the dragon dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
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