Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
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: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 20 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 18 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.
Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons:
Fire Breath. The dragon exhales fire in an 90-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Sleep Breath. The dragon exhales sleep gas in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 10 minutes. This effect ends for a creature if the creature takes damage or someone uses an action to wake it.
Change Shape. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the dragon's choice).
In a new form, the dragon retains its alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. Its statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form, except any class features or legendary actions of that form.
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 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 22 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.
A Brass Dragon’s Lair
A brass dragon’s desert lair is typically a ruin, canyon, or cave network with ceiling holes to allow for sunlight.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects:
- A strong wind blows around the dragon. Each creature within 60 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away from the dragon and knocked prone. Gases and vapors are dispersed by the wind, and unprotected flames are extinguished. Protected flames, such as lanterns, have a 50 percent chance of being extinguished.
- A cloud of sand swirls about in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The cloud spreads around corners. Each creature in it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be blinded 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.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary brass dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Tracks appear in the sand within 6 miles of the dragon’s lair. The tracks lead to safe shelters and hidden water sources, while also leading away from areas that the dragon prefers to remain undisturbed.
- Images of Large or smaller monsters haunt the desert sands within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair. These illusions move and appear real, although they can do no harm. A creature that examines an image from a distance can tell it’s an illusion with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Any physical interaction with an image reveals it to be an illusion, because objects pass through it.
- Whenever a creature with an Intelligence of 3 or higher comes within 30 feet of a water source within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair, the dragon becomes aware of the creature’s presence and location.
If the dragon dies, the tracks fade in 1d10 days, but the other effects fade immediately.
despite having the "change shape" action, brass and other ancient metallic dragons do not have the shapechanger tag?
Beacause they use a kind of innate magic to do it and other shapechanger have it naturally.
Be pleased.
You'd think it would have more hit points. A 20th level character could kill it in one round.
You'd know. So would I... but keep in mind that it's only supposed to be a boss for level 14-17 PCs.
But still, if I'd hadn't gotten two 1s, a 25ish foot tall dragon would have lasted 6 seconds against one character.
cool
Wait the dragon can shape shift? Sweet
It is the weakest of the metallic dragons. But yeah its hit points should not be half of an Ancient silver dragon.
I think its whole lust for small talk is also kind of a meme.
yeah, its pretty weak compared to the other dragons
It has around 35 hp less than its CR counterpart
but... Why?
You realize you can True Polymorph into one and then use the dragon's version to turn back into yourself except you have a bunch of health and legendary resistances? I'm sure it's an oversight, but no rule states against it. After all, what form would you know better than yourself?
Always ignore suggested HP, max it at least, or even give them a bit more on top of that. Five 5th-level PC's can kill something with 250 hit points in like 3 rounds if they roll well.
If you want an epic confrontation, you might even want to play it by ear and do the creature's hit points as more of a "this is how many big hits this thing can take before going down." So say this dragon has 15 big hits, if they deal more than 20 damage to it in a round, it loses one, if they do 50 or more it loses two in one round. This allows you to control the flow of the battle and have it last longer without feeling like a slog, ensuring that even if every member in a party of four rolls really well, the battle lasts at least three rounds.
I would definitely only suggest using this for big encounters though, it's really annoying to do two 16 damage attacks on a thug and it not go down because the DM gave it 3 hits.
You don't get legendary stuff when you polymorph, afaik.
Why can it shapeshift? That doesn’t make any sense.
When you change shape back to your original form you specifically don't get any class features - so if you are a level 20 human wizard and true polymorph into an ancient brass dragon, then change shape back to a human, you are essentially level 0, no spells, no subclass benefits, you would have to build off the stats of a human commoner.
Not getting any class features is not the same as not getting a class.
You can be a level 20 rogue with no rogue features, you'll just have the hit die and proficiency of a rogue.
For that matter, you could always just become a Drow Matron mother, or another NPC your character has seen that seems powerful.
Really? I thought hit die and proficiencies were considered class features since when you look at a class page they both are under the "Class Features" heading. Either way, I was more talking about not being able to shift directly back to your level 20 character as-is with spells and abilities and whatnot.
Another fun option besides the Drow Matron is the Githzerai Anarch! So long as the intended form's spellcasting is "innate" and not from being "an x-level spellcaster".
"Your class gives you a variety of special features, such as a fighter’s mastery of weapons and armor, and a wizard’s spells."
I do not believe Hit Die or proficiencies count as a class feature.
If Hit Dice aren't part of class features why would they list them under the Class Feature section?
Convenience?
This is from the PHB/Basic Rules:
"Your class gives you a variety of special features, such as a fighter’s mastery of weapons and armor, and a wizard’s spells. At low levels, your class gives you only two or three features, but as you advance in level you gain more and your existing features often improve"
By your explanation, why would they specifically say you only get two or three features?
Also, the shapechanger feature states that it uses the creatures own Hit Dice. Why would it state that it uses it's own Hit Die and Proficiencies, only to specifically say it doesn't get the class features from the creature it changes into?
It doesn't make any sense that way. If Hit Die and Proficiencies were class features - why wouldn't they just say "It retains its class features, and does not gain them from the new creature?"