Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If the greatwyrm fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Fire Aura. At the start of each of Gleaming Death’s turns, each creature within 10 feet of her takes 17 (5d6) fire damage, and flammable objects in the aura that aren’t being worn or carried ignite. A creature also takes 17 (5d6) fire damage if it touches Gleaming Death or hits him with a melee attack while within 10 feet of him, and a creature takes that damage the first time on a turn that Gleaming Death moves into its space. Nonmagical weapons that hit Gleaming Death are destroyed by fire immediately after dealing damage to him.
Metallic Awakening (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If the greatwyrm would be reduced to 0 hit points, its current hit point total instead resets to 450 hit points, it recharges its Breath Weapon, and it regains any expended uses of Legendary Resistance. Additionally, the greatwyrm can now use the options in the “Mythic Actions” section for 1 hour. Award a party an additional 120,000 XP (240,000 XP total) for defeating the greatwyrm after its Metallic Awakening activates.
Unusual Nature. The greatwyrm doesn’t require food or drink.
Multiattack. The greatwyrm makes one Bite attack and two Claw attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) piercing damage plus 13 (2d12) force damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d8 + 10) slashing damage. If the target is a Huge or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 20) and is restrained until this grapple ends. The greatwyrm can have only one creature grappled in this way at a time.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 26 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Spellcasting. Gleaming Death casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 20):
At will: command, hold person
2/day each: banishment, blade barrier, plane shift, silence
1/day each: clairvoyance, darkness, detect thoughts, dispel magic, faerie fire, gate, levitate (self only), suggestion
Breath Weapon (Recharge 5–6). The greatwyrm uses one of the following breath weapons:
Elemental Breath. The greatwyrm exhales elemental energy in a 300-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 84 (13d12) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Sapping Breath. The greatwyrm exhales gas in a 300-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 25 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature falls unconscious for 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the end of the greatwyrm’s next turn. An unconscious creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Change Shape. The greatwyrm magically transforms into any creature that is Medium or Small, while retaining its game statistics (other than its size). This transformation ends if the dragon is reduced to 0 hit points or uses its action to end it.
The greatwyrm 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 greatwyrm regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. The greatwyrm makes one Claw or Tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The greatwyrm beats its wings. Each creature within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (2d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The greatwyrm can then fly up to half its flying speed.
If the greatwyrm’s Metallic Awakening trait has activated in the last hour, it can use the options below as legendary actions.
Bite. The greatwyrm makes one Bite attack.
Shattering Roar (Costs 2 Actions). The greatwyrm unleashes a magical roar. Each creature in a 120-foot-radius sphere centered on the greatwyrm must succeed on a DC 26 Constitution saving throw or take 19 (3d12) thunder damage and be incapacitated until the end of its next turn.
Description
Metallic greatwyrms are among the largest creatures in the multiverse, overshadowing most other dragons. Mighty elemental forces swirl around them in response to their wishes, and their breath weapons can sap the strength from armies—or lay waste to whole regions.
Lair and Lair Actions
Gleaming Death’s Lair
Gleaming Death lairs in high mountains or hills, dwelling in caverns under snow-capped peaks, or within the deep halls of abandoned mines and dwarven strongholds. Caves with volcanic or geothermal activity are the most highly prized red dragon lairs, creating hazards that hinder intruders and letting searing heat and volcanic gases wash over a dragon as it sleeps.
With its hoard well protected deep within the lair, a red dragon spends as much of its time outside the mountain as in it. For a red dragon, the great heights of the world are the throne from which it can look out to survey all it controls—and the wider world it seeks to control.
Throughout the lair complex, servants erect monuments to the dragon’s power, telling the grim story of its life, the enemies it has slain, and the nations it has conquered.
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 use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Magma erupts from a point on the ground the dragon can see within 120 feet of it, creating a 20-foot-high, 5-foot-radius geyser. Each creature in the geyser’s area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
- A tremor shakes the lair in a 60-foot radius around the dragon. Each creature other than the dragon on the ground in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
- Volcanic gases form a cloud in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is lightly obscured. It lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round. Each creature that starts its turn in the cloud must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its turn. While poisoned in this way, a creature is incapacitated.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary red dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Small earthquakes are common within 6 miles of the dragon’s lair.
- Water sources within 1 mile of the lair are supernaturally warm and tainted by sulfur.
- Rocky fissures within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair form portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby.
If the dragon dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
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