Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Breath Control. The dragon has exceptional control over its ability to breathe searing plasma. The Plasma Breath and Plasma Spear actions both use the dragon’s shored up plasma reserve, so if one ability is used, it uses the charge of both attacks.
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: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 22 (2d12 + 9) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) fire damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (2d8 + 9) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. Hit: 20 (2d10 + 9) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 ft. of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 20 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.
Plasma Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales crackling energy in a 60-foot cone, or a 120-foot line. Each creature in that area must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 70 (20d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Fire damage dealt by the dragon’s breath bypasses fire resistance, but not immunity. All creatures within 60 feet of the dragon that can see it must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1d4 rounds.
Plasma Spear (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Spell Attack: +14 to hit, reach 300/600 ft., one creature. Hit: 70 (20d6) fire damage. Fire damage dealt by the dragon’s breath bypasses fire resistance, but not immunity. This attack ignores any cover bonus to AC benefiting the target except for cover bonuses granted by objects made of adamantine. The target must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction is permanent unless undone with magic such as the Greater Restoration spell. On a critical hit, this attack severs one of the target’s limbs, if it has any.
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 their turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
Command. The dragon bellows a command to one of its allies within 300 feet. The chosen creature can immediately take one action.
Description
Among the most sadistic creatures to walk the realms, the cruelty of purple dragons seems to be without limit. Their desire to spread fear far and wide is only matched by an unchecked avarice and self importance to rival any of the other true dragons. They are notorious for their extremely wide jaws and elongated segmented spikes which run down from the base of their skull to the tip of their tail. At birth, a purple dragon’s scales are indigo. As the dragon matures, the scales become larger, thicker, harder, and darker. Adult dragons are completely violet and will continue to transition into the darkest shades of purple the longer they live.
Lair and Lair Actions
Purple dragons make their homes deep in the rock of mountainous areas and foothills. Their lairs are complex networks of overlapping tunnels which can run for miles depending on the size, age, and number of dragons present, but the most important thing is that their lair remains dark in order to maximize the effects of their blinding breath weapon. Should the dragon encounter stone too hard to dig through while creating its lair, the dragon’s breath weapon can melt solid rock at a rapid rate, allowing them to forge ahead. These subterranean lairs often have numerous openings which allow the dragon to move around freely undetected by most within the bowels of the stone and dirt. Each entrance to the purple dragon’s lair is meticulously hidden, and will usually open up near a prairie or field with ample prey.
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:
- A tunnel collapses in a 20-foot radius centered on a point within 120 feet of the dragon. All creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone and restrained by falling rocks. A creature can use an action to attempt a DC 15 Strength check to free itself or a pinned ally it can reach. This may also cause a new pathway to open up at the DM’s discretion.
- The dragon attempts to slip away into one of the many interconnected tunnels of the lair. If no tunnel is easily accessible, it will smash a hole in a nearby wall, creating a new opening it can move through to escape into its lair. As part of this lair action, the purple dragon may attempt a stealth check to remain hidden.
- The dragon sunders the wall of its lair causing jagged fragments of hardened rock previously melted by the dragon’s plasma breath flying towards a 20-foot area the dragon can see that is within 120 feet. All creatures in the area take 26 (4d12) piercing damage, or half as much on a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary purple dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- A veil of darkness enshrouds the land within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair. Flames sputter to stay lit and natural sunlight seems muted. All dim light is treated as darkness and creatures with darkvision are unable to see in the dark as though they did not have darkvision.
- The numerous tunnels into the ground have given rise to many strange creatures that are typically only found in deep caves and underground lairs. Basilisks, trolls, minotaurs, and other subterranean creatures are much more common than they otherwise would be. Undead creatures are also frequently present due to the purple dragon’s potential disruption to underground gravers and catacombs.
- Any creature who walks on a surface touching the ground within half a mile of the dragon’s lair and weighs at least 10 pounds can be detected as though with tremorsense by the dragon.
If the dragon dies, the shroud of darkness is lifted immediately and the caves of its lair will slowly fill in and collapse over the course of one year.
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