Draconic Recovery (1/Day). The patron dragon regains all uses of its spells when it finishes a short or long rest.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the patron dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Patron’s Protection. When the patron dragon casts a spell that affects other creatures it can see, it can choose up to five members of its hoard. The chosen creatures automatically succeed on their saving throws against the spell, and they take no damage if they would normally take half damage on a successful save.
Patron’s Toll. When a member of the patron dragon’s hoard that the dragon can see expends a spell slot, the patron dragon regains one expended use of one of its spells.
Multiattack. The patron dragon can use its Eldritch Presence. It then makes either three Eldritch Blast attacks and one tentacle attack, or casts a spell and then makes one Eldritch Blast or tentacle attack.
Eldritch Blast. Ranged Spell Attack: +12 to hit, reach 300 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d10+7) force damage. On a hit, the patron can choose to move the target in a straight line 10 ft. closer to or away from itself, or can reduce the creature’s speed by 10 ft. until the end of the dragon’s next turn.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Eldritch Presence. Each creature of the patron dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. For one minute, the patron dragon may use a bonus action on each of its turns to designate a direction that is horizontal to it. Each creature that failed the saving throw must use as much of its movement as possible to move in that direction on its next turn. It can take its action before it moves. After moving in this way, it can make another Charisma saving throw to try to end the effect. A target isn't compelled to move into an obviously deadly hazard, such as a fire or pit, but it will provoke opportunity attacks to move in the designated direction.
If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Eldritch Presence for the next 24 hours.
Patron Breath (Recharge 5–6). The patron dragon exhales arcane energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area that is not part of its hoard must make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Each creature in the area that is part of its hoard regains one warlock spell slot, and adds +1 to all spell attack rolls and damage rolls for one minute.
Instead of empowering its hoard, the dragon can instead summon any creature it has made a pact with to an unoccupied location within the area of the cone. It can summon a number of creatures equal to 1d4+1.
Spellcasting. The patron dragon casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 20):
- At will: charm person, enthrall, hallucinatory terrain, ray of enfeeblement, sending
- 1/day each: blight (cast at 6th level), circle of death, eyebite, hold person (cast at 6th level), mass suggestion, scrying, vampiric touch (cast at 6th level)
Draconic Boon. The patron dragon selects a creature it can see with which it has formed a pact. For one minute, that creature gains a +2 to its charisma modifier and regains +10 temporary HP at the beginning of each of its turns.
Description
A patron dragon builds its hoard through contracts. Just as archon dragons, the warden dragons associated with sorcery, seek out societal outcasts and the marginalized to offer them a sense of community, patron dragons specifically seek out the hopeless, those who desperately need power and yet find themselves powerless. It’s said they can literally smell desperation--that’s when they strike.
The dragons offer a deal that will make all their problems go away, power that the potential hoardmate could only dream of. In exchange, they must only belong to the dragon’s hoard. If desperation doesn’t push the person to join, their thirst for power will, and soon enough the warlock dragon finds itself with its own hoard, and its power grows.
But a warlock dragon must be careful, as their source of power is not infinite. Whereas sorcerer dragons radiate power to those around them indiscriminately, patron dragons can choose exactly how much power to grant, to what individual, and when to take it away--but whenever they do, that’s some of the dragon’s own power that leaves their body and goes to their warlocks. They must walk the line between not giving enough of their power and losing their hoard’s loyalty, and giving too much power to their warlocks and becoming powerless to defend themselves against outside threats.
Some warlock dragons navigate this by fostering a specific feeling among their hoard: complete and utter devotion. This is the reason why a warlock dragon’s hoard is often referred to as a cult. It’s not uncommon for the members of a hoard of a patron dragon to believe they worship not a dragon, but a god. Members of these cult-like hoards understand that the only reason they have that power to begin with is because of their contract, and because the patron dragon allows it.
Those who show the greatest devotion to their patron are in turn granted more power, strengthening the hoard’s resolve to stand with their patron. The warlock dragon then chooses a prince: the hoardmate that will one day receive its draconic essence and become the dragon’s successor. The prince slowly receives more and more power from their deal with the patron dragon, until the moment where more of the dragon’s power lives within the prince than within the dragon. When this happens, the patron dragon must be extremely careful, as they are at their weakest here. They must quickly perform the ritual and pass on their draconic essence to its chosen prince.
It is, however, just as likely for a patron dragon to decide that the best course of action is to be transparent with their hoard mates as to how much power they will grant, and for what reason. Proficient in legalese after countless years of drafting contracts, there are many patron dragons who find themselves leaders of guilds: adventuring guilds, with a hoard of highly trained warlock adventurers. The patron dragon grants their hoardmates more or less power depending on how hard the job is. Some of these adventuring guilds led by patron dragons become world-renowned for their efficiency, becoming pillars of their communities... just as long as these communities pay diligently and read the fine print.
How a warlock dragon decides to run its hoard, whether it is through cultish devotion or the cold fairness of contracts, it is for the patron dragon to decide.
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