Determination. The dragon has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
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: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 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.
Acid Breath. The dragon exhales acid in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 54(12d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Poison Breath. The dragon exhales poisonous gas in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
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 for any class features or legendary actions of that form. This is effectively a Shapechange that does not require concentration with no limit on the duration.
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 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 21 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.
Description
The Steel Dragon is notably different in character from most other dragons. While dragon-kind are well known for their insatiable appetite for treasure, in the steel dragon, this manifests as a hunger for knowledge and culture. While they rarely interact with other dragons, they seek out the company of the more traditional races, taking the form of humans, elves, dwarves or the like for decades at a time and living among them in disguise.
Adult steel dragons have acquired all the skills and abilities necessary to interact fully with civilization. They use their Change Shape ability to Shapechange into a humanoid form and seek a place in cities or towns to continue their quest for knowledge. Often this is a monastery, collegium, library or similar locale from which they can have ready access to the knowledge of others. Their ability to assume other forms for essentially unlimited durations enables them to actually progress in professions, as do members of the humanoid races.
Lair and Lair Actions
Steel dragons make their homes in out-of-the-way buildings in urban areas. These are often old or current monasteries, libraries, universities or other locations associated with scholars.
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:
- The dragon glimpses the future, so it has advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until initiative count 20 on the next round.
- One creature the dragon can see within 120 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be banished to a dream plane, a different plane of existence the dragon has imagined into being. To escape, the creature must use its action to make a Charisma check contested by the dragon's. If the creature wins, it escapes the dream plane. Otherwise, the effect ends on initiative count 20 on the next round. When the effect ends, the creature reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that one is occupied.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary steel dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Whenever a creature that can understand a language sleeps or enters a state of trance or reverie within 6 miles of the dragon’s lair, the dragon can establish telepathic contact with that creature and converse with it in its dreams. The creature remembers its conversation with the dragon upon waking.
- Books within 6 miles of the dragon’s lair glow faintly. This glow is just sufficient to allow the book to be read without other light sources.
If the dragon dies, these effects end immediately.
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