Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Noxius Radiance. Any creature that starts its turn, or enters within 20 feet of Vaal Hazak, must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take (4d6) necrotic damage and another (2d6) for every round the creature remains within range. Undead are immune to this aura.
Effluvium Sickness. If a creature fails any Constitution save, the creature becomes affected by Effluvium Sickness for 1 minute. The creatures max hit points is reduced by (4d6) and the lost maximum hit points cannot be regained while under during the duration. Any necrotic damage dealt to the affected creature also takes an added (1d10) necrotic damage. At the start of the affected creatures turn, it may make a DC 14 Constitution check. On a successful save, Effluvium Sickness ends but the creature does not regain hit points lost while under its affect.
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Roar. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: (2d10 + 10) piercing damage plus (3d6) necrotic damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (2d6 + 10) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: (2d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Roar. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the end of the dragon's next turn. 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 Roar for the next 24 hours
Effluvium Breath(Recharge 5-6). Vaal Hazak rears back, using its action to inhale deeply, pulling in the effluvium around it. On its next turn, Vaal Hazak exhales a beam of effluvium that sweeps within a 90 foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 77 (22d6) necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the creature is also affected by Effluvium Sickness.
Effluvium Recovery (once per day). Vaal Hazak uses its action to pull in the effluvium around it, creating a dense fog. During this time, Vaal Hazak cannot not move, take an action, reaction bonus action or legendary action until the start of it's next turn. At the start of Vaal Hazak's next turn, every creature within 30 feet must make a DC 22 Constitution throw, taking (3d6) necrotic damage on a failed throw, or half as much on a successful one. Vaal Hazak than regains hit points equal to half the amount necrotic damage dealt to all creatures.
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. Vaal Hazak makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. Vaal Hazak makes a tail attack.
Empowered Multiattack ( costs 2 actions). Vaal Hazak can use its action to multiattack without the need to use its Frightful Roar. Vaal Hazak subtracts 5 from each attack roll to add an addition (10) to each hit. A creature hit with Empowered Multiattack must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity save or be knocked prone.
Burst of Effluvium(costs 3 actions). The dragon rears back, lifting its front legs off the ground. Each creature within 15 ft. of the dragon must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d6 + 10) necrotic damage and be knocked prone as Vaal Hazak slams down, sending out a blast of wind followed by a dense cloud of effluvia in all directions.
Description
A grotesque Ancient Dragon, that inhabits the deepest part of the Rotten Vale. It uses the fatal vapor of the vale in what appears to be a symbiotic relationship. Vaal Hazak is a long, slender Ancient Dragon with several unique physical features. Its body is covered in silver scales, which are obscured by the fleshy red veil that covers most of its body. It possesses a striking double lower jaw, each with a row of extremely long, sharp fangs similar to those of a deep sea fish. It has two bright yellow spots at the sides of its head and two small red eyes. Its toes and wingtips are adorned with sickle-shaped claws.
This dragon lives a solitary lifestyle, and does not allow other monsters to encroach upon its territory. While it may not always react to the presence of a hunter, it will immediately become aggressive with any large monster it encounters. They are known to bury themselves in the piles of bones which litter the environment.
Vaal Hazak is capable of covering its body in a mysterious, life-sapping miasma, known as the Effluvium. As the substance builds up in the body of its victim, it can cause severe weakening of physical strength and resilience. The monster is able to release this miasma more violently by spewing a concentrated stream from its mouth or spreading it around a large area as a noxious cloud. Vaal Hazak also possesses the ability to gather the Effluvium from affected creatures and hunters back into its body, healing itself and killing the victim in the process.
Lair and Lair Actions
Being a creature that devours life in whole, Vaal Hazak's lair is an impediment of death itself. Deep in its cave dark, damp cave, Vaal Hazak sits upon mountain of corpses, bones and decaying flesh. Carniverous creatures scurry about underfoot, picking at the remains, forever twisted by the effluvia that Vaal Hazak thrives off of. Effluvia lingers as a thick cloud, choking the air.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Vaal Hazak takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Vaal Hazak can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- A cloud of Effluvia fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The cloud spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. Each creature in the fog when it appears must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking (4d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that ends its turn in the cloud takes (4d6) necrotic damage. A wind of at least 20 miles per hour disperses the fog. The cloud otherwise lasts until the dragon uses this lair action again or until the dragon dies.
- Vaal Hazak lets out a quick roar and (1d6+1) effluvia enraged beasts come to its aid.
Regional Effects
The region containing Vaal Hazak’s lair is twisted by its presence, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Within 2 miles of Vaal Hazak's lair, effluvia blankets the ground like a dense fog. When a creature enters the effluvium fog for the first time or starts a turn there, that creature must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. The creature takes (4d6) Necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Effluvia resembles a mist and sticks to the skin. It affects creatures even if they hold their breath or do not breath in general. The fog spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. A wind of at least 10 miles per hour disperses it for 1 minute, after which the fog closes back in.
- Beasts within 2 miles of Vaal Hazak’s lair are diseased and violent, enraged by the dense effluvia. Deer and other large game are strangely absent, hinting at the presence of an unnaturally hungry predator.
- Vines that feed off the effluvia hold bones of long deceased dragons and other large creatures as well as boulders. Each vine is 6 inches thick, and has AC 5, 15 hit points, vulnerability to fire and radiant damage, and has immunity to acid, cold, necrotic, poison, and psychic damage.
If the dragon dies, the creatures affected by effluvia lose their enraged state within a day. The effluvia fog disperses over the course of 1d10 days.
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