Expert Aerialist. The mystaran dragonfly has advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks when flying.
Keen Sight. The mystaran dragonfly has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Multiattack. The mystaran dragonfly makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its breath weapon. If the dragonfly uses both attacks against the same target, the target has disadvantage on its saving throw against the breath weapon.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Breath Weapon. The mystaran dragonfly breathes at a target within 5 feet. The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, with disadvantage if the dragonfly used Multiattack to attack the target with its bite. The target takes 6 (1d12) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Darting Flight. The mystaran dragonfly can disengage or dash as a bonus action when flying. It cannot use Darting Flight if it used Dodging Flight after the start of its previous turn.
Dodging Flight. If a creature of at least Small size attempts a melee attack against a mystaran dragonfly, or the dragonfly is targeted by a ranged weapon of similar size such as a giant-hurled boulder, the dragonfly can try to dodge out of the way as a reaction. The mystaran dragonfly makes a Dexterity saving throw with advantage (it loses this advantage when mounted or grappling an opponent). If the saving throw beats the attack roll or DC of the attack the mystaran dragonfly takes no damage and flies up to 30 feet.
If a mystaran dragonfly is carrying or grappling a creature that is too heavy for the dragonfly to fly with, it must release the creature to use Dodging Flight. If the dragonfly is grappling a creature light enough to carry through the air, the grappled creature can make an escape check as a free action. If it fails, the dragonfly may fly away with its victim.
Description
A mystaran dragonfly closely resembles a regular dragonfly about 3 to 4 feet long. Its head has subtle draconic features as well as a huge pair of globular multifaceted eyes. Mystaran dragonflies are swift and agile flyers with chitinous exoskeletons almost as tough as dragon scales. There are six known types, in order of size and power these are white, black, green, blue, red, and gold. They possess weak breath weapons that do damage corresponding to their dragon variety: cold for a white dragonfly, fire and poison for a gold dragonfly, et cetera.
Magical Mutant Insects. A bizarre combination of a finger long insect and enormous mystical reptile, the origins of these monsters is lost to time. Mystaran dragonflies seem to be very rare and may need extremely specific conditions or special magical environments to reproduce. While they do not hunt cooperatively, mystaran dragonflies are gregarious and often gather into small flights that number about 10 (3d6) insects. Mystaran dragonflies are surprisingly tolerant of other varieties and flocks of two colors are rather common, with some special cases having three or more. For example, a magically-irradiated underdark cave could contain all five chromatic dragonflies, while a mystical jungle pool might buzz with every dragonfly variety.
Mystaran dragonflies lay eggs in water that hatch into ferocious aquatic nymphs (see Mystaran Dragonfly Nymph for details). Unlike natural dragonflies, mystaran dragonflies build nests in waterweed or floating masses of greenery and guard their eggs until they hatch; the newborn nymphs immediately scatter as their parents abandon them. After a few years in the water the nymphs climb into the air and turn into flying adults. The larvae of mystaran dragonfly varieties are indistinguishable; even an expert cannot tell what kind of adult a nymph will turn into just by looking at it.
It is possible mystaran dragonflies are interfertile, with individuals in mixed flocks combining bloodlines from multiple varieties. Such hybrids, if they exist, look identical to a full-blooded mystaran dragonfly and never have features resembling other dragon types. Perhaps hybrids always "breed true" to the variety of one of its parents or a more distant ancestor, or mystaran dragonflies have polymorphic adult forms depending on what environment the young develop in; so a nymph from an egg laid in a tundra bog would grow into a white dragonfly, but a volcanically-heated brine pool could produce a red dragonfly.
Draconic Habitats. Each mystaran dragonfly variety inhabit terrain similar to that of their dragon type, but more hospitable. They would never survive in the desolate wastelands of ice, sand or lava that some dragons call home, preferring warmer environments with plenty of water. All known varieties also live in magical subterranean areas such as the Underdark. A mystaran dragonfly's territory might be far away from the bodies of water they need to breed, forcing a long migration every breeding season. Mystaran dragonflies usually breed in ponds, oxbow lakes, and slow-moving rivers. A few populations have nymphs adapted to saltwater and lay eggs in seaside pools, shore reefs or river mouths.
Black mystaran dragonflies like the same habitat as black dragons: dismal bogs, humid jungle swamps and stinking marshes. They enjoy hot weather and tropical climates while being quite tolerant of temperate areas. Black dragonflies are highly competitive and the most fecund of the dragonfly varieties, causing some breeding sites to suffer from over population.
(Monster designed by Casimir Liber and Cleon on Enworld.org's General Monster Talk Creature Catalog Forum; based on the Basic/Expert D&D dragonfly that first appeared in XL1 - Quest for the Heartstone (1984) by Michael L. Gray.)
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