Shapechanger. If the vampire dragon isn't in sunlight , it can use its action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Large cloud of mist, or back into its true form.
While in bat form, the vampire dragon can't speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 30 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
While in mist form, the vampire dragon can't take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing, and it can’t pass through water. It has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and it is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage it takes from sunlight.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the vampire dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Misty Escape. When it drops to 0 hit points outside its resting place, the vampire dragon transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that it isn't in sunlight or running water. If it can't transform, it is destroyed.
While it has 0 hit points in mist form, it can't revert to its vampire dragon form, and it must reach its resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in its resting place, it reverts to its vampire form. It is then paralyzed until it regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in its resting place with 0 hit points, it regains 1 hit point.
Regeneration. The vampire dragon regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight. If the vampire dragon takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of the vampire's next turn.
Spider Climb. The vampire dragon can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Vampire Weaknesses. The vampire dragon has the following flaws:
Forbiddance. The vampire can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants. But it can destroy it still.
Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into the vampire dragon's heart while the vampire dragon is incapacitated in its resting place, the vampire dragon is paralyzed until the stake is removed.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire dragon takes 20 radiant damage per turn after spending more then 30 minutes in direct sunlight. It has disadvantage on saving throws well in sunlight regardless of time spent.
Multiattack. The vampire dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., Hit: 7 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire dragon regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid or dragon slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn or vampire dragon spawn under the vampire dragon's control.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the vampire dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the vampire dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 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 vampire dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Necrotic Breath (Recharge 5–6). The vampire dragon exhales an necrotic blast in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Charm. The vampire dragon targets one humanoid or dragon it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the vampire dragon, the target must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the vampire dragon. The charmed target regards the vampire dragon as its lord and master to be heeded and protected. The target is not under the vampire dragons's control, but it takes the vampire dragon's requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the vampire dragon's bite attack.
Each time the vampire dragon or the vampire dragon's companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the vampire dragon is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
The vampire 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 vampire dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The vampire dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Bite. The vampire dragon makes one bite attack.
Tail Attack. The vampire dragon makes one tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The vampire dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage and (2d6 + 6) necrotic damage and be knocked prone. The vampire dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Description
A vampire dragon is a type of undead dragon with vampirism.
They are created when a dragon enters into a pact with or kills and consumes a vampire. The fell magic and tainted blood within the vampires body changes the nature of the dragon that consumes it. It's scales darken to deep shade of grey or black and its wings and muzzle take on a dark red hue like the blood it feeds on and its breath weapon turns into a blast of necrotic energy and its skin contracts and it becomes more gaunt in appearance. Or when another vampiric dragon fully drained the life energy from a living adult or ancient dragon. They desired only evil and death, and are fond of spreading tales of their treasure to lure unwitting adventurers to feed upon. Vampiric dragons are also capable of creating vampire spawn from the victims of their blood drain. If the victim is an adult dragon, it rises as a vampiric dragon spawn within a matter of days, while younger dragons instead will rise as mindless zombie dragons.
Vampiric dragons share many traits with non-draconic vampires: they sustaine themselves by feeding on the blood of living creatures, they cast neither shadows nor reflections, and they can turn themselves to mist. While normal vampires are anchored to their coffins, a vampiric dragon is anchored to its hoard.
Like other vampires, vampiric dragons have a weakness to sunlight. Unlike ordinary vampires, however, vampiric dragons can survive exposure to direct sunlight for a time; they are instead weakened and slowed, though if they do not quickly find shelter they will be destroyed. Vampiric dragons can also be destroyed by a stake through the heart, though their immense size required a very big stake.
Unlike other vampires, vampiric dragons suffer no ill effects from crossing or being immersed in running water, nor are they repelled by garlic or mirrors. Though they still can not enter a home without an invitation, there is nothing stopping them from simply destroying the home and picking through the ruins for treasure or prey.
Lair and Lair Actions
A Vampire Dragon's Lair
A vampire dragon chooses a grand yet defensible location for its lair, such as a castle, fortified cave, or walled settlement. It hides its coffin hoard in an underground crypt or vault guarded by vampire spawn or other loyal creatures of the night.
A vampire dragons lair is usually the same lair it occupied well alive but the ambient magic that suffused it when it was alive has twisted and causes the changes in the area to alter in dark and shadowy ways.
Regional Effects
The region surrounding a vampire dragon's lair is warped by the creature’s unnatural presence, creating any of the following effects:
- There’s a noticeable increase in the populations of bats, rats, and wolves in the region.
- Plants within 500 feet of the lair wither, and their stems and branches become twisted and thorny.
- Shadows cast within 500 feet of the lair seem abnormally gaunt and sometimes move as though alive.
- A creeping fog clings to the ground within 500 feet of the vampire dragon's lair. The fog occasionally takes eerie forms, such as grasping claws and writhing serpents.
- A deep echoing roar can be hear randomly throughout the region.
If the vampire dragon is destroyed, these effects end after 2d6 days.
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