Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Visage. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Visage. Due to the aberrant influence of this dragon, all who look upon the dragon are filled with horror. Each creature who has laid eyes upon the dragon within 120 feet must succeed on a DC 21 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 Visage for the next 24 hours.
Breath Weapons (Recharge 5–6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons.
Psychic Breath. The dragon exhales a psychic breath incomprehensible to normal minds in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Intelligence saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Forceful Breath. The dragon exhales pure force in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone, taking 7 (2d6) on a failed save, or half as much on a successful.
Aberrant Mutation: Upon taking enough damage to lose half of the dragons hit points the dragon slips further into the clutches of the aberrant infection, its body begins to mutate and change.
When the dragon loses half its hit points roll a d6 and see the list below:
(1) Twin Heads. The dragon's head splits down the middle, pulling itself apart to have two heads. Each head can now use breath weapons and make individual bite attacks.
(2) Tentacle Tails. The dragon's tail tears itself apart into two tentacles. Each tentacle can use a tail attack, or grapple using the dragons Strength modifier.
(3) Eyes of the Beholder. The eyes of the dragon become able to project a 60 ft anti-magic cone. Creatures inside the cone are under the effect of the antimagic field spell.
(4) Boney Spikes. Scales and bones snap and pierce the hide of the dragon. When the creature is hit with a melee weapon, the attacker must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) Piercing damage.
(5) Slimy Scales. The dragon's scales begin to secrete a think mucus. This mucus increases the dragon's AC by 2 as well as giving it resistance to Slashing, Piercing and Bludgeoning from non-magical weapons.
(6) Winged Claws. The dragon's wings snap and splinter. The bones that once held the winged filament now stretch into another set of claws. The dragon can now make two more claw attacks.
These changes work with the dragon's base actions.
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 22 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
Once a normal dragon, now a slave to an aberrant parasite. Somehow this dragon has been infected by an alien parasite. This dragon slowly devolves into a mad animal as the parasite takes hold. Its body mutates and its magical mind begins to thin the veil between reality and the Far Realm.
Lair and Lair Actions
An Aberrant Dragon’s Lair
Once, this was a normal dragon, but now it is infected by an aberrant source. Their lairs are the same as that of their previous life. However, now there is an eerie cold and stillness. The dark patches of the lairs being to shimmer as if they were an infinite stretch to the Far Realms, which now begins to seep into reality.
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 bleeding of the Far Realm becomes so strong that the dragon can choose a creature it can see within 120 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or be banished to a pocket plane of the Far Realm. To escape, the creature must use its action to make an Intelligence check contested by the dragons. If the creature wins, it escapes the pocket 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.
- The Far Realm empowers the dragon's new aberrant mind allows it to glimpses into the mind of its foes, finding their next moves. This allows the dragon to have advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until initiative count 20 on the next round.
- The dragon casts phantasmal force (no components required) on any number of creatures it can see within 60 feet of it. While maintaining concentration on this effect, the dragon can’t take other lair actions. If a target succeeds on the saving throw or if the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the dragon's phantasmal force lair action for the next 24 hours, although such a creature can choose to be affected.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary dragon’s lair is warped by the Far Realm, 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.
- Shadows 6 miles of the dragon’s lair grow and stretch when a creature looks into these shadows they feel as if the shadows are infinite and creatures begin to feel themselves be pulled into a vast empty darkness.
If the dragon dies, these effects end immediately.
My first homebrew. Looking for any suggestions and feedback.
Very descriptive. I really like the template! 10 out of 10!
I love this idea, keep up the work. I was hoping to add it, but I couldn't, said I needed a subscription. anyway, keep it up and love the work.
oh, and as for a rating, I'd say you did a 10 out of 10. I like the fact it has mutations, that was a really cool addition.
this is awesome i used it in my adventure and my players loved it! 10 out of 10! as for suggestions and feedback you should probably up the challenge rating to maybe 24-26 that psychic breath is a little to strong for CR 18. but otherwise its perfect! you have a great imagination! MMM... that stands for Make More Monsters. keep up the good work! : )
I feel that despite it's attacks being really powerful, it's health is somewhat underwhelming. A group of 3 level 10's could easily defeat this with the right spells, besides that, 10 out of 10, just up the health.
Also Vespire, would you mind if I was to make a aberrant infection cell? I feel that this is a great idea, and I would enjoy if I was allowed to make the Catalyst of this infection.
I checked, the purple worm, a challenge rating 13, has almost as much health as it. Still, I feel that just a little bit more health would do. Just not to much.
Am I allowed to use some of these mutations and other details? This is very terrifying, and amazing at the same time!
Also, I noticed that everyone else was rating this, so my rating is 200 out of 10.
Thank you for asking, use away, always happy to share!