Heated Body. A creature that touches the dragon or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 16 (4d8) fire damage.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
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: +17 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (2d10 + 11) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) fire damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d6 + 11) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) lightning damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (2d8 + 11) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 25 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
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 25 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Breath Weapons (Recharge 5-6). The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons:
Magma Breath. The dragon exhales a 90-foot line that is 10 feet wide in a direction it chooses. Each creature in that line must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 88 (25d6) fire damage and 88 (25d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Lightning Arc. The dragon exhales a bolt of lightning that forks into three bolts. The dragon can target up to three creatures it can see within 120 feet of it. Each target must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 99 (18d10) lightning damage and Paralyze them for 1 minute on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one and no Paralyzed effect.
Conductive Touch. The dragon can channel electrical energy into its next melee attack. If the attack hits before the end of its turn, it deals an extra 16 (4d8) lightning damage.
Magmatic Surge. The dragon can draw upon the heat within its body to increase its speed. Until the end of its turn, its flying speed increases by an extra 80 feet.
Smokescreen. The dragon emits a cloud of thick, black smoke that extends 20 feet from it in all directions. The smoke heavily obscures the area. A creature entirely within the smoke can't see anything outside of it, and creatures outside the smoke can't see anything inside it other than the dragon or a creature with truesight. Any creature other than the dragon or a creature that doesn't need to breathe that starts its turn within the smoke must make a DC 25 Constitution saving throw or be incapacitated until the end of its turn due to choking fumes. The smoke lasts for 1 minute or until a strong wind disperses it.
Sense Tremors. The dragon can focus its senses to detect vibrations in the ground within 180 feet. It knows the location of any creature in contact with the ground within that range that isn't burrowing or incorporeal.
The Dragon can do 3 reactions per turn.
Reactive Spark. When a creature within 30 feet hits the dragon with a melee attack, the dragon can unleash a burst of lightning as a reaction. The attacker must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 27 (5d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Molten Counter. When a creature within 30 feet casts a spell that targets only the dragon, the dragon can expel a burst of molten rock as a reaction. The caster must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Wing Buffet. When a creature the dragon can see moves within 5 feet of it, the dragon can use its reaction to beat its wings, forcing the creature to make a DC 25 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (their choice) or be knocked prone.
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action 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.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw or take 18 (2d6 + 11) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Tail Sweep (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon sweeps its tail in a 20-foot radius. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw or take 20 (2d8 + 11) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
Lightning Burst (Costs 3 Actions). The dragon magically unleashes a burst of lightning at one creature it can see within 120 feet of it. The target must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
When the dragon rolls initiative, and on each of its turns, it gains 1 mystic action point to a maximum of 5. It starts with 3 mystic actions. It can spend these points to take the following mystic actions:
Arcane Teleport (2 points). The dragon magically teleports itself and up to three willing creatures it can see within 30 feet of it to an unoccupied space the dragon can see within 120 feet of it.
Elemental Shield (1 point). Until the start of its next turn, the dragon gains temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + its Constitution modifier (11). While it has these temporary hit points, it has resistance to one type of damage of its choice (acid, cold, force, necrotic, psychic, radiant, or thunder).
Thunderous Roar (3 points). The dragon emits a deafening roar. Each creature within 30 feet of the dragon must make a DC 25 Constitution saving throw or take 33 (6d10) thunder damage and be deafened for 1 minute. A deafened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Meteor Shower (3 points). The dragon magically summons a barrage of fiery meteors to rain down on a point it can see within 120 feet of it. The area is a 40-foot radius cylinder, 40 feet high. Each creature in that area must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) fire damage and 55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Description
Lore Concept: Child of Primordial Confluence
In the nascent epochs of the world, before the clear distinctions between the elements were fully formed and the established dragon types had fully diverged, there were places where raw, untamed magic surged. These were regions where the primordial forces of fire and air (the precursors to lightning) intertwined in volatile and unpredictable ways. The Ancient Magmawing Dragon is believed to have originated from one such locus of power – a caldera nestled within a storm-wracked mountain range, where the molten heart of the world met the electric fury of the heavens.
Within this chaotic crucible, the ambient magical energies, infused with both intense heat and crackling electrical charge, coalesced over centuries. Instead of birthing separate entities of fire or lightning, this unique confluence of primordial power gave rise to a single, magnificent being – the Magmawing. Its very essence is a testament to this volatile origin, its scales shimmering with the hues of molten rock and crackling with faint electrical arcs.
Unlike dragons with more defined elemental affinities, the Magmawing embodies a more fundamental and potent combination. Its fire is not merely combustion but carries the raw heat of the planet's core, and its lightning is not just atmospheric discharge but pulses with the chaotic energy of primordial storms. This unique origin also explains its neutral alignment; it is a force of nature, a living embodiment of a specific, powerful confluence, rather than adhering to the more structured societal or philosophical leanings of other dragon types.
Ancient texts and whispered legends among reclusive scholars speak of such places of primordial power, often linked to the earliest days of creation. These sites are said to be incredibly dangerous and unpredictable, capable of birthing phenomena that defy easy categorization. The Magmawing Dragon, in this context, is a rare and awe-inspiring example of such a phenomenon – a living echo of a time when the world was still taking shape.
Its lairs are invariably located in regions that still retain some of this raw, elemental instability – active volcanoes prone to violent electrical storms, or deep geothermal rifts that crackle with energy. The regional effects we defined earlier are not merely a result of its presence but are intrinsic to the very nature of the places it is drawn to, further amplified by its immense power.
This origin also suggests that there might be other, equally unique creatures born from similar primordial confluences, though they would likely be exceedingly rare and tied to specific locations of power. The Magmawing Dragon, therefore, is not just a powerful individual but potentially a relic of a forgotten age, a living testament to the raw and untamed magic that shaped the world.
Lair and Lair Actions
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon can take one lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Surge of Heat and Ash. A wave of intense heat and choking ash washes over one creature the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw or take 27 (5d10) fire damage and be blinded until the end of its next turn.
- Lightning-Charged Lava. A patch of molten lava, in a 20-foot radius centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it, surges with electrical energy. Each creature in that area must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 16 (4d8) fire damage and 16 (4d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The area becomes difficult terrain until the start of the dragon's 3rd turn he activated this effect.
- Erupting Lava Geyser. A geyser of superheated lava erupts from the ground in a 30-foot radius centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. Each creature in that area must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 33 (7d8) fire damage and being knocked prone on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one and not being knocked prone.
Regional Effects
The region around an Ancient Magmawing Dragon's lair is warped by its dual elemental power, creating the following effects:
- Unpredictable Storms and Heatwaves. Within 6 miles of the lair, the weather shifts erratically between violent thunderstorms with frequent, powerful lightning strikes and sudden, oppressive heatwaves that can cause dehydration and exhaustion (disadvantage on Constitution saving throws against exhaustion).
- Electrified and Molten Terrain. Within 3 miles of the lair, the ground is unstable. Patches of superheated rock and small flows of lava make the terrain difficult to navigate. Metallic objects on the ground often carry a potent static charge (deals 1d6 lightning damage to creatures touching them without protection), and creatures wearing metal armor or wielding metal weapons have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
- Geothermal and Electrical Activity. Within 1 mile of the lair, minor earthquakes are common, and fissures in the ground release bursts of scalding steam and jets of molten rock (deals 2d6 fire damage to creatures starting their turn within 10 feet of a fissure). Arcs of lightning occasionally leap between prominent rock formations (DC 20 Dexterity saving throw to avoid taking 3d10 lightning damage). These areas are considered difficult terrain and impose disadvantage on Constitution saving throws against exhaustion from heat.
- Aggressive and Mutated Wildlife. Creatures within 1 mile of the lair become fiercely territorial and exhibit strange adaptations or mutations due to the extreme heat and electrical energies. Some may possess unusual resistances or attacks incorporating fire or lightning.
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