| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 27 | +8 | +16 |
| DEX | 20 | +5 | +15 |
| CON | 25 | +7 | +18 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INT | 18 | +4 | +13 |
| WIS | 19 | +4 | +16 |
| CHA | 23 | +6 | +14 |
Dual Dragon Soul.
Zed embodies both Red Dragon and Fire Dragon essence. His aura radiates flames in a 30 ft. radius: enemies starting their turn inside take 14 (4d6) fire damage.
Blazing Knight’s Helm.
His helm, shaped like a fiery warhorse’s head, constantly leaks smoke and embers. Enemies that see him within 30 ft. must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom save or be frightened until the end of their turn.
Greatsword of Infernos.
Zed’s massive dragonsteel greatsword counts as a +3 weapon. On a hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) slashing plus 22 (5d8) fire damage. Against objects or structures, it deals double damage.
Mythic Resistance (3/Day or 4/day in lair).
If Zed fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Multiattack. The knight makes two attacks, using Greatsword or Heavy Crossbow in any combination.
Greatsword of Infernos. Melee Attack Roll: +16, reach 10 ft. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) Slashing damage plus 22 (5d8) Fire damage.
Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Attack Roll: +2, range 100/400 ft. Hit: 11 (2d10) Piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) Radiant damage.
Parry. Trigger: Zed is hit by a melee attack roll while holding a weapon. Response: The dragon knight adds 3 to its AC against that attack, possibly causing it to miss.
Zed can take 3 (4 in Lair) legendary actions, only one at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn:
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Greatsword Attack. Zed makes one Greatsword of Infernos attack.
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Flame Wave. A shockwave of fire bursts in a 20 ft. radius around him. Enemies must succeed on a DC 23 Dex save or take 22 (5d8) fire damage.
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Horse’s Roar (Costs 2 Actions). His blazing helm emits a fiery, draconic neigh-roar. All enemies within 30 ft. must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom save or be frightened until the end of their next turn.
Living Conflagration (Recharges after a Long Rest)
When Zed is reduced to 0 hit points, his body erupts into a humanoid inferno, reforming with 320 hit points. In this form:
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He sheds bright light in a 120 ft. radius and dim light another 120 ft.
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His Greatsword attacks deal an additional 18 (4d8) fire damage.
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His Aura of Flame expands to 60 ft.
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Once per round, he can use Dual Dragon’s Breath as a bonus action.
Description
Lore
Zed, the Blazing Dragon Knight, was once a Fire Genasi who sought to prove himself more than his elemental blood. He achieved the unthinkable: slaying both an Ancient Red Dragon and a Fire Dragon of pure flame, consuming their hearts and souls into his own. Instead of being destroyed, his Genasi heritage let him bind them, becoming their knightly avatar.
Now clad in bright blue-hot armor edged with black char and crowned by his horse-visored helm, Zed is a knight of burning justice. Though he is Neutral Good, his flames are merciless to tyrants, invaders, and those who would shackle freedom. When Zed rides to war, he is not simply a knight — he is a wildfire given purpose.
The bards say:
“When Zed falls, the flames rise higher. When Zed burns, the world trembles. For his soul is not one fire, but two — the dragon of flesh, and the dragon of flame.”
Lair and Lair Actions
Lair of Zed, the Blazing Dragon Knight
The Infernal Crucible
Zed’s lair is a colossal volcanic fortress at the heart of a still-erupting mountain. The Crucible is a mix of ancient dragon caverns and knightly stronghold, reforged in magma and flame. Jagged obsidian walls rise like teeth, rivers of lava flow like veins, and pillars of smoke pour from the mountain’s open heart. Despite its apocalyptic fury, there is a sense of order — molten forges line the halls, statues of fallen warriors stand unburnt by the fire, and the air hums with the disciplined wrath of a knight who fights for more than destruction.
Terrain Features
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Molten Rivers. Lava channels split the battlefield into deadly sections. Heat haze distorts vision, and falling into a flow deals 55 (10d10) fire damage per round.
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Infernal Pillars. Stone spires rise and collapse constantly, spewing jets of flame. They shift the battlefield mid-combat, creating cover or hazards.
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The War Forge. At the lair’s center, a colossal forge of dragonsteel burns eternally with the soul-flames of the Fire Dragon. Here, Zed reforges his blade endlessly, imbuing it with new power.
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Dragon Echoes. The spectral forms of the Red and Fire Dragons haunt the cavern. They roar occasionally, shaking the earth and igniting sparks in the air.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing ties), Zed can command the Crucible to act:
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Eruption Surge. Lava erupts in a 20 ft. radius anywhere in the lair. Enemies in the area must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity save or take 36 (8d8) fire damage and be knocked prone.
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Obsidian Spikes. Jagged black spikes erupt from the ground in a 30 ft. line. Enemies caught within must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity save or take 27 (6d8) piercing and 22 (5d8) fire damage.
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Dragon’s Roar. The lair echoes with the combined roar of the Red and Fire Dragons. Enemies within 60 ft. must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom save or be frightened until the end of their next turn.
Regional Effects
The land around Zed’s Crucible is warped for 10 miles:
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Ashfall. Black ash falls constantly like snow. Nonmagical fires never go out.
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Rivers of Flame. Streams of molten rock flow unnaturally down the mountain’s slopes, forming deadly barriers to intruders.
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Blazing Winds. Heat waves shimmer across the land. Creatures traveling within 5 miles without fire resistance take 1 level of exhaustion per day.
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Aura of the Just Flame. Tyrants, raiders, or creatures of cruelty find themselves weakened here — all creatures with evil alignment suffer disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws while in the Crucible.
If Zed dies, the Crucible slowly cools into a dead mountain, but the War Forge burns for centuries, refusing to go dark.
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