I created a very powerful version of an amber dragon for my home campaign many years ago. Now I re-created it. Of course it had to have a lightning breath, since amber has electric/magnetic properties.
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Amber Dragon
The brownish, shining scales of this dragon are slightly transparent but hard and spiky. A scent of trees lingers around its body while it looks at you with suspicion.
N dragon (earth)
Base Statistics
CR 3; Size Tiny; Hit Dice 4d12
Speed 40 ft.
Natural Armor +3; Breath Weapon line, 2d6 electricity
Str 11, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10
Special Abilities
Crackling Scales (Su): Attacking a young or older amber dragon with metal weapons frees static electricity from its scales. Every creature that inflicts damage to the dragon with a metal weapon takes 1d6 electricity damage.
Entrapping Sap (Su): Instead of using its electricity breath, an amber dragon can breathe a line of sticky sap that hardens rapidly. Creatures that fail a Reflex saving throw against this breath attack are entangled for 1 minute per age category of the dragon.
Magnetize (Su): A very old or older amber dragon can magnetize an opponent it damaged with one of its natural attacks. Such a creature must succeed at a Reflex saving throw or suffer a -2 penalty on attack rolls with metal weapons, plus a -2 penalty on their AC and a reduction of -10 feet on their AC if they wear metal armor. This effect lasts for 1 round, plus one additional round for every age category of the dragon beyond old. An amber dragon can use this ability a number of times per day equal to its age category.
Preserving Crystal (Su): Once per day, a great wyrm amber dragon can breathe on an opponent, covering it completely in rapidly hardening resin. A creature that fails its saving throw against the dragon’s breath weapon is effectively petrified until freed with magic or released by the amber dragon itself.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): An amber dragon gains the following spell-like abilities, usable at will upon reaching the listed age category.
Very Young- shocking grasp
Juvenile- resinous skin
Adult- hold monster
Old- calcific touch
Ancient- chain lighting
Great Wyrm- magnetic field
Wild Shape (Su): An amber dragon can use wild shape as a druid of a level equal to its age category, except it can only use this ability to assume the form of an animal. As a wyrmling it only can take the shape of any Small animal once per day. At juvenile age, this ability works as for a 4th-level druid, and shapes allowed, uses per day and duration increase normally from then on.
Age Category | Special Abilities | Caster Level |
Wyrmling | Entrapping sap, immunity to electricity and petrification, wild shape | — |
Very young | shocking grasp | — |
Young | Crackling scales | 1st |
Juvenile | Charming presence, resinous skin | 3rd |
Young Adult | DR 5/magic, spell resistance | 5th |
Adult | blink, hold monster | 7th |
Mature adult | DR 10/magic | 9th |
Old | calcific touch | 11th |
Very old | Magnetize, DR 15/magic | 13th |
Ancient | chain lightning | 15th |
Wyrm | DR 20/magic | 17th |
Great wyrm | magnetic field, preserving crystal | 19th |
Environment temperate and warm forested hills and mountains
Organization solitary
Treasure triple
Solitary and aloof, amber dragons dwell in caves hidden in deep forests and don’t like to be bothered. They don’t take any particular care in affairs regarding other living beings. Some ancient grumpy specimens line their lair with rows of petrified victims, as a warning to intruders.
Amber Dragon Bloodline
An amber dragon’s energy type is electricity and its granted breath weapon is a 60-foot line for the purpose of a sorcerer or bloodrager taking the draconic bloodline, an oracle taking the Dragon mystery, and similar effects.
