FREQUENCY: Very rare

FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level V]) (VY. Y: Very Young, Young)
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level VI]) (SA, A: Sub Adult, Adult)
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level VII]) (A: Adult)
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Dungeon Level VIII]) (O: Old)
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Dungeon Level IX]) (VO: Very Old)
FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Dungeon Level X]) (AN: Ancient)

FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Wilderness Mountains])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Freshwater Surface])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Saltwater Surface])

FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Mountains])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Freshwater Surface])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Saltwater Surface])

NO. APPEARING: 1 or 2 <(d%: 01-95 = 1, 96-00 = 2)>
ARMOR CLASS: 0 or -3
MOVE: 6" / 39" <MC = ?>
HIT DICE: 12 to 14
% IN LAIR: 25%
TREASURE TYPE: [R], [T], [X], [Z]
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10/1-10/3-36/3-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon, magic use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magic use
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard or 50%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (66' long)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: X | 6100 + 10/hp + 100/hp over 48
 

Cloud dragons are most solitary creatures, <dragon || oriental dragon??>
and 95% of all encounters with be with a lone individual.
In cases where 2 are found,
they will be a mated pair of adults (1d4 + 4 for age category determination).
Cloud dragons are sky-dwelling creatures.
While some dwell in caves which are shrouded by clouds,
most (75%) dwell on cloud islands and lair there (cf., "Cloud Giant").
They dislike intrusion and will either avoid contact with or attack unwanted visitors.

It is 75% unlikely that a cloud dragon can be distinguished from a normal cloud,
as all of these creatures can assume a cohesive gaseous form at wll.
Not only is recognition difficult,
but gaseous AC is -3. <make note at potion of gaseous form?>
However,
their only attacks while in cloud form are spells.
In order to physically attack,
the dragons must assume solid form (armor class 0).
Similarly,
solid form negates innate magic resistance.
Attack routine consists of a claw/claw/bite/tail-lash sequence.
The latter mode of attack is useful only if 1 or more opponents are at the rear of the cloud dragon's position.

Breath Weapon:
Three times per day a cloud dragon can exhale a blast of air.
This airblast is 3" wide, 3" deep, and from 12-14" long (according to the number of hit dice of the dragon).
All creatures caught within it will be blown around if they weigh less than 10 pounds times the hit points of the cloud dragon.
For example,
an ancient cloud dragon of huge size could blow an airblast which could affect all creatures weighing 1120 pounds or less.
Tumbling and wind damage is 1 point per hit point of the dragon.
Creatures not blown around take half normal damage,
this from wind and wind-borne particles.
All paper and similarly flimsy objects will be blown away or shredded if held and torn free.
Garments not securely fastened will be torn off or tattered.
Objects with large surface areas (shields, boxes, etc.) will be torn away and battered or broken as if struck a crushing blow.
Creatures able to hold on to a secure object can apply their strength to effectively add 10 points per strength point,
plus any allowance (in pounds, not gold pieces) to their effective weight.
Thus,
a human weighing 200 pounds with 18/00 strength and holding fast to a tree would equal 680 pounds of weight.
No saving throw is possible unless a victim is at the edge of the airblast;
if so,
either full effect or half-effect must be determined.
All fully affected creatures and objects will be tumbled back along the path of the airblast for 1-6 feet per hit die of the breathing dragon.
Light, flimsy objects will be blown 20-200 feet beyond the range of the airblast.

Magic Use:
In addition to their attack modes and breath weapons,
cloud dragons have spell ability.
Spells are gained at age categories,
as follows:
1-fog cloud,
2-[precipitation],
3-[stinking cloud],
4-[cloudburst],
5-[call lightning],
6-[weather summoning],
7-[control weather],
8-[control winds].
Each spell is usable twice per day and performed at a level equal to the dragon's hit dice.

Precipitation causes a brief shower (12-14 segments) up to HD" away from the dragon in a cylinder 12" high with a diameter of 3".
This rain will completely dampen small flames such as candles and causes small fires to smoulder for 1 round but will not affect large fires.
All but the most porous surfaces will be wetted.
Any very hot creature, such as a [salamander],
will take 1 point of damage for each segment in the rain.
Saving throw applies.
<could edit & link to UA>

Cloudburst affects a cylinder 6" high with a diameter of 3" up to HD" away from the dragon and precipitates all water in the air into huge drops,
drenching everything and extinguishing all normal fires.
Magical fires will be extinguished as well,
with permanent magical fires relighting in 1-2 rounds and re-lightable flames extinguished until rekindled.
Spells such as [burning hands] and [produce flame] will be negated,
and a [fireball] or similar spell will be extinguished,
creating a cloud of steam doing 1-3 points of damage (2-6 for cold-using creatures) to all within it for 2-5 rounds.

Cloud dragons have their own dialect of draconian speech, <note made at DMG> <technically, 'draconic speech', perhaps>
although they can converse with all other sorts of dragons.
All cloud dragons converse,
if but haltingly,
in the human common tongue speech as well.

Cloud dragons appear to be fringed and frilled gold dragons.
Coloration depends on surroundings and mood,
ranging from dark gray (angry) through pearly white (neutral) to golden or rose-colored (satisfied or very pleased).
in solid form they have a transluscent,
opaline coloration with color specks reflecting mood.

<headings added>
<2: nice placer image, but cloud dragons actually look like oriental dragons : gold dragons look like oriental dragons>

Sure, and i recall the cloud dragon, so why not?

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Mouser
Gary, thanks for the info on dragons. As a follow up, I'm wondering any of the new dragons from Monster Manual II ever made it into your campaign? I really like the Shadow Dragon (I'm thinking of springing it on my PC's at some point  ) and the Cloud and Mist varieties were excellent as well.

Gray Mouser

Yes, the shadow dragon was encountered--nasty meeting that the details of which i but vaguely remember. The cloud and mist versions of dracos wree in an area of wilderness adventure that i had laid out ofr PCs to get transported to, but that never happened. As nearly as i can remember, there was only one randon encounter with a cloud dragon in my campaign.

Cheers,
Gary