FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 12?/24?
HIT DICE: 7-9
% IN LAIR: 60%
TREASURE TYPE: See below
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4/3-24
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon +
possible magic use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Neutral good
SIZE: L (36? long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic Use: 100%
Sleeping: 40%
The electrum dragon (Draco Magus
electrum) is a rare, solitary creature who
dwells far from civilization, usually in
mountainous areas, and always lairs in a
cavern or stone building. It is usually
peaceful and philosophical in nature, but
can be a formidable fighter if aroused.
An electrum dragon fights with its
breath weapon or by spell casting, in
addition to possibly employing its physi-
cal (claw/claw/bite) attacks, and may
direct these four attacks against multiple
targets in any round of combat.
Its breath weapon is a unique, unstable
gas emitted in a cone 4? long by 3? by 3?
high, which reacts with air and loses its
effectiveness after 1 round. This gas
causes enfeeblement (effects last for 1
turn), confusion (for 9 rounds), or both.
All creatures in the affected area must
save twice vs. breath weapon to avoid
both effects.
An electrum dragon begins life able to
detect magic and read magic, gains the
ability to identify items on touch ?
without any ill or cursed effects ? upon
growing to Young state, and upon
becoming an Adult, gains the power to
dispel magic once per day. A Very Old
electrum dragon can dispel magic twice
per day. These are all natural abilities
(the former two usable at will without
limitation), rather than spells.
In addition to these abilities, an elec-
trum dragon gains the ability to cast
spells as follows: Very Young specimens
can cast one 1st level magic-user spell
each 24 hours; Young ones can cast two
1st level spells a day; Sub-Adults, two 1st
and one 2nd level spell per day; Young
Adults, 3 1st and 2 2nd; Adults, 4 1st, 2
2nd, and 1 3rd level spell: Old 4, 2, and 2;
Very Old: 4, 3, 2, and 1 4th level spell;
and Ancient, 4, 3, 3, and 2.
These spells are never automatically
known. They must be acquired from
scrolls or spell books or through training
with a magic-user. An electrum dragon
must experiment with a written spell for
some time in order to successfully modify
if for entirely verbal casting. (Refer to the
AD&D? Monster Manual for aging and
other details of dragon nature.)
Electrum dragons enjoy trading, bar-
gaining, and philosophical debate. They
hoard things of beauty (such as finely
crafted items) rather than wealth per se; a
typical electrum dragon?s hoard might
contain statues, a harp or two, tapestries,
and gems and jewelry, but few coins of
any metal. Electrum dragons mate
approximately every 100 years, the female
producing 1-4 rubbery, foot-long eggs a
year after mating. These eggs are laid and
left untended; each egg (if it remains
unmolested) is 75% likely to be fertile, and
will hatch in a matter of days.
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