FREQUENCY:  Very rare
NO. APPEARING:  1-3
ARMOR CLASS:  5
MOVE:  9?/24?  (MC: A)
HIT DICE:  See Table 8
% IN LAIR:  25%
TREASURE TYPE:  Q, T, U
NO. OF ATTACKS:  1  bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK:  1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS:  Major spell use, major
darkness/shadow powers, surprise
bonus in darkness
SPECIAL DEFENSES:  High intelligence,
create darkness, astral travel, magic
resistance, major spell use, major
darkness/shadow powers
MAGIC RESISTANCE:  See  Table 8
INTELLIGENCE:  Average to high
ALIGNMENT:  Neutral, chaotic neutral
SIZE: S (See Table 8)
PSIONIC ABILITY:  Nil
CHANCE OF:
Speaking:  90%
Magic use:  30%
Sleeping:  40%
LEVEL/XP VALUE:  Up to VI/750 + 6 per
hit dice (maximum age and abilities)

The shadow drake enjoys dark caves
and heavily shadowed, peaceful forests.
Sometimes one lairs near a group of pixies
or brownies. Unlike other lesser dragons,
they do not avoid civilized areas, sometimes creeping into cities at night. Their
statistics are in Table 8.

A shadow drake has an unusual innate
power. In darkness or heavy shadows, it
seems to merge with the shadows, becoming  invisible even to ultravision and infravision. This drake enjoys stealth and is
almost noiseless in flight, surprising foes
five in six times if the area is in shadow or
darkness. This drake can attack from
shadows or darkness without becoming
visible to prey. Its tiny talons are retractable and very sharp. Shadow drakes have
no breath weapons.

All shadow drakes have the innate ability to create  darkness twice per day as per
the illusionist spell, except that such  darkness lasts for 24 hours. They can also
create a smaller area of  darkness, as per
the spell except that it lasts only five minutes and is 10? across; this power may be
used. at will. If cast upon a creature that
does not make its saving throw vs. spells,
this spell blinds the victim for the spell?s
duration.

Once a shadow drake has access to an
area of magical  darkness (even selfcreated), it can enter that  darkness,
wherein it can utilize other innate abilities.

The first ability is to create a  shadow
duplicate of itself. This power is like the
illusionist spell  shades, except that the
type of  shadow monster created is an
illusionary duplicate of the shadow drake
without magical ability. This  shadow duplicate cannot be told from the original, as
per the illusionist spell  mirror image. This
power can be used but once per day.

The second ability is to duplicate the
effects of the illusionist spell  demi-shadow
monsters. There are no restrictions to this
spell-like ability, and any creature the
shadow drake can imagine can be created.
This spell is always cleverly used to create
a monster to cause the most disruption
possible. This power may be used twice
per day.

The third ability available to shadow
drakes while in magical  darkness is  rope
trick, as per the illusionist spell. The
shadow drake can hide in this extradimensional
space for the duration of the spell,
even if the magical darkness is dispelled.
This power can be used twice per day.

The shadow drake is a shy creature and
often uses a  shadow duplicate to lure
creatures away from its lair. Some shadow
drakes have magical abilities, having
learned to cast illusionist spells from elder
members of their species (though some
learn spells from gnome or human illusionists in the vicinity). These spells are
mostly defensive in nature but never
include spells such as color spray, dancing
lights, and other spells that create or
involve light. See Table 8 for details.

Shadow drakes love beautiful jewels and
go to any length to secure them. They eat
fruits and honey but often supplement
their diets with small rodents and insects.
Shadow drakes look like small dragons of
an ash-gray color. While shy, they are also
very curious and have been known to
form temporary relationships with gnome,
elven, and human spell-casters. They are
particularly fond of illusionists.

Ancient shadow drakes gain the power
to shift to the Astral plane and back once
per month. They can take no other
shadow drakes with them. Shadow drakes
of very old and ancient ages are known to
have one further power, that of being able
to dimension door from one area of magical shadow to another within a one-mile
radius.

Table 8
Shadow Drake's Ages and Spells

                                                                                                                                                                           Illusionist spells (levels)

Shadow drage age	Hit dice	Size	Magic resistance	Cantrips	First	Second	Third	Fourth
Very young	2	6"	10%	0	0	0	0	0
Young	3	1'	15%	1	0	0	0	0
Sub-adult	3+3	1'6"	20%	3	1	0	0	0
Young adult	4	1'9"	25%	4	2	0	0	0
Adult	4+3	2'	30%	4	2	1	0	0
Old	5	2'3"	35%	4	3	2	0	0
Very old	5+2	2'6"	40%	4	4	3	1	0
Ancient	5+4	2'9"	45%	5	4	4	2	1

Crystal Drake	Demon Drake	-	Faerie Drake	Shadow Drake
Dragon	Dragon 146	-	Find Familiar	Monster Manual III