Monstrous Manual

Dragon, Gem - Sapphire Dragon

Dragon cristallin - Dragon de saphir

Monstrous Manual



Sapphire Dragon
Climate/Terrain:Any subterranean
Frequency:Very rare
Organization:Solitary or clan
Activity Cycle:Any
Diet:Special
Intelligence:Genius (17-18)
Treasure:Special
Alignment:Lawful neutral

No. Appearing:1 (2-5)
Armor Class:-3 (base)
Movement:9, Fl 30 (C), Br 6
Hit Dice:13 (base)
THAC0:7 (base)
No. of Attacks:3
Damage/Attack:1-8/1-8/5-20 (3d6+2)
Special Attacks:Variable
Special Defenses:Variable
Magic Resistance:Variable
Size:H (24’ base)
Morale:Fanatic (17-18)
XP Value:Variable

Psionics Summary

LevelDis/Sci/DevAttack/DefenseScorePSPs
= HD2/2/4PB,EW/M-,IF= Int200

Clairsentience – Sciences: clairaudience, clairvoyance; Devotions: know direction, radial navigation.

Psychokinesis – Sciences: disintegrate, molecular rearrangement, telekinesis; Devotions: animate shadow, control lights, molecular manipulation, soften.

Psychoportation – Science: any; Devotion: any.

Most sapphire dragons use psychoportive powers.

While not actively hostile, sapphire dragons are militantly territorial and initially distrustful of anyone who approaches.

These beautiful dragons range from light to dark blue, and sparkle in the light, even at birth. Sapphire dragons are often mistaken for blue dragons, unless someone recalls the latter’s preferred arid environment.

Sapphire dragons speak their own tongue and the tongue common to all gem dragons, and 16% of hatchling sapphire dragons have an ability to communicate with any intelligent creature. The chance to possess this ability increases 5% per age category of the dragon.

Combat: Sapphire dragons generally observe intruders before deciding what to do with them, unless known enemies such as drow or dwarves are present. If others are not actively hostile the dragon attempts conversation and spell use to determine their intentions and convince them to leave. If the dragon or its treasure is threatened, it attacks immediately with breath weapon, spells, and physical attacks. It uses psionics or other special abilities to escape if its life is in jeopardy.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: This dragon’s breath weapon is cone of high-pitched, almost inaudible sound, 75 feet long, 5 feet wide at the dragon’s mouth, and 25 feet wide at the base. Creatures caught by the blast can save vs. breath weapon for half damage from the sound’s disruption, and must make a second saving throw vs. breath weapon or be affected by fear, fleeing the dragon in panic for two rounds per age level of the dragon, plus 1d6 rounds. This is a metabolic effect, and creatures unaffected by magical fear still suffer from the effects if they fail their save. Deafness does not protect one from the breath weapon’s damage, though it prevents fear effects. A sapphire dragon casts spells and uses magical abilities at 7th level, plus combat modifier.

Sapphire dragons are born with immunity to all forms of fear, as well as immunity to web, hold, slow, and paralysis. As they age, they gain the following additional powers:

Young: continual light three times a day. Juvenile: stone shape three times a day. Adult: anti-magic shell once a day. Mature adult: passwall six times a day. Venerable: wall of stone three times a day. Great wyrm: sunray three times a day.

Habitat/Society: Sapphire dragons live deep underground and often place their treasure in caverns accessible only through magic or psionics. They sometimes share territory with emerald dragons.

Sapphire dragons treat their young well, but force them to leave and find their own territory as soon as they are young adults.

Ecology: Sapphire dragons consider giant spiders a great delicacy and often hunt them. Deep dragons, drow, dwarves, mind flayers, and aboleth are great enemies of sapphire dragons.


AgeBody Lgt. (’)Tail Lgt. (’)ACBreath WeaponSpells W/PMRTreas. TypeXP Value
1 Hatchling4-102-502d6+1NilNilNil2,000
2 Very young10-205-1014d6+2NilNilNil4,000
3 Young20-3010-15-26d6+3NilNilNil6,000
4 Juvenile30-4015-20-38d6+4Nil/1NilH,Q×28,000
5 Young adult40-5020-25-410d6+51/120%H,Q×4,T9,000
6 Adult50-6025-30-512d6+61/1 125%H,Q×6,T11,000
7 Mature adult60-7030-35-614d6+71 1/1 130%H,Q×8,T×213,000
8 Old70-8035-40-716d6+82 1/2 135%H×2,Q×10,T×214,000
9 Very old80-9040-45-818d6+92 1 1/2 1 140%H×2,Q×13,T×315,000
10 Venerable90-10045-50-920d6+102 2 1/2 2 1 145%H×2,Q×16,T×317,000
11 Wyrm100-11050-55-1022d6+112 2 1 1/2 2 2 1 150%H×2,Q×20,T×418,000
12 Great wyrm110-13055-65-1124d6+122 2 2 1/2 2 2 2 255%H×2,Q×24,T×420,000