Air Drake

Air drakes prefer to attack silently from the air and blind side their targets. They will use their psionic invisibility in order to get close enough to their prey to snare it. Failing that strategy, air drakes will use their psionic awe ability to gain advantage on their victim. From the air, the drake will attack with its two front claws and attempt to lift its opponent high into the air. If the victim struggles, the air drake will also use its jaws, biting the victim and shaking its head from side-to-side with all of its might. Once airborne, the air drake will soar quite high and then drop its prey. If the victim is larger than a man, the drake will do a fly-by maneuver and attempt to strike with both front claws and tail. Air drakes have a special elemental attack. They are able to gate a 100-yard diameter, circular bubble of tornado-like winds from the elemental plane of air. Anyone caught inside the area will be buffeted. The winds will prevent flying creatures from passing through the area and, depending on the terrain, may create a minor sandstorm if in contact with the ground. The drake can do this once every 15 days.

 Air drakes do not keep a single residence. They prefer a dozen or so “safe” areas. Because they move around so much, air drakes gather and horde few possessions and treasure. Often if they find an object which pleases them, they will store it at a lofty, inaccessible location. They will leave it and return to visit only when the mood strikes them. Little infuriates an air drake more than having one of these precious items stolen.

Air drakes prefer their food thoroughly softened before eating it. To accomplish this, a drake will swoop, grab its prey, soar into the sky, and then drop it. Air drakes often choose crags or rocky outcroppings for “tenderizing their meat.” If the prey can fly, it will take the victim aloft and dive straight for the ground, releasing its prey and pulling up at the last minute. Most creatures are incapable of recovering quickly enough to save themselves from this fatal flight. An average adult air drake can lift 1,000 pounds without difficulty.

Air Drake

Huge dragon, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 180 (16d12 + 80)

Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.

STR 18 (+4) DEX 20 (+5) CON 20 (+5) INT 10 (+0) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +9, Wis +6

Skills Perception +6, Stealth +9

Damage Immunities lightning

Condition Immunities paralyzed

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16

Languages Draconic, telepathy 60 ft.

Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The air drake's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12). The drake can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: levitate

3/day each: invisibility, gust of wind

Pounce. If the air drake moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the air drake can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.

Awe (Recharge 5-6). Each creature of the drake's choice within 30 feet of it must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. The effect ends if the charmed creature takes damage or if another creature uses an action to shake it out of its stupor.

Multiattack. The air drake makes two claw attacks and one bite attack.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.

Tornado Breath (Recharge 15 Days). The air drake conjures a 100-yard diameter circular area of tornado-like winds centered on a point within 120 feet of it. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Strength saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The winds prevent flying creatures from passing through the area, and depending on the terrain, may create a minor sandstorm if in contact with the ground.