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Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardAncient Copper Dragon

Capricious and always eager to share a good laugh, copper dragons are among the wiliest of the metallic dragons, but this by no means interferes with their mission to spread freedom in oppressive lands. Copper dragons are hedonists who are quick to indulge in simple pleasures, but they’re also sympathetic to other creatures, slow to pass judgment, and careful to always examine a situation from as many perspectives as possible. This philosophy has its drawbacks, however, as copper dragons are susceptible to negative influences and prone to forgiving the less serious evil acts performed by their chromatic cousins and other cruel creatures. Copper dragons also have a difficult time keeping their temper in check once they are roused to anger.

Copper dragons tend to lair in warm or temperate hills, but due to their nature, they move their lairs every few years. They sometimes live among other people, especially any dwarves who reside nearby. Some copper dragons even worship gods typically worshipped only by humanoids. Among these dragons, worship of Cayden Cailean is most popular, as they see his love of freedom and penchant for alcohol aligning with the typical copper dragon mindset.

A copper dragon’s combat tactics are as unorthodox as its sense of humor, as it is more likely to use mockery and tricks than outright strength to win its battles. As a copper dragon ages, it perfects jokes capable of rendering its foes helpless with laughter.

Recall Knowledge - Dragon (Arcana): DC 38
Unspecific Lore: DC 36
Specific Lore: DC 33

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Ancient Copper DragonCreature 17

Legacy Content

Uncommon CG Huge Dragon Earth 
Source Bestiary pg. 122
Perception +30; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet
Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnomish
Skills Acrobatics +30, Athletics +31, Crafting +31, Deception +29, Performance +31, Society +29, Stealth +30
Str +8, Dex +5, Con +5, Int +6, Wis +5, Cha +6
AC 41; Fort +30, Ref +32, Will +32; +1 status to all saves vs. magic
HP 345; Immunities acid, paralyzed, sleep
Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 90 feet, DC 35 Slow Aura (arcane, aura, enchantment) 10 feet. Each creature that ends its turn in the aura must succeed at a DC 37 Will saving throw or be slowed 1 for 1 round (or slowed 2 on a critical failure). The copper dragon can turn this aura on or off with a single action, which has the concentrate trait, and can choose not to affect allies within the aura. Twisting Tail [reaction] Trigger A creature within reach of the copper dragon’s tail uses a move action or leaves a square during a move action it’s using. Effect The dragon makes a tail Strike at the creature with a –2 penalty. If it hits, the dragon disrupts the triggering action.
Speed 50 feet, fly 200 feet; climb stone 50 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +33 [+28/+23] (acid, magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d10+16 piercing plus 3d8 acidMelee [one-action] claw +33 [+29/+25] (agile, magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 3d10+16 slashingMelee [one-action] tail +31 [+26/+21] (magical, reach 20 feet), Damage 2d10+14 bludgeoningArcane Innate Spells DC 39; 5th hideous laughter (at will), wall of stone; 4th shape stone (at will); 1st grease (at will)
Breath Weapon [two-actions] The copper dragon breathes in one of two ways. The dragon can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.
  • Acid (acid, arcane, evocation); The dragon breathes acid in a 100-foot line that deals 18d6 acid damage (DC 38 basic Fortitude save).
  • Slowing Gas (arcane, transmutation); The dragon breathes a 100-foot line of slowing gas. Each creature in the area must succeed at a DC 38 Fortitude save or be slowed 1 for 1 round (or slowed 2 on a critical failure).
Climb Stone The dragon's climb speed functions only when climbing stone surfaces.Draconic Frenzy [two-actions] The dragon makes two claw Strikes and one tail Strike in any order.Draconic Momentum When the dragon scores a critical hit with a Strike, it recharges Breath Weapon.Mass Laughter [two-actions] (arcane, emotion, enchantment, mental) Frequency once per day. Effect The copper dragon tells a fantastic joke. Each creature in a 100-foot emanation must succeed at a DC 39 Will save or suffer the effects of a 9th-level hideous laughter spell for 1 minute.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Copper Dragon Spellcasters

Copper dragon spellcasters tend to cast the following spells.

Young Copper Dragon
Arcane Prepared Spells DC 27, attack +20; 3rd dispel magic, haste, meld into stone; 2nd glitterdust, invisibility, see invisibility; 1st fleet step, illusory object, magic aura; Cantrips (3rd) detect magic, ghost sound, message, read aura

Adult Copper Dragon
Arcane Prepared Spells DC 33, attack +26; As young copper dragon, plus 5th false vision, hallucination, tongues; 4th confusion, creation, stoneskin; Cantrips (5th) detect magic, ghost sound, message, read aura

Ancient Copper Dragon
Arcane Prepared Spells DC 39, attack +33; As adult copper dragon, plus 8th maze, prismatic wall; 7th prismatic spray, project image, reverse gravity; 6th mislead, phantasmal calamity, teleport; Cantrips (8th) detect magic, ghost sound, message, read aura

Sidebar - Related Creatures Rokiere

Considered humorless for a copper dragon, Rokiere keeps her lair in the hills on Motaku Isle in the Shackles. It’s rumored that she knows where vast amounts of nearby treasure are located, and she will divulge the location of this hidden wealth to anyone who can make her laugh.

All Monsters in "Dragon, Copper"

NameLevel
Adult Copper Dragon12
Ancient Copper Dragon17
Young Copper Dragon8

Dragon, Copper

Source Bestiary pg. 121
Capricious and always eager to share a good laugh, copper dragons are among the wiliest of the metallic dragons, but this by no means interferes with their mission to spread freedom in oppressive lands. Copper dragons are hedonists who are quick to indulge in simple pleasures, but they're also sympathetic to other creatures, slow to pass judgment, and careful to always examine a situation from as many perspectives as possible. This philosophy has its drawbacks, however, as copper dragons are susceptible to negative influences and prone to forgiving the less serious evil acts performed by their chromatic cousins and other cruel creatures. Copper dragons also have a difficult time keeping their temper in check once they are roused to anger.

Copper dragons tend to lair in warm or temperate hills, but due to their nature, they move their lairs every few years. They sometimes live among other people, especially any dwarves who reside nearby. Some copper dragons even worship gods typically worshipped only by humanoids. Among these dragons, worship of Cayden Cailean is most popular, as they see his love of freedom and penchant for alcohol aligning with the typical copper dragon mindset.

A copper dragon's combat tactics are as unorthodox as its sense of humor, as it is more likely to use mockery and tricks than outright strength to win its battles. As a copper dragon ages, it perfects jokes capable of rendering its foes helpless with laughter.

Dragon, Metallic

Related Groups Dragon, Brass, Dragon, Bronze, Dragon, Gold, Dragon, Silver
Paragons of virtue, nobility, and grace, metallic dragons are benevolent entities revered as mythic beings akin to gods in both their power and majesty. Few have ever seen a metallic dragon firsthand, but tales of their intervention in mortals’ lives—and of their passing—always spread far and wide. Named for the way their scales resemble the shining metals humanoids use in commerce, warfare, and industry, these immense beings are diverse in their interests and abilities, and they don’t seem to mind being associated with such mundane materials. After all, to compare a gold dragon to a gold coin is like comparing an ocean to a glass of water—though they may seem similar at first glance, the raw power, breadth, and grandeur of one simply overwhelms the other.

In addition to metallic dragons and their chromatic counterparts (page 104–115), other types of dragons roam the world and the rest of the multiverse. In the legendary lands of Tian Xia on the other side of the globe are the imperial dragons, serpentine beings who protect the cosmic balance and defend their ancient homeland. Outside the Material Plane, primal dragons such as the domineering brine dragon and reclusive cloud dragon shape the nature and goings-on of the Elemental Planes. Countless other types of dragons are sure to exist, including dragons on far-fiung planes of existence and, it is rumored, primeval dragons who soar between the stars.

Shape-Changing Dragons

Some dragons can take humanoid form, allowing them to infiltrate settlements or influence others without revealing their true nature. They gain the following ability:
Change Shape [one-action] (arcane, concentrate, polymorph, transmutation); The dragon takes on the appearance of any Small or Medium humanoid. This doesn’t change its Speed or attack and damage modifiers with its Strikes, but might change the damage type its Strikes deal (typically to bludgeoning).

Metallic Dragon Spellcasters

Each type of metallic dragon features a sidebar on spellcasting dragons of that kind. To make a metallic dragon spellcaster, remove the dragon’s Draconic Frenzy and Draconic Momentum abilities, and give it the spells outlined in its sidebar. You can swap out any number of these with other arcane spells, provided you keep the same number of spells for each level. You might also want to increase the dragon’s Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier by 1 or 2 to reflect its mastery of magic.

Metallic Dragons on Golarion

Metallic dragons are found throughout the Inner Sea region, especially in pockets of wilderness where they can carve a hideout and then take action on political and social issues, both in their local area and on a wider scale. Their everlasting war with chromatic dragons keeps them in close proximity to their evil brethren; in regions where metallic and chromatic dragons’ territories intersect, humanoid settlements get caught in the crossfire, and villagers and city-dwellers alike rightfully fear for their own safety.

Silver dragons lair in abundance around the cold wastes west of Mendev, as a consequence of the days when they joined thousands of crusaders who marched headlong into the demon-infested Worldwound. Bronze dragons are abundant in Taldor, and many copper dragons lair in the wilds of Andoran, where they wage war alongside other freedom fighters to overthrow devils in the neighboring empire of Cheliax. Perhaps the most extreme example of a metallic dragon taking part in human affairs is on the island nation of Hermea, where Mengkare—an ancient gold wyrm—has begun a grand social experiment he calls “the Glorious Endeavor.” Ostensibly intended to create a future utopia on Golarion, this highly controversial experiment is instead regarded by many as a cruel and unusual form of eugenics.