
Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

All Creatures
Abilities | Monsters | NPCs
All | Families | Templates
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

PFS StandardAncient White Dragon

The most feral and least intelligent of all the chromatic dragons, white dragons are brutish, predatory, and chiefly motivated by self-preservation. Nearly all other dragons look down on white dragons as hopelessly hotheaded and dull, though this does not make them any less dangerous—in fact, it may mean the opposite. It’s nearly impossible to treat with white dragons, not because they lack the capacity to do so, but because they just don’t care to. They are as difficult to deal with as they are quick to anger, and they become incensed at almost anything. When a white dragon does speak, it spews threats, inane jokes, and incoherent babbling as a prelude to attacking—and when the attack comes, it’s bloody and relentless.

Thankfully, white dragons prefer very cold, remote locations that are far from people. Dwelling on glacial mountaintops or in ice caverns beneath forbidding tundra, they treat the lands around them as their own personal hunting grounds. They fly out to feed or terrorize other creatures, especially those who trespass near the dragon’s territory, then bring any treasure back to be displayed in icy niches in their lairs. They collect all kinds of valuables, with a slight preference for items with high utility—such as tools, trade goods, and fine food—over coins or jewels. The ability to shape ice lets white dragons rearrange their lairs exactly to their specifications, and they take great pride in how they’ve decorated their homes over the years.

Recall Knowledge - Dragon (Arcana): DC 36
Unspecific Lore: DC 34
Specific Lore: DC 31

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Elite are marked in red below.
NOTE: The +2 damage bonus to non-strike offensive abilities (+4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Elite Ancient White DragonCreature 16

Legacy Content

Uncommon CE Huge Cold Dragon 
Source Bestiary pg. 115
Perception +32; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet, snow vision
Languages Common, Draconic, Jotun
Skills Acrobatics +26, Arcana +25, Athletics +33, Intimidation +30, Stealth +28
Str +8, Dex +3, Con +7, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +3
Snow Vision Snow doesn’t impair a white dragon’s vision; it ignores concealment from snowfall.
AC 38; Fort +32, Ref +28, Will +26; +1 status to all saves vs. magic
HP 350; Immunities cold, paralyzed, sleep; Weaknesses fire 15
Blizzard (arcane, aura, cold); 50 feet. After the dragon uses its Breath Weapon, a fierce blizzard of blinding snow surrounds its body for 1 round. Everything in the aura is diffcult terrain for other creatures that are on the ground, climbing, or flying. The blowing snow also makes all creatures in the area concealed. While the blizzard rages, the dragon’s dragon chill extends to the full area of the blizzard. Dragon Chill (arcane, aura, cold, evocation); 10 feet, 3d6 cold damage (DC 36 basic Reflex) Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 90 feet, DC 36 Freezing Blood [reaction] (arcane, cold); Trigger An adjacent creature deals piercing or slashing damage to the dragon. Effect The dragon’s blood sprays on the creature, dealing 3d6 cold damage. A creature that takes cold damage in this way is slowed 1 for 1 round.
Speed 40 feet, fly 160 feet; ice climb 40 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +33 [+28/+23] (cold, magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d12+2+16 piercing plus 3d6 coldMelee [one-action] claw +33 [+29/+25] (agile, magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 3d10+2+16 slashingMelee [one-action] tail +31 [+26/+21] (magical, reach 20 feet), Damage 2d10+2+14 bludgeoningArcane Innate Spells DC 38 (+4 dmg); 6th wall of ice (at will); 2nd obscuring mist (at will); 1st gust of wind (at will)
Breath Weapon [two-actions] (arcane, cold, evocation) The dragon breathes a cloud of frost that deals 16d6 cold damage in a 50-foot cone (DC 38 basic Reflex save). It can't use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.Draconic Frenzy [two-actions] The dragon makes two claw Strikes and one tail Strike in any orderDraconic Momentum When the dragon scores a critical hit with a Strike, it recharges its Breath WeaponGround Slam [one-action] The dragon slams into the ground. It can do this if it's on the ground Flying within 10 feet of the ground. Each creature on the ground within 10 feet must succeed at a DC 39 Reflex save or fall prone and take 5d6 bludgeoning damage. The dragon can then Step.Ice Climb A white dragon can climb on ice as though it had the listed climb Speed. It ignores difficult terrain and greater difficult terrain from ice and snow and doesn't risk falling when crossing ice.Shape Ice [two-actions] (arcane, transmutation, water) The dragon reshapes a cube of ice or snow it touches, up to 10 feet across. Any creature standing atop the ice must succeed at a DC 17 Reflex save or Acrobatic check. On a failure, the creature falls prone atop the ice; on a critical failure, it falls off the ice entirely and is also prone.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Logrivich

When Queen Elvanna still ruled Irrisen, she appointed the young white dragon, Logrivich, to the Winter Guard, the force that maintains order in the nation’s capital of Whitethrone. He resided in a clock tower, though he hasn’t been seen in a few years, leading some to think that he either moved away or was killed by adventurers during the city’s recent troubles.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules White Dragon Spellcasters

White dragon spellcasters tend to cast the following spells.

Young White Dragon
Arcane Prepared Spells DC 26, attack +18; 2nd dispel magic, invisibility, resist energy; 1st ray of enfeeblement, true strike (×2); Cantrips (2nd) detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, ray of frost, read aura

Adult White Dragon
Arcane Prepared Spells DC 31, attack +23; As young white dragon, plus 4th charm, dimension door, freedom of movement; 3rd earthbind, haste, vampiric touch; Cantrips (4th) detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, ray of frost, read aura

Ancient White Dragon
Arcane Prepared Spells DC 38, attack +30; As adult white dragon, plus 7th paralyze, resist energy; 6th baleful polymorph, dominate, true seeing; 5th chromatic wall, passwall, tongues; Cantrips (7th) detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, ray of frost, read aura

All Monsters in "Dragon, White"

NameLevel
Adult White Dragon10
Ancient White Dragon15
Young White Dragon6

Dragon, White

Source Bestiary pg. 113
The most feral and least intelligent of all the chromatic dragons, white dragons are brutish, predatory, and chiefly motivated by self-preservation. Nearly all other dragons look down on white dragons as hopelessly hotheaded and dull, though this does not make them any less dangerous—in fact, it may mean the opposite. It's nearly impossible to treat with white dragons, not because they lack the capacity to do so, but because they just don't care to. They are as difficult to deal with as they are quick to anger, and they become incensed at almost anything. When a white dragon does speak, it spews threats, inane jokes, and incoherent babbling as a prelude to attacking—and when the attack comes, it's bloody and relentless.

Thankfully, white dragons prefer very cold, remote locations that are far from people. Dwelling on glacial mountaintops or in ice caverns beneath forbidding tundra, they treat the lands around them as their own personal hunting grounds. They fly out to feed or terrorize other creatures, especially those who trespass near the dragon's territory, then bring any treasure back to be displayed in icy niches in their lairs. They collect all kinds of valuables, with a slight preference for items with high utility—such as tools, trade goods, and fine food—over coins or jewels. The ability to shape ice lets white dragons rearrange their lairs exactly to their specifications, and they take great pride in how they've decorated their homes over the years.

Dragon, Chromatic

Related Groups Dragon, Black, Dragon, Blue, Dragon, Green, Dragon, Red
While there are many types of dragons, from the powerful planar dragons to the strange esoteric dragons, few dragon varieties are as well-known and as rightly feared as the chromatic dragons. Differentiated by the hue of their scales, each color of dragon unleashes its own flavor of murderous cruelty—be it by claw, tooth, or breath—and unlike most creatures, dragons only become more powerful as they age. Their lust for treasure, food, bloodshed, and control are legendary. Physically powerful with egos to match, these dragons are often morally depraved and act as criminal masterminds, vicious tyrants, or voracious raiders.

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 bonuses with its Strikes, but might change the damage type its Strikes deal (typically to bludgeoning).

Chromatic Dragon Spellcasters

Each type of chromatic dragon features a sidebar on spellcasting dragons of that type. To make a chromatic 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 or Charisma modifier by 1 or 2 to reflect its mastery of magic.

Chromatic Dragons of Golarion

The chromatic dragons that dwell around the Inner Sea region are cruel and sinister monsters who inspire as much fear as reverence. These terrible beasts are no mere myth, however, but a very real threat to the people with whom they share their lands. Most dwell in the wild places of the world, and only the most brazen of them regularly meddle in mortal affairs. The dragons of Golarion believe that they are descended from two original beings, Apsu and Tiamat, and their rich mythology attempts to explain the origins of the age-old war between chromatic and metallic dragons.

Black dragons thrive in swampy wildernesses like the Mushfens in Varisia or the wrecked coastline now known as the Sodden Lands, while blue dragons prefer the sand-swept deserts of Thuvia and Osirion. Brutish green dragons roam the forests of the River Kingdoms in abundance and even the elven kingdom of Kyonin, particularly in the demon-tainted Tanglebriar. One of the most infamous red dragons, Aashaq, a wyrm priestess of the draconic god Dahak, makes her home among the isles of the Shackles, where she lords over her followers and leads raids throughout the Inner Sea region. White dragons, though they may be found in virtually any mountain range in Avistan, are perhaps most prevalent around the Crown of the World, where they threaten travelers caravaning across the Path of Aganhei.