# Rust Dragon >[!infobox]+ >![[BestiaryIndex.base#Rust Dragon]] > >| Link | >| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Wyrmling Rust Dragon.md\|Wyrmling Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Very Young Rust Dragon.md\|Very Young Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Young Rust Dragon.md\|Young Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Juvenile Rust Dragon.md\|Juvenile Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Young Adult Rust Dragon.md\|Young Adult Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Adult Rust Dragon.md\|Adult Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Mature Adult Rust Dragon.md\|Mature Adult Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Old Rust Dragon.md\|Old Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Very Old Rust Dragon.md\|Very Old Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Ancient Rust Dragon.md\|Ancient Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Wyrm Rust Dragon.md\|Wyrm Rust Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Rust) Great Wyrm Rust Dragon.md\|Great Wyrm Rust Dragon]] | LE Small Dragon #### Base statistics **CR** 5; **Size** Small; **Hit Dice** 6d12 **Speed** 60 ft., burrow 45 ft., fly 150 ft. (average) **Natural Armor** +6; **Breath Weapon** line, 2d4 acid **Str** 13, **Dex** 14, **Con** 13, **Int** 6, **Wis** 11, **Cha** 6 #### Ecology **Environment:** Any (Acheron) **Organization** Solitary (1 dragon, any age), clutch (1d4+1 wyrmlings, very young, young, or juveniles or young adults), family (pair of mature adults and 1d4+1 offspring) **Treasure** Triple **Advancement** By age category Native to the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, rust dragons are creatures of tarnished metal, embodying forces of decay and corruption. Some Material Plane sages posit some connection between these fiendish monstrosities and the relatively innocuous rust monster, but the rational mind correctly sees these claims as the ravings of deranged lunatics. Rust dragons bear a strong resemblance to the metallic dragons of the Material Plane, but appear covered in rust, tarnish, or verdigris. Though some rust dragons resemble copper dragons and others silver or brass, individual rust dragons’ abilities do not differ. Their scales appear pitted and lined with corrosive color, and the membranes of their wings are very thin and iridescent. On their native plane of Acheron, rust dragons have an ample food supply in the endless iron cubes the size of continents floating in the void. When drawn to the Material Plane, rust dragons seek out veins of metal in underground caverns, making them particularly loathed by miners. Rust dragons feed on corroded metal, but enjoy fresh meat (particularly vermin) to cleanse the palate between ores. ### Combat Rust dragons are not the furious forces of nature that pyroclastic dragons are, nor are they violently insane like howling dragons. Rather, they are simply hungry, and they attack carefully with their goal clearly fixed in mind. They do not tolerate too much interference in pursuit of that goal, and readily break off from combat if a meal proves to be more trouble than it’s worth. #### Special Abilities ### Acid Slick (Su) An ancient or older rust dragon can use is breath weapon to create an acid slick at a range of 100 feet, affecting a 5-foot-radus area per age category. The slippery acid makes the surface difficult to traverse, as the _grease_ spell. Any creature in contact with the acid slick take 20d4 acid damage on the first round, 10d4 on the second and 5d4 on the third, as the acid loses potency. The affected area remains slippery for 1 round per age category. ### Corroding Breath (Su) Instead of a line of acid, a rust dragon can breathe a 20-foot cone of of reddish-brown liquid that instantly corrodes and destroys any metal it touches. Metal objects and items are destroyed. Magical or attended metal objects are entitled to a Reflex save. If they succeed, they instead gain the broken condition. Broken metal objects in the area of effect (attended or otherwise) are automatically destroyed. ### Metal Resistance (Ex) A rust dragon's damage reduction is stronger against any weapon that has a metal damage-dealing end (arrows, blades, mace heads and the like). ### Powerful Jaws (Ex) A very young or older rust dragon can bite through even the most durable material. When a rust dragon bites into an object, its treats that object's hardness as 1 less than normal per age category. ### Rusting Bite (Ex) A juvenile or older rust dragon that makes a successful bite attack causes metal armor worn by the target creature to corrode, falling to pieces and destroying the item. A dragon can also use its bite attack to target a weapon or other metal object, of course. Magic metal items are allowed Reflex saves against a DC equal to the dragon’s breath weapon save DC. ### Rusting Scales (Ex) Any metal weapon striking a wyrm or older rust dragon is destroyed, rusting away into nothing. A magic metal weapon gains the broken condition, but is not destroyed if it succeeds on a Fortitude save. A metal weapon with a +5 or higher enhancement does not automatically gain the broken condition, and is broken if it fails a Fortitude save. If the weapon is already broken, it is instead destroyed. Creatures made of metal that make unarmed or natural attacks against the rust dragon take 1 point of damage damage per age category. The save DC is Constitution-based. ## Rust Dragon Abilities by Age | Age | Special Abilities | Caster Level | | ------------ | ---------------------------------- | ------------ | | Wyrmling | Metal resistance, corroding breath | — | | Very young | Frightful presence, powerful jaws | — | | Young | DR 5/magic | — | | Juvenile | Rusting bite, _detect metals_ | 1st | | Young adult | DR 10/magic | 3rd | | Adult | _wall of iron_ | 5th | | Mature adult | DR 15/magic | 7th | | Old | _acid fog_ | 9th | | Very old | DR 20/magic and 5/chaotic | 11th | | Ancient | Acid slick, _repel metal or stone_ | 13th | | Wyrm | DR 20/magic and 10/chaotic | 15th | | Great wyrm | Rusting scales | 17th | **At will**— _acid fog_, _detect metals_, _wall of iron_, *repel metal or stone*