# Tarterian Dragon >[!infobox]+ >![[BestiaryIndex.base#Mercury Dragon]] > >| Link | >| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Wyrmling Tarterian Dragon.md\|Wyrmling Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Very Young Tarterian Dragon.md\|Very Young Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Young Tarterian Dragon.md\|Young Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Juvenile Tarterian Dragon.md\|Juvenile Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Young Adult Tarterian Dragon.md\|Young Adult Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Adult Tarterian Dragon.md\|Adult Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Mature Adult Tarterian Dragon.md\|Mature Adult Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Old Tarterian Dragon.md\|Old Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Very Old Tarterian Dragon.md\|Very Old Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Ancient Tarterian Dragon.md\|Ancient Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Wyrm Tarterian Dragon.md\|Wyrm Tarterian Dragon]] | >| [[07 Monsters of Temnia/Monsters/D/Dragon (Planar, Tarterian) Great Wyrm Tarterian Dragon.md\|Great Wyrm Tarterian Dragon]] | NE Medium Dragon #### Base statistics **CR** 5; **Size** Medium; **Hit Dice** 8d12 **Speed** 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor) **Natural Armor** +7; **Breath Weapon** line, 2d8 force **Str** 13, **Dex** 14, **Con** 13, **Int** 10, **Wis** 11, **Cha** 10 #### Ecology **Environment:** Any (Carceri) **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 inhabitants of a prison plane, Tarterian dragons are at once wardens and prisoners themselves, preying on weaker denizens than themselves. Tarterian dragons are skeletally gaunt, with leathery scales stretched tight over withered-looking flesh. Their wings have a tattered appearance, though they can fly fast and ably. Their teeth and claws are long and black, while their scales form a striped pattern of black, gray, and olive green. Ghostly green light flickers in their black eyes, and their faces seem to wear a perpetual sneering grin. Tarterian dragons inhabit a wide range of habitats on their native plane of Carceri, from the steaming jungles of Cathrys (the second layer) to the cruel mountains of Colothys (the fourth). Similarly, when they make their way to the Material Plane they can dwell comfortably in a variety of locales, both above and under the ground. They delight in reproducing the jailhouse atmosphere of Carceri whenever they find themselves on the Material Plane. Tarterian dragons are accustomed to a diet of fiendish flesh and condemned souls. They do not enjoy other food, but can live on literally anything. ### Combat Tarterian dragons use their spell-like abilities to divide and constrain their opponents, trying to face each one individually when possible. They use their gas breath weapon to weaken foes at the start of combat, then their force breath to take out the strongest foes. #### Special Abilities ### Aura of Hopelessness (Su) A juvenile or older tarterian dragon radiates an aura of hopelessness that washes away resolve, courage, joy or hope. Creatures in the area cannot gain the benefit of morale bonuses, and take a –2 penalty on saves against fear or despair. ### Depressing Breath (Su) Instead of a line of disruptive force, a tarterian dragon can breathe a cone of will-sapping gas. Creatures within the cone must succeed on a Will save or be affected by an effect similar to crushing despair, taking a –2 penalty on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 1d6 + 1 rounds per age category of the dragon. This is a mind-affecting, enchantment, compulsion, emotion effect. ### Force Resistance (Su) Tarterian dragons gain a +4 racial bonus on saves against force effects. ### Freedom of Movement (Su) A juvenile or older tarterian dragon is under a constant _freedom of movement_ effect. ### Smash (Ex) An old or older tarterian dragon deals double damage to inanimate objects. ### Strength of Will (Ex) A very young or older tarterian dragon that fails a Will save against a charm or compulsion effect can retry that save one round later at the same DC to end the effect early. It gets only one extra chance to succeed on its saving throw, though if it gains the slippery mind class feature or similar ability, it can use that ability one round after attempting to use its strength of will. An adult or older tarterian dragon can apply this ability to any mind-affecting effect. An ancient or older tarterian dragon applies this effect to any affect that requires a Will save, and takes no effect from any ability that it makes a successful Will save against, as if it had the Mettle class feature. | Age | Special Abilities | Caster Level | | ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------ | | Wyrmling | Depressing breath, force resistance | — | | Very young | Frightful presence, strength of will (charm and compulsion) | — | | Young | DR 5/magic | 1st | | Juvenile | Aura of hopelessness, freedom of movement | 3rd | | Young adult | DR 10/magic | 5th | | Adult | Strength of will (mind-affecting), _resilient sphere_ | 7th | | Mature adult | DR 15/magic, | 9th | | Old | Smash, _knock_ | 11th | | Very old | DR 20/magic and 5/good | 13th | | Ancient | Strength of will (all), *forcecage* | 15th | | Wyrm | DR 20/magic and 10/good | 17th | | Great wyrm | _mass knock_ | 19th |