Clockwork Drake
Clockwork Drakes, sometimes improperly called Clockwork Dragons (or informally called metal danger birbs), are flying metal constructs of intricate machinery and magic. Most often created by Wizards or Inventors, they have a distrust of other magic users, and the ability to nullify magic through blasts of their own power. Typically serving as guardians, seekers, or shock troops, many that exist now have long since outlived the creators developing esoteric behavior.
Tactics
The Clockwork Drake is in many ways a variant of a dragon fight. It has high mobility, dangerous area of effect, and relies on it's flight and ability to get into the air and move around. The Clockwork Drake is a target of moderate intelligence, and will generally attack creatures based on their perceived or demonstrated threat to it if it does not have an objective target.
Clockwork Drakes favor open areas, and will generally avoid a fight in enclosed areas without room to fly about unless forced to fight in such conditions by their objective or purpose.
Simple Script
This is a simple script to run the Clockwork Drake on:
- If the Clockwork Drake can target 2 or more creatures with its breath weapon, it will use its breath weapon and then fly up 40 feet from the ground, if possible.
- Legendary: The Clockwork Drake will use Arc if more than one creature is within range, and then use Wing Attack to position closer to a target that has drawn its ire.
- If the Clockwork Dragon's breath weapon does not recharge at the start of its turn, it will use its movement to descend, use its Crushing Stomp to grapple a target, and lash out with its tail.
- The Clockwork Drake will use Wing Attack to take to the air, use its tail to attack the grappled target, and then drop that target when it perceives that such a fall would take the target out of the fight.
- If the Clockwork Drake can use no other effect action, it will attempt Arcane Nullification against any harmful magic effect.
Considerations
A Clockwork Drake will pose a very large kill risk to players when deployed in such a fashion. Their main goal will be to kill it as fast as possible, as otherwise they will likely succumb to its brutal skill set. Don't try to keep alive longer than its shelf life, or it will likely succeed.
To increase effectiveness, target ranged characters with their smash, grab, and drop combo. Not only will this eliminate the greatest threats, but the targets will also be most likely to fail the save and least able to operate effective in the Clockwork Drake's grasp.
Deployment
A Clockwork Drake can serve as a solo encounter — it will provide a dangerous, high stakes fight, but it will wither under heavy direct fire.. It can benefit from some supporting lower damage threats to absorb some of the incoming damage and distract its foes, but is extremely deadly when paired with other high damage combatants. Best paired with a Wizard or Golemsmith that can give the fight some more dynamic elements.
Clockwork Drake
Huge construct, unaligned
- Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 225 (18d12 + 108)
- Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 25 (+7) 8 (-1) 23 (+6) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 8 (-1)
- Saving Throws Dex +4, Con + 11, Wis +7, Cha +4
- Skills Arcana +6, Athletics +12, Perception +7
- Damage Resistances fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
- Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17
- Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak
- Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5
Adamantine Weapons. The drake's weapon attacks are adamantine.
Crushing Descent. If the drake flies at least 20 feet downward before making a Crushing Stomp attack, on hit the target takes an additional 6 (1d12) damage and must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw, or be knocked prone and grappled by the drake (escape DC 22). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and has disadvantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and the drake can't use the same claw on another target.
Immutable Form. The drake is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If drake fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Lightning Powered. If the drake takes at least 10 lightning damage from any source, it regains 1 spent legendary action.
Bloodied
Overcharged. If the drake is bloodied (reduced to less than half of its hit points), it starts to crackle with arcs of lightning. Its Flaming Tar Breath automatically recharges, and any creature that hits it with a melee attack before the start of its next turn (potentially including the that attack the bloodied it) takes 6 (1d12) lightning damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The drake makes two attacks: one with its bladed tail and one with its crushing stomp.
Bladed Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) slashing damage.
Crushing Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft. one Medium or smaller target. Hit 13: (1d12 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Arcane Nullification. The drake ends one spell effect within 30 feet of it. If the spell is 6th level or higher, the drake must succeed an Intelligence (Arcana) check equal to 10 + the level of the spell to end it.
Flaming Tar Breath (Recharge 5–6). The drake unleashes a blast of flaming tar in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 45 (13d6) fire damage and becomes covered in a thick layer of flaming tar. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't covered in tar. While a creature is covered in tar, its speed is halved and it takes 10 (3d6) fire damage a the start of each of its turns. A creature can spend an action clearing the flaming tar from itself or another creature within 5 feet of it.
Reactions
Windy Flapping. The drake adds 5 to its AC against one ranged weapon attack that would hit it. To do so, the dragon must see the attack and be flying.
Legendary Actions
The drake can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The drake regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Arc. All creatures within 60 feet of the drake take 2 (1d4) lightning damage. Once the drake uses Arc, it can't use it again until the start of its next turn.
Tail Attack. The drake makes a Bladed Tail attack.
Wind Up. The drake conserves energy to unleash in a burst. It gains 10 temporary hit points, and it can take the Dash action as a bonus action on its next turn.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The drake beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the drake must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The drake can then fly up to half its flying speed.