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This is a monster that I've recently written up. The idea is that it is an ancient and powerful draconic creature created by the northern gods to protect the treasures of the arctic mountains and tundras. It attacks all intruders that it sees and tries to leave none alive.
The Lightning Bolt of the North is a cross between a dragon and a saber-tooth tiger , with claws attached to the elbows of their wings instead of having forearms. It has large tusks and its underside is covered in incredibly thick and durable fur, while its top half is protected by large white armor plates. It can slow other creatures down with its freezing breath, allowing it to further take advantage of its greater speed.
Its tactics vary based on what it is fighting. Based on its thousands of years of combat experience and instincts it was born with, it has developed the following tactics:
Against ranged combatants and spellcasters: The Lightning Bolt of the North immediately engages in melee against any spellcasters, archers, or others who prefer to fight at a distance. It attempts to close any distance between itself and these targets and attack at point blank range to keep them within its threatened zone. The Lightning Bolt of the North also uses its breath weapon at every available opportunity to finish them off as quickly as possible.
Against melee combatants: The Lightning Bolt of the North uses its breath weapon repeatedly to keep anyone who attempts to engage it in melee staggered, then resorts to using Spring Attack, Mobility, and Awesome Blow to stay at a distance and whittle away their health. When wounded, it will take advantage of its Fury of the North Ability to combine Awesome Blow with Spring Attack, perpetually staying as far from its target as it can.
Against mixed groups of melee and ranged combatants: Against groups containing both melee and ranged combatants, the Lightning Bolt of the North flies in passes over the enemy using its Breath Weapon as much as it can in hopes of forcing the group to scatter. Once they have scattered, it focuses first on ranged combatants and spellcasters using its normal tactics, then moves to melee fighters once all spellcasters and ranged fighters have been eliminated.
N Gargantuan Dragon [cold]
Init +3 Senses Perception +29, Darkvision, Scent
AC 45 (+3 Dex, +35 Natural, -4 Size, +1 Dodge), 41 Flat-footed, 9 Touch
hp 287 (23d12+138)
Damage Reduction 15/Adamantine,
Immune Cold, Sleep, Paralysis, Staggered. SR 28
Vulnerability Fire
Fort +19 Ref +16 Will +16
Speed 60 feet, Fly 250 feet (poor)
Melee Bite +36 (4d6+18), 2 Claws +36 (2d8+12), Tail Slap +38 (4d6+18)
Space/Reach 20ft/15ft
Str 34 Dex 16 Con 22 Int 4 Wis 16 Cha 8
Base Attack +23 CMB +39 CMD 52
Feats Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Multiattack, Hover, Improved Natural Attack (Tail Slap), Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Whirlwind Attack, Ability Focus (Breath Weapon)
Skills Fly +29, Perception +29, Survival +29
Breath Weapon (Su) 24d10 Cold, Staggered for 5 rounds. DC 30 Reflex for half damage, Stagger negated. The Breath Weapon takes the form of a 20 foot radius burst centered on any point within 50 feet of the Lightning Bolt of the North. Using this ability is a swift action. Whenever the Lightning Bolt of the North uses its breath weapon, it must wait 1d4 rounds to use it again.
Lightning Speed (Ex) The Lightning Bolt of the North gains an additional move action each turn.
Fury of the North (Ex) Whenever The Lightning Bolt of the North is reduced to half of its hit points or below, it gains an additional full-round action each turn. This replaces Lightning Speed.
Pounce (Ex) See the universal monster rule.
Spellshredder (Su) Whenever a creature is hit by one of the Lightning Bolt of the North's natural attacks, they are subjected to a targeted Dispel Magic at a +15 bonus on the Dispel check.
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So, what do you think? Is the concept alright? What about the tactics? Does it deserve to be a CR 18 monster? Too weak? Too strong?
Good background. Looks cool!
I think you might want to bump it up to CR 20... I mean, it is pretty powerful, but then again, it's a tough call cos at that level players are really powerful. But, when considering it is such a powerful being that gains extra actions it is probably best served as a CR 20 creature. The only thing I can find in it's statistics that speak against it being a CR 20 creature is its saving throws which are pretty low when considering the possibility of casting death effect on it.
But anyway, I like the concept and I think it's durable!
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I think you might want to bump it up to CR 20... I mean, it is pretty powerful, but then again, it's a tough call cos at that level players are really powerful. But, when considering it is such a powerful being that gains extra actions it is probably best served as a CR 20 creature. The only thing I can find in it's statistics that speak against it being a CR 20 creature is its saving throws which are pretty low when considering the possibility of casting death effect on it.
But anyway, I like the concept and I think it's durable!
I was using the Great Wyrm White Dragon as a standard for CR 18, which may have been a mistake; Dragons have always been extremely good for their CR. I figured this was fine when compared to the Great Wyrm White because it has fewer hit points, less average damage, and no spellcasting capability and versatility, but this has a better breath weapon by far (maybe a little too far. I'm considering reducing damage to d6's instead of d10's because the Staggered condition is kind of brutal) and extra actions. Thanks for weighing in on the balance issues.
Here's how it weighs against the monster creation guidelines in Appendix 1 of the Bestiary for a CR 18.
Hit Points: 13 fewer than recommended.
Armor Class: 12 higher than recommended. In retrospect, this is probably bad. I think I'll reduce its natural armor to get a more reasonable value.
Attack Bonus: 8 higher than average. This fits with the concept of a powerful monster with tremendous focus on offense instead of defense, but I think I forgot to add the multiattack penalties anyway. Once I factor those it, they should be +6 higher than normal instead of +8, which is acceptable.
Average Damage per Round: 2 lower than average, not including Breath Weapon. I may make the breath weapon a standard or move action instead of a Swift. That's kind of brutal.
Primary Save DC: 5 higher than average. There's not really a way to reduce this except for removing the Ability Focus feat or reducing its Con. Since its health is already a little low, I'll probably replace Ability Focus with something else... Lightning Stance looks good.
Good Save: 1 higher than average. Almost perfect.
Poor Save(s): Average. Perfect.
So yeah, I'll get to work making this a little more appropriate for its CR.
Also, thanks for the praise of the concept. You guys can use this in your campaigns if you'd like.