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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardHouse Drake

Beautifully colored in purples and electric blues, these tiny dragons are genuinely brilliant in more ways than one. They are playful and kind, and while they have a long tradition of assisting spellcasters, they prefer to be treated as equals and partners rather than pets. They're quite intelligent and don't appreciate condescension from those who treat them as simple animals.

Tiny dragons have appeared in tales told among traditional Varisian communities for centuries, but only relatively recently have they become known by the name “house drake.” This new name arose in the city of Korvosa, where house drakes have adapted particularly well to urban life. When students of the magic school called the Acadamae failed in their studies and allowed their imp familiars to run wild, these tiny dragons found that they were particularly well suited to combating them. Most notably, their teeth become striated with silver due to their peculiar grooming habits, allowing their bites to puncture the imps' magically resistant skin. The two species are well-matched in intellect. Though their clashes typically begin with trying to outwit one another, they often end in messy brawls across rooftops and into alleys. The residents of Korvosa appreciated both the protection and the dragons' charming appearance and demeanor. House drakes are now more common in Korvosa than anywhere else in the world.

House drakes are carnivorous, eating vermin and small birds. Though they're capable of hunting for food, many of them find it a bit dull and prefer to spend their time at other pursuits. They happily accept donations of food. To truly get on a house drake's good side, though, one should offer a gift of silver. Donations to drakes have become regular practice in Korvosa, to the point where “Paid any drakes lately?” has become a common phrase to suggest someone is a bit gullible and soft-hearted. These donations are just that—charity. House drakes avoid taking on anything resembling a “job,” taking pride in their self-sufficiency and ability to choose for themselves how to spend their time.

Recall Knowledge - Dragon (Arcana): DC 15
Unspecific Lore: DC 13
Specific Lore: DC 10

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

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

Weak House DrakeCreature -1

Legacy Content

CG Tiny Dragon 
Source Bestiary 3 pg. 135
Perception +6; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal
Skills Acrobatics +5, Society +2, Stealth +5, Survival +4
Str +1, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +3, Cha +2
AC 15; Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +9
HP 6; Immunities paralyzed, sleep
Ferocious Will [reaction] (abjuration, arcane, mental) Trigger The house drake succeeds at a saving throw against a magical mental effect; Effect The house drake sends a blast of magical feedback at the effect's source, dealing 2d6 mental damage (DC 14 basic Will save) to that creature. On a failed save, the creature is also slowed 1 for 1 round.
Speed 15 feet, fly 40 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +7 [+3/-1] (agile, finesse), Damage 1d8-2+1 piercing plus silver strikeArcane Innate Spells DC 15 (-4 dmg); 2nd obscuring mist, see invisibility; 1st alarm, soothe
Breath Weapon [two-actions] (arcane, conjuration, mental) The house drake breathes a 10-foot cone of silver mist. Each creature within the mist must succeed at a DC 14 Will save or become stupefied 2 for 1 round. The house drake can't use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.Silver Strike House drakes sharpen their jaws on silver ornamentation until they incorporate bits of silver in their teeth. Their jaws Strike counts as silver.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Ancient Tails

Some of the oldest tales told among Varisian travelers speak of tiny dragons sent by Desna to comfort and aid her followers during a long-forgotten tyranny. With the recent rediscovery of the ancient Thassilonian empire, some suggest that these tales—and thus house drakes themselves—may have first appeared back in that distant age.

All Monsters in "Dragonet"

NameLevel
Fey Dragonet2
House Drake1
Pearl Dragonet1
Pest Drake Swarm9
Tidepool Dragonet3

Dragonet

Source Draconic Codex pg. 128
Though dragonets are smaller and lacking the raw power of great dragons, they are every bit as varied and fascinating as their larger relatives. Like dragons, dragonets have strong ties to magic. These ties influence the contrasting natures exhibited by different dragonet types. For example, fey dragonets and house drakes (Monster Core 2 137) make fascinating pets and companions, and thus are a popular familiar for spellcasters. Tidepool dragonets, on the other hand, are arrogant and untamable.

Assuming dragonets are harmless due to their size, or the fact that they often live near people, is dangerous. Pest drakes, for instance, are weak and shy individually but are inclined to form dangerous swarms when unsettled. By contrast, pearl dragonets are gentle oddities that seem naturally friendly.

Dragonets range in size from little bigger than songbirds to no larger than house cats. Unlike most great dragons, they stop growing after reaching maturity. They vary greatly in intelligence; fey dragonets are known for their tricks and wit, while feral racing drakes have the average problem solving capacity of a pigeon. Each type of dragonet has its own lairing and hoarding habits, and they have unique abilities that reveal their magical nature.

Dragon

Related Groups Dragon, Adamantine, Dragon, Barrage, Dragon, Bog, Dragon, Brine, Dragon, Cinder, Dragon, Cloud, Dragon, Conspirator, Dragon, Coral, Dragon, Crystal, Dragon, Delight, Dragon, Despair, Dragon, Diabolic, Dragon, Empyreal, Dragon, Executor, Dragon, Forest, Dragon, Fortune, Dragon, Horned, Dragon, Magma, Dragon, Mirage, Dragon, Mocking, Dragon, Oath, Dragon, Omen, Dragon, Phase, Dragon, Requiem, Dragon, Resurrection, Dragon, Rime, Dragon, Rune, Dragon, Sage, Dragon, Sea, Dragon, Sky, Dragon, Sovereign, Dragon, Stormcrown, Dragon, Time, Dragon, Umbral, Dragon, Underworld, Dragon, Vizier, Dragon, Vorpal, Dragon, Wailing, Dragon, Whisper, Dragon, Wish, Wyrmwraith
Dragons come in myriad forms, with many having magical abilities or connections to magic. Some dragons draw greater power from magic than others, allowing them to manifest abilities or alter their physiques with prolonged exposure to magic. These dragons become more powerful as they age and strengthen their connections with their magical origins. Scholars debate the classification of these dragons, with some preferring the name magical dragons and others using traditional dragons due to their connection to specific magical traditions. Regardless of their names, these dragons share a number of characteristics: their ability to tap into magical energies, intensified might and cunning as they grow older, and an inclination to hoard vast amounts of treasure and wealth.

Draconic Spellcasters

Each dragon features a sidebar on spellcasting dragons of that type. To make a dragon spellcaster, remove the dragon's Draconic Frenzy and Draconic Momentum abilities, and give them the spells outlined in their sidebar. You can swap out any number of these with other spells, provided you keep the same number of spells for each rank. You might also want to increase the dragon's Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier by 1 or 2 to reflect their mastery of magic.