Dragons of Cold and Cruelty
Habitat: Arctic; Treasure: Arcana
Like arctic storms, ancient white dragons threaten icy realms. They emerge from their frozen lairs to indulge their hungers for food or treasure, menacing other creatures with lethal cold. While they might ignore animals or small groups of polar wanderers, these dragons are quick to challenge other dragons and creatures wielding powerful magic, hoping to add their foes’ skulls and magic items to their own hoards.
Among the most primal chromatic dragons, white dragons prioritize survival over all. Life is harsh and uncertain in the arctic expanses, glacial heights, and frozen seas where these dragons dwell. White dragons fiercely protect their territories, scouring the frigid regions for food and evidence of trespassers. Most white dragons ignore the plots of smaller creatures and other dragons, concerning themselves only with their own survival.
White dragons create lairs to defend themselves from other deadly arctic creatures and from dangerous natural conditions. Within these shelters, white dragons hoard testaments to their superiority, such as monstrous skulls, the gear of defeated rivals, and curiosities that capture their interest. To protect such treasure, white dragons coax ice to form over their hoards or sink their wealth in frigid pools. For white dragons, each piece of treasure embodies a victory—the details of which inflate as these dragons age.
White dragons brood in bitterly cold lairs clawed from stone and ice.
The region containing an adult or ancient white dragon’s lair is affected by its presence, creating the following effects:
Frigid Cold. The area within 1 mile of the lair is an area of extreme cold. Any water in that area is frigid water. See the Dungeon Master’s Guide for rules on extreme cold and frigid water.
Glacial Gloom. The area within 1 mile of the lair is Lightly Obscured by chilly fog. Whenever a creature other than the dragon or one of its allies finishes a Long Rest in that area, that creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or have its Speed reduced by 10 feet for 1 hour.
If the dragon dies or moves its lair elsewhere, these effects end immediately.
Ice Walk. The dragon can move across and climb icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, Difficult Terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra movement.
Legendary Resistance (4/Day, or 5/Day in Lair). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks.
Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +14, reach 15 ft. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) Slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) Cold damage.
Cold Breath (Recharge 5–6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 22, each creature in a 90-foot Cone. Failure: 63 (14d8) Cold damage. Success: Half damage.
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Freezing Burst. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 20, each creature in a 30-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point the dragon can see within 120 feet. Failure: 14 (4d6) Cold damage, and the target’s Speed is 0 until the end of the target’s next turn. Failure or Success: The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Frightful Presence. The dragon casts Fear, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 18). The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Pounce. The dragon moves up to half its Speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
