Scrap Dragon
Huge • Construct • Unaligned
Armor Class 17
Hit Points 178 (17d12 + 68)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
Initiative +0 (10)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 (+5) | 10 (+0) | 19 (+4) | 6 (-2) | 12 (+1) | 4 (-3) |
Skills Perception +5
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages understands Draconic and creator’s languages but can't speak
CR 11 (XP 7,200; PB +4)
Bloodied - Overheating. When the dragon becomes bloodied for the first time on a day, it recharges its Rust Breath. While bloodied, it gains resistance to fire damage, but whenever it takes 5 or more fire damage, it gains one level of exhaustion (ignoring its condition immunity).
Unusual Nature. The dragon doesn't require air, drink, food, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Scrap Barrier, if available.
Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: +9, reach 10 ft. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) slashing damage. While bloodied, this attack deals an additional 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Rust Breath (1/Day). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 16, each creature in a 30-foot cone. Failure: 40 (9d8) acid damage, and each object a target is carrying or wearing takes a -1 penalty to the AC it offers (armor) or to its attack rolls (weapon). Armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10, and a weapon is destroyed if its penalty reaches -5. The penalty can be removed by casting the mending spell on the armor or weapon. Success: Half damage.
Scrap Barrier (Recharge 4-6). Ranged attacks have disadvantage against the dragon until the end of its next turn. Additionally, whenever a creature hits the dragon with a melee attack during that duration, it takes 10 (4d4) slashing damage.
BONUS ACTIONS
Overclock. The dragon gains the following benefits this turn: it can make one additional Rend attack as part of its Multiattack, and its speed is doubled. Then, on its subsequent turn, the dragon can’t use the Overclock ability, makes one Rend attack less as part of its Multiattack, and its speed is halved until the end of that turn.
Scrap Dragon
Huge • Construct • Unaligned
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 127 (15d10 + 45)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. fly 60 ft.
Initiative +0 (10)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 (+4) | 10 (+0) | 17 (+3) | 6 (-2) | 12 (+1) | 4 (-3) |
Skills Perception +4
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages understands Draconic and creator’s languages but can't speak
CR 8 (XP 3,900; PB +3)
Bloodied - Overheating. When the dragon becomes bloodied for the first time on a day, it recharges its Rust Breath. While bloodied, it gains resistance to fire damage, but whenever it takes 5 or more fire damage, it gains one level of exhaustion (ignoring its condition immunity).
Unusual Nature. The dragon doesn't require air, drink, food, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Scrap Barrier, if available.
Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: +7, reach 10 ft. Hit: 17 (3d8 + 4) slashing damage. While bloodied, this attack deals an additional 3 (1d6) fire damage.
Rust Breath (1/Day). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 30-foot cone. Failure: 31 (7d8) acid damage, and each object a target is carrying or wearing takes a -1 penalty to the AC it offers (armor) or to its attack rolls (weapon). Armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10, and a weapon is destroyed if its penalty reaches -5. The penalty can be removed by casting the mending spell on the armor or weapon. Success: Half damage.
Scrap Barrier (Recharge 4-6). Ranged attacks have disadvantage against the dragon until the end of its next turn. Additionally, whenever a creature hits the dragon with a melee attack during that duration, it takes 10 (4d4) slashing damage.
BONUS ACTIONS
Overclock. The dragon gains the following benefits this turn: it can make one additional Rend attack as part of its Multiattack, and its speed is doubled. Then, on its subsequent turn, the dragon can’t use the Overclock ability, makes one Rend attack less as part of its Multiattack, and its speed is halved until the end of that turn.
Scrap Dragon
Huge • Construct • Unaligned
Armor Class 18
Hit Points 220 (21d10 + 105)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. fly 60 ft.
Initiative +0 (10)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 (+6) | 10 (+0) | 21 (+5) | 6 (-2) | 12 (+1) | 4 (-3) |
Skills Perception +6
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages understands Draconic and creator’s languages but can't speak
CR 14 (XP 11,500; PB +5)
Bloodied - Overheating. When the dragon becomes bloodied for the first time on a day, it recharges its Rust Breath. While bloodied, it gains resistance to fire damage, but whenever it takes 5 or more fire damage, it gains one level of exhaustion (ignoring its condition immunity).
Unusual Nature. The dragon doesn't require air, drink, food, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Scrap Barrier, if available.
Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: +11, reach 10 ft. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) slashing damage. While bloodied, this attack deals an additional 10 (3d6) fire damage.
Rust Breath (1/Day). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 60-foot cone. Failure: 49 (11d8) acid damage, and each object a target is carrying or wearing takes a -1 penalty to the AC it offers (armor) or to its attack rolls (weapon). Armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10, and a weapon is destroyed if its penalty reaches -5. The penalty can be removed by casting the mending spell on the armor or weapon. Success: Half damage.
Scrap Barrier (Recharge 4-6). Ranged attacks have disadvantage against the dragon until the end of its next turn. Additionally, whenever a creature hits the dragon with a melee attack during that duration, it takes 10 (4d4) slashing damage.
BONUS ACTIONS
Overclock. The dragon gains the following benefits this turn: it can make one additional Rend attack as part of its Multiattack, and its speed is doubled. Then, on its subsequent turn, the dragon can’t use the Overclock ability, makes one Rend attack less as part of its Multiattack, and its speed is halved until the end of that turn.
QUICK REFERENCE
USING MONSTER VARIANTS
Monster variants allow the GM to adjust encounters to better match the party’s strength, narrative needs, or world-building logic. A weaker variant may represent a juvenile, wounded, or lesser specimen, while a stronger variant can serve as a leader, champion, ancient creature, or apex predator.
Variants can be used to fine-tune difficulty without changing the core identity of the monster, making them ideal for scaling encounters, reinforcing hierarchy within a faction, or creating memorable boss-style enemies. You can even use the same stat block but different variants in the same encounter if you want.
Design Note. Each monster is primarily balanced around its normal version. Weaker and stronger variants are derived adjustments and may not always preserve every tactical nuance or “feel” of the original creature. GMs are encouraged to review variants carefully and adjust abilities or tactics as needed to best suit their table.