Rope DragonThis small dragon, which appears to be composed of coils of rope,
bristles with frayed filaments.Rope Dragon CR 5Source Bestiary 5 pg. 211
XP 1,600
CN Small dragon (shapechanger)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +11DefenseAC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)
hp 57 (6d12+18)
Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +7
DR 5/slashing; Immune paralysis, sleep
Weaknesses vulnerable to fireOffenseSpeed 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (average)
Melee 2 claws +10 (1d4+3), bite +10 (1d6+3), tail slap +5 (1d4+1)
Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks breath weapon (20-ft. cone, 4d6 slashing
damage, Reflex DC 16 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds),
corded breath, discorporating coils
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th)
At will—animate ropeStatisticsStr 16, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 14
Base Atk +6; CMB +8 (+10 disarm, +10 trip); CMD 22 (24 vs.
disarm, 26 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Skill Focus (Stealth)
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Fly +15, Knowledge
(dungeoneering) +7, Perception +11, Stealth +20, Swim +10
Languages Common, DraconicEcologyEnvironment any urban
Organization solitary
Treasure standardSpecial AbilitiesCorded Breath (Su) A rope dragon’s breath weapon is a cone
of abrasive filaments. Any target that fails its Reflex save
against the dragon’s breath suffers whiplike cuts and is
entangled. The filaments attach to nearby
surfaces, causing the entangled creature to
be stuck in place. An entangled creature
can free itself with a successful
Strength check against the breath
weapon’s DC as a full-round
action or by dealing 10 points of
slashing damage to the clinging
strands. The strands become
brittle and fall away from their
target in 1d4 rounds.
Discorporating Coils (Su) As a standard
action, a rope dragon can change its shape into what
appears to be a coil of rope. In this form, it loses its fly
speed and its base land speed drops to 5 feet. It can use its
bite and tail slap attacks—both with a reach of 10 feet—but
has no claws. A successful Perception check against the
rope dragon’s Stealth check reveals the coiled rope to be
alive, with the dragon’s shape visible within, but while
staying still in this form, the rope dragon receives a +20
bonus on Stealth checks to hide among or appear to be
ordinary rope. A rope dragon can resume its dragon form as
a free action.DescriptionThe rope dragon is a strange and capricious shapeshifting
trickster that sneaks about, disguising itself as and hiding
among ordinary rope. Rope dragons most commonly use
their abilities to sneak into bakeries, confectionaries, and
the food stores of the wealthy in order to steal sweet and
expensive foods and escape undetected. A rope dragon
reserves its other main use of its shapeshifting talents—
setting up pranks and traps—for those who attempt to
seek out or capture it, usually after the dragon has had its
way with their pantries. Those who offer food willingly
to a rope dragon, or at least don’t mind the dragon’s
pilfering ways, are rarely the victims of the dragon’s
whimsy, and may find that when their lives or livelihoods
are truly threatened, their small draconic ally uses its
tricks and traps to protect them.
Rope dragons rarely interact with their own kind
except to mate, but they sometimes grow curious about
other places and sneak along with travelers, wanderers,
or adventurers by pretending to be part of that most
iconic piece of adventuring gear: the 50-foot rope. While
this may cause the rope dragon’s unwitting transporter
to experience an inexplicably dwindling food supply, in
the end, a rope dragon doesn’t want to be left in some
monster’s lair. The carrier of a rope dragon is in for a
real surprise when she gets into a f ight that she can’t
win on her own and her rope comes to life to assist
in fending off the monster. Rope dragons dislike it
when other creatures become aware of their existence,
however, so a rope dragon abandons such an adventurer
at the first opportunity.
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