Forest Archdragon (Spellcaster)
CREATURE 22"Never pick a wildflower you have not paid for, unless you dare risk the wrath of a dragon." This saying, and its variations, reflect the trepidations continental Tian Xia holds toward the forest dragon. The botanical dragons are considered wardens over life, plants, and the element of wood. Other imperial dragons seek them for their instincts and long memory, which make forest dragons invaluable consultants and decision makers during moments of crisis.
Like the rest of their imperial cousins, the forest dragon likely originated from the elemental plane they embody, namely the Plane of Wood. That some forest dragons yet reside in the recently returned Eternal Forest supports this theory, though this only answers the location of origin, not how the dragons came to be. The Elemental Lord Shumunue might resemble a forest dragon, but she is not one herself, so the mystery of the dragons' progenitor remains unanswered to this day.
If the forest dragon takes damage from a metal item or effect with the metal trait, they lose woodland passage and Vanishing Tracks until the end of their next turn.
90 feet. DC 45 Will. Creatures with the animal, fungus, or plant trait take a –2 circumstance penalty to the save.
A creature that first enters the area must attempt a Will save.
Regardless of the result of the saving throw, the creature is temporarily immune to this monster's Frightful Presence for 1 minute.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected by the presence.
Success The creature is Frightened 1.
Failure The creature is Frightened 2.
Critical Failure The creature is Frightened 4.
The dragon unleashes a swarm of insects that deals 20d6 piercing damage in a 60-foot cone (DC 45 basic Reflex save) before dispersing. A creature that critically fails takes 4d6 persistent poison damage. The dragon can't use Azure Swarm Breath again for 1d4 rounds.
When casting One with Plants, a forest dragon can become a tree of the same size and age as themselves, using their own AC.
4d8+10 bludgeoning, DC 45 basic Fortitude
The monster deals the listed amount of damage to any number of creatures Grabbed or Restrained by it. Each of those creatures can attempt a basic Fortitude save with the listed DC. A creature that fails this save falls Unconscious, and a creature that succeeds is then temporarily immune to falling unconscious from Greater Constrict for 1 minute.
When a creature made of flesh is reduced to 0 Hit Points by the dragon's jaws Strike, that creature must attempt a DC 45 Fortitude save. If it fails, it dies, and its flesh, made of earth in a metaphysical sense, turns to wood. The wood is living and might grow into a tree over time, but it can't be used as a body or piece of a body for Raise Dead or other magic that would return the creature to life.
The forest dragon ignores difficult terrain and greater difficult terrain from non-magical plants and fungi, such as bushes, vines, and undergrowth.
The monster can instead use Grab and choose one creature it's grabbing or restraining with an appendage that has Grab to automatically extend that condition to the end of the monster's next turn.