BRAINSTEALER DRAGON

Brainstealer Dragon Wyrmling

Medium dragon (aberration), lawful evil

Armour Class - 16 (natural armour)

Hit Points - 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed - 30 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR - 16 +3
DEX - 12 +1
CON - 14 +2
INT - 16 +3
WIS - 14 +2
CHA - 14 +2

Saves - Dex +3, Con +4, Int +5

Skills - Perception +4, Stealth +3, Insight +5, Deception +4
Damage Immunities - psychic
Senses - blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages - Draconic, Deep Speech, telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge - 4 (1,100 XP)

Actions

Multiattack.
The dragon makes two attacks, one with its claws and one with its
tentacles.

Claw.
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage.

Tentacles.
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature.
Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) psychic damage. If the target is medium or smaller, it is
grappled (escape DC 13) and must succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence
saving throw or be stunned until this grapple ends.

Extract Brain.
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated humanoid
grappled by the dragon.
Hit: The target takes 27 (6d8 ) piercing damage. If this damage reduces
the target to 0 hit points, the dragon kills the target by extracting and
devouring its brain.

Mind Blast (Recharge 6).

The dragon magically emits psychic energy in a 30-foot cone. Each
creature in that area must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence saving throw
or take 16 (3d8 + 3) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A
creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.

Young Brainstealer Dragon

Large dragon (aberration), lawful evil
Armour Class - 17 (natural armour)
Hit Points - 161 (17d10 + 68)
Speed - 40 ft., fly 80 ft.

STR - 20 +5
DEX - 12 +1
CON - 18 +4
INT - 18 +4
WIS - 16 +3
CHA - 16 +3

Saves - Dex +5, Con +8, Int +9

Skills - Perception +7, Stealth +5, Insight +9, Deception +7
Damage Immunities - psychic
Senses - blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages - Common, Draconic, Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge - 10 (5,900 XP)

Traits

Innate Spellcasting (Psionic).

The dragon’s innate spell casting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC
15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
At will: detect thoughts, levitate
1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only)

Actions

Multiattack.
The dragon makes three attacks, two with its claws and one with its
tentacles.
Claw.
Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.

Tentacles.
Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature.
Hit: 16 (2d10 + 4) psychic damage. If the target is large or smaller, it is
grappled (escape DC 15) and must succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence
saving throw or be stunned until this grapple ends.

Extract Brain.
Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated humanoid
grappled by the dragon.
Hit: The target takes 44 (8d10 ) piercing damage. If this damage
reduces the target to 0 hit points, the dragon kills the target by extracting
and devouring its brain.

Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6).

The dragon magically emits psychic energy in a 30-foot cone. Each
creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw
or take 59 (10d10 + 4) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A
creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.

Adult Brainstealer Dragon

Huge dragon (aberration), lawful evil

Armour Class - 18 (natural armour)

Hit Points - 237 (19d12 + 114)
Speed - 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
STR - 24 +7
DEX - 12 +1
CON - 22 +6
INT - 21 +5
WIS - 18 +4
CHA - 18 +4

Saves - Dex +7, Con +12, Int +11

Skills - Perception +10, Stealth +7, Insight +11, Deception +10
Damage Immunities - psychic
Senses - blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages - Common, Draconic, Deep Speech, telepathy 300 ft.
Challenge - 17 (18,000 XP)

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day).

If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Innate Spellcasting (Psionic).

The dragon’s innate spell casting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC
19). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
At will: detect thoughts, levitate
1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only)

Actions

Multiattack.
The dragon can use its frightful presence. It then makes three attacks,
two with its claws and one with its tentacles.

Claw.
Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 14 (2d8 + 7) slashing damage.
Tentacles.
Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature.
Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) psychic damage. If the target is huge or smaller, it is
grappled (escape DC 17) and must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence
saving throw or be stunned until this grapple ends.

Extract Brain.
Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated
humanoid grappled by the dragon.
Hit: The target takes 55 (10d10 ) piercing damage. If this damage
reduces the target to 0 hit points, the dragon kills the target by extracting
and devouring its brain.

Frightful Presence.
Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon
and aware of it must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or
become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw
at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If
a creatures saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the
creature is immune to the dragon’s frightful presence for the next 24
hours.

Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6).

The dragon magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each
creature in that area must succeed on a DC 19 Intelligence saving throw
or take 71 (12d10 + 5) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A
creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.

Legendary Actions
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the
end of another creature’s turn. The dragons regains spent legendary
actions at the start of its turn.

Detect.
The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tentacle Attack.
The dragon makes an attack with its tentacles.

Detect Thoughts.
The dragon casts detect thoughts.

Psychic Scream (Costs 2 Actions).

The dragon emits a wave of psionic energy 30 feet in all directions
around it. Each creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher within
that area must make a DC 19 Intelligence saving throw, taking 14 (2d8 +
5) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful
one. The dragon then teleports up to 40 feet away.

Ancient Brainstealer Dragon

Gargantuan dragon (aberration), lawful evil

Armour Class - 21 (natural armour)

Hit Points - 499 (27d20 + 216)
Speed - 40 ft., fly 80 ft.

STR - 28 +9
DEX - 12 +1
CON - 26 +8
INT - 30 +10
WIS - 20 +5
CHA - 20 +5

Saves - Dex +8, Con +15, Int +17

Skills - Perception +12, Stealth +8, Insight +17, Deception +12
Damage Immunities - psychic
Senses - blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages - Common, Draconic, Deep Speech, telepathy 1 mile
Challenge - 24 (62,000 XP)

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day).

If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Creature Sense.
The dragon is aware of the presence of creatures within 1 miles of it that
have an Intelligence score of 4 or higher. It knows the distance and
direction to each creature, as well as each one’s Intelligence score, but
can’t sense anything else about it. A creature protected by a mind
blanks spell, a nondetection spell, or similar magic can’t be perceived in
this manner.

Innate Spellcasting (Psionic).

The dragon’s innate spell casting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC
20). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
At will: detect thoughts, levitate
1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only)

Actions

Multiattack.
The dragon can use its frightful presence. It then makes three attacks,
two with its claws and one with its tentacles.

Claw.
Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature.
Hit: 14 (2d8 + 7) slashing damage.

Tentacles.
Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature.
Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) psychic damage. If the target is huge or smaller, it is
grappled (escape DC 19) and must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence
saving throw or be stunned until this grapple ends.

Extract Brain.
Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated
humanoid grappled by the dragon.
Hit: The target takes 66 (12d10 ) piercing damage. If this damage
reduces the target to 0 hit points, the dragon kills the target by extracting
and devouring its brain.

Frightful Presence.
Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon
and aware of it must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or
become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw
at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If
a creatures saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the
creature is immune to the dragon’s frightful presence for the next 24
hours.

Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6).

The dragon magically emits psychic energy in a 90-foot cone. Each
creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Intelligence saving throw
or take 93 (16d10 + 5) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A
creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.

Legendary Actions
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the
end of another creature’s turn. The dragons regains spent legendary
actions at the start of its turn.
Detect.
The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tentacle Attack.
The dragon makes an attack with its tentacles.

Detect Thoughts.
The dragon casts detect thoughts.

Psychic Scream (Costs 2 Actions).

The dragon emits a wave of psionic energy 30 feet in all directions
around it. Each creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher within
that area must make a DC 21 Intelligence saving throw, taking 14 (2d8 +
5) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful
one. The dragon then teleports up to 40 feet away.

A Brainstealer Dragon’s Lair

Brainstealer dragons often dwell in the deep, dark places of the world.
They commonly make their lairs in the underdark, or at the center of vast
cave systems with access to the ocean. Due to their nature, the area
surrounding their lair becomes drenched in psychic energy and tends to
attract weak willed beings whom the dragon will happily use as minions,
or sustenance.

Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative toes), the dragon takes a lair
action to cause on elf the following effects; the dragon can’t use the
same effect two rounds in a row:

- Drawing on the latent psychic energy collecting in its cavern, the

dragon forces 3 (1d6) creatures it can see to break concentration checks
on any spell they are concentrating on, unless each of those creatures
can succeed on a DC 15 concentration check.

- The dragon emits an amplified psychic signal that confuses the sensory
information processed by creatures in a 20-foot-radius. A creature in the
area must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence check or suffer from
brainlock until the end of its turn. Creatures suffering from brainlock are
incapacitated.

- The dragon chooses a 10-foot-square area on the ground that it can

see within 120 feet of it. The ground in that area turns into 3-foot-deep
acidic slime. Each creature on the ground in that area when the slime
appears must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or sink into
the slime and become restrained. A creature can take an action to
attempt a DC 15 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within
its reach and ending the restrained condition on a success. Moving 1
foot in the slime costs 2 feet of movement. On initiative count 20 on the
next round, the slime hardens, and the Strength DC to work free
increases to 20. A creature who ends their turn in the slime takes 7 (2d6)
acid damage.

Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary brain stealer dragon’s lair is warped
by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following
effects:

- Creatures with an Intelligence score of 4 or more find that they are able
to communicate telepathically with one another. The dragon is able to
hear all mental communications.

- A faint psychic hum can be heard mentally within 5 miles of the

dragon’s lair. The closer a creature gets to the lair, the louder the hum
becomes.

- Cavern walls within 5 miles of the dragon’s lair are unnaturally smooth
and slick with a thin layer of moisture.
If the dragon dies, the cavern walls remain smooth, but other effects all
end immediately.