Brutish creatures of scales and fire, flame snakes are often coerced or bribed into serving as guards for royal families. Mercenaries to the core, even the smallest of these snakes make effective “watchdogs.” In the wild, they prefer to lair in volcanoes (dormant or active) or near hot springs or steam vents.
All flame snakes—minor, lesser, and greater—are adorned in a mix of red and orange scales. Down the serpents’ backs run an intricate series of black scales that form a repeating pattern of ankhs. Their dull eyes never seem to blink, and, like many reptiles, they spend long periods oftime coiled up and drowsing in the warmth of their lairs.
All flame snakes understand Ignan, but only the greater flame snake is capable of speech.
All three species of flame snake use similar tactics in battle. They prefer to bite their opponents and then allow their venom to run its course. The smaller, less intelligent flame snakes repeat this tactic until their opponents are brought down; the more intelligent varieties have other abilities at their disposal. The flame snake’s fiery venom is one of its most feared weapons. The fierce, burning agony the toxin causes sometimes drops wouldbe intruders even after they have attempted to flee from the burning creatures.
All flame snakes have some abilities in common.
Heat (Ex): A flame snake generates so much heat that its mere touch deals additional fire damage. This damage varies by subrace.
Skills: Flame snakes have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
The statistics block below contains details for more than one size of flame snake. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.
| Minor Flame Snake ⬇️ Small Magical Beast (Fire) |
Lesser Flame Snake ⬇️ Medium Magical Beast (Fire) |
Greater Flame Snake ⬇️ Huge Magical Beast (Fire) |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Hit Dice: | 1d10 (5 hp) | 8d10+16 (60 hp) | 17d10+85 (178 hp) |
| Initiative: | +3 | +4 | +7 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 10 ft. | 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft. | 60 ft. (12 squares), climb 50 ft. |
| Armor Class: | 16 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13 | 21 (+4 Dex, +7 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 17 | 29 (−2 size, +3 Dex, +18 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 26 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +1/−3 | +8/+10 | +17/+33 |
| Attack: | Bite +3 melee (1d4+1 plus 1d6 fire plus poison) | Bite +13 melee (1d8+2 and 2d6 fire plus poison), or magma spit +12 ranged touch (2d6 fire) | Bite +24 melee (2d8+8 plus 1d6 fire plus 1d6 negative energy plus poison) |
| Full Attack: | Bite +3 melee (1d4+1 plus 1d6 fire plus poison) | Bite +13 melee (1d8+2 and 2d6 fire plus poison) and tail spike +9 melee (1d6+1 plus 2d6 fire), or magma spit +12 ranged touch (2d6 fire) | Bite +24 melee (2d8+8 plus 1d6 fire plus 1d6 negative energy plus poison) and crush +19 melee (1d8+4 plus 1d6 fire plus 1d6 negative energy) and tail spike +18 melee (1d6+4 plus 1dé fire plus 1d6 negative energy) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. | 5 ft./5 ft. (coiled) | 15 ft./15 ft. (coiled) |
| Special Attacks: | Burning hands, fiery poison, heat | Constrict 2d6+3 plus 2d6 fire, fiery poison, heat, magma spit | Breath weapon, constrict 4d6+12 plus 1d6 fire plus 1d6 negative energy, death throes, fiery aura, fiery poison, heat, improved grab, negative energy, spell-like abilities, swallow whole |
| Special Qualities: | Darkvision 60 ft., fire subtype, low-light vision, scent | Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 3, fire subtype, low-light vision, scent, uncanny dodge | Darkvision 60 ft., damage reduction 15/magic, fast healing 5, fire subtype, low-light vision, scent, spell resistance 27, uncanny dodge |
| Saves: | Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0 | Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +4 | Fort +15, Ref +13, Will +7 |
| Abilities: | Str 12, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 11 | Str 15, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 13 | Str 27, Dex 17, Con 20, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 16 |
| Skills: | Climb +9, Hide +9, Listen +3, Move Silently +5, Spot +3; racial bonuses | Climb +10, Hide +7, Listen +5, Move Silently +7, Spot +4; racial bonuses | Climb +16, Hide −5, Listen +14, Move Silently +13, Search +10, Spot +14; racial bonuses |
| Feats: | Alertness | Multiattack, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (bite) | Alertness, Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (crush) |
| Environment: | Any land and underground | Any land and underground | Any land and underground |
| Organization: | Solitary or clutch (4–12) | Solitary, pair, or clutch (4–7) | Solitary, pair, or clutch (3–6) |
| Challenge Rating: | 1 | 7 | 16 |
| Treasure: | 50% coins, 50% goods | Standard coins, 50% goods | Standard |
| Alignment: | Usually evil (any) | Usually evil (any) | Usually evil (any) |
| Advancement: | 2–3 HD (Small) | 9–16 HD (Large); 17–24 HD (Huge) | 18–24 HD (Huge); 25–51 HD (Gargantuan) |
| Level Adjustment: | — | — | — |
Minor Flame Snake • Lesser Flame Snake • Greater Flame Snake
Minor flame snakes are the runts of the species. In clutches of mixed snakes (which usually consist of 4–8 minor, 3–5 lesser, and 1–2 greater snakes), they are totally subservient to their more powerful cousins.
Minor flame snakes are typically 4 feet long and about 2 inches in diameter. They seem to glow with heat, and from certain angles, heat waves appear to radiate off them.
Minor flame snakes enjoy collecting shiny objects, particularly ones made ofgold. Unfortunately for the small serpents, they rarely get to keep such trinkets, for their bigger brethren like them as well. Even when a minor flame snake on its own accumulates some sort of hoard, it often forgets where it left its treasure, so small caches of coins or small golden objects are often scattered about its territory.
A minor flame snake tries to begin battle with its burning hands ability. It then rushes into combat and its bite liberally. Minor flame snakes, while not brilliant by any stretch, know that their venom is particularly toxic and often engage in hit-and-run tactics against larger groups or foes that obviously outmatch them.
Burning Hands (Sp): Once per day, a minor flame snake can use a burning hands ability that functions as the spell of the same name (caster level 3rd; Ref DC 11).
Fiery Poison (Ex): A minor flame snake delivers its poison (Fort DC 10 negates) with each successful bite attack. Initial and secondary damage are the same (1d4 Str). In addition, if the save fails, the minor flame snake’s poison burns its victim from the inside as it courses through the opponent’s body. Each round the poison remains in a victims bloodstream (maximum 10 rounds), it deals 1 point of fire damage (no save). This includes the round in which the victim was bitten.
Source: Fiend Folio, page 73. Changes applied as per the D&D® v.3.5 Accessory Update.
Lesser flame snakes are significantly more powerful versions of minor flame snakes. They are also the most foul-tempered of the species. Abused by the greater flame snakes on a regular basis, they frequently take their anger out on minor flame snakes—or any other creature that wanders nearby.
Lesser flame snakes appear nearly identical to minor flame snakes, with the exception of being quite a bit larger. Measuring 7 feet long and 3–4 inches in diameter, they are intimidating specimens. The only other significant difference is the spike of hardened bone that grows from the creatures’ tails.
Of all three varieties of flame snake, the lesser ones are the least commonly used as household guards, despite the relative rarity of greater flame snakes, because they are more vicious and cruel than the other varieties. Most would-be employers shy away from a creature almost as likely to bite its master as any intruders.
Lesser flame snakes revel in the burning of their foes, so they use their magma spit at every opportunity. In groups, they use fairly sophisticated tactics that include forming crude ranks of melee combatants, behind which more flame snakes launch their globs of fiery spittle. They usually use their constrict ability only between spit attacks.
Constrict (Ex): With a successful grapple check, a lesser flame snake can constrict a grabbed opponent, dealing 2d6+3 points of bludgeoning damage and 2d6 points of fire damage.
Fiery Poison (Ex): A lesser flame snake delivers its poison (Fort DC 16 negates) with each successful bite attack. Initial and secondary damage are the same (1d4 Str). In addition, if the save fails, the lesser flame snake’s poison burns its victim from the inside as it courses through the opponent’s body. Each round the poison remains in a victim’s blood stream (maximum 10 rounds), it deals 2 points of fire damage (no save). This includes the round in which the victim was bitten.
Magma Spit (Su): Every 1d4 rounds, a lesser flame snake can launch a sticky glob of fiery spittle at an opponent within 30 feet (no range increment). A successful ranged touch attack is required to hit. If struck, a target takes 3d6 points of fire damage and must make a Reflex save (DC 16) or catch on fire.
Source: Fiend Folio, page 74. Changes applied as per the D&D® v.3.5 Accessory Update.
Greater flame snakes are massive creatures that radiate evil almost as strongly as they radiate heat. Malicious and vile, they rule small clutches of flame snakes through fear and intimidation. Used by only the wealthiest rulers, greater flame snakes are typically unpredictable. In some cases, entire households have gone missing overnight when a greater flame snake decided it would like its lord’s trinkets for itself.
Greater flame snakes look like much larger versions of their lesser kin; they measure up to 30 feet long and 6 feet in diameter. Greater flame snakes also have darker scales than other flame snakes. Their mostly red scales occasionally are interspersed with one of the deepest black.
There is more to these great serpents than most suspect. Greater flame snakes claim, among themselves only, to once have been powerful fiends. Banished from the Nine Hells for a long-forgotten transgression, many strive to regain the levels of power they supposedly once had. Those who have faced a greater flame snake could give credence to these claims, since the creatures mere presence radiates the sort of evil usually associated only with the dark denizens of Baator and the Abyss.
Greater flame snakes speak Infernal in addition to Ignan.
Greater flame snakes use their breath weapons early and often. They are also constantly hungry and make frequent use of their swallow whole ability while waiting for their breath weapon to recharge. Against particularly challenging foes, they don’t hesitate to employ their spell-like abilities, but they know that their best tactic is to stay close to their opponents and allow their fiery aura to wear their foes down.
Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d4 rounds, a greater flame snake can unleash a 50-foot cone of dark fire. A Reflex save (DC 23) halves the damage. The breath weapon deals 12d6 points of damage, half of which is fire damage and the other half of which is negative energy damage.
Constrict (Ex): With a successful grapple check, a greater flame snake can constrict a grabbed opponent, dealing 4d6+12 points of bludgeoning damage, 1dé points ofire damage, and 1d6 points of negative energy damage.
Death Throes (Ex): When slain, a greater flame snake explodes in a blinding flash of fiery light that deals 30 points of damage (15 points fire, 15 points negative energy) to everything within 50 feet. A Reflex save (DC 23) halves the damage.
Fiery Aura (Ex): Merely being in the presence of a greater flame snake is damaging. Any creature within 5 feet ofagreater flame snake automatically takes 1d6 points of fire damage.
Fiery Poison (Ex): A greater flame snake delivers its poison (Fort DC 26 negates) with each successful bite attack. Initial and secondary damage are the same (1d4 Str). In addition, if the save fails, the greater flame snake’s poison burns its victim from the inside as it courses through the opponent’s body. Each round the poison remains in a victims bloodstream (maximum 10 rounds), it deals 4 points of fire damage (no save). This includes the round in which the victim was bitten.
Improved Grab (Ex): If a greater flame snake hits an opponent that is at least one size category smaller than itself with a bite attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity (grapple bonus +33). If it gets a hold, it can swallow the opponent on its next successful grapple check. Alternatively, the greater flame snake has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its bite to hold the opponent (−20 penalty on grapple check, but the greater flame snake is not considered grappled). In either case, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals bite damage.
Negative Energy (Su): A greater flame snake’s dark origins provide it with the ability to deal negative energy damage with most ofits attacks. See the descriptions of individual special attacks and special qualities for details.
Swallow Whole (Ex): A greater flame snake can swallow a single creature that is at least two size categories smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check (grapple bonus +33), provided it already has that opponent in its maw (see Improved Grab, above). Once inside the greater flame snake, the opponent takes 2d6+13 points of crushing damage, 1d4 points of fire damage, and 1d4 points of negative energy damage per round from the flame snake’s stomach. See Swallow Whole for escape methods and other information. A greater flame snake’s stomach has 20 hit points and an AC of 19. It can hold hold 2 Large, 4 Medium, or 16 Small or smaller opponents.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—fireball, fire shield (warm shield only); 1/day—fire storm, flame strike, maximized fireball. Caster level 16th; save DC 13 + spell level.
Source: Fiend Folio, page 75. Changes applied as per the D&D® v.3.5 Accessory Update.