Rage Drake

Primitive draconic creatures, rage drakes have more in common with large and dangerous dire animals than with true dragons. Although capable of at least rudimentary reasoning, rage drakes remain animalistic in many ways. Cruel and selfish, rage drakes embody many of the worst qualities of evil dragonkind. Some sages believe that rage drakes were created deliberately in an attempt to find a mount with the fearsome physical abilities of a dragon but without the intelligence and powerful magical abilities. Rage drakes do not hoard treasure, though they do value precious gems…as snacks.

Rage drakes have dull, deep red scales and the feline build common to true dragons. Unlike many other draconic creatures, they do not have wings. However, their size and strength make them extremely fast compared to most ground creatures. A typical rage drake can grow to be over 12 feet long and can weigh up to 6,000 pounds.

Rage drakes do not speak, but they understand Common and Draconic within the limits of their intelligence.

Brutal, instinctive hunters, rage drakes hide and ambush their foes when possible. Beyond this instinctive hunting technique, rage drakes take a simple approach to the many battles they fight in their violent lives. When combat begins, a rage drake charges and pounces on the nearest foe, tearing its opponent to shreds as fast as it can and then moving on to the next foe. It usually tries to pounce and stun its foe in the first round of combat and then begins raging in the next round. If overmatched in combat, a rage drake is just as likely to fight to the death as it is to flee.

A rage drake normally attacks using its Power Attack feat, taking a −5 penalty on its attack rolls and gaining a +5 bonus on damage rolls.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a rage drake must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can use both its rake and worry attacks against the held foe.

Pounce (Ex): If a rage drake charges, it can make a full attack, including its two rake attacks and one worry attack if it grabs its foe.

Rage (Ex): Four times per day, a rage drake can enter a state of fierce rage that lasts 11 rounds. The following changes are in effect as long as he rages: AC 18 (touch 10, flat-footed 15); hp increase by 28; Atk +18 melee (1d8+15/19–20, claw); Full Atk +18 melee (1d8+15/19–20, 2 claws) and +13 melee (2d6+10, bite); SV Fort +17, Will +12; Str 31, Con 27; Jump +33. Unlike a barbarian, however, a rage drake is not fatigued after raging. A rage drake can end its rage early, though it seldom does so even when all its foes are apparently defeated.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +16 melee (+18 if raging), damage 1d8+13 (1d8+15 if raging), including adjustment for using Power Attack feat.

Worry (Ex): Whenever a rage drake grabs a foe at least one size category smaller than itself in its mouth, it instinctively shakes the foe, stunning and disorienting its victim. Anyone grabbed by a rage drake must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw (DC shown in entry) or be stunned for 1 round. A rage drake can only use this ability in the first round after it grabs a foe. The save DC is Strength-based.

Skills: Rage drakes have a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks and Listen checks.

Demon princes often breed powerful fiendish versions of rage drakes to use in their Abyssal armies. These ferocious monsters are even more terrifying than their ordinary cousins, combining draconic fury with demonic toughness and vigor.

Although they are too intelligent to be trained with the Handle Animal skill, rage drakes can occasionally be bribed or bullied into serving as mounts for extremely powerful riders. Riding a rage drake, even a thoroughly cowed one, is always risky, and the rider must be prepared to deal with the rage drake’s attempt to assert control or turn on its rider. Controlling a mount is especially difficult when the creature enters a rage⁠—​all Ride checks during such a time have their DCs increased by 10.

A rage drake willing to serve as a mount and trained for battle costs at least 15,000 gp. Frequent rewards of food, drink, and precious gems can keep a rage drake happy and reasonably loyal. In general, a rage drake rider should expect to spend between 500 and 1,500 gp per month on the creature if he wants to keep the beast content (or as content as a rage drake ever is).

Rage drakes are found in large numbers on the continent of Argonnessen, lairing in caves carved into perilous cliffs near coastal waters. They are also found in alarming numbers on mainland Khorvaire, battling wyverns for territory. Longships of the Lhazaar Principalities often have figureheads carved to resemble rage drakes, and the creatures are hunted, respected, and feared up and down Khorvaire’s eastern coastline. The barbarian tribes of Argonnessen use rage drakes as mounts.

Rage drakes populate various mountain ranges in the Unapproachable East, most notably the Giantspire Mountains in Narfell and the Dragonjaw Mountains in Thesk and Aglarond. Enslaved rage drakes also serve various Red Wizards of Thay. They have been encountered in large numbers as far south as the Toadsquat Mountains of the Eastern Shaar. Shiertalaran traders have also reported rage drakes in the Wyrmbones that prey on caravans approaching the city of Kormul as well as on boats heading up and down the Talar River.