Intelligent alien creatures such as aboleths, as well as the occasional mad wizard or capricious deity enjoy tinkering with creatures to make them more suited for their environments or just as a thought exercise. Then the PCs must go out and fight things like owlbears or chimeras.

Doesn’t it make you want to get in on the action? Monster Mix crosses two monsters from the Tales of the Valiant Monster Vault to create new horrors that combine elements from the original creatures beyond just shuffling their component abilities.

This time? The rust monster and a selection of metallic dragons.

Corrosion Dragonette

This dragon’s dull metallic scales show signs of corrosion. Its stunted wings hold it aloft, as it regards its surroundings with multifaceted eyes. The dragon’s tail ends in a feathery frond.

Devourer of Corroded Metal. The type of metal a corrosion dragonette consumes matches its scales. It can eject corrosive breath that dissolves the metal it craves while incidentally harming its prey’s flesh.

Draconic Greed. Though the dragonette devours rusted metals, it covets all other precious metals for its hoard. It is intelligent enough to bargain for alternative metals, provided it sated its hunger previously.

Uncertain Future. These hybrid dragonettes might remain in their current form for their entire lifespans. In some cases, draconic ego asserts itself and the dragonettes transform into their respective types, no longer able to corrode metal or forced to consume it.

COPPER CORROSION DRAGONETTE    CR 1

Medium Dragon

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 38
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
Perception 14    Stealth 14
Resistant acid | frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., keensense 10 ft., tremorsense 30 ft.
Languages Draconic

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
+2	+2	+2	+0	+2	+1

Precious Metal Scent. The dragonette can pinpoint by scent, the location of copper, silver, gold, or platinum within 30 feet of it.

Cling. The dragonette can cling to difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The dragonette makes one Bite attack and one Claw attack. It can replace either attack with a Tail Frond attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 DEX save, or all copper worn and held by the target disintegrates.

Tail Frond. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target must make a DC 12 CON save. On a failure, the target can’t use reactions, its speed is halved, and it can’t make more than one attack on its turn. In addition, the target can use either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. These effects last for 1 minute. The target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Cupric Corrosion Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragonette exhales corrosive acid in a 30-foot line that is 5-feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 12 DEX save, taking 14 (4d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, all nonmagical copper held and worn by the creature disintegrates. If the creature fails its save by 5 or more, all copper it possesses disintegrates.

REACTIONS

Copper Rush. The dragonette moves up to half its speed toward a source of copper it can sense.

GOLD CORROSION DRAGONETTE         CR 3

Medium Dragon

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 72
Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft., swim 20 ft.
Perception 15    Stealth 15
Resistant fire | frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., keensense 10 ft., tremorsense 30 ft.
Languages Draconic

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
+4	+3	+4	+0	+3	+1

Cling. The dragonette can cling to difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Precious Metal Scent. The dragonette can pinpoint by scent, the location of copper, silver, gold, or platinum within 30 feet of it.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The dragonette makes one Bite attack and one Claw attack. It can replace either attack with a Tail Frond attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 DEX save, or all gold worn and held by the target disintegrates.

Tail Frond. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target must succeed on a DC 14 CON save or have disadvantage on STR-based attack rolls, STR checks, and STR saves for 1 minute. The target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Auric Corrosion Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragonette exhales destructive fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that line must make a DC 14 DEX save, taking 27 (6d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, all nonmagical gold held and worn by the creature disintegrates. If the creature fails its save by 5 or more, all gold it possesses disintegrates.

REACTIONS

Gold Rush. The dragonette moves up to half its speed toward a source of gold it can sense.

SILVER CORROSION DRAGONETTE       CR 2

Medium Dragon

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 55
Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft.
Perception 13    Stealth 14
Resistant cold | frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., keensense 10 ft., tremorsense 30 ft.
Languages Draconic

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
+3	+2	+3	+0	+1	+1

Cling. The dragonette can cling to difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Precious Metal Scent. The dragonette can pinpoint by scent, the location of copper, silver, gold, or platinum within 30 feet of it.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The dragonette makes one Bite attack and one Claw attack. It can replace either attack with a Tail Frond attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 DEX save, or all silver worn and held by the target disintegrates.

Tail Frond. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target must make a DC 13 CON save or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Silver Corrosion Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragonette exhales shattering cold in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that line must make a DC 13 DEX save, taking 14 (4d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, all nonmagical silver held and worn by the creature disintegrates. If the creature fails its save by 5 or more, all silver it possesses disintegrates.

REACTIONS

Silver Rush. The dragonette moves up to half its speed toward a source of silver it can sense.

---