Ancient Blue Dragon

D&D 2024 monster: Ancient Blue Dragon. Source: Monster Manual (2014). challenge rating 23, creature type Dragon, Gargantuan size, speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft.... Vain and territorial, blue dragons soar through the skies over deserts, preying on caravans and plundering herds and settlements in the verdant lands beyond the desert's reach. These dragons can also be found in dry steppes, searing badlands, and rocky coasts. They guard their territories against all potential competitors, especially brass dragons. A blue dragon is recognized by its dramatic frilled ears and the massive ridged horn atop its blunt head. Rows of spikes extend back from its nostrils to line its brow, and cluster on its jutting lower jaw. A blue dragon's scales vary in color from an iridescent azure to a deep indigo, polished to a glossy finish by the desert sands. As the dragon ages, its scales become thicker and harder, and its hide hums and crackles with static electricity. These effects intensify when the dragon is angry or about to attack, giving off an odor of ozone and dusty air. Vain and Deadly A blue dragon will not stand for any remark or insinuation that it is weak or inferior, taking great pleasure in lording its power over humanoids and other lesser creatures. A blue dragon is a patient and methodical combatant. When fighting on its own terms, it turns combat into an extended affair of hours or even days, attacking from a distance with volleys of lightning, then flying well out of harm's reach as it waits to attack again. Desert Predators Though they sometimes eat cacti and other desert plants to sate their great hunger, blue dragons are carnivores. They prefer to dine on herd animals, cooking those creatures with their lightning breath before gorging themselves. Their dining habits make blue dragons an enormous threat to desert caravans and nomadic tribes, which become convenient collections of food and treasure to a dragon's eye. When it hunts, a blue dragon buries itself in th...