PyraustaThis minuscule dragon’s transparent wings and large eyes resemble
those of a praying mantis. Its form glows bright with an inner fire.Pyrausta CR 1/4Source Bestiary 5 pg. 200 XP 100 CN Diminutive dragon (fire) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +5DefenseAC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +4 size) hp 5 (1d12–1); fast healing 1 Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +3 Immune fire, paralysis, sleep Weaknesses heart of flame, vulnerable
to coldOffenseSpeed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good) Melee bite +7 (1d3–2 plus 1 fire) Space 1 ft., Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks breath weapon (10-ft. cone, 1d4
fire, Reflex DC 9 half, usable every 1d4 rounds) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +2) At will—sparkStatisticsStr 6, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 13 Base Atk +1; CMB -1; CMD 7 (11 vs. trip) Feats Flyby Attack, Weapon Finesse Skills Fly +16, Perception +5, Stealth +18 Languages DraconicEcologyEnvironment any warm Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (12–20) Treasure doubleSpecial AbilitiesHeart of Flame (Ex) A tiny spark of flame that acts as a
pyrausta’s heart beats within its chest. Whenever a pyrausta
takes cold damage, including damage from environmental
cold, its little heart stalls. It loses its fast healing and breath
weapon, gains the staggered condition, and takes 1 point
of damage each round. This continues until it is exposed to
a source of flame that would normally deal fire damage or
until it successfully uses its spark spell-like ability to reignite
its heart (doing so requires a successful DC 11 concentration
check because of the ongoing damage).DescriptionThough perhaps the smallest of dragons, pyraustas are not
insecure about their size, for they lack the inflated egos so
common among their larger kindred. Instead, pyraustas
delight in being what they are, and live in the here and now.
Though their natural life spans are similar to a human’s,
their dependence on flame to keep their hearts beating
means the average pyrausta meets its end much sooner.
Some scholars believe that pyraustas, sometimes called
“insect dragons” or “true dragonflies,” are spawned from
the very hearts of volcanoes, where flickering flames are
common. In truth, young pyraustas are conceived in the
warmest months of the year, when swarms of the creatures
gather high in the night skies and perform elaborate
courtship rituals with their colorful flames, frolicking
playfully in mid-flight. These swarms are often mistaken
for fireflies, auroras, or other phenomena. A pyrausta’s
flame and its heart are one, and its fiery breath changes
color depending on the creature’s emotions. Pyraustas
use their inner flames primarily to express themselves,
creating vivid pyrotechnic displays to communicate their
feelings. They can also use this flame as a weapon if
necessary, but prefer not to.
A typical pyrausta’s body is 9 inches long, though its
wingspan is longer, and it weighs 1 to 2 pounds.Elder PyraustasPyraustas who outlive the short life spans their frailty often
imposes on them can grow to become far larger and more
dangerous than their younger kin. They gain the giant
and advanced simple templates, and the range of their
breath weapons increases to a 15-foot cone. Elder pyraustas
don’t usually grow arrogant as their might increases; they
instead either offer wisdom to other pyraustas, settling
disputes and acting as guardians and mentors to their
younger kin, or else travel far and wide, bridging the gaps
between disparate pyrausta communities.
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