Magmascale Serpent
- Adversary
- Bruiser
- Tier 3
Appears in: Fire, Boss Fights, Underground and Caverns
Magmascale Serpent
- HP
- 7
- Stress
- 3
- Difficulty
- 17
- Attack
- +3
Molten Fangs: 3d8+4 phy
Seething Scales. Any creature that strikes the Serpent with a Melee attack takes 1d6 fire damage as molten blood hisses from its wounds.
Lava Spout. Mark a Stress to slam its body into the ground, opening a vent of molten rock within Very Close range. All creatures in the area must succeed on an Instinct Reaction Roll (15) or take 2d8 fire damage and be pushed back to Far range.
Eruption Coil. Spend a Fear to coil its body around the battlefield, cracking the ground. All creatures within Close range must succeed on a Strength Reaction Roll (16) or be temporarily Restrained and take 3d8 fire damage as the ground erupts.
Burrow Through Stone. When the Serpent is targeted by a ranged attack, it can burrow into the ground and re-emerge within Far range, avoiding the attack once per encounter.
How to run Magmascale Serpent
Magmascale Serpent is a tier 3 bruiser for Daggerheart. Drop it into any fitting scene; the statblock above is free to add to your compendium in the app, and the one-shot below gives you somewhere to run it.
Where it begins
- 1
The mountain’s tremors are said to be the Serpent turning in its sleep.
- 2
Villagers toss iron charms into lava flows to ward off its hunger.
- 3
When it surfaces, the air shimmers with unbearable heat and scales crackle like cooling glass.
The Volcanic Awakening
A Magmascale Serpent awakens from its slumber deep within a volcanic chamber, its massive form writhing through molten rock as it seeks to defend its domain from intruders.
The Tremor's Source
The ground beneath your feet begins to tremble and shake, sending cracks spiderwebbing across the stone floor. The air grows thick with the stench of brimstone and molten rock, and you realize the mountain's tremors are not natural - something massive is stirring deep below. From the shadows of the volcanic chamber, you catch glimpses of blackened stone scales that seem to move and writhing with a life of their own. The very walls pulse with heat, and you sense that something ancient and terrible is awakening from its slumber.
The party has entered the Magmascale Serpent's volcanic lair, and the massive creature is beginning to stir from its long slumber. The tremors and heat create an oppressive atmosphere, as if the very mountain is alive and hostile. The serpent's presence draws fire elementals and other volcanic creatures to the area, creating an increasingly dangerous environment. The party should feel the weight of the serpent's power pressing down on them, as if the very air is thick with malevolent energy. The volcanic chamber creates opportunities for exploration and discovery, but also for danger and death.
