Copyright 2009 Wizards of the Coast

This is part of a series! Go here to see the other entries.

Drakkoths, also known as Dracotaurs, have been around since at least 3e. They also look like something I’d find in some of the more exotic BECMI supplements.

The Lore

Like a number of other peoples, drakkoths are distant relatives of dragons. Their humanoid half looks like a crested dragonborn, and their quadruped half like a small wingless dragon.

Drakkoths are nomadic, somewhat insular and territorial, and have enough technology to make steel weapons. Their preferred terrain are forests and jungles, and the borders of their claimed territory tend to shift slightly over time.

According to the book some drakkoth communities worship Tiamat, but others choose to venerate an individual dragon patron instead. This is most often an elder or ancient green, given their common terrain preference. I imagine you could have communities of Bahamut-worshipping or good-dragon-venerating drakkoths as well. Some dragons actively seek to set themselves as the bosses of a drakkoth community, because as far as potential servants go they’re a lot more useful than kobolds.

The Numbers

Drakkoths are very strong and tough, and quite smart as well. They mostly fight with weapons, to which they apply poison. They tend to wear hide and leather armor, but you could also say their scaly hides are naturally tough if you’re so inclined. Their superior movement speed means they favor “cavalry” and skirmishing tactics.

They can also breathe poison in a manner similar to a green dragon, and are prone to flying into a rage that leaves them immune to pain when bloodied.

Common Traits

Drakkoths are Medium Natural Humanoids with the Reptile keyword. They have low-light vision, and their four legs give them a respectable speed of 7. Though all of them have a breath weapon and a rage ability, the exact effects vary with each stat block.

Drakkoth Ambusher

This is a Level 13 Skirmisher with 131 HP. It fights with a Reach 2 glaive that does a mix of physical and poison damage. It can also employ a Sudden Rush maneuver (move action; recharge 5-6), allowing it to shift its speed and make attacks vs. the Reflex of every enemy it moves adjacent to. This does no damage, but knocks prone on a hit. They also do extra “sneak attack” damage against an enemy granting combat advantage to them.

Their breath weapon is a very dragon-like Venomous Hiss (close blast 2 vs. Reflex; recharges when first bloodied). It does poison damage, and ongoing poison damage (save ends).

While bloodied the ambusher enters a Drakkoth Rage, which makes it tougher by granting it 10 temporary HP whenever it hits with an attack.

Drakkoth Rager

A Level 15 Elite Brute with 366 HP, the rager is a lot more direct in its approach to combat. It wields a battleaxe and can perform a Raging Cleave that does the same damage as the basic attack plus a bit of extra poison damage in a Close Burst 1. It wants to be surrounded.

Its Venomous Hiss and its Drakkoth Rage have all the same effects as those of the ambusher, but the rage also gives it a +2 to attacks and +5 to damage.

Drakkoth Venomshot

This archer is Level 16 Artillery with 125 HP, and carries a longsword and a longbow into combat. Its arrows have a rider that gives the target Vulnerable 10 Poison (save ends), which pairs nicely with the poisoned weapons of its buddies.

Instead of the standard Venomous Hiss, it can use a Venomshot Hiss that does less damage but can be used more often, recharging at the end of any turn where the venomshot is bloodied. Its Rage is the same as the ambusher’s.

Sample Encounters and Final Impressions

In addition to palling around with dragons, drakkoths also train creatures native to their territories to fight alongside them, and they can make short-term alliances with neighbors to take down powerful threats.

We get two sample encounters:

  • Level 14: a rager, two venomshots, and a viscera devourer. I bet there’s an interesting story behind that one.

  • Level 16: 3 ambushers, 2 venomshots, and a roc!

I didn’t even remember drakkoths existed before I got to this entry, but these look interesting. I’m sure you could also reskin bog-standard centarus into drakkoths and vice-versa.