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Felldrakes are a Vale-specific new addition to the game.

The Lore

Shortly after signing the pact that transformed them, the ruling nobility of Bael Turath set about applying their newfound infernal power in several ways they felt would benefit the empire. One of the things they did was magically alter the many breeds of drake the Turathi already employed to make them stronger and more vicious. These magically altered breeds became known as felldrakes.

Though felldrakes are considered natural animals, they’re much more aggressive and territorial than other species and are susceptible to control via old Turathi techniques and infernal magic. The Fell Court from our previous entry was taught the secret of controlling these creatures by their diabolical patrons. It’s possible other groups have learned it as well.

The Numbers

Like other drakes, these are Natural Beasts. They’re a varied lot, though, and their abilities are specific to each stat block.

Leaping Felldrake

This Small drake looks like a green-scaled lizard. As the name implies they’re capable of long flying leaps, but they’re also pretty good at lying in ambush. Their jaws are very efficient at biting the necks of their victims, and their saliva contains a weak venom that turns the flesh around the bite mark blue. They were used to protect homes and vaults from burglars, and those blue marks aided in tracking any culprits that escaped.

Leaping Felldrakes are Level 1 Lurkers with 26 HP. They have ground and climb speeds of 6. Their basic bites are a little weak, but they can use Neck Bites against targets granting them combat advantage. This deals about double the damage of a basic bite and allow the drake to grab the target (escape DC 12), dealing them ongoing 5 damage while the grab lasts.

The drake’s Flying Leaps allow them to fly 3 squares without provoking opportunity attacks. If they have cover, concealment, or no enemies within 5 squares, they can use Instant Camouflage to become effectively invisible until they attack or cancel the effect. That’s how it gains combat advantage in most situations, though flanking also works fine in a fight against multiple monsters.

Crested Felldrakes

These Small drakes are kinda like a cross between a standard guard drake and a Jurassic Park raptor. They’re pack hunters like unmodified guard drakes, but they’re stronger and smarter than then. Crested felldrakes have been known to climb on top of one another to reach high places, or to open doors with their claws to get at victims on the other side.

Crested Felldrakes are Level 2 Skirmishers with 39 HP. They have a ground speed of 8 and their Pack Frenzy trait gives them +1 to hit and +2 to damage when adjacent to a felldrake ally. Their bites damage and allow a felldrake ally within 2 squares of the attacker to shift up to 2 squares as a reaction. When hit by an opportunity attack, they can automatically shift 2 squares. This doesn’t negate the damage from the attack, but it also doesn’t use up an action, so it can be done as often as you like. The more you hit them, the more mobile they are.

Hissing Felldrake

Another Jurassic Park-inspired monstrosity, this is a Medium drake with a large folding frill around its neck and the ability to spit a corrosive venom laced with soporific chemicals. It’s Level 3 Artillery with 38 HP.

They can bite but the star of the show is clearly their Fell Spit, a ranged attack that targets Reflex and deals acid damage. If the target is bloodied, they become slowed for a turn. If they’re already slowed, they instead become dazed (save ends).

Tri-Horned Felldrake

The larger and most aggressive of the felldrake subspecies, but also oddly enough the easiest to domesticate. The Turathi enforced an instinctive pecking order with tri-horns at the top, so they have some ability to control other felldrake species.

Tri-horns are Medium Level 4 Soldiers with 58 HP. They have a speed of 5, are immmune to fear, and gain a +3 to damage when charging. They can bite and also perform challenging gores that deal about the same damage and mark for a turn. If a marked target makes an attack that doesn’t target the drake, it can use a melee reaction to automatically deal light damage and knock them prone.

Final Impressions

The origin of the felldrakes gives you ample excuse to have a wild pack of them that attacks on sight and fights to the death, unlike most natural beasts. However they really come into their own as pets to the Fell Court or to other similar groups that know how to control and boost them in the same way.

They could also be used as additional Dark Drake species to go with the Dark Drake of the Moon Hills. Maybe the Dark Drake is a supernaturally powerful felldrake who survives since the days of Bael Turath?