Dragon, Outer

Native to the vastness of space, outer dragons rarely appear on the surface of habitable planets. Instead, they lord over the endless space between them and the countless other celestial bodies that make up the universe.

Outer dragon’s natural weapons are starship scale and are generally not used against smaller targets.

Outside of starship combat, they should be treated as hazards doing up to ten times the listed starship damage.

Bite: Dragons of sufficient size can bite from their front arc at targets up to one hex away. Even when a dragon’s bite begins doing damage as a capital weapon, it does not suffer a penalty attacking smaller starships.

Claws: Outer dragon claws are melee weapons and can be used only during the Flyby Attack maneuver. They are not considered to be in their own arc for purposes like weapon system damage and the Broadside gunner action.

Dragon Breath: Although the full effects of outer dragon breath change with age and breed, they are all treated as turret-mounted weapons with long range.

Tail: Like the dragon’s bite, their tails can attack targets in the rear arc up to one hex away. The tail also functions as a point defense weapon for that arc using the dragon’s Piloting bonus to hit.

Wings: In addition to pushing against the fabric of space itself, older dragons can use their wings to attack targets up to one hex away. Each wing also functions as a point defense weapon in its arc using the dragon’s Piloting bonus to hit.

All outer dragons have the following abilities, but they also gain several more from their specific breed (see below).

Dragon Eyes (Ex)

Outer dragons’s eyes function as budget long-range sensors. When taking the Scan or Target System science officer actions, the dragon can use its Perception bonus in place of Computers.

Living Starship (Ex)

While an outer dragon is a living creature, it is so immense that it functions as a starship (and thus engages only in starship combat). Though it has no crew, it can still take a gunner and pilot action (one of each during the appropriate phases using the listed bonuses).

Instead of these actions, it may instead make an engineer or science officer action.

Assume it has ranks in the Engineering, Perception, and Piloting skills equal to its tier and a Base Attack Bonus equal to its tier.

Use the following table to determine the effects when an outer dragon takes critical damage.

The outer dragon’s brain does not take critical damage conditions.

Outer Dragon Critical Effect

d%	System Effect
01-40	Natural Weapons – Randomly determine one art with a weapon (including melee); condition applies to all gunner actions using weapons in that arc
41-80	Wings – Condition applies to all pilot actions and gunner actions using either wing
81-90	Heart – Condition applies to all engineering actions, except when patching or repairing the heart
91-100	Eyes – Condition applies to all science officer actions

Wyrmling Outer Dragon Tier 4

N Small starship dragon
Speed 10; Maneuverability good (turn 1)
AC 22; TL 19
HP 50; DT —; CT 10
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 3d6
Attack (Melee) claws 6d6
Offensive Abilities dragon trait
Skills Engineering +10, Perception +10, Piloting +13
Power Core wyrmling heart (100 PCU); Drift none; Systems mk 7 armor, mk 5 defenses, dragon eyes, s10 wings; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Very Young Outer Dragon Tier 6

N Medium starship dragon
Speed 10; Maneuverability average (turn 2)
AC 24; TL 21
HP 85; DT —; CT 17
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 6d6
Attack (Melee) claws 8d6
Offensive Abilities dragon trait
Skills Engineering +13, Perception +13, Piloting +18
Power Core very young dragon heart (130 PCU); Drift none; Systems m10 wings, mk 8 armor, mk 6 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Juvenile Outer Dragon Tier 9

N Large starship dragon
Speed 10; Maneuverability average (turn 3)
AC 27; TL 23
HP 200; DT —; CT 40
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 10d6
Attack (Melee) claws 12d6
Offensive Abilities dragon trait
Skills Engineering +17, Perception +17, Piloting +22
Power Core juvenile dragon heart (250 PCU); Drift none; Systems l10 wings, mk 9 armor, mk 7 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Young Outer Dragon Tier 8

N Large starship dragon
Speed 10; Maneuverability average (turn 2)
AC 25; TL 22
HP 190; DT —; CT 38
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 6d6
Attack (Melee) claws 12d6
Offensive Abilities dragon trait
Skills Engineering +16, Perception +16, Piloting +21
Power Core young dragon heart (200 PCU); Drift none; Systems l10 wings, mk 8 armor, mk 5 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Young Adult Outer Dragon Tier 11

N Huge starship dragon
Speed 10; Maneuverability average (turn 3)
AC 28; TL 25
HP 230; DT —; CT 46
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 10d6
Attack (Melee) claws 2d4x10
Offensive Abilities dragon aura (DC 18), dragon trait
Skills Engineering +20, Perception +20, Piloting +25
Power Core adult dragon heart (300 PCU); Drift none; Systems h10 wings, mk 9 armor, mk 8 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Adult Outer Dragon Tier 12

N Huge starship dragon
Speed 10; Maneuverability average (turn 3)
AC 30; TL 27
HP 255; DT —; CT 51
Attack (Front) bite 6d4
Attack (Aft) tail 3d4 point
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 10d6
Attack (Melee) claws 2d4x10
Offensive Abilities dragon aura, dragon trait
Skills Engineering +22, Perception +22, Piloting +27
Power Core adult dragon heart (300 PCU); Drift none; Systems h10 wings, mk 10 armor, mk 9 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Mature Adult Outer Dragon Tier 13

N Huge starship dragon
Speed 10; Maneuverability average (turn 3)
AC 31; TL 28
HP 275; DT —; CT 55
Attack (Front) bite 6d4
Attack (Aft) tail 3d4 point
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 15d6
Attack (Melee) claws 2d6x10
Offensive Abilities dragon aura (DC 19), dragon trait
Skills Engineering +23, Perception +23, Piloting +28
Power Core adult dragon heart (300 PCU); Drift none; Systems h10 wings, mk 10 armor, mk 9 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Old Outer Dragon Tier 15

N Gargantuan starship dragon
Speed 8; Maneuverability poor (turn 4)
AC 31; TL 28
HP 400; DT —; CT 80
Attack (Front) bite 6d4
Attack (Aft) tail 3d4 point
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 15d6 plus special
Attack (Melee) claws 2d6x10
Offensive Abilities dragon aura (DC 21), dragon trait, special breath (DC 21)
Skills Engineering +26, Perception +26, Piloting +31
Power Core wyrm heart (400 PCU); Drift none; Systems g8 wings, mk 10 armor, mk 9 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Wyrm Outer Dragon Tier 18

N Gargantuan starship dragon
Speed 8; Maneuverability poor (turn 5)
AC 38; TL 35
HP 560; DT —; CT 112
Attack (Front) bite 2d6x10
Attack (Port) wing 5d4 point
Attack (Starboard) wing 5d4 point
Attack (Aft) tail 5d6 point
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 15d6 plus special
Attack (Melee) claws 2d12x10
Offensive Abilities dragon aura (DC 23), dragon trait, special breath (DC 23)
Skills Engineering +31, Perception +31, Piloting +36
Power Core wyrm heart (400 PCU); Drift none; Systems g8 wings, mk 14 armor, mk 14 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Very Old Outer Dragon Tier 16

N Gargantuan starship dragon
Speed 8; Maneuverability poor (turn 4)
AC 33; TL 30
HP 440; DT —; CT 88
Attack (Front) bite 2d4x10
Attack (Port) wing 3d4 point
Attack (Starboard) wing 3d4 point
Attack (Aft) tail 3d4 point
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 15d6 plus special
Attack (Melee) claws 2d10x10
Offensive Abilities dragon aura (DC 22), dragon trait, special breath (DC 22)
Skills Engineering +28, Perception +28, Piloting +33
Power Core wyrm heart (400 PCU); Drift none; Systems g8 wings, mk 11 armor, mk 10 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Ancient Outer Dragon Tier 17

N Gargantuan starship dragon
Speed 8; Maneuverability poor (turn 5)
AC 36; TL 32
HP 500; DT —; CT 100
Attack (Front) bite 2d6x10
Attack (Port) wing 3d4 point
Attack (Starboard) wing 3d4 point
Attack (Aft) tail 5d6 point
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 15d6 plus special
Attack (Melee) claws 2d10x10
Offensive Abilities dragon aura (DC 22), dragon trait, special breath (DC 22)
Skills Engineering +29, Perception +29, Piloting +34
Power Core wyrm heart (400 PCU); Drift none; Systems g8 wings, mk 13 armor, mk 12 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Great Wyrm Outer Dragon Tier 20

N Colossal starship dragon
Speed 8; Maneuverability clumsy (turn 6)
AC 36; TL 33
HP 650; DT —; CT 130
Attack (Front) bite 3d6x10
Attack (Port) wing 5d6 point
Attack (Starboard) wing 5d6 point
Attack (Aft) tail 5d8 point
Attack (Turret) dragon breath 2d6x10 plus special
Attack (Melee) claws 3d12x10
Offensive Abilities dragon aura (DC 25), dragon trait, final power, special breath (DC 25)
Skills Engineering +34, Perception +34, Piloting +39
Power Core great wyrm heart (500 PCU); Drift none; Systems c8 wings, mk 14 armor, mk 14 defenses, dragon eyes; Expansion Bays none
Other Abilities living starship, no breath

Outer Dragon Breeds

The individual breeds of outer dragons each have their own abilities, indicated in the above statistics as dragon aura, dragon trait, final power, and special breath.

Lunar Dragon

Of the outer dragons, lunar dragons are the most interested in the inhabitants of planetary bodies and the smaller moons they observe. They can frequently be found near gas giants, meddling in the affairs of colonists and passing starships alike.

Suggested Alignment: Chaotic neutral

Dragon Aura (Su)

Once per turn, when a young adult lunar dragon moves adjacent to a starship or through that ship’s hex, each member of it’s crew must attempt a Will save against the listed DC or suffer a ¬-2 penalty to Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom based skill checks until the end of the encounter. This penalty is cumulative.

Dragon Trait (Ex)

When an attack with a laser weapon misses a lunar dragon, it can reflect the light off its hide, resolving a new attack from that dragon’s location for the same damage.

Final Power (Su)

A great wyrm lunar dragon can create an area of icy darkness during its piloting action, completely filling one hex. The crewmembers of any starship beginning its round in that hex are dealt 8d6 cold damage (DC 25 Fortitude save for half). Also, those who failed their save and have not changed duty positions since last round take 1d4 Dexterity drain as ice grows over their bodies.

The icy darkness left by a lunar dragon has no known duration but can be canceled by the dragon and will fade with its death.

Special Breath (Ex)

The breath of old lunar dragons confuses victims as to their intended roles. When a ship’s hull is damaged by the dragon’s breath, each crewmember must succeed at a Will save of the listed DC or move to a random duty position next round. If they are unable to move to a new duty position, they instead struggle and injure themselves for 1d8 + their Strength modifier.

Solar Dragon

These regal dragons glow like miniature suns in their own right, claiming all they can see in the vastness of space and even suggesting they are the creator of life on the planets around their home stars.

Suggested Alignment: Lawful neutral

Dragon Aura (Su)

Once per turn, when a young adult solar dragon moves adjacent to a starship or through that ship’s hex, each member of it’s crew must attempt a Fortitude save against the listed DC or be blinded by its radiance for the next hour. In addition to the normal effects of blindness, the victims have a 50% miss chance on any starship combat attack unless their target is target locked by a science officer.

Dragon Trait (Ex)

Solar dragons can channel the power of life, enabling them to take the hold it together or patch action during the engineering phase along with their normal pilot and gunner actions.

Final Power (Su)

A great wyrm solar dragon can transform into a beam of pure light and travel in that form. In starship combat, they may elect to teleport to any hex rather than taking their normal piloting action.

Special Breath (Ex)

The breath of old solar dragons irradiates its victims. When a ship’s hull is damaged by the dragon’s breath, the crewmembers are exposed to harmful radiation with the listed save DC.

Time Dragon

Seeing themselves as guardians of history and watchers over the time stream, these dragons are generally considered legendary until a brilliant scientist or rogue technomancer draws their ire.

Suggested Alignment: Neutral

Dragon Aura (Su)

Once per turn, when a young adult time dragon moves adjacent to a starship or through that ship’s hex, each member of it’s crew must attempt a Will save against the listed DC or be temporarily slowed in time. These afflicted individuals cannot attempt push actions until after the next helm phase.

Dragon Trait (Ex)

Time dragons can read the threads of time, gaining a bonus equal to half their Tier on Piloting checks to determine the order of actions in the Piloting phase.

Final Power (Su)

A great wyrm time dragon can travel to any point in time up to three times in its life, bringing up to ten willing creatures with it.

Special Breath (Ex)

The breath of old time dragons pushes their enemies partially out of phase with time. When a ship’s hull is damaged by the dragon’s breath, its crewmembers must attempt a Fortitude save of the listed DC. Any failing crew disappear entirely, reappearing at their duty station after the next gunnery phase.

Void Dragon

Nesting in the great emptiness between the stars, void dragons are curiously divided between loathing what little matter exists in the universe and coveting it as their birthright.

Suggested Alignment: Neutral evil

Dragon Aura (Su)

Once per turn, when a young adult void dragon moves adjacent to a starship or through that ship’s hex, each member of it’s crew must attempt a Fortitude save against the listed DC or be sickened for 1d4 rounds.

Dragon Trait (Ex)

Void dragons are perfectly at home in the vastness of space, reducing their turn radius to 1 if they are further than 20 hexes from the nearest celestial body.

Final Power (Su)

A great wyrm void dragon’s claws destroy the bonds of matter. Each time the void dragon deals damage to a starships hull with its claws, that ship suffers critical damage (in addition to any critical damage from critical hits or crossing damage thresholds).

Special Breath (Ex)

The breath of old void dragons destroys air even within ships. When a ship’s hull is damaged by the dragon’s breath, any crew in sealed armor must attempt Fortitude saves with the listed DC or lose 1d6 days of air from their armor. It also thins the air such that each round, exposed crewmembers must make a save against suffocation. This thin air lasts until an engineer uses a divert action to boost the life support.

Vortex Dragon

These grim dragons serve as messengers and oracles for gods, more powerful outer dragons, and strange beings that live in the unfathomable depths of black holes.

Suggested Alignment: Lawful neutral

Dragon Aura (Su)

Once per turn, when a young adult vortex dragon moves adjacent to a starship or through that ship’s hex, the space around that ship is distorted, causing each hex to count as five for that ship’s weapons. A science officer can find new paths through the diverted space with a special scan action against the listed DC. This ends the effect but does not give any information on the dragon.

Dragon Trait (Ex)

Vortex dragons can create a vortex of twisted space during their pilot action, marking one hex within 10 hexes of their position. Any pilot entering a hex adjacent to the vortex must attempt a Piloting check of 15 + the dragon’s tier or be moved into the vortex and their movement stopped. The dragon can have one active vortex at a time, with each use of this ability closing the old vortex.

Final Power (Su)

A great wyrm vortex dragon can move instantly from its current position to the position of its vortex. In starship combat, this takes place before its Pilot action in the helm phase and, if there is any ship in the vortex, make an attack against it in gunnery as though the dragon had succeeded on a Flyby attack.

Special Breath (Ex)

The breath of old vortex dragons disorients the members of crew. When a ship’s hull is damaged by the dragon’s breath, each crewmember must attempt a Fortitude save against the listed DC. Any crewmember that fails their save is sickened for 1d4 rounds. Further, while the ship’s pilot is sickened by this effect, the ship’s effective turn distance is increased by 2.