Despair Dragon (Young, Spellcaster)

Creature 9

Large
dragon
occult

Perception: +20 fearsense (imprecise) 60 feet; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Languages: Common, Draconic, Telepathy 60 feet, Truespeech
Skills: Acrobatics +16, Athletics +19, Deception +18, Diplomacy +18, Intimidation +20, Occultism +16, Society +16, Stealth +18; Str +6, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +3, Wis +4, Cha +5

Telepathy 60 feet (aura, magical, mental)

Fearsense (emotion, mental, occult) The dragon senses all creatures with the frightened condition at the listed range.

AC: 27; Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +16
HP: 140; Immunities fear effects, paralyzed, sleep

Consume Fear ⟲ (occult) Trigger A creature within 60 feet loses the Frightened condition

Effect The dragon feasts upon the fear that leaves the triggering creature's body, gaining 4d8 temporary Hit Points that last for 1 minute.

Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 60 feet. DC 28 Will

Unbidden Thoughts ⟲ (emotion, fear, mental, occult) Trigger The dragon is critically hit with a weapon or unarmed attack

Effect The attacker's mind fills with visions of their worst fears that overwhelm their senses, and they must choose one of the following results: either the triggering attack becomes a normal success, or the critical hit is unaffected but the triggering creature becomes Frightened 2.

Speed: 40 feet, fly 120 feet

Melee ◆ jaws +19 (magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+12 piercing

Melee ◆ claws +19 (agile, magical), Damage 2d8+12 slashing

Melee ◆ tail +17 (magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 2d6+10 bludgeoning

Occult Prepared Spells DC 28, attack +20; 4th nightmare; 3rd mind reading, slow; 2nd darkness, noise blast, paranoia, stupefy; 1st command, ill omen, sleep, ventriloquism; Cantrips (1st) detect magic, figment, haunting hymn, message, telekinetic projectile

Occult Innate Spells DC 28, attack +20; 4th fear (at will); Constant (5th) truespeech

Shrieking Breath ◆◆ (mental, occult, sonic) The dragon lets out a cacophonous sound made of every scream the dragon has drawn from a terrified enemy, dealing 8d6 sonic damage in a 30-foot cone (DC 28 basic Will save). Creatures who fail their Will save must spend the first action of their next turn doing nothing but screaming. The dragon can't use Shrieking Breath again for 1d4 rounds.

Source: Pathfinder Monster Core 2

Running this fight? Add the despair dragon (young, spellcaster) to the initiative tracker: type its name and the AC, hit points and Perception for initiative fill in, and the book button shows this stat block mid-fight.