Pseudodragon: A Scaly Companion

It’s time to talk about my favorite game: Partialdungeons and Pseudodragons!

…

I’ll see myself out…

Lore: A Cat with Wings

Dwelling in the quiet places of the world, within tree hollows and small caves, pseudodragons are elusive but playful creatures. They tend to avoid other creatures, only ever fighting when provoked; even then, it only uses its stinger to paralyze its attackers in order to flee. Despite this, they’re often sought out by wizards, as they can make for superior familiars; with a little gift of food or treasure, they can be made a good companion, so long as they are treated fairly.

While they cannot communicate verbally, pseudodragons are capable of light telepathic communication. It can share basic ideas, like hunger or affection or other such feelings. They can also vocalize basic animal sounds to further communicate their desires.

There’s not much you can do with this lore. Certainly nothing worth a full campaign. Maybe you could do something for a character side quest; give the wizard in the party a chance to get a familiar, something to that effect. Beyond that, though, your options are limited.

Design: My Ideal Pet

You know a dragon? Imagine that. But smaller.

…

Oh my god, I accidentally made an Imagine Dragons pun, I am so sorry.

I love how the artists managed to capture the scale of the little guy in the artwork. A big book, a smaller book, a candle, and a mouse not only make for a surprisingly effective little tower, they also do well to give perspective. This dude is legit small enough to fit on my desk!

As for the design itself… what were you expecting from a monster called the ‘pseudodragon’? It’s a tiny little dragon. That’s all.

Does it fit the bill? Yeah. Is it exceptionally creative? Not really. But what else is there to do?

I still want one. I wanna give him scritches. Even if he stomps all over my keyboard.

Stats: The Weakest Dragon

Poor little dude doesn’t even have a breath attack. How can it still be called a dragon?!

As you might expect from a creature this size, the pseudodragon isn’t particularly durable. Its AC is just barely above single digits, unlike its HP. Sure, it has Magic Resistance, and Keen Senses give it advantage on Perception checks. But anyone who tries to kill it won’t have a hard time of it.

Its attacks aren’t much better. Its bite is pretty weak and its stinger isn’t better. Though the latter at least has a poison effect. So… that’s something.

This clearly isn’t the kind of monster you fight on its own. It makes for a good accompaniment piece to a more powerful enemy. But even then, it’s just a momentary distraction. Not an ideal monster for a fight.

Placement

Honestly, this one is fairly disappointing. Not one of the three categories is necessarily bad, but they are all fairly underwhelming. At no point was I impressed by any of it!

With all that in mind, the Pseudodragon is going to #112 on the Best of the Bestiary.

1. Beholder
2. Death Tyrant
3. Mind Flayer
4. Dragon Turtle
5. Mummy/Mummy Lord
6. Nagas (all three of ’em)
7. Green Dragons
8. Red Dragons
9. Blue Dragons
10. Black Dragons
11. White Dragons
12. Silver Dragons
13. Couatl
14. Behir
15. Aboleth
16. Sea Hag
17. Lamia
18. Bronze Dragons
19. Brass Dragons
20. Copper Dragons
21. Gold Dragons
22. Chuul
23. Kuo-Toa
24. Gibbering Mouther
25. Kraken
26. Intellect Devourer
27. Chimera
28. Death Knight
29. Fomorian
30. Bone Devil
31. Dracolich
32. Faerie Dragon
33. Gelatinous Cube
34. Lich
35. Peryton
36. Orcs (all four of ’em)
37. Magmin
38. Kobold
39. Kenku
40. Hobgoblins
41. Night Hag
42. Green Hag
43. Black Pudding
44. Ankheg
45. Hook Horror
46. Oni
47. Storm Giant
48. Hill Giant
49. Empyrean
50. Efreeti
51. Grimlock
52. Minotaur
53. Dao
54. Cloud Giant
55. Manticore
56. Drow (all four of ’em)
57. Shadow Demon
58. Modrons (all five of ’em)
59. Marilith
60. Drider
61. Aarackockra
62. Azer
63. Demilich
64. Spectator
65. Gray Ooze
66. Ochre Jelly
67. Hydra
68. Marid
69. Harpy
70. Werejackal
71. Otyugh
72. Half-Dragon
73. Cambion
74. Fire Giant
75. Nothic
76. Pixie
77. Animated Armor
78. Banshee
79. Basilisk
80. Yochlol
81. Bulette
82. Cloaker
83. Darkmantle
84. Doppelganger
85. Ghoul and Ghast
86. Ettin
87. Medusa
88. Pit Fiend
89. Erinyes
90. Chain Devil
91. Bearded Devil
92. Barbed Devil
93. Spined Devil
94. Ice Devil
95. Mimic
96. Djinni
97. Merrow
98. Nalfeshnee
99. Glabrezu
100. Chasme
101. Grell
102. Barlgura
103. Horned Devil
104. Balor
105. Shadow Dragon
106. Myconids (all four of ’em)
107. Piercer
108. Werebear
109. Lizardfolk
110. Vrock
111. Dretch
112. Pseudodragon <—————-
113. Gnolls (all three)
114. Goristro
115. Hezrou
116. Manes
117. Frost Giant
118. Weretiger
119. Werewolf
120. Duergar
121. Quasit
122. Dryad
123. Flumph
124. Goblin
125. Nightmare
126. Wereboar
127. Wererat
128. Githyanki
129. Owlbear
130. Planetar
131. Imp
132. Ogres/Half-ogres
133. Clay Golem
134. Flameskull
135. Displacer Beast
136. Carrion Crawler
137. Githzerai
138. Grick
139. Invisible Stalker
140. Rug of Smothering
141. Bugbear Chief
142. Bugbear
143. Flesh Golem
144. Vine Blight
145. Twig Blight
146. Needle Blight
147. Mephits (all six of ’em)
148. Bullywug
149. Hellhound
150. Ettercap
151. Gas Spore
152. Cockatrice
153. Lemure
154. Homonculus
155. Merfolk
156. Solar
157. Deva
158. Gorgon
159. Hippogriff
160. Griffon
161. Cyclops
162. Centaur
163. Ghost
164. Pegasus
165. Fire Elemental
166. Water Elemental
167. Air Elemental
168. Stone Giant
169. Deep Gnome
170. Dinosaurs (All six of them)
171. Iron Golem
172. Stone Golem
173. Earth Elemental
174. Galeb Duhr
175. Helmed Horror
176. Flying Sword
177. Crawling Claw
178. Violet Fungus
179. Shrieker
180. Gargoyle