D&D 5E Help me make some lair actions for a Vortex Dragon

[vilani]

So I am running a 5e converted version of the Pathfinder Iron Gods Adventure Path and the characters will soon face off against an ancient vortex dragon. Converting it is easy enough - I used a white dragon as a base and built off that changing abilities and stats as needed. However I am having trouble coming up with lair actions for this monster. She is encountered in a downed spacecraft in the Astrogation Chamber - a big room with 3d space maps. The dragon itself travels between stars but is cold averse. Looking at the current dragons as a template I can't really use any of them. I am open to suggestions from the creative geniuses on this forum. Thanks in advance.

 

[Rhenny]

Tell us more about what a vortex dragon is and its special powers. Maybe time/space is warped in some areas of its lair so pcs are exposed to slow spell when triggered.

 

[Azurewraith]

Going off what i learned from the link perhaps it could have portals that randomly open displacing pcs.

 

[PnPgamer]

and also reverse gravity effects. Players float in the air helplessly or smash themselves to the ceiling, and back down.

 

[Eltab]

Star stuff: PCs are exposed to Fire and Radiant (or both) bursts, somewhere between Fireball and a cantrip in damage.

Asteroids: a bunch of big rocks fly down a hallway or across the room. In a room, the PCs can dodge.

Gust of Wind -like cones to keep PCs away from some area ("solar wind").

Sleep: a beat-up PC finds his mind is overwhelmed by the effort of keeping track of the vastness of the universe.

The various Teleport-like spells can move PCs around the room, quote randomly unquote.

Whirlwind: A close-up of Jupiter's Great Red Spot

Echoes of Chicxulub: a single REALLY BIG rock passes through the room

Meteorites: pretty from a distance, does Fire / Bludgeoning damage if you can't get out of the way

 

[vilani]

Thanks everyone for the replies and ideas. Here is what I have, I didn't share it initially because my players read my blog but no matter, its endgame anyway. Here is Becrux, Ancient Void Dragon.

 

[Rhenny]

Cool. I think the time and space angle is really interesting for Lair actions. I really like the Gravity one you invented.

Motes/Terrain effects that do things like others have mentioned would make for a really interesting lair battle. Here are a few that would be fun to narrate and could make the battle really interesting and more unpredictable.

1) teleport motes that displace PCs to different areas in the lair (the Dragon could even use these to move around the battlefield more tactically), or even put them in a planar pocket until they can make their save. That would really freak out the group.
2) spatial rifts sounds good too...basically, have the dragon (or lair itself) tear holes in the fabric of the plane to expose PCs to different elements (your Sunflare, Cosmic winds, Gamma Radiation, Blasts of Cold...could be interesting and very dramatic to narrate.

Let us know how it goes.

Cheers.

 

[dmnqwk]

Lair Actions:

Time Echoes: A Vortex Dragon is capable of manipulating time and space, allowing it to strike with inhuman speed. Each creature must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or suffer 4d6 points of slashing damage.
Pocket Dimension: A mysterious purple portal opens around a creature within 30' of the Vortex Dragon. That creature must make a Charisma saving throw or be banished to the Astral Plane for 1 minute. At the end of each round the creature makes a new Charisma Saving Throw to return to the space they left (or the nearest space if it is currently occupied). Only 1 creature may be banished to the Astral Plane at one time.
Distorted Space: The Vortex Dragon refracts light around itself, causing its physical form to shift and change. Any attack made against the Vortex Dragon is made with disadvantage until the start of it's next turn.
Juxtapositioning: The Vortex Dragon causes tiny portals to appear everywhere, sucking up and re-locating them. Every creature within 60' of the Vortex Dragon must make a Strength saving throw or be sucked into the vortex, getting thrown forcefully into an area of the Vortex Dragon's choosing up to 30' away, taking 2d6 bludgeoning damage and being knocked prone.

 

[vilani]

Nice one, thanks. I added the Wormhole lair action as well:

Wormhole. The vortex dragon creates a shimmering wormhole that sucks the targeted creature into the depths of space. The target that fails a DC 15 Charisma check is transported to the outer-orbit of the current planet that the vortex dragon occupies. The magic preserves the creature but they are imprisoned indefinitely until Becrux ends the effect returning the creature to her presence or the creature succeeds at a saving throw to end the cosmic imprisonment returning to the location they were relocated from. Becrux may only hold one creature in such a state per planet.

Any advice on regional affects?

 

[UnlimitedPowers]

For regional effects, perhaps everything in the region seems to feel lighter (or heavier, your preference; or both intermittently.) Jumping, lifting, carrying: it all feels floaty.
And perhaps there are occasionally pockets of anti-gravity, where small areas of objects slowly float upward.
Maybe every so often a wind will blow through, carrying barely audible whispers that show a glimpse of her Galactic Knowledge.