Negative LA-Assignment : Resurrection, but no diamond here

[Beni-Kujaku]

Dragon Eel

Yes, it's just a dunkleosteus on which they inexplicably put the Dragon type. Yes, it's sentient and even usually evil (this is still MM3 after all). Yes it sometimes even negotiates safe passage with ships even though it doesn't have arms (what does it even ask in return). Yes, it's described as being 20ft long but still Large and fitting in a 10ft square. And yes, obviously it has many more RHD than it should have to be viable. But no matter, because this monster single-handedly confirms the sahuagins as simply being underwater kobolds who worship dragons just because of their strength and status, even when said dragon is just a big fish with no manipulators.

The dragon eel (worst name of an already less-than-decent book in that department) has the same stats adjustments as a Mature Adult White Dragon... With -4 Int, -2 natural armor, one size category smaller, only one attack and none of the True Dragon goodies, like SLAs, or sorcerer levels, or sovereign archetypes...
On the plus side, you get a decent swim speed (60ft), a really strong bite (4d8 is four sizes stronger than the regular bite damage, even stronger with Powerful Charge as a bonus feat) with added Improved Grab and Swallow Whole, and DR/Adamantine. Still, I don't see the dragon Eel competing any time soon with a true dragon. Maybe with seven or eight RHD? Let's go with 7 RHD (obviously in a fully underwater campaign), since not having arms will be a real detriment, and even using a Mouthpick weapon would mean giving up your great bite attack.

I'd recommand going Thayan Gladiator as soon as possible if you play a Dragon Eel (that or Kensai, but I don't know what lord would accept the fealty of a giant water dragon). Being able to make iterative attacks with your bite will be great. (Of course, as always with creatures who can't hold weapons, a level of monk or battledancer is welcome to be able to make iterative unarmed strikes)
As for DNLA, dragon RHD are as great as always, so I'd say DLA-3 maybe? What do you think?


Next time we'll review Saint Seiya's Pisces Aphrodite's attack, the Dread Blossom Swarm!