Editing Azure Dragon

{{NeutralCreaturesNew}}
{{Creature/Azure Dragon}}

'''Azure Dragons''' are level 7 [[neutral]] creatures that can be recruited from the [[Frozen Cliffs]]. 

''"Little is known of the Azure Dragon. It is both rare and mighty, thus few have seen it, and fewer still have survived its attacks. This powerful creature is not much bigger than most [[Dragon|dragons]], but is said to be capable of enduring prolonged physical attack. It is said those standing face-to-face with an Azure Dragon tend to freeze from pure fear."{{-}}<sup>[[Armageddon's Blade Manual Page 20|AB manual]]''</sup>

''"Of all the known Dragons the Azure is the most powerful. With a powerful build and massive size the Azure dragon can take and dish more damage than any other creature known to Antagarich. Usually only seen by themselves on lonely mountain peaks the Azure dragon is not a social creature. Only once every three hundred years does this creature look to mate, with the female then driving the male off to raise the young alone. Few survive to adulthood because of their violent and offensive nature. This is the prize any Dragon-Slayer would seek."{{-}}<sup>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030807185653/http://www.3do.com:80/products/pc/heroes3/expansion/units/exp_azure.html Armageddon's Blade website description]''</sup>

''{{wh-}}"Sometimes, these creatures are also called "ice dragons", although they have little in common with ice, or with any other element. They are astoundingly huge, ferocious and ancient. No one really knows if they came to be naturally, or if they were the work of some forerunner of [[Agar]] from before [[the Silence]]. Unlike the innately docile, or at least controllable, creatures that warlocks create with magic and alchemy, azure dragons are exceptionally intelligent and willful. Fortunately, they are quite rare, and besides, some [[knight|knights]] and [[mage|mages]] consider it their duty to slay at least one such creature, just to put a feather in their hat. Here's a good time to point out that the hunters killed these endeavors greatly outnumber the actual slayed [[dragon|dragons]]—but there is never a shortage of new madmen. The reputation gained by these Azure Dragons is thus peculiar, so they prefer to settle in places forgotten by the gods; sometimes, without meaning to, they also become guardians of ancient [[artifact|artifacts]] and other valuable things, just by way of making themselves a lair near one. If you manage to come across a dungeon where no human has set foot in a couple centuries, then there almost certainly is a monster of that kind waiting for you inside."'' ― {{Hn|Dargem|0=}}

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== Dwellings & Portraits ==
{{DwellingPortraitSmall
| dwelling       = Frozen Cliffs
| creature1      = Azure Dragon
}}
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== Heroes with a [[Specialty#Creature_specialties|specialty]] ==
* {{H|Mutare|Overlord}} {{withmaped}} (fixed-stat specialty)
* {{H|Mutare Drake|Overlord}} {{withmaped}} (fixed-stat specialty)

== Special Ability: Fear ==
Azure Dragon's fear [[special ability]] is a passive ability, which means it does not require any specific action from the stack. The fear may occur only at the beginning of enemy stack's turn, causing them to freeze in fear of the Azure Dragons and effectively lose their chance to act that combat round. The working principle is very similar to bad [[morale]] and has a 10% chance of occurring, regardless of the number of Azure Dragons present.

'''Creatures immune to fear :'''
{|
|- valign=top
|
;{{Cn|Azure Dragon}}
{{Golems}}
{{Elementals}}
| {{Undead}}
| {{showwithhota|{{Mechanicals}}}}
|}

== Sounds ==
{{CreatureSounds|Azure Dragon}}
{{SoundClickInfo}}

== Trivia ==
* [[Greg Fulton]] mentions Azure Dragons in [[Greg Fulton/Fanstratics Newsletters/8#Fanstratics Feature: Legendary ‘Boss’ Battles|Fanstratics Newsletter #8]] as "arguably the game’s first boss creatures".
* Azure Dragons were added in {{ab}}, so there are no Azure Dragons or [[Frozen Cliffs]] in {{roe}}. 

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed-hover">
Azure Dragon render.gif| Model by [[Tracy Iwata]]
George-almond-azure-dragon.jpg| Sketch by [[George Almond]]
Azure-dragon.jpg
AB CD-Heroes3-DATA-Heroes3 vid-H3ABds4-smk-H3ABds4.webm| Azure Dragon<br>([[Azure Dragons (campaign scenario)|Azure Dragons]] prologue)
AB CD-Heroes3-DATA-Heroes3 vid-H3ABds5-smk-H3ABds5.webm| A victorious [[Dracon]] with a slain Azure Dragon<br>([[Azure Dragons (campaign scenario)|Azure Dragons]] epilogue)
</gallery>

{{user commentary|
Like all the neutral creatures, they cannot be upgraded. Azure Dragon have the highest [[Primary skill#Attack|attack]], [[Primary skill#Defense|defense]], [[damage]] and [[health]] values of all the creatures making them arguably the strongest units in the game. Placing Azure Dragons (as well as any living Dragons) in the [[Skeleton Transformer]] will give you [[Bone Dragon|Bone Dragons]] instead of regular [[Skeleton|Skeletons]]. They are also the most expensive unit in the game.
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Azure Dragons have the highest [[AI Value]] of any creature, with 78845.
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Even though in the game files themselves the Azure Dragon and other neutral dragons are considered to be level 7, the official editor shows they are level 10 (8 for [[Faerie Dragon]]). This is either due to code limitations and impossibility of creating a unit with tier higher than 7, either because the developers didn't have time, motivation or reason to add a new creature level in the game code and invest time in that, just telling us they are level 10, respectively 8. As such, even now their levels are still being debated.

=== Toughness ===
The Azure Dragon has the highest defense and health stat in the entire game. In the early game, this creature is almost impossible to defeat without [[Mighty Gorgon|Mighty Gorgons]] or [[Sea Dog|Sea Dogs]].

=== Offense ===
This dragon's offensive powers are also the highest in the game. However, its damage stat compared to their growth might be too little in many cases.

=== Efficiency and cost ===
They are totally worth the cost, especially since you will usually have the possibility of recruiting them in mid-game, when you already have a decent army. A few Azure Dragons are very good to strengthen your army for their cost. However, don't buy them if your enemy is Fortress, maybe just one for their [[Fear]] ability. The Mighty Gorgons will kill weeks' worth of them. Also, it's very hard to kill Azure Dragons who guard Frozen Cliffs without major losses.

=== Tactics ===
The Azure Dragons can be used in various ways, especially due to their speed and toughness. You can block shooters, use-up retaliations or even defend your own shooters. However, keep in mind that in late-game, the opponent might be able to dispose of them relatively easy, with its own troops or even [[Implosion]]. But on the other hand, they can be [[Resurrection|Resurrected]]. Additionally, their ability to spread [[Fear]] among the enemies, causing them to freeze and lose their combat round action, can turn the tide of the battle.

=== Skill bonuses ===
You should not make your strategy around them, since they are already insanely good creatures. But maybe [[Offense]] would complement for their relatively low damage.
}}{{end of user commentary}}

{{creature 'see also'|up=* [[Dragon]]
* [[Neutral creature]]}}
* [[Comparison of Level 7 Creatures]]

[[Category: Creatures]]
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