Brother MacLaren
Explorer
Need help evaluating a low-level dragon encounter. I expect the PCs to win after a tough fight (because this is a mission they're being sent on with little choice in the matter, not a quest of their choosing). To the things that created this beast and left it here, it IS a disposable dragon.
The bad guys took over a temple of Olidammara, brought a dragon egg, undertook certain dark rituals, and left behind a guardian. Half-fiendish dragon (therefore not needing to eat, breathe, or sleep). The dragon's job is to guard the Darkskull used to Unhallow the site, and every day use its Desecrate ability on the site. The followers of Olidammara cannot train new clerics until these effects are eliminated and the temple is reclaimed. As the land is occupied by Lawful Evil overlords, the followers of Olidammara are valued allies for the PCs.
Half-Fiendish Very Young Black Dragon (CR 6). HP 7d12+14 (59); size S; Attack +12/+7/+7 (bite 1d6+3, claw 1d4+1); AC 20 (+1 size, +7 natural, +2 Dex); BW acid 40' for 4d4 (DC 15); F/R/W +7/+7/+5; mv 60', fly 100', immune to acid, water breathing, smite good 1/day, Darkness 3/day, Desecrate 1/day, Unholy Blight 1/day, Poison 3/day, DC 10+spell level+1, DR 5/magic, SR 17, blindsense 60', darkvision 120', listen +10, spot +10, search +10, concentration +12, hide +16, move silently +12, jump +20 (plus 2 others at 10 ranks each). Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack.
The corridors of the temple are normally too small for the dragon to manuever effectively and so it will focus on sneaking around. Its Hide check and ability to cast Darkness will make it fairly difficult for the PCs to spot. It wouldn't last long in hand-to-hand combat, but can do hit-and-run for a while.
The party (25-pt-buy):
Human barbarian 3 with +1 LA (sub-race similar to goliath -- when raging, +12 to hit for 2d6+13 damage)
Dwarven fighter 3 with +1 LA (LA for healing ability similar to Ring of Regeneration)
Half-elven cleric 5
Elven ranger 4 with +1 LA (sub-race with +4 Dex, +2 Int, no Con penalty)
Halfling rogue 4 (maybe rogue 4/wizard1 by the time they get here)
My questions --
1) Do the conditions hamper the dragon so much that it is not a LEGITIMATE CR 6 encounter -- taking into account the fact that dragons are usually under-CR'd?
2) Is the dragon, even with these handicaps, going to mop the floor with the party?
3) Is it significantly more or less powerful than any other CR 6 outsider the bad guys might have chosen to use (kyton, 8-HD barbazu, half-fiend minotaur)? Looks to me like that minotaur would be a pushover CR 6.
4) It is average maneuverability, and the rules say nothing about required space for wingspan, but is it reasonable to say that the creature would need more than 5'-wide corridors to fly effectively?
The bad guys took over a temple of Olidammara, brought a dragon egg, undertook certain dark rituals, and left behind a guardian. Half-fiendish dragon (therefore not needing to eat, breathe, or sleep). The dragon's job is to guard the Darkskull used to Unhallow the site, and every day use its Desecrate ability on the site. The followers of Olidammara cannot train new clerics until these effects are eliminated and the temple is reclaimed. As the land is occupied by Lawful Evil overlords, the followers of Olidammara are valued allies for the PCs.
Half-Fiendish Very Young Black Dragon (CR 6). HP 7d12+14 (59); size S; Attack +12/+7/+7 (bite 1d6+3, claw 1d4+1); AC 20 (+1 size, +7 natural, +2 Dex); BW acid 40' for 4d4 (DC 15); F/R/W +7/+7/+5; mv 60', fly 100', immune to acid, water breathing, smite good 1/day, Darkness 3/day, Desecrate 1/day, Unholy Blight 1/day, Poison 3/day, DC 10+spell level+1, DR 5/magic, SR 17, blindsense 60', darkvision 120', listen +10, spot +10, search +10, concentration +12, hide +16, move silently +12, jump +20 (plus 2 others at 10 ranks each). Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack.
The corridors of the temple are normally too small for the dragon to manuever effectively and so it will focus on sneaking around. Its Hide check and ability to cast Darkness will make it fairly difficult for the PCs to spot. It wouldn't last long in hand-to-hand combat, but can do hit-and-run for a while.
The party (25-pt-buy):
Human barbarian 3 with +1 LA (sub-race similar to goliath -- when raging, +12 to hit for 2d6+13 damage)
Dwarven fighter 3 with +1 LA (LA for healing ability similar to Ring of Regeneration)
Half-elven cleric 5
Elven ranger 4 with +1 LA (sub-race with +4 Dex, +2 Int, no Con penalty)
Halfling rogue 4 (maybe rogue 4/wizard1 by the time they get here)
My questions --
1) Do the conditions hamper the dragon so much that it is not a LEGITIMATE CR 6 encounter -- taking into account the fact that dragons are usually under-CR'd?
2) Is the dragon, even with these handicaps, going to mop the floor with the party?
3) Is it significantly more or less powerful than any other CR 6 outsider the bad guys might have chosen to use (kyton, 8-HD barbazu, half-fiend minotaur)? Looks to me like that minotaur would be a pushover CR 6.
4) It is average maneuverability, and the rules say nothing about required space for wingspan, but is it reasonable to say that the creature would need more than 5'-wide corridors to fly effectively?
