ideas for building a dragon killing druid (needed for backstory)

[oliverhenshaw]

So I need a character for an upcoming high-ish level (10) 3.5e FR campaign, and decided to go with a druid. A druid that, shortly before the game begins, has gone and killed a dragon.

What I want to know, is how.

How does a 10th level druid single handedly dispatch a dragon that is ordinarily more than his match? An adult black seems to me to make a good opponent, expanding his domain over some swamp and having lived long enough to give druid boys grandparents some sleepless nights. Only thing is that gives the dragon CR11, around 200 hitpoints and a fortitude save you don't want to be challenging.

I'm looking for ideas on what my so far sketchy druid can have done to win. Obviously, a direct confrontation would not be a good bet. Ideas I've had so far are
a) A several month campaign of eco-war, destroying portions of the swamp and eradicating the dragons minions, before a last confrontation
b) Weakening the dragon first with some disease, or poison, before striking with everything. That's not easy with a high fort save to beat.

It seems to me that a 10th level druid can effectively turn the environment to his favour in a swamp, even without longterm attempts to 'redevelop' the are.
Rock to Mud, various plant control & entangling spells will all be quite powerful. As will the druids ability to call lightning and get third party help through summoning spells and 'Awaken'.

Any ideas or suggestions would be welcome. Especially if you've got a cunning mind or good druid=playing experience. I'm not so much interested in crazy broken combinations of feats so much as rock solid strategy, but a few pointers on helpful feats wouldn't go amiss either.

Thanks

 

[Storyteller01]

Who says he had to do it alone? A CR 11 (if I understand the DM' guide) should be a solid challenge for a group of 10th level players, but not impossible to beat. You could incorporate other members of this past group into the storyline later (if they're still alive).

 

[oliverhenshaw]

It's just cooler that way. The PC party will be a group of semi-independent characters who have worked together extensively. But the dragon-slaying I want to be a major event that took place while several PCs were building a village, where the game will presumably kick off.

And I don't see adding a second party, of highly skilled NPCs thst druid-boy promptly abandons, would make much sense.

Edited on a re-read

 

[Shayuri]

It wouldn't be easy...but it might be possible.

A lone druid with Natural Spell could probably take a dragon by surprise. Oh, it would know he was there...but would likely not know he was a druid. Thus the druid could choose the time and place to strike. He'd likely open up with spells intended to limit the dragon's mobility (I am assuming any and all buffs were cast before entering the dragon's demense ). Entangle, perhaps Heightened, or Control Plant ought to help. Alternatively, Control Weather to summon winds too strong for the dragon to fly in. Though that has problems, since it limits the druid's options too.

Once the dragon's mobility is limited (we'll assume that it worked, since this is all being written up 'fait accomplis' it seems), you start sending in waves of summons. Big nasty ones that rip and tear. A charging rhino or two. A swarm of arrowhawks. Remember that Animal Growth is your very very good friend. Nothing's more fun than a charging rhino except a HUGE charging rhino.

Meanwhile, the druid sits back and pelts the dragon with Lightning Storms and other offensive spells from a comfortable distance outside of breath weapon range.

Rather easily done, if all goes well. The HARD part is getting the dragon to cooperate.

Maybe a scroll of Summon Nature's Ally 7, for a Huge Earth Elemental to grapple the sucker first. Limiting the dragon's mobility is key, cuz otherwise dragons can usually control the flow of a battle by flying around.

(edited to kill embarrassing typo)

 

[rrealm]

What if you single handedly defeated a CR 7 or 8 dragon. Sure, not as glamorous as a fight with a CR 10 dragon but much more feasible. Being brave and dedicated to preserving balance and life, you decide to kill a [insert color/type] dragon harassing people and animals in the [insert terrain]. No one was willing to help you so you decided to do it on your own. You tracked it, attacked it wounding it badly. It tried to follow you but that was nearly impossible (trackless step) and you snuck around the dragons flank/rear and finished him off with [insert spell]. And there was much rejoicing.

 

[Saeviomagy]

What if you merely drove the dragon off? ie - you succeeded on a campaign of harassment, and one day the dragon just packed it in and moved away.

That has the additional effect of giving the DM a nice plot hook and archnemesis.

 

[smetzger]

I think thats very doable for a 10th level Druid who has planned ahead and got the drop on the dragon.

Open up with Wall of Thorns and he isn't going anywhere. Some higher level summon nature's ally next for a couple of huge elementals, call lightning, and flame strike.

 

[Sejs]

What's the biggest constrictor snake a 10th level druid can get?

Feat wise- natural spell is a druid's best friend.


Important things to remember when hunting a dragon:
-Eliminating or reducing its breath weapon in effectiveness. Cover, resistance spells, or a false threat that makes the dragon blow it's BW before you rush in are all options.

-Restricting the dragon's mobility. A dragon that has room and ability to fly is a dragon that wins. At higher levels, control winds can automatically ground any flying creature regardless of size. Alternatly, a grappled dragon isn't flying anywhere. If a dragon can swim well, make sure to engage it away from water, or make it so you can work in an aquatic environment just as easily.

-Play to its weaknesses, not its strengths. Dragons have great armor class due to natural armor, but crappy touch ac thanks to their size and low dex. If the dragon has the ability to heal itself, assume that it will. Go out of your way to make spellcasting not an option, if the dragon is old enough to be a significant spellcaster. (a cr 10 black, however, isn't going to be all that amazing in the spells department, so not so big a worry there). If the dragon has an elemental vulnerability, strip its buffs, then attack that vulnerability (and the down side to blacks - no elemental vulnerability). Dragons tend to have very good fort saves, reasonably good will saves, and so-so ref saves. A CR 10 black has SR 18; tricky but not insurmountable. If possible, don't use attacks that allow SR, like say.. dropping big friggin rocks on the dragon. Ideally from space.

-Have friends. You're a druid. Fey, animals, elementals, stuff like that. The more the merrier.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

What`s the name of the Druids spell that extuinguishes fire and fire creatures?
...
Quench! Well, don`t read dragons have the fire subtype? This might make them subjectable to the spell - the area is quite big, so a druid with natural spell could cast the spell in an animal form outside the sight of the dragon, so he would be surprised by the first casting...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Sejs]

Quench dragonkilling worked in 3.0, but sadly is no longer do-able in 3.5 as it's now restricted to elemental creatures with the fire subtype rather than any creature with the fire subtype.


Ah well. It was fun while it lasted.