A Dragon Ally?

[Jhaelen]

They want to bring him into combat.

Should I let this happen? If I do, how do I adjust the combats to make them fun and interesting?

I know I made a mistake. I made for a chance of them making a dragon friend. But if there's one thing I've learned being a DM, is that you're not to be an Indian giver (giving things, only to take them back).

Thoughts?

Firstly, I don't think you made any mistake yet. IIRC, the DMG section about mounts & mounted combat offers some advice for dealing with similar siutations. Basically, you'll have to adjust encounters keeping the draconic support in mind.

Secondly, and more importantly you'll want to roleplay the dragon appropriately. Sure, they made friends with the dragon but that doesn't mean that the dragon will suddenly turn into a cuddly pet. It's still a dragon and dragons generally expect others to treat them with respect or even as their master. I guess the dragon will also claim most if not all of the party's loot. Otherwise the dragon won't stay friendly for long.

In other words, if roleplayed properly your players will want to get rid of their draconic 'friend' as soon as possible.

 

[TheLordWinter]

An important note is that dragons are not by default evil now, even chromatics. While certainly an option to just have it turn on the PCs, I don't think that's your best bet. It will turn them off to skill challenges in the future and leave them feeling disgruntled about their efforts.

Having been locked up in a dungeon for 700 years could create some real cabin fever that the dragon now expects its new friends to help cure. Perhaps now that the dragon is free it wants to look in on old friends or pay revenge to old enemies. How did it get locked up in the dungeon? Is there anyone it rightly (or wrongly) blames for that? Will it insist on steering the PCs in the direction it wants to go or will they insist on running the show?

Perhaps it has become very scatter-brained after being trapped for so long, and so now will get confused. Imagine how worried your PCs will become over their new ally when they discover he is a dragon with dementia who cannot recall the difference between them and heroes of antiquity before the fall of Nerath - who had a prophecy to fulfill before he became trapped in the dungeon, and so help him he's going to see it fulfilled!

 

[Derren]

Keep in mind that in 4E monsters are not supposed to fight monsters (more than in previous editions) and you might run into some huge balance problems.

 

[Bagpuss]

Have the Dragon be a klutz accidentally catching players with his dragon breath aimed at enemies, his tails swinging round being treated like an environment hazard. Landing on top of a character to attack the baddies in front of him.

Soon you'll have the players begging him not to help out.

 

[Nikolai II]

An important note is that dragons are not by default evil now, even chromatics. While certainly an option to just have it turn on the PCs, I don't think that's your best bet. It will turn them off to skill challenges in the future and leave them feeling disgruntled about their efforts.

This is actually a point so important that I will bring it right back up again.
If you like the idea of skill challenges you shouldn't punish them for it. Making it fairly impractical to have the dragon along all the time is nice, preparing boss-fights to accomodate for them bringing the dragon along is also great (Heck, being able to win a fight made for ten with a force of six will make them love having a dragon ally). Just make a "basic boss size fight" for if they do not bring the dragon along, and try to encourage them to send the dragon out on missions of its own, or make it excuse itself for a while. (Oh, gotta go visit mom and see how she is doing, I'm a century overdue, oh man she's going to be pissed. She might even ground me for a year)

Uumm.. well, something like that

 

[Terwox]

What level is the party?

If the party is also level 20 (somehow I doubt this...) you could try adding the dragon's exp in enemies every fight.

Alternatively, the dragon could grow restless after a short time, and long for the coastline to build a lair, per their MM entry. You could even have the dragon craft them a small item so that they would be able to call on it, or be able to talk to it, or etc.

If the dragon really likes them, he could keep calling them because he misses them.

If they're around level 5 though, you've basically destroyed game balance... but, absolutely, let them take the dragon into combat at least once, if not a few times. Like you said, it would be kinda lame to just "take it back" without doing so.

 

[frankthedm]

He'll do them a few favors and expect too great of a treasure share. He might even explain to his friends he can't handle NOT getting all the treasure.

"Look, guys, its great hanging out with you, but idea of letting you keep that treasure (twitch) is really stressing me out. I'm fighting a major urge to bite your heads off (twitch), and the fact you all smell delicious ain’t helping my will power.(twitch)"

Plus, he might not fit in the next dungeon.

 

[Tale]

I'd definitely not let the dragon adventure with them. Make the dragon into an informant, a merchant, and a weekly power summon.

 

[SpydersWebbing]

Wow! Thanks so much for the input! I probably should have told you more about the campaign....


The Material Plane has been divided into 3 mini-planes by the Shadowfell, named Realms, that still count as the same plane. The PC's found this dragon 15 miles below sea level (they traveled back in time to get TO said broken up building, and then traveled back through time to get to the proper time frame). So the dragon's been literally trapped for 700 years (ever since the place became flooded). Cabin fever is the order of the day (as well as confusion about it's sex). The PC's were just given a 9 level boost to deal with the third and last realm Abyssa. This place has...shall we say...volcanic-ISH terrain. The surface is completely overran by the demons and servants of Yeenoghu. The only living non-demonic/non-evil things living in this Realm are under the surface, taking refuge in the deep parts of the world.

They just got there. With a cabin fever-crazy-sex confused-jittery blue dragon, who hasn't seen the light of day in well over 700 years.


It sounds like a set up for disaster. Does this help in the feedback? (Not that the feedback hasn't been helpful, I'll definitely use most, if not all, of the feedback in some way, shape, or form....)

 

[renau1g]

But if there's one thing I've learned being a DM, is that you're not to be an Indian giver (giving things, only to take them back).

Thoughts?

One thought... avoid using racial slurs... using Indian in this way slanders them as a group. I'd suggest you avoid language like this in case a person of native american descent happens to read this and gets upset.