Building a Unique Encounter

[Saagael]

I'm trying to design a unique encounter for my players, and am having a bit of trouble fleshing it out and really making it creative. The basic idea is that the players are trying to rescue a gold dragon that's been driven insane from torture during its imprisonment. Its captor? A very cruel and sadistic red dragon. The combat will take place in a large subterranean chamber beneath a fortress that the red dragon modified to suit his needs.

I imagine the battle going something like this: Players show up, see the gold dragon spiked to the floor through its claws and tail, and its wings are pinned into its back, and resting in some kind of magical tranquilizer mist. They go to help it, and down from the ceiling drops the red dragon. Combat follows.

The red dragon, when bloodied, burns both his action points to get away, while releasing the gold dragon (who starts at bloodied hit points). The gold wyrm, having been driven insane from torture, attacks the players. The players can't kill this dragon, they need its help. This is complicated by the fact that every attack the dragon makes damages it as well, since it is so wounded, and reaching 0 hit points means death, and no chance to knock it unconscious. To win the fight, the players need to subdue the dragon in order to help it. This means getting it back into that tranquilizing cloud and keeping it there for a round or two.

While this is all going on, very agile minions of the red dragon (defenders of the fortress driven insane by torture) will be running around the outside of the room on raised catwalks triggering traps and hazards to damage both the players and the dragon; I imagine these are things the red dragon would use to torture creatures, haven't quite figured out what exactly though.

So my questions: What kind of power should the gold dragon have? I haven't found anything in the CB I can use as a base quite yet, but I'm looking(the red dragon is like a mix between an elder red, and Torog). What sort of traps should would fit the encounter, and make it harder for the players. Is there any other way the players could subdue the dragon?

Thanks for reading.

EDIT: Should probably mention this is for a group of 6 players at level 19. All well optimized and work very effectively as a group. So bring the hurt! >

 

[MatthewJHanson]

For the dragon, why not start with an actual gold dragon? Adult is level 17.

For traps I'd probably try to use a lot that create zones that damage if characters are in them at the end of their turn. Then they need to keep moving and make sure the dragon keeps moving too.

Maybe a skill challenge to talk the dragon out of its madness?

 

[Saagael]

For the dragon, why not start with an actual gold dragon? Adult is level 17.

For traps I'd probably try to use a lot that create zones that damage if characters are in them at the end of their turn. Then they need to keep moving and make sure the dragon keeps moving too.

Maybe a skill challenge to talk the dragon out of its madness?

Good call, I had thought about using the standard gold dragon, but the players have fought a lot of dragons, I want this to be significantly different. Still, good place to start as any.

Any idea what the fluff of those traps might be? That's what I'm struggling on at this point; trying to detail what each trap is, rather than its mechanics.

As for talking, they can certainly try it. If they're creative with their diplomacizing, then I might have the dragon cooperate a little. But I don't want it to devolve into "I use diplomacy!" since the group is usually good about RPing during a fight... just not with skill checks (i.e. they switch into skill challenge mode and it messes with the tension).

 

[the Jester]

For the traps, I'd expect a lot of things that impede mobility: slow, immobilize, restrain. Razor-wire loops that close on ankles, maybe impaling spears that restrain, etc. Also, I totally see torture style stuff as an opportunity for ongoing damage.

 

[Quickleaf]

Has the group faced a volcanic dragon yet? That might make an interesting starting place. The gold dragon dishes out the weakened condition which for your setup is kinda pointless. I like the growing heat power/aura of the volcanic dragon, because it introduces a time element; if you start with the Elder version (20 elite) the aura deals 10 and the explosion deals 3d10+4 and ongoing 10 fire (save ends)... for a solo you could even up that. Plus a brute makes more sense for condition the dragon is in, as opposed to a cunning controller.

Also since conditions and forced movement will be especially useful in your encounter, I would give the dragon a couple of nasty powers...
1. When it attempts to fly, it can't cause of its wounds and instead pulls all characters within 5 adjacent and knocks them prone (encounter power).
2. Some way for the dragon to shake off conditions and a kid stun-lock, like when a character provokes an opportunity attack from the dragon it removes one condition (effective with the aura and pull combo)
3. I've always been of the opinion the dragons should have the ability to grab with a bite or restrain with a claw, so... here are two examples of how I'd do that:

Pin Down; encounter; free action
When the dragon hits with a claw attack it may opt to grab the target, knocking the opponent prone and restraining them. As long as the grab is maintained the target is prone and restrained. While a target is grabbed this way, the dragon can't use Doucle Attack, and if it moves or is forced to move the grab ends.

Grasping Chomp encounter; free action
When the dragon hits with a target with a bite attack it may opt to grab them in it's maw, restraining the target, lifting them off the ground, and inflicting ongoing 5 damage until the grab is escaped (I.e. a save doesn't end the ongoing damage). When the dragon moves, the grabbed target slides to a square adjacent to the dragon of the dragons choosing. When a target is grabbed the dragon can't use bite attack or breath weapon. If 200+ damage is dealt to the dragon in one round, it drops the grabbed target.

Oh and of course it'll need to toss the characters around or into zones so...

Fling Like A Ragdoll; requires a grabbed target; minor action
Toss the target up to 6 squares and it falls prone. Make an attack vs Reflex or Fortitude (targets choice?); on a hit the target takes damage and is dazed; on a miss half damage

Have fun

 

[Quickleaf]

Has the group faced a volcanic dragon yet? That might make an interesting starting place. The gold dragon dishes out the weakened condition which for your setup is kinda pointless. I like the growing heat power/aura of the volcanic dragon, because it introduces a time element; if you start with the Elder version (20 elite) the aura deals 10 and the explosion deals 3d10+4 and ongoing 10 fire (save ends)... for a solo you could even up that. Plus a brute makes more sense for condition the dragon is in, as opposed to a cunning controller.

Also since conditions and forced movement will be especially useful in your encounter, I would give the dragon a couple of nasty powers...
1. When it attempts to fly, it can't cause of its wounds and instead pulls all characters within 5 adjacent and knocks them prone (encounter power).
2. Some way for the dragon to shake off conditions and a kid stun-lock, like when a character provokes an opportunity attack from the dragon it removes one condition (effective with the aura and pull combo)
3. I've always been of the opinion the dragons should have the ability to grab with a bite or restrain with a claw, so... here are two examples of how I'd do that:

Pin Down; encounter; free action
When the dragon hits with a claw attack it may opt to grab the target, knocking the opponent prone and restraining them. As long as the grab is maintained the target is prone and restrained. While a target is grabbed this way, the dragon can't use Doucle Attack, and if it moves or is forced to move the grab ends.

Grasping Chomp encounter; free action
When the dragon hits with a target with a bite attack it may opt to grab them in it's maw, restraining the target, lifting them off the ground, and inflicting ongoing 5 damage until the grab is escaped (I.e. a save doesn't end the ongoing damage). When the dragon moves, the grabbed target slides to a square adjacent to the dragon of the dragons choosing. When a target is grabbed the dragon can't use bite attack or breath weapon. If 200+ damage is dealt to the dragon in one round, it drops the grabbed target.

Oh and of course it'll need to toss the characters around or into zones so...

Fling Like A Ragdoll; requires a grabbed target; minor action
Toss the target up to 6 squares and it falls prone. Make an attack vs Reflex or Fortitude (targets choice?); on a hit the target takes damage and is dazed; on a miss half damage

Have fun

 

[MatthewJHanson]

Any idea what the fluff of those traps might be? That's what I'm struggling on at this point; trying to detail what each trap is, rather than its mechanics.

Pools of burn oil or clouds of toxic gas could both work. These could slowly creep across the battlefield as the fight continues.

 

[Saagael]

Pools of burn oil or clouds of toxic gas could both work. These could slowly creep across the battlefield as the fight continues.

Good call on pools of flaming oil; that'll go in there in a few places.

 

[Unwise]

A few thoughts that spring to mind:

1) I would have lots of effects that say "Do this or take X damage". For instance, a coil of barbed wire immobilises you. If you choose to make a save against it, you take 20 damage. Alternatively, "Share the Suffering" You make a basic attack against a friend, or you take 20 damage. This plays into the idea that you can work through the pain and not give into it...for a time.

2) Before leaving the Red Dragon releases a held ritual spell (or rune) that unleashes a "Shared Suffering" effect. This means that in any turn that you don't attack someone you take X damage. While it won't have much effect on PCs, it makes sense that all the minions and the dragon are hell bent on attacking people. You can play up the madness aspect, as the minions attack each other if no PC is available.

3) I would use minions that are very pathetic, but that do significant damage or daze you if you kill them in melee range. You feel their deaths yourself.

P.S. One extra cool thing to play up the horror of it. If a PC falls to zero hit-points, they are not dying (at least not quickly), but they are insane with pain and start lashing out. They have the same issue as the dragon, they are killing themselves from over exertion, while at the same time trying to hurt their team. Now the players have to work out how to neutralize them too. They keep making death saving throws on every turn that they are up and active, failing three means they are irreversibly insane (without a ritual that is the same level, rarity and cost as resurrection.

 

[Kzach]

I'd advise against the death at 0 without subdue opportunity rule. If you insist on keeping it, however, you really need to make sure the players are aware of it, otherwise it serves no other purpose than to rob them of a satisfying victory.