GreyLord
Legend
I don't think the dragons were broken, but that MANY don't understand the purpose of the Dragon in AD&D.
The Dragons were to present a very deadly threat, but at the same time were supposed to actually be slayable by mid-level adventurers (4-8th level). Hence, you have to have a creature which, with skill, stealth, and a little bit of luck they might be able to kill while it sleeps or by a trap or otherwise, but at the same time a creature that if roused stands a chance of doing a TPK.
The players are supposed to be the Heroes of the game, the knights in shining armor that slay the dragon terrorizing the village. At the same time, they can't just get lazy and charge head first towards a flying dragon typically.
Hence why Dragons can do high damage with their breath weapon, but have a lower HP potential. They are built to destroy 1st and 2nd level NPCs (and 0 lvl NPCs) very easily, but at the same time, their normal attacks won't threaten a party of adventurers as much. Their Breath weapon will though, and a flying dragon may be able to take out a party of PC's if they rouse it or foolishly think to attack it head on. At the very least they will lose one or two or more.
A carefully planned attack on the otherhand may make it so that they can slay the dragon before it is fully roused and be the Dragonslayer heroes of the game.
The Dragons were to present a very deadly threat, but at the same time were supposed to actually be slayable by mid-level adventurers (4-8th level). Hence, you have to have a creature which, with skill, stealth, and a little bit of luck they might be able to kill while it sleeps or by a trap or otherwise, but at the same time a creature that if roused stands a chance of doing a TPK.
The players are supposed to be the Heroes of the game, the knights in shining armor that slay the dragon terrorizing the village. At the same time, they can't just get lazy and charge head first towards a flying dragon typically.
Hence why Dragons can do high damage with their breath weapon, but have a lower HP potential. They are built to destroy 1st and 2nd level NPCs (and 0 lvl NPCs) very easily, but at the same time, their normal attacks won't threaten a party of adventurers as much. Their Breath weapon will though, and a flying dragon may be able to take out a party of PC's if they rouse it or foolishly think to attack it head on. At the very least they will lose one or two or more.
A carefully planned attack on the otherhand may make it so that they can slay the dragon before it is fully roused and be the Dragonslayer heroes of the game.