Bothered About Disposable Dragons (B.A.D.D.) Membership Drive

[Sinklar]

D-d-d....DRAAAAAGON!!!!

I will never forget the first time I ran into one of these terrifying creatures. It was 2nd edition AD&D, but my DM at the time never followed the rules where these deadly beasts were concerned. In ten years of gaming, I've managed to be a part of slaying exactly three dragons, only one of which would be considered colossal. Each time, half the party died and I felt lucky to have survived. Black dragons are the WORST. If you've ever had a pair of these toy with you, and all of their minions, you will never feel safe in a swamp or bog again!! They were "only" young adults, and we did manage to kill one, but the other wiped out five out of seven party members. The ranger and I (Fighter/Mage) teleported out of there. Damn, I'm nervous just remembering that nightmare.

Definitely count me in!!

 

[Carnifex]

Hmmm. During my Planescape campaign the party killed a total of... 6 dragons, I think.

The earliest was Fosforus, an adult red I think; he began the combat invisible and clinging to the ceiling, and bodyslammed the rogue scouting ahed as his first move.

Then there was Nagorach, an adult black, in a drow/illithid stronghold floating in the Astral. He went down in short order because the party was high level and he was but one of many encounters on the way through the fortress. Nonetheless the fact that the fight took place in a black room and he was black in hue caused a few problems.

Then the party saw one of the dragons of Bytopia get shredded in one round by the Archmage of Avernus...

Then they fought two blue dragons and a 20th level fighter (who had an orb of dragonkind and was dominating the blues). I think the blues were both old or mature adult or something. This is where things got *very* evil, because they were buffed with loads of spells and haste. They would make a swoop attack, grabbing a character and then flying up again due to their haste, where as a free action they could drop them again, inflicting extra damage. They went down too as well when the fighters swigged potions of fly though.

Then they fought against the reanimated corpse of the half-dragons mature adult gold father. More than just a zombie, with an evil breath weapon amongst other things, it too was felled.

Finally they took on Lachazdaervirakk, originally a black dragon killed by the half-dragons father, but whos soul was reinstated into the dead body of a great wyrm red/ half-fiend dragon. As a result of that, the dragon also had a number of the beneficial aspects of being undead... the party took him down in the final battle of the campaign, with only one survivor, who was promptly killed by demons.

I usually play them highly intelligently and my players know a fight against a dragon will *never* be easy.

But equally, remember dragons *do* have weaknesses, and arrogance is one of them. Also, younger dragons often *don't* know that great a deal about adventurers etc, and often don't have massive INT and WIS scores.

They *are* fallible.

 

[Wolfspider]

I have one solution. Dracoliches.

Actually, there was an interesting discussion on another thread (I can't remember where) about the power loss that a dragon suffers, especially in hit points, upon becoming a dracolich. I'll have to dig thread up.

But equally, remember dragons *do* have weaknesses, and arrogance is one of them. Also, younger dragons often *don't* know that great a deal about adventurers etc, and often don't have massive INT and WIS scores.

Oh, I'll agree there. I don't mind it when a dragon dies fighting mighty heroes in an epic conflict; I just get pissed when encounters with them are much, much less than epic. Fights with dragons should be memorable affairs.

Yes, dragons have weaknesses, like Smaug's bare patch and monumental ego. I play these things up; they are a part of what a dragon is. Characters can be pretty arrogant, too, at high levels (especially when they start hunting dragons), so this works out well.

As far as the intelligence of younger dragons go, you have to remember that most of them are at least average intelligence (some, whites and blacks, a bit less than average). A fighter with an intelligence and wisdom of 8 still knows how his feats work and how to maneuver in combat; a dragon should also be this prepared. The dragon should also be intimately familiar with its natural abilities and weapons, especially its senses, and even a juvenile should be really hard to surprise or catch unaware.

 

[Andor of the Blade]

I highly recommend Dennis McKiernan's book "DragonDoom". It shows both the awesome powers of the dragons, but also their weaknesses.

Dragons like these will have adventurers seeking easier prey (like Demon Princes).

The book also gives a couple of examples of what happens when the dragon decides it wants to be the initiator of a conflict (ouch!).

 

[daTim]

Any mid to high level dragon should be nearly unbeatable, especially the ones with good sorcerer progression.

Contigency Heal spell should he ever fall to 1 HP. (my favorite)

Quicken Spell like ability, Red Dragons could use "Suggestion" every round as a free action

Improved invisibility while flying, followed by a Snatch and taking whatever annoying PC high in the air, about 1000 feet? and dropping them. Any dragon is intelligent enough not to pick a spell caster, as they would have feather fall. Or, Snatch and go jump in a lake. Drowing is very easy for PCs, plus with a dragons insane speed they wont get cought up with until its too late.

Haste! get off a full round attack, and cast a spell or use your breath weapon... nuff said

Give the Dragon Sunder and Improved Sunder (if you allow it) and destroy pesky weapons with ease. Dragons can hurt up to +3 weapons as they get old.

Judicious use of the breath weapon, high level spells, clerical domains etc can make dragons nearly invincible. Post suggestions!

 

[Victim]

That Lingering Breath feat would work well with the Strafe feat I created. It should be in House Rules, but way down.

I'm bothered both by moron dragons that children could out manuever and by sumpreme mega dragons that have 13 Int but encyclopedic knowledge of every tactic the PCs have every used and set up ambushes despite lack of any warning.

 

[gubaru]

I'm in. The more ways to inspire "Please don't hurt me, Mr. Dragon" groveling in PCs, the better.

 

[Wolfspider]

I'm in. The more ways to inspire "Please don't hurt me, Mr. Dragon" groveling in PCs, the better.

LOL!

 

[Hand of Evil]

Here are the greatest beast and yet so many DM's don't give them the respect that they deserve. Heros are their pawns to be used as they see fit, they are the power that shape the world, yet treated as some dumb animal.

sometime ago there was a book out called the Scheme of Dragons (don't know the author) that was very good.

 

[novyet]

Aye, count me in as well, I'm tired of seeing most dragons played off as just a big lizard. Oh and as for the poster who mentioned the bad experience about the pair of blacks in the bog, I've done many things like that to groups I've dm'd for, some of them still won't go near a swamp!