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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DracoSuave" data-source="post: 4880388" data-attributes="member: 71571">Any standard party can beat a black dragon with a combination of readied actions and cover.  They simply have to use both.  Hide behind cover.  Lure dragon out.  Readied action plug full of holes.  Repeat.  This negates the defensive advantage of the cloud of darkness by forcing the black dragon to come at them.Here's another.  Wizard stands six squares away from the cloud of darkness, lobbing scorching burst (or equivalent) while the ranger twin strikes arrows into the cloud.  Sure, it's not quick, but the dragon will not stand for that, because the party is out of the range of its attacks.  It will take damage, the party will take none.  It -has- to come out.  Then the readied charges and real attacks kick in, Dragon gets owned, clouds up again, and the party repeats.Here's another.  Wizard casts light on an arrow, ranger fires arrow into cloud.  Repeat until dragon is found.  Now dragon cannot stealth because of the light source.  Now you can locate the dragon.Force the party to think their way out.  Give them the tools they need to properly engage this beast.  Let the challenge actually challenge them.  Turtling should only work for a black dragon if the party is dumb enough to fall for it.  Period.With an Invoker and a Wizard, I would -hope- that this is covered.  And staying away from the cloud of darkness is also optimal for the party.  If you feel the need to put the field of battle more towards the party, simply toss in there some cover that they can use. Let them move away from the dragon.  Eventually the dragon -has- to come out of hiding to fight them.Ready an action.  Maim dragon.  Hit and run.  Repeat.  Dead dragon.Said dragon's only got an intellegence of 12, and little insight to speak of.  Some skill checks might be used to anger the dragon out.  Call it a cowardly little kobold.  See how long he stays in the cloud.  Just because something seems tactically superior doesn't mean that it is what the dragon will necessarily do or even know to do.Or hell, why is the party there?  Is it to take the dragon's stuff?  Well, if the dragon wants to stay in its black cloud, then let the party, I dunno, take his stuff.  That'll bring the dragon out.  Black dragons hiding in a cloud means the dragon is turtling.  The party can then bugger off to cover, and ready some actions to plug that dragon full of holes.Only one player has to make the Perception check to glean which square the dragon is in.  And having a good perception check at that level isn't really difficult.  As well, what else are they doing with their minor actions?  If they are located in a good spot, they can spend two minor actions to percieve, and one to ready their attack for when it comes out.  Eventually one will spot it, and the death will commence.Regardless, the black dragon isn't a fight you can just sit down, tank, and spank.  It -requires- tactics, but if the DM gives the PCs a modicum of cover, and room for ingenuity, they can out-think the dragon and prevail.</blockquote>

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