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Message: <blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 7518378" data-attributes="member: 97077">I would take the NPCs off the table and instead do this: If a PC takes damage, the player can choose to have an NPC ally take the damage instead. The NPC ally immediately dies. Then I would just throw the dragon and wolves at them. This makes for a fun game of involving the players in deciding which of the NPCs takes the fall for them which in my experience is good for both drama and laughs.  If you let the players choose, they will tend to choose the NPCs they like the least first which means you have a built in way to raise the stakes as they work their way up that list into the more favored NPCs. Alternatively, you could make a small deck of index cards and choose which NPC buys the farm randomly when a player opts to have the NPC take the damage instead.First, the encounter starts off with a strong wind. Ranged weapon attacks are now at disadvantage and flying creatures without the aid of magic have to land at the end of their turns or fall. I'd throw a good 5 to 7 winter wolves at the party. But they aren't slugging it out with the PCs - they're playing it safe, moving in fast, breathing on PCs. Or going in for a quick attack at advantage from pack tactics, and then darting away. Trying to lure the PCs away from each other so they can pick off a weaker PC. If I'm feeling particularly bold, I might have them grapple a PC and drag them away to break the party up a bit.While this is going on, I'd take advantage of the white dragon's burrow ability by having it dig through the snow, pop up, and blast the party with its cold breath (when it's available) before burrowing back underground again. It chills beneath the snow and waits for the breath to recharge or bursts out to claw and bite if it senses a golden opportunity to take someone down. Mostly I would keep it out of sight except to harass the party as the PCs deal with the winter wolves.  Once the wolves are dispatched, the dragon comes out to play, but not before the wind dies down, a chill fog rolls in, and the snow begins to fall. Visibility is limited to 50 feet - everything beyond that is heavily obscured. Now the dragon breathes on them when it's available. When it's not, it darts out of the driving snow to use its bite or tail attack, never getting within 5 feet of a PC if possible. It focuses on the weakest PCs first or, if applicable, the PCs with the most diamonds. When it gets to half its hit points, its primal and vengeful nature takes over and it goes after the PC who has done it the most harm, heedless of danger to itself, fighting to the death.I think with this setup, you won't have to worry about managing the NPCs (but still get to involve them in a fun and epic way). And you'll provide a cinematic and rewarding challenge for the players with some fun change-ups in the environment and action.</blockquote>

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