Dragon 376 - MM3 Playtest: The Volcanic Dragon
- Thread starter Shroomy
- Start date
chaotix42
First Post
Wow, nasty dragon. Not only does it have some flavorful and potent abilities it's also an elite so it's going to have help from the sidelines. Elites are quickly becoming my favorite type of monster, I think!
I think I'll try out the young version in an upcoming game. Their questions at the beginning of the article are interesting and I'll keep them mind when I run it. Since they're essentially asking the playtesters to determine if the dragon is too powerful and complicated to run I'll limit the extra monsters to simple low level foes while the dragon (itself a few levels above the PCs) will be the main threat.
I think I'll try out the young version in an upcoming game. Their questions at the beginning of the article are interesting and I'll keep them mind when I run it. Since they're essentially asking the playtesters to determine if the dragon is too powerful and complicated to run I'll limit the extra monsters to simple low level foes while the dragon (itself a few levels above the PCs) will be the main threat.
Mustrum_Ridcully
Legend
Yes, it looks interesting. I wonder if this "charge up Aura" effect will be a common element of Catastrophe Dragons?
Seems likely that the aura and the catastrophe effect would be something all catastrophe dragons would have, if they think it needs playtesting.
An earthquake dragon with an aura that knocks people over, or at least slows them, with tremors, then lets loose a full-fledged quake? A hurricane or tornado dragon? Seems like some interesting thematic possibilities.
I also like that they are elite, instead of solo.
An earthquake dragon with an aura that knocks people over, or at least slows them, with tremors, then lets loose a full-fledged quake? A hurricane or tornado dragon? Seems like some interesting thematic possibilities.
I also like that they are elite, instead of solo.
I remember one of the complaints about dragons was that they were all solos. So it's nice to see some as elites.
The one thing that I find troublesome about the Volcanic Catastrophe is that it's a free attack against every enemy within the suped up aura. That's a lot of attacks to resolve, even before you have to deal with a standard action.
Lava Vent lacks a duration end for the zone effect.
The one thing that I find troublesome about the Volcanic Catastrophe is that it's a free attack against every enemy within the suped up aura. That's a lot of attacks to resolve, even before you have to deal with a standard action.
Lava Vent lacks a duration end for the zone effect.
Last edited:
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
Have had time to read this article now - and I think my players can look forward to meeting one of these! 
Love the increasing aura effect, and the fact that it's an elite, too. It'll have friends (or servants, anyway...)
I ran a 16th level one-off at the weekend, and as the enemies are fire-based I think the group I played with should be incredibly grateful that this article hadn't been published as they'd have been up against one of these.
Really looking forward to hearing about what people can do with this idea - and I'm looking forward to the other catastophe dragons, too!
Love the increasing aura effect, and the fact that it's an elite, too. It'll have friends (or servants, anyway...)
I ran a 16th level one-off at the weekend, and as the enemies are fire-based I think the group I played with should be incredibly grateful that this article hadn't been published as they'd have been up against one of these.
Really looking forward to hearing about what people can do with this idea - and I'm looking forward to the other catastophe dragons, too!
Mustrum_Ridcully
Legend
These environmental descriptions make me wonder if Catastrophe Dragons shouldn't actually be Solo creatures... But then they would need some extra SFX.
Maybe that is a hint on how to use them effectively - combine them with environmental hazards and traps and not necessarily monsters. Lava fountains, white-hote flaming meteroites falling from the sky and randomly striking people...
Superheated ash, volcanic fumes...
Infact, I'm sorta disappointed that all the dragon does is fire damage. I think that one of those should be something fume or ash related, too, so it's not just 'fire fire fire'.
Also, am I the only one that chuckled at the powers that bring LAVA up into squares... and anyone who enters them takes 5 damage? Some lava.
Sidenote: I'm tempted to repurpose this thing with poison, instead of fire, and use it as some sort of green dragon entity, or maybe a spawn of Zehir, or yaun-ti war machine.
Mustrum_Ridcully
Legend
Some kind of nasty effect of the aura... Grants concealment, might daze? Now to balance the thing...Superheated ash, volcanic fumes...
Infact, I'm sorta disappointed that all the dragon does is fire damage. I think that one of those should be something fume or ash related, too, so it's not just 'fire fire fire'.
dangerous jack
First Post
I like the idea of catastrophe dragons. They remind me of the Flame Dragons in my 3e homebrew that could radiate heat and create walls of fire (to toy with their prey rather than just incinerating it). The heat also created a blur effect and they could breath massive clouds of smoke, but I digress...
The PCs in my 4e game are about to stumble upon a hundred white dragon eggs that are slowly freezing a valley, so having them be eggs of a reskinned Volcanic Dragon would actually be a better fit for explaining the environmental change.
The PCs in my 4e game are about to stumble upon a hundred white dragon eggs that are slowly freezing a valley, so having them be eggs of a reskinned Volcanic Dragon would actually be a better fit for explaining the environmental change.
Similar Threads
