Dragons main disadvantage

[sfedi]

Having read threads about how to best use a Dragon, and the power of it, etc, etc.

I still find it an extremely vulnerable creature, it has a VERY weak spot...

He can´t heal.

I think this is mainly a problem of D&D, due to de huge difference between natural healing and magical healing, but I don´t want to make this a Rant thread.

Instead, I want to focus on how a dragon should deal with this issue. With the RAW.

Clearly, if a Dragon confornts a party of medium level adventurers, and he gets pretty wounded, and flees, he can´t engage this party until he has healed, which should take him at least a couple of days.
Meanwhile... the party can heal itself in a mater of minutes, without spending spell slots (Wands of CLW). With a few scrolls, the party could still have a healthy supply of spell fire power.

So, the party can be ready to confornt the dragon in minutes, but he need days.

This gives the party a huge advantege, searching of its lair, scrying, teleporting to it, or whatever.

Thoughts?

 

[Crothian]

Dragons can have allies that can heal them, they can take levels in cleric or another class that allows healing, they can use magical items to heal themselves.....

 

[Raloc]

If the party can have wands, so can the dragon.

 

[Vraister]

Dragons can buy or find potions.
Fast-Healing feat.

Vraister

 

[jmucchiello]

Yes, really a dragon's main disadvantage is his fame. People who go up against dragons prepare for fighting.... a dragon. At least those who stand a chance against dragon prepare that way. IOW, dragons never fight opponents who might underestimate them.

Likewise, their fame makes their abilities well known to the common adventurer. Even if you use the stuff in Dragonomicon, players who effectly use Gather Information about the dragon before attacking it should be able to find out about some of the cool different abilities of the dragon from the locals.

 

[sfedi]

Thank you very much for the answers.

The problems I see with the items solution and the minions and allies soutions are:

Items
====
This work well for dragons that can cast cleric spells.
Not so for the younger dragons.
Potion healing is very expensive.
This would make a Dragon look for healing items a lot, which is counter intuitive with their typical lust for valuable stuff, not healing stuff.

Minions and Allies
=============

This seems to be a much more efficient option.
BUT...
it does make it difficult to have the stereotypical "lonely, ancient and proud dragons" that see other cretures as inferior.
I can't imagine a Great Wyrm treating it's lackeys as inferior creatures but then needing them to heal or create heailng wands...

I hope I made sense :\

 

[AuraSeer]

Dragons can use magic items, just like anyone else. I like the image of a Colossal dragon downing a full keg of cure potions; don't waste time tapping it, just munch the whole thing in one go.

If the adventurers have access to wands, then the dragon should too. Use Magic Device may be cross-class, but powerful dragons have plenty of HD and a high Charisma.

This would make a Dragon look for healing items a lot, which is counter intuitive with their typical lust for valuable stuff, not healing stuff.

A dragon doesn't exactly battle adventurers every week. Even when he does get into a fight, most of the time he'll win. (You don't live to be a powerful dragon unless you know how to pick your battles.) He only needs to use up healing items on those rare occasions when somebody manages to severely hurt him, yet leave him alive. That'll be, what, once every couple of decades?

It's not as if the dragon is going to be a weekly customer down at Paul's Potion Shoppe.

 

[Klaus]

Well, your Great Wyrm will probably be able to cast Heal on himself...

With its amazing flight speed, a dragon that gets wounded by the inferior hairless apes (that's us!) can surely take wing and hole up in a cave a good distance from his original lair, where he can rest for a day and regain 62 hp per day of rest (assuming a very old red dragon with 31 HD).

And of course, the dragon, being the smart creature it is, can stock up a few potions of maximized empowered cure serious wounds in this bolthole. Proud, yes. But also smart.

 

[Staffan]

He can´t heal.

I think this is mainly a problem of D&D, due to de huge difference between natural healing and magical healing, but I don´t want to make this a Rant thread.

Instead, I want to focus on how a dragon should deal with this issue. With the RAW.

Note that all the MM dragons except the blue, green, and white can substitute cleric spells, as well as spells from a couple of domains, for its sorcerer spells known. I would rule that this also allows them to use clerical scrolls and wands, as soon as they get a caster level.

 

[Derren]

Exactly. Only 3 dragons can't heal.

Imo the main disadvantage of dragons are that they are mostly alone (1 action vs 4) and the low touch AC coupled with WotC new broken spells.