Fighting Dragons

[zillah]

I have taken down a blue dragon with me and a rogue while i was a ranger. wasn't that hard and neither died.

 

[Nail]

In a 2nd-level game a while back we encountered a white dragon in a dungeon and totally pwned it.

Well done!

The ranger provoking OAs while the Ftr hammered away was good stuff. I've got to take advantage of that trick during play.

 

[Notmousse]

In a 2nd-level game a while back we encountered a white dragon in a dungeon and totally pwned it.

Have you told this story before? I swear I've heard it before.

In any case, I think you caught a lucky break from the GM. Either that or your group was fighting the Corky of dragons. First off, a dragon with any sense of intelligence would purposely put as many into breath range as possible, and quickly learn that going after the ranger meant getting smacked by the fighter.

 

[Ravingdork]

Have you told this story before? I swear I've heard it before.

In any case, I think you caught a lucky break from the GM. Either that or your group was fighting the Corky of dragons. First off, a dragon with any sense of intelligence would purposely put as many into breath range as possible, and quickly learn that going after the ranger meant getting smacked by the fighter.

Yes I've posted the story one other time in another thread (somewhere around here) the day after we had the game and yet again over on the WotC boards.

In any case, it has been said that the dragon was beaten more by the hallway then our tactics. I find that this is partially true in that the beast had no ability to fly away or maneuver, but our party (out of game) planned to lure the dragon into the narrow corridor all along so I think we get some credit too.

The only thing the dragon could have done (that he didn't do) was to try and squeeze further down the hall to bring the spellcasters into range of the breath weapon (which wouldn't have mattered as we would have just started sniping from around the corner) or he could have squeezed past the flaming sphere back into his room (which would have bought him a round or two before we cornered him yet again). What's more, the whole time he is squeezing he is sucking up HUGE combat penalties (which is why I think the GM kept him where he was at).

If we were out in the open plain it would have been a completely different battle. The dragon would simlpy fly around sniping us with breath weapon attacks until we died. Our high damage fighter and melee ranger would have been limited to basic ranged attacks and would therefore be nearly useless.

 

[Victim]

Errata removed the ability of most conjurations to block squares, so I don't think the dragon would need to squeeze to back up.

 

[Iron Sky]

Our group of 4 level 3 characters killed a white dragon in 4 rounds(1 of which was just my ranger vs him since I was on watch). The dragon landed to eat my ranger, then got blinded by the rogue. Then he was slowed the next round and surrounded, so couldn't really fly away. Third round when he tried to flee, was immobilized by the warlock and fell back to the ship we were fighting him on, dying shortly afterwards.

Having him witchfired when his bloodied breathweapon triggered helped too... Also, our warlock critted with his daily, doing 53 + 5 ongoing right there.

Don't know about other dragons since I haven't read my MM(don't want to spoil any of the monsters my DM throws at me!), but the white one went down surprisingly fast.

 

[inati]

LESSON LEARNED: Level appropriate dragons that can't fly are going to die.

A textbook example of organized teamplay and playing to roles to maximum effect. You guys rocked.

 

[Ravingdork]

Errata removed the ability of most conjurations to block squares, so I don't think the dragon would need to squeeze to back up.

Errata also states that the Flaming Sphere spell is an exception to the previous errata and DOES block the square it's in. That way, wizards can't stand in their own flaming spheres for protection. I think you may be an update or two behind the curve.

In short, the dragon would of had to squeeze past it.

 

[Dr.Cornelius]

...as well as the Skill Training: Perception and Alertness feats...

Skill Training: Perception and Alertness are both feat bonuses and do not stack.

Dragons are highly intelligent creatures and as such should always have an escape plan.

 

[Ravingdork]

Skill Training: Perception and Alertness are both feat bonuses and do not stack.

Dragons are highly intelligent creatures and as such should always have an escape plan.

Somebody obviously didn't train in Perception.

I took the Skill TRAINING feat and the Alertness feat. Skill FOCUS and Alertness don't stack, but the former pair do since the +5 you get for training isn't any particular kind of bonus--it just is.

I agree wholeheartedly about dragons being generally intelligent, but this was a young white one (no larger than a horse). White dragons tend to be more bestial and less intelligent then their comrades.