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<blockquote data-quote="werecorpse" data-source="post: 7000640" data-attributes="member: 55491"><p>Dragon lairs should be like onions - none more so than those of the scheming green.</p><p></p><p>IMO Green Dragons have been a really interesting monster ever since DragonLance when one controlled an elven nation (the Qualinesti iirc). Because of how comparatively easy it is to resist their breath weapon they have to use other techniques. The crucial elements to emphasise of a green dragon to differentiate it from another dragon are poison, plants and mind control. </p><p>Poison is tough to use in a fresh way (you can have poisonous snakes, snake swarms, a Wyvern or poisonous hydra servant, clouds of poisonous gas etc) and the players will likely have resistance or immunity. Let the players enjoy their win against the poison - this "victory" just makes them overconfident.</p><p>Plants, I'm more a fan of maybe a reskinned treant or shambling mound than the anthropomorphised vine blights etc. but there is plenty there - they should be like the aliens in Aliens, Appearing out of the surroundings. Trap plants like Venus fly traps, grasping vines that duplicate evards tentacles would work too (in a cloud of poisonous pollen or vapours would be good).</p><p></p><p>Mind control is really the key IMO. The dragon should have control "children of the corn" style of a nearby village of ostensibly good guys -elves, forest gnomes or humans. They should refer to the dragon with some creepy name like "mother" or "the essence" (The dragon can have lizardfolk too but the lizard brains aren't mind controlled they truly worship The Emerald One).</p><p></p><p> Also if the party meets a guide early on to take them through the outer dangers to the dragons lair (- and they should -say by rescuing a helpful and loveable oddball halfling and centaur team) just when they think they have defeated the villagers, resisted the poisonous beasts, hacked away the treacherous foliage, beaten the trusted servants and found somewhere to safely rest up the guides eyes should glaze over and should say something like "mother will be pleased" and they will realise that they have been lead into a trap, the halfling has swapped out their anti-toxin for water, the giant smooth barked trees beneath which they rest allow a dragon to freely perch and clamber above them while getting cover from missiles, they have been covered in glowing pollen duplicating a faerie fire, vines they were resting on are coming alive and that shape in the tree branches above has moved, unfurled its wings and is staring at into their eyes. In the distance they can hear the approach of the children of the corn...</p><p></p><p>On a game mechanic level for a green dragon I think I would give it some sort of way to do psychic damage a bit because the poison attacks will likely be easily defended against via resistance - and co-op the abilities from other editions and sources:</p><p>Lure : as a legendary action it can cause something to make an int wis or Cha save (your flavour choice), failure means they move 15' as directed by the dragon and take xd6 psychic damage</p><p>Delude: as a reaction the dragon can make a successful attack against it have targeted someone else of the dragons choice. The attacker gets a wisdom save to resist. ("You just lightning bolted me!" "I'm sorry I thought you were the dragon")</p><p>As a second reaction! Misty escape ability of the warlock of the archfey.</p><p>Poisonous aura: anyone who starts their turn within 25' of the dragon has to save or take some poison damage (just a few d6 con save for 1/2) </p><p>Mind poison: As a legendary action the beast meets the gaze of someone within 50' and they have to make an int save or they take a few d6 psychic damage and act as if poisoned for 1 minute - it's a mental effect so poison resistance or immunity doesn't help but charm resistance or immunity does. Get to reroll the save at the end of every turn to shake off the effect.</p><p></p><p>Lair actions </p><p>Cloud of pollen: as faerie fire + if start turn within the pollen cloud save or get poisoned condition for 1 round</p><p>Grasping vines terrain: area becomes like an evards black tentacles </p><p>Misdirection: 30' square area becomes confusing, int save on beginning of turn or will move in a random direction (1d8) at beginning of turn </p><p></p><p>Have fun.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="werecorpse, post: 7000640, member: 55491"] Dragon lairs should be like onions - none more so than those of the scheming green. IMO Green Dragons have been a really interesting monster ever since DragonLance when one controlled an elven nation (the Qualinesti iirc). Because of how comparatively easy it is to resist their breath weapon they have to use other techniques. The crucial elements to emphasise of a green dragon to differentiate it from another dragon are poison, plants and mind control. Poison is tough to use in a fresh way (you can have poisonous snakes, snake swarms, a Wyvern or poisonous hydra servant, clouds of poisonous gas etc) and the players will likely have resistance or immunity. Let the players enjoy their win against the poison - this "victory" just makes them overconfident. Plants, I'm more a fan of maybe a reskinned treant or shambling mound than the anthropomorphised vine blights etc. but there is plenty there - they should be like the aliens in Aliens, Appearing out of the surroundings. Trap plants like Venus fly traps, grasping vines that duplicate evards tentacles would work too (in a cloud of poisonous pollen or vapours would be good). Mind control is really the key IMO. The dragon should have control "children of the corn" style of a nearby village of ostensibly good guys -elves, forest gnomes or humans. They should refer to the dragon with some creepy name like "mother" or "the essence" (The dragon can have lizardfolk too but the lizard brains aren't mind controlled they truly worship The Emerald One). Also if the party meets a guide early on to take them through the outer dangers to the dragons lair (- and they should -say by rescuing a helpful and loveable oddball halfling and centaur team) just when they think they have defeated the villagers, resisted the poisonous beasts, hacked away the treacherous foliage, beaten the trusted servants and found somewhere to safely rest up the guides eyes should glaze over and should say something like "mother will be pleased" and they will realise that they have been lead into a trap, the halfling has swapped out their anti-toxin for water, the giant smooth barked trees beneath which they rest allow a dragon to freely perch and clamber above them while getting cover from missiles, they have been covered in glowing pollen duplicating a faerie fire, vines they were resting on are coming alive and that shape in the tree branches above has moved, unfurled its wings and is staring at into their eyes. In the distance they can hear the approach of the children of the corn... On a game mechanic level for a green dragon I think I would give it some sort of way to do psychic damage a bit because the poison attacks will likely be easily defended against via resistance - and co-op the abilities from other editions and sources: Lure : as a legendary action it can cause something to make an int wis or Cha save (your flavour choice), failure means they move 15' as directed by the dragon and take xd6 psychic damage Delude: as a reaction the dragon can make a successful attack against it have targeted someone else of the dragons choice. The attacker gets a wisdom save to resist. ("You just lightning bolted me!" "I'm sorry I thought you were the dragon") As a second reaction! Misty escape ability of the warlock of the archfey. Poisonous aura: anyone who starts their turn within 25' of the dragon has to save or take some poison damage (just a few d6 con save for 1/2) Mind poison: As a legendary action the beast meets the gaze of someone within 50' and they have to make an int save or they take a few d6 psychic damage and act as if poisoned for 1 minute - it's a mental effect so poison resistance or immunity doesn't help but charm resistance or immunity does. Get to reroll the save at the end of every turn to shake off the effect. Lair actions Cloud of pollen: as faerie fire + if start turn within the pollen cloud save or get poisoned condition for 1 round Grasping vines terrain: area becomes like an evards black tentacles Misdirection: 30' square area becomes confusing, int save on beginning of turn or will move in a random direction (1d8) at beginning of turn Have fun. [/QUOTE]
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