HELP WANTED..tactics, build for UNDEAD DRAGON VS COCKY PC'S

[BLACKDIRGE]

Here, give these a try.

http://www.enworld.org/article.php?a=97

http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=1647525&postcount=2

The first one is a spell-stitched vampiric shadow dragon at CR 17

The second is a black dragon wight at CR 13.

These are both fully statted and should at least give you some ideas on where to start.

Blackdirge

 

[painandgreed]

Defence in depth. Have lots of minions around. Perhaps it animates other animals into zombie or such and uses them to scout out and harrass anything that comes within a days march of its lair. Once the party is detected by various animated wildlife such as, then it send in the bigger guys. Zombie birds to watch for intruders with zombie squirrels and chipmunks to eat and despoil their food and water in the night. Undead wolves and snakes to attack their horses. Eventually, they'll realise that everything is dead around them and that nowhere nearby is safe. Once they get really close they'll have even more smaller fights leading up to the dragon, perhaps some evil clerics. Hopefully, by then they'll be wounded and have run through a decent amount of spells. If they try and rest they'll continue to be harassed as the dragon has small undead attack every hour to make sure nobody gets any sleep. If they retreat, they'll have to start all over again from the begining.

Before the big final battle hit them with an illusion or a much lesser undead dragon that is intended to be mistaken for the real thing. Hopefully the party will dump their big spells and once per day special abilities in the few rounds it takes to knock out the imposter. Then they get hit with the real thing.

Even if they succeed, they're still in a forest filled with now uncontorled undead animals and must get back out. Undead squirrels are normally just harassment but at this point, they may be in such a state that even small battles are worrisome.

 

[shilsen]

Wight dragon. 'Nuff said.

Dammit - you stole my line!

 

[Al'Kelhar]

Wight dragon. 'Nuff said.

The following almost caused a TPK on my party of six 10th level characters:

Emeraldeye, young adult green dragon wight: Large Undead; CR 12; AL LE; HD 17d12+34; 144 hp; Init +1; Spd 40’, fly 150’ (poor), swim 40’; AC 26 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +16 natural); BAB/Grap +17/+29; Atk Bite +24 melee (2d6+8/19-20 plus energy drain); Full Atk Bite +24 melee (2d6+8/19-20 plus energy drain) and 2 claws +22 melee (1d8+4 plus energy drain) and 2 wings +22 melee (1d6+4 plus energy drain) and tail slap +22 melee (1d8+4 plus energy drain); Face/Reach 10/5’ (10’ with bite); SA Breath weapon, energy drain, spells; SQ Blindsense 60’, desecrate, darkvision 120’, DR 5/magic, frightful presence, immunities, SR 19, undead traits, water breathing; SV Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +14; Str 25, Dex 12, Con –, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 18.
Skills & Feats: Bluff +14, Concentration +14, Diplomacy +18, Hide +7, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (religion) +12, Listen +23, Move Silently +11, Search +12, Sense Motive +13, Spot +23, Use Magic Device +14, Swim +25; Cleave, Hover, Improved Critical (bite), Flyby Attack, Multiattack, Power Attack.
Possessions: Emerald keystone to doors in area 61.
Spells Known (6/6 per day; save DC = 14 + spell level; CL 3rd): 0—detect magic, mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic; 1st—charm person, shield, shocking grasp.
SA—Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d4 rounds—40’ cone of acid; 10d6 acid damage; DC 22 Reflex save half.
SA—Energy Drain (Su): Any creature struck by one of Emerald¬eye’s physical attacks gains a negative level. DC 22 Fortitude save to remove after 24 hours.
SQ—Desecrate (Sp): The emerald keystone which serves as Emeraldeye’s right eye radiates a permanent desecrate effect (CL 20th). Turn checks against Emeraldeye suffer a –3 profane penalty; Emeraldeye has a +1 profane bonus to attacks, damage and saving throws (already factored into stats above).
SQ—Frightful Presence (Ex): Creatures within 150’ of Emeraldeye when he attacks, charges or flies overhead must make a DC 22 Will save. Creatures up to 4 HD who fail are panicked for 4d6 rounds; creatures of 5 HD or more who fail become shaken for 4d6 rounds.
[/i]SQ—Immunities:[/i] Emeraldeye is immune to magical sleep and paralysis effects, and acid.

It's the level drain which does for them.

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[Sir ThornCrest]

The party has the endure life and make will savce to rid neg. level feats

Thats a great tactic, have the party waste spells on another imposter/fake dragon, one that is undead and have the other non undead dragon come back as the party is scooping up treasure....awesome, this tactic will really throw them for a loop! How would I have him hide-meld to stone? Or would the Wizard see this? Or have him poly morphed into one of the rats in the place?

ideas?

Can you imagine the fear in the parties eyes as the dragon returns inviso and starts combat with his breathe, undead dragon and breathe...?? does it work same? if so.....mmuuuhhahahhahha my bad Dr. Evil laugh


Thorncrest


The party has a Cleric with magicals to protect vs undead, I think it was soulfire armor. He is also a Saint so the lesser globe of invulerability , immune to low spells and pro vs evil are to be taken into consideration.

 

[painandgreed]

Thats a great tactic, have the party waste spells on another imposter/fake dragon, one that is undead and have the other non undead dragon come back as the party is scooping up treasure....awesome, this tactic will really throw them for a loop! How would I have him hide-meld to stone? Or would the Wizard see this? Or have him poly morphed into one of the rats in the place?

ideas?

Polymorph isn't bad. Depends on what the lair is like. I'd say an open air lair so the dragon can then just swoop down (while invisible?) and use breath weapon in a fly by attack. He can then keep doing fly bys, perhaps dropping stuff on the party, and then land once he thinks they're softened up enough and not a threat any longer. If they are, the open air lair allows the dragon to flee and little chance of being trapped.