Help with a Dragon

[Land Outcast]

Well, then... don't play him THAT smart. make him always pring attack from x to y and y to x

You could go teh extreme way and recommend them to take nets or tanglefoot bags... that'd be to much, right?

Make him try to get a full attack at some point, once should suffice

or am I again missing the point?

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Has to be half-fiend for the reason of not needing food. This creature has been guarding the temple for a period of years without much in the way of intruders to eat. If it's too tough as is, could go with the Very Young White or maybe a Green Wyrmling. But I think if the cleric preps a Daylight spell to kill his chances to hide, and if the party figures out the temple layout such that they can either corner him or surround him, he's done.

He's clever but no genius -- Int 12 -- is not experienced at fighting "adventurers," and inhabits a relatively low-magic and low-level world. So he probably dealt with a straight-up incursion by a couple of low-level fighters and rogues without magic weapons (the temple's clergy was wiped out by his masters before his creation).

The party *can* bait him into launching a full attack by NOT hunting him and instead going straight for the Darkskull he's there to protect.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Could go for a Ring of sustenance on a claw?


I think it partly depends how well the dragon is prepared. If it has a convenient and large pool of water/acid then they're in lots of trouble.

Coupled with whether the PCs are smart and, possibly more importantly, lucky...

I'd say in this case, access to resist elements spell will make a huge difference to the fight... basically the difference between full breath weapon damage, or the thing not doing much at all? Take that away and the beastie isn't that scary.

 

[Land Outcast]

Could be just Fiendish instead of Half-Fiend?

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Could be just Fiendish instead of Half-Fiend?

Nope, Fiendish creatures are not outsiders, so it still has the dragon trait of needing to eat. And Ring of Sustenance would give it a much richer hoard.

Mass Resist Energy would knock its breath weapon down to 0 damage on average. If the party goes in unaware, gets hit a few times, retreats to prep spells specifically to fight it, and comes back, they can win. There's not too much time pressure (unless they start doing LOTS of hit-and-runs), so it's just a question of how stubborn they are.

 

[Land Outcast]

Nope, Fiendish creatures are not outsiders, so it still has the dragon trait of needing to eat. And Ring of Sustenance would give it a much richer hoard.

that was what my question was aimed at

But McLaren is right about Mass Resist Energy...

 

[Nightfall]

Dragons though can go for a long time with out eating anything. Fiendish creatures can be considered immortal if you want. I mean you are the DM. That's just my two cents.