Hide From Dragons

[Infiniti2000]

Is there anything reasonable a dragon can do to "defend" itself from this spell? Obviously, non-dragon underlings that help guard the lair would work (somewhat), but then those underlings need to have invisibility detectors of some sort. I hate badly design spells like this. You might think the spell is harmless because as soon as they start attacking the dragon, it all goes to pot, but the heroes can just stand around the dragon and buff until the cows come home and then surprise the dragon with a full round of ass kicking. That's no fun in my book because there's seemingly no defense against this.

Fortunately, my CR 20 dragon had several alarms and about 40 mephit minions, but now all the mephits are dead. The dragon was on the other side of a private sanctum and the party druid 'walked into' the dragon (you cannot see through the sanctum, even with true seeing which the druid had running). I ruled that she touched the dragon and broke the hide from dragons spell. A breath weapon substituted (cold) maximized breath, DC 32 reflex save (160 points) followed. Of course, she and her animal companion had energy immunity (cold), the ranger has evasion and made his save, so only the fighter took 80 points (he made his save). He's still in triple digit hit points, though. The druid tried to cast baleful polymorph, defensively, but couldn't do the DC 50 concentration check from the AoO via spellcaster harrier. Heh, so it'll be an interesting fight now, but my original question still stands (for posterity if nothing else).

 

[akbearfoot]

couldnt the druid have just shapechanged into a dragon himself and used blindsense to detect the dragon? Or barring that, he could have been wild shaped into an earth elemental and used tremorsense?


That doesen't answer your original question though of which Im not sure...Is't it a high level spell? One of the only ways to foil a dragons senses?

Alarm spells minions, and traps sound like the perfect defense. That and giving dragons with like 20ft reach things like spell casting harrier and substituted maximized breath weapons.

 

[Runestar]

I suppose you could rule that even though the party is undetectable, they can still leave traces behind. For example, if the cavern is dusty/wet enough, the party may leave footprints behind. Or they may accidentally step on stray coins and make some noise etc. Either way, the dragon might still be entitled to a check (spot/listen/sense motive??) to sense that something is amiss, and that could set the springboard for it to take appropriate countermeasures.

 

[Infiniti2000]

She considered earth elemental and dragon form but as a dragon she wouldn't then see her party members. She expected her maralith form (true seeing) to notice the dragon no matter what, but we ruled (correctly I think) that true seeing doesn't penetrate a sanctum.

 

[frankthedm]

Is there anything reasonable a dragon can do to "defend" itself from this spell?

Argue to the DM the spell is not reasonable and should not be allowed in the first place!

 

[Runestar]

The OP is the DM...

 

[akbearfoot]

have a permanent dispelling screen or custom effect. installed just inside the passage to wherever it lives? If it is CR 20 it has access to some sort of teleportation magic to bypass the trap.


Was the dragon not aware of the PCs presense while all of his minions were dying?

I think a few piercers living on the ceiling with permanent see invis and rary's telepathic bond would be pretty sneaky and smart. They can see anything invisible sneaking down the tunnels, and instantly inform the dragon via telepathy. That way at least the dragon can take the time to buff himself up or read a few scrolls of summon monster 9 or a greater dispel magic as soon as his alarm spell is tripped.

 

[Shin Okada]

As you have already mentioned, spells like alarm still works.

Then Hide from Dragons says,

"Dragons cannot see, hear, or smell the warded creatures, even with blindsense."

So, if you read it as written, blindsight still works. Blindsight spell in Spell Compendium, gives 30-feet blindsight. It is Cleric 3/Druid 3 spell. But some true dragons can learn cleric spells, too. If not, the dragon can use some item based on this spell.