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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Joshua Randall" data-source="post: 2988392" data-attributes="member: 7737">In my current game (as a player), we're facing a difficult situation: we have to fight a dragon about which we know nothing. I will spare you the lengthy setup and just present the salient facts.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> It's nominally a female red dragon, but ...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> ... the DM has strongly hinted that it is not straight from the Monster Manual, and ...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> ... he owns the Draconomicon and has declared it his favorite book, so ...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> ... all bets are off when it comes to breath weapon energy type and dragon's energy vulnerability.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> As a best guess, the dragon's age category is at least Adult (CR 15, size Huge, SR 21, caster level 7th).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> The party is larger than normal (7 PCs) and averages 10th/11th level (more details below).</li> </ul>All attempts to gather intelligence -- mundane and magical -- have failed. For example, we came up with some specific commune questions, but got useless answers, as follows. (Note that we know the dragon's exact name, so there should be no chance of mix-up on which dragon we're asking about.) <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Q: Is the red dragon vulnerable to a particular type of energy? A: Unknown.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Q: Is the red dragon extraordinarily resistant to spells? (i.e., does it have SR) A: Unknown.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Q: Is the red dragon capable of casting the spell unholy blight? A: Unknown. (The purpose of this question was to verify its caster level and/or to confirm that it can cast cleric spells from the Evil domain the way a normal red dragon can.)</li> </ul>Here are some of the mundane attempts we have made to gather intelligence, and the again useless results. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Bardic knowledge check by an 8th level bard (cohort). No legends, stories, or even hints about the red dragon.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Asked some neutral-to-friendly wizards and sages to research the red dragon. They didn't know jack squat.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Befriended a bronze dragon which has actually seen the red dragon. But the bronze didn't know anything else about her.</li> </ul>Before everyone says it, yes, we are frustrated that the DM is utterly refusing to give up any information. It's possible that the red dragon is somehow magically protected from information gathering and divination spells, but I think the DM is just being stubborn. However, we can only play the hand we're dealt.Information on the PCs: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 11th level fighter with Combat Expertise feats</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 11th level fighter with Power Attack feats</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 11th level ranger with archery combat style</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 10th level paladin (my character)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 11th level wizard</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level psion / shaper</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 9th level cleric (actually also has 1 level of barbarian -- don't ask me why)</li> </ul>It's also important to note that we are severely underequipped for our levels -- roughly 40% expected gear value. Our magic weapons are vanilla +1, no one has any stat-boosting items (!), and even potions are hard to come by.So, what can we do? How do we fight this thing? Will we survive? Can we survive?</blockquote>

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