A dragon's lair should be designed in 3 dimensions, with the dragon's ability to fly taken into consideration. Even if you plan to use more land based tactics, you should consider a retreat option for the dragon to take to a higher point in the lair for a greater advantage. Dragons shouldn't fight fair by any stretch.
D&D 5E Level 20 Dragon Fight design advice
I agree about 3 dimensions. I was just saying it doesn't have to be outside. In fact, at 20th level my guess is outside is even more dangerous for the dragon. It's just to easy to upcast flight or otherwise enable the party to gang up on the dragon. But there are very few tools that allow PCs to pass through opponents or walls and so driving them into terrain advantageous to the dragon is easier. And, you know, "squeezing" doesn't hurt a breath weapon attack.
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
I’d say dont design a Dragon encounter, instead design a Dragon Lair Encounter - the PCs need to be confronted by the whole Lair and work out how to overcome the Lair in order to defeat the “Dungeon Master”
Remember how dragons can move (fly, swim, burrow) and that Dragon lairs dont need to be open caverns - use the narrow verticle chimneys (thats plural) of an active volcanic crater, spouts of magma, falling lava bombs, clouds of acid gas, walls honeycombed with a vast network of side tunnels, rockfalls as the dragon smashes bits off the sides. Magmin and elementals too
keep the dragon smart and using its advantages including magic and cover and home advantage
Remember how dragons can move (fly, swim, burrow) and that Dragon lairs dont need to be open caverns - use the narrow verticle chimneys (thats plural) of an active volcanic crater, spouts of magma, falling lava bombs, clouds of acid gas, walls honeycombed with a vast network of side tunnels, rockfalls as the dragon smashes bits off the sides. Magmin and elementals too
keep the dragon smart and using its advantages including magic and cover and home advantage
BookTenTiger
He / Him
Once they kill the dragon, they hear a terrifying roar and realize that was just the baby, and now the mama dragon is pissed.
Benjamin Olson
Hero
I'd make the Dragon have recently taken over a major city. Firstly it provides stakes, secondly it provides a reason and capacity for the Dragon to have recruited lots of humanoid minions, thirdly it means there are probably several interesting spaces for a Dragon fight in close proximity, fourthly if, as many Dragons do, it has the ability to shapeshift into a humanoid it has lots of escape vectors, and finally by making its current set-up a recent occurence it provides a lot more explanatory cover for how some rando interloping adventurers might think of something the Dragon hasn't yet.
Storyteller Hero
Adventurer
Chapter 8 of the DMG has a small section on Improvised Damage, not to be confused with Improvised Weapons (PHB).
It's easily overlooked that environments and structures can be destructible or dangerous, such as a red dragon diving into a pool of magma then coming up fast to splash burning death on its enemies, or a blue dragon shattering the ceiling with its lightning, causing shards and stalactites to fall upon its enemies.
As the DM, you can ignore HP and hardness at times for destruction of objects and whatnot if it just makes sense, as many rules like that are from the PCs' perspective rather than a huge monster's perspective.
A dragon grappling a PC and dropping them into a chasm or pit for falling damage (and more if there is a hazard at the bottom) is also a potential thing. Using a push instead of a normal attack and adding some feet, or pushing PCs on hit with a physical attack (maybe when scoring a critical hit) can add some immersion too.
A dragon might be worshipped or served by a local cult or tribe too. Imagine if a kobold shaman shows up and debuffs the PCs in some way, or a human flunky uses an aid action to give the dragon advantage on an attack.
It's easily overlooked that environments and structures can be destructible or dangerous, such as a red dragon diving into a pool of magma then coming up fast to splash burning death on its enemies, or a blue dragon shattering the ceiling with its lightning, causing shards and stalactites to fall upon its enemies.
As the DM, you can ignore HP and hardness at times for destruction of objects and whatnot if it just makes sense, as many rules like that are from the PCs' perspective rather than a huge monster's perspective.
A dragon grappling a PC and dropping them into a chasm or pit for falling damage (and more if there is a hazard at the bottom) is also a potential thing. Using a push instead of a normal attack and adding some feet, or pushing PCs on hit with a physical attack (maybe when scoring a critical hit) can add some immersion too.
A dragon might be worshipped or served by a local cult or tribe too. Imagine if a kobold shaman shows up and debuffs the PCs in some way, or a human flunky uses an aid action to give the dragon advantage on an attack.
dave2008
Legend
I haven't. I have a draft dragon and some lair/encounter notes for you. I just want to review it after work and then I will post it.
or if nothing else, its mate. Its a nice fallback especially for a one shot when you aren't as concerned with world building and just want to ensure the party has a fun time. So if they smoke your dragon (which at high levels is absolutely a possibility), then having a backup "mate" to shake things up could be a very useful idea.
BookTenTiger
He / Him
I was half-joking, but this is seriously true. A group of rested, well-prepared adventurers can take on just about anything quickly and easily. So it would be a good idea to have a backup plan!
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