Need DM advice or help

[lordvorlek]

Running a higher level campaign. The characters are mostly 19th level. The Druid of the party has shapechange and has had an encounter with a gold dragon. (2 adventures ago). The campaign is taking place in a swamp, and kinda large territory rather than underground or in caverns. So what do you think happens every time there is big combat? Poof,, shapechange into a colossal gold dragon, with an ac of 54 (because of his magic items). Nothing can hit him, and he kills everything in sight. Tried to drag out small encounters to wipe out his spells, but they run away and rest then come back. Tried using alot of role playing then a little combat with really big guys,, but that only lasts for a few seconds after the friggen shape change happens. Any good advice on combating this?
Thanks,

 

[lonesoldier]

That's disturbing.

1) Check that all those bonuses are legal (IE, he isn't counting 3 natural armour bonuses and two shield bonuses).
2) Review his sheet throughly (Remember, as DM you are allowed to do this), and find ways to kill him
3) Rather than throw big things at him in open areas, put him underground in small caverns, with lots of little guys (Hordes of goblins that do not give XP, but must be dealt with)
4) Start building custom monsters, and/or items that negate these bonuses.

This might seem harsh, but no player should have an AC that high. Report back (or post his character sheet up).

 

[MoonZar]

Running a higher level campaign. The characters are mostly 19th level. The Druid of the party has shapechange and has had an encounter with a gold dragon. (2 adventures ago). The campaign is taking place in a swamp, and kinda large territory rather than underground or in caverns. So what do you think happens every time there is big combat? Poof,, shapechange into a colossal gold dragon, with an ac of 54 (because of his magic items). Nothing can hit him, and he kills everything in sight. Tried to drag out small encounters to wipe out his spells, but they run away and rest then come back. Tried using alot of role playing then a little combat with really big guys,, but that only lasts for a few seconds after the friggen shape change happens. Any good advice on combating this?
Thanks,

Even swamp could have island with hard earth and rock. You could push them into a big cave and a old dungeon maybe. But this only a temporary solution.

Obviously you should try to use thing that doesn't need attack roll, or that use only touch attack. He have 54 of AC but in touch this should be much lower, so use this at your advantage, this so big that he have many AC penalty for the size, so if you use monster who use touch attack this will be easier.

Did you try Magic ? Most of the spells can affect him i guess.

Maybe they have some mistake in this character also, 54 of AC is high even for a level 19.

 

[lordvorlek]

Being a colossal gold dragon his spell resistance is like 30, almost impossible to break.
the natural ac of the gold dragon is pretty large. plus add in his ring of protection, bracers of ac, he gets his ac of 54.
Thinking of having another druid with same ability and having them have to go toe to toe away from the other group that would make it safe for them from the fighting monster, but yet a equal fight for the uber player.

Even swamp could have island with hard earth and rock. You could push them into a big cave and a old dungeon maybe. But this only a temporary solution.

Obviously you should try to use thing that doesn't need attack roll, or that use only touch attack. He have 54 of AC but in touch this should be much lower, so use this at your advantage, this so big that he have many AC penalty for the size, so if you use monster who use touch attack this will be easier.

Did you try Magic ? Most of the spells can affect him i guess.

Maybe they have some mistake in this character also, 54 of AC is high even for a level 19.

 

[ElvishBard]

Druids can at max transform into a huge animal or elemental, according to the PHB and SRD with the ability of wild shape. If he or she has any feats that extend this ability, then you should probably ban it, or have him/her face someone with the same ability .

 

[MoonZar]

What version of the shapechanger prestige class are you using ? In wich book did you get it, i don't think they have convert it in 3.5.

 

[MoonZar]

Druids can at max transform into a large animal or elemental, according to the PHB and SRD. If he or she has any feats that extend this ability, then you should probably ban it, or have him/her face someone with the same ability .

I think he speak about the prestige class shapechanger who can probably get bigger stuff.

 

[MoonZar]

Being a colossal gold dragon his spell resistance is like 30, almost impossible to break.
the natural ac of the gold dragon is pretty large. plus add in his ring of protection, bracers of ac, he gets his ac of 54.
Thinking of having another druid with same ability and having them have to go toe to toe away from the other group that would make it safe for them from the fighting monster, but yet a equal fight for the uber player.

Well that would be the last ressort to use the same class to beat him, maybe a mordenkanen disjunction could refresh the air about the magical item, he have no spell resistance allowed.

 

[ElvishBard]

I think he speak about the prestige class shapechanger who can probably get bigger stuff.

Yeah, I realized that he didn't mean wild shape about 20 seconds after I posted lol. I still don't think it should let you turn into a collosal dragon, it should have a size limit or hit die limit or something to prevent such abuse, or at least I would hope so.

 

[MoonZar]

Being a colossal gold dragon his spell resistance is like 30, almost impossible to break.
the natural ac of the gold dragon is pretty large. plus add in his ring of protection, bracers of ac, he gets his ac of 54.
Thinking of having another druid with same ability and having them have to go toe to toe away from the other group that would make it safe for them from the fighting monster, but yet a equal fight for the uber player.

Actually, i have a better idea. This big dragon will attract the attention, why u dont use a family of black dragon, the players are probably in their territory.

Use a great wyrm and two old black dragon who seach the gold dragon who beat everything in the swamp, what do you tink ?