D&D 5E (2014) transporting a large, unwilling creature

[Lalato]

Homebrew a version of sleep as a ritual that requires more than one caster. It will knock a creature out for a day.

 

[evilbob]

Would it be possible to turn the dragon to stone and then turn it back upon arrival?

The 6th spell level Flesh to Stone is the lowest I could find - also it lasts 1 minute. Prismatic spray could also do it, but it's super random to say the least.

Enchantment specialist wizard's Hypnotic Gaze and a lot of caffeine. As long as he continues to use his action, he can keep that puppy going forever...

Maybe if you hired a cadre of 3rd level enchanters...

Depending on the Dragon's Wis Save, something as simple as a Bestow Curse spell could incapacitate a Dragon or facilitate its incapacitation by imposing Disadvantage on specific saves. When cast as a 5th level spell there is no more Concentration and increases the duration. It can be cast multiple times to really shut down a monster. One Remove Curse spell will remove all of the Curses.

It has a terrible Wis save (+0) but getting a 5th level scroll would be hard enough, and that only lasts 8 hrs. Still, it could help make the creature fail additional, other saves - or skill checks, like a bluff check?

But up until that point, I'd embrace the fact that a whole four-hour session will consist of the players arguing over the best plan, so I wouldn't have to do much prep work, and probably everyone will be having a lot of fun.

Ha, nice perspective! I worry they may just find it frustrating, though...

Homebrew a version of sleep as a ritual that requires more than one caster. It will knock a creature out for a day.

Yeah, this is probably the best type of solution - "just make something up!" But that works better from the GM's side than the player's side. Still, that's a great idea, and I will likely try to have something like this ready for them if it's not turning out to be fun.


One thing that this exercise has taught me is just how much less powerful in a game-breaking way 5.0 spells are! I mean, anyone who has played around with concentration KNOWS that spells are nothing like they used to be - that is a HUGE limiter. But unlike 3.5, you really can't do many permanent effects anymore - at least not until 7th+ level spells - which is really interesting. I mean I knew they weren't quite the same, but exploring them in a more practical way really shows just how much less game-breaking they are.

 

[Lalato]

Honestly, given the limitations of the rules as written and the low character level, the only solution is to get the dragon to chase them.

 

[evilbob]

Homebrew a version of sleep as a ritual that requires more than one caster. It will knock a creature out for a day.

Ok, here's my idea:

A special version of "sleep" called "Wynken's Slumber Party"
- a ritual that takes 10 minutes to cast and lasts for 24 hours
- requires at least 3 and as many as 5 people
- each participant must use a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level spell slot / points
- each participant contributes 5d8, 7d8, or 9d8 (as the sleep spell) total "hit points" toward the spell

So, each party member chips in some resources, and there's a chance to fail - which will cause the dragon to wake up and they'll have to fight it again! The dragon has 133 HP fully healed and the entire party can cast (hence the tailoring to the party's strengths) so it gives them a good chance to keep it down but a slight chance of failure.

 

[Lalato]

That's great and not too powerful, but you may want it to require some material component that costs money. That way it's still useful, but the characters may still need to do some side quests to keep the dragon asleep.

PC 1: The ritual consumes an expensive gem each time we cast it

PC 2: How much?

PC 1: I'm not a jeweler, but I would guess in the 50 gold piece range

Rest of Party: What?!!

PC 3: I think I'm the only one with a gem that valuable. You guys will owe me double!

PC 2: What are we going to do tomorrow when the dragon wakes up from this ritual?

PC 4: Well, there is that "haunted" mine we've been meaning to check out. Maybe we can find something there quickly enough. If not... well... we beat the dragon once, we might have to do it again.

 

[Gillywonka]

Since you're the GM, i wouldn't let them. Bandits or anyone stronger would most likely just take it from them. Or news would spread about a party lugging a dragon prisoner, then more would come to see it or investiage. Now a local lord, group of orcs, wizard, whomever, may decide the dragon is better off in their hands. It's also possible the dragon heals himself when the party sleeps, breaks his bonds then escapes... maybe kills a party member as well.

 

[evilbob]

I think some of you are missing the idea that I actually want the party to succeed... to the point that I'm asking the D&D hive mind for advice to help them out! I hadn't really thought about it much because this is just an "in between" part between two more interesting bits (fighting the dragon, what happens to the dragon) - this is just a logistical puzzle that on second thought is more difficult than I had anticipated, not a major plot point or issue. But thanks for the suggestions, this has been a big help!

 

[Jaelommiss]

The MM says that "powerful creatures can sometimes gain a white dragon's obedience through a demonstration of physical or magical might ... a white dragon defeated by a frost giant often becomes its servant, accepting the mastery of a superior creature in exchange for asserting its own domination over the other creatures that serve or oppose the giant."

It wouldn't be too hard to tweak that so that the dragon submits to whoever struck the final blow to it or dealt the majority of damage. If only a single party member speak draconic then that is another possibility. It might even be fascinated by one of the character's magic and follow them instead. The dragon might willingly go along with that character, but expect to rule over the other party members and demand a portion of the treasure.

Since it's a young dragon I would have it behave like a teenager. It'll sneak out at night to have 'fun'. Think of what a freakishly strong, super evil, and arrogant but forcefully humbled teenager would do. In the morning the party could come across a slaughtered and half eaten herd of cattle (possibly with the dragon still sleeping in the middle of the corpses with a stuffed belly), a villager who was forced by the dragon to do embarrassing things for the dragon's amusement, a merchant who was robbed of everything shiny he had (the dragon hid it under a loose scale). And, of course, it will frequently challenge the authority of whoever it decided was strongest. I expect that it would steal anything valuable they leave lying around and adamantly lie about having taken it even when it's obvious to everyone. While flying overhead (if allowed to) it might notice structures or ruins in the distance and pester its master to go visit them.

Oh, and since it's a growing dragon it will probably want a lot of food. The PHB gives prices of some farm animals:
2cp Chicken (a tasty snack used as a reward for good behaviour?)
1gp Goat (perhaps they are hard to find, or the dragon dislikes the flavour)
2gp Sheep (the dragon could complain about wool getting caught in its teeth)
3gp Pig
10gp Cow
15gp Ox

A lion, another Large sized creature (though probably smaller than the dragon) eats anywhere from 10-25 lbs of food per day, sometimes in large portions once every few days. I think that the dragon could get by on a minimum of one medium creature per week or a large creature per month. It would want double that to really feel full. The challenge would likely be finding a farmer willing to feed his animals to a dragon.

What I'm saying is to make it an NPC, not a series of ability checks or a special spell that costs money. Perhaps by the time they reach their destination your party will decide that they want to keep the dragon instead of handing it off to whoever hired them.

 

[evilbob]

Oh my god the forum ate my reply TWICE. Super short version: good idea, thanks!

 

[77IM]

I'd try to convince the dragon that I need its help to get some treasure so that it comes willingly. I mean, I don't need any treasure -- I'm on this quest for some other contrived reason -- but there will be treasure and the big strong dragon can have it all so can he please help?