FrankinLondon
First Post
All
I have just completed DM'ing the Treasure of Talon Pass (WoTC free adventure from RPG Day for 2nd level characters).
The party consisted of 5 2nd level characters (a good mix), who had had a relatively easy time in the dungeon until finding the Black Dragon on the 2nd level.
The party had just leveled up to 3rd on the previous encounter and had just rested up for the night, so were pretty much as buff as they were ever going to be. I had had some of the kobolds and the wyrmpriest retreat to the Young Black Dragon's lair from a couple of encounters previously, but I don't think they had much bearing on the encounter. Basically, the YBD just creamed the party, resulting in 4 permanently dead characters, a ranger who had the luck/common sense to run away and 5 very annoyed players.
The trouble with the YBD (from the players pov) was it's Cloud of Darkness, which it had managed to trigger over the only exit/entrance to the room. Using it's sustain minor on the cloud, the YBD was able to hole up in the cloud every other round, out of line of sight and at AC 27 effectively if any character did try and attack him. On alternate rounds, the dragon would charge out and attack one or more characters (with the breath weapon if it had recharged). Although not explicitly blocking the exit (I always made sure there was a way out for the players, I am not a particularly harsh DM), the players always assumed that it would be difficult to get past the dragon in the cloud and probably stayed in the room for several rounds longer than was wise. To be honest, playing it the way I played it, in hindsight, the outcome was never in doubt. The YBD still had 60+hp when the fourth character went down and the ranger legged it.
Basic purpose of the post is to ask if any other players had similar problems with this encounter? I have a suspicion that the YBD is far too powerful for a Level 4 Solo monster but I'd be very interested in your views.
Frank
I have just completed DM'ing the Treasure of Talon Pass (WoTC free adventure from RPG Day for 2nd level characters).
The party consisted of 5 2nd level characters (a good mix), who had had a relatively easy time in the dungeon until finding the Black Dragon on the 2nd level.
The party had just leveled up to 3rd on the previous encounter and had just rested up for the night, so were pretty much as buff as they were ever going to be. I had had some of the kobolds and the wyrmpriest retreat to the Young Black Dragon's lair from a couple of encounters previously, but I don't think they had much bearing on the encounter. Basically, the YBD just creamed the party, resulting in 4 permanently dead characters, a ranger who had the luck/common sense to run away and 5 very annoyed players.
The trouble with the YBD (from the players pov) was it's Cloud of Darkness, which it had managed to trigger over the only exit/entrance to the room. Using it's sustain minor on the cloud, the YBD was able to hole up in the cloud every other round, out of line of sight and at AC 27 effectively if any character did try and attack him. On alternate rounds, the dragon would charge out and attack one or more characters (with the breath weapon if it had recharged). Although not explicitly blocking the exit (I always made sure there was a way out for the players, I am not a particularly harsh DM), the players always assumed that it would be difficult to get past the dragon in the cloud and probably stayed in the room for several rounds longer than was wise. To be honest, playing it the way I played it, in hindsight, the outcome was never in doubt. The YBD still had 60+hp when the fourth character went down and the ranger legged it.
Basic purpose of the post is to ask if any other players had similar problems with this encounter? I have a suspicion that the YBD is far too powerful for a Level 4 Solo monster but I'd be very interested in your views.
Frank
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