What do you do when the rules don't allow something?

[Kzach]

I'm trying to come up with a scenario to run some players through next week and after a lot of consternation I finally decided upon a green dragon as a leader who is getting some bandits to bring him food, victims (also food) and treasures.

I've always like the idea of a manipulative, conniving, backstabbing, malicious green dragon using others as tools to hide it's growing horde to deflect attention from it should anyone come looking for the treasure or captives.

So part of the plan was to try and play this as a very cunning enemy. I reskinned a copper dragon ('cause I liked the powers better and thought it suited a more hit and run type enemy) and gave it a nifty leader power for it's minions.

Then, just as I'm working on the lair, it suddenly hit me. The dragon just isn't dumb enough to get into melee with the group. And given it's lair is open terrain, the dragon has unlimited potential to just hit and run.

So either I play the dragon as dumb, or I have an encounter that will take forever and a day to complete as the players pling away at it with ranged attacks.

Now, regardless of system, that's a problem I'm sure lots of people have faced in their games. Even if the players get creative, how would I handle it? How do you play an intelligent foe in a situation where the rules don't really have any solution?

EDIT: I should point out that I'm not necessarily looking for a solution to my problem in particular, I'm just curious to know what other people do in similar situations.

 

[pawsplay]

Best defense no be there.

Don't want a strafing dragon on open terrain? Then make sure its flying or its ranged attacks are limited in some fashion.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Why would the dragon make its lair in open terrain? Sure, it means the dragon has maneuverability, but it also means that it's completely open to attacks by other, rival dragons.

Assuming you're not willing to redesign the lair, I'd suggest that you either

A) Allow the PCs to learn ahead of time what they'll be facing, and let them track down tools and methods--such as, perhaps, a one-shot magic item--that'll force the dragon to fight on the ground, or...

B) Give the dragon a reason to fight on the ground. Even the smartest creatures are driven in part by emotion, and most dragons are arrogant. Once he's made a few breath attacks, he might very well feel confident enough to drop in and try to finish things quickly.

Barring that, have him make a few strafing runs and flee, and let the PCs track him down somewhere where his flight is less of an advantage.

But ultimately, this isn't a rules issue; it's a conceptual one. It's simply that you have elements X, Y, and Z (flying enemy, open terrain, distance attacks), and those elements simply don't fit together into the sort of encounter you want. You're going to have to find a way to take at least one of them out of the picture.

 

[Freakohollik]

It's a case where the monster has its own safe spot from which it can fight with near immunity. This is the sort of situation that can really make a fight drag.
If your players won't have a way to draw the dragon into a reasonable fight, something has to change. You could put something in the adventure that the PCs can find that can ground the dragon and force it into the fight they want. But that approach won't allow your players to devise their own solution and pull off something memorable. What I would probably do is create a situation where the players have a chance to fight the dragon, but also the ability to run away from that fight. If the players elect to run, the item that grounds the dragon should be introduced.

 

[CapnZapp]

Sorry, but you're thinking too hard.

Yes, a level-appropriate Dragon would, if run "correctly", be a major pain, and it would have no incentive whatsoever of providing the party with a nice climactic satisfying combat encounter (in which it starts out overconfident and scary, but in the end dies like a good little critter).

But this is D&D. Your job as the DM is to entertain.

So I'd make a few token additions to show off how smart and cunning the Dragon is, while in the end have it just stand there and be butchered. (If you can't like this, then I'm afraid D&D simply isn't the game for you.)



Perhaps it can attack with hit-n-run tactics once, and then make a stand at its lair? (As a Dragon is a Solo, this is actually good advice in general: Solos usually have more hit points than what a heroic tier party can kill off without resorting to at-wills; splitting the fight into two encounters solves that issue)

Perhaps it starts out using sound hit-n-run tactics, but as soon as a player runs over to its treasure, the idea of looters stealing its stuff makes it go berserk and losing all tactical ability?

Perhaps the adventurers, mighty heroes as they are, can Intimidate or Bluff the dragon into abandoning its successful sniping strategies?

Perhaps you can give the party an item with the Earth-Binder ability (look it up), thus allowing them to feel successful in thwarting the dragon's strategy?


Yes, in all cases, there is some element of suspending make-belief, but if you're willing to work inside the game's premises, there are a lot of ways of making the encounter play out the way it needs to without straining credulity too far!

 

[fba827]

Personally, I approach it from one of two perspectives

1) Entertainment: How could the encounter entertain my particular group of players -- would they enjoy a taunt by a dragon before it flew off (adding fury to the next time they meet it) or would they enjoy sequestering it for a beat down. If the former, I have no problem with hit/run tactics for the dragon because the players will find a way to protect themselves (find an overhang or enclosure to wait for the dragon to come down or leave). If the later, I'd have a reason to enclose the dragon's lair or otherwise have a reason that it would eventually come down to fight on the ground (maybe it's raining/storming; maybe it has something in its lair that it wants to protect; etc).

2) Story: I'd also consider how vital is the dragon to the story. What would his life add to the plot and future plots? What would his death at to the plot and future plots? While I would not necessarily base it's tactics soley on this factor, I would give it consideration in addition to the encounter's entertainment value. If I find the answer to both questions to be that niether his life nor death would add anything then, really, I have no problem making him have a reason to need to come down.


I have no doubt that if the dragon decides to fly away, the party will find a way to be prepared for it next time (that's just how my players are -- so they'd get bows or have at least a power or two with better ranges, or controller-y to pull it down, etc). So, that added fury from the players is worth something too.

All this said with regards to how my players are, YMMV.

 

[Cyronax]

Sorry, but you're thinking too hard.

Yes, a level-appropriate Dragon would, if run "correctly", be a major pain, and it would have no incentive whatsoever of providing the party with a nice climactic satisfying combat encounter (in which it starts out overconfident and scary, but in the end dies like a good little critter).

But this is D&D. Your job as the DM is to entertain.

So I'd make a few token additions to show off how smart and cunning the Dragon is, while in the end have it just stand there and be butchered. (If you can't like this, then I'm afraid D&D simply isn't the game for you.)

Okay so dragons are smart and have long memories (or at least the ability to be well educated/well read). Your dragon might take a page from the little mortal races and use his intellect for far reaching plans. I don't know .. whether it be as a crime lord, a subtle mover and shaker with various nobles, or point of veneration (ala FR's Cult of the Dragon).

I don't think that every monster has to stand his ground and be hacked to death. Comic book villains don't do that, yet super heroes gain experience (sort of) for besting the same villain multiple times ... don't always assume that D&D has to end in some hack n' slash death duel.

Retreat, misdirection, or merely (as you said) not letting yourself ever enter a forced battle are very valid options for a smart villain. As a DM and a player I don't like contrived ... auto give the players' their level - appropriate treasure style adventures.

C.I.D.

 

[wedgeski]

So either I play the dragon as dumb, or I have an encounter that will take forever and a day to complete as the players pling away at it with ranged attacks.

Or you just impede the dragon in some way (weakened, reduced fly speed or maneuverability, random chaotic decisions) due to some outside influence... which then becomes a convenient story hook.

 

[Mallus]

My advice is 'accept the premise and use it your advantage'. In this case, the premise seems to be 'the dragon is too smart to get fight in it's lair'.

Have an initial encounter with the dragon on it's terms, ie out in the open. Don't run it as a combat encounter. The PC's can't actually win this way, right? If using 4e, run it as a Skill Challenge, where the goal is to flee to safety.

Now the PC's have a challenge to sink their teeth into. How do we even the odds? How can we lure the dragon into favorable terrain?

The trick here is to play the dragon just smart enough to be a worthwhile opponent. Obviously, if the dragon is so smart it simply won't fall into a trap, then you won't have much of an encounter.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The optimistic approach:
Let them surprise you. Maybe they come up with some nasty power you had forgotten, or use some alchemist item that might aid them.

Maybe they just surprise you by actually recognizing that they don't stand a chance and run away.

The Pessimist variant is to ensure that they have at least access to a trick that might aid them against the Dragon. Maybe a magical net that negates flying for a short time. Maybe a special ritual that an NPC recommends to them.

As Mallus mentioned, a skill challenge might provide an approach to deal with the issue. Not just for escaping the dragon, but also for luring him into a trap where he can't use his advantages. (Or he just isn't in his lair and the party can steal what they want.)