Why would a dragon NOT take Antimagic field?

[Dandu]

Outside of core, there are enough spellcaster options to make antimagic not worth it. Inside of core, I would still argue that it is not quite powerful enough to be worth it, because, at the end of the day, you're shutting down magic in the area around you, and you can't necessarily force an engagement to occur in your immediate vicinity.

 

[Warbringer]

So true, but still I like DMing high-level parties... if some agreements and house rules are accepted.

Using the rocks as a way of attack seems fair, but may be considered the way of a coward (which dragons are mostly not, because it would admit that they could be bested by "inferior" creatures like humans). However, if the survival of the dragon and/or its nest and hoard are at stake: why not fighting dirty? As you said: lore is written by the survivors (aka winners).

As a counter measure to the rock attack, I think of using Forcecage (barred cage), Wall of Stone, Resilient Sphere, Improved Invisisbility (so the dragon has to come within 60 ft to locate the foes), Control Winds (strong winds will affect a dragon's flight options), Secure Shelter (works less against siege attacks, but stil...).

All fun, but don't p,an beyond the dragons knowledge of the party ... In fact, several lesser villains collecting Information on party tactics is always a great way of building up a nemesis and letting he party become aware of the fact they are being watched...

 

[Dark Dragon]

Why should you invent reasons not to use this tactic? Use it and let the PCs figure out how to deal with it. Its not as if this is a super secret tactic which relies on DM fiat.
Imo its pretty boring when you hand everything to the PCs on a silver platter.

I was just taking the PCs' side for a moment, and elaborated a few possible ways to handle the situation if I'd play the casters.
But when I'm DMing, the players have to figure it out themselves (and maybe surprise me with a clever solution).
[MENTION=85158]Dandu[/MENTION]:
True, but when the dragon is starting the encounter on his on terms and plans, he will try to attack the group in an area that suits him most. Outside the core books, we use the Complete XYZ books, the Faerûn books (FRCS, PGtF, MoF, MonOF, LoD), Draconomicon, Dragon Magic. Other sources are sometimes but very rarely used as well.

 

[Dark Dragon]

All fun, but don't p,an beyond the dragons knowledge of the party ... In fact, several lesser villains collecting Information on party tactics is always a great way of building up a nemesis and letting he party become aware of the fact they are being watched...

That is one part of the story. The PCs don't know that their adversaries have a bunch of information collected already (and who these foes are, the group has received a clue, but no clear idea), and now make their move to stop them. The PCs, however, acted faster than expected, so that the evil side has to muster all forces that are available in the vicinity of the PCs (and cannot wait longer to bring all forces to full strength). That's why I intended NOT to use a more powerful dragon. Instead I decided to use a smaller one with a bunch of mooks setting up an ambush. The dragon knows that the PCs are strong but hopes that his plans succeed nevertheless.

Using AMF came to my mind first, because I used it in another scenario to some success (until one caster dispelled it with disjunction on the first try).

 

[Dandu]

Just for fun, I have a core level 20 sorcerer which we could use to try and establish if there are any weaknesses with the dragon's plans.

What is the field of battle, and what is the dragon's method of attack?

 

[NewJeffCT]

Just for fun, I have a core level 20 sorcerer which we could use to try and establish if there are any weaknesses with the dragon's plans.

What is the field of battle, and what is the dragon's method of attack?

The OP mentioned an open field before, so I guess in that case, it depends on who gets initiative, or if anybody is invisible and can get surprise. So, if the dragon gets the jump,
it could fly in 200 feet and then cast AMF and have the sorcerer in the field. If the sorcerer tries to escape on his turn, it gets hit with an AoO. Can the dragon grapple the de-magicked sorcerer as its AoO, or attempt to swallow him whole?

 

[Dandu]

If the dragon casts AMF with his standard action and moves next to the sorcerer, the AMF will suppress the Shrink Item on the sorcerer's hat, which will result in it turning into a giant lead cone that covers him.

This then allows the sorcerer to apparate somewhere else and begin casting spells.

 

[NewJeffCT]

If the dragon casts AMF with his standard action and moves next to the sorcerer, the AMF will suppress the Shrink Item on the sorcerer's hat, which will result in it turning into a giant lead cone that covers him.

This then allows the sorcerer to apparate somewhere else and begin casting spells.

Lead doesn't block an anti-magic field, and a suppressed item just wouldn't function at all - too big items inside a bag of holding don't spring out because it's inside of an AMF. The bag is just inert while inside. The same with a lead hat.

 

[Dandu]

Lead doesn't block an anti-magic field

If you are under a lead cone, you most certainly have cut off Line of Effect, which is what an AMF relies on to suppress magic.

and a suppressed item just wouldn't function at all - too big items inside a bag of holding don't spring out because it's inside of an AMF. The bag is just inert while inside. The same with a lead hat.

You misunderestimate me. If you cast the Shrink Item spell on an item to shrink it, the resulting shrunken item will be restored to its normal state when the magic effect on it is suppressed - say, by an anti-magic field.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

I had a dragon in one of my last 3.5E campaigns use antimagic field. It makes sense.

Because the old dragon doesn't fit inside the 10' diameter sphere?

It's described as a 10 ft radius emanation centred on you (ie, the caster) which we always treated as excluding the caster's space.

If you don't exclude the caster's space, assuming a Medium caster occupying a single square, you end up with your emanation extending halfway through the outermost squares. The rules weren't clear on this so we just assumed that the intention was that the squares in a spell's area of effect were either affected or not affected which can only work if you assume that the emanation does not include the caster's space.