D&D 5E You encounter 20 orcs ...

[pogre]

I hope this does not count as a derailment of this thread, but I have a request for advice for Sleeping Dragons Wake. I foresee a TPK in the following encounter:

Spoiler: Sleeping Dragons Wake Spoiler

When the dragon notices the characters, she begins muttering out loud to herself, wondering if the characters are intruders or friends. Each round, a character must speak with Lhammaruntosz as an action, and succeed on a DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check to keep her from attacking. If the characters fail a check, attack the dragon or the alkilith, or the initiative count reaches 0 and no character has successfully made the check that round, Lhammaruntosz attacks.

A character who succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check knows the barnacles are a madness-inducing demon called an alkilith.

For my party this looks like a combat at level 10 versus a pair of CR 15 and CR 11 monsters. I need a way to better telegraph the situation to my PCs that the dragon is mad. Some of my players won't know a Metallic Dragon always equals good alignment.

Any suggestions?

 

[S'mon]

I hope this does not count as a derailment of this thread, but I have a request for advice for Sleeping Dragons Wake. I foresee a TPK in the following encounter:

Spoiler: Sleeping Dragons Wake Spoiler

For my party this looks like a combat at level 10 versus a pair of CR 15 and CR 11 monsters. I need a way to better telegraph the situation to my PCs that the dragon is mad. Some of my players won't know a Metallic Dragon always equals good alignment.

Any suggestions?

Play the dragon as mad.

 

[Fenris-77]

The lack of darkvision shouldn't be too much of a hindrance for night engagements, and "no cover" should index a night assault. Just set some buildings/tents on fire, sow some misdirection, and fight them piecemeal. Once half their encampment in in flames the lack of darkvision won't matter. Fireball would be nice but really not necessary. Divide and conquer is the key to surviving that encounter.

If it had to be during the day, again I'd recommend misdirection. Create some sort of diversion to draw a bunch of the Orcs out of the encampment. A straight rush might be enough to defeat half the orcs, and then the PCs can heal up and maybe fortify a little and wait for the other half of the camp to come back.