Dragon Dirty Fighting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dragon Dirty Fighting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Maladaar
05-06-04, 06:55 AM Way back in the days of 1e when dragons were only allowed to use their breath weapon three times a day I used a dragon magazine article to breath life into these creatures.

Having read the article I came up with (for the time) unique tactics which now (thank goodness) have been incorporated into dragons and their attacks.

My question is what type of unique tactics have you had your BBED use against the PCs.

I would like to use this one again, but I will need to figure out how it is handled in 3.5.

If the PCs were fortunate enough to catch the dragon in its lair, instead of tail slapping/sweeping a PC or two, I would have the dragon to a tail slap into its hoarde, which was primarily loose coin. The coin would be like flying shrapnel (although not sharp painful none the less).

Or start beating its wings to raise a dirt/dust cloud to blind the PCs.

Anyone else have any stories/ideas to relate?
bradjob
05-07-04, 11:07 AM Well, just last night my BBEG (Adult Red) hid in a pool of molten lava with Detect Thoughts, Resist Elements: Cold, and Mage Armor cast on himself. After the PCs spent a few rounds looking around his chamber (and running into his Salamander servants), he popped up and breathed. After a few attack rounds he would go back in the lava. Eventually the PCs Dispelled Magic on him, and were able to force him to fly away (he was down to 30some hp). I think he'll have fun getting some revenge for this defeat.
miclops77
05-07-04, 06:00 PM Originally posted by bradjob
Well, just last night my BBEG

What does BBEG stand for?
ieattrollsforbreakfast
05-07-04, 06:27 PM Big Bad Evil Guy :D
miclops77
05-07-04, 06:43 PM OH, Thanks a lot, you wont believe how confused I was when this was posted.
BrutalMisery
05-09-04, 01:46 PM Bothered About Disposible Dragons (http://baddragon2.tripod.com/) has some good tactics. The rest of the site is pretty intresting, as well, but not a heart stopper. Amusing though.

Dirty little tricks, especailly using the enviorment, are limitless. Here are some I came up with (or perhaps stole from some one else):

White dragon who digs a few pits into a glacier, covered by only a few inches of ice and filled with freezing cold water. Say the water is ten to twenty feet deep. PC's walk on ice, and the ice holds. Then the white dragon casts fireball onto the party. Party drops into the pits (and should be slightly crsipy) splash into the water, and the armored ones sink. Now the dragon breathes its cold breath on the water filled pits. Instant Dragonslayer popsicle!

The entrace of the red dragon's cave is filled with chains hanging from the roof. Stress this fact, that the chains hang to the floor, and you have to push you way through them. The red hears the heroes pushing through them, and waits a few seconds. THe nhe breathes into the passage, heating the chains until the are red hot, and burning the pc's in the middle of them.

A black dragon grabbing the heavily armored fighter/paladin and chucking him into a deep part of the swamp is a fun one. Especailly if there is a swarm or three of baracuda like fish who live there...

Or maybe its a swarm of half-black dragon swarm of nasty little fish...

Reverse gravity tied to a switch (next to the dragon of course), when the roof is covered by spikes, is fun (remember the dragon can fly, and if the spikes are non-magical, then the big lizard could 'land' on the implade heroes, wwith the crushing feat)

This is more fun than I thought it was...
howlingwolf
05-10-04, 05:06 AM Savage Species, if you have it, has some nice feats that can add extra attack forms that can do some fun things, like clapping hands, ( Paws? ) together to create a sonic attack, flapping wings to make windstorms.. Etc.

Generally, I'd be nasty and use PC things as well.. A while back there was talk of shrinking things like boulders and javelins to make instantly-expanding slingstones and bolts/arrows. Perhaps do the reverse.

If a group seems to be doing mischief, fly up to somewhere nice and high, enlarge a rock/boulder even bigger still, and punt it down. Instant rockslide/avalanche. :angel: Hell. If they don't know you're there, drop it on 'em.

Same could be said of firey breath weapons. If you're chasing a red or black up a big snowy hill, all it would take is a puff of fire or line of acid in the right place. :D

Spells to fake 'em out are good too. A crafty blighter might make a illusion of themself charge up the corridor, or perch bellowing threats while they take a side-passage around to the side or rear. Or just cast other spells to make life difficult.

A dragon might also have little qualms about being, well. Vile. As in BoVD vile. Cast flesh to stone on a party member, and threaten to shape off vital parts of their anatomy unless they leave, and never come back with their new garden gnome. Or eh. Just turn rock to mud. And possibly follow up with stone to flesh. Intimidation! ( OHMYGOD HE JUST MELTED KENNY! O.O )
Qlay
05-10-04, 01:35 PM Young Red. ( CR 7 )

Or how a CR 7 almost killed 4 level:9's.

His lair was a small cave.
The dragons hoard + the dragon is located on a natural platform above the entrance. 60 ft high.
On the main ground there is narrow passage leading deeper into the cave. At the end is a minor image. That of a dragon with his hoard. The dragon can see and concentrate to keep this image activated.

The party questioned the ogre's the dragon had paid to serve him and they were told the hoard was there. SO they went in. Thaught they would catch the dragon sleeping, the dragon waited untill they were halfway the narrow passage ( 10 ft wide), which was dead end.
He flew down.
The party turned around, screaming, balefull looks at the DM ( they all failed their listen and spot checks I made in secret).

The dragon opened WIDE with his breath weapon.
And the party was cornered there.
It was fun.
But 2 very lucky
Monkey Gripped-GreatAxe-PowerAttack-Barbarian Rage-Enlarged person- bull's strength- critical hits later. (around 70 dmg with each hit)
My dragon died.

Great battle.
Dead dragon.
And ph3t l3wt. I like kept on rolling between 95 and 100 on the treasure tables. The GP value of the treasure was like... suited for level 15 hero's!!!
Amaron Blackthorn
06-24-04, 12:09 PM That is mean for the dragon to be so mean!
Derren S.
06-25-04, 12:56 AM It seems that dragons wit a gem of fortification are very strong, because the most time when I read about how dragons are defeated it is because of a crit.
howlingwolf
06-25-04, 05:45 AM A few words.

Dragonbreath containers!

Bored dragons could fashion containers and fill 'em up with breath weapons!

Imagine all the various types of gas being breathed into a chest and the lid closed. :D

I'm still a fan of the 'huge cauldron filled with acid' that a black dragon once poured down a corridor once. ( 'Roll reflex and strength checks.. To dodge the wave and hang onto the wall...' )

Or the blue dragon in a watery lair combo. Cavern ankle deep in water + a few bolts of lightning = Toasty party. :D

Variation on the theme was a metal plate on the floor, passed off as a decorative engraving or symbol. Soon as most the party is standing on it.. *FRAZZLE* :eek:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Maladaar 05-06-04, 06:55 AM	Way back in the days of 1e when dragons were only allowed to use their breath weapon three times a day I used a dragon magazine article to breath life into these creatures. Having read the article I came up with (for the time) unique tactics which now (thank goodness) have been incorporated into dragons and their attacks. My question is what type of unique tactics have you had your BBED use against the PCs. I would like to use this one again, but I will need to figure out how it is handled in 3.5. If the PCs were fortunate enough to catch the dragon in its lair, instead of tail slapping/sweeping a PC or two, I would have the dragon to a tail slap into its hoarde, which was primarily loose coin. The coin would be like flying shrapnel (although not sharp painful none the less). Or start beating its wings to raise a dirt/dust cloud to blind the PCs. Anyone else have any stories/ideas to relate?
bradjob 05-07-04, 11:07 AM	Well, just last night my BBEG (Adult Red) hid in a pool of molten lava with Detect Thoughts, Resist Elements: Cold, and Mage Armor cast on himself. After the PCs spent a few rounds looking around his chamber (and running into his Salamander servants), he popped up and breathed. After a few attack rounds he would go back in the lava. Eventually the PCs Dispelled Magic on him, and were able to force him to fly away (he was down to 30some hp). I think he'll have fun getting some revenge for this defeat.
miclops77 05-07-04, 06:00 PM	Originally posted by bradjob Well, just last night my BBEG What does BBEG stand for?
ieattrollsforbreakfast 05-07-04, 06:27 PM	Big Bad Evil Guy :D
miclops77 05-07-04, 06:43 PM	OH, Thanks a lot, you wont believe how confused I was when this was posted.
BrutalMisery 05-09-04, 01:46 PM	Bothered About Disposible Dragons (http://baddragon2.tripod.com/) has some good tactics. The rest of the site is pretty intresting, as well, but not a heart stopper. Amusing though. Dirty little tricks, especailly using the enviorment, are limitless. Here are some I came up with (or perhaps stole from some one else): White dragon who digs a few pits into a glacier, covered by only a few inches of ice and filled with freezing cold water. Say the water is ten to twenty feet deep. PC's walk on ice, and the ice holds. Then the white dragon casts fireball onto the party. Party drops into the pits (and should be slightly crsipy) splash into the water, and the armored ones sink. Now the dragon breathes its cold breath on the water filled pits. Instant Dragonslayer popsicle! The entrace of the red dragon's cave is filled with chains hanging from the roof. Stress this fact, that the chains hang to the floor, and you have to push you way through them. The red hears the heroes pushing through them, and waits a few seconds. THe nhe breathes into the passage, heating the chains until the are red hot, and burning the pc's in the middle of them. A black dragon grabbing the heavily armored fighter/paladin and chucking him into a deep part of the swamp is a fun one. Especailly if there is a swarm or three of baracuda like fish who live there... Or maybe its a swarm of half-black dragon swarm of nasty little fish... Reverse gravity tied to a switch (next to the dragon of course), when the roof is covered by spikes, is fun (remember the dragon can fly, and if the spikes are non-magical, then the big lizard could 'land' on the implade heroes, wwith the crushing feat) This is more fun than I thought it was...
howlingwolf 05-10-04, 05:06 AM	Savage Species, if you have it, has some nice feats that can add extra attack forms that can do some fun things, like clapping hands, ( Paws? ) together to create a sonic attack, flapping wings to make windstorms.. Etc. Generally, I'd be nasty and use PC things as well.. A while back there was talk of shrinking things like boulders and javelins to make instantly-expanding slingstones and bolts/arrows. Perhaps do the reverse. If a group seems to be doing mischief, fly up to somewhere nice and high, enlarge a rock/boulder even bigger still, and punt it down. Instant rockslide/avalanche. :angel: Hell. If they don't know you're there, drop it on 'em. Same could be said of firey breath weapons. If you're chasing a red or black up a big snowy hill, all it would take is a puff of fire or line of acid in the right place. :D Spells to fake 'em out are good too. A crafty blighter might make a illusion of themself charge up the corridor, or perch bellowing threats while they take a side-passage around to the side or rear. Or just cast other spells to make life difficult. A dragon might also have little qualms about being, well. Vile. As in BoVD vile. Cast flesh to stone on a party member, and threaten to shape off vital parts of their anatomy unless they leave, and never come back with their new garden gnome. Or eh. Just turn rock to mud. And possibly follow up with stone to flesh. Intimidation! ( OHMYGOD HE JUST MELTED KENNY! O.O )
Qlay 05-10-04, 01:35 PM	Young Red. ( CR 7 ) Or how a CR 7 almost killed 4 level:9's. His lair was a small cave. The dragons hoard + the dragon is located on a natural platform above the entrance. 60 ft high. On the main ground there is narrow passage leading deeper into the cave. At the end is a minor image. That of a dragon with his hoard. The dragon can see and concentrate to keep this image activated. The party questioned the ogre's the dragon had paid to serve him and they were told the hoard was there. SO they went in. Thaught they would catch the dragon sleeping, the dragon waited untill they were halfway the narrow passage ( 10 ft wide), which was dead end. He flew down. The party turned around, screaming, balefull looks at the DM ( they all failed their listen and spot checks I made in secret). The dragon opened WIDE with his breath weapon. And the party was cornered there. It was fun. But 2 very lucky Monkey Gripped-GreatAxe-PowerAttack-Barbarian Rage-Enlarged person- bull's strength- critical hits later. (around 70 dmg with each hit) My dragon died. Great battle. Dead dragon. And ph3t l3wt. I like kept on rolling between 95 and 100 on the treasure tables. The GP value of the treasure was like... suited for level 15 hero's!!!
Amaron Blackthorn 06-24-04, 12:09 PM	That is mean for the dragon to be so mean!
Derren S. 06-25-04, 12:56 AM	It seems that dragons wit a gem of fortification are very strong, because the most time when I read about how dragons are defeated it is because of a crit.
howlingwolf 06-25-04, 05:45 AM	A few words. Dragonbreath containers! Bored dragons could fashion containers and fill 'em up with breath weapons! Imagine all the various types of gas being breathed into a chest and the lid closed. :D I'm still a fan of the 'huge cauldron filled with acid' that a black dragon once poured down a corridor once. ( 'Roll reflex and strength checks.. To dodge the wave and hang onto the wall...' ) Or the blue dragon in a watery lair combo. Cavern ankle deep in water + a few bolts of lightning = Toasty party. :D Variation on the theme was a metal plate on the floor, passed off as a decorative engraving or symbol. Soon as most the party is standing on it.. FRAZZLE :eek: