Evil Red Dragon. Help! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Evil Red Dragon. Help! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
alchemyprime
10-17-06, 12:23 AM Hey, I'm running a campaign, a la Rod of Seven Parts, and I have one of the items in the possesion of a dragon. Well, two are with two seperate dragons, but one dragon is a friendly Gold, so I'm not worried about that one.

The other is a Red. I'm trying to find ways to make an interesting CR 13 Red that will give my PCs a run for thier money.

Our Party:
Arctic Elf Gifted Warlock (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=5323476&mode=linear#post5323476)
Desert Orc Emulator (In my sig)
Half-Elf OA Samurai, Dragon style
Maenad Monk
Human Alchemist (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=498216)
Azurin LG Soulborn

That's our party. All at Level 11, except the soulborn, at 10 because of Raise Dead.

How do I do it? I want something memorable with this certain Red, to make him deadly awesome.
Orchomenos
10-17-06, 10:00 AM Dragons are usually tougher than their CR, so you're already up for a good fight...

At CR13, you have a huge Young Adult, with DR 5/magic, 5th level caster level, Spell Resistance 19, Locate Object and Immunity to fire. Dragons usually have minions, either by the mean of the Intimidate skill or the spell Charm Person. A town of humanoids (goblinoids, wood elves, orcs, etc) is a good choice. The diplomacy DC to get help from these humanoids would be the dragon Intimidate check, because the humanoids are truely affraid. With these minions, it's very possible the dragon will know the PCs are coming...

Living thousand of years can be very long, and a Red Young Adult would rather use the PCs than kill them on sight. You should set a trap on the way to his lair (or to his false lair :D ) to catch the PCs, then have the dragon negociate. You say there is a Gold Dragon in the campaign, the Red Dragon should ask for something that the Gold have and is not willing to give, even to goody adventurers. Perhaps a Gold Egg?
runestar
10-17-06, 10:09 AM For variety, you could consider using a younger dragon, and add some templates and/or class lvs to bump the cr up to 13.:)

Any particular preference here? There are many possible ways of running a dragon after all.:)
CryoSilver
10-17-06, 03:22 PM Choose spells wisely.

Wraithstrike and Darkness FTW.

Don't be afraid to fight dirty; use poison, hostages, etc.
Orchomenos
10-18-06, 10:06 AM Don't be afraid to fight dirty; use poison, hostages, etc.

Plus, if one of the PCs die in the fight, a former hostage would make a wonderful replacement character, with great reasons to follow the party!
CryoSilver
10-18-06, 04:34 PM I'm fairly sure that a character as powerful as the PCs would not be hanging about a dragon's lair as a hostage, just waiting to be rescued
primemover003
10-18-06, 05:23 PM Living thousand of years can be very long, and a Red Young Adult would rather use the PCs than kill them on sight...
A Young Adult red is only a few hundred years old, not thousands. Granted compared to humans it's almost a moot point. But even so, a young adult is still fairly reckless feeling that it's a power to be reckoned with (and rightly so)! So it might not take a group of adventurers overly serious unless said PC's have bested some of it's powerful minions or guardians.
runestar
10-18-06, 10:40 PM I'm fairly sure that a character as powerful as the PCs would not be hanging about a dragon's lair as a hostage, just waiting to be rescued
Well, considering that a dragon is, like any encounter, supposed to be a fair fight for a party of 4 members of its cr, I am sure that a single character a few lvs lower is probably no match for it...;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
alchemyprime 10-17-06, 12:23 AM	Hey, I'm running a campaign, a la Rod of Seven Parts, and I have one of the items in the possesion of a dragon. Well, two are with two seperate dragons, but one dragon is a friendly Gold, so I'm not worried about that one. The other is a Red. I'm trying to find ways to make an interesting CR 13 Red that will give my PCs a run for thier money. Our Party: Arctic Elf Gifted Warlock (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=5323476&mode=linear#post5323476) Desert Orc Emulator (In my sig) Half-Elf OA Samurai, Dragon style Maenad Monk Human Alchemist (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=498216) Azurin LG Soulborn That's our party. All at Level 11, except the soulborn, at 10 because of Raise Dead. How do I do it? I want something memorable with this certain Red, to make him deadly awesome.
Orchomenos 10-17-06, 10:00 AM	Dragons are usually tougher than their CR, so you're already up for a good fight... At CR13, you have a huge Young Adult, with DR 5/magic, 5th level caster level, Spell Resistance 19, Locate Object and Immunity to fire. Dragons usually have minions, either by the mean of the Intimidate skill or the spell Charm Person. A town of humanoids (goblinoids, wood elves, orcs, etc) is a good choice. The diplomacy DC to get help from these humanoids would be the dragon Intimidate check, because the humanoids are truely affraid. With these minions, it's very possible the dragon will know the PCs are coming... Living thousand of years can be very long, and a Red Young Adult would rather use the PCs than kill them on sight. You should set a trap on the way to his lair (or to his false lair :D ) to catch the PCs, then have the dragon negociate. You say there is a Gold Dragon in the campaign, the Red Dragon should ask for something that the Gold have and is not willing to give, even to goody adventurers. Perhaps a Gold Egg?
runestar 10-17-06, 10:09 AM	For variety, you could consider using a younger dragon, and add some templates and/or class lvs to bump the cr up to 13.:) Any particular preference here? There are many possible ways of running a dragon after all.:)
CryoSilver 10-17-06, 03:22 PM	Choose spells wisely. Wraithstrike and Darkness FTW. Don't be afraid to fight dirty; use poison, hostages, etc.
Orchomenos 10-18-06, 10:06 AM	Don't be afraid to fight dirty; use poison, hostages, etc. Plus, if one of the PCs die in the fight, a former hostage would make a wonderful replacement character, with great reasons to follow the party!
CryoSilver 10-18-06, 04:34 PM	I'm fairly sure that a character as powerful as the PCs would not be hanging about a dragon's lair as a hostage, just waiting to be rescued
primemover003 10-18-06, 05:23 PM	Living thousand of years can be very long, and a Red Young Adult would rather use the PCs than kill them on sight... A Young Adult red is only a few hundred years old, not thousands. Granted compared to humans it's almost a moot point. But even so, a young adult is still fairly reckless feeling that it's a power to be reckoned with (and rightly so)! So it might not take a group of adventurers overly serious unless said PC's have bested some of it's powerful minions or guardians.
runestar 10-18-06, 10:40 PM	I'm fairly sure that a character as powerful as the PCs would not be hanging about a dragon's lair as a hostage, just waiting to be rescued Well, considering that a dragon is, like any encounter, supposed to be a fair fight for a party of 4 members of its cr, I am sure that a single character a few lvs lower is probably no match for it...;)