DrunkonDuty
he/him
Thought I'd start with the most iconic of DnD monsters.
Please, tell your tales.
Glen.
Please, tell your tales.
Glen.
-
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Your best fight vs. a Dragon.
- Thread starter DrunkonDuty
- Start date
Oryan77
Adventurer
Believe it or not...I've never been a part of an encounter vs a dragon. Not as a player or a DM 
and I've been gaming for 12 years now.
But that may actually change about 2 sessions down the road. I created an encounter with a dragon and am curious to find out what happens. So hopefully I can add to this thread soon
and I've been gaming for 12 years now.But that may actually change about 2 sessions down the road. I created an encounter with a dragon and am curious to find out what happens. So hopefully I can add to this thread soon
Hussar
Legend
I'll jump on.
In my World's Largest Dungeon campaign, in one of the regions, there's an insane black dragon who believes that he is the wizard who imprisoned him as a hatchling. Also within the section is an artifact tome of incredible evil guarded by a powerful spectre who has a few wight minions scattered through the region. Additionally, there is a third faction of hill giants who want revenge against the dragon for eating several of their tribe.
Enter the party.
With a bit of work, the dragon manages to convince the party that he actually is the wizard who imprisoned him and that the book needed to heal him and transform him back is hidden within the spectre's tomb. The party swallows the line and goes off to get the book.
They enter the tomb and begin to battle the spectre. A few rounds in the wight minions show up and the fight gets a whole lot hairier, particularly after one PC goes down to level drains and comes back as another spectre. The party is holding their own when things go south.
The dragon enters and begins killing everyone, undead and living alike. Now we have a three way free for all and the midden has hit the windmill for the PC's.
Few more rounds pass and the giants decide to make their move. Enter a pair of hill giant barbarians who start pounding on the dragon.
Sixteen rounds of combat total, two dead PC's, 3 surviving. Most excellent combat with a dragon I ever ran.
In my World's Largest Dungeon campaign, in one of the regions, there's an insane black dragon who believes that he is the wizard who imprisoned him as a hatchling. Also within the section is an artifact tome of incredible evil guarded by a powerful spectre who has a few wight minions scattered through the region. Additionally, there is a third faction of hill giants who want revenge against the dragon for eating several of their tribe.
Enter the party.
With a bit of work, the dragon manages to convince the party that he actually is the wizard who imprisoned him and that the book needed to heal him and transform him back is hidden within the spectre's tomb. The party swallows the line and goes off to get the book.
They enter the tomb and begin to battle the spectre. A few rounds in the wight minions show up and the fight gets a whole lot hairier, particularly after one PC goes down to level drains and comes back as another spectre. The party is holding their own when things go south.
The dragon enters and begins killing everyone, undead and living alike. Now we have a three way free for all and the midden has hit the windmill for the PC's.
Few more rounds pass and the giants decide to make their move. Enter a pair of hill giant barbarians who start pounding on the dragon.
Sixteen rounds of combat total, two dead PC's, 3 surviving. Most excellent combat with a dragon I ever ran.
DrunkonDuty
he/him
Cool.
Insane dragons: a frightening concept really.
Insane dragons: a frightening concept really.
Kheti sa-Menik
First Post
I was part of a party exploring some wintry mountains....we knew there were white dragons about. So the party sets up a small encampment for the night. We erected some kind of magic wood cabin...is that a magic item or spell? Anyway, the elder white dragon just hit us hard at first light. Collapsed the cabin on top of three PCs (mine included) and started a small avalanche, created a large crevasse on the plateau we were on, causing a few PCs to slip through then scooped up the paladin in its claws and flew away.
Utter chaos as the PCs hauled them selves out of the crevasse, crawled out from under snow, ice, and collapsed building materials while fending off smaller white dragons.
We watched the elder dragon flying with the paladin, wondering what we were going to do. Suddenly, the claws of the dragon exploded in midair in a brilliant blast of fire and gouts of flame.
Seems the paladin whipped off his necklace of fireballs (most potent type) and detonated all the beads at once. The dragon's claws were blown off and the paladin turned into a flaming projectile where he slammed into a mountainside and slid down.
Paladin survived barely....took much healing to save his life and make him combat effective. The dragon was PO'd but gravely wounded.
The most memorable thing though was the sight of a flaming paladin careening through the air.
Utter chaos as the PCs hauled them selves out of the crevasse, crawled out from under snow, ice, and collapsed building materials while fending off smaller white dragons.
We watched the elder dragon flying with the paladin, wondering what we were going to do. Suddenly, the claws of the dragon exploded in midair in a brilliant blast of fire and gouts of flame.
Seems the paladin whipped off his necklace of fireballs (most potent type) and detonated all the beads at once. The dragon's claws were blown off and the paladin turned into a flaming projectile where he slammed into a mountainside and slid down.
Paladin survived barely....took much healing to save his life and make him combat effective. The dragon was PO'd but gravely wounded.
The most memorable thing though was the sight of a flaming paladin careening through the air.
kensanata
Explorer
We fought some dragons in Red Hand of Doom... I liked the fight by the bridge where the dragon would dive into the gorge, recharge his breath weapon and return to blast the towers. Some party members where trying to hide around the towers, some climbed the towers, and finally when they realized they weren't going to last they opted for all-out attack, casting fly on two melee characters, the ranger using his bow, the wizard casting more spells, and finally downed the dragon with a critical hit by an arrow. The dragon fell all the way to the bottom of the gorge.
Later, I had upgraded a red dragon and the party had figured out that they did not stand a chance. So they fought baddies, retreated to the castle, escaped through some sewers, wanted to meet up with their allies, and found but burnt bodies and twisted bones. They dove into the water and started diving. They made sure to put half a mile between them and the castle before resurfacing not wanting to risk being spotted.
That dragon is still at large somewhere...
Later, I had upgraded a red dragon and the party had figured out that they did not stand a chance. So they fought baddies, retreated to the castle, escaped through some sewers, wanted to meet up with their allies, and found but burnt bodies and twisted bones. They dove into the water and started diving. They made sure to put half a mile between them and the castle before resurfacing not wanting to risk being spotted.
That dragon is still at large somewhere...
shilsen
Adventurer
My most memorable dragon fight:
We're playing RttToEE (3.0e) and the party is infiltrating an area which they know has a powerful guardian but have no idea who it is. They put up a bunch of magical disguises, making themselves look like some of the enemies who came out of that area, and walk up to a giant door leading into it.
The door opens, they see a gigantic chamber, and enter. And then the door closes behind them and a voice behind and above them says, "You smell different!" They turn around and look up to find themselves looking right into the mouth of a huge red dragon sitting on a gigantic shelf carved above the door.
The dragon looks at the group suspiciously and asks something, at which point the alienist says, "Screw it!" and casts a disintegrate. Then...
DM: *heh* This should be fun! Roll vs. SR. And what's the DC?
Alienist's PC: It's DC 20. I know, I know - we're dead! And I got a 29 to get through SR.
DM: *still chuckling* Well, it could still fail on a 2 or lower. *rolls*
*pin-drop slence while DM stares at die*
Players:
DM: Motherf*****!
Yup, my most memorable dragon fight is one where we one-shotted a dragon due to a natural 2.
We're playing RttToEE (3.0e) and the party is infiltrating an area which they know has a powerful guardian but have no idea who it is. They put up a bunch of magical disguises, making themselves look like some of the enemies who came out of that area, and walk up to a giant door leading into it.
The door opens, they see a gigantic chamber, and enter. And then the door closes behind them and a voice behind and above them says, "You smell different!" They turn around and look up to find themselves looking right into the mouth of a huge red dragon sitting on a gigantic shelf carved above the door.
The dragon looks at the group suspiciously and asks something, at which point the alienist says, "Screw it!" and casts a disintegrate. Then...
DM: *heh* This should be fun! Roll vs. SR. And what's the DC?
Alienist's PC: It's DC 20. I know, I know - we're dead! And I got a 29 to get through SR.
DM: *still chuckling* Well, it could still fail on a 2 or lower. *rolls*
*pin-drop slence while DM stares at die*
Players:
DM: Motherf*****!
Yup, my most memorable dragon fight is one where we one-shotted a dragon due to a natural 2.
greatamericanfolkher
Explorer
My favorite quote from a dragon fight was between an Azer and an Ancient Red:
Ancient Red: Why do you not tremble in fear like the others, little one?
Azer: Because I’m immune to fire, and you’d be easier to kill from the inside.
Ancient Red: Why do you not tremble in fear like the others, little one?
Azer: Because I’m immune to fire, and you’d be easier to kill from the inside.
Humanaut
First Post
Way back in high-school, 2e game we had a dragon kill 3 PC's before we killed it:
Wandering through a mountain range my halfling thief (6-7th level IIR) spots a distant dragon flying about. Flavor text. My halfling has a mouth that gets everyone in trouble... sooo he shouts that he thinks dragons are stupid. Oops, it heard that all the way out there. It flys over and is one of those neutral gem-dragons, and not happy.
After a brief exchange of words where i backpedal as fast as possible and it demands a magic item to leave us alone, PC A metions that PC B has magic platemail, "Plus TWOO platemail" adds another person.
Said platemailed fighter was NOT gonna give up his armor, so the dragon breathes a KO gas and everyone fails their save except that platemailed fighter... who blows his Horn of Valhalla (netting 2 fighters)... and they are torn to ribbons by the dragon. We wake up from our nap and see no dragon, no fighter. Scratch one PC.
We find a ruined city and explore, after pressing my luck for the last time, our Cleric/ Magic-user of Tholth decides that insead of giving my unconscious halfling a cure, he slits my throat. An image of Tholth comes down to scold him, and the cleric throws his holy book at his own god. Tholth gestures up and down comes that same gem-dragon to chomp him... nobody gets in the way. Scratch 2 PC's
Later we did manage to find and kill that dragon, but it was on a ledge and fell at death... landing on another wounded PC, knocking him to our 2nd lowest HP total ever (-54 HP) by crushing. Scratch 3 PC's
Not heroic, but we were 15 or so. :^)
Wandering through a mountain range my halfling thief (6-7th level IIR) spots a distant dragon flying about. Flavor text. My halfling has a mouth that gets everyone in trouble... sooo he shouts that he thinks dragons are stupid. Oops, it heard that all the way out there. It flys over and is one of those neutral gem-dragons, and not happy.
After a brief exchange of words where i backpedal as fast as possible and it demands a magic item to leave us alone, PC A metions that PC B has magic platemail, "Plus TWOO platemail" adds another person.
Said platemailed fighter was NOT gonna give up his armor, so the dragon breathes a KO gas and everyone fails their save except that platemailed fighter... who blows his Horn of Valhalla (netting 2 fighters)... and they are torn to ribbons by the dragon. We wake up from our nap and see no dragon, no fighter. Scratch one PC.
We find a ruined city and explore, after pressing my luck for the last time, our Cleric/ Magic-user of Tholth decides that insead of giving my unconscious halfling a cure, he slits my throat. An image of Tholth comes down to scold him, and the cleric throws his holy book at his own god. Tholth gestures up and down comes that same gem-dragon to chomp him... nobody gets in the way. Scratch 2 PC's
Later we did manage to find and kill that dragon, but it was on a ledge and fell at death... landing on another wounded PC, knocking him to our 2nd lowest HP total ever (-54 HP) by crushing. Scratch 3 PC's
Not heroic, but we were 15 or so. :^)
RangerWickett
Legend
Best Dragon Fight Ever
The party - a fighter, a ranger, a drow rogue, a wizard, and a druid with no animal companion - is coming up from the underdark, and is in a deep chasm in the middle of a forest, during a thunderstorm. This grotto is about 100 ft. deep and 70 ft. wide, with side passages, pitfalls, and a waterfall.
They're trying to find a way to climb up the rainslick cliffs to reach the surface when a guardian of the underdark - a slightly modified green dragon - appears and says that it will destroy them before it lets a drow reach the surface. The party is low on ranged attack options, but thankfully this is 2e where dragons could only use their breath weapons three times a day.
The party starts by scattering so they can't all be hit by the breath weapon. The mage and ranger head in one direction, trying to get to higher ground to find a path to the surface, while the fighter and druid run out in the open, wanting to make themselves tempting targets so the rest of the party can get away. The drow rogue ducks into a narrow side tunnel where the dragon can't follow, and manages to hide.
Irritated, the dragon swoops in and grapples the druid, carrying her off, which ruins everyone's plans. The dragon carries her to a high ledge and keeps her grappled, threatening to kill her if the rest of the group don't turn over the drow. The party refuses, retaliating with a fireball and the ranger and fighter climbing up to try to engage the dragon in melee.
The dragon begins tearing at the druid so it can follow through with its threat, but then the two warriors are nearly on it, so it lets the mangled druid go (she's only a few hp away from death, so she just lies where she is), and tries to knock the PCs off the ledge they're climbing with its attacks. It misses the heavily-armored fighter, and the ranger is an amazingly good climber, and even after getting hit he manages to hold on.
The warriors reach the dragon and start fighting, but the dragon is really just too strong for them. The ranger gets so hurt that he grabs the druid and carries her to safety, while the fighter stands and takes the punishment. The wizard is still on the floor of the grotto, failing against spell resistance (magic resistance back then), and things are looking bleak when the rogue comes out from hiding and calls the dragon out.
The dragon abandons its fight with the fighter and swoops down at the rogue, who at the last minute dives into a pit on the floor (intended as a hazard in the battle, but ending up as a nice hiding place). The dragon exhales its gaseous energy breath attack into the pit, but the rogue reminds me they're in a thunderstorm, so the bottom of the pit should be filled with water, which means the deadly vapors can't reach her. The dragon tries to stick its head into the pit and bite, but the rogue is doing everything she can to stay out of harm's way and out of reach, and the dragon just can't hit.
This daring ploy by the drow rogue gives the druid enough time to heal up the warriors and buff them, and they make their way back down the slope to take the battle back to the dragon. The wizard tries to trap the dragon with a web, which holds it just long enough for the warriors to get in one round of attacks before the dragon decides to screw melee. It takes to the air, swooping past the wizard and knocking him unconscious with one bite, and then flies up to the top of the grotto, where it uproots a tree.
The fighter, ranger, and rogue are at this point looking for rocks they can hurl because they have no ranged weapons, when the dragon throws a tree at them. This knocks out the fighter, and leaves the rogue pinned under the tree. Thinking he has no options left, the ranger waits for the dragon to swoop in for the killing blow, then jumps onto its face, clinging to the monster. It flies all around the room trying to shake him off, wanting him to fall to his death, but the ranger manages to hold on, and even digs his sword into the beasts's eye.
And the druid, who by this point has cast call lightning, brings down two bolts of lightning upon the dragon, killing it.
The party - a fighter, a ranger, a drow rogue, a wizard, and a druid with no animal companion - is coming up from the underdark, and is in a deep chasm in the middle of a forest, during a thunderstorm. This grotto is about 100 ft. deep and 70 ft. wide, with side passages, pitfalls, and a waterfall.
They're trying to find a way to climb up the rainslick cliffs to reach the surface when a guardian of the underdark - a slightly modified green dragon - appears and says that it will destroy them before it lets a drow reach the surface. The party is low on ranged attack options, but thankfully this is 2e where dragons could only use their breath weapons three times a day.
The party starts by scattering so they can't all be hit by the breath weapon. The mage and ranger head in one direction, trying to get to higher ground to find a path to the surface, while the fighter and druid run out in the open, wanting to make themselves tempting targets so the rest of the party can get away. The drow rogue ducks into a narrow side tunnel where the dragon can't follow, and manages to hide.
Irritated, the dragon swoops in and grapples the druid, carrying her off, which ruins everyone's plans. The dragon carries her to a high ledge and keeps her grappled, threatening to kill her if the rest of the group don't turn over the drow. The party refuses, retaliating with a fireball and the ranger and fighter climbing up to try to engage the dragon in melee.
The dragon begins tearing at the druid so it can follow through with its threat, but then the two warriors are nearly on it, so it lets the mangled druid go (she's only a few hp away from death, so she just lies where she is), and tries to knock the PCs off the ledge they're climbing with its attacks. It misses the heavily-armored fighter, and the ranger is an amazingly good climber, and even after getting hit he manages to hold on.
The warriors reach the dragon and start fighting, but the dragon is really just too strong for them. The ranger gets so hurt that he grabs the druid and carries her to safety, while the fighter stands and takes the punishment. The wizard is still on the floor of the grotto, failing against spell resistance (magic resistance back then), and things are looking bleak when the rogue comes out from hiding and calls the dragon out.
The dragon abandons its fight with the fighter and swoops down at the rogue, who at the last minute dives into a pit on the floor (intended as a hazard in the battle, but ending up as a nice hiding place). The dragon exhales its gaseous energy breath attack into the pit, but the rogue reminds me they're in a thunderstorm, so the bottom of the pit should be filled with water, which means the deadly vapors can't reach her. The dragon tries to stick its head into the pit and bite, but the rogue is doing everything she can to stay out of harm's way and out of reach, and the dragon just can't hit.
This daring ploy by the drow rogue gives the druid enough time to heal up the warriors and buff them, and they make their way back down the slope to take the battle back to the dragon. The wizard tries to trap the dragon with a web, which holds it just long enough for the warriors to get in one round of attacks before the dragon decides to screw melee. It takes to the air, swooping past the wizard and knocking him unconscious with one bite, and then flies up to the top of the grotto, where it uproots a tree.
The fighter, ranger, and rogue are at this point looking for rocks they can hurl because they have no ranged weapons, when the dragon throws a tree at them. This knocks out the fighter, and leaves the rogue pinned under the tree. Thinking he has no options left, the ranger waits for the dragon to swoop in for the killing blow, then jumps onto its face, clinging to the monster. It flies all around the room trying to shake him off, wanting him to fall to his death, but the ranger manages to hold on, and even digs his sword into the beasts's eye.
And the druid, who by this point has cast call lightning, brings down two bolts of lightning upon the dragon, killing it.
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