Dragon Sorcerer Boss

[Uin]

I'm running a game in a few days for a party of 4 level 18s. So far I have:

Warforged Warblade
Something Rogue (Darkstalker, Savvy Rogue)
Half-Elf Something (Dragonmarked to fly an airship)
Something Something
(not much to go on, I know)

This will be the first time I've DMed for such a high level and I'm concerned about action advantage. I thought about using a Silver Dragon as the BBEG, more precisely Old Silver Dragon Sorcerer 1. Can you use the ACF from PHBII to allow a Dragon to quicken his innate spells? Other than that I was considering giving him Action Surge (we're based in Eberron) so he can burn action points for extra actions.

Initially I'll have them first encounter the dragon while on the Half-Elf Something's airship for a short skirmish and then the party track it down to its lair.

[Cheesegear]

Initially I'll have them first encounter the dragon while on the Half-Elf Something's airship for a short skirmish and then the party track it down to its lair.

The first move of the Dragon - if he's smart, and, let's face it. It is a Dragon - would be to demolish the flying ship, and let the puny mortals fall to their doom.

First Round; Dragon smashes airship. PCs fall. Take a lot of fall damage plus whatever fire/evironmental damage you want to dish out.

[Rubicon]

The first move of the Dragon - if he's smart, and, let's face it. It is a Dragon - would be to demolish the flying ship, and let the puny mortals fall to their doom.


By 18th level, all PCs should have access to flight. They should also have access to a feather fall effect in case their method of flying is interrupted. Although the dragon's tactic of destroying the airship is sensible, I'd be surprised if the PCs take any falling damage. Any PC who can't fly by this stage deserves to fall to their doom. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html)


Can you use the ACF from PHBII to allow a Dragon to quicken his innate spells?

I'd suggest the Rapid Metamagic feat from Complete Mage instead. It isn't limited in uses per day in the same way as the PHBII Alternative Class Feature is. Of course, a dragon probably won't reach the ACF limit in a single combat.

Don't forget that the dragon can only apply metamagic to its spells in this way, not its spell-like abilities (the dragon in your example will have spells as per a 12th level sorcerer, plus some domain spells).

[Killer Angel]

I'd suggest the Rapid Metamagic feat from Complete Mage instead. It isn't limited in uses per day in the same way as the PHBII Alternative Class Feature is. Of course, a dragon probably won't reach the ACF limit in a single combat.

Don't forget that the dragon can only apply metamagic to its spells in this way, not its spell-like abilities (the dragon in your example will have spells as per a 12th level sorcerer, plus some domain spells).

mmm... quicken dispel magic (or better: greater D.M. quick.)?
If I were a caster facing a dragon ('specially with levels in a caster class), I'll expect a strong-buffed one, and my first move would be Greater dispel on him.
If he readied his quick-spell and counterspell my move, probably he should make 1 or 2 round in CC being full-buffed...

Note that a quiken greater Disp. mag., is useful also to blow down magical defences, before blasting with breath weapon.

Or any combo with one spell quicken + a normal spell, that can eliminate one caster pc, before starting to use dragon's REAL abilities.