How to survive a dragon without a fight

[hobbitkniver]

So there is a suspicion in my party the the DM may be planning an unfair battle with a dragon because he doesn't understand level adjustment and decided not to include it. Everyone in our party is an Archon, half-dragon, drow and one doppelganger. He was visibly angry today when our ridiculous Archon instakilled his boss monster. He killed the archon without any roll or chance because he said it was too powerful, and the player didn't care. He agreed and said he would not play it any longer anyways, but the main problem still remains. We were told about the dragon and shown the character sheet by the former archon who now plays a boss monster. The dragon has 500 HP and so much AC we'd have to quit. So far, the only thing we've thought of are tree tokens.

Tree: A token that causes a great oak to spring into being (5-foot diameter trunk, 60-foot height, 40-foot top diameter). This is an instantaneous effect.

I know someone knows some obscure item that could help us. Oh by the way, we're level 2.

[Ozymandias]

Honestly, this game sounds too dysfunctional to salvage.

But if you have to go on, it depends on the circumstances of the fight. If the dragon sees you, or is played intelligently, you're dead. Otherwise, work to avoid the dragon being aware of your presence.

[Archwizard]

So there is a suspicion in my party the the DM may be planning an unfair battle with a dragon because he doesn't understand level adjustment and decided not to include it. Everyone in our party is an Archon, half-dragon, drow and one doppelganger. He was visibly angry today when our ridiculous Archon instakilled his boss monster. He killed the archon without any roll or chance because he said it was too powerful, and the player didn't care. He agreed and said he would not play it any longer anyways, but the main problem still remains. We were told about the dragon and shown the character sheet by the former archon who now plays a boss monster. The dragon has 500 HP and so much AC we'd have to quit. So far, the only thing we've thought of are tree tokens.

Tree: A token that causes a great oak to spring into being (5-foot diameter trunk, 60-foot height, 40-foot top diameter). This is an instantaneous effect.

I know someone knows some obscure item that could help us. Oh by the way, we're level 2.

Frankly, that sounds like a game that needs to be given the Old Yeller treatment.

[tyckspoon]

Depends on if he wants you to deal with the dragon, or if you're just dealing with Rocks Fall in a stylish dragon-shaped exterior. If you can talk to the dragon, you could always try begging for your lives- dragons are traditionally quite vain and often appreciate having a few minions around to remind the dragon how completely awesome it is, and incidentally maybe complete a few jobs the dragon has that aren't worth its own time. If he insists you fight it, you may as well give up now, write off your current character sheets as dragon snacks, and reroll with either somebody else DMing or actually paying attention to the relevant rules (your DM may be more aware of why the LA rules exist now, at least, after having tried to run games for a 'level 2' Archon.)

[TroubleBrewing]

You're level two with a Doppleganger (+4 LA and 4HD IIRC), a Half-Dragon (LA +3), an Archon (LA +Doesn't matter, too high for level 2), and a Drow?

No, you aren't. You're at least level 8.

If the game is new to you, take my advice: Play humans. Or other PHB-only races. Don't get too crazy with the monsters until you know the game better.

[Zale]

Get whoever had the best social skills to lay on lavish complements and pleas to the dragon.

"Oh great and mighty dragon. Scarcely a word can describe the honor we feel to be graced by a being of such might and magnificence as yourself. Surely even the most wise Celestial would bow before your knowledge, brought on by the ages you must have graced the earth with your power.."

[hobbitkniver]

You're level two with a Doppleganger (+4 LA and 4HD IIRC), a Half-Dragon (LA +3), an Archon (LA +Doesn't matter, too high for level 2), and a Drow?

No, you aren't. You're at least level 8.

If the game is new to you, take my advice: Play humans. Or other PHB-only races. Don't get too crazy with the monsters until you know the game better.

Well, the DM owns the local gamestore but knows less than his players. He allows his wife to play a crazy kick ass class I've never heard of and everyone else made characters to her equivalent. This pissed her off, so she quit. Now we're a party of freaks.

[Stallion]

Well, the DM owns the local gamestore but knows less than his players. He allows his wife to play a crazy kick ass class I've never heard of and everyone else made characters to her equivalent. This pissed her off, so she quit. Now we're a party of freaks.

Lawl. I'd try and find a new DM, to be honest. If the other players in your group are fairly knowledgeable on the game, you could always *TRY* to start a game of your own.

Sorry, but a DM that gets angry over something dying that's technically SUPPOSED to die anyways and instakills the character that kills it is just a poor DM that should stick to playerside.

I think it's kinda funny that the wife quit, though....

[Seerow]

This is a case where I couldn't walk away from the game.

Cause I'd be far too busy running.

[slaydemons]

I heard about this once tree tokens? anyone got many shot? shoot all your arrows with all your token trees yell TREE boom instant win to my limited knowledge

[TroubleBrewing]

Basically. Run for your life, your sanity, and everything else you value.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Thirding Seerow and Grey. Good gods, head for the hills, man.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Sounds like you should just leave, possibly with the others coming with you, the DM is incompetent. That's the simplest way I can put it.

[slaydemons]

Well last question do any of you know how to play really well, its my thought that most people learn by actually playing... this is sadly more true in my irl group as they don't like to read..... I am not going to turn this into something about me, my honest opinion let him try being a player and run a good clean fun adventure starting at level one I suggest sunless citadel its rather good.

[ericgrau]

Hire a hobbit burglar to find the chink in the dragon's armor so you can overcome his AC. Don't forget to supply the hobbit with a ring of invisibility to do the spying. Warning: may lead into your next challenge.

[Eldariel]

Hire a hobbit burglar to find the chink in the dragon's armor so you can overcome his AC. Don't forget to supply the hobbit with a ring of invisibility to do the spying. Warning: may lead into your next challenge.

Don't forget to paint an arrow black.

[Luckmann]

So there is a suspicion in my party the the DM may be planning an unfair battle with a dragon because he doesn't understand level adjustment and decided not to include it. Everyone in our party is an Archon, half-dragon, drow and one doppelganger. He was visibly angry today when our ridiculous Archon instakilled his boss monster. He killed the archon without any roll or chance because he said it was too powerful, and the player didn't care. He agreed and said he would not play it any longer anyways, but the main problem still remains. We were told about the dragon and shown the character sheet by the former archon who now plays a boss monster. The dragon has 500 HP and so much AC we'd have to quit. So far, the only thing we've thought of are tree tokens.

Tree: A token that causes a great oak to spring into being (5-foot diameter trunk, 60-foot height, 40-foot top diameter). This is an instantaneous effect.

I know someone knows some obscure item that could help us. Oh by the way, we're level 2.Emphasizes mine.

Now, I don't have a lot of playing experience. Virtually none. I confess that I mostly hang around here because I'm functionally autistic or something. Whatever. But when someone confronts me with the question "How do I deal with this game?", every fiber of my being, despite my lack of experience, just screams "Don't".

[Quietus]

I have to echo Luckmann here. You previously came to us about how unfair the party makeup was, with the DM completely ignoring level adjustment, racial hit dice, and prestige class rules. Now, surprise surprise, he's throwing a superpowered combat at you, as if he doesn't understand the rules of the game he's playing at all. He's pissed because the people taking advantage of this fact are overpowered, which again is strictly because he allowed something he shouldn't have. And to top it all off, his wife (I'm guessing the reaping mauler from the previous thread) has ragequit because now she's not a special snowflake any more.

There is no solution. This man doesn't understand the rules of the game. Either find a different group, or find someone in this group who does know the rules and is willing to take over DMing. And for the love of god, start with core only, no monster PCs, because holy hell that'll make everyone's lives so much easier.

[[CLASSIFIED]]

A few options:

1. Shivering Touch from Frostburn is absolutely lethal against dragons. If you've got a caster and enough money to get a few scrolls, then you may have a shot at this.

2. Hire someone to fight it for you.

3. If you've got someone with high Charisma and a decent Diplomacy/Bluff modifier, you could try to never even let the situation go violent and just talk the dragon into being friends with you or convincing it that a very powerful entity has stolen something from it while simultaneously flattering so that it goes to fight the powerful something and dies in the process.

4. Alternatively, just talk to your DM, as this is a somewhat ridiculous scenario.


Good luck.

[Yuki Akuma]

No gaming is better than bad gaming.

Get the hell out and don't look back.

[Hiro Protagonest]

No gaming is better than bad gaming.

Get the hell out and don't look back.

And play PbP if you really want a game.

[hobbitkniver]

I've spoken with the other playws and we're talking about starting our own campaign. No one really wants to be the DM though, so it might be a while.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I've spoken with the other playws and we're talking about starting our own campaign. No one really wants to be the DM though, so it might be a while.

One idea for world-building is using this (http://www.clanwebsite.org/games/rpg/Dawn_of_Worlds_game_1_0Final.pdf). It makes world-building fun and dynamic, as you can never be sure how the world will turn out.