Archery is the most powerful fighting style in Pathfinder, so what you need are countermeasures against its countermeasures (Duh): Fogcutting Lenses are a must have against fog spells. A Cyclonic bow will nulify Walls of Wind and Fickle Winds. A horse in the first levels (and a flying mount later) will give you great mobility in the battlefield. And that is all. Everything else is just a plus. EDIT: A Silver Nocking Point is also useful before you can afford the Cyclonic property.
First of all: try to not fight him in open plains. Your party lacks a dedicated archer or a spellcaster. The dragon will just fly over the place and nuke you with his breath weapon and his spells without coming close to you. Even though you have Fly potions, Winged Boots or the like, you won't be able to match his fly speed. If you fight in some ruins try to take cover and force him to land. You are not prepared to fight him in the air. Once he decides to land pay attention to him. If he is smart (and big means old and old means smart), he will do one of this things: 1)If he is big enough, he will try to land ON you and crush you. Bad thing. You will be in a grapple without possibilities of break it. You big weapon will be useless (you can't wield it in a grapple). If the party is clustered and he crushes you all... well, it's a TPK. 2) He will land not very far away of you and make good use of his superior reach. If you try to approach him, he will make an attack of opportunity and grapple you. Bad thing. Try to not be the first one to approach to make him waste his AoO on your companions. It's dirty, but it works! Just be the second one and it won't be cowardice. One more thing: I cannot stress the importance of Evasion while fighting dragons. If you can, get a Ring of Evasion ASAP. If not, a dip of two levels in Rogue (or better yet, Unchained Rogue!) will do. Flying dragon? HA! Laugh at him while you evade all he can throw at you. If he cannot hit you (nor the rogue) he will have to ground. Once he does it, try to stick to the rogue and let your other friends be the "flanking buddies". I usually recommend not to stay together to avoid AoE's, but with Evasion the Rogue and you want to bait him into AoE's. And pick a backup light weapon. You can use these in a grapple. Switch to it if needed.
You want to survive? First of all, gather some intel. What kind of dragon is? How many minions does he have? How big is he? (Bigger dragon are spellcasters, so it is a very important question). Where are you going to fight him? Can you go shopping before the fight? What is your party composition? Questions, questions...
Hydras are slow creatures without ranged attacks, damage reduction or spell resistance. A ranged focused character with clever use of the terrain can take one down by himself without too many risks. It can be tedious, but it can be done. A melee focused one, on the other hand, can better keep running for his life. So, we have a monster who can easily defeat a kind of character while being almost ineffective against another one. Kinda balanced in my opinion.
What's so bad about falling? Falling is good! Most of my people were turned into mad cannibal cultists of an evil god. And it was the best thing that could've happened to them! You see, now they are angry. They are beaten dogs no longer! We are a pack of hungry wolves and we will reclaim our homeland! We are ready to go to war. And we are mad cannibal cultists no longer! SOMETIMES FALLING IS THE BEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN YOU!!!
Daleks are cool, yeah, but they only seem to be able to lay eggs! Next poster has already fulfilled one of his new year resolutions.
Oh, there was some kind... Ouch... of Hydra god who... ouch, who was not really a god, and... ouch!!
Paladin Falls Enforcement Squad wrote:
But I've also killed the local regent! Am I the new local regent? I suppose I should punish myself... OK! My penance will be to hunt more nasty dragons! PS: If that doesn't work, run the hell outta here and leave a dead silver draconian behind.
Devilkiller wrote: @Valinor - Are you from the lifeless plains of Valinor, where reigns a dark and frozen one? If so then know that the Silver Ships of Andilar will soon sail for your shores again! (beneath standards proud as fire). If not it is kind of a cool song anyhow... I am Valinor, proud ranger from the frozen and lifeless plains of South Ergoth, where a white and frozen dragon reigned supreme! A group of brave adventurers killed the dragon, freeing my land and depriving me of my well-deserved revenge. Now I seek to prove my worth against another dragons. Once my people repopulate our land, your Silver Ships of Andilar will be received with all the honors and privileges they deserve. That I swear for the blood of countless dragons! PS: Dragonlance stuff. It's hard to be left behind while your sister and your girlfriend get all the glory. I could have beaten alone that CR 29 dragon even though I was lvl 5!!
Kryzbyn wrote:
Lady Spider, you have earned my eternal respect.
"You can't fool me!! You are a dragon!!!" And then I casted this on a Marilith.
To hunt a dragon.
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