Okay, so here's my issue. I have a cave that my PCs are going to be hired to clear, to stop the monster attacks on a nearby village. I'm expecting my PCs to be positively drained after the first two encounters. I have four 6th level PCs, two wizards, a cleric and a fighter, and one of the wizards is a new player (my girlfriend, x_x). The first encounter is a wyvern, backed up by two small fire elementals (CR 7, if I'm not mistaken, a challenging encounter for 6th level PCs). After that, my dungeon splits a bit, but a pile of rubble blocks them (for now) from the final encounter. The next encounter consists of a pair of Manticores(also CR 7 encounter), which I'm going to be utilizing the 60 ft tall cavern for flying and the like. Finally, I'm going to have the rubble cleared by some manner, or perhaps an opening in this room of the dungeon to lead to the final encounter, which is a young green dragon. CR 8, or a tough battle.
I feel that my PCs are going to need to be up to full strength in order to deal with the dragon, because this is the farthest we've gotten in a campaign thus far, and this is the first dragon any of us have encountered. But it is CR 8, and according to the book, my players should be able to handle it. I guess my question is, is there a way to suggest to my players that they should rest before going into the last room, short of telling them to do so?
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Well, you can always put an obsticle in the entrance, whether it's a cave in after they enter, an adamantine portcullis that drops (and the release level is deeper in the dungeon), a magical barrier or some sort, or maybe an overwhelming force of enemies (or the law, depending on the PCs) followed them to the dungeon and are waiting with loaded crossbows for them to come out.
I once took a party of level 7s up against a horned devil after they had fought 2-3 tough encounters. The way I got them to run (which was the plan) was to have an in-character conversation between the devil and them. The devil was in the mood for sport, said a straight up fight would be boring, etc. and gave the party a head start. So they bolt.
Right, so the way I'd figure it...if you make the dragon asleep, he'll just get coup de grace'd. It's hard to convince them to sleep if they know a dragon might just wake up and eat them.
So...In character conversation, Dragon laughs at and mocks them, make it a Lawful Evil variety of dragon. Dragon says that he's looking for a good fight, but in the party's present state, they'll not be worth much. "I'm a proper gentleman, even though you are so rudely intruding on my domain. How about this? I'll give you 12 hours to prepare, and you come back when ready" says the dragon. "And if you're not back by then, I destroy (nearby town), THEN come back and kill you."
Try to hint at how dangerous the dragon is to them -- do they know they will be facing a dragon? Perhaps have some NPC's mention it, and how formidable of an opponent it is. Give hints of its prowess by showing a dead manticore, torn apart by immense jaws and flame; or perhaps the wyvern and fire elementals are the dragon's personal guards, and warn the PC's to retreat or face his wrath!
In-character options aside, you could propose a tactical option: the PC's have to defeat the dragon, but it is not yet back at the cavern. They know that it rests in the early-morning hours, and is out hunting in the daylight. Canny adventurers would clear his lair of enemies, and then lie in wait to ambush the beast while it sleeps.
Also describe their injuries to them, "The constant fighting is taking a toll on your body and mind; you drink fiercely from your canteen to slake a powerful thirst." Or, "Your companions seem worn, did any of you bring supplies to eat or rest with?"
One last thing: dragons are very intelligent, and have lived for a very long time. They are dangerous, canny, and excellent survivors. Play a dragon as dangerously as you possibly can, with the intention to kill the players. Dragons are dangerous. Play them like they are.
The important thing is, you don't want to railroad. They need options. Some of these options will result in the death of one or more characters, but that's not your fault.
But you CAN ask for various knowledge or sense motive or wisdom or whatever checks and then tell the party that based on a successful knowledge arcana (to know about dragons) they know this variety of dragon will keep its word, or sense motive for the same, a wisdom check to know they could die if they chose to do X, and so on, so that the path of least resistance, as it were, became apparent.
Depending on the PCs, they might set up an ambush for the dragon at (nearby town) but that's not always bad. It's something A lawful good character, on average, wouldn't go for (endangering civilians AND breaking a bargain?) but it does give options.
To solve your problem, my solution is: Let the characters clear the rubble!
It is simple, and should do the trick.
Make it obvious that there is something for them on the other side.
If they start digging right away, and haven't taken a rest yet, make them roll a fortitude save for each hour of labor. If the character fail they become fatigue, fails once more and the become exhausted and unable to dig. The DC to the fatigue rolls should increase per hour.
I expect that they will choose to rest themselves, as soon as one or two is fatigued.
In the morning, when the resume the work, there is only an hour or so left of digging (without fort rolls as they are well rested).
Do all these encounters make sense is my question. Wyverns and fire elementals? I just don't see how that arrangement came to be or how fire elementals would survive in a cavern network. What about Manticores and Wyverns in the same hunting space? They are both flying predators.
A water elemental or two within the cavern system is a big rockpool makes sense however... the Wyverns have learns NOT to drink from that pool but fly to another location to drink. Have a baby wyvern skeleton near the water to lend a hint.
As for the Manticores? I'd say either another monster behind the rubble makes sense or change out the Wyverns.
The Ecology of the encounter isn't crucial to the fun of the game - but it stops a few "WTF?" moments and interferes with possible 'suspension of disbelief'
The way I decided to do it is that all these creatures are minions of the green dragon that lurks in this cave. The wyvern is kin to the dragon, the fire elementals are bound to the dragon, and as for the manticores, they serve the dragon under their own volition. In my campaign setting, the dragons terramorphed the planet from a rock to the world it is today, and as such they are revered as gods, as creators. This particular dragon had absolutely nothing to do with that, but he is a dragon, thus the manticores respect and serve him as their master.
As for solutions, I think I like the dragon lawful that Irules was talking about. Carrying on a "nice" conversation with the PCs sounds fun, and seems like a good way to provide some background to my setting. Thanks for the advice, and feel free to drop more if you choose. I'm gonna take the rest of the advice given and lock it away for future use. Borrowing other ideas, ftw.
How to make p.c.'s rest......
enough winky doodle encounters to get them to exhaust their wizard spells/healing spells oughtta do the trick.