Paralysis would stop a creature from flying if it failed its save. At 3rd level, Clerics would have access to Hold Person, but a Dragon isn't a person. (Had the wrong spell. Don't mind me.)
Summoners and Wizards could have access to Daze Monster that would keep it from taking off immediately. It still might be able to get away after being dazed though.
Keep some Launching Crossbows loaded with Tanglefoot Bags ready for when the dragon does give you the slip.
A tanglefoot bag. The dragon might save, but it won't be able to fly while entangled.
Throw a weighted net over it. The dragon can of course rip it to shreds, but that will take some time during which the rest of the party can do something.
Lasso it. Same thing applies, but the image of a cowboy roping a dragon is too cool to pass up.
If you have a Druid or a scroll of entangle, life would be good.
Your biggest problem is that the dragon is likely to be underwater a lot of the time. Will they even see it, or be able to find it?
Maybe they could try roleplaying?
Success isn't always guaranteed. Just because they only have a 30-45% chance of success doesn't mean it's not worth trying, especially if the default response of the target is to flee rather than fight.
Let 'em take a swing; if they whiff, they'll probably just try again.
I'd go with a net.
I say run it as is. If you set it up so that an ECL 3 party can have even or better odds against a CR 5 creature, you're doing the players a disservice. Not calling you out, just making an observation.
Sounds like you've got it well thought out, which I find a bit ironic because any time I have ever planned anything, it's blown to bits the second dice hit the table. You'll hear similar stories from other folks. Chances are that if you set the party up for better odds, they could fail just as easily as not.
You should assume no one can get within 60' without being detected since all dragons have blindsense 60' (see dragon senses). Even a silent invisible target will be instantly pinpointed at 60'.
Also dragons are immune to paralysis, so that's not an option.
Disguise yoursleves magically would work best as part of a tribe of kobolds or lizardmen who worship dragons. Suggest to his greatness that you have the perfect location for a lair where you could serve him. If he accepts set up a meeting and lead the Dragon back to the perfect lair. Multiple traps and debuffs should be set for once his greatness takes up residence. At the very least something that can prevent him from flying away.
Blindsense completely blows this out pf the water, so rule 0 it. the dragon is dozing or intent in trying to catch some fish or something. That way they still have their longshot at beating it.
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Question is, why do you want the party to take it out in one round? Dragons are supposed to be pretty terrifying. Player's might get the wrong idea about dragons if the encounter is too easy. Even a young one should be though of as a potential risk – especially if you do not kill it.
I personally play dragons with all the cunning I can muster as a GM. They are very perceptive and intelligent enough to know of their action-economy weakness versus a player party. They will always play to their strengths, and flee to fight another day if they feel that they even COULD be bested. Of course, being particularly vengeful and capricious, they might take to stalking the party to make life hard for them. Wage a war of attrition in the swamp, forcing the party to use the resources against co-opted minions or animals. Killing pack animals while the players sleep. Harassing them so they are constantly fatigued. Using tactics to prevent spellcasters from regaining spells.
Just my 0.02.
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I don't see a dragon as "fleeing".
I do however see a dragon taunting the party, teasing them with gems like "Come back again when you aren't such a bore..."
"Is that all you can muster? Do you honestly think so little of Me and My might that all you bring is this rabble? I shall leave you in this mud to ruminate upon ways in which to challenge me!"
and
"You are not worth my time nor the expenditure of effort...leave me alone and I shall spare your pathetic lives for the nonce!"
Dude, dragons would totally say "for the nonce".
Its very dragon-y.
Paralysis would stop a creature from flying if it failed its save. At 3rd level, Clerics would have access to Hold Person, but a Dragon isn't a person. (Had the wrong spell. Don't mind me.)
Dragons are immune to paralysis anyway, so not even Hold Monster would of worked.
As a small creature, the dragon can't fly through a Wind Wall. Well, the dragon could still fly straight up, assuming he knows that is possible. Won't prevent walking or swimming away though. If the party is only 3rd level, that would require a scroll.
I don't see a dragon as "fleeing".
I do however see a dragon taunting the party, teasing them with gems like "Come back again when you aren't such a bore..."
"Is that all you can muster? Do you honestly think so little of Me and My might that all you bring is this rabble? I shall leave you in this mud to ruminate upon ways in which to challenge me!"
and
"You are not worth my time nor the expenditure of effort...leave me alone and I shall spare your pathetic lives for the nonce!"
Dude, dragons would totally say "for the nonce".
Its very dragon-y.
Dragons that do not understand the importance of a tactical withdraw don't live long. They aren't stupid, after all.
/ FOR THE NOOOONNNNNCE!
Of course, this one IS a young dragon and might be one of those destined not to live very long....
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Of course, this one IS a young dragon and might be one of those destined not to live very long....I'm thinking that. I've slightly customized him -- swapping his Skill Focus (Stealth) feat for Noxious Bite -- and am considering tweaking him a bit more, perhaps by swapping -2 Int (loses a bunch of hp) for +2 Str or Con. He was the big dumb one of the litter, and his siblings ganged up on him and drove him out.
He's CR 5, vs. a party of level 3s. His Int is 8...that, combined with standard Black Dragon personality stuff, screams him lying in wait and trying to ambush and kill them all (so they cease to annoy him), only even attempting to flee if the PCs start to seriously win.
I think the dragon will be stretched out on a log, with shallow bog on one side and deep bog on the other. It appears to be basking like an alligator, and to casual examination looks asleep. In fact it's wide awake and alert -- it's sulking, and hoping some hapless bird or turtle will show up for it to kill.The nearest cover is a clump of tall grass 40' away. (Note that this is shallow bog -- half movement!) The dragon is just 5' from the deep bog; if attacked, it will simply dive in and swim away. (Flying is faster but leaves it vulnerable to arrows for at least one round.)
-- Hm. I'm not sure this is crackable by a 3rd level party.
Doug M.
I agree. If the DM plays the black dragon realistically the dragon is going to mostly likely be in a position in which he feels safe either surrounded by water or actually in the water.
The party of adventures are not going to encounter the dragon just lounging around in the middle of a grassy field waiting to be surrounded and attacked.
The party is going to be sludging along through muck or possibly in a boat even to get close to the dragon.
I don't see a group stalking the dragon down and killing it by surprise.
Maybe the group could lure the dragon into an ambush of some sort. The dragon is probably not a genius.
Either use a ruse to befriend it like the kobold worshiper deal and then betray the dragon.
Or use a ruse to appear to be prey for the dragon and trick it into attacking you.
Possibly by staging an argument over gold and gems that erupts into a fight where it appears the party kills each other with only one survivor, wounded, with lots of treasure for the easy picking.
Now if the dragon has no curiosity and is a coward afraid of combat with no interest in treasure that runs at the first sight of a human then that is going to be a hard to kill dragon but then that don't sound like most dragons.
He's CR 5, vs. a party of level 3s. His Int is 8...that, combined with standard Black Dragon personality stuff, screams him lying in wait and trying to ambush and kill them all (so they cease to annoy him), only even attempting to flee if the PCs start to seriously win.Of course, this one IS a young dragon and might be one of those destined not to live very long....I'm thinking that. I've slightly customized him -- swapping his Skill Focus (Stealth) feat for Noxious Bite -- and am considering tweaking him a bit more, perhaps by swapping -2 Int (loses a bunch of hp) for +2 Str or Con. He was the big dumb one of the litter, and his siblings ganged up on him and drove him out.
In that case, the dragon is toast.
If it hasn't been stated already, if it's in the swamp, you're likely not going to find it, rp wise. Black dragons like to swim in swamps, so realistically, it would find the first body deep enough and begin traveling in that mode, immediately throwing most tracking.
Tracking by sheer survival track roles may keep them on the trail, but then they have to compensate for hard/impossible terrain every step of the way.
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So ultimately we're back to square one: if the dragon feels seriously threatened, it can disappear into the swamp, and the characters can't stop it. Thanks for playing, come back after you've all leveled up.
Actually, I can't see it doing that at all, long-term. In the short-term, of course he'll run. But he'll be back.
Black Dragons are arrogant, and extremely sadistic. It seems very unlikely to me that a Black Dragon (particularly the bully of a litter) would let a group of humans get away with driving him off (especially not if he's already let other Black Dragons get away with it, he needs to regain his pride). And he's young, and probably not the patient type. And he's an ambush predator on his home ground.
So, that in mind, the dragon escapes. The PCs are now in the middle of a swamp. Probably several days from anywhere. Assuming the Dragon gets healed up pretty quick their trip out of the swamp should be a nightmare journey of hit-and run attacks from the Dragon as he wreaks his vengeance upon them, picking them of one at a time (or trying to).
While unpleasant for them, this should give the PCs several chances to actually catch the dragon (faking everyone but one person being asleep leaps immediately to mind as an ambush scenario for when the dragon attacks). And thus let them reasonably reach some closure. Also, if done properly, it'll leave them with a healthy fear of dragons. Always a good thing to instill in one's players. :)
You should assume no one can get within 60' without being detected since all dragons have blindsense 60' (see dragon senses). Even a silent invisible target will be instantly pinpointed at 60'.
Blightsense != blindsight.
You can still have concealment from a creature with blind sense. If you can have concealment, you can hide. Sure, its harder since invisibility is no help, but foliage can still hide you.
Blightsense != blindsight.You can still have concealment from a creature with blind sense. If you can have concealment, you can hide. Sure, its harder since invisibility is no help, but foliage can still hide you.
While you can still have concealment, the dragon will still know the exact square you are in, as long as the dragon has line of effect to you. Only a solid barrier blocks line of effect.
You can still hide, but the dragon still knows you are there (unless you are behind a solid barrier).
A black dragon. In a swamp. All the PCs are dead unless they're packing potions of resist energy (acid) in large quantities. Oh so, so very dead.
Dead party!